Well at least it was a win!

After a poor performance on Saturday I really expected to see a refreshing team selection last night taking into account the opposition and the tournament. It was not to be as DC continued with his one up top formation and in all honesty the bench showed more promise than the team. I will not spend a huge amount of time on this report because it just wasn't a very good game.

Smith 4 Which is the best of a poor couple? Not really sure to be honest, both look as though they are at Dracula's ball when it comes to crosses and both are struggling to keep their kicks on the pitch.He is ;I understand 6ft 4 but looks about 5ft 8 when the ball comes into the six yard box. A new keeper wouldn't go amiss but can you really afford to have three keepers at this level? On last nights performance I would still have Slocombe ahead on points.


Leadbitter 8   MOM That's more like it! A good performance on his return. First to everything and good at both ends of the pitch. Should be enough to give him the nod on Saturday and hopefully maintain this level of commitment and energy against better opponents.
Lockyer 5 Remains struggling for form especially in possession but this was a slight improvement on Saturday although it has to be said that the opposition hardly tested him until the latter stages when most players around him had lost the level of performance and we were hanging on at the end.
Craig 6  A reasonable performance back in the only position he can play or should play. Didn't appear to do too much wrong and to be honest should be captain of the side enabling him to really use his experience. Was it an excellent block near the end or should it have been a penalty? Not sure myself so we will give him the benefit of the doubt and say ball to chest. It probably saved us the match.
J. Clarke 6  Another who gave a better performance. Looked strong on the ball and not much went past him.


Matthews 7 First time I have had the chance to see him other than in a bit part role and was quite impressed first half but either tired or just faded out of the game near the end. Final ball was not always matching to his hard work but was involved a lot and my first overall impression is that he is a good addition to the squad. Really need to see him against League 1 teams to really judge him but looks to have two good feet.
O. Clarke 7  After Saturday this was a much better performance. Won a lot of the ball and looked composed other than a couple of slack loss of possession. Great goal to settle the match and this was probably enough to guarantee him a  place on Saturday but you have to take in to account the level of opposition and wonder whether he will go missing again against better opponents.
Lines 6.5  The positive thing was the fact that fitness wise he looked good and strode through the game. involved in many attacks but the final ball did not often match the quality of the build up but he was always an outlet. His dead ball kicking was pretty poor to be honest and maybe he shouldn't be used for corners /free kicks.
Rodman 5.5 Flatters to deceive. Worked hard throughout but was that really enough against opponents that lacked quality. Spent most of his time on the left but I am not really sure where his best position is as so far I have been pretty disappointed by what I have seen but very early days so will give him the benefit of the doubt.


Bennett 6 In and out of the game. Scored the opening goal with a header from close range and his close control and trickery were there to be seen but at times overdone. Personally would prefer to see him playing as a natural winger as I don't feel he has the physique to play the player in the hole
Payne 6  Did ok with very little service and looking a bit remote for long periods. Be very interesting to see how he plays with a proper partner up front and IMO last night was the right time to try this and I look on the game as an opportunity missed. He could and probably should have scored a couple of goals with a low shot which the keeper saved and a header that he sent wide. Silly booking that was probably caused by frustration.


Subs: Upson Nole

Sercombe Nole


DC 2 Negative formation and substitutions. Ok it was all about the result but why oh why did he bother to sign strikers like Jacobiak and Reilly if he is only going to use 1 out of 4? A wasted opportunity as even improvements in individual performances are difficult to judge against what really was poor opposition and we really didn't look too convincing  especially in the last quarter of the match. Be interesting to see how last nights game influences his team selection on Saturday- knowing DC not a lot! Anyway letsa hope we don't get someone like Mansfield away in the next round as they stuffed Accrington 6-1!!


Crowd 4 Very disappointing crowd of just over 2300 but not really surprising in the current circumstances. It is hard to build up an atmosphere anyway with pretty well 2 sides of the ground shut down which I believe is a first for the EFL Cup. It wasn't a particularly good game. How much the "off the pitch" events are taking toll it is hard to tell but in many ways it looks as if the bubble has burst and we may have lost a 1000 from the gate. Next Tuesdays game will be a clearer yard stick of where we are as a club at the present time and that could welkl be influenced more by Saturdays result as Wycombe than last nights much needed victory. 
Ref 5  Very experienced referee however right from the start he gave the impression that the night was about him and was whistle happy throughout the game and very fussy.
Crawley 4 Pretty much as expected,mediocre most of the match and only livened up in the last quarter when they realised that the opposition were not that good. Could easily have taken the game to penalties which would have been farcical given the first seventy minutes where to be perfectly honest they were pretty dreadful.

So we move on to Saturday at Wycombe  in the hope that last nights result will boost confidence both in individuals and in the team. I don't really think that DC would have learnt much from the performance and surely would have learned more by going more attacking. Playing one up front against a league Two side at home is hardly adventurous and I worry that this season is going to be a long hard struggle if we persist with this formation.