Cheltenham fan in peace ..

Nham68 · Post by **Nham68** » 28 Dec 2015, 17:44

Firstly, just to say your support was outstanding today : a credit to you.. Sang their hearts out all the way through - really brilliant.

Match was a tale of two halves... First in which both sides neutralised each other in what was a dire 45 mins .. Second half came alive with chances for both teams.

Torquay should have taken the lead ... Quite how we didn't concede I don't know. Sending off was a shame - definitely two yellows and correct from ref, but harsh considering the performance and your captain looked a composed , skilfull and committed player but not dirty at all.. One late challenge and one encroachment ...

Thought you had a really strong and solid midfield and a real handful of 2 attackers ( was pleased when they were subbed - bizarre decision as they were giving Downes and our other centr back a torrid time)

The winner was a moment of genius : I know someone said it was a fluke on another thread - but don't believe it - I was right behind our #11 when he wrapped his foot around the ball and you could see the intent .. Tried it earlier in the game and in other games ... Don't think you can blame the keeper from where I was standing ..keeper made a truly outstanding save from a free kick (Cheltenham scored the rebound but from offside)... One of the best saves I've see. ...

Overall, thought you guys were solid and threatening going forward - weakness is at the back... We're misfiring at the moment (one main striker is out injured) but with some improvement in your back line, you'll pick up results this season. Our defence is mean - thought your attacking format was good, will produce goals against weaker defences given the gulls like to play good football.

I've been to watch Cheltenham at Plainmoor quite a few times, and love the ground and people . Sincerely wish you the best for the rest of season and honestly hope you don't drop down - you're too good for that - in the second half , one of the most threatening sides I've seen at Whaddon Road.

Best of luck for remainder of season , good new year to you all... And great result at FGR btw ..

Johnno / Cheltenham fan

portugull · Post by **portugull** » 28 Dec 2015, 18:18

Thank you Johnno for some very thoughtful comments.

It sounds like the key moment was when we failed to score just after half time.

I think your winner after 59 minutes was just about your first shot of the match. Pleased you felt young Dan Lavercombe was not to blame.

We are improving slowly but we need a little more luck as well as a few good additions in January.

Looks like you are nailed on to return to the Football League. We miss Aaron Downes big time.

brucie · Post by **brucie** » 28 Dec 2015, 18:33

Downes wouldn't make a jot of difference in our defence. Wonder if you would have said the same if your player had been sent off. When was the last time you saw a player sent off for encroachment then?

I suppose its a bit much to expect a referee to show a bit of common sense though. Would he have done the same thing if it had been a Cheltenham player? - I doubt that.

As for your goal being a moment of genius, guess you must have been on the cooking sherry. Our commentators were saying it was a total fluke so must have been watching the game through a different pair of spectacles than you were.

gullintwoplaces · Post by **gullintwoplaces** » 28 Dec 2015, 18:48

I wasn't aware that encroachment by a player was an automatic yellow card. Persistent encroachment might be, but was Richards persistently encroaching at free kicks? The sensible ref has a remedy, retake the free kick and warn the player, but referees with common sense are as rare as hen's teeth in this league.

Nham68 · Post by **Nham68** » 28 Dec 2015, 18:49

brucie wrote:Downes wouldn't make a jot of difference in our defence. Wonder if you would have said the same if your player had been sent off. When was the last time you saw a player sent off for encroachment then?

I suppose its a bit much to expect a referee to show a bit of common sense though. Would he have done the same thing if it had been a Cheltenham player? - I doubt that.

As for your goal being a moment of genius, guess you must have been on the cooking sherry. Our commentators were saying it was a total fluke so must have been watching the game through a different pair of spectacles than you were.

The encroachment got the second yellow and yes , was harsh ... I'd agree.

As for local commentary : they tend to be a little bit biased .. No lunchtime sauce today

Taken in isolation, yes, could see that a commentator could consider it a fluke .. When you know the player and what he tries week in / week out, you have more context.

Ref was a bit weird ... Decisions went for and against both sides . The disallowed goal I don't believe was offside when struck from free kick and saved brilliantly by the keeper and tapped in by downes.. Came of Torquay player last.

Good luck for remainder Brucie ..

Dazza · Post by **Dazza** » 28 Dec 2015, 19:06

Referee was obviously the same specially bred idiot who the Nationwide League in their infinite wisdom have reserved especially for us all season. Can you imagine an official sending off a home player for encroachment. It just wouldn't happen. Nothing against Cheltenham but when you are up there you get the breaks - when you are down there the breaks fall the other way.

I hope we can help you by continuing to play well at FG on the 1st.

Post by **Dave** » 28 Dec 2015, 19:19

Yep, thanks for your comments Nham68. Thought the sending was harsh, on the subject of your goal from where we are, it looked like a cross, most of us thought it was, different views different perceptions I guess.

Kernowgull · Post by **Kernowgull** » 28 Dec 2015, 19:43

Heard the goalscorer Beijing interviewed on Radio Glos on way home, he said it was a fluke!!

Post by **Gulliball** » 28 Dec 2015, 19:45

I didn't think the sending off was harsh - encroachment is just one of those things that is a yellow card. The referee marks the ball, counts ten yards and there's a line you can't go past. I think Richards thought the ball was going to be knocked to someone else to strike, but the two players next to the ball ran away and it was taken cleanly first time. Richards broke the line, and charged it down to block the shot, what else can the referee do there except order a re-take, and 99% of players get booked for doing that when it happens.

Richards also put in a bad tackle minutes before, which was late, stopped a counter attack and was very high. Not a red card, but there were about three different factors that he could have been booked for. Given the two offences, I think almost every ref in the world would have given him two yellows.

It was a great shame as he had another good game, although it should only be the one game he's banned for?

Our fans were excellent, both in noise and number, especially given our league position and how little we have to shout about.

A point would have been fair today I think, but we missed our golden chance and they scored one out of nowhere.

Nham68 · Post by **Nham68** » 28 Dec 2015, 19:47

Kernowgull wrote:Heard the goalscorer Beijing interviewed on Radio Glos on way home, he said it was a fluke!!

Ok, lucky it was than ! If you read the robins nest forum , I think you'll find quite a few remarking positively on the gulls performance... Luck not on your side today ...

Post by **Dave** » 28 Dec 2015, 19:58

I'm not doubting encroachment is a yellow card. The reason I thought it was harsh, is how many times have I seen the same free-kick in a football match either live or on telly, taken from same area, with the same scenario and the referee not even blow his whistle and order a re-take, and I'm sure sometime very soon I'll see it again.

For me it's case of some referee's seem a little more keen to apply the rules than others.

ferrarilover · Post by **ferrarilover** » 28 Dec 2015, 20:10

I can cope with referees being fussy and applying the letter of the law uniformly. What I can't deal with is a referee choosing one rule, at random, to apply stringently and without forewarning. Encroachment is down there with foul throws (saw plenty today), taking free kicks from the wrong place (saw plenty today) and taking too long to vacate the field at a substitution (saw an extreme example today). He ignored all of those, but chose to book Richards for his encroachment knowing it would mean his dismissal and a game's ban. When you consider Diego Costa hasn't been sent off all season, yet Richards was given his orders today, it all rather seems to stink of farce.

Matt.

Post by **Gulliball** » 28 Dec 2015, 20:16

Players edge forwards at free-kicks all the time, that's why the new vanishing spray was introduced, to give it a physical line you can't cross. What Richards did was to run forwards and charge down the free-kick before it was taken, which is at a whole different level and not something the referee can ignore. He probably thought the guys on top of the ball were going to lay it off, but once they didn't and he ran forwards, it's blatant encroachment. Not the thing you want to see someone get sent off for, but he picked up two very clear-cut yellows in my opinion, so any referee would have sent him off today.

ferrarilover · Post by **ferrarilover** » 28 Dec 2015, 20:25

Players leave the pitch slowly all the time. Their bloke blatantly strolled off, ironically committing exactly the same cautionable offence as Richards. Any referee would have booked their bloke today. Except he chose not to. He chose to ignore that offence and not to ignore to ignore Richards committing of the same offence. Now, I'm loathed to suggest the referee was motivated by bias, but if it walks like a duck...

Matt.

PhilGull · Post by **PhilGull** » 28 Dec 2015, 20:28

Encroachment? Really? So disappointing from one of our better players. I hope Nicho throws the book at him and gives the maximum fine. Bad tackles are one thing but clear rule breaking like this is just plain stupid, just gives ammo to those who say professional footballers are thick as shit.

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