As I have been so critical of our goalkeeping in the past no doubt you will expect me to share in the criticism of our young keeper, but no I won't. Goalkeeping with 100% hindsight is dead easy and that's what people are using here.
Tyrer had come a long way. He had got high in the air. It was the last minute. He was under some challenge. He could have caught the ball but he chose the safety first option and his punch was decent. It went a good distance and it went high, so it didn't only give Dan Gardner chance to get on the end of it EVERY CHESTERFIELD DEFENDER HAD TIME TO GET INVOLVED and they were statuesque as they were on several occasions in the game. Now where I would quibble with the young keeper was in his save of the follow-up shot. His view was at least partially-obscured and the shot was difficult, BUT however little time you have to think, as a keeper you know that if you can't hold the ball your responsibility is to knock it into a safe area ..... spilling it isn't a thing ..... but it happens. It did because he had become indecisive and he was no longer clear in his mind. My opinion is you only drop the ball when your mind isn't fully focused on catching.
The goal should have been disallowed. It wasn't because throughout the game the refe ree was of an appallingly low standard. Playing Division One of the Sunday League years ago I can assure you we ALWAYS were given better referees (by miles) than that idiot boy, who even ended the game because he didn't know what to do about a pitch invasion and wanted to get back to the dressing room.
BUT none of that properly explains why we didn't win. We didn't win because we were pants and Oldham, defensive as they were, often looked more likely to score than us. We were an uncreative blunt instrument, totally happy once we had gone into a 1-0 lead. Kitching was clearly the best player on the field and gave us more trouble than we could handle. We have the best right back in the league in King, but he wasn't there and we aren't the same side without him. We miss him both defensively and going forward. He scores, gets assists and often sets us on the route to goal. Sheckleford tried and sadly failed, Williams defended, I like him but he doesn't bring what King does despite his temperamental faults.
We improved in the second half for one reason - Mandeville decided to turn up. With a centre forward who is only a goal scorer your other attacking players have to be functioning. Colclough tried with little assistance. Dobra was off it. Oldaker was present and at least his hair looks better. Naylor is good but I think we need him at the back, play Jones to handle defensive midfield and handle your creativity from that improved base. Oldham set out to stop us. Largely succeeded and could easily have won. Nevertheless we were cheated by pathetically poor officiating.
And as for our young keeper, take a look at Jordan Pickford letting in four if you want to see a keeper who unsettles his defence. Absolve the young lad and learn the many lessons we need to learn from that game!
Tyrer had come a long way. He had got high in the air. It was the last minute. He was under some challenge. He could have caught the ball but he chose the safety first option and his punch was decent. It went a good distance and it went high, so it didn't only give Dan Gardner chance to get on the end of it EVERY CHESTERFIELD DEFENDER HAD TIME TO GET INVOLVED and they were statuesque as they were on several occasions in the game. Now where I would quibble with the young keeper was in his save of the follow-up shot. His view was at least partially-obscured and the shot was difficult, BUT however little time you have to think, as a keeper you know that if you can't hold the ball your responsibility is to knock it into a safe area ..... spilling it isn't a thing ..... but it happens. It did because he had become indecisive and he was no longer clear in his mind. My opinion is you only drop the ball when your mind isn't fully focused on catching.
The goal should have been disallowed. It wasn't because throughout the game the refe ree was of an appallingly low standard. Playing Division One of the Sunday League years ago I can assure you we ALWAYS were given better referees (by miles) than that idiot boy, who even ended the game because he didn't know what to do about a pitch invasion and wanted to get back to the dressing room.
BUT none of that properly explains why we didn't win. We didn't win because we were pants and Oldham, defensive as they were, often looked more likely to score than us. We were an uncreative blunt instrument, totally happy once we had gone into a 1-0 lead. Kitching was clearly the best player on the field and gave us more trouble than we could handle. We have the best right back in the league in King, but he wasn't there and we aren't the same side without him. We miss him both defensively and going forward. He scores, gets assists and often sets us on the route to goal. Sheckleford tried and sadly failed, Williams defended, I like him but he doesn't bring what King does despite his temperamental faults.
We improved in the second half for one reason - Mandeville decided to turn up. With a centre forward who is only a goal scorer your other attacking players have to be functioning. Colclough tried with little assistance. Dobra was off it. Oldaker was present and at least his hair looks better. Naylor is good but I think we need him at the back, play Jones to handle defensive midfield and handle your creativity from that improved base. Oldham set out to stop us. Largely succeeded and could easily have won. Nevertheless we were cheated by pathetically poor officiating.
And as for our young keeper, take a look at Jordan Pickford letting in four if you want to see a keeper who unsettles his defence. Absolve the young lad and learn the many lessons we need to learn from that game!