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Colchester (A) Tue 14th Feb - League

Reports and reaction from the 2005-06 season as Walsall finished 24th (R) in League 1
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sean511
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:31 pm

Biggles wrote:Bristol City 1-0 up

Swindon 1-0 up


that puts us 3rd from bottom :evil:

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Geordiesaddler
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:32 pm

Blackpool losing so that puts us above them.

Just listened to the radio Essex half-time report, and they are counting their blessings we are not 2-0 up, and the game all over. Wish we had a goal to show for it, but at least they are rattled.

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Neil Ravenscroft
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:40 pm

report from wfc_2uk on the front page

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Surrey Saddler
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:41 pm

The lads don't seem to be doing too badly at present. We have rattled the woodwork twice. Let's hope one goes in next half

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Surrey Saddler
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:44 pm

They have left the mike on at half time. Mick Kearnes is still going on about set pieces. Let's hope they do not have one.

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Geordiesaddler
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:55 pm

Byfield sent off for Gillingham so Swindon big favourites to beat them. Tight as a gnat's chuff though as that sees Gillingham possibly dragged back in.

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Saddler Jim
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 8:57 pm

Acording to both reports its looking very encouraging,now looking like a team instead of 11 individuals.if they keep this up it will have taken Halsall 2 matches to do what Merse could'nt do in 18 months.I wonder if the new manager is there.it will interesting to see if anyone is spotted there.

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Geordiesaddler
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:09 pm

Brizzle 2 nowts up at Scunny.

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Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:16 pm

Pead is still the weakest link. Get rid. Please.

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Geordiesaddler
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:17 pm

Stop moaning and get behind the lads. The weakest link went last week.

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hullsaddler
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:35 pm

Even though some of other results not going our way, it sounds like an encouraging away performance! Let's hope whoever takes over can build on this.

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Geordiesaddler
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:35 pm

Their first failure to score at home in 15, our first clean sheet away in 19.

What is this all of a sudden a bleedin' professional football club?

Superb lads,
hope at last.

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toffo
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:37 pm

Well done lads a great point.
How many times have i been able to say that away from home this season?

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booster cogburn
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:39 pm

A very good point but we're in the bottom four!

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Geordiesaddler
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:42 pm

Others above us getting sucked in also though.

Radio Essex say "one of those nights where you have to say all credit to the opposition" - fair play.

We are 4 points off 12th its that tight. A proper manager would have got us another 5 or 6 points over Xmas and Jan and we wouldn't be in this mess.

Hopefully we can now get the results we are capable of without being phased by the pressure, tonight is basically a bonus point after what's gone before.
Last edited by Geordiesaddler on Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Neil Ravenscroft
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:43 pm

Geordiesaddler wrote:Their first failure to score at home in 15, our first clean sheet away in 19.

What is this all of a sudden a bleedin' professional football club?

Superb lads,
hope at last.


Spot on, Geordie. Fits with wfc_2uk's report (now on the front page).

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Tue Feb 14, 2006 10:30 pm

I have thought for much of the season that clean sheets away from home would be the difference between us having a good season or not. Our home record is OK, by and large, but it's away we've really struggled. And the big thing has been conceding too many goals. I believe our only away clean sheet in all competitions has been at Bournemouth, until tonight. Not good enough. Keep a clean sheet away from home and you're always liable to nick a 1-0 Graydon-style win.

I haven't been today but I have no doubt that had we defended like we did at Layer Road at places like Yeovil, Oldham, Port Vale and Bradford we would be much higher in the table. It's a great point to take off Colchester but we must capitalise by beating Oldham on Saturday. A win against them could conceivably put us four points behind them - and they're in 8th at the moment. This really gives us something to build on and despite the fact we're in the relegation zone then I think the feeling around the club will be much more positive. Well done lads, onwards and upwards.

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Magic Man Fan
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 10:45 pm

Hoorah, just as predicted by most on here months ago, organisation and better fitness is making us unbeatable.

We've now got a base to build on.

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Tue Feb 14, 2006 10:53 pm

A select quote from the Colchester OS match report:
"However much the U's probed, they couldn't find a way through a well organised and resolute Walsall defence..."
And some stats:
1. Before tonight Colchester had won 12 in a row at home
2. They had failed to score in only two of their previous 23 games

Make no mistake, this was a great point and a real marker of what standards we can set for the rest of the season, home and away.

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Magic Man Fan
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Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:08 pm

Registered Saddler wrote:Make no mistake, this was a great point and a real marker of what standards we can set for the rest of the season, home and away.


And what could have been achieved if Merson had gone months ago.

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sid swifty
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Wed Feb 15, 2006 3:44 am

REALLY GOOD RESULT... :wink:

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YGA Saddler
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Wed Feb 15, 2006 7:43 am

Well after not getting in until 2am and needing to get up for work at 5.30am I decided to leave my post until I got to work this morning.

I could not believe I witnessed a Walsall side that looked fit, well organised and that showed fighting spirit. :shock: A real gem of the night was Mills playing in the hole just infront of the back four, did not waste a pass and made two crucial challenges. Another added note Mick Halsall was constantly shouting orders to his team unlike a certain PM.

We were by far the best team first half, having three chances that maybe we should have put away. Colchester had just TWO shots first half and both of them trickled across the floor for a straight forward save from Oakesy. Oakesy had one of his moments when a cross turned shot looped towards the goal and Oakesy decides to let it get so close to going over the line before catching it! Why he didnt catch it when it dipped ill never know, but thats Oakesy for you.

Second Half was a complete turn around from the first, Colchester hit us with a wave of attacks. Oakesy again pulled off a save that was nearly as difficult as the one on Saturday that more or less guaranteed us another vital point.
We SHOULD have had two blatant penalties, if they were down the other end I guess the crowd would have persuaded the ref :x

Roper,Gerrard and Keates had good games but Mills was by far MOTM. James and Nicholls struggled, James looked lazy and lightweight. I guess the Forest fans were right!

I was more than happy with the draw, just makes it a bummer when I got back onto the coach and found ourselves in the bottom 4! IF we can build on this then there will be no worries of staying up.

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sid swifty
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Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:14 am

I feel pleased for Halsall...after all these months having to say "well you did everything right boss it was just bad luck or it was the ref boss" he can now do things the professional way nothing flashy...nothing all that different really...but just a change here...a word in the ear there...and not making statements that even as it was coming out of his mouth sounded odd to the staff who have been working with him all week...and most of all...the players must feel like a weight had been lifted off their shoulders...and last but not least...it will be a lot harder for the guys and girls on uts to pick holes in team selection...tactics...sanity...so come on everyone time to raise your game... :D :wink:

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Duke
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Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:25 am

Tony Cotee covering the game for sky said it was a classic games of 2 halfs we had the first they the second however we stllL had 2nd half chances through Smith and Barrowman . and the second half a 21 man brawl left Smith and Roper with yellow cards .
Great result much better performance we have some fight in the side now thats encouraging onwards and upwards UTS

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Jorge14
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Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:55 am

A good, solid, proper performance that more than earnt the applause of both home and away fans at the end. If we play with that sort of passion in just 7 or 8 of the remaining games, then we will be absolutely fine.
Roper and Gerrard were outstanding I thought. Iwelumo only got one chance when Gerrard let him go, but, to be totally fair to Andy Oakes, nothing was beating him last night, and I'd go as far to say that it was the most confident, assured goalkeeping display that I've seen from Oakes. He came for everything, and held onto the ball. He commanded his defence, and he made another great reaction save to go on top of the great double save last Saturday.
Mills was inspired in midfield. He knew his job (yes, organisation and preperation!) and stuck to it. However, Pead was very poor at right back, so I wouldn't be surprised if Mills ends up at right back on Saturday.
Wright did very well at left back, so much so that he was actually the most impressive full back, with Pead being given a torrid time.
James played better than Saturday, but I'm still not convinced. JolySaddler said that he was just a shadow of the player he was at Barnsley - thats what a month of Merson's 'training' does to you. He lacked pace and didn't look at all sharp.
Smith did well on the left, and Keates was the best player on the park again.
Nicholls and Barrowman, I thought, did very well up top. Barrowman's first touch can be a bit wayward, but I think he serves his purpose as a target man, and won plenty of flick ons for Nicholls, and laterly Ishmel. Incidentaly, had Ishmel come on 15 minutes earlier, I think we would have won the game. The centre backs were at sixes and sevens trying to deal with him.

All in all, a really strong performance. Anthony Gerrard further rises in the ranks of Walsall legends through his, frankly, homosexual antics at a corner. Pinching the defenders' arse, walking away, and pointing at one of the other Colchester players.

Micky Halsall's Barmy Army will be fine this season. For once, the players didn't let the fans down, and they were rewarded by applause that they more than deserved.

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Duke
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Wed Feb 15, 2006 12:16 pm

good report Jorge 14
more of the same lads

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tinned
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Wed Feb 15, 2006 1:08 pm

It's good to hear encouraging reports from those at the game.

It further highlights the bloody stupid blinded-by-the-celebrity posts from certain posters a few weeks back "No one is going to do any better with the lack of resources at Walsall" they bleated. What poppycock. The rest of us clear thinking posters knew that all it needed was fitness, motivation and clear tactics to turn this squad into a half decent unit.

Thta's why I refuse to agree that calling for a managers head is automatically unloyal. If you can see harm is being done then asking for a change is the ONLY loyal thing to do.

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Exile
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Sat Feb 18, 2006 6:08 am

Only 56 (57 now) posts for an away draw? Come on!

Great result, and one I'm pleased to come back off holiday to see, not having expected anything at all.

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sean511
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Sat Feb 18, 2006 9:01 am

Exile wrote:Only 56 (57 now) posts for an away draw? Come on!


Well some people don't post when we get a good result because they like a good moan :wink:

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