Tonight.

[Swissbloke]

Hmmm, a summary of tonight.

Things looked bleak.

Then I was very happy.

[OUFC4eva]

A dramatic night saw a swing of six points at one stage.

Yemi netted and Stevenage were looking like one point leaders
then Thomas Pinault put Crawley ahead against an out of sorts United.

Then his Lordship Chris Wilder worked his magic...........and everything in the world looks great again.

What drama !

[Ascension Ox]

Absolutely classic last 15 minutes. Talk about playing all the way through to the end.

We could have lost, could have drawn, should have won, should have lost, did win.

Craw..lee's one supporter, (our men in the seats will know the guy), reacted by flicking the vs at me at the end

to which I responded , 'you know that Hutchinson ...he will come good for you.' He told me to depart into the night in so many words.

I gladly did.

[theox]

So, can we say that 52 points is alright from 22 games?!

Championships can be won and lost on nights like tonight. We came through the test so lets move on to Saturday. Please let it be a bit simpler!!!

[Matt D]

that's why we bother.

YELLOWS!

[A-Ro]

Absolutely classic last 15 minutes. Talk about playing all the way through to the end.

We could have lost, could have drawn, should have won, should have lost, did win.

Craw..lee's one supporter, (our men in the seats will know the guy), reacted by flicking the vs at me at the end

to which I responded , 'you know that Hutchinson ...he will come good for you.' He told me to depart into the night in so many words.

I gladly did.

It was noted on the journey home that we started getting more posession and control of the game once Hutchinson came on for them.

[GodalmingYellow]

Absolutely classic last 15 minutes. Talk about playing all the way through to the end.

We could have lost, could have drawn, should have won, should have lost, did win.

Craw..lee's one supporter, (our men in the seats will know the guy), reacted by flicking the vs at me at the end

to which I responded , 'you know that Hutchinson ...he will come good for you.' He told me to depart into the night in so many words.

I gladly did.

It was noted on the journey home that we started getting more posession and control of the game once Hutchinson came on for them.

I think it was more to do with having Sodje and Constable up front, reverting to 4-4-2 and starting to play the ball on the round instead of trying to hoof it over the top to Midson in that horribly narrow 4-3-3.

Wilder did exactly the right thing in the changes he made, and I hope he will stick with Constable and Sodje (who was excellent) up front (and 4-4-2).

As regards the Lone Ranger in the seats, I almost stood up and sang &quotDo you only sing alone?&quot, but luckily I realised the potentntial irony before doing so. It was very funny seeinghim look so glum after we scored, and when we got the penalty and when we got the winner.

I love the feeling winning in stoppage time after the anxiety that leads up to it. It's like being on rocket fuel.

I also want to give a big mention to Ross Perry who was outstanding at the back. Crawley targetted him big time, and with the 4-3-3 system and Sandwich pushing up , he was consistently left with a huge hole to cover.

[boris]

I think it was a combination of both factors. Constable coming on meant that the ball stuck up front, whereas in the first half it kept pinging back, and Potter coming on gave us some width and allowed us to get crosses in (most of which were woeful, but that's a different gripe). Hutch coming on for them meant that they went with just one up front and started sitting back and inviting us to attack.

For me the main worry, especially in the first half but also to some extent in the second, was the amount of second balls and 50-50s that we lost. A midfield of Clist, Bulman, and Murray is never going to win an aerial battle, but no one else (except Creighton and Perry) won a header the whole first half.

[GodalmingYellow]

It was a really odd decision by Crawley to bring Hutchison on and sit back. It was as if they had no confidence of their ability to hold out for the win.

[Matt D]

I think it was a combination of both factors. Constable coming on meant that the ball stuck up front, whereas in the first half it kept pinging back, and Potter coming on gave us some width and allowed us to get crosses in (most of which were woeful, but that's a different gripe). Hutch coming on for them meant that they went with just one up front and started sitting back and inviting us to attack.

For me the main worry, especially in the first half but also to some extent in the second, was the amount of second balls and 50-50s that we lost. A midfield of Clist, Bulman, and Murray is never going to win an aerial battle, but no one else (except Creighton and Perry) won a header the whole first half.

that reflects the half time conversation i had.

added to which, the make-shift back line was not the one i would have chosen. chapman doesn't follow through as a defender should, but has a bad habit of waving a foot at the ball instead, and trying fancy midfielder things in dangerous areas. great on the ball and going forward, but not a right back for a game where we're under pressure.

crawley targeted that side of chapman and perry. perry's an odd footballer in some ways - looks assured and almost graceful in defence at times, but at others i think he gets his balance wrong and he gets caught out.

the obvious answer is that he's still learning his trade. so i'll ask the question: why isn't day getting a look in? we're paying him, after all...

[Mally]

I think it was a combination of both factors. Constable coming on meant that the ball stuck up front, whereas in the first half it kept pinging back, and Potter coming on gave us some width and allowed us to get crosses in (most of which were woeful, but that's a different gripe). Hutch coming on for them meant that they went with just one up front and started sitting back and inviting us to attack.

For me the main worry, especially in the first half but also to some extent in the second, was the amount of second balls and 50-50s that we lost. A midfield of Clist, Bulman, and Murray is never going to win an aerial battle, but no one else (except Creighton and Perry) won a header the whole first half.

that reflects the half time conversation i had.

added to which, the make-shift back line was not the one i would have chosen. chapman doesn't follow through as a defender should, but has a bad habit of waving a foot at the ball instead, and trying fancy midfielder things in dangerous areas. great on the ball and going forward, but not a right back for a game where we're under pressure.

crawley targeted that side of chapman and perry. perry's an odd footballer in some ways - looks assured and almost graceful in defence at times, but at others i think he gets his balance wrong and he gets caught out.

the obvious answer is that he's still learning his trade. so i'll ask the question: why isn't day getting a look in? we're paying him, after all...

In a half time converssation I had it was rumoured that Day has a disciplinary issue that may be keeping him out of the first team.

[Dr Bob]

It was a really odd decision by Crawley to bring Hutchison on and sit back. It was as if they had no confidence of their ability to hold out for the win.

You mean like Oxford, pre-CW?!

Listening to it online, it sounded like we were not at the races for much of the first half, but as the second half wore on I was getting (literally) closer to the edge of my seat. The result was fantastic, but the cherry on the icing on the cake was the Ebbsfleet result. It was that as much as our result that led me to wonder if this really is our ye.....aghh, pfhnmf

Sorry, just had to throttle him before he cursed us.

[Baboo]

Agree with most of the postings here. I have been a Midson fan but am still waiting for him to really deliver. In his defence though - if he had Potter &amp Sodjie up there with him he may have done better.
Within minutes of coming on Beano had made a run at their defence ready to have a ball knocked to him - Midson did nothing of the sort from what I could see at the other end.

Jamie Cook's place should really be under threat now shouldn't it?

And we showed that we could play two in the centre of midfield and look all the stronger for it.

[Yellow River]

I know I keep banging on about it but I really feel we should be starting with a 4-4-2 formation especially away from home.

The last two away matches I went to (Kiddie &amp Crawley) we allowed far too many crosses in from wide positions resulting in chances and goals for the oppo. 4-4-2 with two wide midfield/wingers give protection in front of the two fullbacks, they also allow the fullbacks to overlap.

Most of this season Constable has been isolated in the centre forward position, Midson/Green/Cook or whoever are not wide enough to cover the fullbacks but not close enough to Beano to give support.

I agree with the earlier points regarding Sodje, I thought his introduction playing alongside Constable made a big difference on Tuesday night.

But hey what do I know Lord Wilder's 4-3-3 has reaped the results so far.

[deanwindass]

I know I keep banging on about it but I really feel we should be starting with a 4-4-2 formation especially away from home.

The last two away matches I went to (Kiddie &amp Crawley) we allowed far too many crosses in from wide positions resulting in chances and goals for the oppo. 4-4-2 with two wide midfield/wingers give protection in front of the two fullbacks, they also allow the fullbacks to overlap.

Most of this season Constable has been isolated in the centre forward position, Midson/Green/Cook or whoever are not wide enough to cover the fullbacks but not close enough to Beano to give support.

I agree with the earlier points regarding Sodje, I thought his introduction playing alongside Constable made a big difference on Tuesday night.

But hey what do I know Lord Wilder's 4-3-3 has reaped the results so far.

Totally agree. 433 is fine at home but away the midfield tends to be bypassed. Plus because we have so little width we resort to hoofing it.

At the moment away, I'd play

Clarke
Batt Beast Foz Perry
Chapman Clist Bulman Cook
Sodje Beano

Bench: Sandy, Deering, Day, Murray, F.Green

Chapman's relative lack of pace would hopefully be balanced out by Batt getting forward. The main downside is that there's no room for Murray but he tends to have his better games at home when he sees more of the ball and the pitch is bigger and in better condition.