Port Vale at home Saturday 7th August 2021

[cobbler151]

Connolly was woeful, no argument there. His set pieces were Sunday league stabdard . Koiki was far more effective,easy choice next game for Brady.

[Another Pedj]

All I will say is that on that game BOFN is a better judge than CJ

[everbrite]

I didn't expect so much negativity after winning and keeping a clean sheet though 

Mystery Man seems on a mission to downgrade the performance today. He is clearly an unhappy person! From where I was sitting most appeared very happy!

[everbrite]

Very interesting that you pick McGowan out the pack as being a ‘real find’.

Whereas everyone else seems to have picked him out as the weak link. Some even score him as low as 3/10!

It’s got me wondering, are you seeking attention again?

What you haven’t got used to yet is that people have different opinions. I think McGowan played ok. I think the great CJ had an off day to day never known him to mark Cobb players so low. Guthrie was generally good through out. Attention seeker are you off your perch? You are the last person I would wish to ingratiate.

[Jim Hall Fixit]

It would be a funny old world if we all agreed eh?
I thought Rose was poor - he caused little or no problems for the PV defence.
Whereas I thought McGowan played really well in the first half - went off the boil in second. Everything was going through him down the right. He started so many things off. I’d love to see the stats for yards covered and successful passes - it would be bloody high for a non wing back right back.
Then Mills pretty much did the same job on the left in the second half.

Perhaps we should focus on what we can agree on:
- how nice is it to have the confidence of a competent keeper? Mitch always had me on the edge of my seat waiting for the next clanger
- Horsfall and Guthrie will be a very effective pairing at this level
- Pinnock is going to give us a lot to get excited about - he reminds me so much of the great Josh Low
- At last a proper number 9 that knows how to hold the ball up and play with his back to the defence
- McWilliams is going to be huge this season - he needs to start!

[Jim Hall Fixit]

Oh, and Koiki looks like he could be a real handful in the left midfield role

[Terryfenwickatemyhamster]

It’s impossible to come to any conclusion from the first few games of the season, so the result is the only concern for me. Until we know the calibre of opposition we played yesterday, we can’t really judge our lads. If port Vale go on to be a top of the table side, then it’s a well grinder out result. If they are nothing on the sort, then we have a few more tweaks than we thought. It’s way to early to offer anything like an informed point.

Great start. Just what we wanted. Well done to Brady and the lads.

[Risdene]

A promising start to the season.

Horsfall was dominant with Guthrie growing into the game.
Pinnock will prove pivotal with McWilliams essential in midfield.
Kamamba's pace will be a weapon with Etete a useful partnership.

A good summer by Brady & Co but the hard work starts now.

[guest3429]

What you haven’t got used to yet is that people have different opinions.

Tea spat all over my keyboard. 

[guest3429]

Blackpool failed to make their record clean sheet, are we seeing the Calderwood effect already?

Seemed well organised at the back but a bit disjointed elsewhere. There is definitely some raw talent in the squad however and given some more time we could be in for some entertainment.

[Winslow Lee]

It’s impossible to come to any conclusion from the first few games of the season, so the result is the only concern for me. Until we know the calibre of opposition we played yesterday, we can’t really judge our lads. If port Vale go on to be a top of the table side, then it’s a well grinder out result. If they are nothing on the sort, then we have a few more tweaks than we thought. It’s way to early to offer anything like an informed point.

While occasionally you do get an odd team that is a level above the majority I find success in league two is more about constancy, most teams from week to week are very hot and cold, a lot of matches are close and determined by a few key incidents. I just don’t think very much can drawn from any individual game no matter how successful or unsuccessful that team ends up because of the level of inconsistency in the league.

[everbrite]

Tea spat all over my keyboard. 

Good morning Steve

[guest3429]

Morning Evers, thanks for the giggle this morning!

I do love your match reports. 

[everbrite]

I'm genuinely surprised to see so much negativity on here. I really enjoyed the game and was impressed by what I thought was an assured, controlled and entertaining team performance. No, it's not the finished article, but it was a damn good start.

For me:

Roberts - next to nothing to do but came for every high ball superbly.
McGowan - I don't see why he's getting panned. Did fine and linked up well going forwards, although was quieter after his booking.
Horsfall - excellent throughout.
Guthrie - dominant in the air and rarely threatened. Was that a punch he threw in the second half?
Mills - pretty solid, led by example.
Donnelly - quick as, didn't always get going but tied up their defenders.
Lewis - apart from the one probing run he put in an understated performance but was Mr Dependable, always in the right place, always picking a pass. Could be a key player for us this year.
Flores - hit and miss, had his moments but didn't really impress.
Pinnock  - did OK, will have easier days.
BAS - didn't do much apart from the goal, but was in the right place at the right time. If he can keep that knack going I'll have no complaints.
Kabamba - just superb. Probably my MOM. Canny, quick, surprisingly good feet for a big man. Will be a crowd favourite in no time.

Rose - did what he was bought on to do; be more mobile than BAS, chase things down and be a nuisance.
McWilliams  - did very well when he came on. Has a real ability for levering players off the ball when starting from behind the opposing player and was unlucky with his shot.
Koiki  - what an exciting player! First time I've seen him and liked what I saw. Should have played Rose in instead of shooting though...

Decent report BoN and for me accurate too. Thought Rose occupied their defence admirably.

[FezNTFC]

Thought it was a decent enough performance and did what we had to do after Vale were reduced to 10 men. I think under previous incumbents, even with an extra man we'd have sat back and tried to soak up pressure. I thought we kept the ball well in spells, but also offered a genuine counter attacking threat. I didn't feel like Vale were ever going to score apart from a set-piece, so it was a bit naive of us to keep giving them free-kicks to get into the box. But I felt relatively comfortable once we went 1-0 up, which isn't normally the case with the Cobblers!

Surprised to see McGowan getting panned by a few people as I thought he was our most effective player in the first half and all our attacks came down the right hand side. That said, I barely noticed him in the second half as all the attacks then came down the left, when Koiki really stood out as an exciting prospect after coming on.

Roberts had little to do in goal but came for the crosses with confidence and the defence in front - particularly the centre-backs - looked very solid after a shaky first 15.

Was really impressed with Kabamba and Pinnock. For Kabamba that's the second time he's nicked the ball off a keeper already after the Brum pre-season win. While I don't think he'll get us many goals himself I think he's going to be the focal point for our attacks and is going to cause all sorts of problems for defenders. Pinnock will offer more going forward than he showed yesterday, but his tracking back for a winger was immense and he played the right pass almost every time.

If I was going to highlight anything that could be worked on I don't think Lewis and Flores complemented each other that well, with the obvious caveat that it's only the first game. Lewis did grow into the game but I thought he dallied on the ball too much and got caught out by any quick pressing. And Flores didn't play well, but again, it's only the first game. That said, I wouldn't start either ahead of McWilliams, who I expect to see back in the starting XI very soon.

[Dan]

It was a typical opening day of the season fixture. Both teams had spells of fluidity and others of rustiness. We’ve seen so many of them and normally we end up on the losing side, so brilliant to come out of in on the winning side. BAS was surprisingly sharp for the goal and I did really enjoy his arrogant celebration in front of the Vale support. Hopefully will do him a lot of good.

I think Vales manager handed us the game by using Worrall as a wing back. He’s always hurt us and couldn’t influence the game from deep. Ironically their best chance came from his one advanced play. One of those where the striker just needs it to hit him and it’ll go in 99 times, still amazed it went wide.

I didn’t rate Lewis or Flores in the first half and can’t see it being long before McWilliams is starting. Lewis was much improved when playing with him. Horsfall and Pinnock are going to be battling it out for player of the season without doubt, both were superb.

Got to say a word for Roberts too. After three years of awful keepers, we may finally have a competent goalie. His handling and commanding of the box was fantastic. Great debut.

The game wasn’t a classic but who cares, we’re off the mark and we kept a clean sheet.

[Winslow Lee]

No POTS this year   

[606 Parklands_Cobbler]

Nice to see Connolly play with his socks down. A little way to go to be as good as Grealish though...

[Shoemender]

As Dan said, typical opening day affair, pretty turgid at times with some moments of excitement and skill.
Thought BAS took his goal well but didn’t really do anything else, he doesn’t seem to like heading the ball and Rose as his replacement made much more of a nuisance of himself. Of the new boys, Pinnock was probably my pick, but Kambaba and Guthrie also impressed and Roberts looked confident and assured although didn’t have a great deal to do, while Koiki when he came on looked sharp and dangerous and should probably start as should McWilliams who was very unfortunate not to score, bringing a very good save from the keeper. All in all a very satisfactory day and a welcome 3 points although we did seem to make hard work of it against 10 men, should have maybe had a look at Etete. My only gripe would be that from about 10 minutes from the end we were trying to keep the ball in the corner at every opportunity and we ended up losing it or conceding a throw or free kick every time and on at least one occasion it could have ended badly. Just get it in the box and try to get another goal. Anyway good to get an opening day win.

[guest2995]

such a great feeling to be back at a game again and get a result !
After the first 15 minutes in which we sat off then and did not get control of the midfield at all , we grew into the game .
Guthrie did not put a foot wrong all game and Mills got better and better .
We looked so much better when Rose and MacWilliams came on because they closed everything down so much quicker .
We need to be much stronger in the air up front moving forward and MacGowan needs to use the ball a lot better with so much possession and space .
A good start though , all things considered .