Harrogate v Barrow Match Thread

[AFC Blue]

Just a reminder we have a top 8 budget and some of these players are paid very well at Barrow.
Never went today but at the start of the season we played teams of the park.
Ball on the floor, dominated the ball and possession.
Picked up 2nd balls and then the high press when we didn't have it.
Where has this gone?
It's now a big lump to a small forward line.
Harrogate not won at home in 8 games.
Fans pay good money to travel.
All those defending it. Yes we are punching but with what we are paying the fans have a right that the team put in a shift.

[Main Stand SeasonTct]

Just a reminder we have a top 8 budget and some of these players are paid very well at Barrow.
Never went today but at the start of the season we played teams of the park.
Ball on the floor, dominated the ball and possession.
Picked up 2nd balls and then the high press when we didn't have it.
Where has this gone?
It's now a big lump to a small forward line.
Harrogate not won at home in 8 games.
Fans pay good money to travel.
All those defending it. Yes we are punching but with what we are paying the fans have a right that the team put in a shift.

We took sides by surprise at the start of the season( and the bookies they had us down as relegation certs) Sides then started to give us respect and started to nullify how we played and set themselves up accordingly.
We need to remember this is our management team of Pete Wild and Adam Temples first season in EFL football. They are learning as they go along both on and off the field and have made a dam good fist of it IMO.
Pete Wild was very honest in his after match summary today saying we did nothing and no player can come to him next week saying they deserve to play after that performance. He was also gutted for the fans who he acknowledged paid good money to see a drab game played out by both sides. He said the effort was there but the quality he expects was sadly lacking today.
As for a top eight budget I would say that 6 out of the current top 7 sides have a bigger budget than us along with Mansfield and possibly Tranmere.
Oh and Harrogate went up to Carlisle and beat them 1.0 a few days after Carlisle thumped us 5-1 so they can't be that bad a side

[barrowaberdeen]

Hard watch.

Competed first half, second to everything on the zzzzzzzzzz

[Rob]

Solid in the first half with three centre halves, but couldn't create much. More opportunities in second half with 4-4-2, but far too open in defence and couldn't take the chances we had.

We weren't great today, but didn't look as hopeless as poor matches in last two season. Could see where goals could have come from, if finishing or luck were better. Their goal was not unearned but it was not inevitable, the way it has sometimes felt in recent seasons.

Overall a very middling performance. Need to find ways to be creative without losing defensive shape, which are more than hoping on a moment of individual creativity or luck.

[Algernon-Beers]

It was a tough match for both Harrogate and Barrow as they faced off in what could only be described as a hard watch. The first half was highly contested, with both teams struggling to gain a foothold in the game. However, it was Barrow who seemed to be second to everything on the pitch, as Harrogate put pressure on their opponents and kept them on the back foot.

Despite their best efforts, Barrow were unable to break through Harrogate's defence and create any clear-cut chances. Harrogate, on the other hand, looked dangerous on the counter-attack but lacked the precision to convert their opportunities into goals.

The second half was much of the same, with neither team able to take control of the game. However, it was Harrogate who eventually broke the deadlock, scoring a crucial goal that would prove to be the difference between the two sides.

Barrow tried to mount a comeback in the dying minutes of the match, but Harrogate's defence held firm to secure the win. Although it wasn't the most entertaining game of football, Harrogate will be pleased to have secured all three points and moved up the league table. Barrow, on the other hand, will be left to reflect on what could have been, as they failed to capitalise on their chances and ultimately fell to a one-nil defeat.

[Stu1]

Just a reminder we have a top 8 budget and some of these players are paid very well at Barrow.
Never went today but at the start of the season we played teams of the park.
Ball on the floor, dominated the ball and possession.
Picked up 2nd balls and then the high press when we didn't have it.
Where has this gone?
It's now a big lump to a small forward line.
Harrogate not won at home in 8 games.
Fans pay good money to travel.
All those defending it. Yes we are punching but with what we are paying the fans have a right that the team put in a shift.

this

[ossickbluebird]

Was at the game yesterday and didn't think there was a shortage of effort, just a shortage of quality! These players are L2 quality which means they are very inconsistent with performances and after having put in some good shifts, and getting great results, they just couldn't reproduce it yesterday.
Though I'm not Tom Whites biggest fan thought we missed him yesterday. Though he's never going to thread in a goal producing pass, he never stops working and is effective at breaking up play, which I thought we missed imho.

[Big E]

good grief.... we're 10th ffs. Billy sticks that one in and we come away saying it was the perfect away performance, gritty but took the points. Fine margins... Wilds assessment spot on

[Cromwell58]

A game to forget , not seen them win there but that's how it goes, absolute horrible stewards who wanted something to happen pack of cretins.

[Jim]

I must say that it isn't a very pleasant ground to visit. Cramped away accommodation, one narrow gangway to the only exit at the end of the game (safety issue perhaps - what would happen if there was a rush to escape for any reason?) and there is only room for 4 (5 if you are a very friendly person) at the stalls in the gents!

[pjdaly]

Lots of over reaction doom and gloom. We've never had it so good.

Indeed Charlie.

I agree with your first sentence, Charlie.
I don't agree with your second sentence, Charlie . . .

(Because I'm very old and can remember when we had it even better . . . )

[spirit of 1990]

I don’t get why some think being 10th in the league should stop people having a negative opinion on yesterdays game. Yes, our position is far far better than most of us would’ve hoped for but that doesn’t mean you can just let performances like yesterdays slip by without criticism.
Personally I thought we were very poor, Whitfield (probably our best player yesterday) put in plenty of crosses but no one was capable of making the most of them. The midfield seemed incapable of keeping hold of the ball and the amount of passes that went astray was quite shocking. They were also unlucky not to take the lead in the first half when they hit the crossbar. All this against a team who apparently haven’t won at home for eight games. So why can’t people who’ve paid good money be allowed to be critical of that performance?
The support has increased by a decent amount this season but you want to keep them new supporters interested, watching games like that isn’t going to cut it with them.

[Sonofsam]

Do they still have assessors for the officials if they do that useless linesman in front of us should never run a line in the EFL again

[Adam29]

Former premier league official Mike Dean was the referee assessor yesterday - was sat near to me

[Main Stand SeasonTct]

Do they still have assessors for the officials if they do that useless linesman in front of us should never run a line in the EFL again

Local Mike Pike ex football league referee is on the panel of referees assessors at EFL level