Swindon Town (H) Monday Apr 17th, 3pm

[Welsh_Saddler]

We welcome Tim Sherwood's Swindon Town side safe in the knowledge that League One football awaits us next season (he said, hopefully) but the same can not be said for our opponents, who are in quite deep do-doos effectively 3 points from safety with only 3 games left. When we met Swindon at their place in October we came away with 3 points courtesy of our Turkish Messi, but we may have to do without him and his audacious 40-yard goals on Monday. Having acknowledged Swindon's precarious position, it has to be said that they're currently in good form - unbeaten in their last 4 games including wins over Millwall (home) and Fleetwood Town (away), so it certainly won't be a walk in the park for us. The danger man for Town is (as before) Nicky Ajose, last season's top scorer for them with 24 goals, and currently back with them on loan from Charlton Athletic. Swindon Town's current League One form:

14 Mar Sheffield United (H) Lost 2-4
18 Mar Bradford City (A) Lost 2-1
25 Mar Millwall (H) Won 1-0
1 Apr Fleetwood Town (A) Won 0-1
8 Apr M K Dons (H) Drew 1-1
14 Apr A F C Wimbledon (H) Drew 0-0

Jon Whitney has stated his objective of finishing in the top half of League One, and while it may be tempting to "blood" several youngsters to give them exposure to the realities of League One (and to help in his assessment of them) it is still incumbent upon him to field his strongest XI - if he tried to introduce a whole bunch of novices for a League game there would undoubtedly be protests from far and wide. The only real substitution is that of Craig MacGillivray for the injured Neil Etheridge, who apparently damaged a hamstring in the "Open Training Day". Striker Mitchel Candlin was introduced late on against Shrewsbury Town, and we must wait for Monday to see what JW's decision and tactics (?) will be.

There's a good "trivial pursuit" question concerning Swindon Town, which I only discovered this morning - they were (by 6 months) the very first Football League club to install floodlights, way back in 1951, and it's a sign of how much our currency has reduced in real value when you see that those floodlights cost the princely sum of £350. :shock: Their present pylons were installed in 1960 and grace the ground that is owned by the local council, to whom they pay the rent - sound familiar? They would reportedly like to move to a club-owned stadium and therefore increase revenue, but finding a financial backer when you have the history of Swindon Town Football Club (twice into administration, and still paying creditors off at 2% of the club's income) ain't easy!!!

Prediction time ... and solely because my good lady and I will be attending this one, it has to be a home win. I will go for a 3-1 score, with MacGillivray blotting an otherwise competent performance by dropping a cross at Ajose's feet, but that will only be a consolation goal because Makris, McCarthy and Osbourne already put the Saddlers out of reach.

UTS :D

[leics_saddler]

I'm going for an entertaining 2-2, which I will do every match now until the end of the season :shock:
Their goals by Don Rogers and Jan Aage Fjortoft, ours by Willie Naughton and Makris, who will be inspired by Fjortoft's slow scoring start.

[SoccerHQ]

Swindon were easily the worst team I've seen this season but as is inevitable teams suddenly spring into life when the reality of relegation hits home so tomorrow will be a lot tougher.

Will still go for a 2-1 win though. Jackson and another Morris goal cancelling out the obligatory Nicky Ajose goal v Walsall.

Could do with Oztumer shooting from 50 yards again....is he out of the season or expected back. Haven't seen any news on his injury.

[reedswood sadler]

Another game we should win I predict we will plod along take the lead and wait for Whitney to make his subs and lose us points again.
In last 2 games we have gone ahead and the subs have completely changed the game with us defending that deep we are nearly standing with the fans behind the net.
WE will take off Bako/Makris on 60 mins to be replaced by Jackson and whoever is playing well swapped for Dobson and all out defence hanging on for a1-1 draw.

[Pedagogue]

Could do with Oztumer shooting from 50 yards again....is he out of the season or expected back. Haven't seen any news on his injury.

According to Whitney, he expects Oztumer to be available for selection against Swindon.

[leics_saddler]

Son of Leics will be particularly pleased.
He really wants to see Oztumer, while he can still look up to him.

[NEWPORT SADDLERS DAD]

Lets go out on 3 straight wins.This one 2-0 Bakakaki and ozzy if he plays.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Starting line-up against Swindon Town:

MacGillivray

Preston
O'Connell
O'Connor
McCarthy

Osbourne
Chambers
Morris
Edwards

Bakayoko
Makris

Substitutes: Laird, Dobson, Jackson, Oztumer, Hayles-Docherty, Candlin, Ganley

[SaigonSaddler]

1-1 as the results suggest they aren't a bad team

[Welsh_Saddler]

No goals anywhere in League One after 10 minutes - except for the early kick-off at Bramall lane, where Sheffield Utd beat Bradford City 3-0.

McQuilkin scores for Kidderminster Harriers......

Oxford Utd 1 Port Vale 0

Rochdale 1 Coventry City 0

Charlton Athletic 2 Gillingham 0

Northampton Town 1 Shrewsbury Town 0

Scunthorpe Utd 2 Chesterfield 0

Fleetwood Town 1 Millwall 0

[Ancient Moaner]

Wow, a great performance holding already promoted Swindon town to a 0-0 draw at half time!.........hold on, shouldn't that read 'already relegated'?

Not very impressive, can see us losing this one, our players already on the beach?

[Fish]

Meanwhile at Oakwell it's friends reunited. Bradshaw, Sawyers and Rico all on a Championship pitch.

Oh hum! What a difference a year makes.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Rochdale 2 Coventry City 0

Southend Utd 0 M K Dongs 2

Charlton Athletic 3 Gillingham 0


After 55 minutes we have our 1st corner .... (Swindon have already had 4)

Just down the road, Blues definitely wobbling at 0-2 to Burton Albion.......

Back at the Banks's, the first yellow card goes to O'Connor :(

60 minutes, and no movement from either bench as yet.


Today's attendance 5,196

[BarnsleySaddler]

James O'Connor is shown the yellow card

ATTENDANCE | 5,196 (913 Swindon)

[Welsh_Saddler]

Mat Sadler equalises for the Sloppies at 10-man Northampton Town ... 1-1 now

Swindon Town make one substitution, on 66 min

Walsall substitution at 70 minutes ... Messi on for Makris :D

Our 2nd substitution 3 minutes later ... Dobson on for Osbourne

[BarnsleySaddler]

1st Substitution, Swindon Town. John Goddard replaces Conor Thomas.

2nd Walsall SUB | Makris OFF Oztumer ON.

Walsall 2nd SUB | Osbourne OFF Dobson ON

[Welsh_Saddler]

Scunthorpe Utd 3 Chesterfield 0 now ........ bye bye, Chesterfield.

Bristol Rovers 1 Oldham Athletic 0

Oxford United 2 Port Vale 0

Meanwhile at Craven Cottage ........ :lol:

[Ancient Moaner]

15 shots, 7 on target and we STILL can't score, what was Walsall's main problem again? Oh yes I remember, we can't defend crosses....cobblers, our problem is WE CANT SCORE GOALS. Watch one of our full backs stick one in from close range now. :wink:

[chriss5471]

15 shots, 7 on target and we STILL can't score, what was Walsall's main problem again? Oh yes I remember, we can't defend crosses....cobblers, our problem is WE CANT SCORE GOALS. Watch one of our full backs stick one in from close range now. :wink:

Most of the shots are from Morris though...

[BarnsleySaddler]

2 nd Substitution for Swindon Town. James Brophy replaces Fankaty Dabo.

[saddla]

Long trip to Plymouth next season guaranteed they're winning 6-0 against Newport.
Meanwhile Gianfranco Zola is doing his best to make up for that with a short trip to Birmingham, Losing 0-2 at home to Burton.

[Welsh_Saddler]

WALSALL 1-0 !!!!!!!!!! :D :D :D :D (Edwards 85 min ... Ozzy with the assist))

[SWS11]

This would NOT be the first time we have battered Swindon and not won. I can remember a game back in the 1960s at Fellows Park when we absolutely marmelised 'em and got a draw - I think it was 0 - 0. And last season. DON'T start me on about last season at their place :evil: . Cost us promotion. I said it might at the time. OK, so any point dropped last season cost us promotion but Swindon seem to have a bit of a hex on us, from time to time. :(

[BarnsleySaddler]

Edwards 86 with the goal to brighten the day up!

[SWS11]

OK. :D :D :D :D :D :D

[vorny]

Yesss :D :D

[BarnsleySaddler]

Phew, managed to hold on this time to a 1-0 win, though made hard work of it.

[Guest]

https://youtu.be/WBQQ-1BcVGU

[JonnyOwen]

Pretty poor performance IMO. O'Connor MOTM for me, Morris also played well although every shot he had went straight into the keeper and Craig MacGillivray made a good left handed save first half. Chamber's struggled with Gladwin and Isaiah had a bit of a mare against Rohan Ince. Jason McCarthy was anonymous aside from his shot in the first minute as was Bakayoko. Makris was tidy with his link up but wasn't a threat.

When we aren't counter attacking a team we are pretty awful, and Swindon seemed pretty happy to sit back and counter attack us instead. Good goal though.

[SoccerHQ]

15 shots, 7 on target and we STILL can't score, what was Walsall's main problem again? Oh yes I remember, we can't defend crosses....cobblers, our problem is WE CANT SCORE GOALS. Watch one of our full backs stick one in from close range now. :wink:

As has been said most of the shots were by Morris straight at Vigouroux which you or I could've saved.

Only two occasions before the goal where a Walsall goal could've happen was right after the two kick offs....1st minute McCarthy hit a shot which was blocked and 46th minute Baka couldn't get to a cross shot.

Didn't really deserve to win, Swindon should've been up at half time but they faded after the break infront of their very vocal away fans.

Thought defence did well today to keep quiet two decent league one strikers in Obika and Ajose. Midfield struggled in first half and their number 7 Gladwin had loads of space and very nearly scored a wonder goal when he beat 5 men.

Second half Chambers and Osbourne got to grips and controlled things in there.

Most interesting for me (listen up PT) was Whitney actually making a tactical change with a sub on the hour that actually improved things. Ozzy came on and played as a false stiker.

Of course Swindon needed the win so pushed men forward but I thought it worked very well and Ozzy pressed and opened things up with his vision. Maybe not for every game next season but that could be a plan b option worth pursuing.