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We've just won two games (Trophy and league) in succession; another determined performance against Welling on Tuesday should make it three, and build up some momentum.

There are 10 weeks between now and the last day of the season on 30 April, and we have 16 league games to play. In that period we must also play the FA Trophy 4th round on Saturday and (assuming we win) the 2-leg semi-final in March (the final being in May). That's a total of 19 games, or 20 if there's a replay against Bognor (unless they agree to settle the tie on Saturday). Two games a week! What could make the situation worse?

First and most obviously, injuries. In theory we now have a large enough squad to cope. But we already have players recovering from injuries. Any more will make things very difficult to say the least, and lack of subs on the bench could be (already is) a real concern. However, it should be remembered that before the 1967/68 season only one substitute was allowed, and that only in the event of injury, yet teams managed accordingly. We cannot afford, though, to ease up on the pitch for fear of injuries. If they happen, they happen. Pray to the gods!

Secondly, suspensions due to yellow or red cards. We need these like holes in the pitch, but we can't control the decisions of referees. And again, in the situation we find ourselves, players cannot lessen their commitment to a game for fear of such suspensions. Commitment and determination are everything now.

Thirdly, postponements due to the weather. If we can get through February without any more postponements, this should be less of a problem. Average rainfall records for February are almost half those for January, and for March are even less. Those for April (with the April showers) shoot back up again to approach the rainfall in January. However, with March winds and increasing temperatures and sunshine, March and April rains usually have less of an adverse effect on pitches, so we should not expect to see any postponements beyond February.

Fourthly, the state of the Plainmoor pitch. Quite apart from a waterlogged pitch causing postponements, its poor drainage combined with wet weather produces a heavy muddy pitch, injurious to the possibility of good football and, indeed, increasing the likelihood of injuries. Not much we can do about this, but increasingly benevolent climatic conditions from now on should ease our fears. So let's look on the bright side!

As you can see, most of these potential problems are beyond our control, but there is one thing the Gulls management can do to alleviate the situation, and that is to, shall we say, have a plan B, by way of preparing for player shortages and finding players who are able to come in if required, either as emergency loans or free agent signings. (I'm no expert here; I'm assuming these are real possibilities for the club). If this puts the club a little into the red rather than the black at the end of the season in order to keep us up, surely the alternative is too horrible to contemplate. I for one would be happy to tighten my belt and increase my small contribution to the players fund in support of such measures.

so 2 games into the 5 i mentioned and we are on track. the 5 most important.. can we carry on the momentum from here.. One thing I did notice the fans put up a lot of noise on tuesday night. it sounded Brilliant on the radio.

Well well Brucie. Superb .... One hell of a prediction ! I do hope you had money on it..

Unfortunately not - I didn't actually say we would do it but it just goes to show that it was achievable after all.

Added in 3 seconds:
Unfortunately not - I didn't actually say we would do it but it just goes to show that it was achievable after all.

Having won the last four games can anybody remind how long ago we last achieved that little milestone?

BTW based on the last four matches we are 2 points clear at the top.

In reference to the opening post from Brucie, we have not played Chester or Altrincham, due to weather and the trophy. This season is going to the wire. I was not bothered with Halifax winning today as it draws southport into the mess. We have to ignore other teams results and concentrate on ours as that's all that matters as the destiny is in our hand regardless of other results..FACT

lucy6lucy wrote:In reference to the opening post from Brucie, we have not played Chester or Altrincham, due to weather and the trophy. This season is going to the wire. I was not bothered with Halifax winning today as it draws southport into the mess. We have to ignore other teams results and concentrate on ours as that's all that matters as the destiny is in our hand regardless of other results..FACT

Good post. One match at a time ..... let's concentrate on Braintree on Tuesday night. Having said that, we all know how the Football Gods work ...... and that final match at Guisley is just beginning to loom large .......

well well Brucie is on the money.. Someone asked when was the last time we won 4 on the trot. If i remember right.. didn't we win 7 when in league 2. some seasons back. Elliot Benyon was in the side Im sure.
So we have won 4 on the trot. I think we might lose on tuesday.. Not that I am doing a Brucie. But Braintree are on an incredible run and we will do well to get a point.. that said I hope its not going to dent confidence. Its not expected to beat the top sides. But we have plenty of teams in the run in at or near the bottom to beat to keep us safe. so far so good. Let's see what we can do on Tuesday night. even a good performance will do for me and if we get a point I will be over the moon. any more than that and I will probably pass out.

I'm not sure if we will lose on Tuesday you know.

The team that got us in this mess is not the same team as the one getting us out of it.
I really believe that we wouldn't be in the position we are currently in, if this current team was the one that started the season.

There isn't any reason to think we will lose on Tuesday. I think I am right in saying they are part time. They narrowly beat Kidderminster in the week and lost 2-0 at home to Boreham Wood recently.

I don't think there is a great deal of difference between the top and bottom of this league in all honesty. As you say this team bears no resemblance to the one we had earlier in the season.

Didn't we draw up there with an understrength team?

We struggled in parts yesterday, however we should have been 4-0 up at half time and that isn't an exaggeration. Having won yesterday I think there is every chance we might win again on Tuesday.

Brucie,
I personally think our current form is due to you, my only concern is that you only mentioned winning the next 4 games and not 8!
Could you start a "rose tinted" headed thread called?

WE ARE STAYING UP, I SAID, WE ARE STAYING UP! ..........................please!

brucie wrote:Didn't we draw up there with an understrength team?
.

Yes - dreadful game of football but despite having quite a poor side out there we weren't overly troubled by Braintree.

Fortunately for us, Braintree are on the same frequency of games as we are and are part time - tiredness cannot be used as an excuse. We can win - but we can't afford to play like we did for most of the second half yesterday

DevonYellow wrote: You can say a lot with stats and the one that worries me is that we have only won one of our last 15 league games.

I just hope we don't go down without a fight.

So how do you feel now we have won our last 4 games in the trot. thats 5 out of 19 now.. looks a lot better doesn't it

okay. time for a refresher as to what i predicted back at the beginning of March
I got one or two things badly wrong..
1 Brucie would be positive
2 wivell would still agree with him even if he was positive..
of course I may not have taken into account that wivell is Brucies Nurse and gives out his medication each night.
ok onto more serious things
I predicted that Halifax would pull clear shortly.. well they are but only just.. they nearly blew it last night but they do seem to be pulling out of trouble, possibly.
I saw Bromley sliding into trouble with an awful run and I certainly didn't see them going on the decent run but they have and are now feel clear, in fact they could do us a favour and beat Alrincham for us. as long as they lose to us.
It seems I was right about Altirincham and Boring Woof.. they have fallen into the mire as predicted through too many draw and not enough wins to help them out.. well I'm not complaining.
Barrow have pulled clear but i thought Guisely had a growing problem and I was right.. we are above them now..and while we are on the up they are on the down. They haven't won in 10 matches now. and of the last ten. 6 have been draws. they can't buy a win from a car boot sale..with the form they are in i think they will go down even allowing that Boring woof and Allty are already there at the moment. Welling and kiddy are down as far as i am concerned. that miracle is gone for them.
I have a feeling (come in my water these days) that the 2 to go down with kiddy and welling will be Allty and Guisely. Boring woof I think might just scrape through along with halifax. we are on the up and the others now fear us. 2 points a game not only have given us a lot of confidence but a ratio of 2 points per game and thats gonna be enough I think. we will be well clear providing we don't light the blue touch paper and press the self destruct button.. well i never thought i would hear myself saying that a few weeks ago.

Glostergull wrote:okay. time for a refresher as to what i predicted back at the beginning of March
I got one or two things badly wrong..
1 Brucie would be positive
2 wivell would still agree with him even if he was positive..
of course I may not have taken into account that wivell is Brucies Nurse and gives out his medication each night.
ok onto more serious things
I predicted that Halifax would pull clear shortly.. well they are but only just.. they nearly blew it last night but they do seem to be pulling out of trouble, possibly.
I saw Bromley sliding into trouble with an awful run and I certainly didn't see them going on the decent run but they have and are now feel clear, in fact they could do us a favour and beat Alrincham for us. as long as they lose to us.
It seems I was right about Altirincham and Boring Woof.. they have fallen into the mire as predicted through too many draw and not enough wins to help them out.. well I'm not complaining.
Barrow have pulled clear but i thought Guisely had a growing problem and I was right.. we are above them now..and while we are on the up they are on the down. They haven't won in 10 matches now. and of the last ten. 6 have been draws. they can't buy a win from a car boot sale..with the form they are in i think they will go down even allowing that Boring woof and Allty are already there at the moment. Welling and kiddy are down as far as i am concerned. that miracle is gone for them.
I have a feeling (come in my water these days) that the 2 to go down with kiddy and welling will be Allty and Guisely. Boring woof I think might just scrape through along with halifax. we are on the up and the others now fear us. 2 points a game not only have given us a lot of confidence but a ratio of 2 points per game and thats gonna be enough I think. we will be well clear providing we don't light the blue touch paper and press the self destruct button.. well i never thought i would hear myself saying that a few weeks ago.

Interesting analysis, we have to beat Altrincham to pull us clear . I just want guiseley to be a match of celebration, because the players deserve it.