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Post by Hatboy on Mar 7, 2015 12:27:29 GMT
Match preview: Concord Rangers vs St Albans City
Michael Edwards
Michael Malcolm scored on his league debut for the Saints against Concord Rangers
St Albans City and Concord Rangers have very different motivations heading into Saturday’s Vanarama Conference South clash at The Aspect Arena.
The Saints are in a barren run of form – they failed to pick up a victory in February as they earned two points from a possible 15 – and their last win came seven weeks ago, coincidently against Concord Rangers.
It’s a run that has seen them drop to 15th in the table. They are 11 points clear of safety but they have played two games more than most of the teams below them – if results don’t go their way, they could be in trouble in a hurry.
Their motivation: staying well clear of a relegation dog fight.
Tenth-placed Concord, on the other hand, are looking up. The loss to St Albans on January 17 was their last and they are unbeaten in seven games. The last three games have been draws but they have beaten Chelmsford City, Havant and Waterlooville and Whitehawk in that run.
In the incredibly tight division, if Danny Cowley’s team can extend their streak then a play-off spot is not out of the realms of possibility.
Concord’s motivation: sneaking into the play-offs.
Whichever proves to be the greater motivation could lead to victory.
Team
Joe Welch will retain his spot between the sticks but he will be looking to keep his first clean sheet since February 10. The defence should also remain unchanged with Darren Locke and Omar Beckles flanked by Howard Hall and Lee Chappell.
With so much on the line, joint managers James Gray and Graham Golds could opt for a more attacking formation with one defensive midfielder – Charlie Gorman or James Kalcozi – sitting behind James Comley and Sam Corcoran.
That would leave John Frendo, Michael Malcolm and Jamal Lowe to lead the line. The win over Concord in January was the first time they had played together and they were sensational. The trio hasn’t been nearly as fruitful as many expected after the first showing, but Saturday could be the chance, and the right opponent, to showcase its class once again.
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Post by Hatboy on Mar 7, 2015 14:33:13 GMT
Today's best available odds:
Bromley (4/5) Draw (11/4) Ebbsfleet United (7/2)
Chelmsford (11/5) Draw (13/5) Basingstoke Town (5/4)
Concord Rangers (4/5) Draw (14/5) St Albans City (4)
Eastbourne (15/4) Draw (3) Gosport Borough (11/13)
Farnborough (11/10) Draw (13/5) Staines Town (5/2)
Hemel Hempstead (11/13) Draw (3) Bath City (29/10)
Maidenhead Utd (10/3) Draw (13/5) Boreham Wood (11/13)
Sutton Utd (3/4) Draw (13/5) Hayes & Yeading (15/4)
Wealdstone (4/5) Draw (14/5) Bishop Stortford (16/5)
Weston Super Mare (2) Draw (5/2) Havant & Waterlooville (13/10)
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Post by Hatboy on Mar 7, 2015 14:39:35 GMT
Form guide:
Concord at Home WDWLWWDW F 17 A 6 Pts 17
St Albans City Away WLLLDLDL F 6 A 11 Pts 5
Last 5 Home and Away is closer:
Concord DWDDD F 3 A 2 with 3 0-0 draws in them
Saints LDDLL F 4 A 8
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Post by Hatboy on Mar 7, 2015 15:02:24 GMT
Teams
Saints: Welch, Hall, Chappell(C), Kaloczi, Locke, Beckles, Corcoran, Comley, Frendo, Nicholson, Lowe
Subs: Wales, J Green, Malcolm, D Green, Keenleyside
Concord: Vickers, Walker, Lampe, Miles, King(C), Fry, Gardner, White, Taaffe, Collins, Cawley
Subs: Glozier, Dowie, Ogilvie, Stokes, Elmes
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Post by Hatboy on Mar 7, 2015 15:15:03 GMT
Oh dear 1-0 Concord already, Miles
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Post by Hatboy on Mar 7, 2015 15:58:52 GMT
H/T 1-0
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Post by casper on Mar 7, 2015 16:17:58 GMT
2-0 now. Not looking good.
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Post by casper on Mar 7, 2015 16:30:05 GMT
3-0
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Post by PaperSaint on Mar 7, 2015 17:28:38 GMT
3-1
Lowe penalty in 90th minute
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Post by benny03 on Mar 7, 2015 17:41:08 GMT
What happened there!!
All the so called big players out & still a bit of a tonking. Seems to be something wrong some where!
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Post by PaperSaint on Mar 7, 2015 17:51:34 GMT
Seems to me a combination of a loss of confidence and, since Gayle left, we are leaking goals again (as we did before he arrived). Earlier in the year we didn't necessarily pick up points but often battled and fought hard to get something out of a game (with decent results against promotion chasing Havant, Basingstoke, Gosport). We need to really try and pick up at least a couple of wins in the next four games - WSM, Staines, Bishop Stortford (who hammered Wealdstone 4-1 away today) and Eastbourne. A morale boosting performance against the Wood on Tuesday would also be a help...
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oldgeezer
Saints Youth Team Player
Posts: 248 
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Post by oldgeezer on Mar 7, 2015 19:45:42 GMT
I cant believe I drove all the way to Canvey Island to watch that!
Their goals were too easy, our passing was all over the place. We were second to every ball.
Pretty dire.
Can someone post some positives please........
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Post by St Michael on Mar 7, 2015 20:16:08 GMT
Weston and Hayes both won today, and I would not assume that they are easy home games. Hayes might be playing for survival, but so possibly might we.
Staines at home looks easy, but they have a new manager and several new players, and nothing to lose.
Bishops Stortford away will be difficult, but I suppose Eastbourne at home is winnable. Gosport and Ebbsfleet are very difficult too, with both teams trying for the play-offs. 4 more points might be enough, but if Farnborough start winning it might not.
Gray and Golds needed to bring in someone to score goals, and didn't, and Gayle was clearly doing most of the defending.
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porkypig
Saints Youth Team Player
Posts: 245
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Post by porkypig on Mar 7, 2015 20:16:20 GMT
there weren't any positives, can't get much worse than this can it? what a dump concord is.
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fatboy
Saints Youth Team Player
Posts: 200
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Post by fatboy on Mar 7, 2015 21:44:39 GMT
Can someone post some positives please........
The sun was out
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Post by Boomer on Mar 7, 2015 23:07:41 GMT
Comfortably our worse performance of the season against a hard working but average mid table side, that we made look a lot better than they actually were. We were truly abysmal. To give an indication of how wretched our performance was, one of our supporters actually walked out the ground, in disgust, after their 3rd goal and made his weary way back to St. Albans, with 30 minutes plus still left on the clock.
There was one positive - Jamal Lowe, who worked his socks off and never stopped trying all game. He was head and shoulders above anyone else on our side and it was gratifying to see him get our goal, even if it was a pen.
Probably post more tomorrow, In the clear light of day and all that........
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Post by casper on Mar 8, 2015 21:14:03 GMT
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Post by PaperSaint on Mar 8, 2015 21:33:39 GMT
The video nasty...
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Post by St Michael on Mar 9, 2015 7:13:15 GMT
That really does look bad. I really am worried now, the body language all round was dismal. Missed tackles, lots of people blaming each other, and heads down ! The first goal was hopeless, one man in the wall, in the wrong place, Welch missing, terrible. Clever of Miles, but really !
Why don't Concord and Canvey amalgamate ? You have to admire the success that both have had, and together they could be a force at Conference national level ? Well if Braintree can, anyone can. If they did amalgamate the spare pitch could become another caravan site or similar.
Anyway, let's see what Gray/Golds can do with their squad. If we keep playing like this we are seriously in trouble. They will already be counting how many to keep for next season on one-hand.
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Post by Boomer on Mar 9, 2015 15:55:27 GMT
Certainly no better the 2nd time around.
One other plus - a very decent performance from Jack Green, when he came off the bench. Very unlucky not to have scored from Michael Malcolm's cutback, late on.
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Post by PaperSaint on Mar 9, 2015 16:22:56 GMT
I hope at some point we can see both Lowe and Green driving at opposition defences and I would then expect the likes of Frendo and/or Malcolm to be able to be picking up on the chances they would be creating.
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Post by westwalessaint on Mar 9, 2015 17:11:30 GMT
I saw Jack Green's performance against Gosport over New Year. Let's give him more game time to him and other Youth team players who have the appetite and ability. There's certainly some senior players who are not worth their salt! They can't do any worse, can they?!
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nat038
Saints Trialist
Posts: 42 
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Post by nat038 on Mar 9, 2015 19:54:04 GMT
It'll all be ok, the god-like Frendo will come good.
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Post by St Michael on Mar 9, 2015 21:18:10 GMT
We can all enjoy watching him smack in the goals next season against Trumpton and Camberwick Green.
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Post by citycentresaint on Mar 9, 2015 22:54:15 GMT
We will stay up.
Frendo got us through the play offs last year.
Will need to strengthen the squad over the summer or we will be involved in a relegation battle next season.
At £15 or potentially more next season for a ticket, this is not acceptable.
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euclid
Saints Reserve Team Player
Posts: 459
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Post by euclid on Mar 10, 2015 0:48:48 GMT
I don't think the owners would seriously condsider another price rise. Surely not?
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Mar 10, 2015 8:28:55 GMT
that must be a windup
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Post by jj123 on Mar 10, 2015 12:50:25 GMT
How long are we going to continue saying "Frendo got us through the play offs" ? It's starting to get a tad frustrating seeing a guy who is playing a league above his level struggle - and on big wages.
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Post by Boomer on Mar 10, 2015 15:32:44 GMT
How's our old friend cheshuntsaint doing these days, jj?
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Post by jj123 on Mar 10, 2015 16:25:47 GMT
They've not posted for a while - remarkably still top of the prediction league though
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