Ilkeston v Darlo Match Thread

[princes town]

I think when all said and done a point was about right. Some thought Ilkeston were the more progressive side but personally I didn't think they were quite good enough to deserve a win. While the ref did make a few ropey decisions you could argue on another night he may have let their disallowed goal stand or even awarded them another penalty. I didn't think their first goal should have stood as White was blocked off before the penalty was given. It would be interesting to see the highlights.

We asked for back to basics performance and that is what we probably got. More graft than guile but titles are not won all the time by pretty football. Cartman and Scott ran their socks off. As one commenter said on twitter we mustn't forget how to accept a point away as a good result.

The one thing that I' not sure really worked was Portas advanced to an auxiliary centre forward role just behind Cartman. We didn't really get enough good ball to him. He did have once chance first half but generally it didn't quite work for me.

[Neil Johnson]

I can't understand Gray's thinking at present bringing in two wide midfielders who are struggling to get into the team. Then ignoring what is blatantly obvious to everyone that we need a right back and a striker.

Does anyone REALLY think that Gray is "ignoring" that we need a right back and a striker?

It's never as simple as that.

First you have to find somebody who is better than we already have (otherwise it's pointless)

Then they have to be prepared to play for us, if perhaps they're used to playing higher.

Then they have to be available at a price we can afford.

We have to work within a budget.

It's a damn shame Kneeshaw seems to have vanished into thin air.

Maybe Pennal will get a call.

I hope for a loan striker.

We could have to put up with our few strikers playing while carrying injuries, or even more goalless periods when super sub White starts games up front.

[al_quaker]

As one commenter said on twitter we mustn't forget how to accept a point away as a good result.

This.

We're only one division below where we would have been if we had had no extra punishment from our beloved FA. The standard and competitiveness of this league is way higher than where we've come from. While of course we are still the biggest club in the league, and therefore will have one of the best budgets and the expectation that comes with that, we are playing against better supported teams with better players and better managers. The days of destroying teams week in week out are over, and I personally believe that is making for a much more enjoyable season. Everything about this season is more like football as we know - which includes defeats, scraped away draws, and so on.

Having said all that, we are top even with a not fully effective defensive unit, and only one fit striker. We're doing OK! A more pressing concern is the ground situation - get that sorted and it will have been a successful season for the club, even if we eventually drift into midtable come the end of the season (not that I can see that happening).

[The_Ozzman_Cometh]

I felt it was a point gained-in the first half we were being caught down the right hand side especially with the Ilkeston's Number 2 and the overlapping number 7 so Galbraith was being exposed time and time again-not all his fault by the way with the midfield not helping at times in defence.I thought it was a penalty from where I was watching the game although White's shirt was pulled back as he tried to get at the ball.Martin Gray must have had a go at them at half-time-even talked to them on the pitch prior to us kicking off in the second half.
Once we levelled I thought we would go onto win the game but the sending off negated that-I thought it was cetainly a yellow card but a straight red was a bit harsh.When we were reduced to 10 men I felt we played better as a unit and upped our game-Cartman ran his socks off but once he was substituted we started to play deeper and deeper and it was just a matter of hanging in there and not letting them have a shot on goal.
Some tired legs at the end but felt proud of the lads out on the pitch.

The Ozzman

[Makka Pakka]

As one commenter said on twitter we mustn't forget how to accept a point away as a good result.

This.

We're only one division below where we would have been if we had had no extra punishment from our beloved FA.

I think we're there now, it was the Conference that booted us straight through the Conference North due to being in administration so the FA only kicked us down 2 levels.

[Quakerz]

That's right.

After thinking that we'd be in the Conference North it turned out that we'd be in the Evostik Premier after all, a few clubs have suffered that fate in the past for various reasons...Boston, plus I think Kettering and Hereford before Hereford eventually went bust anyway.

[super_les_mcjannet]

That's right.

After thinking that we'd be in the Conference North it turned out that we'd be in the Evostik Premier after all, a few clubs have suffered that fate in the past for various reasons...Boston, plus I think Kettering and Hereford before Hereford eventually went bust anyway.

I think the level we are at now is fantastic if you remember where we have came from. I have to admit I am not in the frame of mind that promotion is anything we desperately need right now, in fact off the field definetely needs to grow to match on the field developments.

So when we are top (all be it played a game more) after 10 matches, with an injury list of Purewal, Armstrong, Nowokowski, Gibbons & at times Dowson, Galbraith & Portas I am very comfortable with where we are.

Biggest disappointment is the none FA Cup run but just have to move on and remember that how we are ran means they will be another year ahead to try again.

I don't always agree with Gray and his decisions team wise but I can often see a logic in why he does certain things even if it doesn't always work.

[Darlogramps]

As one commenter said on twitter we mustn't forget how to accept a point away as a good result.

This.

We're only one division below where we would have been if we had had no extra punishment from our beloved FA.

I think we're there now, it was the Conference that booted us straight through the Conference North due to being in administration so the FA only kicked us down 2 levels.

Yeah that's right.

We were booted down to the Conference North because we finished in the relegation zone the season before.

We'd have gone down another level (to step 3, where are now) because we came out of administration without agreeing a CVA with our major creditor (Raj Singh). So basically the Conference would have kicked us out.

But because Raj didn't hand over the 'golden share' and we therefore had to apply to the FA for a new one, the FA treated us a new club so relegated us to step 5, the Northern League.

So technically, it was a two division demotion by the FA.

[al_quaker]

OK fair enough. We're only one division below where we should have been for footballing reasons .

The point I was making was that some fans seem to think we are still in the non-league wilderness, but we aren't actually that far off where we want to be.

[Makka Pakka]

You could argue that non-footballing reasons contributed heavily to us being relegated from the conference. But then you could say that about our exit from the league as well!

[al_quaker]

True - stop ruining my poorly worded point

[lo36789]

what is with alan white on twitter crying about a cut above his eye?

Thought he was meant to be a big solid centre half - he aint half gone soft now he's scored a few goals.

[MCFCDarlo3]

what is with alan white on twitter crying about a cut above his eye?

Thought he was meant to be a big solid centre half - he aint half gone soft now he's scored a few goals.

Honestly thought Darlo were going down to 9 men when he came back on with his bandage round his head....dont think the culprit went anywhere near him after that which did seem to ease the pressure somewhat.

Felt sorry for Youhill,never been a CF but any decent ball over the top of the 2 slow CBs of Ilkeston would have been interesting.

Hunter looked out of control for the Red but will watch the highlights to see......and the penalty I couldnt see although we seemed to stop playing just before it appealing.Think that we whinged just a bit too much but im a bit old school.

[al_quaker]

Certainly looks like White was pulled back in the build up to the penalty. Looks like the actual penalty was a foul, but perhaps play should have been stopped in the build up for a free kick to us.

[divas]

Couldn't really see the penalty incident clear enough to say, but as a defender if you leave the floor like that it gives the ref an easy option