Stalybridge game

[leon]

One of those scrappy wins that can be so important, the sort of performance that was needed against Oxford and Gloucester in December. Thought the new players looked assured and all 3 goals had a bit of quality to them and Steven Leslie probably had his best game in a Blue shirt. Hope Staly survive as they try and play football but seem to lack experience which was City's issues earlier in the season.

[simples]

I thought the City applied themselves well all over the pitch. Stalybridge looked dangerous when they did get forward, fortunately for City their defenders liked to over indulge and played themselves into trouble on several occasions.

I believe they are a full time side and this week they must have been mostly practising shirt pullling and holding off theiir opponents (not always fairly).

It was good to hear the fans get behind the team, especially in the last 10 minutes when the City were trying to run down the clock and keep possession in the corner. For me the 500 at Aggborough seem to generate more atmosphere than double that at the lane. Hopefully a couple more wins and we might start thinking about safety.

[citytoon]

Important win this one. Great to finally be picking up points from teams around us.

[Tim Munslow]

I thought City seemed a bit lethargic on Saturday: Moore and Aaron Brown especially so, but - hey - we ground out the win. Wayne Thomas and Ryan Boot had good games, as did Ellis Deeney, our unsung hero. All in all a disappointing game but a welcome 3 points.

With Oxford having had 3 points deducted, and Gloucester not winning, things are beginning to look a little rosier.

[oxford]

Over the moon about Oxford City. For one thing,the most important thing of course, it helps us in our quest to stay up. Also as a Swindon fan,who also had family ties to the now sadly defunct Witney Town, I absolutely HATE them!!(and Utd too!!)

[adycrean]

I thought Hutchinson was outstanding - he seemed to benefit from having a big, experienced defender alongside him

Fair play to Stalybridge as well. They tried to play good football the whole way through.

I see they described City as a 'rugged, big, no-nonsense side' on their forum!?

[cityspur]

Mar 4, 2014 6:35:13 GMT adycrean said:

I thought Hutchinson was outstanding - he seemed to benefit from having a big, experienced defender alongside him

Fair play to Stalybridge as well. They tried to play good football the whole way through.

I see they described City as a 'rugged, big, no-nonsense side' on their forum!?

i"d take that as a back handed compliment as i think those are the
qualitys you need to survive in that league.

[Tim Munslow]

To save a new thread I've resurrected this thread from 2014, and how interesting it is to read all the names who no longer wear the blue and white shirt!

Here's hoping we won't be too tired tonight; Staly only had to play for 12 minutes on Saturday and then their game was abandoned, so they should have more energy than us. However, we shall see!

[thesecondjack]

No harm in resurrecting an old thread I suppose! I wouldn't mind another scrappy 3 points as we did in 2014 (I cannot say I can remember the game, but I do have a programme for it, so there's an insight to how bad my memory is!).

I'd like to see Ologu given a start, perhaps in place of Gater, who can some on in the second half. He seems to run, run, and run some more, which could form a brilliant partnership with Jacko in midfield.

It'd also be nice for our captain to play 90 minutes, it cannot be doing his confidence to come off at 80 most games. As for the forward line? Murphy seems his best at 'home', so he'd start for me, along with Hughes and Bakayoko, Nti on the bench.

[thesecondjack]

What do I know? Nti has scored 2.

I must say I thought the first was an own goal, but who am I to question Jane in the pa box?

[thesecondjack]

Hat trick.

[citytoon]

First given as an OG by Dan in his online commentary. We sound all over them!

[thesecondjack]

5-0.


Yes, City are winning five - nil

Own up, who decided to stay at home to watch Arsenal Barcelona? Cause you're missing a treat.

[rob]

Brilliant! Looks like Nti got the first half hat trick according to the official site..

www.footballconference.co.uk/results.php?division_id=4s

[thesecondjack]

I've been told by Dec (blueandwhitearmy) who was behind the goal, that it was an own goal, and I'll be honest, I thought it was an own goal and I was sat in the other half, but each to their own, I won't deny Nti a hat trick.

[bj]

There were a number of excellent performances tonight - non more so than Danny Jackman. His performances since taking over the Captains armband have been inspiring. He is producing the performances that Ellis Deeney promised.

[blueandwhitearmy]

I think that it may have been given to Nti as the shot/cross was on target before the deflection, But I would have said it was an OG, But everyone were class tonight.

[stamoo]

What was particularly impressive was the manner of the win and the way City passed the ball around with pace and confidence, Stalybridge just couldn't handle it. Once again it emphasised to me ( good player though he is) how much Ellis used to slow the play down as we played through midfield. Last night we moved forward with speed and used the width to excellent effect.

Agree Danny Jackman was superb, making him Captain seems to have taken his game to another level. All good performances, Nti was on fire, but Man of the Match for me was Sam Minihan. Sam was up and down that right wing all night and created many of our chances. He was unlucky not to score himself. The best performance I have seen from a full back since George Williams left. Also our back four were rock solid, I can't remember Vaughany having to make a save.

A night to savour!

[citytoon]

Superb win! Just the shot in the arm required to put some distance between us and the drop zone.

How did Marius Ologu fare when he came on?

[wcfcnb82]

Feb 24, 2016 8:05:28 GMT citytoon said:

Superb win! Just the shot in the arm required to put some distance between us and the drop zone.

How did Marius Ologu fare when he came on?

I thought Marius did well he came on. His passing looked good, and he runs into space well, had a half chance to score after inedvertenly blocking hughes's effort on goal. Think he looks a decent prospect. I'm guessing he may well be a starter vs Lowestoft next tuesday

[Tim Munslow]

Marius looked very confident on the ball; but whether he is yet up to 90 minutes is another matter.

I was left wondering whether (a) we were absolutely brilliant or (b) Stalybridge were absolute pants? There certainly didn't seem to be much fight in them once the first two went in.

Either way we won in a canter and Thomas and Sharpe looked after their forwards, leaving Minihan (who I agree was brilliant) and Gudger free to pursue openings down the flanks. For me I would start Bakayoko up front every time; he seems to be improving by the game whereas, when he comes on, Lee Hughes looks like "yesterday's man"; he (Hughes) also can't help himself getting involved in needless arguments, as witness the spat between him and the Staly number 4 after the final whistle.

All in all a great night, compounded by the fact that Lowestoft and Hednesford drew with each other and thus fell two further points behind.

[thesecondjack]

There is something about Ologu, from the little I have seen him play, he gives me the feeling that he could be something special.

[Tim Munslow]

Yep, I get that feeling too. The only drawback may be that he doesn't like being beaten, and was quick to demonstrate this, so a few cards may come his way, although I am sure Carl and Matt will have words with him on that subject.

Incidentally I notice the official National League website shows Nti as having completed a hat-trick, whereas City's own entries on Facebook give the first as an own goal. I guess it's whatever the ref put in his report that counts.

[thesecondjack]

That's a good point, but hopefully he'll learn from the likes of Wayne Thomas and know when enough is enough, and not to get a red card... rather than learn from Lee Hughes, who looked like he wanted a red card last night when he was arguing with the ref. Credit should go to Jackman for being next to Hughes and knowing when he'd said enough to the ref, and walked Hughes away.

[althom]

Agree about the Hughes performance last night. He appeared to come onto the pitch last night with the intention of winding up the opposition and the Ref, which for a senior professional is uncalled for! Danny Jackman did step in to calm the situation showing great diplomacy.

[auldreekie]

I enjoyed "watching" the match on the Worcester News feed! A terrific result. Good to see players now returning from injury as shown in the strong substitutes bench in Burton, Ross, Hughes, Ologu, Waldron. Interesting point by Stamoo on the speed of play in the post-Deeney era.

[crosscountrymark]

A excellent team performance with some of the best passing and breaking at pace we have seen for a long time led by captain Danny Jackman. The back four were solid with Thomas, Sharpe and Gudger keeping the Stalybridge forwards well shackled which allowed the excellent Sam Minihian the chance to bomb forward. In midfield Jackman, Donnellan and Gater battled well and passed the ball to the flanks to Murphy and Dan Nti who blitzed the Stalybridge defence. Dan Nti was my man of the match, scoring two and made two others with his non stop running on the right flank. I agree with Joint manager Carl Heeley who says when we have all the players available, we are a match for any side in this league, it just being consistent on a regular basis. I was impressed with Bakayoko who led the front line well and has speed and can head a ball and added another his second goal in two games. It looked like Lee Hughes was looking to get himself sent off with a elbow in the face of the NO 4 and should of got a red card and continues to argue with the referee who I thought had a excellent game, only the intervention of our captain calmed the situation, but spilled over at the final whistle with Hughes involved again. Alex Gudger picked up a ankle injury late in the game, and just hoping its not the injury he picked against Southport and missed the Christmas period. It was nice to see Marius Ologu come on as second substitute and looks a decent prospect and is full of running and passes the ball well. Its a pity only 367 were their to witness such a excellent display of attacking football, and I hope the sporting public of Worcester will support the club in large numbers on the 5th March for the FC United game. Their was a message on facebook from a FC united supporter asking if the clubhouse will open to FC United supporters ? . I think the Kidderminster Harriers supporters club would be the best option as they travel in large numbers, subject to prior arrangement with the social club.

[Dodger]

Could be interesting Saturday.......Stalybridge won 3-0 at Boston a couple of weeks ago!

Dodger.

[simples]

To quote Stamoo (and others) the speed of the build ups was quick thus allowing City to capitalise on their pace upfront. Murphy on the left, Nti down the right with Bakayoko in the centre were a constant threat to Stalybridge. For me the first goal was definately an own goal but the cross put the defence under pressure so the least Nti deserved was an assist. It was a shame Nti squandered an opportunity for a hat-trick as with a bit of time to tee up his shot he dragged it well wide - we were 3 up then and a fourth would have finished off the game there and then before half time.

With the score 5-0 City decided to utilise their bench - normally it would be senior players coming off to give the youngsters a chance - this time the roles were reversed with Hughes and Burton coming on.

As others have commented Hughes behaviour was unnecessary - City 5 up and enjoying themselves - no need to spoil it. Jackman's appointment as captain has coincided with a marked improvement in discipline. We have got on with the game, leave the ref to referee the game. Under the previous captain I would suspect the referee would have been busier?

On a final footballing note there several examples of quick interpassing in tight situations where the opponents could not get close to the ball, not passing for the sake of passing, but with and end product and the ball being played to the feet of our wide men to run at their defence.

I for one did not notice the cold.

[thesecondjack]

I hate to be the negative guy, but I'd like to put something out there...

Jordan Murphy needs to stop trying to go through so many players.He's got plenty of ability, and he's brilliant at getting past his man, but he's losing the ball a fair bit when trying to get past the second or third man. I feel like he should go through the one player, pass, run into a central position ready to receive the ball again and score. Am I being too harsh on the lad?