...for the best part of two seasons for a variety of reasons, I freely admit to only going today because of the fiver in, and my eldest deciding she wanted to go and watch a match for a quid. I sat with one of the more elderly members of this board who's been virtually suicidal in his reporting back about the team in this division, and after about ten minutes I turned to his good side and remarked that it was almost like watching us when we were decent. Plenty of movement and intelligent passing from players that have been described as 'appalling', 'burgling a living', 'shocking' and that's the more positive stuff.

In no particular order, some of the things that struck me were:

Deverdics (who I've never seen play before) looked superb at left back in the first half, winning headers and knocking on two or three fantastic crosses. Faded a bit in the second half from an attacking point of view but was very, very good.
The two new centre halves were commanding throughout and you could see how influential they were both with the effective offside trap and with the confidence they inspired in the rest of the team.
Scott Loach looked an excellent keeper. Magnay is the right choice for captain. Featherstone played well with a bit of time on the ball. Hawkins is the new scapegoat for the arseholes, but despite a couple of things not coming off for him, showed real bravery and didn't hide once. Him and Woods pressed the ball brilliantly and snuffed Maidstone out well. Rodney is a beast and played very well, but would probably flourish playing through the middle with his pace and strength. Franks played well, despite several fecking idiots barracking him, took his goal well and got about the pitch defensively really well. Connor Simpson will never play in the premier league, no matter what his agent says, but he's an honest lad who put himself about and deserved his goal. Would like to see him and Oates up top together a la Stockport/Mansfield/Shrewsbury and all the other teams who bullied their way out of the lower divisions in the past.

My 14 year old, rugby-playing daughter loved it and wants to go back next week, but she kept punching me when I reacted to the utter mindless droning shite I had to listen to from some prize-winningly stupid Pools fans, who from the look of them have never kicked a ball in their lives. Why is it always the fat koonts in sweatpants who insist on whining when the team winning the game doesn't just sling the ball forward at every opportunity but instead retains possession. Some congealed lump of halitosis behind us complained that we had a 'seven man defence' at a corner !! That's one thing I don't miss thru not attending games.

Anyway, I enjoyed the game and my MOM was Watson the centre back.

Rodney was getting hammered all game around me:

'Get him off', 'he has cramp now ffs, take him off', 'he has fell over again, he ain't upto it', 'he is so fucking weak' (?? Wtf?)

Their defence was petrified of him. Even if he mis-controls the ball he has the pace and strength to keep it anyway.

But he isn't white so some will constantly slate him

When I saw you'd replied I was expecting a "Cool story bro" meme. You disappoint me.

Agree, the gobshites need a victim, he ticks all the boxes. Sad rally.

When is the rally?

The a difference today was plain and simple we played it on the deck with no hoof ball and give maidstone their due they also wanted to play football and the outcome a good game of football was played and enjoyed by the supporters and hopefully the players.
Confidence now should start coming through on how and what we need to do to get out of this league.
I wont go on about individual players i will just say the whole team played well and long may it continue.

Better crowd than I expected

Pretty much agree - I was delighted to see Rodders and Featherstone prove me wrong (again). Franks or Woods would have been my MOM. Really, really enjoyed it.

Mr 'I'm never wrong' Horden got it very wrong...

That was the difference today, they had the confidence to play short one two passes and keep the ball. it makes a big diffence as the result shows. Keep this standard up and we will soon be up the top and pushing for promotion.

Lets just get a win next week before two tough away games. Its about time we went on a run of wins.