Early team news from John Tondeur tweet.....


Could be run outs for Disley and Rodman after injury but reckon most of the first team will be rested.

Tondeur also tweeted that he's expecting another 'Dartford' team - another disappointing 1-0 loss then?!

Seems so long since we have had a game, roll on 5.30 !!

Hedge Bignot McDonald fyfield & Cook all start

"Expected team: Hedge Bignot Mcdonald Doig Fyfield Colbeck Disley Thanoj Rodman Cook Tounkara"

Another Tondeur tweet.

will be amazed if hurst actually plays hedge shocker!!

Hope Rodman & Disley are ok today, we will need them in the playoffs!

Quoted from Tom13

"Expected team: Hedge Bignot Mcdonald Doig Fyfield Colbeck Disley Thanoj Rodman Cook Tounkara"

Another Tondeur tweet.

To be honest, it's not a bad team.

If we can rest players and get a win aswell that would be great, wonder how many times we'll change play off opponents today

Slightly disappointed to not see a few more of the YT lads starting, are there any on the bench do we know?

Bench: Neilson Southwell Walker Winfarrah Charlesworth

Not a bad team on paper tbh! Come on boys get us 3 points!

Do this tin pot league dish out fines for not playing you're strongest team ? Especially as this result is important to Braintree and the other playoff chasing teams.

Telford sound like they've won the Conf. North in other news so we'll be playing them if we don't go up.

Quoted from Tom13

Telford sound like they've won the Conf. North in other news so we'll be playing them if we don't go up.

No we wont  :) *positive thinking*

Quoted from Tom13

Bench: Neilson Southwell Walker Winfarrah Charlesworth

How have we rested all our squad, not let them travel yet prehaps our best player is still taken to sit on the bench?

Quoted from pontoonlew

How have we rested all our squad, not let them travel yet prehaps our best player is still taken to sit on the bench?

I think Hurst said the whole squad had travelled didn't he?

Torquay relegated to the Conference as well, we'd better go up otherwise that'll be hell of a journey!

Quoted from Tom13

Torquay relegated to the Conference as well, we'd better go up otherwise that'll be hell of a journey!

Yeah, Plymouth Argyle is a much shorter journey.   ;)

Quoted from Doctor Sanchez

Yeah, Plymouth Argyle is a much shorter journey.   ;)

Touche  :P

Telford, Eastleigh, Torquay and one from Wycombe, Northampton or Bristol Rovers.

Quoted from Tom13

Telford sound like they've won the Conf. North in other news so we'll be playing them if we don't go up.

Just got in from watching it: 3-0, Phil Barnes in goal for Gainsborough and Kerin Toner in mid-field.  

No Humberside today?

Quoted from MyDogsThoughts

Just got in from watching it: 3-0, Phil Barnes in goal for Gainsborough and Kerin Toner in mid-field.  

No wonder they won then if they were against him in midfield! In winning today they've also left North Ferriby to get through the play offs.

Quoted from KK_DOG

Do this tin pot league dish out fines for not playing you're strongest team ? Especially as this result is important to Braintree and the other playoff chasing teams.

They'd better not, and who are they to decide which is our strongest team anyway?  I'm not sure if Hedge has had a first team runout this season, but all the others certainly have.  And it could also be argued that our normal 'first team' are so kn*ckered due to the Conference's stupid fixture congestion, that they all need a good rest, and this line-up is currently our strongest team.  (And it's for our manager to decide whether or not that is the case.)

Quoted from marinette

They'd better not, and who are they to decide which is our strongest team anyway?  I'm not sure if Hedge has had a first team runout this season, but all the others certainly have.  And it could also be argued that our normal 'first team' are so kn*ckered due to the Conference's stupid fixture congestion, that this line-up is currently our strongest team.  (And it's for our manager to decide whether or not that is the case.)

They didn't for us against Dartford in a game which affected the results at the bottom of the league so presumably we'll be ok.

goalkeeper sounds good already

Quoted from WHYWONTYOULETMESIGNUP

goalkeeper sounds good already

by goalkeeper I mean referee....think its because I read someone talking about goalkeepers in a post above haha

Halifax winning 1-0, we're down to 4th, first playoff fixture change of the day

Is Jennings still injured then or not considered good enough for our second string?

Quoted from pontoonlew

Is Jennings still injured then or not considered good enough for our second string?

Still injured, think he was going for a scan this week.

Quoted from pontoonlew

Is Jennings still injured then or not considered good enough for our second string?

Yes, he is injured.

Quoted from pontoonlew

Is Jennings still injured then or not considered good enough for our second string?

Think still injured - read something about it a few days ago.

Who's the fella with JT in commentary?:

Lloyd Griffin the comedian from Grimsby.

Quoted from KK_DOG

Lloyd Griffin the comedian from Grimsby.

Thanks.  

Barring injuries/suspensions etc must be tough for players today knowing they probs arent gonna play in the play offs - bar dis rodderz and the tonk!

This ref sounds terrible

If someone plays a blinder though there is always a chance I suppose.

Just seen Gateshead leading 1-0 against Cambridge too

Gateshead and Halifax winning. At present we will be playing Cambridge

gateshead winning 1-0! second change of playoff opponents today, we're currently fifth and will be playing cambridge

"A lot of hoofing."

Quoted from BIGChris

Gateshead and Halifax winning. At present we will be playing Cambridge

Good !

Quoted from Hagrid

Barring injuries/suspensions etc must be tough for players today knowing they probs arent gonna play in the play offs - bar dis rodderz and the tonk!

yes but its the nature of the game dog eat dog

Quoted from Hagrid

Barring injuries/suspensions etc must be tough for players today knowing they probs arent gonna play in the play offs - bar dis rodderz and the tonk!

They're probably not going to start the first leg but after that anything's possible. They aren't reserves as such, just not first choice at this moment in time. Doig won't mind, big Mac could well be involved as Pearson is a card away from suspension, PH is never afraid to change his front 2 (during or between games). Plenty to play for.

Quoted from Hagrid

Barring injuries/suspensions etc must be tough for players today knowing they probs arent gonna play in the play offs - bar dis rodderz and the tonk!

In fairness Hearn played his way into the play off side after a good performance against Newport in the last game last year.

Quoted from BIGChris

Gateshead and Halifax winning. At present we will be playing Cambridge

And Cambridge are currently on course for a 4th straight defeat without scoring. They're the best team in the playoffs over the season but if ever there was a good time to play them...

As daft as it might sound, i would take the results as they are atm. Drawing & finishing 5th, home to Cambridge Wednesday & away Sunday. Would be my pick of teams to play. UTM

Agree, Cambridge seem to be in poor form. .....

Quoted from MeanwoodMariner

And Cambridge are currently on course for a 4th straight defeat without scoring. They're the best team in the playoffs over the season but if ever there was a good time to play them...

hope so but given its the play offs anything can happen and teams will raise their game.Feel its who wants it more on the day plus you need a bit of luck as well

Fyfield having his usual shocker!

Come on town.

With the sound of this ref it's a good job we're resting players (especially Pearson)!

Halifax 1-1 (we're 4th)

Kiddy equalised at Halifax so now we're 4th  ::)

I like being a yo-yo team   :)

Kidderminster equalised. We will now be playing Gateshead

Quoted from Abdul19

Halifax 1-1 (we're 4th)

Oh.

I want cambridge.

What would be the scenarios re other teams for us to get Cambridge?

Sounds like we are pretty dam awful

Quoted from jonnyboy82

What would be the scenarios re other teams for us to get Cambridge?

We lose and the others get appoint each, or we draw and the others both win.

Quoted from jonnyboy82

What would be the scenarios re other teams for us to get Cambridge?

Halifax and Gateshead to win and us to draw I think

UTM

Quoted from jonnyboy82

What would be the scenarios re other teams for us to get Cambridge?

If Halifax and Gateshead win we would finish 5th.

Careful what you wish for though, didn't we all think Newport were the best team to face out of the other 3 last year?

Quoted from jonnyboy82

What would be the scenarios re other teams for us to get Cambridge?

If Gateshead carry on winning; if Halifax don't lose; then we need a defeat to drop below them and finish 5th

A last minute og would do ;)

Fourth (ideally, personally) or third for me please, I don't care who it is we draw because anyone can beat anyone in the playoffs.

So we've already been matched with all three possible opponents at some point today, i'd just started getting used to the idea of playing cambridge

Cheers fellow fishys

H-T 0-0

Not unexpected but thought Braintree might have given it more of a go

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

H-T 0-0

Not unexpected but thought Braintree might have given it more of a go

yes, I was just thinking the same.  I thought they'd be there all guns blazing, but they don't sound very good.  Better not speak too soon.

At the moment were playing Gateshead here then second leg away As it stands.

sounds like a fairly uneventful half but from what JT said the ref is awful

Quoted from FishOutOfWater

H-T 0-0

Not unexpected but thought Braintree might have given it more of a go

Bound to come out with a flea in the ear and score within the first ten minutes

What are the permutations for us to be away to Halifax mid week? This is my ideal draw?!

Not the most entertaining half of football I've seen. Town have had a few speculative long range efforts but Braintree have looked the likeliest to score. Defence looks a bit shaky (understandably) and some fat balding idiot with a squeeky voice has spent the first 45 minutes loudly moaning at our players. Shaun Pearson stood nearby has given him a number of menacing glares, but the moron is still going.

As it stands this is an ideal situation for me and possibly us. I'd take Gateshead over the other two in a shot.

I have a feeling we'll scrape another 1-0 win to be honest. I also hope I'm right. We're better away and believe we can beat anyone away, then all we'd have to do is draw at home in the second leg, of which I believe we are more than capable of doing not matter who our opponents are. Many still may have doubts, but I'm really optimistic.  8)  :)

251 town fans, just heard on the radio.  :)

There should be some hungry Grimsby players out there, it doesn't sound very good, I hope the second half improves.

Quoted from psgmariner

What are the permutations for us to be away to Halifax mid week? This is my ideal draw?!

We would need to be third and Halifax fourth so if we both turn half time draws in to victories that'll sort you psg :)

Quoted from psgmariner

What are the permutations for us to be away to Halifax mid week? This is my ideal draw?!

Both us and Halifax to win today.

UTM

hopefully we will get a result in the second half and help increase confidence in time for the playoffs

Thanks I'm too thick and lazy for this sort of thing.

Come on Town x2

If I had a choice I'd prefer to avoid Halifax, given their record against us.

Cummon Town, get into them !!!(fly)

  
Disley off
Charlesworth on


Rodwell off
Southwell on

Disley & Rodman off

Charlesworth & Southwell come on

Hope we see Winfarrah at some point in the game

John Lewis is slightly more upmarket than Marks & Sparks.

Sounds a bit boring.

Thanoj booked

Good save from hedge.

Refs seems card happy to the Town players.(anger3)

bloody hell this referee, good job we did play a rested team, trying his best to be a late entry in our very competetive worst referee of the season award category

Cook booked, that's 5 town now, good job we didnt play Pearson  ;)

Quoted from DannyC20

Hope we see Winfarrah at some point in the game

On now in place of Colbeck

Winfarrah on

entire midfield made up of  ex youth team players

Quoted from BIGChris

entire midfield made up of  ex youth team players

Good to see.

Quoted from BIGChris

entire midfield made up of  ex youth team players

20 years time they'll be our coaching setup.

Good chance for cook, there keeper saves.

Gateshead 2-0 up, looking like it's going to be them.

ffs!!!
Winfarrah booked now.
Thats 6 for Town.
Refs an idiot

Sixth booking for Town  :-/

Gateshead are on a great run, will be hard couple of games!

this ref sounds shocking !!

1489 Attendance

This ref seems to have an agenda

Another good save by hedge.

Hereford winning now and Chester drawing ,It be a shame if they went down

I wanted Gateshead out the 3 to be honest lets beat them at home then send our army to the away game utm.

A fairy tale end for Hereford scoring in last minute to save them.

Well done Town, difficult to beat 12 men

Poor game but a 1pt for Town.
Looks like its Gateshead in the play-offs,

what is our record at Gateshead - anybody know off hand?

Quoted from grimsbyjack

Poor game but a 1pt for Town.
Looks like its Gateshead in the play-offs,

Happy with that ,If we cant beat them then we dont deserve intercourse all anyway

It's quite something when you think about. We send out our second string and they are still good enough to draw with the sixth place team in a. for them, must win game.

Pretty impressive, and shows what a good squad we have at this level. So we will have plenty of options on the bench in the play offs. :)

Quoted from cmackenzie4

what is our record at Gateshead - anybody know off hand?

Beat them away at the beginning of the season, drew at home with them when our excrement run in the league was just starting, right before the deceiving win away at cambridge

Well done Town. Great to see younger players coming in and assisting to get a good result
Pity about the imbalance in yellow cards doled out: - ref with one way vision?

Fourth place again. The only one of last seasons play offs contenders to make it again this season.

I feel pretty confident. I don't think we need fear Gateshead.

Quoted from WHYWONTYOULETMESIGNUP

Beat them away at the beginning of the season, drew at home with them when our excrement run in the league was just starting, right before the deceiving win away at cambridge

And we were unlucky to draw against them at home - that was the game when everyone was spitting bullets about how disastrously poor the ref was, when they scored from both the shots they had (one being a pen).

Drawing them could be good because they're a footballing team so we can play on the counter as we do at our best, but they've got a manager who won the play-offs a few years ago. But then again, we've got half of his play-off winning team (Kerr, Paddy, etc.) so it's gonna be a tight couple of games!

Town legend Michael Rankine with Hereford's dramatic late winner to save them from relegation and condemn Chester by the way!

i hope the match thread on the Fishy on Thursday is quiet because everyone is at BP (if you are in the country)

really need wall to wall noise

Quoted from cmackenzie4

what is our record at Gateshead - anybody know off hand?

http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=1148&team2_id=1070&teamTabs=h2h

Quoted from BIGChris

i hope the match thread on the Fishy on Thursday is quiet because everyone is at BP (if you are in the country)

really need wall to wall noise

I echo this. Come on everybody, lets pull together and get this club where its belong. Lets pack BP and recreate the FA cup atmospheres.

Quoted from Abdul19

http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=1148&team2_id=1070&teamTabs=h2h

Thanks mate - lets hope we can replicate the 1927/1928 season.  ;D

Quoted from 1739

I echo this. Come on everybody, lets pull together and get this club where its belong. Lets pack BP and recreate the FA cup atmospheres.

Too right!  i will be taking 5 people on Thursday, then it's straight to work for me from the ground.  :o

Lets hope for a full house and really get behind the team, Hope we can replicate the Huddersfield game atmosphere!

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/justin-amey/bilanz/schiedsrichter_5921.html

Some interesting stats on the ref - loves Braintree and doesn't like us.

Looking forward to the Just Back thread and the refs performance....don't think I've ever seen 6 yellows to 0 in a match report, especially when the team with 6 are seeing out the season in a nothing game against a team needing to win.

Quoted from LH

Fourth (ideally, personally) or third for me please, I don't care who it is we draw because anyone can beat anyone in the playoffs.

Cheers Town!

Quoted from Tom13

And we were unlucky to draw against them at home - that was the game when everyone was spitting bullets about how disastrously poor the ref was, when they scored from both the shots they had (one being a pen).

Drawing them could be good because they're a footballing team so we can play on the counter as we do at our best, but they've got a manager who won the play-offs a few years ago. But then again, we've got half of his play-off winning team (Kerr, Paddy, etc.) so it's gonna be a tight couple of games!

Forgot about that, any chance we'll get some decent football league refs for the playoffs

Quoted from WHYWONTYOULETMESIGNUP

Forgot about that, any chance we'll get some decent football league refs for the playoffs

That's a good point though, do we get stuck with standard Conference refs or do we get an upgrade to the average at best Football League ones?

Think it could be the Conference ones after that decision in the first leg against Newport, for their free kick that they scored from!

Quoted from RoboCod

Looking forward to the Just Back thread and the refs performance....don't think I've ever seen 6 yellows to 0 in a match report, especially when the team with 6 are seeing out the season in a nothing game against a team needing to win.

Absolutely. Sounded very suspect indeed. How does he justify booking a player from one team for kicking the ball away, and then not book a player from the opposing team for the same offence? Either it's a booking all the time, or not all, surely?

Positive from the ref was it was a nothing game, decreases the odds of getting another bad one on Thursday

Quoted from Teestogreen

http://www.transfermarkt.co.uk/en/justin-amey/bilanz/schiedsrichter_5921.html

Some interesting stats on the ref - loves Braintree and doesn't like us.

Had to check to see which game he'd been in charge of before where we played

Away at Hayes a couple of years back...sent off Church

http://www.soccerbase.com/referees/referee.sd?referee_id=1252&season_id=143

Today must be some kind of first though...six bookings for us and none at all for them, even when our "offences" were the same as some of those carried out by Braintree

Just hope we don't get another one like him in the next week or two :-/

Quoted from Abdul19

http://www.soccerbase.com/teams/team.sd?team_id=1148&team2_id=1070&teamTabs=h2h

We have never lost at home to Gateshead. Thats a good stat. UTM..