The Hotel End

A bit of rain forecast leading up to and during the game, possibility of a postponement or does their altitude and the constant gale force wind assist with the drainage?

Daft start time for my group of 4 on Saturday. Hopefully it’ll all be worthwhile with a good performance.

Good last day of the season in Oldham and Manchester last time there. Not going this time round though... fair play to those travelling!

Was going to go but wife and kid (apparently) come first what a ball ache

Fair play to anyone that wants to manage or play for Oldham .
I’m surprised they are not struggling more than they are currently .
We should be getting 3 points there but that probably means we won’t .

Curle will be settling for a draw but can we Oldham away?

I wonder if your life is as gloomy as your posts. Have some perspective, it’s Just the Cobblers bouncing between the bottom two divisions. They’ve been doing this pretty much all my life, and I’m 58!

Looking forward to this, as a new ground for me , have never managed to get there before for various reasons. Is it true it’s always cold there , as now I’m mid fifties, I am starting to feel it?

Yeah, the wind just whips across that ground and it's been cold enough to freeze the proverbials off a brass monkey every time I've been there! Wrap up warm!

Second highest ground in the country behind West Brom. Probably an optical illusion but even in the sunshine it feels cold...  8)

I have been colder there than at any other football ground I have visited but I am sure the excitement will keep you thawed and imagine how good the Bovril will be at halftime.

Basingstoke in the FA Cup is EASILY the coldest ground and Carl Heggs still took his shirt off to celebrate!

Even in August Gillingham seemed cold.

Yes Basingstoke away was the coldest I've ever been at a game, never got above freezing all game, the wind chill factor really hit hard with no roof on the away end.

The coldest I've ever been at a match (or possibly ever) was away at Wrexham. In my mind it was a night game, but just looking at our head to head meetings I can't see any that fit, so it must just have been a dark, cold and thoroughly miserable winter afternoon. I can't even remember the result, just that I was so bloody cold and felt frozen to the spot!

I’ve been numb watching the Cobblers play many times.

I feel another win coming on but we will concede at last on account of crowing about clean sheets, 1-2. As for the weather, a balmy 22 with a gentle south westerly?

It was quite warm when we beat them 8-0 in about
1960,  standing on the cricket side.

Hartlepool is a cold un when the wind blows off the North Sea ......

Grimsby

ps thought that Plymouth was a bit nippy as was Macclesfield

Hartlepool back in 87 for me (wasn't at Basingstoke - which clearly wins the award)...and rather coincidentally, Chippenham around five seasons ago!

Agreed. Yet I remember seeing a few of our lot displaying replica shirts with not much else on for bolstering. McDonalds across the road was rammed pre and post game!

Well played CJ

As cold as Oldham is, Basingstoke was the coldest I have ever been at a Cobblers game. Even now, a Gunners season ticket holder mate I took to that game always reminds me of it whenever I see him.

Basingstoke my arse. That was almost tropical. I remember removing my kecks and rattling my marbles and that was before the global warming took hold. If you are going to Oldham then freeze some spunk if you are hoping to sire some babs.

I was stewarding at that Basingstoke game, they used the stewards from Sixfields to steward the away end. Sitting on a milk crate in front of the away end, 15 minute stints and we would have frozen to death otherwise.....10 mins to drink a coffee and eat a hot dog then back out to relieve someone else......happy days!

The coldest place place I remember apart from that game was Gillingham, it was always a freezebox.....one year, around Christmas time, the floodlights went out too!

York could be a bit nippy as well

Thought this thread was meant to be about Oldham not how cold you've been at an away game

That’s got to be beyond a ball boy‘s duty 😉

haha!!

Less than an hour to kick off and no posts yet today?

No team news yet either......

Pollock foot injury and McWilliams is ill.

Cornell
Anderson, Goode, Wharton, Turnbull
Lines, McCormack, Warburton, Adams
Hoskins, Smith

Subs: Fisher, Hall-Johnson, Williams, Waters, Oliver, Harriman, Kaja

Probably be a 3-5-2 with Anderson and Adams as wing-backs. Will be interesting to see if Warburton can make an impact. Good to see Kaja back on the bench.

Definitely weaker without Pollock and Shaun, less hopeful now.

yeah I thought that too.....but had Anderson and Hoskins as the wing-backs.

Warburton behind Smith?

0-1 Cobbs Warburton

Get in!!

Great stuff, come on Cobblers!

Come on Town!!!

THE BREADMAN!!!!

Good job he didn't slice it.

No Dr. Feelgood again then. Part timer!

Maybe Dr. Feelpoorly

Afternoon all

Another two niller anyone?

Hello Was. Let's hope so.

Salford are leading Newport 2-1. If our game and that game both finish with the current scorelines, we will be in the playoff positions tonight!

Willo for Ando. Curles going for the kill.

Willo!!!

Get in there!!!

2-0 again! Taking consistency to a whole new level

Here we go.

This lot are soooo inconsistent; 1-2

3 mins plus stoppage...

Bad old days are back. 2-2...

I blame Feelgood.

FFS

How many times is that now?

f***ing ridiculous, I never known any team throw away as many 2 goal leads

Why take McCormack off?

Was booked, having a niggly afternoon and big O thought he had an 'off' afternoon. Plus bringing on Williams ensured a point.

That's a disappointing end, I thought we had got out of that habit, when you take McCormack out of that midfield, there's not a tackle left between them.

KC said weeks ago the plan for him was very slowly progressing through 45, 60, 75 minutes building to full 90s.

According to the official site the 2 bookings were Anderson and Wharton.

Not only that but Williams came on for Anderson in the 58th minute...Harriman came on for McCormack on 80 minutes.

according to official site Harriman came on for McCormack. Great face saving goal by Williams!

I think someone recently asked how many times Curle had made substitutions which changed a game.

Today was one of those times. Absolute lunacy to take off McCormack and 100% to blame for us throwing away a very easy three points which we were cantering towards. That’s why you cannot get excited after a few wins. The guy is too negative and it cost us today.

You can definitely argue the effectiveness of his substitutions but McCormack cant play 90 which is why we have him, and with McWilliams, Pollock and Watson out we're very limited with what we can so substitution wise.

You don’t have to make substitutions!! He’d managed 80 minutes, I’m sure he could have played another 10...
That said, you don’t expect to not win from 2-0 up with ten minutes to go....so it may have seemed a ‘safe’ substitution at the time.....

Yes, frustrated to have dropped another two points, but really unfortunate to concede the fluke equaliser.
It many ways it was another fitful performance, the highlight being Williams sublime finish.

The team played a brilliant the coach and manager have a great array of players to choose from, as talent is ripe in the squad this season. This match was a 11 a-side game because one of that how cecil says ceil players could not make it, so the poor goalkeepers only had 2 defenders. For all but three of Oldams’ players, this was their debut. Matthew and Charlie need new names both scored one goal each and were not captains for the game. Nathan who didnt play  was the only player to score no goals – ( if you read this your an idiot) Oldham  scored two, one just at the start of his second spell in the game. Lewis no name supplied also got a fabulous goal. Olham put up a good fight in the second half, but their display was not good enough to beat the ladies of St Mary

At the end of the match gave the winning team a huge cheer and S tMary roared back at them like an northerness The team already hopes that they will win the league. They leftfieldl with their heads held high!Oldahm protest to referee who danced away after Burnley a team not here today were awarded a first-half penalty

Oldhams injury-time goal gave Dave Saprroew  a thrilling draw over dawn sandwiche in controversial circumstances to give the northerness club's hopes of avoiding League relegation a huge lift.

who is french  thumping header gave the hosts an early lead but charlies nose is not

Decent response Welly.

Anyone?

Quite right GPC , quite right; also might have been safer to sub McM whilst he was still 'fit' and preserve for another day. Personally I think we need him more than the lost two points today.

Easy fluster

More or less agree with this.  We had one very good passage of play in the second half with a lovely build up from right defence to left, through midfield, back across to right wing and a reasonable cross into the box.  As the cross came in I said if this goes in it'll be goal of the season - unfortunately though...
Otherwise, I thought we huffed and puffed but are just toothless currently.While I don't disagree with this, the reality is that the stadium is the fundamental reason why the atmosphere is almost always flat at Sixfields.  It's simple acoustics. Even at it's best, when the play is exciting or during controversial incidents, the atmosphere is just OK.  What we never experience is that numbing volume of noise that people lose themselves in and become part of.  And sadly it is that, more than the football, that first time supporters return for and eventually become lifelong fans.

Really struggling to fault anything you’ve fish

An intervention is required methinks.

How we didn't lead by more than just one goal at half time is beyond me.  There were long periods of play were we just knocked the ball between our players without Oldham getting a look in, let alone a touch.  I didn't recognise it as The Mighty Cobblers (not just because it was only my second game of the season), we were in so much control.  Nothing was getting past the back three.  Paul Anderson was end to end, giving options along with Alan McCormack.

It was the first time I have seen McCormack, but there is a player who can actually play.  Winning the ball, turning to lose his marker and giving it again, always there creating opportunities, always giving an option.  We were a completely different team once he went off.  Mind you, by then we should have been up to five like last time we played there.

As for it being cold, you soft southern nancies, it might have only been 7 degrees. but it didn't feel too bad up in that stand, certainly better than at the other end of the ground where we used to be.  Mind you, I did take my big coat.

It will be interesting to see whether McCormack plays in the cup next week or if KC saves him for the Crewe game. It would also be good to know the extent of Pollock’s unspecified foot injury - I just hope it’s not a metatarsal.

I’m still unknotting my intestines. Dragged myself out of bed for the game and it was all going so well? That’s down to confidence that is. The first goal went in and you could here the shorts filling up from over here. The more this happens the more this is going to become an issue. Smithy summed it up, they need to work on their game management. Repeatedly get the magic sponge on, give away niggily little infringements, Morris dance round the corner flag etc. All that stuff that drives us insane when the shoe is on the other foot. Our strategy yesterday was to back peddle and pray. Massively frustrating but we are still getting points on the board away from home. That’s what I keep telling myself anyway.

I do not think the ability of the defenders and midfielders is the issue I believe it is the mindset from the manager. We have ALL season sat back when in the lead, inviting the opposition on. Surely a higher defensive line and contest the play nearer the halfway line NOT the edge of the penalty box!

Travelled from my home in Liverpool yesterday to watch the Oldham game, the first time I have seen the Cobblers play this season. Overall I was impressed with what I saw, we bossed the game completely for the first 20 minutes and Warburton could have had a hat trick in the first half. Ultimately we only drew the game because Oldham exposed our weakness defensively on the flanks, and after McCormack was subbed we lost control of the midfield area and there were some tired legs , if one or both of McWilliams and Pollock had played then we perhaps could have held on for a win, but in  reality we only drew the game because of a poor defensive header by Goode for the first goal and a deflected cross for the second which I thought Cornell could have dealt with better.My MOM was Wharton who was immense at the back, followed by Warburton and McCormack. Interesting to see McCormacks reaction to being subbed , I was sat in the main stand near the dugout and he clearly was not happy and he had some verbals with Curle and the coaching staff as he left the pitch. I have not reneged on my previous commitment not to comment again here until the end of the season because of the anti Curle hysteria since  I just wanted to restrict my comments to yesterdays game as I saw it.

Although bitterly disappointed not to have got the 3 points yesterday, i enjoyed the game. Awful travelling conditions to get there, parked up easily and settled down to watch a first half where we stroked the ball around lovely at times and looked a good team. We had loads of space on the left side , used the ball well and thoroughly deserved to be in the lead at half time. 2nd half Oldham tried to play the ball around , but we looked comfortable and actually said to my son if we scored a 2nd, no way would they come back. How wrong unfortunately ! McCormack  was playing well, but agree he is one of the main reasons for us being 4 undefeated and we need to protect him. If Watson,Pollock or McWilliams had been on the bench, then they woud have shored up the midfield and we would have seen the win out , i'm pretty shore. Watching the goals again , Turnbull was stretching for the first, good finish mind and a deflected equaliser cost us. These things happen and although thoroughly peed off travelling back home , feel we are progressing nicely and if we learn from this and see games out better in the future, we will be top seven soon , pushing top three. Thanks for the advice to wrap up, although i didn't find it too cold actually and great support once again from all those who travelled. UTC.   

It was Turnbull who made the mistake for their first, not Goode.

So many inaccurate reports on here this week it’s laughable.

The point is Obo' that all three match reports by members were of a positive nature and are completely at odds with some of the armchair responses from a few on here immediately after the game. In the meantime I compliment all those posters who took the time to post decent and informative  reports today. Good stuff.

I'm still so frustrated that we threw this away. Genuinely had never seen such a comfortable 84 minutes of football in my life. We barely had to get out of neutral and were totally deserving of the three points. So to throw it away with dreadful defending/ goal keeping is a big disappointment. I really hope that the two thrown away points from yesterday are not costly at the end of April.

Sad to think that someone on this site thinks it laughable to make a genuine mistake in me naming Goode instead of Turnbull .I hold my hands up just one of those things, at least I did not mistakenly pillory Goode for the mistake and it does make me wonder whether it really is worth the effort of posting honest opinion on this site.

Cornell with one of his customary howlers cost us the points.

Football focus was a revealing watch.

Curle has lines drawn on the dressing room floor where the players have to remove shoes/boots on entry and around the edge of the room to ensure all their possessions are tidy. Mobile phones are placed in a storage rack by the door..

Was terrible.

After 3 clean sheets on the trot didn't take long for the anti Cornell mob to turn up did it....The way I saw it was a Turnbull mistke and a deflected cross  ::) ::)

Which 'armchair responses' are you talking about? I can't see them. Looks like folk have been pretty fair to me.

If one may, it is generally an error to begin a sentence with a conjunction such as and, but, or so. In the event one is writing a commentary expressed by a third party it would be considered acceptable. However, in this case if a beginning “so” is followed by a parenthetical expression, a set of commas is needed. There are so many grammatical errors, such as the example from Nobserver, in the reports and observations posted in this thread, it is laughable. If you desire completely error free reporting may one suggest that one restricts their literary digests to the work written by professional journalists in the media? Their articles are always guaranteed to be accurate.

Do you know what a howler is, Lenny?

Am unable to assist you.

Sorry everyone I take full responsibility..

For 80 minutes, we were totally in control, Oldham didn't even look like they were particularly interested. Scored our second, thought that we were going to get our fourth 2-0 win on the trot but then took McCormack off to protect his legs for the next game(s) and conceded two, albeit the equaliser was a complete fluke!
There weren't many Oldham fans there to witness their comeback after our second went in. Our third 2-0 up 2-2 draw of the season, need to learn how to manage to see out a victory from those positions.
The first 80 was excellent, with better finishing we should have been out of sight. Need McWilliams and Pollock fit if McCormack is being protected.

YAY !!!!
Bring on the clowns .

No agenda here , but can someone explain why playing an extra 10 minutes in a game is going to make any difference whatsoever to a professional footballer who trains every day and has already been protected in previous games .
Is 10 minutes really going to make that much difference in a game you need to see out ?

Listening to the commentary he was misplacing passes and according to Martin Smith was looking tired. McCormack wasn’t playing when we gave the other 2 goal leads away it’s more about Curle’s substitutions. He decided to put Harriman as straight replacement which I didn’t get at all!

There was no deflection  :P

Or 16 minutes as it was on Saturday, with the 6 mins added time.
It does, especially in older players or players susceptible to injury/muscle strains, who make that one lunge/stretch too many with tired muscles and put themselves out for longer than just a tired muscle recovery timeline.  Better to be protective rather than risk it, if you are able, especially with a player as influential as McCormack is.
KC has stated that he has a programme for McCormack to get the most out of him.  This created a problem and we lost two points on Saturday, but how many points will we lose if he is out for an extended period?
https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/football/curle-explains-decision-to-take-off-key-man-mccormack-as-oldham-hit-back-after-midfielder-s-substitution-1-9128020

If it is the case (as some are suggesting), that substituting a player leads to the rest of the team throwing away a two goal lead with 5 minutes left to play then the rest of the players really need to take a long hard look at themselves.

There wasn't, but it was still a fluke...

And Cornell still should have saved it ?

The Oldham messageboard points to the same....the way we fell apart once the sub had been made...…..some even thanked KC for the point!

#onemanteam

Unfortunately for you, no... ;)

Did we not go 2-0 up AFTER McCormack was subbed?

The debate about mental strength is interesting. After all, its happened 3 times. That doesn't include Bradford away (winning with 15 to go) and Macclesfield at home (who scored a winner right at the end). So that's actually 10 points we've chucked, possibly even 12 if Williams hadn't of missed an absolutely sitter a few minutes before Macclesfield scored their goal. Oh yeah, and Swansea in the cup as well!! So in 18 competitive games this season (Im not including the tinpot trophy games), we've succumbed to very late goals, on 6 occasions!

Currently we sit 9th, and we all know it could and should be far much higher. Its frustrating but for me, it shows that if we can stop these late goals going in a top 3 position is more than achievable. Which would far exceed what most of us expected back in the Summer...

I think its a mixture of things. Some questionable subs/tactics, especially at Morcecambe. Bad luck (The Crawley equaliser was a fluke as well). And of course, a tendency to drop to deep, which KC has consistently spoken about. The latter though is typical of most teams.

On the flip side, we showed excellent game management at Carlisle, and even scored a late 2nd goal. And some top notch defending to defend 1-0 leads at Swindon and Stevenage, the latter with 10 men.

Maybe its just a case of the law of averages working against us at the minute? Either way, the players AND us fans need to ride it out, and collectively not get nervous going into the late stages of games because as KC alluded to, these things play on peoples minds. I didn't go on Saturday but I can imagine our end after the 1st Oldham goal went in!  ;D I was stomping up and down my chalet in rainy Bridlington ranting away that a 2nd goal would be scored, it all seemed too predicable  ;D We've got to move on from it, all of us!

Plus, we play a very high tempo game which is extremely difficult to sustain for 90 minutes .
Teams know we fade and they are right , we do .

From the first game of the season I've questioned our fitness levels and I still do, some other teams seem fitter than us.

While the goal was a freak one more than anything, Cornell was still at fault as his positioning was poor.

Good post. While it was disappointing to drop 2 points at the death, overall I'm pleased with the direction things are moving in. I feel the team is a match for anyone in the division at the moment, so bring on a week on Saturday and a big game against Crewe!

 ;D And there was me thinking it was because he had the wrong colour boots on...

I thought that went without saying.

Go on then Clarence for the uneducated amongst us, talk us through Cornells poor position and where should he have been.

He was covering the area that the cross was aimed for, he obviously should have stayed on his line in anticipation of a mis***/deflected cross going into the far top corner of his net! Who'd be a goalkeeper, always in the wrong?

IT WASN'T DEFLECTED........

One has to at times spell out the obvious to Clarence!

I said miss-hit or deflected, was it neither of those? It was definitely a fluke.

It was a miss hit cross and a massive mistake by Cornell to let it in.

https://www.northamptonchron.co.uk/sport/football/curle-not-worried-by-cobblers-mental-strength-after-they-lose-another-lead-at-oldham-1-9128576

The usual list of embarrassing contributors , ready to knock Cornell at the first opportunity .
It really is quite low level to watch the ball cross the line and see who the last person to blame is .
I hear no criticism of Oliver failing to defend from the front for the first goal and Goode’s subsequent poor header .
I hear nothing said about Hoskins failing to stop a cross for the second and abject defending from midfield before that.
No , let’s criticise Cornell who may or may not have been positioned correctly and saw a fluke loop over him .
I await the list that is usually published for all the goals Cornell could have stopped from our resident goalkeeping expert , all the way from his arm chair and internet highlights package .

Don't blame Goode for the poor header, it was Turnbull. Other than that I agree with the other points you make and being an ex goalkeeper I know all about getting the blame. You forget Warburton who should of had a hat-trick in the first half and then all of this blame game would of been academic.

I beg your pardon TP , my error on Goode .

curle pretty much blames oliver on the first goal, before turnbulls terrible header.

same for the 2nd - not close enough to the opposition at any point before the cross came in.................just a fluke.

i would rather we carried on going 2-0 up in games rather than 2-0 down - i think we will more than we throw away across the season

Exactly right and echoes what I have said above.
To blame the keeper or the timing of the substitution is pretty weak really .

You're right about weak. Our midfield once McCormack was taken off was pathetically weak.

As you need it written, Oliver was dreadful in his cameo and certainly is also to blame for the second goal. As is Adam's who decided to try and take on the whole Oldham squad rather than a simple lay off which would have killed the game, directly before they scored. But Cornell was not blameless, that cannot be denied.

Straight to the insult, you never disappoint. I said the goal was a freak occurrence. I don't particularly 'blame' Cornell for the goal at all, I feel he made an error, albeit a small one but it was still an unfortunate goal to concede. I also never said no-one else was to 'blame' and don't disagree that Hoskins attempt to block the cross was poor as well.

I've scarcely made a comment about Cornell all season, then one minor negative comment and I  get called an 'embarrassing contributor', as usual a simply ridiculous response and almost fascistic in its attempt to police the board.


Complete bollocks. Talk about an 'embarrassing' contribution.

Careful there, the Cornell-cult present on here will have you marked!

Hoskins cannot defend FACT

If the cap fits ... no one mentioned you personally ...
Undoubtably you did say that Cornell was at fault for the goal though. No one else was mentioned in your assessment .
As for fading in games - I think your beloved statistics may suggest otherwise. Personally I make the judgement with my own eyes rather than a spreadsheet feed .

Clarence, you havent and my question and explained where Dai should have been positioned for the second goal.

Not sure CJ if you will get the answer you hope for. The problem Clarence has that he has made too much of his in depth critical analysis of Cornell; it's his achilles heel now.

i told em about oldham.

I hope we end up pipping um at Chippenham

?

No-one mentioned me personally? I'll break it down for you. From your post


Both the word 'list' and the plural contributors suggest more than one person. The only posters on this thread suggesting Cornell is at fault are Manwork and myself, hence you are obviously referring to Manwork and myself.


I'm the only person who specifically mentions Cornells' positioning. You also made your post shortly after I had made mine.

Hence you are obviously referring (at the very least in part) to me in your post.


Really? Like the made the judgement with your own eyes that the squad this season will fare worse than last seasons?


Still stand by that?  ;D

He's too far over towards his near post - he actually looks like he's standing slightly past it to me. It's a small error and regardless - as I said in a my original post - the goal was still a fluke, but if the ball had been crossed centrally he would have left an open net for an attacker to head/volley/strike the ball into.

Compare to his positioning for this goal (where he did nothing wrong):

Morecambe's equaliser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojNx54kWsf0

Like the equaliser on Saturday, this was unfortunate. But was his positioning wrong here? I'd say no, unlike Saturday.

This was another somewhat unfortunate equaliser:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qeXk3ZAW1X4

Judging by these goals, perhaps we've not been getting the rub of the green so far this season?

The point is virtually every player has been criticised on here this season, in many cases unjustly (IMO) yet its any negative comment about Cornell is jumped on. It's nothing short of bizarre to put it mildly.

Thanks for replying Clarence.

I reckon Cornell should have been 150mm to his left?

That'll be it Melbourne, a simple case of working the angles out, because as everyone knows every shot/cross is a static ball struck by a static player and there's never anything else happening on the field to influence the goalkeeper.
That's why we can be slide rule accurate about where Dai's size tweleves should be planted and because of that we can also accurately judge which goals are Dai's fault and therefore how good a keeper he is and how he compares to his peers.
Maths and science triumph again in sport.

Working on the mathematical equation as we speak, has anyone got the number for Cape Canaveral?

1.855.433.4210

Contact the NSA, they might have had one of those spy satellites overhead at the time.

I am honoured and truly humbled at the time and effort given to your reply Clarence .
But at the end of the day ...
You are wrong .

Thanks, and a piece of chalk?

I'm a crayons man myself...  ;D