Guisley v Barrow match thread

[boyliegladbach]

After today Al you had better stay with Mickmike never to return.

I wish

love you too Darren

[Fazered]

Williams and Livesey like a prostitutes ankles rarely acquainted with each other gave Guiseley way too much room in the middle. Dixon had a couple of howlers but has been offered little protection from the defense. 4 clear chances wasted in the first half after we gave away the first goal. After that the team played with zero confidence. Relegation candidates. I was turned away from the home turnstiles and into the segregated area for away fans and had a crap view of the game for 15 quid plus the coach fare. Why segregated? There was a pretty good atmosphere amongst the crowd.

[Jim]

Ironically, I get the feeling that if we were playing the same 11 as won at Lowestoft last May, with the same 'dull' tactics, they would probably be holding their own in mid table.

[Steelworks End]

I was turned away from the home turnstiles and into the segregated area for away fans and had a crap view of the game for 15 quid plus the coach fare. Why segregated? There was a pretty good atmosphere amongst the crowd.

Good question. Like you (and with no indication that the game was segregated - it hasn't been in previous games, except for one FA Cup tie), I was turned away from the home turnstiles, although two friends I was with were allowed in.

At the away end of the ground a number of Guiseley supporters were being turned away; they clearly didn't know that the match was segregated. Nevertheless, there were a number of Guiseley supporters amongst the Barrow fans, and at half time a fair number of Barrovians moving into the segregated area.

The only reason given for the segregation was that it was "FA Rules". Really? It clearly isn't a regular practice at Guiseley if their own fans were unaware of it.

[Steeley]

Segregation might have been a decision following the issues caused by their stewards/bouncers last year, seemed to be quite heavy handed even though there were no issues and we roamed the ground and used the bar freely.

[bobbie moore]

The segregation was ridiculous and unneccesary imo.
Gates opened to allow Guiseley supporters to stand in same are as Barrow but Barrow supporters not allowed to transfer same.
The "man in black"on the door into club house prior to game ,whilst waiting for pitch inspection,taking great delight in telling us 'cant come in until turnstyle opened when there was ample room in bar.
Another steward who guided us down muddy overgrown path to 'away 'supporters gate ,that was blocked by large van that had to be moved to allow access to ground,so obviously wasn't going to be used until someone decided we needed to be "segregated" at last minute..............
Very poor set up ....and then there was the game

[Puffing Ron]

Well, football is a game for opinions and feelings and, since we are at a critical point in the season , here are a few from me a day on from yesterday's game.

I thought the team, whilst not displaying outright passion, played with a greater degree of commitment than at Fylde. I didn't sense that our players were not playing for our manager or our shirt. Each of the two Guiseley goals ( dreadful ones to concede) knocked the players back, but by the end of the first half we seemed to be in the game. My informal half-time survey of our fans elicited a view that we might still win, but would settle for a draw. The sendings off ( more below ) blew away those hopes. It would only be fair to judge our side on the first half alone.

But, that said, at 11 vs 11 we were already losing 2-1. Our difficulties appeared to stem from an absence of a clear structure to our side and/or an absence of players able to play within that structure. For example, Newby ( a real trier, by the way ) looked to be playing off Cook , rather than the right wing role he subbed at Fylde, but lacked the physical resilience of Walker to fulfill that role. Symington, again trying, didn't seem settled in his position and was less effective than recent games at right back. We tended to defend on the edge of our own area due to lack of pressure on their midfield, which allowed them to carry the ball , unchecked, too deep into our half ( Fylde was similar). We also failed to track the midfield runners running into our area beyond the ball carrier- which then breaks our back four.

Up front, Cook ploughed his lonely furrow, with some decent forward moves from Haworth ( who was in the game first half . We tried to play football ( more so than recently, I thought ) but absence of numbers and physical presence inside the box, compounded by lack of quality delivery, meant that a Barrow goal was something that might happen, rather than be made to happen. I felt ( that's entirely subjective, of course ) that we were attacking with hope, rather than belief.

As regards the second half, all that really falls for discussion is the sendings off. It's probably worth mentioning, for those who weren't there, that kick-off was delayed due to a waterlogged pitch and that the " sogginess" of the pitch, and therefore speed and bounce of the ball varied greatly. In fact the match was only "on" about 20 minutes before scheduled start. I make the point since the referee should have made allowances for that, especially on players sliding. I thought, in the conditions, in the context of a game which was reasonably fairly contested and the individual circumstance of the three offences involved ( two yellow for Mellor, and a straight red for NWA ) these were woeful, home-biased decisions. For all of that, Mellor and NWA put themselves " in harm's way" with an obvious " homer" referee ( our penalty notwithstanding ) and gave him an opportunity to make a decision. None of the Guiseley players made any similar challenges during the entire game, as I recall - they played the referee much more smartly than we did. This extended to four of them harassing the referee in the centre circle at half time , effectively preventing the referee and his assistants leaving the pitch. We needed someone in that discussion.

Finally, just a few positives, since we travel in hope. I thought Cowperthwaite ( sorry Whitty69 ) had an outstanding match, even when we were down to nine men. There was a promising cameo from Otis Khan and, whilst our heads were down, I didn't think we ever gave up. Our supporters, as always, were terrific and deserved the acknowledgment shown by our players and manager at the end.

Oh, and the segregation was , quite simply silly. Guiseley is not an unfriendly club and last season, unsegregated,was a perfectly amiable football afternoon. This officious nonsense undermines the common footballing spirit which should be one of the best parts of non-league soccer.

[Moribund]

Well, football is a game for opinions and feelings and, since we are at a critical point in the season , here are a few from me a day on from yesterday's game.

I thought the team, whilst not displaying outright passion, played with a greater degree of commitment than at Fylde. I didn't sense that our players were not playing for our manager or our shirt. Each of the two Guiseley goals ( dreadful ones to concede) knocked the players back, but by the end of the first half we seemed to be in the game. My informal half-time survey of our fans elicited a view that we might still win, but would settle for a draw. The sendings off ( more below ) blew away those hopes. It would only be fair to judge our side on the first half alone.

But, that said, at 11 vs 11 we were already losing 2-1. Our difficulties appeared to stem from an absence of a clear structure to our side and/or an absence of players able to play within that structure. For example, Newby ( a real trier, by the way ) looked to be playing off Cook , rather than the right wing role he subbed at Fylde, but lacked the physical resilience of Walker to fulfill that role. Symington, again trying, didn't seem settled in his position and was less effective than recent games at right back. We tended to defend on the edge of our own area due to lack of pressure on their midfield, which allowed them to carry the ball , unchecked, too deep into our half ( Fylde was similar). We also failed to track the midfield runners running into our area beyond the ball carrier- which then breaks our back four.

Up front, Cook ploughed his lonely furrow, with some decent forward moves from Haworth ( who was in the game first half . We tried to play football ( more so than recently, I thought ) but absence of numbers and physical presence inside the box, compounded by lack of quality delivery, meant that a Barrow goal was something that might happen, rather than be made to happen. I felt ( that's entirely subjective, of course ) that we were attacking with hope, rather than belief.

As regards the second half, all that really falls for discussion is the sendings off. It's probably worth mentioning, for those who weren't there, that kick-off was delayed due to a waterlogged pitch and that the " sogginess" of the pitch, and therefore speed and bounce of the ball varied greatly. In fact the match was only "on" about 20 minutes before scheduled start. I make the point since the referee should have made allowances for that, especially on players sliding. I thought, in the conditions, in the context of a game which was reasonably fairly contested and the individual circumstance of the three offences involved ( two yellow for Mellor, and a straight red for NWA ) these were woeful, home-biased decisions. For all of that, Mellor and NWA put themselves " in harm's way" with an obvious " homer" referee ( our penalty notwithstanding ) and gave him an opportunity to make a decision. None of the Guiseley players made any similar challenges during the entire game, as I recall - they played the referee much more smartly than we did. This extended to four of them harassing the referee in the centre circle at half time , effectively preventing the referee and his assistants leaving the pitch. We needed someone in that discussion.

Finally, just a few positives, since we travel in hope. I thought Cowperthwaite ( sorry Whitty69 ) had an outstanding match, even when we were down to nine men. There was a promising cameo from Otis Khan and, whilst our heads were down, I didn't think we ever gave up. Our supporters, as always, were terrific and deserved the acknowledgment shown by our players and manager at the end.

Oh, and the segregation was , quite simply silly. Guiseley is not an unfriendly club and last season, unsegregated,was a perfectly amiable football afternoon. This officious nonsense undermines the common footballing spirit which should be one of the best parts of non-league soccer.

Agree with some of that, but also some nonsense in there.

To call the referee a homer is just ridiculous. If anything, we got the favourable treatment!
The penalty we were awarded was questionable (very few, if any of our players protested), and their "fourth" goal was inexplicably chalked off as far as I could tell.
Both red cards were bang on - stupid lunging tackles when there was no immediate need to make them, and were called by the fans before the ref produced the card.

Cowperthwaite didn't have an outstanding match! As you mention earlier on, there was no pressure on their midfield and he was one of the biggest culprits. Each time their attacking players ran through the middle, Cowps was either well out of position, or making a half-hearted attempt to stick a foot in. He has good and bad games (rarely just average), and this one he was particularly poor defensively.

The delay was so that the groundsmen could paint the lines. I heard one of them tell a Barrow fan that they'd been told the game was off so they hadn't bothered to do it earlier. And exiting the ground involved squeezing round a metal gate into a muddy track! Shambolic set-up, to be honest.

[Steelworks End]

Both red cards were bang on - stupid lunging tackles when there was no immediate need to make them, and were called by the fans before the ref produced the card.

Wilmer-Anderton's straight red card has been reported in the media as being for dissent (NLP) or foul & abusive language (BBC). Personally, it looked to me like it was for the challenge on the Guiseley player (the referee wasted no time in getting the card out of his pocket); if it wasn't, then perhaps it should have been?

[Holkerbird]

I don't think the Anderton sending off was correct and, as I wasn't in the segregated section it happened right in front of me. Their number 2 went down as if pole axed and stayed spreadeagled without moving. No physio required and as soon as NWA walked he was on his feet with no ill effects. I never heard any foul or abusive language either (well only in my head!!). All that was missing was the "Ronaldo wink". I hate this as soon as a player goes near they fall to the ground tactic.

As for the segregation I was told by the turnstile operator it was the FA that decided it and then told by a club official it was the police (which would be more credible as a club has to act on their recommendation). Margaret and I just walked into the Guislely stand and took our seats to a cry of "Oh she's back" when the rattle sounded. Decent crowd with no need for segregation.
Someone famous (well not to us two)must have been sat next to us as he kept having his photo taken with various people. Connected to football in some way as he was making notes but not for long---won't have been on any of our players unless he was from the fraud squad.

The ref must have forgotten about the Remembrance tribute silence as our players gathered on the semi circle, nothing happened and then all the players were in their places for kick off when the silence started with the players standing all over the pitch. Never seen a silence like that before.
It was a shame the football spoiled what was a lovely meal out at the former Harry Ramdsen's.

[McMark]

I think the crowd segregation was news to most at Guiseley also! http://gafcforum.proboards.com/thread/6350/barrow-home
I paid through the home turnstyle, although those with Barrow Shirts/scarves were being turned away! Promptly found my way to the bar queue and then they announced away supporters would have to leave and make their way round to the away end, so I quickly retreated back into the ground a very thirsty supporter!

[Holkerbird]

It was ridiculous. I had my Barrow AFC scarf on and no one approached either Margaret or me in the home end. Probably thought two harmless old duffers on a day out.
Just remember being told this too. One of our elderly fans in the segregated area asked if he could sit down. The rules stipulate a seated area has to be provided for visiting fans. He was offered a chair!!! Not good enough.

[barrowfan_chris]

That will be my last trip to Guiseley unless its a crucial game a truely awful place to watch football.

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[NUFFSAID]

Just watched the highlights . Plenty of chances missed as per usual. Bit unlucky with there second but crap defending for the first and third......been like this in most of the games by the sounds of it. Mellor wants fining for that ridiculous challenge for his second yellow obviously didn't want to be on the pitch with a challenge like that . W.A s red card tad unlucky , conditions should have made the ref see common sense and a yellow at worse.

We have the makings of a decent outfit imo one or two not doing enough but take our chances and tighten up a bit more and things would look a lot rosier.

[spirit of 1990]

Well that was embarrassing, the first was a joke of a goal.....shocking. The third should be shown to our players as an example of how to finish a chance.
Mellor didn't even look surprised by that red being flashed, he looked totally disinterested. NWA can't have too many complaints as he went in with studs showing and probably very little control.

I feel sorry for Edmo after watching that, thing is as someone else just said, they're all his players.