Darlington V Gateshead

[Darlopartisan]

Good to see Cassidy starting

[jjljks]

Expect to see Campbell coming back to haunt us, having hardly scored against any other team. Do well to keep a clean sheet but Heid very strong in defence so can't see us scoring (m)any.

[Darlopartisan]

1 down

[Darlopartisan]

1. 1 Charman get in

[onewayup]

Best team that darlington have played. I think gateshead will up champions. Referee top draw hardly noticed him made decisions when and only when they were called for. 9 out of 10 for the ref

[Darlopartisan]

What a mad 5 minutes that was, just starting to nod off and all hell breaks loose.
Best team won .

[Old Git]

Best team that darlington have played. I think gateshead will up champions. Referee top draw hardly noticed him made decisions when and only when they were called for. 9 out of 10 for the ref

Fair assessment I agree Gateshead will be right up there. We had to work hard to keep them out in the first 70 minutes but it took a toll and eventually they ran out clear winners. You have to remember they are full time and hadn’t had a bruising game 48 hours earlier. Good luck to Gateshead, Williamson clearly doing a good job there.

[Emdubya]

Best team that darlington have played. I think gateshead will up champions. Referee top draw hardly noticed him made decisions when and only when they were called for. 9 out of 10 for the ref

Yes,a decent team but helped greatly by a piss poor defensive display.Smith was an embarrassment and Lawlor brushed aside far too many times.Agree the Heed will probably win it which will mean another short trip to Brackley next season.

[darlo reborn]

Thought we stood off them to much and let them play out from the back too easy if we had played like we did against Flyde might have been a different result. Oh how we miss Hatfield in the middle gives us more energy going forward.

[Quakerlad]

Fair doos, beaten by a much better side who controlled the game really from first to last.

Know we had a tough game 2 days ago but why didn’t we press them like we did Fylde, even from the start it was like they had a spare man and just passed it around. Yet when we got the ball, wham, Gateshead player or players straight at us and we had nowhere to go.

Think they signed a huge amount of new players like us in the summer but there organisation given that, must be a credit to their manager and of course being full time.

Think AA has to decide if it’s 424 to accommodate Cassidy/Charmen or 433 which gives us more in midfield. Personally think we do better with the latter but Cassidy and Charmen individually did very well again today.

Will be surprised if Gateshead don’t win the league.

[LoidLucan]

Gateshead had very fresh legs as they haven't played for a bit and are a full-time side while we looked leggy after a hard, physical, strength-sapping game just a couple of days ago. It showed. No complaints with the result. We did well to get back into it so quickly but needed to keep things tight just afterwards instead of the slackness which handed it back to them. Best forget it, get players back and move on to the Spennymoor Strangler and his mates who also found it tough today.

[onewayup]

Gateshead are fulltime and didn't have a game 48hr before this game but they are the best to come to blackwell. No complaints from me .they played a good game each man knew where he needed to be .we finished out of steam allowing them to win .but we held them for 75mins which is a plus in my book. Best referee we have had at blackwell this season I think.

[Quaker85]

The Echo on Twitter is reporting we had a fine 3-1 win at their place today. Impressive journalism


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[jjljks]

The Echo on Twitter is reporting we had a fine 3-1 win at their place today. Impressive journalism


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Must have been confused by us playing in our away strip

[Darlogramps]

Know we had a tough game 2 days ago but why didn’t we press them like we did Fylde, even from the start it was like they had a spare man and just passed it around. Yet when we got the ball, wham, Gateshead player or players straight at us and we had nowhere to go.

You’ve answered your own question. We’re a part-time mid-table team who played a bruising game two days ago. Gateshead are title contenders and full time and hadn’t played on Boxing Day, so we’re fresher.

Put simply, playing the pressing game in such an intense period of time is not something we can maintain.

It’s telling that all their goals came in the last 20 minutes, when we were tiring.

I would make a broader point that for player welfare, there should be no matches between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. It’s ludicrous that players are expected to play two games in three days. Scrap this round of fixtures and play it as a midweek round somewhere.

[Old Git]

Know we had a tough game 2 days ago but why didn’t we press them like we did Fylde, even from the start it was like they had a spare man and just passed it around. Yet when we got the ball, wham, Gateshead player or players straight at us and we had nowhere to go.

You’ve answered your own question. We’re a part-time mid-table team who played a bruising game two days ago. Gateshead are title contenders and full time.

Put simply, playing the pressing game in such an intense period of time is not something we can maintain.

It’s telling that all their goals came in the last 20 minutes, when we were tiring.

I would make a broader point that for player welfare, there should be no matches between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. It’s ludicrous that players are expected to play two games in three days. Scrap this round of fixtures and play it as a midweek round somewhere.

I understand your point about player welfare but traditionally there are usually 3 games in this period and often they are played in front of decent crowds and produce exciting games. In fact going back to the Sixties teams played on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. I am not suggesting we return to that but you only have to look at the crowds for our last 2 games to see they are popular with supporters. On this occasion I think we were just a bit unfortunate to play a good side who had not played 48 hours earlier due to a waterlogged pitch.

[eddie-rowles]

Fair doos, beaten by a much better side who controlled the game really from first to last.

Know we had a tough game 2 days ago but why didn’t we press them like we did Fylde, even from the start it was like they had a spare man and just passed it around. Yet when we got the ball, wham, Gateshead player or players straight at us and we had nowhere to go.

Think they signed a huge amount of new players like us in the summer but there organisation given that, must be a credit to their manager and of course being full time.

Think AA has to decide if it’s 424 to accommodate Cassidy/Charmen or 433 which gives us more in midfield. Personally think we do better with the latter but Cassidy and Charmen individually did very well again today.

Will be surprised if Gateshead don’t win the league.

Gateshead have a smaller squad than us but unlike several of our squad our bench is fairly weak and unlikely to contribute any goals( Purver, Mondal, Rivers,Nelson,Lambert, Cassidy and D santos, all seven combined have scored less goals than Charman) .
Still cannot understand why we continue to hoof the ball to Charman and cassidy for a flick on, when the rest of the forwards are 20 metres behind instead of being alongside anticipating.
Gateshead opened us up down both wings like a can of sardines yet we continued to pack the centre. Without Charman and an injury free nelson we are going to struggle and playoffs impossible without either of them still with us, fit and scoring

[don'tbuythesun]

OG, remember those days well and the pitches were often rock hard or like a quagmire! No bench full of substitutes either. There's an interesting article somewhere about Everton playing three games in two days in 1888 at Anfield of all places!

[D_F_C]

Think we did about as well as we could. Whilst they deserved to win, I was slightly disappointed as at the time they scored they weren't really opening us up and it came from a mistake from our CBs. The second goal wasn't great defending from the whole team either. The third was supposedly a yard or two out and spun back in (couldn't tell myself), but they played to the whistle.

As people have said, 2 days turnaround, vs full time, team higher in the league, 4 very good players missing.

Win against Spenny and this game is forgotten about.

[Darlogramps]

Know we had a tough game 2 days ago but why didn’t we press them like we did Fylde, even from the start it was like they had a spare man and just passed it around. Yet when we got the ball, wham, Gateshead player or players straight at us and we had nowhere to go.

You’ve answered your own question. We’re a part-time mid-table team who played a bruising game two days ago. Gateshead are title contenders and full time.

Put simply, playing the pressing game in such an intense period of time is not something we can maintain.

It’s telling that all their goals came in the last 20 minutes, when we were tiring.

I would make a broader point that for player welfare, there should be no matches between Boxing Day and New Year’s Day. It’s ludicrous that players are expected to play two games in three days. Scrap this round of fixtures and play it as a midweek round somewhere.

I understand your point about player welfare but traditionally there are usually 3 games in this period and often they are played in front of decent crowds and produce exciting games. In fact going back to the Sixties teams played on Christmas Day and Boxing Day. I am not suggesting we return to that but you only have to look at the crowds for our last 2 games to see they are popular with supporters. On this occasion I think we were just a bit unfortunate to play a good side who had not played 48 hours earlier due to a waterlogged pitch.

Are they popular with supporters because they’re played over Christmas, or are they popular because they’re both local “derbies” (or at least the nearest we’ll get this season)?

I guess my point is I think fans would turn out for a big game against local rivals at whatever point in the year.

I would also argue player welfare should be a more important consideration than spectator enjoyment. It’s bad enough full time players doing two games in just over 48 hours, let alone part-timers. We’re the only country in Europe who does it, and the only excuse anyone ever offers is “It’s tradition”.

In reality, the idea of playing two games in 48 hours is crackers. You could easily bin off the middle fixture and still play the Boxing Day and New Year games with no trouble.

[Quaker85]

IIRC, when Gateshead played Charlton in the cup, the commentator stated they have a full time squad with a playing budget of £300k. I’d have to question the accuracy of that statement as that’s similar to our budget for a part time squad.

If it is true, you’d have to ask who’s getting value for money as they are streets ahead of us in every department.


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[lo36789]

It's not true. Their players would be eligible for universal credit as they would be below threshold for earnings.

20 players and staff full time would be on average £15k per year including employers NI contributions.

[Quaker85]

Makes you wonder where these big time tv people get their info from then


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[wizardofos]

I thought we were lucky to get the game finished due to floodlight issues. The corner by the dressing room was in semi darkness and I'm not sure how the ref. could see his assistant's signals properly in the second half.
Presumably the landlords will rectify it before Saturday.

[jjljks]

Makes you wonder where these big time tv people get their info from then


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The Northern Echo?

[Old Git]

I thought we were lucky to get the game finished due to floodlight issues. The corner by the dressing room was in semi darkness and I'm not sure how the ref. could see his assistant's signals properly in the second half.
Presumably the landlords will rectify it before Saturday.

Good point it was really dark in that corner and if Saturday is a dull misty day we could be in trouble. Suggest we kick towards that end in the second half, pump the ball into that corner towards Charman. He might be able to get some retaliation in on Curtis that the referee can’t see

[quaker4life]

The match yesterday seemed to take as long as that floodlight at the far end to come to life, unfortunately it was us who were left in the dark in the end through some shoddy defending. I actually thought we were solid up until they scored and it looked to be heading for a dull 0-0 (which I would gladly have taken in the end), the way Mike Williamson has Gateshead set up is reminiscent of the way Newcastle were under Alan Pardew rigid to the point they were almost robotic but were well organised and well drilled.

We showed great character getting a quick equaliser but Gateshead's tenacity is to be admired, their heads didn't drop when we scored and they quickly got their noses back in front in a mad few mintues in a game where clear cut chances were few and far between. I thought their first goal was poor, Langstaff was given the freedom of the town to get in behind the defence and for the third we failed to play to the whistle, the ball looked to have gone out and and we stood still waiting for a goal kick that never came.

We lacked the intensity and aggression we had against Fylde a couple of weeks ago and we seemed to stand off them but despite not having much of the ball we kept our shape and restricted them to a few chances and even managed to create a couple of our own. There were a few positives but in the end we were beaten by a good side who look like a serious promotion contender this season IIRC they've now won their last seven in the league and still have a 100% home record heading into the new year.

Hopefully we get the perfect response on Saturday against Spennymoor.

[50 years]

I enjoyed the game, Gateshead are a good team, fast and skillfull, and played like proper footballers just getting on with the game no hysterics like Spennymoor, but thought we matched them for most of the game with hard work, especially given the hard match on boxing day.

Just 2 issues for me as I thought most of the team had a decent game (other than the soft goals when we tired):-
One being how easy it was for Gateshead to lob a ball over between the central defenders with the quick number 9 to run on to, happened numerous times.

Second issue for me was in the first half Mondal looked totally lost, leaving the number 24 in masses of space, pointing to no one to cover him while watching the ball in no man's land, although he improved second half (not sure he thinks defensive work is his job). To be honest I was surprised he started against the form team in the league, given the limited time he has played.

Still onwards and upwards now

[super_les_mcjannet]

In fairness to Mondal, Gateshead overloaded in midfield and the movement was excellent, simply Rose and Purver were out numbered and out manoeuvred. Owen Bailey kept drifting into Mondal's area and he was left unsure whether to pick up the left back, the midfielder Bailey or on occasions engage with Storey the centre back bringing the ball out of play.

I also seen little organisation on the pitch to get to grips with it, from many of the players. I think we probably needed to be playing 4-5-1 with either Charman or Cassidy playing (not sure how you drop Charman or play him wide, so Cassidy would drop out), which against the better teams will be the challenge AA finds. However without Hatfield I am guessing he would rather go with the front two, which we switched from after 15 mins.

Anyhow we got to 15 minutes from taking a point but all in all not sure we would have deserved it, we have quite a big squad (possibly 25 a number in/out on loan) however after about 16 players we don't have much else and 4 of those in Wheatley, Hatfield, Cooper and Nelson were missing.

[Old Git]

I enjoyed the game, Gateshead are a good team, fast and skillfull, and played like proper footballers just getting on with the game no hysterics like Spennymoor, but thought we matched them for most of the game with hard work, especially given the hard match on boxing day.

Just 2 issues for me as I thought most of the team had a decent game (other than the soft goals when we tired):-
One being how easy it was for Gateshead to lob a ball over between the central defenders with the quick number 9 to run on to, happened numerous times.

Second issue for me was in the first half Mondal looked totally lost, leaving the number 24 in masses of space, pointing to no one to cover him while watching the ball in no man's land, although he improved second half (not sure he thinks defensive work is his job). To be honest I was surprised he started against the form team in the league, given the limited time he has played.

Still onwards and upwards now

As usual a concise and accurate summary of the game from you 50 years. The first goal we conceded was dire defending. Ellis and Lawlor completely failed to clear what was no more than a hopeful punt up the pitch, which is very disappointing given their experience. Possibly both a bit guilty of expecting the other to make the challenge.
Mondal looked all at sea and quite honestly I am amazed he started ahead of Rivers and KDS. I can only assume that AA wanted to shuffle the pack and give them a rest. I really don’t know if he has any future here on the limited evidence we have seen but he is proving to be another very disappointing signing.
At least we won’t be playing teams as strong as Gateshead every week.