Crewe vs Torquay Match Thread

[Scott Brehaut]

Buckle Basher

JOHN MILTONS YELLOW ARMY

[NA Gull]

Good point again from another tough away game. Hopefully turn these draws into a win at Plainmoor.

COYY

[Southampton Gull]

Well, it seems that the Manager hit on a formation that can score goals, time for extra defensive training me thinks.

Some of us would have settled for a point beforehand so lets take the positives and move on.

[bixieupnorth]

not me i'm afraid cant stand looking at him or listening to him, never have done and never will!

[Fletch]

F/T - 3-3

Plus points - we scored three goals
Negative points - we were 3-1 up, Buckle switches things around and we concede 2 goals and cling on to one point.

Just to be accurate Scotty, 2 subs were made when we were 2-1 up but Crewe were getting more of the game. Shortly afterwards Eunan scored the third to put us 3-1 up. Was that a tactical error?

[Scott Brehaut]

Yeah, we changed our shape and allowed them to press us more - meaning that conceding was inevitable.
I'm happy with a point, but it is hard to accept when we could and should have had three.

[HRG]

Definitely would have taken the point before the match but it is disappointing that we let a two goal lead slip away.
Do have to agree though that getting a few goals in is something we can take away from this game. So now that they've reminded themselves where the back of the net is I'm looking forward to a win soon.

[Northumbergull]

What does Bucks drink at half time that makes his noddle go so odd?

STOP MEDDLIN'!

Bruce

[Lloyder5]

Sometimes we forget we're playing another team, when we obsess about the manager and his tactics. Teams gain momentum in different ways, the crowd, a crunching challenge or a bad foul. There were some pessimistic posts about this result. A point will not seem too bad when we start winning, which I am sure will be soon.

[Dave]

This match has been a bit of a 50/50 to me,Crewe have been involved in some real high scoring games of late,and before this game started i would have taken one point.

When you think we were 0.2 and 1.3 up,to end up 3.3 is a bit dissappointing,listened on the radio it just seemed a match we should have won,could easliy have lost,a year ago i think the team would have been beaten in a game like this.

Over the last few weeks the team has played well in fits and starts in some game's and for long periods in others,we must have hit the post/crossbar a record number of times in a short space of time,the seem's so close to going on another winning run,but yet so far away.

[yellow]

What a strange and compelling game it was.

It was clear to see why Crewe get involved in free scoring matches. Their defence was poor and Mark Ellis helped himself to two goals from set pieces courtesy of shocking marking and Nicho s cultured left foot. Their no 5 looked particularly immobile. Going forward they are a different proposition playing a lot of neat triangles and football on the deck that is a credit to Div 2.

Having been 2-0 up we then in time honoured fashion self destruct and fail to go in with a clean sheet by conceding just before the break. First gifting a penalty that Alex contrived to miss and then we concede to a ripper as Crewe cut through a static defence.

Quick thinking from Benyon and a great finish from Eunan and we are 3-1 up. We can t contrive not to bank three points can we? Yes we can. Great finish for their second and a debatable penalty tucked away and we are soon back where we started i.e. grateful for a point.

An entertaining day out, nice pie, welcoming groundstaff and a good turnout from the Yellow Army (257).

Is that really seven games without a win? This time last year that form looked ominous. This year I am less concerned although our lack of punch up front remains a worry.

On the players front I thought Mansell and Benyon put in good shifts and were excellent. Zebs was poor of touch and looked like he had no studs in his boots but to his credit he didn t stop working. We didn t miss ONW (Ordinary Nicky Wroe).

Edit

Oh and a word for Eunan O'Kane who is growing into a good player and Billy Kee who was better than some posters would have you believe..

[tommyg]

Where do I begin? For the second successive season I left Gresty Road with a sickening knot in my stomach having watched Crewe grab a draw from the jaws of defeat. It's a result I would have taken before the game, and in a reflection a fair one at that, but that doesn't mask the fact that it was two points dropped.

We were actually fortunately to be ahead at HT, let alone two clear for most of the first half. Both of our goals came from Ellis's head via Nico's sweet left peg. But with the exception of Nico's terrific set-pieces, we struggled to create much going forward. Meanwhile, Crewe didn't let the double early setback affect them. They knocked the ball around comfortably and threatened each time they set foot inside our half. We were undone by a couple of balls over the top and had to rely on Bevan to rescue us. We never looked relaxed at 2-0 which was a scoreline that flattered us and everyone in the ground would have predicted the inevitable Crewe goal.

We survived the penalty after a Branston handball (the Pickler claimed it his head - I had my Wenger glasses on) and all breathed a huge sigh of relief. Nobody wants to concede a goal just before the interval...oh bugger. A deflected ball over the defence was picked up by an unmarked Donaldson who fired the hosts back into the game.

Our defending improved after the break. We were quicker to close the ball down on the edge of our own box and started to carve out opportunities from open play. After surviving an early onslaught, Stevens missed a sitter at the back post following excellent work from Zebs. But we didn't have long to wait for our third goal - and what we all thought would be the clincher. Benners was fouled just inside Crewe's half and a quick-thinking free-kick set O'Kane free to finish superbly with the outside of his right boot off the underside of the crossbar.

Crewe came back knocking and scored a screamer themselves, Westwood teeing himself up for a volley into the top corner, and then came the big talking point. Bevan made a point-blank save and after a scramble inside the six-yard box, the referee blew up. My immediate thought was a foul on Bevs who was sprawled across the ground. But he pointed to that damn spot for a second time (well actually first if you're being pedantic). Who, why, where, how, when is a mystery to me. Branston was booked but that may have been for dissent. This time Crewe made no mistake to set up a frantic finale.

Buckle applied the 'All or Nothing' strategy. Neither team wanted a sole point. We went 4-3-3 with Gritts and the tireless Zebroski playing alongside Benners. And it almost paid off. Carlisle stung the palms of the keeper before another Nico corner caused havoc, but Crewe somehow kept the ball from crossing their goalline. Our opponents also had late chances to stick the knife in even further, but wasted a couple of six-yard headers which thankfully landed off target.

The referee left to jeers from the Gulls fans. I will have to take a second look tonight at the penalties, but he was certainly happy to give Crewe a hatful of free-kicks for fouls that the linesmen failed to award despite being better positioned. I noticed Buckle had a few words with him after the final whistle.

As for individual performances, I would give the starting XI all sevens out of 10, with the exception of Zebs and Nico (both eights), Kee (six) and Stevens (five).

And to the Buckle bashers that have already reared their ugly heads, I don't think our manager got much wrong today. He started with 4-4-2 which is what most fans wanted. He played Kee which is what most fans wanted and he dropped Wroe which is what most fans wanted. You can argue that the substitution which saw Gritts replace O'Kane at 3-2 cost us the win - but it didn't. Crewe's third came from a free-kick which led to a dodgy penalty which led to a goal. Nothing to do with system or shape. I'm not sure how people who didn't attend the game can blame Buckle's 'meddling' for us not winning the game. It's easy to criticise him after Crewe have just equalised to make it 3-3, but it's also easy to forget to praise the manager when we have just taken a 3-1 lead.

[SuperNickyWroe]

Where do I begin? For the second successive season I left Gresty Road with a sickening knot in my stomach having watched Crewe grab a draw from the jaws of defeat. It's a result I would have taken before the game, and in a reflection a fair one at that, but that doesn't mask the fact that it was two points dropped.

We were actually fortunately to be ahead at HT, let alone two clear for most of the first half. Both of our goals came from Ellis's head via Nico's sweet left peg. But with the exception of Nico's terrific set-pieces, we struggled to create much going forward. Meanwhile, Crewe didn't let the double early setback affect them. They knocked the ball around comfortably and threatened each time they set foot inside our half. We were undone by a couple of balls over the top and had to rely on Bevan to rescue us. We never looked relaxed at 2-0 which was a scoreline that flattered us and everyone in the ground would have predicted the inevitable Crewe goal.

We survived the penalty after a Branston handball (the Pickler claimed it his head - I had my Wenger glasses on) and all breathed a huge sigh of relief. Nobody wants to concede a goal just before the interval...oh bugger. A deflected ball over the defence was picked up by an unmarked Donaldson who fired the hosts back into the game.

Our defending improved after the break. We were quicker to close the ball down on the edge of our own box and started to carve out opportunities from open play. After surviving an early onslaught, Stevens missed a sitter at the back post following excellent work from Zebs. But we didn't have long to wait for our third goal - and what we all thought would be the clincher. Benners was fouled just inside Crewe's half and a quick-thinking free-kick set O'Kane free to finish superbly with the outside of his right boot off the underside of the crossbar.

Crewe came back knocking and scored a screamer themselves, Westwood teeing himself up for a volley into the top corner, and then came the big talking point. Bevan made a point-blank save and after a scramble inside the six-yard box, the referee blew up. My immediate thought was a foul on Bevs who was sprawled across the ground. But he pointed to that damn spot for a second time (well actually first if you're being pedantic). Who, why, where, how, when is a mystery to me. Branston was booked but that may have been for dissent. This time Crewe made no mistake to set up a frantic finale.

Buckle applied the 'All or Nothing' strategy. Neither team wanted a sole point. We went 4-3-3 with Gritts and the tireless Zebroski playing alongside Benners. And it almost paid off. Carlisle stung the palms of the keeper before another Nico corner caused havoc, but Crewe somehow kept the ball from crossing their goalline. Our opponents also had late chances to stick the knife in even further, but wasted a couple of six-yard headers which thankfully landed off target.

The referee left to jeers from the Gulls fans. I will have to take a second look tonight at the penalties, but he was certainly happy to give Crewe a hatful of free-kicks for fouls that the linesmen failed to award despite being better positioned. I noticed Buckle had a few words with him after the final whistle.

As for individual performances, I would give the starting XI all sevens out of 10, with the exception of Zebs and Nico (both eights), Kee (six) and Stevens (five).

And to the Buckle bashers that have already reared their ugly heads, I don't think our manager got much wrong today. He started with 4-4-2 which is what most fans wanted. He played Kee which is what most fans wanted and he dropped Wroe which is what most fans wanted. You can argue that the substitution which saw Gritts replace O'Kane at 3-2 cost us the win - but it didn't. Crewe's third came from a free-kick which led to a dodgy penalty which led to a goal. Nothing to do with system or shape. I'm not sure how people who didn't attend the game can blame Buckle's 'meddling' for us not winning the game. It's easy to criticise him after Crewe have just equalised to make it 3-3, but it's also easy to forget to praise the manager when we have just taken a 3-1 lead.

agree with most of that tommy.

i was disappointed too! should have won, but could have lost if that tool hadnt tried to break the net with the first pen!

dont know if it was a pen myself.

firstly the ref was shocking. gave us nothing, we could and probably should have had a pen in the first half when benners were bundled over.


i would say though that i ddint think they threatened all the time they set foot in our half.
we looked like we were going to score from every set piece, if fact if you remember ellis missed another chance from a nico throw.

as for their goals , bevs didnt have a chance with any of them. i knew they'd bloody score just before half time.
thought the closing down was first class. the performance merited a win. if that had been carlisle on the end of that zebs cross, it would have been in the back
of the net.

agree with your marks out of 10, except i thought benners was MOTM. he chased everything and put their defenders under pressure all the time.

yes a point before the game, but disappointed it was only one afer.

cheers

[Scott Brehaut]

If you look back at previous seasons (and I appreciate that you can't given the problems we had with the site), you would see that I have very rarely moaned about Buckle, and last season when all around were calling for his head I wanted to stick with him. Ask most regulars if you don't believe me!!
Today I was bloody frustrated that we had scored three goals and still not won, and based my opinion on the substitutions upon what I was hearing on the radio and what Dave Thomas said. He was shocked with the sub of Gritts for O'Kane and thought that we lost our shape after that which we had held so well for most of the match. OK, you can't help a referee awarding dodgy pens and we were probably unlucky to concede that way, however we appeared (going on the radio comms) that we were playing well (again), and that for the final ten minutes (after all the subs) we appeared to let Crewe into the game. Of course, this may have something to do with Crewe going all out attack, however it was somewhat frustrating listening to what seemed like a capitulation.
I would have taken a point at the start of today, but it feels like two points lost when you consider what we threw away.

[SuperNickyWroe]

If you look back at previous seasons (and I appreciate that you can't given the problems we had with the site), you would see that I have very rarely moaned about Buckle, and last season when all around were calling for his head I wanted to stick with him. Ask most regulars if you don't believe me!!
Today I was bloody frustrated that we had scored three goals and still not won, and based my opinion on the substitutions upon what I was hearing on the radio and what Dave Thomas said. He was shocked with the sub of Gritts for O'Kane and thought that we lost our shape after that which we had held so well for most of the match. OK, you can't help a referee awarding dodgy pens and we were probably unlucky to concede that way, however we appeared (going on the radio comms) that we were playing well (again), and that for the final ten minutes (after all the subs) we appeared to let Crewe into the game. Of course, this may have something to do with Crewe going all out attack, however it was somewhat frustrating listening to what seemed like a capitulation.
I would have taken a point at the start of today, but it feels like two points lost when you consider what we threw away.

i didnt think we did let them in scotty. they were at home and the crowd was on their backs, 2nd goal was a screamer and that was never a pen for the 3rd from where i was. (i am willing to be proved wrong in a few mins on the FL show!)

as for okane, im sure he took a knock when he scored, so was subbed for that reason.

cheers