St Albans City away

[Tony]

Lost 1-0. Same issue as last few games. We just can’t create enough chances. Passing has been poor.

[TW10]

Don’t carry a threat out wide, it has been evident all season. We have two decent forwards but don’t create many clear chances for them. This team is very solid and works hard and has done very well thid season but in truth not really a promotion winning side. That said we might still nick a play off place on saturday.

[tones]

Not unless we at least score a goal.

[geedub]

Unless Aveley win against Bath, we don't need to score to nick that place...

[Lord Elpus]

Couldn't make it to the game so I watched the live stream. Apart from a 15 minute flurry at the start of the second half, that was very disappointing.
Some of the team selections recently have been really odd. The very decent Whittingham sent out on loan, then briefly recalled, then quickly out of sight again...the vastly experienced Inman seemingly discarded recently...the leaving out of Donaldson...playing Shane Dunne tonight.
Can't see us getting anything at Maidstone so we're dependent on other results going our way, but in truth the form table doesn't lie...we don't really deserve to be in the playoffs.

[TW10]

I’m not sure leaving out Donaldson makes much difference. To my mind he just doesn’t carry a threat out wide, no pace & can’t beat a man. Mel has been cautious in his wide players by playing Donaldson and Gray out wide, notwithstanding they are decent players. For a while they have also looked jaded. Gibson-Hammond has pace and showed a lot of promise but is obviously inexperienced. I don’t really think the squad was balanced and lacked wide, quick players who work hard and have an eye for goal but like a Brendon Kiernon type or even David Fisher. I’m sure Mel will look to improve there for next season.

[Shepperton Supporter]

Not totally surprised at this result, our form has been poor and nowhere near that required for a playoff team. Remember Worthing won there on Saturday which can be taken as a measure of what a top side is capable of. Results would have to go our way on Saturday but we have a difficult fixture.to get into the playoffs.
Other contributors have highlighted faults in the team tonight but most of these have been mentioned previously.
Whatever happens on Saturday there will need to be some changes to the squad if we are going to turn from a team that is middle table to one pushing for promotion.

[Tony]

Yes, pretty much true to recent form. Tried throughout but no real guile or craft in midfield to open them up. Two best chances came from their mistakes but Gray’s finishing was weak. Second half there was only the Brown effort and Bloomfield nearly through on goal but nothing else really to get excited by. Can’t see us getting anything at Maidstone which opens it up again for Aveley and Farnborough. 3 goals in last 8 games says it all.

[Tony]

Not unless we at least score a goal.

Farnborough could overtake us on goal difference if we lose at Maidstone and they beat Weymouth.

[Tony]

I guess some of the player absences are because Mel doesn't see them as part of the future plan (Inman, Wishart, Whittingham, Gibson-Hammond) but I think they would have made us more competitive last night and had they helped us to get the much needed point then what's not to like? Did we really put our strongest team out last night? Just feel we could have done more to secure the play off place over the last few weeks. We might still scrape in but it will because other teams fail to take advantage. Maybe we didn't have the budget to bring in better reinforcements but with all the talk of EFL/ new investors etc it's hard to believe finances are the problem.

[Whoryer]

As Tony says only 3 goals in 8 games including games against Torquay and St Alban's who usually concede alot of goals.I also don't understand the recent squads Mel has picked surely you pick your best current players not ignore players who probably aren't going to be with us next season.As others have said recently I feel sorry for Seymour and Bloomfield rarely getting any chances to score due to the way we play.I wonder what is going on at the club as the last home game has been played and still no news since Christmas about the pitch and floodlights,as others have said hopefully we will stay playing on grass.No Mel interview on Saturday as to yet none last night.No highlights of the Taunton or Bath games.I signed up to the email as it said we would get club news every 2 weeks,but for last few months all I've had is emails trying to get me to go to games.I think this was the year to try and get promoted,as i think the league will be alot stronger next season.

[tones]

We may have missed our chance of promotion now so we need to start planning for next season. Obviously teams that want to move on start by sacking the manager. Now would be the time to look for one with the season nearly over. We need someone who is experienced in NL football and has his own contacts in the EFL and NL. At least let us sign a goalscorer and have a settled team before the next season starts.