cityexile

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30369189 Highlights. Some really good saves by Fielding looking at that.

A JET debate! How we miss them. Always thought him playing behind two up front was never really going to work. Was not there, but difficult to see where the midfield drive would come from. Would like to have seen him playing behind one striker most likely Agard, with another in to balance the midfield. He did really well playing Baldock in last year. We really need to use him or lose him. Otherwise we have almost nothing on the bench to shake it up up front. It is starting to look like it might be the latter.

Sheff 1 Notts 1 decent to. Great way to bounce back. Boro were in truth shocking, but maybe unlucky just to win by the three. Back to scoring, clean sheet weekend made. Shout out to Pack as well, who contributed after coming in for some (fair) flak after Saturday.

Was just thinking, if we can hit this type of form enough - we will go up. Nice to get back to winning ways before what looks like an ok December.

Just what was needed. Just keep it going lads.

As an aside, Sheff Utd 0 Notts County 1. Worry more season long about Sheff so happy with that to.

Not just the score, but been a quality 45 mins from the boys. They look like they can nick one, and then it would be a very different game. We are the better team and just need to make sure we continue to play for 90 today!

I am sure if the situation was reversed in its entirety, we be loving every nuance of it. Whilst we are both knocking the other lot for showing it, at least there is some passion around! Gutted its to you lot to be honest, but not heart broken the unbeaten run is gone. Was becoming like a cup game every league match as everyone wanted the scalp. Equally, a sense of injustice is never a bad thing, although keeping my powder dry if it is fair or not! Couple out now. Be interesting how we cope. If you start getting to close, we can always buy your best player or two in January...

Fair come back I suppose, but either way you would not be able to tell much about the way the team normally goes about their business, how they normally play. Defensively we worked really hard today. Attacking wise we were not at the races, other than a couple of chances. You pays your money and takes your choice, but that it either because you had a fantastic defensive performance, or, because, well - we were a man short. If I had been told before the game you would score one goal, I would have taken that right there, as that would normally see us winning. You saw half a performance today - our defending.

'Meaningless' purely in the sense that if you were a neutral trying to come to an informed decision as to the relative merits of the two sides, the sending off made that analysis meaningless.

I assume we were both there? - did City at any stage 'give up' - did they continue to 'compete' - did they keep going trying to 'scrape' something? You were frankly in the second half to good against 10 men. I was proud how hard we fought all the way through, and almost got there. Maybe if we had rolled over and got hammered, but we lost 1-0 to actually a very good goal, away from home, against the team in second place! The sending off changed the game. To argue anything else is frankly absurd!

OK - lets acknowledge firstly a pretty balanced post. But really? Whatever we shout at each other, neither of us is Real Madrid, we are both Div 1 sides going pretty well. There is no doubt being short of a key player changed the nature of the game hugely. It was always a losable game for us. It was your day, and it was a very good goal required to win it. As a match up between the two teams to make judgements about the relative merits of the team, frankly it did become meaningless after the sending off.

You won today. Just enjoy it ffs. Been around long enough to have seen us win big games and lose a few. It happens. Lets see where we are come the end of the season. Maybe you are right, maybe you are wrong, we will see. Either way, I only have to go to Swindon once a year.

Wonderful! Just back. Difficult to add much really. Sending off entirely changed the way we approached the game. First half thought we were very comfortable, surprisingly so. Second half, they played much better, getting wide more, and it felt inevitable they would score. Having said that, all 10 played like lions, and it is as well as I have seen us defend for many a year. Was always going to take a good goal to beat us, which is what in the end they got. https://vine.co/v/O5vjzDIbUjj Freeman stood out for me, although let down a little by poor corners early on. Did not in truth see the sending off, but if it was for a head butt, then a shocking moment by Elliott who on this occasion dropped everybody else in it, and will miss games now. Few chances for us, but Wilbs could have scored late on. Just one of those days were it went for them. Saw enough to know there is a real spirit in our side, and they will bounce back. Only worry was looking at the bench how little attacking options we had. Pack on 86 chasing the game!??! Great run, now over. They won this battle, every confidence we will win the war.

A journalist is sent to Afganastan to report on the changes that have been made in society since the years of fighting for western values, and the sacrifices made. He is quite struck by what he sees. He stops a man walking along a street, and starts a conversation with him. He explains that when he first visited twenty years ago, women used to always walk twenty paces behind their man. This now seemed to have reversed, with the woman walking first. Surely this was a sign of the success of the introduction of liberal western values, he asked the man. The local just shrugged, and said, 'nah, landmines'.

Random, but you do wonder as a fan about the way teams other than the big boys get covered. Eg - today, BBC reports "Leaders Chelsea move nine points clear of title rivals Manchester City as a sublime finish by Oscar helps defeat QPR.". Well, yes, but Southampton in second place 4 points behind are obviously invisible!

Cotts "Hard fought. Great in first 25 mins. Oldham then had better of last ten minutes, but disappointed not ahead at half time. Today about patience, concentration, and was going to take a good team to beat Oldham. Practiced this free kick loads of time - started in Botswana! Hopefully other teams mark this one now, as we have another one! Great save from Fielding. If kept game really open after goal, they would have scored. Did not make any mistakes defending set pieces, and really pleased for lads today. Big day, given other results. I said after Rochdale it was a good point. I knew that was the case. People will think I less cookoo now. Few of the other boys can get some minutes under their belt in the cup, will need to think about that now..

Meaningless stat of the day - bar a late leveller at Orient, all the teams we have dropped points against this season won.

Would love to hear in time from somebody at the gate whether the gate was as rocking as it sounded! Sounds in fairness a much better performance as well - unlucky to not get ahead early, but dug in!

Table at start of day... Us - won Preston - lost Swindon - lost Notts County - lost Peterborough - lost Sheff Utd - lost Oldham - lost Ok, MK and Rochdale won, but blimey!

With the other results just about a perfect win to start a hard run. Clean sheet, home crowd sounding great. Hard fought for. As an aside, all three teams we have to play next lost!

JET on, sounds like we are sitting back now and if not exactly hanging on, not far off.

Sounds like we are working hard to close them down. 50/50 really.

Just about to post I thought Oldham were just starting to shade it. Can we, just once, stay ahead!

Elsewhere, Dons 0-1 to Swindon, Notts Co 1-1, Boro 0-1, Rochdale 2-0 Preston, Sheff Utd 0-0. Not to shabby.