Alex 2 Vale 1

[MikeSB]

Will leave others to speak of individual performances apart from the ones below but first game for me thought we were very good for the first half hour scoring two fantastic goals and then Vale had a lot of possession especially for most of the second half when we had a problem getting hold of the ball. IF we can play like this we really should be OK in this league.

I thought Grant was fantastic Toots was immense and Waters really skilful and seeing him as the next big here. Couldn't wait for the final whistle and always good to beat them. Our GK was brilliant as well and was very unlucky as he saved the Pen and then it was put in on the rebound.

Good game all round and glad I went.

Had a word with Dario before the match started and asked him a few things about where the money has gone, the academy and whether SD has money to spend etc. Is he under any pressure etc. He said its no problem posting his answers here.

He said Clayton has been signed by...

I will explain late

[alexsi]

Good stuff mike cant wait for your information.
Thought we were excellent 1st half some slick counter attacking football.
2nd half was more backs to the wall with some good battling performances from the team. Subs were baffling with us going with no recognised striker for last 15 minutes. I suppose I cant complain about subs as they were made a little earlier than normal.
Garratt was solid...excellent keeping today
Toots best performance this season
guthrie was excellent against byron
ray for me was awesome today esp in the air...lets forget pen
duggy kept pope very quiet
turton I thought was in and out of the game but kept working hard to defend
grant MOM enough said
nolan...maybe im being unfair but I feel he needs to toughen up a little for a big lad...o connor had the better of him I thought. Imo.
waters...never stops trying some silky skills but tired last 15 mins due to 2nd half tactics
Haber was quiet I thought...looked a little tired.
oliver was excellent really good display t

[Timon]

Good comments Mike, other than Billy who I thought was a bit average today in an up & down performance.

Looking forward to you DG comments, but we all know the money is in the bank - the Hassell-bank

[Stealex]

Disagree totally about Haber. I thought he was brilliant and despite Granty being amazing, I couldn't argue with motm. Given the choice Granty shaded it for me but there wasn't much in it.

[AstonAlex]

Where did those 11 players come from as I haven't seen many of them playing like that for a while, especially at the same time!!

Starting from the keeper who is clearly the Number 1 right through to the front pair everyone put in a proper shift and we got what we deserved. I was sat next to a Vale fan in the main stand who said that he wished they passed the ball like we do, as he believes they have the personnel to do that if only the manager wanted them to. Granted, it didn't always happen, but when our LB can find crisp passes to the front or midfield more often than their midfielders can then we must be doing something right!

Great to see Toots back to something like his best and a superb run and cross for Vadaine the highlight. Druggy was solid, Ray had his best game for us (ignoring the pen - silly boy) and Guthrie must be the calmest full back around. Grant was the star of the show for me, but couldn't have done it without the unseen work of Turton and, to a lesser extent, No

[DGFG]

agree with all of that, Aston particularly the bits about the two strikers and Guthrie.

By the way who is Druggy? Or is that a subtle way of explaining his performance level?

Garratt looks like the next big thing to me, blessed with a superb temperament and very unlucky to see the rebound converted after a good penalty save (I think he saved it with his face!)...

The main event was entertaining but a couple of the undercard contests would have been stopped if it were boxing - Grant completely dominated O'Connor and Haber bullied Dickinson (particularly first half).

Davis deserves credit for picking the right team and Haber looks an excellent signing...

I wish we'd been more ambitious/progressive in the second half and he should have had Saunders on the bench if he wanted to substitute both the strikers (Inman and Waters don't want to run in behind) - Oliver was injured but I don't think Haber was.

It's really important now for the future of our season that we don't lose on Tuesda

[grestygold]

anthony grant was class today ...why wasnt hed motm ???

[out0lunch]

[quote="MikeSB"]Will leave others to speak of individual performances apart from the ones below but first game for me thought we were very good for the first half hour scoring two fantastic goals and then Vale had a lot of possession especially for most of the second half when we had a problem getting hold of the ball. IF we can play like this we really should be OK in this league.

I thought Grant was fantastic Toots was immense and Waters really skilful and seeing him as the next big here. Couldn't wait for the final whistle and always good to beat them. Our GK was brilliant as well and was very unlucky as he saved the Pen and then it was put in on the rebound.

Good game all round and glad I went.

Had a word with Dario before the match started and asked him a few things about where the money has gone, the academy and whether SD has money to spend etc. Is he under any pressure etc. He said its no problem posting his answers here.

He said Clayto

[Gobstopper]

Much improved performance today and I believe playing Oliver and Haber was key to that, although there were some terrific performances and praise has to go to Grant in particular. I think we were much the better side in the first half and were unlucky not to have got the 3rd goal. I was disappointed in conceding the penalty and I hope Ray learns from that, although overall he had a good game today. Very disappointed in the bit part played by Inman today.

[lestiverton]

Inman puzzled me when he came on. OK, he didn't have long to make an effect but it was his body language, as if he resented being on the bench. That may be his inner feeling but, as a professional, you'd expect him to do the job his manager wanted from him.