Monday 25 August 2014

Post-Lincoln


The cliché is definitely true – football is a game of two halves, and versus Lincoln, we certainly saw the best and the worst of the team. Having heard so many positive reviews post-Chester (albeit, we had an extra man for the majority of the match) and Bristol Rovers (who are hotly tipped for promotion back to the Football League), I was surprisingly optimistic and actually looking forward to my visit to The Hive. I had yet to see us lose at our new home, in fact since our relegation, we had picked up at least a point in every game I’d seen. When I saw the team line-up on Twitter en route from Stratford, I couldn’t help but still feel positive (despite no place for Luisma) and my pre-match prediction was Barnet 2-0 Lincoln.
As much as the referee and his ‘assistants’ can be blamed for countless bad decisions, we couldn’t feel hard done by when you consider the manner in which we conceded the two goals which gifted our opponents three points. Frankly, we were lucky it was only two.
We didn’t get going at all – the man-marking was non-existent and the Lincoln players had so much time and space on the ball. When we did manage to gain possession, the combination of poor passing and hesitation meant we weren’t retaining the ball enough. As far as Lincoln were well organised, good on the ball and quick to close down, we were poor. It was almost like watching a couple of seasons ago – under the likes of Sanchez or Robson. I was really looking forward to seeing the new faces in action, but in the first half, the only player of note was Charlie Mac – unfortunately, service to him was abysmal. Stephens was the only other stand-out player – he’s consistently solid.
In the second half, Allen freshened things up with Muggleton and Mauro on for Johnson and Togwell – and both were quick to make an impact. It only took 10 minutes to pull a goal back – Muggleton’s long throws into the box looked deadly and finally one paid off, KMB netting – unfortunately it was only the single consolation we managed. Gambin later came on for Lee Cook and he too looked a danger. It was just so refreshing to see the ball being played out wide, we previously played so narrow, it was impossible to create something. Going forward we became more a threat and credit has to go to Townsend in the Imps’ goal for a number of quality saves that kept their lead. Based on the second half performance, a draw would have been fair, but we gave ourselves a mountain to climb. I’ve been meaning to see if there’s any footage of the penalty shouts anywhere – two were stonewall.
On The Hive: I still can’t make my mind up about it. While the facilities are incredible and going past it on the tube, you realise how impressive the site is, the atmosphere is constantly lacking and it’s just so lifeless there. I loved my seat at Underhill as I was surrounded by decent people, The Hive is just so dull – and not least because of all the grey. This time round I sat in block B (apparently the family stand) and no one within five rows of me said anything all game – the stomping of the feet on the metal floor of the stand was a complete ear-sore. But for the torrential rain, I’d have been there today – I want to take dad to see the new signings in action. Another good result, against a team that were in the relegation places last campaign. I feel the next real test will come next month, when we travel to Forest Green...

Saturday 23 August 2014

Two Minutes With... Lincoln City


Lincoln were the visitors to The Hive last Saturday – Lucy Rogers (@lucerogers) answers the questions in this instalment of Two Minutes With.
Saturday 16th August 2014
Barnet 1-2 Lincoln City
                  Burrow ’15
                  Bencherif ’22
Marsh-Brown ’56
Pre-match
How did you get to the game?
By car – a nice journey down to A1 in the sunshine!
What did you make of The Hive?
The Hive is a ground which has a lot of charisma. After visiting last year I was impressed and especially liked all the new facilities which we aren’t normally used to!
If you went to Underhill, how did The Hive compare?
Underhill was a ground I visited on a number of occasions to watch Lincoln. It was a ground I always looked forward to visiting. The slope was the best part about it!
The Match
What did you make of the game?
The match for me was the best away performance in many years. All in all, it was a very good game. It was a shock performance from us after a good start and was something no one in the Lincoln end was expecting! Both teams could have had more than a handful of goals each.
Who (from either side) impressed you?
For us, it’s the same player every week: Sean Newton, the left back. His left foot and cross is out of this world! He set up Lincoln’s first goal of the match and every cross he whipped in was threatening. Also, our goalkeeper, on loan Nick Townsend – he really should not be playing in this league. He was tremendous, pulling off saves that helped us on to the win.
For Barnet, I would have to say a player who always impresses me: Keanu Marsh-Brown. He is a very talented player and will go on to bigger and better things. There are a lot of big names at Barnet including John Akinde, Sam Togwell, Curtis Weston
Who (from either side) could have done better?
For us it would have to be Nat Brown, the centre half. He made a few mistakes which could have been costly. Another one for us would have to be Ben Tomlinson. Having scoring 20 goals last season he has currently not shown us anything of the sort. He is the type of player who is never in the game, then he comes in and nicks you a goal, something which he isn’t doing for us at the minute.     
For Barnet it is hard to say really. Someone who didn’t really impress me is John Akinde. He didn’t really do anything and we kept him under wraps.
Post-match
Was the score line a fair reflection on the game?
I think the score line was a fair reflection in the end. Being 2-0 up so early on in the game is very daunting and is a horrible score line, especially away from home because you expect the home team to come at you. Once Barnet got the goal back after half time, it was heart in mouth moments constantly! Barnet were very poor first half allowing us lots of space and we were able to pass the ball about a lot. However, second half they came out fighting and were impressive but just couldn’t find the other goal. For me it was an amazing result, a very good game to watch and a great advert for Conference football.
Who do you play next and how do you think you’ll do?
Braintree at home. I am hoping and praying for a win. It’s teams like this that we always slip up against but it would be very nice to keep the unbeaten run going. We do tend to beat Braintree though, home and away! Another clean sheet would also be nice. It won’t be an easy game though, and we must not think that either.
Ratings
Price of match day ticket
7/10
Purchases made at the ground
10/10
View
10/10
Quality of football
10/10
Overall experience
10/10
Total - 47/50

Monday 18 August 2014

Two Minutes With... Bristol Rovers


Last Tuesday evening saw us face our first opponents at The Hive, with recently relegated Bristol Rovers the visitors. In the opening instalment of Two Minutes With, Henry Burridge (@HJBurridge) gives his thoughts.
Tuesday 12th August 2014
Barnet 2-0 Bristol Rovers
Akinde ’22
MacDonald ’43
Pre-match
How did you get to the game?
I grabbed a ride with a few friends. The traffic was surprisingly light and we ended up reaching The Hive about 5 o'clock!
What did you make of The Hive?
I thought it was a tidy little ground, if unspectacular. Getting there so early, we popped in the main bar beforehand and I was really impressed; I can't remember a bar at a football stadium that looks that good! With the other pitches and facilities around the ground itself, it's a great set-up for a lower division club.
If you went to Underhill, how did The Hive compare?
My dad grew up five minutes down the road from Underhill, so it always had a sense of nostalgia for me. It's always a shame to see grounds like that go as they have more character than modern replacements, and more so considering the way Barnet were forced out.
The Match
What did you make of the game?
From our perspective, it was pretty poor – we never got going in the first half and left too much to do after the break. I thought Barnet played some good football and a few Rovers fans have underestimated the quality of the Conference.
Who (from either side) impressed you?
John Akinde, sadly. Being a former Bristol City player - not to mention a poor loan signing for us - I could've bet my overdraft on him scoring. He took his goal really well and showed a lot of strength against our centre backs.
Who (from either side) could have done better?
Our manager, Darrell Clarke. He changed the formation and a number of the players from a reasonable display against Grimsby in our opening game. I'd imagine Will Puddy, who was making his debut in goal for us, will be disappointed with the second goal as well.
Post-match
Was the score line a fair reflection on the game?
Yep, we were too slow in possession and made too many poor decisions. You can tell that we had a disjointed pre-season. I can only remember us giving Graham Stack one proper test all night.
Who do you play next and how do you think you’ll do?
We lost 2-1 to Altrincham on Saturday and Clarke made a load of changes again. The goals we conceded were shocking and the result has really hit the fans hard; it's stirred up a lot of the unrest from last season again. We've got Telford at home this weekend and desperately need a result to get supporters back onside, although that might be a slow process.
Ratings
Price of match day ticket
5/10 - £17 for a standard end terrace always looks a bit steep, but it's the same at most grounds now. I'm going to miss getting student tickets this season...
Purchases made at the ground
10/10 - I ordered myself a bacon baguette from the main bar and was stunned to find it freshly cooked, packed full of meat and great value for money. Never eaten anything better at a football ground! Finding they serve Stowford Press was also a pleasant surprise.
View
7/10 - We stood at the back of the terrace, which wasn't too high but still nice and tight to the pitch.
Quality of football
6/10 - From our point of view it wasn't great, but Barnet looked a tidy side, even though we were resigned to the contest being basically over at half time.
Overall experience
7/10 - A new ground, good cider and naff football; it's a pretty standard Rovers away day!
Total - 35/50

Wednesday 13 August 2014

2014/15 Season preview: Macclesfield



Last season’s finish:
15th
Another mixture of good and bad form, but with less money than before
Players out:
Danny Andrew is the biggest loss. A good, pacy, left-sided player who showed his skill throughout the season, and as a result, he's joined Fleetwood Town for the new season. Very good at free kicks as well. He'd done more than enough to attract the scouts from the lower leagues. All the best to him at Fleetwood.
We've lost two key goal scoring strikers, Scott Boden filled the gap Connor Jennings created after leaving mid season, but all the wrangling over budgets saw him move to Halifax. And although Jennings was a loan signing, he was a vital asset to surviving in the Conference after we'd got off to such a poor start. His goal rate was impressive, but was prone to injury, and he left Macclesfield mid-season as a result. If we can get a regular goal scorer like Jennings (now with Wrexham, should be interesting to see how he fares) for this season, then there's less reason to worry.
There is talk Matthew Barnes-Homer will return, he's been on trial at Macclesfield, the question is whether Askey has the money to sign him
Players in:
Another loan signing from last season, George Pilkington has joined us from Luton and will provide a solid role at the back, a defender with vast League and non-league experience required.
I'm interested in Adriano Moke, a product of the Glenn Hoddle Academy, a pacy winger who has impressed on trial here, enough for the manager to sign him up. He should play a key role down the wing, and set up the opportunities for goals.
With a mixture of promising youth and vast experience (Danny Whitaker, captain Paul Turnbull and Chris Holroyd have all signed new contracts) we're cautiously optimistic for the new season
Club news:
The future of Macclesfield Town. A planned takeover didn't happen after our owner wrote off the debts, yet the budget is still incredibly tight for the manager. Smaller even than last season, though funds are said to be promised mid-season if all is going not very well. I hope it doesn't go to that stage, Askey worked well on last season's small budget, and did incredibly well to stay with the pack in a close battle for the playoffs. Eventually, Macclesfield lost form and drifted into a mid table finish, but given the troubles, it was a relief Macclesfield had survived
Matches to look forward to:
It's been 17 years since Macclesfield last met Altrincham on an equal platform, so the old Non-League rivalry will surely flare up when we meet in September, and again in January.
Local games with Chester and Wrexham should also be a great spectacle, particularly with the Macclesfield connections this season, Chester's new signing Peter Winn being ex-Macc and former club legend Steve Burr in charge; ss well as Connor Jennings up front for Wrexham
Predictions:
Macclesfield to finish 12th
Champions – Grimsby Town
Play-off winners – Forest Green Rovers
Relegated – Welling United, Nuneaton Town, Southport and Dover Athletic


Thanks to Ian Stewart @ianthenoodle for helping out with this post

Monday 11 August 2014

2014/15 Season preview: Lincoln



Last season’s finish:
14th
The season was much improved with players showing passion to play for the club. There was always an element of togetherness something which we hadn’t seen in recent seasons
Players out:
There were a few players which left who we weren’t expecting. Jake Sheridan I think being one. He shows a lot of promise and had improved dramatically over the season becoming a regular starter. He will be an asset to Alfreton. I don’t think there were any other players that we will miss as we were lucky in being able to retain our key players despite numerous enquiries from Football League clubs
Players in:
Our signings so far are: Sahr Kabba, Tony Diagne, Nick Townsend, Hamza Bencherif, Jake Caprice, Marcus Marshall, Jordan Burrow and Karl Ledsham. I believe that each one of these individuals are going to be key. These are the strongest signings we have made in terms of ambition
Matches to look forward to:
The Grimsby games! However, I am looking forward to the long away trips as they’re always good
Predictions:
Lincoln to finish in the top 10
Champions – Forest Green
Play-off winners – Halifax (they’re ones to watch)
Relegated – Dover Athletic, Dartford, Chester City and Welling

Thanks to Lucy Rogers @lucerogers for helping out with this post

Saturday 9 August 2014

2014/15 Season preview: Kidderminster


Last season’s finish:
7th
A season of turmoil off the pitch with 3 different managers killed any play-off hopes we had
Players out:
Both our full backs Lee Vaughan and Mickey Demetriou moved into the football league and were our main attacking outlet and source of creativity so will be very hard to replace
Players in:
Craig Reid and Reece Styche are both proven strikers at this level and have goals in them, while Ahmed Obeng is a young winger who's looked promising during pre-season and had pace to burn!
Matches to look forward to:
Obviously the home game against Bristol Rovers is going to be the biggest  in terms of attendance and atmosphere. I am also looking forward to the two Telford games as that's our derby now Hereford are no longer with us
Predictions:
Kidderminster to finish 6th
Champions – Bristol Rovers
Play-off winners - Gateshead
Relegated – Welling, Nuneaton, Macclesfield, Dover


Thanks to Ben Hudspith @benhudspith2 for helping out with this post

Friday 8 August 2014

2014/15 Season preview: Chester


 
Last season’s finish:

21st relegated, but reprieved due to Hereford’s demise
I'm glad it went quickly, as it was one of the worst seasons I've had following Chester!
Players out:
I hate to criticise my own team, but it's safe to say that I won't miss any one of those who pulled on the Chester shirt and have not been retained. It really was a dire effort by those involved; the likes of Seddon, Jarrett, Heath, Lindfield (arguably the worst player I've ever seen), Reed and McIntyre were a tepid bunch. Only Lewis Turner, who we had on loan from Leeds and recently joined Harrogate, can hold his head high
Players in:
Steve Burr knows this league inside out, and that is of a huge benefit to us, compared to last season, where our previous manager had no clue of Conference football (and it showed) – Burr knows what he has to get in to improve on last season’s dismal showing
We've got in a seasoned pro in Chris Iwelumo: ex Scotland international, and while he's "past it", he brings valuable experience to the front line and this has been noticeable in pre season friendlies so far
In midfield, the one who's stood out for me is Kingsley James. We lacked someone last season who, whilst doing the dirty work in the middle, could also bring other players into the game with his wide range of accurate passing. He's really impressed me in pre season
We also welcomed Peter Winn from Macclesfield, and he comes with a good reputation as well, having played well against us in both games versus Macc last season
Wayne Riley is a pacey, skilful winger signed from Hednesford and we welcome an old nemesis in John Disney, again from Hednesford, but again, he's a player who will give 100% when it matters
At the back, it's pretty much as you were as last season, with Gareth Roberts arriving from Notts County, bringing experience at the back. He does like to try forward and while that's one advantage attacking, it could lead us to being prone in defence as teams counter us
To sum it up, every player will be key for us next season, we need them all to stand up and be counted. We don't want a repeat of last season!
Club news:
The Club decided to go full-time in the summer. Being part time in a league like the Conference is a huge disadvantage. Luckily, we've got the budget (albeit a tight one) to go full-time and this should improve us greatly, especially later on in games. Late goals conceded was almost fatal for us last season and the amount of points lost from winning positions in the final 10 minutes of games was sickening
Matches to look forward to:
We have been given a second chance and instead of visiting the likes of Guiseley, Boston, Barrow and Stockport, it's big games against the likes of Wrexham, Bristol Rovers, Torquay, Kidderminster, Altrincham and Barnet that whet the appetite. Apart from Wrexham, I'm really looking forward to Telford – my favourite away day. A local game, a fantastic stadium and two sets of fans proclaiming who dislikes Shrewsbury more makes it all an entertaining affair
Predictions:
Chester to finish 12th
I said 14th last season, that went well! I don't think we will struggle, I doubt we would trouble the play-off contenders either
Champions – Bristol Rovers
Play-off winners - Eastleigh
Relegated – Alfreton, Altrincham, Dover, Dartford

Thanks to James Hewitt @cestrian_jim for helping out with this post