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Yorkieandy wrote: ↑13 Mar 2018, 21:55 It is looking like Hartlepool are the team to catch now. I'm presuming that Barrow will win one of their 3 games in hand.

It's vital that Solihull don't beat us though. Ideally we need a win there but a defeat and that's them well clear of us too.

If we beat Solihull they’re right back in the mix of things. If not I think our fate would be sealed for sure then.

nickbrod wrote: ↑13 Mar 2018, 21:50 No second - won both over Maidenhead

Aaah Thanks Nick ...we have doubled our doubles!!

The only way I see us having any chance at all is if we win the next two and Hartlepool lose both their matches. Then we might have a chance.

Win on Saturday and a chink of light will appear.

When you watch the highlights of tonights match see how Williams walks through the O's defence and how they gifted him the ball back to make the cross for Romains goal. And we think are defending is bad!

IanGull01 wrote: ↑13 Mar 2018, 21:15 Radio just said Torquay playing 6 at the back

Actually that was not quite correct. Owers did the unthinkable and set up a 4–1–3–2 formation with Sokolik featuring as a strong defensive centre midfielder. This allowed the remaining three midfielders to play further forward and more aggressively, and also allowed them to pass back to their defensive mid when setting up a play or recovering from a counterattack. The idea was to give a stronger presence in the forward middle of the pitch to provide a better attacking formation. And it worked you could see both Williams and Romain were starting to enjoy their night and were a handful for the O's defence. They may have sat a little to deep for some supporters liking after the goal but I do not blame them as the win and 3 points were far more important than playing open attractive football.

A change from Owers predictable 5-3-2 formation but nonetheless a welcome change with a winning outcome. A little to late maybe but at least the penny has dropped, namely different formations against different teams.

This football club drives you insane, wouldn't have it any other way. Didn't see that coming. Well done lads. Odds are stacked against us but Solihull is a must win

Bristol_Gull wrote: ↑13 Mar 2018, 21:35 Gateshead have been playing with 10 men since the 11th minute...would be a challenge for them to pull back at this stage I would guess?

Sometimes I love it when I "speak too soon"!

Does anyone know why Michee Efete has not played in the last two games?

Birthday hangover?

budegull1954 wrote: ↑14 Mar 2018, 09:03 Does anyone know why Michee Efete has not played in the last two games?

I seem to recall that someone wrote yesterday that he and Keating got injured in training.

Efete has a slight injury - On the face of it a decent win. Typically a harder game than some of the ones we have contrived to lose of late.

MellowYellow wrote: ↑13 Mar 2018, 23:16 Owers did the unthinkable and set up a 4–1–3–2 formation with Sokolik featuring as a strong defensive centre midfielder. This allowed the remaining three midfielders to play further forward and more aggressively, and also allowed them to pass back to their defensive mid when setting up a play or recovering from a counterattack. The idea was to give a stronger presence in the forward middle of the pitch to provide a better attacking formation. And it worked you could see both Williams and Romain were starting to enjoy their night and were a handful for the O's defence. They may have sat a little to deep for some supporters liking after the goal but I do not blame them as the win and 3 points were far more important than playing open attractive football...........

That's correct and Sokolik made a much better job of his role than Dowling did of his on Saturday and so United held their shape better and the performance functioned far better as a result.......

A 'Justin Edinburgh so predictable' 4-4-2 is quite straight forward to play against and added to the fact that they were so rigid in their straight lilnes they never really hurt the Gulls in the manner that Maidstone did at times in the latter phases of the game on Saturday. Orient were unbalanced with a right back (Ling) playing at left back, which I find puzzling as they have a very talented new acquisition (Nathan Mobila) who is a left back but I guess Edinburgh thinks he's too inexperienced to play in the National League right now. Strange, as he's only on a short contract until the end of the season and needs a window of opportunity in my view.

Anyway Orient's lop-sided set-up never got going on the quagmire pitch and I felt United had the first foot in and upper hand for long periods whilst the goal owed huge credit to Young and Williams who set up Romain for his header ~ Williams for a quality cross after beating two men in the precise area of the pitch where he should have received a red card for a two footed lunge in he second half that didn't even draw a free-kick from the ref which rightly incensed the home players.

I've been told that Gowling has 'concussion' this time and that should mean that he will be prevented from either playing or training for yet another three weeks. We'll see; he certainly does know how to disappear from the action frequently doesn't he! 45 minutes on Saturday; less than forty last night. Did we miss him when he went off? Not really; and with Sokolik having to drop back in for him at least the ball got headed properly and O'Sullivan was quality slotting in on the right of midfield whilst Barnes moved back into the centre.

The team went up 'same day' with a hotel rest and preparation at Waltham Abbey prior to the match and will do the same on Saturday for Solihull in a week of horrendous time on the road, very little on the training ground and they will need a day off with their feet up today...not easy!

Not quite clear on the formation last night, thought we were set up with Balatoni, Gowling and McGinty
as centre backs and Sokolik in front as defensive midfielder or was Barnes playing right of midfield and
we had no actual right back with Balatoni covering tnat area . Did Orient play with a left winger ?

Orient played with a rigid 4-4-2; wide midfielders rather than wingers.

Barnes started as a right back pushing forward as was Davis on the left; Balatoni, Gowling and McGinty more or less ensured that we started out with three central defenders fronted by a central defending midfielder (Sokolik) and then Barnes, Lemonheigh-Evans, Young and Davis in front of him and Romain and Williams playing off them at the front.

When Gowling went off; we say Sokolik take his place, Barnes play deeper and O'Sullivan come on to the right of midfield ~ and very neat and tidy he looked too!

As they tired, Williams and Romain were replaced by Reid and Pittman.

Highlights (yes, I've been looking all morning...!):