Solihull v Barrow match thread

[Mr Positive]

just a note that Telford had 11 points from 6 games at the same stage last season.

[crossbar]

looking forward to playing Carlisle next year over the Xmas period

[thegaffer77]

Edmo;

'happy to win playing badly'

'we have determination and drive'

'I can't repeat what I said at half time'

'we put them under pressure for the own goals'

'Cooky should have had 5, why did we keep trying to go around the keeper?'

'they have some huge players'

'massive 3 points'

Well summed up Edmo.

[boyliegladbach]

Stat experts.
What's our record for a player scoring in consecutive league games.?

Just wondering.

[Kieran]

Made hard work of it, but just about deserved.

We've got goals in us no doubt, but given we've got the two best centre halves in the league we're way too suspect defensively. Looked like conceding every time the ball went in our box today, maybe Solihull need a bit of credit for that though as they unsettled us very well. Harvey very good again, battled superbly and used the ball well as did Shez.

Good to see the comedy goalkeeper that is Breedon again, he's played against us for three different clubs now and he looks worse every time. At least three of the goals today came directly from his mistakes, but full credit to us for making the most of them.

[spirit of 1990]

Fantastic feeling being top of the table BUT, the defence has to be sorted out because we can't keep relying our forwards (& their players) scoring at the other end.
Missed the Edmo interview but did he mention anything about the reasoning behind Burnsy being left out again?

I hope the attendace next week reflects what's happening on (& off) the pitch. It's alway's lower on Saturdays than Tuesdays but can we expect 1600+? lets hope so.

What a turn around from this time last season.

[K_BFC]

just a note that Telford had 11 points from 6 games at the same stage last season.

It is certainly a very good start. Chester had 18 points from winning their first 6 games in 2012/13 so we are in the right area

We are by far the highest scorers with 17 goals. At the current strike rate ( 17/6 = 2.83 ) we could potentially score 100+ goals and even smash Chesters record of 103 two seasons ago by scoring 118 ( 42 x 2.83 = 118 ). If we do gain promotion, it would be nice to break a league record on the way as we could potentially not be back this way for a very long time, if ever.

[paddy71]

good result in the end and thats what really matters,top of the league.just hope we sort it out at the back and radio cumbria sort the comentry out because it was awfull.switched off at h.t she was that bad and put flashscores on.still top of the league, lets hope we stay there.bluebirds

[K_BFC]

Missed the Edmo interview but did he mention anything about the reasoning behind Burnsy being left out again?

Didn't want to change anything as the team had done so well against Chorley. Thought about beefing up the middle to cope with their big strong players but decided to let the same team prove themselves again, or words to that effect.

just hope we sort it out at the back and radio cumbria sort the comentry out because it was awfull.switched off at h.t she was that bad and put flashscores on.

Was poor, the lass giving the commentary didn't finish her sentences when the action came thick and fast, that did get a bit better in the 2nd half. Was obviously her first run out and the nerves showed.

[HenneysKnee]

I'll be shocked if Burns doesn't start next week

[Si_Nichols]

A game that had everything barring a sending off or a streaker and certainly excellent value for the £9 admission fee. We edged it and just deserved the 3 points but Solihull Moors played their part in an entertaining match that had some great football but was also strewn with errors. Solihull were a huge physical side but they also played some decent football however were calamitous at the back at times.

We started well and looked dangerous every time we came forward but so did Solihull at the other end and an early chance smacked back off the post. The "orange buffoon" in the home side's goal showed signs of what was to come scooping a long range effort wide unconvincingly. When it came the goal was comedic as Walker didn't quite fully connect with a cross in to the box and the ball bounced off the post and trickled along the line. The aforementioned "Tango Man" didn't know where the ball was and contrived to knock it into his own net. The Ginger Ninja was given the goal but for me this should be credited to Jaffa Laugher.

After we scored initially we looked like we were going to go on and win easily with further chances created including a headed chance (think it was Grand - but can't remember) that was scooped out by the keeper and looked dubious as to whether it had crossed the line. The Solihull keeper continued to redeem himself with a fine double save but then as at Harrogate last Saturday we retreated and stopped playing the attacking football we had been handing the initiative to our opponents. They took full advantage and bullied us in the middle of the park scoring two very decent goals and created several more chances of their own.

The Barrow players emerged for the second half early as if they had been given a full on roasting from Edmo. Whatever happened it worked as we were quick out of the blocks looking dangerous going forward again and Cookie monster again on the scoresheet though from where I was standing it didn't look like it had crossed the line. A third followed as we pressed on a struggling Moors backline and their number five ignored his keeper's shout to head over him from around 25 yards out. We were however still being out-fought in midfield and it was clear that three was not going to be enough. A double substitution saw Lacey add some steel to midfield and a tremendous cameo from Ellison, the highlight of which was a fabulous long-range goal to make it 4-2.

This wasn't the end though as Solihull quickly came back to 4-3 after poorly given away possession by Willis and indecision at the back. The last 12 minutes or so were end to end with both sides threatening but in the end no-one managing to find the net for an eight time in the afternoon. The final whistle brought relief from Barrow players, staff and supporters but a fabulous first away win of the season with news of Ferriby's late defeat buoying the mood still further.

So a strange old day but ultimately successful. There are definitely some good and bad points to take from today. Going forward we look immense and as if we can score goals at will. Cook is a constant threat and Jase grafted hard all game so probably deserved the goal for that alone. Pilks carries a threat and Harvey is also breaking forward well. Reid had an off day but has had impressive showings previously but I was very impressed with Ellison who scored what turned out to be the winner and was a real livewire when he came on.

On the flip side McMillan was poor. Against a big side he flapped all day at crosses and his nervousness spread to the lads in front of him. Willis for me is fine as a back-up but I am looking forward to having McWilliams return. Burns has to start the next game - he struggles when we are 5 at the back to provide the attacking outlet but in a four he has to be in. I don't agree with others regarding our central defence being a problem. Our issue is in front of that as we simply do not have a central midfield. Harvey is getting through a lot of work and is supporting the attack but he needs a stronger player in beside him. Sheridan is not that player and I felt he really toiled today. They had two giants in the centre of midfield (in fact they had about half a dozen giants in total) but we let them bully us and gave away possession far too often providing no protection for the back four. Lacey helped tighten it up a little when he came on but I wonder if fit whether Crowther can be the man we need in here or whether we do need to get someone else in.

So onwards and upwards (or rather stay where we are will be good enough). If I was going to pick an XI with everyone fit at the moment then it would be this
Taylor
Burns
McWilliams
Grand
Livesey
Crowther
Harvey
Reid
Pilkington
Cook
Walker

with the likes of Ellison, Wilson, Cowps, Lacey, Sheridan and Cribley all pushing for places

Oh and for those that weren't there the highlights from this one truly are unmissable

[spirit of 1990]

If I was going to pick an XI with everyone fit at the moment then it would be this
Taylor
Burns
McWilliams
Grand
Livesey
Crowther
Harvey
Reid
Pilkington
Cook
Walker

with the likes of Ellison, Wilson, Cowps, Lacey, Sheridan and Cribley all pushing for places

I think the two I'd probably disagree with you about there Si are -

Not 100% convinced about Crowther yet, although he looked very good pre-season & I'm certainly not discounting him from being a very influential player for us this season.

I don't think todays performance warrants dropping T Mc, every keeper has a couple of off days per season. If he carries on with a few below par performances then that's what the back-up keeper is there for but so far this season - without being exceptional, he's done what's been required. Even with the competition we have I think it'd be very unfair on any player to be dropped on the basis of one bad day.

[Si_Nichols]

I don't think McMillan has played that well in the three games I have seen him and he had his ups and downs last season also. The problem is he is flapping at crosses and the nervousness is affecting the other defenders around him. I haven't seen much of Crowther yet either due to his injury but I just think we need a more physical presence in there. Sheridan and Lacey are decent players to have at our disposal but every game I have seen so far we have been dominated in the middle of the park for long periods of the game.

Harvey is performing well, Pilks and Reid are worth a place with Cribley pushing them hard. Jase is improving every game and Cookie is first name on the teamsheet at present but isn't it good to have Wilson and Ellison giving competition for places. I think the first choice back-four picks itself when everyone is fit with Williams, Cowps and Willis being the back-ups.

They are all going to have to play their part over the season but what a difference it was today seeing several of the players not even in the match-day squad there with the team. I only have to go back two seasons to a game at Luton when we only managed to name one sub on the night (James Owen)

[Suffolk Blue]

Well it was well worth the £9 entrance fee.

Agree with most comments above but would add that there are occasionally games that veer off in a weird direction and you could sense this one was going in that direction from the start. I suggested 5-5 at half-time and it could well have been.

Credit to Solihull they looked much better than their league position suggests and played some very good attacking football when they had the ball. Possibly the best attacking unit we've faced so far. And they were big too. Also the mixture of a pronounced slope and a brisk up-slope wind created less than usual conditions.

Both defences looked fragile. However Solihull looked like they would concede virtually every time we attacked - two own goals tells its own story and Cook should've had a hat full. Said it after the Boston game - the longer he is in possession of the ball the more ponderous he seems to get. Put the ball on his head or on his right foot within range however and he's lethal. Has anyone thought of putting blinkers on him? Also said after Boston that I liked Ellison. This guy is a genuine super sub - his goal was a screamer.

Thought Willis and Cowps were very poor especially in the first half, as were Sheridan and ARH. Second half they improved and so did the service (down the slope) to the forwards. A lot of comments in the crowd about Tony MacMillan though I'm not too sure that he could do much about the goals (the second of which was from a freakishly narrow angle). As someone pointed out he's a very understated keeper - no dramatic swan dives - so he tends to look competent rather than impressive at the best of times.

Just one of those games that got increasingly bizarre as it went on. Don't actually think we scored any of our first three goals. We were right next to the main runway at Birmingham airport and frankly if a Boeing 737 had landed in the Solihull half after about an hour I wouldn't have been that surprised.

[Steelworks End]

Have to say that, in my mind, Barrow's first goal has to go down as an own goal; it wouldn't have gone in had Breedon not - rather unfortunately for him - got his body in the way of the ball.

Our second, I'm not sure crossed the line; maybe the officials thought that it made up for a first half attempt that the home 'keeper was adjudged to have blocked on the line? Sixties goal-line technology (a Russian linesman) at its best?

Another own goal - no doubt about that one - and a 25 yard screamer from the only just introduced Ellison completed Barrow's scoring, or Solihull's scoring for us, but some sloppy defending could easily have seen us having to share the points, or worse.

Still, am entertaining afternoon. Oh, and We are Top of the League. I've had worse Saturdays following Barrow.