Northampton Town (A) F A Cup 2nd Round Saturday 1/12/07.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Attendance 3,887

By the by, Colin Cramb scored today, as did Andrew Barrowman :roll:

[Welsh_Saddler]

Another Walsall substitution - Ishmel off, Alex Nicholls on, 59min.

[cal wfc fan]

2-1 to the Saddlers - Mooney and Fox to score.

Just need Fox to score for you to be right tape66!! :lol:

[Wrack4England]

Do you think we should settle for a draw to beat them at home in the replay or go all out attack now???

[cal wfc fan]

Do you think we should settle for a draw to beat them at home in the replay or go all out attack now???

ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK ATTACK!!! :wink:

[Welsh_Saddler]

We've just had four corners in three minutes, if that answers your question :wink:

[Welsh_Saddler]

10 minutes to go, and we haven't got Ishy to score with a screamer - I'd be inclined to shut up shop at this point.

[Welsh_Saddler]

Final score 1-1.

Following the game on BBC videprinter, I never saw Tommy Mooney's name at all in the second half. Did his booking affect his play, I wonder? Ricketts caught offside at least seven times. Still, at least we're in the hat for the 3rd round draw... :D

[BathSaddler]

As I predicted, a 1-1 draw and we're 'in the hat' for the next round.

A real test, against a team who were desperate to beat us.

UTS

[Sadders]

Any mentions on the away following.

[cal wfc fan]

Any mentions on the away following.

about 1,000, less there than last week in total, Walsall was about a quarter of the gate

[Jorge14]

Another game to play. Still, we're in the hat, and we've got a home game for us to get through. We're undoubtably coming out of this result the happiest.

[cal wfc fan]

Another game to play. Still, we're in the hat, and we've got a home game for us to get through. We're undoubtably coming out of this result the happiest.

I just hope it dosn't go to penalties :cry:

[BathSaddler]

Any mentions on the away following.

about 1,000, less there than last week in total, Walsall was about a quarter of the gate

1,021 according to the NTFC official site.

[Sadders]

Sounds like a very good away turn out, what awful home support.

[Cheesebag]

Good away following today, Cracking start but then we seemed to sit back and give them a bit too mush room to attack us.

There lanky freak up front had a few nice touches before being subbed.

Had draw written all over it throughout the second half tho.

[silvervanman]

great support and very loud today but what a poo home attendence!!!

played ok is parts dann and gerrard were good we are in the draw im sure we will stuff them on the 11th dec

number 48 is our ball for the third round lets get a good draw more insentive to destroy the cobbler hoofers!!

[Plastic Hawk]

Weren't very good today with the exception of the back four (and even they weren't as solid as last week). Still a decent result though - and we'd have to be confident of winning the replay as I don't think that (with the exception of the goal today) they've managed to force Ince into a proper save over 120 minutes while we've scored three goals and hit the post today also.

The game passed Wrack (with the exception of his one excellent shot) and Sonko by again today and Ishmel faded after half an hour leaving Bradley to do the work of the entire midfield. I still think we're a little short in that department - and the sooner Dobson's back the better. For me, Sonko needs to put in some good performances very soon else I'd play Wrack wide right when Dobson's back. Anyone know what happened to Sweeney?

[Purple Toucan Saddler]

Said Stoke did not want him cup tied

[Burnside]

Ince - Don't recall the need for any important saves just lots of high ball collections

Weston - Not really called in to action much but the goal came from a right wing cross would like to see again

Foxy - A below par show compared to usual high standards not a force attacking this week.

Dann & Gerrard - Dann the poorer of the two with a few sloppy balls but other than that handled there forwards well.

Sonko - Went missing today and when he did have the ball had no get up and go
Ishmel - Plenty of Zap and energy shame he got took off.

Wracky - Possibly man of the match. Worked very hard popped up everywere
Bradley - Competition for AWOL player of the day with Sonko, tidy but missing to often

Ricketts - Anyone else think he'd rather have been somewhere else, i wish it had been somewhere else other than offside

Mooney - Good first half, spent the second half setting up an offside michael ricketts

Alex Nicholls - now i won't give him the slating he deserves but that was one of the most inept shows ive ever seen in a walall shirt, what was up with him ?

Hall - Motm contender with wracky very busy and wanted it when he came on.

i think ive been over criticalof the players, but if it was last week we got the draw id have probably been full of praise but i know we can do better.

[Plastic Hawk]

Ince - Don't recall the need for any important saves just lots of high ball collections

Weston - Not really called in to action much but the goal came from a right wing cross would like to see again

Foxy - A below par show compared to usual high standards not a force attacking this week.

Dann & Gerrard - Dann the poorer of the two with a few sloppy balls but other than that handled there forwards well.

Sonko - Went missing today and when he did have the ball had no get up and go
Ishmel - Plenty of Zap and energy shame he got took off.

Wracky - Possibly man of the match. Worked very hard popped up everywere
Bradley - Competition for AWOL player of the day with Sonko, tidy but missing to often

Ricketts - Anyone else think he'd rather have been somewhere else, i wish it had been somewhere else other than offside

Mooney - Good first half, spent the second half setting up an offside michael ricketts

Alex Nicholls - now i won't give him the slating he deserves but that was one of the most inept shows ive ever seen in a walall shirt, what was up with him ?

Hall - Motm contender with wracky very busy and wanted it when he came on.

i think ive been over criticalof the players, but if it was last week we got the draw id have probably been full of praise but i know we can do better.

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Have you got these two the wrong way round? Wrack wears 7 and Bradley 18. Bradley actually set up the goal we scored and was constantly involved at both ends of the pitch, Wrack was usually to be seen ambling along yards behind the play after failing to read Northampton's attacks - the most important quality for anyone who's going to play just in front of the back four.

I also don't understand how you can make Hall (who only came on with about 25 minutes to go) a contender for man of the match when he once again displayed no ability to run faster than he can walk.

I agree with you about Nicholls, though. He was dreadful. I feel sorry for the lad as the broken leg came at exactly the wrong time in his career, but he'll surely be shipped out to a Conference side in January.

[aaaae]

Thought Hall and Nicholls had some kind of bet on who could give the ball away most often (maybe the bet included Sonko)

Thought Gerrard was MOTM.

Great save from their keeper to keep Wrack's effort out.

I wouldn't be too critical of anyone else though. A fair amount of perspiration without much inspiration.

Anyone else have trouble getting away from the ground. God knows what happens when they have a full house. I gave up and went for a pint instead!

[ws3]

Said Stoke did not want him cup tied

It says here that he was eligible to play.

http://www.saddlers.premiumtv.co.uk/page/News/0,,10428~1173209,00.html

[ws3]

Thought Hall and Nicholls had some kind of bet on who could give the ball away most often (maybe the bet included Sonko)

Thought Gerrard was MOTM.

Great save from their keeper to keep Wrack's effort out.

I wouldn't be too critical of anyone else though. A fair amount of perspiration without much inspiration.

Anyone else have trouble getting away from the ground. God knows what happens when they have a full house. I gave up and went for a pint instead!

We had difficulty last week but this week we were off the car park and on the A45 for ten past five.

[Burnside]

i left the ground early last week - no probs

didnt this week - lots of problems.

Plastic Hawk. I thought Wrack was the busiest of the midfielders.

I though Hall opend them up more times in 30 minutes than sonko did in 60.

I also feel sorry for Nicholls but he really struggled today.

[WFC_Rob]

I think you're being a bit harsh on Wrack if I'm honest. He wasn't amongst out best players, but wasn't any worse than Bradley who struggled to get into the game just as much.
The problem today was that we were playing against one of those sides who look like they need reminding of that green stuff the game was supposed to be played on. They say games are won and lost in midfield. That explains the draw we ended up with because as much as we tried, we couldn't get ours into the game and they simply bypassed theirs completely.

We started brilliantly and had threatened to score twice before we actually did. We didn't hold the lead and take the sting out of their game for long enough though. As a result, they grew in confidence and correctly targeted our wide men as being weak defensively. Ishmel and Sonko were both liabilities. Sonko is in a comfort zone though, because to be honest, I think he's the best we've got, even when he does have a below-par game.

The back four were all solid and reliable. I would have given Gerrard man of the match as he protected Ince and his goal excellently and his ditribution was much better than it often is.

I thought we used the subs to good effect as they allowed us to keep the ball much better. I don't think Hall can be considered a first team starter any more, but he seems like a good option coming off the bench. Nicholls is frustrating as he flits in and out of the squad but never does enough to impress. To be fair to him (and Money for bringing him on), his pace gave them an extra dimension to think about. Unfortunately, his first touch and end product just aren't good enough. If he makes it as a Walsall player until the end of the season, I'll be very surprised.

All in all, the last 2 weeks have given us a continuation of our unbeaten record, rising up the league table in the process, whilst seeing us make the third round draw. It's just a shame we have to play one of the most boring football teams I've had the misfortune of watching again.

Hopefully we'll get drawn away to one of the top 6 Premiership teams and will get a bumper attendance for the replay. It's about time.

[m&m]

Burnside must have been on the lash before the game.Hall MOM? Bizarre!

first 5 mins great but for the rest of the 1st half we didn't look interested.second half started as we left off but then we improved dramatically.the criticism of Nicholls is harsh by a few people.Ok some of the things he tried did not come off but he looked far more up for it than Sonko.I get the feling that cold December days in Nothampton do not suit him well!

Overall I felt we were the better side and hope that the draw is really good making the replay a big game i.e Villa home?

[Young_Tong]

Had serious problems getting out of the car park. It just seems people are loathe to filter the traffic. I'm more than happy to allow people in front of me as long as I can get to where I need to go aswell! I don't know of they are on this website but I invited a Minibus in front of me but instead the person in the back of the bus decided to tell me to "*#$@ myself" so thank you for that!!

Those problems aside I thought the game had a fair result. Northampton were terrible in front of goal but passed the ball well. Walsall seemed to forget the basics today and resorted to hoof ball a lot. Fair enough we were under a lot of pressure especially in the second half but we were constantly pinned down and couldn't seem to pass it out and push the play further up the field thus relieving the pressure.

Defence were excellent and I definitely didn't expect to see Fox starting the fight after Weston's challenge.

Midfield were non-existent. I said to Asps we missed Dobson who scoffed at me but we had no-one able to break up the attacks in midfield and keeping the play away from our box.

How frustrating it was for Ricketts to keep finding himself offside on the HALFWAY LINE!!! Mooney's goal was an excellent strike which looked like a half chance from the angle he scored. His experience is starting to shine through with some clever passes and runs which players keep missing.

I didn't see us last week and therefore have no reference point but the loanees N'Hampton have must be surplus to requirement because I thought N'hampton were tidy in spells especially their mini-me full back (Steadman?) who beat Sonko in the air too often. Their striker Hubertz was skillful but didn't seem to have the eye for goal and they are the two players who stuck out for me. It made me laugh when the centre half (Hughes) who missed a header shouted a swear word while facing the away crowd, I originally thought it was directed at the fans.

A thoroughly enjoyed day for me. Good banter with the 2000 odd home fans and a hoarse throat. Away days are the best!

[Cheesebag]

I had no probs getting out, in Cannock for ten to six. Hall did more than Sonko, no doubt. I have to agree with some of the comments about Nicholls, What he had in pace was let down with first touch and passing.

[Wyrley_saddler]

my vid of wracky hittin the post :( 8)

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=BDE7MqzJRlM