"Two voices are there, one is of the Sea, One of the Mountains"
(Wordsworth)
With only 5 games left in this up-and-down (in that order) season, we visit Barrow - and if any team are entitled to be “on the beach” it’s Barrow, sitting 15th in the League 2 table. They are safe from relegation worries and have a wafer-thin slim chance of making the play-offs but it looks highly unlikely.
Perhaps if the extended details of club connections are omitted we might record our first win in what seems like ages - that’s the plan anyway… Barrow’s recent form:-
March 15th Morecambe (A) Drew 2-2
March 22nd AFC Wimbledon (A) Drew 2-2
March 25th Port Vale (A) Won 0-1
March 29th Chesterfield (H) Lost 0-1
April 1st Salford City (H) Drew 1-1
April 5th M K Dons (A) Won 0-3
No doubt Mat Sadler has been on the receiving end of stacks of suggestions concerning our slump in form, the problem is whether he will be daring enough to make at least some of the radical changes that have been trumpeted from the rooftops. Rotation of the goalkeepers? A recall for Harry Williams? A rest for Jamie Jellis? Appearances from George Hall and Danny Johnson in more than “cameo” roles?
It has been pointed out on another thread that although Doncaster Rovers have a game in hand over us, we can still guarantee automatic promotion if we win our remaining 5 games because some of our competitors are going to be playing each other. One thing we want to avoid in our current circumstances is the lottery of the play-offs, so we really do have no option but to return to the high press multi-shots tactics we saw earlier in the season.
Prediction? Go on then - a 1-2 away win, as nothing less will be any good!!
A point would be a good result in other circumstances. For example if it was coming off the back of a couple of wins. In the current situation, however, we really do need a win to get us back on track and build confidence for the last four games.
Staying just up the road at Ulverston and the weather looks like it’s going to be good until at least Saturday. One of the nicest drives to a football ground (once you get off the M6) that I think I’ve ever done - until you actually get to Barrow itself.
Difficult one to predict. If they still believe and have some real character about them maybe they will go out and scrap out a tight victory But if there heads are still down from losing the match and top spot last week we could get a resounding stuffing.
I’ve watched the 2nd half of the Port Vale again and sad to say but you can see that they have thrown the towel in.
No energy, no creativeness or game plan. Passing was appalling. The manager has no confidence to change things he has no trust in the squad. The post match comments are the same ‘we dust ourselves down and go again’ does that mean it hasn’t worked for half a season but the same thing may work next game.
The so called ‘winnable’ games don’t look so promising when you watch the Vale game.
Barrow will have one of the most comfortable afternoons they have had all season and will win by two goals.
I am at peace now with the notion that this is not our year .
I too am at peace with what i fear to be the inevitable.
However, i think it is going to be a tally ho, throw the kitchen sink victory. I have absolutely no basis for that other than the bear has been poked with a shitty stick.
Last time I went to Barrow away was in 1995 with Whitley Bay in the Northern Premier League. Things were so bad that myself - the press officer, (admittedly a quite fit 27 year old at the time) and club “physio”, Joe Jabs who was about 50 and looked like Santas little helper, smoked a pipe and drank bottles of sherry on the bus were signed on as players through the week. I was sitting in the Bluebird bar or whatever it was called then on about my third pint when I was told I had to get kitted up for the pre-match kick-about to con Barrow we had some subs…be nice to go back all these years later and this time I’ll be happy to pay for my own pie and peas.
I was hoping that by now the stain of last Saturday would be erased from my mind and I’d be looking forward rather than back.
It hasn’t and I’m not.
I think our run is now sustained enough to suggest we are indeed the second worst team in the league and Barrow are significantly better.
Kind of hoping Sadler has one of his accidental formula moments and out of nowhere we find something that works and something that will see us through the rest of the season. I just can’t see it right now.
Don’t believe that for one minute, having spent some time speaking with them pre-season it is not in their make up; however, they are feeling the pressure and lacking in confidence at the moment and not being helped by how they are being setup and sent out to play.
Me and my family are going up to the Lake District tonight after I’ve finished work. Coinciding with the game on Saturday of course. And i agree with your sentiments about the drive, it is stunning…until you reach Barrow
We simply have to win to get out of this dismal spiral. Our away form has not dipped as much as our home form so with a bit of luck I think a 2-0 win is doable.
