Well I predicted a 5-1 humiliation for tonight.
Okay, I'm bldy hopeless, but then on the other hand, who would have predicted the Slags to score nine against Harrogate; or Forest Green to win at Barrow etc, etc.
Much needed result and a tremendous performance.
Credit to Maynard for the formation change, and it seemed to provide solidity while rapidly freeing up Jones to run amok having cast off the majority of his defensive responsibilities.
Thought Robertson was superb, Bostock more like his old self with the additional protection behind him, and the 4 at the back coped well with an early Newport bombardment into our box.
To be fair to Stone, he’s had the ball and chain of a difficult season round his neck in recent weeks, but one hairy moment apart, Ashby-Hammond brought a calmness that has been sorely missing. Time will tell if his confidence can hold up better than Stone’s after his first costly mistake.
Another 3 points against a side below us in the table, but some confidence to take forward into the next two as we seek a first win against a (once more fellow) Top 8 side.
Opposition managers will now be looking at how to exploit this change of formation if it’s employed again, but first impressions are encouraging - improvement from front to back.
COYP.
Interesting listening to Macari that he was instructed to warm up away from the other 3 defenders to make it look like our usual formation at the back.
Our best performance since.. Salford away in early September? Thought we were great, good shape and solid behind the ball with a proper back four who all did their jobs, and then a constant threat whenever we came forward. Jones obviously a class apart, but Robertson is getting better with every game and dominated the midfield tonight. Also Bostock’s best performance for months.
Fair play to Maynard, felt like his first real break from what he inherited and it worked well. Enough to suggest there’s still something in this season for us.