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11/3/2020 10:36 AM  #1


Wealdstone (Home)

Well, there are two ways of looking at this one. 

Over a season, Wealdstone are the best team in this division by a way. Dean Brennan has got the Stones playing a ruthless brand of football which quite like the "Leicester-15" team, might not be the strongest in the league, but they have such a spirit and insurmountable lead for so long that protecting it, whilst difficult as always, they are always going to start games as favourites. 

However, Chippenham currently sit atop the form table in the National League South, winning 5 of their last 6 games, with their only defeat coming at the hands of Welling away from home and with a real sense of injustice for those in attendance, we are clearly in a rich vein of form at this moment in time and will have zero reason to fear the Champions Elect. 

Wealdstone come into the game 5 points clear and a game in hand over second placed Havant and will no doubt be looking to hand Chippenham their first home defeat in over a month and Chippenham vice versa will be looking to throw a rather large spanner in the works as far as Wealdstone's automatic promotion push goes. Our opposition boast a wealth of attacking talent and a big presence all over the pitch as you would expect from a team that have amassed 69 points so far with them winning 22 of their 32 games in the division. Michee Efete is going to be familiar to a few Chippenham fans after his exploits with Bath City and of course danger men Ross Lafayette and Dennon Lewis are going to be well known to the followers of Flash Scores to see who is putting the ball in the net. 

Now call me the eternal optimist but, a couple of months a go, I wouldn't have given us a prayer, this would have been the most straightforward pick for anyone loitering around Bet365 however..... Now, the way we are playing? I would back us to give anyone a game and if nothing else and with a little luck I genuinely think we could take something from this game. The situation with Nat Jarvis' injury and Dave Pratt's injury had clearly come no closer to be resolved by the post-match interview with Mike on Saturday, I am sure Jarv will be pushing for a return to at least the bench and Dave I think is still a couple of weeks away if conversations are to be held as gospel. Either way, both of these guys are going to have to be at their very best to dislodge the current set-up with Hainer seeming a revelation in the target man role and really allowing for fellow Swindon Town loanee, Scott Twine to flourish.

I am going for a 2-1 win to the Bluebirds with goals from Scott Twine and a goal from outside the box from Callum Gunner (he is due a goal for his work rate). Good luck to Rhys Tyler as well this weekend who will be going up against his former teammates undoubtedly still wishing them the best in their own quest for the league title but as always will be looking to pull the strings on the right hand side for Chippenham.

COYMB 

 

14/3/2020 9:39 PM  #2


Re: Wealdstone (Home)

Not sure which thread to use but here goes....
What a game! Great advert for non league football and NLS in particular. We gave as good as we got and for me this game showed how far we have come in recent games. Particularly pleasing to see us try for the win in the later stages and the end to end nature of the last few minutes was brilliant to watch. A proper game of football! Also good to see over 1,000 in the ground. Well done to all involved.

 

15/3/2020 12:54 AM  #3


Re: Wealdstone (Home)

Really strange atmosphere today not knowing what will unravel in the next few weeks. These are unknown times and I hope we are all back together to conclude this season!
It looks like the job Mr Cook was brought in to do was a success (must be his Cambridge Utd connections) so very well done! You have made Chippenham very competitive. Hopefully you will stick around?  Scott Twine has done his chances of getting into the STFC no harm. I was going to have a massive tirade about Mr
Zebroski. I was certain he wouldn’t come out for the second half, but ended up playing the whole game! Anyway his last ten minutes did go some way to exonerate himself. Some of the current crop may have played their last game!
Anyway folks see you on the other side (not literally)

 

15/3/2020 8:04 AM  #4


Re: Wealdstone (Home)

It’s funny how people see different stuff in players. I thought zen did very well. Work rate was excellent, closing down players and putting him self about. No letting their centre backs have time on the ball.
Clearly has a bit of quality about him, with regards to touch etc.. but lacks pace. Would have broke away and had a couple of one on ones with the keeper with a little more pace. Bench were more than happy with what he was doing (against the game plan). Was dead on his feet at the end.
It was Riggy getting the wrath first half and Hainer 2nd, for not following plan.
Granted this team has changed a bit in the pitch but IMHO it’s what’s being done off it that’s made the difference.
Sheets of tactical notes were coming out yesterday, messages from someone in the gantry etc..never seen that under any previous management, got a lot more professional feel about it. well done Mr Cook.

Last edited by Wellard (15/3/2020 8:06 AM)

 

15/3/2020 10:47 AM  #5


Re: Wealdstone (Home)

Agree Zeb work rate yesterday was terrific, not a natural goal-scorer it appears perhaps, but winning balls, holding up and tackling back to win lost balls was a massive contributor. If nothing else he drew markers away from those that might stick the ball in the back of the net. I don't see anyone else in the squad able to do that, Hopper wouldn't have lasted 15 minutes even if fit

 

15/3/2020 3:37 PM  #6


Re: Wealdstone (Home)

Just looking at yesterday’s programme. Zebroski (Zeb) has scored 4 goals this season (2 in NLS/2 in Wilts Senior Cup). Please correct me if I’m wrong.  It does say in the player profiles that he is a forward?

 

15/3/2020 4:35 PM  #7


Re: Wealdstone (Home)

Who would you have played instead of him then, Hopper? lol
Jarvis injured, Pratt just coming back.

 

15/3/2020 7:51 PM  #8


Re: Wealdstone (Home)

Wellard wrote:

It’s funny how people see different stuff in players. I thought zen did very well. Work rate was excellent, closing down players and putting him self about. No letting their centre backs have time on the ball.

Yes, we don't all see things the same way. Chris Zebroski would be one of the first names on the team sheet for me despite not scoring many. 
 

 

15/3/2020 8:29 PM  #9


Re: Wealdstone (Home)

I’ve got a lot of time for Zeb.  He’s had a long professional career and has never been prolific goalscorer but he knows how to lead the line.  I thought he was outstanding yesterday.  A shame he didn’t quite have the pace to keep ahead of their defender when through on goal in the first half, but he is about 35!  His physical presence kept their central defenders occupied right until the final whistle, they knew they’d been in a game.

 

16/3/2020 10:51 AM  #10


Re: Wealdstone (Home)

Very hard to find fault with anyone and their performance on Saturday amongst the backdrop of a very strange atmosphere. Buoyed by games off around us, a crowd of 1062 watched the Bluebirds grab what could be a real telling point in the grand scheme of things, although many would argue the visitors were the "grabbers" in this situation with Chippenham being somewhat dominant in terms of chances and over a longer period of time throughout the game. 

I thought in the first half, there was only one team in the contest, one team and as so often the case, one official! The referee looked absolutely determined that he wasn't making any big decisions on this occasion almost seeming to scared to make a big call. Three real moments in the first half (aside from the goal) that could have turned the game all thrown out by the referee. Twiners penalty attempt, not sure, Scott has used his body well and absorbed the contact, on just the strength of contact alone, I wouldn't have given in, but the fact he has come through the back of Scott as opposed to being shoulder to shoulder makes it a penalty! The first handball was fired into far too many bodies but our lads were convinced, me not so much, the second however from the resulting cross, the full back nearly caught it! How the referee and the linesman dugout side have missed this is beyond me. We could arguably have gone into the half time talk 3/4-0 and that would have been one hell of a different situation, alas, 1-0 it was. The goal itself was very well taken with the "Dangerous all Day" Alex Bray once again recycling the ball and putting in a dangerous ball with Scott Twine waiting gratefully at the back stick with a nice touch and a very clever finish past Oxborough in the Wealdstone goal. 

Second half has a little more (as expected) competitive with Wealdstone players ears still ringing from DB audible from the main stand team talk. The goal for Wealdstone kind of looked like it was coming, they were looking dangerous and working their patterns well for about 5-10 minutes prior to Efete knocking the ball home for 1-1. After that Wealdstone had the ball in the net again where poor officiating for a change, saved Chippenham. A quick free kick that we were not lively to, ruled out for an offside that absolutely wasn't in any way, shape or form. Watch the highlights, watch it in slow motion if needs be. But, Emmanuel is behind even the kick taker when his run starts and miles onside when the ball is kicked. He tucked the ball past Puddy and the linesman rules out for offside completely incorrectly. 

After that, again Chippenham seized momentum and toward the end genuinely looked like that winner was coming. Sadly with chances for Twine, Zebroski and Pratt we weren't able to get it over the line and the whistle blows for that most beautiful of feelings... Disappointment over only drawing with the League Leaders. Hard pushed to find a "Man of the Match" for this one but a few players really stood out for me Saturday. Jay Foulston was magnificent down the left and didn't put a foot wrong but just edging Jay for me was his opposite flank and Mr Rhys Tyler. Just fantastic all day, strong in the tackle, really seems to grasp the play from the back system that Cook has installed, great wing play, incredible blocks to deny two clear goals. Just an absolute machine against his old side. 

So what happens now? The truth is no one really knows but it is increasingly likely that CTFC are done for the foreseeable as the country fights against the threat of Covid-19. Personally I would like to see the season continue, I fear for the clubs who cannot survive without the revenue and people of course have the ability to stay away as their own responsibility of care to themselves and others. I guess we are all a little in the dark at the moment about this however, should be find ourselves playing this weekend against Billericay, I shall see you there! 

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