Stockport

[gazan]

Third and EFL highest scorers v top of the table and winners of 8 consecutive league games (and both being near neighbours) should be a mouth-watering prospect and attract a very good crowd. Will it?
Last season County initially sold out their allocation but the match was postponed and not as many (but a fair few) came to the rearranged game. Additionally, as it was a 'school night', not quite as many home fans as I had expected turned up either. Still, it was a decent but not huge crowd.
I don't know how much of their allocation has been sold this time around and I'm not sure if it is half-term or not but surely we'll notch up better attendance for this one. Assuming County sell 2,200 can we not expect to break the 7000 barrier for the first time in a while? Or am I being totally unrealistic? If it less than 6,000 then I, for one , will be disappointed.
As for the match itself, I'm worried about the injury list. Both Tracey and Tabiner got clear knocks on Saturday with Tabs really hobbling after the match. Tabs, I believe would be a greater miss as there is no like-for-like player available to replace him and his influence at the moment is substantial. Tracey could be replaced by Rowe.
Whatever, our midfield and defence will need to be up for the game as it will be high intensity and any dithering or overplaying at the back will be punished.
I think the game, unusually, will be a nervy 1-0 or a clear defeat (perhaps 1-3).
I also hope that the game will be engrossing and that there will be no distractions off it.

[MeForCrewe]

Really looking forward to this one and trying like mad to be optimistic about the result. I am naturally pessimistic, but as you touched on Gazan the result either way could be greatly influenced by who we have available or not. I will leave my forecast until nearer the game. If no Tabs can Holicek play that role or is it asking too much?
Again I fully endorse your comments about the crowd behaving. I think that I worked out that the home crowd against Tranmere was round about 4700 which was a big jump up, if we match that again hopefully we should be touching 7000 and yes it is half term around here.

[frogpole]

Crewe to win in a high-scoring encounter 4-3

Nev to come on as sub, and score the winner

Fingers crossed for a good crowd

[gazan]

Anyone heard anything about Tabiners fitness?

[gazan]

In view of no news, I'm assuming no Tabiner or Tracey tonight. Both suffered knocks on ankles against Crawley. Just hoping no more are missing.

[frogpole]

In view of no news, I'm assuming no Tabiner or Tracey tonight. Both suffered knocks on ankles against Crawley. Just hoping no more are missing.

Tracey starts - Tabs not in the squad

[gazan]

Overpowered in the end. Powell a big loss and Tabs a big miss. Tracey could not put anything together. Don't know what some of the Alex players had on their feet as some of them spent a lot of time on their backsides. Rio and Offord had good games. Unfortunately, tonight the thinness of the squad showed up. Hope Powell's injury is minor.

[Timmy58]

Overpowered in the end. Powell a big loss and Tabs a big miss. Tracey could not put anything together. Don't know what some of the Alex players had on their feet as some of them spent a lot of time on their backsides. Rio and Offord had good games. Unfortunately, tonight the thinness of the squad showed up. Hope Powell's injury is minor.

I thought we shaded the first half but didn't really create any clear cut chances. They bossed the first 25 minutes of the second half but we came back into it for the last 20 minutes again without creating a clear cut chance. I felt 2-0 flattered them but they definitely deserved the points. I think Trace struggled because he was up against one of the better players he has faced this season. Found a bit more joy when he came over to the left. Rio was outstanding and Offord looks back to his best. The injury to Powell looked worrying but Thomas is back in the squad so may well start on Saturday and Colkette must be close to getting some game time.
I don't feel despondent about the defeat, I actually thought we didn't play badly against a very good side.

[gazan]

Interesting that Thomas and Colkett both on the bench but he preferred to play Holicek deep alongside Offord pushed into midfield.
Yes I agree a typical top of the table nervy contest in the 1st half. They came at us in the second and as soon as Powell went off that was it. On of those games where having 3 up front was a bit of a luxury.
The switch to 4-2-2-2 was an interesting move and could have worked with a bit of composure when delivering the ball into the box.

[whosbrianwilson]

Their number 15 had Tracey in his back pocket every time he had the ball. It was crying out for a swop to the other wing to see if the 15 followed him. Amazed it took until the 80th minute for the management to move him to the left. Immediately Tracey left the right back for dead and put over a decent cross. Very naive from the gaffers.