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Exeter City vs Cheltenham Town Matchday Thread

geoffwp

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Finally, the £40,000 spent on the pitch was money well spent, the pitch was fantastic. There was a little splashing in the left hand corner by the away fans, but what a fantastic surface after all the rain we've had. If the pitch holds up well during the winter, we have the players to play fast, passing football, so I would spend £40,000 every year to give the players the chance to play like that in the second half.
Completely agree with this. It had been raining non stop from early. No idea when it started but it was going well when I got up around 7. It became increasingly heavy was the day wore on and was pretty much chucking it down walking to the game. Considering that I thought the pitch looked in very good condition. There was a time when a day like today would have a lot of standing water and flooded areas. Well done groundstaff. Can't get over that second half transformation. Was almost as surprising as the cheap cost of beers in the Duke.
 
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Can we please stick with Jake Taylor on the right where he appears so much more dangerous than in the middle[/QUOTE]

Jake will play centre mid all year - MT has totally changed the way he wants him to play. Barely gets over the half way line and gives the cover required so won’t be a ‘dangerous’ attacking player in that position. Last man back at our attacking corners for example.He is the go to man and was again today.
I really think the Tillson role will be Jakes.
When all fit a midfield 4 of Holmes Taylor Boeteng and Laws is the best in the division with a front 2 of Forte and Stockley....

Can we hold onto Stockley in January .....make or break of our season I think.
 

Saint James

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Can we please stick with Jake Taylor on the right where he appears so much more dangerous than in the middle
Jake will play centre mid all year - MT has totally changed the way he wants him to play. Barely gets over the half way line and gives the cover required so won’t be a ‘dangerous’ attacking player in that position. Last man back at our attacking corners for example.He is the go to man and was again today.
I really think the Tillson role will be Jakes.
When all fit a midfield 4 of Holmes Taylor Boeteng and Laws is the best in the division with a front 2 of Forte and Stockley....

Can we hold onto Stockley in January .....make or break of our season I think.[/QUOTE]

I think the Tillson role belongs to .............Tillson. It wasn't working as a midfield with Taylor doing it but once changed it has freed up Law and Boateng. Big tester for the Manager with Forte now fit as to whether to change a successful three wins on the spin formula?
 

Sexton Blake

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As others have said a perfect example of a game of two halfs. First half we were sluggish, bereft of a midfield, with Lee Martin and Jake Taylor virtually anonymous and Jordan Tillson having the poorest game I have seen him have this season. Nicky Law and Hiram Boateng did their best but we just looked a mess.

Full marks for MT, despite Jonathan Forte being fit, deciding not to change a winning team and showing the players that if they perform they will keep their places regardless of who is waiting in the wings.

Also for not taking the seemingly obvious action of making halftime substitutions and showing that, despite being a rookie manager, he has a football brain and instead changing the shape of the team to good effect.

First half apart from the first fifteen minutes which was fairly even Cheltenham were on top. Crisp inter passing attacking as a five and at times six man unit with City defenders looking like rabbits in headlights.

Second half now it was City who were attacking with fast open football. Within a minute of the restart a clearance fell to Pierce Sweeney centre midfield, about thirty yards from goal, he hit the sweet spot and an unstoppable screamer into the lower left corner of the goal. From then on it was a stream of attacks instigated largely by the combination of inter play between Nicky Law and Hiram Boateng on the left flank and Pierce Sweeney and Jake Taylor on the right.

Lee Martin had been moved up front into an old inside forward position and was much more involved. Indeed he was unlucky not to get on the score sheet when running clear of the defenders to find his shot smothered by the on rushing keeper.

It was all City, the Park was rocking and as they drove forward as a team we found ourselves watching some of the most exciting football that we have seen for a very long time. MT said he wanted to play attacking exciting football and today his team delivered 100%.

One particular move saw Hiram Boateng pick the ball up midfield in his own half and go on a mazy run similar to last seasons play off semi against Lincoln the only difference being, whilst he could well have gone on and scored or indeed passed either side to an unmarked Nicky Law or Jayden Stockley, in this instance before being able to do so, he had his legs whipped away from under him by the last defender who was fortunate to get away with just a yellow card.

Johnathan Forte came on after 69 minutes to replace Lee Martin whom a few minutes earlier had been unfortunate to be given a yellow card for a fairly innocuous challenge but had throughout the game struggled to find his touch.

City scored their second in the 80th minute following an inter change of passes on the left flank involving Dean Moxey, Nicky Law and Hiram Boateng with the latter’s pass across goal being hammered into the net by Jayden Stockley for his sixth goal of the season.

City continued to press hard and although Cheltenham were not completely out of it, two minutes before the end of normal time following a defensive clearance, Johnathan Forte won the battle with his defender just inside the Cheltenham half and showed what a shrewd and quality signing MT had made by controlling the ball and running unhindered into the area before cooly shooting past the on coming keeper for City’s third and clinching goal.

Second half City’s defence dealt well with any pressure exerted by Cheltenham with sound displays by Chrysty Pym, Pierce Sweeney and Dean Moxey and excellent near faultless performances by both Aaron Martin and Luke Croll. The latter now playing as well as he had been prior to his injury last season and if he continues like this Troy Brown, when he recovers from his injury, will have to fight for his place.

Nicky Law who was immense throughout, a truly talented midfielder and as good as I can remember seeing playing in a City shirt for a number of years if not decades and another great signing by MT, was my (and sponsor’s) MOM but was very closely followed by the excellent Hiram Boateng.

If we can continue to play exciting football like today throughout the majority of the season City supporters will be leaving SJP with smiles on their faces and whilst we may not finish as champions we will end up in a top three place.
 

Red Devon

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Seriously good second half performance after a very poor first...like others have said Boateng and Law were superb after the break moving Jake to a wide right position in front of Sweeney gave us a much better balance and attacking threat...it also has to be said how well Luke Croll has played in the last three games he has won that shirt fair and square...Arron Martin what a signing...disappointingly today Tilly wasn’t good he gave the ball away just too much for my liking...Law MoM
 

PeteUSA

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I'm sure nobody else noticed, or even feel like mentioning the Cheltenham goal. If nobody minds, I have to say I was disappointed with his attempt to go down at the feet of the player in a proper fashion. He went down okay to block that ball, and since he was favorite to get to it first, it looked a formality. In reality, the part of his body he used to block that cross were his legs, which didnt make for any kind of block. He should have gone down with more conviction with his chest behind the ball, and not concerned with avoiding getting hurt. Just my opinion, which I'm sure nobody gives a s**t about. Did it look okay to everyone else, not including Hants_red, who reckons Pym had 100% no chance. I do know in the lead up that he was let down in ghastly fashion; none the less he only got 6 from 10 for some reason?
 

Colesman Ballz

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I'm sure nobody else noticed, or even feel like mentioning the Cheltenham goal. If nobody minds, I have to say I was disappointed with his attempt to go down at the feet of the player in a proper fashion. He went down okay to block that ball, and since he was favorite to get to it first, it looked a formality. In reality, the part of his body he used to block that cross were his legs, which didnt make for any kind of block. He should have gone down with more conviction with his chest behind the ball, and not concerned with avoiding getting hurt. Just my opinion, which I'm sure nobody gives a s**t about. Did it look okay to everyone else, not including Hants_red, who reckons Pym had 100% no chance. I do know in the lead up that he was let down in ghastly fashion; none the less he only got 6 from 10 for some reason?
Repetition ! Sigh !
 

PeteUSA

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Repetition ! Sigh !
I'll take that as an agreement then?
 

Mr Jan Yeo

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I'm sure nobody else noticed....
Could Pym have done better? Yes, I believe so. Was it so terrible that it was even worthy of comment? I don't think so.

The fault lies with Moxey for giving the ball away on the edge of the 6 yard box, criticism of Christy's role in the goal is completely pointless and will be yet another reason for people to think that you're some ridiculous character.
 

grecIAN Harris

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I'm sure nobody else noticed, or even feel like mentioning the Cheltenham goal. If nobody minds, I have to say I was disappointed with his attempt to go down at the feet of the player in a proper fashion. He went down okay to block that ball, and since he was favorite to get to it first, it looked a formality. In reality, the part of his body he used to block that cross were his legs, which didnt make for any kind of block. He should have gone down with more conviction with his chest behind the ball, and not concerned with avoiding getting hurt. Just my opinion, which I'm sure nobody gives a s**t about. Did it look okay to everyone else, not including Hants_red, who reckons Pym had 100% no chance. I do know in the lead up that he was let down in ghastly fashion; none the less he only got 6 from 10 for some reason?
If Pym had dived the other way and matey had slid the ball directly into the back of the net then you would have had something to complain about. Pym has played the percentages by trying to cover his near post off, the right thing to do, but because the player is right footed he has the option to be able to pull the ball back. Had he been left footed he almost inevitably would have had to shoot and you would have been congratulating Pym on a good save. You pay your money and take your chances and the Cheltenham player showed composure to win out.
 
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