Crewe Alexandra v Barrow: Match thread

[Bingley Blue]

I thought the same but Adam and Mark Boyd mentioned that incident during commentary. Adam said that Farman actually looked at the ref and checked he was OK to pick it up.

Farman did check with the ref that it was ok to pick it up and the ref indicated it was. I think it was more a case of the defender taking it off the Crewe player and putting the ball into the area where another defender could have got it but didn’t and so wouldn’t be deemed as a pass to Paul Farman

[bluessupporter]

I think it was more a case of the defender taking it off the defender and putting the ball into the area where another defender could have got it but didn’t and so wouldn’t be deemed as a pass to Paul Farman

Yeah - right - I think!

[Bingley Blue]

I think it was more a case of the defender taking it off the defender and putting the ball into the area where another defender could have got it but didn’t and so wouldn’t be deemed as a pass to Paul Farman

Yeah - right - I think!

I did edit that post to put Crewe player rather than defender so it made sense

[Bingley Blue]

Think it happens relatively frequently.
The one I didn’t get was where the ref seemed to give a bounce to ther keeper after a defender had gone down with a “head injury” but he blew up when we had possession at half way line. Saw one like that at Holker Street recently as well

[Suffolk Blue]

Think it happens relatively frequently.
The one I didn’t get was where the ref seemed to give a bounce to ther keeper after a defender had gone down with a “head injury” but he blew up when we had possession at half way line. Saw one like that at Holker Street recently as well

Below is the EFL Rule on the procedure to be adopted in the event that a defending player sustains a head injury in their own box. Basically I read it as saying that even if you were Harry Kane about to tap a ball into an unguarded net from a ball won in a legitimate aerial challenge in the opposition box, then should the defender losing that challenge either sustain (or dare I say feign) a head injury that the referee deemed to be worthy of attention, the goal would not stand (despite no foul technically having been committed), the game would be stopped, treatment given and then restarted by the defending team at the point where the ball landed following the contact.

PROCEDURE

The ball is dropped for the defending team goalkeeper in their penalty area if, when play was stopped:
the ball was in the penalty area or
the last touch of the ball was in the penalty area
In all other cases, the referee drops the ball for one player of the team that last touched the ball at the position where it last touched a player, an outside agent or, as outlined in Law 9.1, a match official
All other players (of both teams) must remain at least 4 m (4.5 yds) from the ball until it is in play
The ball is in play when it touches the ground.

So the refs interpretation of the rule was in this case was correct though it might be argued unfair in the context of the situation.

[Bingley Blue]

Think it happens relatively frequently.
The one I didn’t get was where the ref seemed to give a bounce to ther keeper after a defender had gone down with a “head injury” but he blew up when we had possession at half way line. Saw one like that at Holker Street recently as well

Below is the EFL Rule on the procedure to be adopted in the event that a defending player sustains a head injury in their own box. Basically I read it as saying that even if you were Harry Kane about to tap a ball into an unguarded net from a ball won in a legitimate aerial challenge in the opposition box, then should the defender losing that challenge either sustain (or dare I say feign) a head injury that the referee deemed to be worthy of attention, the goal would not stand (despite no foul technically having been committed), the game would be stopped, treatment given and then restarted by the defending team at the point where the ball landed following the contact.

PROCEDURE

The ball is dropped for the defending team goalkeeper in their penalty area if, when play was stopped:
the ball was in the penalty area or
the last touch of the ball was in the penalty area
In all other cases, the referee drops the ball for one player of the team that last touched the ball at the position where it last touched a player, an outside agent or, as outlined in Law 9.1, a match official
All other players (of both teams) must remain at least 4 m (4.5 yds) from the ball until it is in play
The ball is in play when it touches the ground.

So the refs interpretation of the rule was in this case was correct though it might be argued unfair in the context of the situation.

It does seem an unfair rule, especially the way players go down feigning head injury now, and that’s including us.
In the instance yesterday, things happen fast but I thought we’d had a couple of touches on left wing before ref noticed player down and blew up but I could be wrong on that.
Thanks for info on rule.

[Bingo]

I'm not keen on Pete wild saying we punching above our weight. The chairman says we have a top 8 budget if that is the case then we are slightly underachieving.

I'm very happy with this season by the way. We do need to get away from the little old Barrow mentality there is nothing to fear in league 2 we have proved that

[Moribund]

I'm not keen on Pete wild saying we punching above our weight. The chairman says we have a top 8 budget if that is the case then we are slightly underachieving.

I'm very happy with this season by the way. We do need to get away from the little old Barrow mentality there is nothing to fear in league 2 we have proved that

Those figures were from early in the season - Gillingham, Colchester, Carlisle, Swindon and more have signed players on big wages since then.

Top 10 and working with a squad that was perennial relegation candidates is definitely an overachievement.

[olbarrafancumbak]

I'm not keen on Pete wild saying we punching above our weight. The chairman says we have a top 8 budget if that is the case then we are slightly underachieving.

I'm very happy with this season by the way. We do need to get away from the little old Barrow mentality there is nothing to fear in league 2 we have proved that

Totally agree!! It's almost mentally demoralising!

We are either set out to achieve or we are not? We can't keep on with that "little ol' barrow" as Bingo says, we have matched, dispatched some of the so called bigger clubs, so we have a right to be here on merit!
People won't like us but we don't care, we are who we are and we can settle for second best or we stick out chest out, battle hard!
We sometimes lack belief.. look at Leicester and what they achieved! Nothing is impossible and anyone can achieve anything!

Was hoping for 4 PTS this weekend but will take 3 tomorrow!

[olbarrafancumbak]

I'm not keen on Pete wild saying we punching above our weight. The chairman says we have a top 8 budget if that is the case then we are slightly underachieving.

I'm very happy with this season by the way. We do need to get away from the little old Barrow mentality there is nothing to fear in league 2 we have proved that

Those figures were from early in the season - Gillingham, Colchester, Carlisle, Swindon and more have signed players on big wages since then.

Top 10 and working with a squad that was perennial relegation candidates is definitely an overachievement.

Oh man... Why is it an overachievement? Any team regardless of budget sets out to win games, sometimes we do, sometimes we don't, that's football!
We are where we are because we have battled and performed, I think saying we are overachieving is a negative and that's half of what I/we see so much with us lot..!! It's like we are brainwashed to be little ol' barrow, crap budget so accept mediocrity..

[Moribund]

Those figures were from early in the season - Gillingham, Colchester, Carlisle, Swindon and more have signed players on big wages since then.

Top 10 and working with a squad that was perennial relegation candidates is definitely an overachievement.

Oh man... Why is it an overachievement? Any team regardless of budget sets out to win games, sometimes we do, sometimes we don't, that's football!
We are where we are because we have battled and performed, I think saying we are overachieving is a negative and that's half of what I/we see so much with us lot..!! It's like we are brainwashed to be little ol' barrow, crap budget so accept mediocrity..

Nonsense. You’ve made up a weird narrative and convinced yourself that’s how all Barrow fans think. Nobody thinks we don’t deserve to be where we are.

We’re overachieving compared to where most people expected us to finish, and overachieved for a club with the resources (players/cash/stadium etc) we have available. There’s nothing more to the comment than that.

[barrowaberdeen]

I think folk might be confusing pointing out 'over achievement' as lacking ambition. It certainly is over achievement in terms of what we have normally achieved a s a football club in nearly every season .
You end up where you deserve to end up for the season. He also said that I think.

Looking at the whole thing coldly, we are on course for our best league pyramid finish for over half a century. I am rather chuffed we are finishing higher than the following:

Swindon
Doncaster
Tranmere
Notts County
Wrexham
Chesterfield
York
Oldham
Torquay
Newport

All I think were above us as we got relegated in 12-13 to the Conference North a decade ago.

If we finish 9th, we will only have bettered that 5 times in our history. Out of 122.

[Scott]

Poor game really, nothing in it two poor teams on the day but give anyone two penalties and two goals and you'll struggle no matter who you're playing.

Referee was dreadful, had no control throughout, missed a few things both ways including a kick in the head to Canavan and it threatened to boil over with a couple of off the ball pushes and tangles. Lot of yellows for a game that was never dirty. No complaints with the penalties; the first ridiculous from George Ray to carry on pulling the player after he'd been warned. Yes it goes on a lot but when the ref pulls you up you know he'll be watching - stupid. Not sure what Farman was rushing out for after they scored it he does this a lot but didn't see anything wrong.
Second penalty almost as bad, Warren got turned far too easily from a long ball onto the wing and when they got in the box Foley dived in rashly.

After that we huffed and puffed hit the bar with what would've been an og and that summed us up. A shot from Brough that Gordon might've turned in but we created very little and disappointing considering Crewe and their young keeper early on looked there for the taking.

We are toothless upfront though and recruitment here has to be better for next season; Moyo and Bennett were poor signings and what I've seen of Garner so far, can add him to that. Looked unfit understandably perhaps but uninterested too. We put some decent balls into the box at times with Brough and Whitfield but no one attacking them. Gordon works hard but if we're going to play like that and go long we really need someone with more presence up there. The third goal came with us pushing forwards but we could be playing now and still not have scored.

I think everyone can agree Warren just isn't up to it at this level and Feeley is a far better bet at full back or even wing back and it was bizarre that McLelland didn't play, I think that did affect the result as we just look so much better with him in the team generally. Foley as well not sure what's happened to him since early on this season but his passing was off and then he conceded the penalty....looks far from the player of earlier. Maybe as they like to say on here his legs have gone...


I think anyone having a go at Wild after the game needs to remember what he's done in under a year and with a fairly limited squad. I think he's done a great job but the hard part will be going and doing it again next season when the league will be even stronger with some more big spenders. Add 4-5 players including a proper centre forward and I don't think we're bad at all. Most of all keep Brough too I've not seen a better left back at this level...
Never expected to reach the play offs and I think games like this show we're nowhere near ready but to have that to play for still plus a game to maybe ruin Carlisle's chances of going up, lets hope the season doesn't fizzle out a bit.

[MisterPleasant]

Not sure what Farman was rushing out for after they scored it he does this a lot but didn't see anything wrong.

Encroachment, according to Adam in commentary.

[pjdaly]

If we finish 9th, we will only have bettered that 5 times in our history. Out of 122.

That's a really powerful post, BA, and it brings it home when you look at some of those "big, big" clubs you've listed that we will finish above this season.

And the line quoted above just leaps off the page as one of the most stone-cold sober facts about where we are going to finish this season . . . our 6th best finish in 122 years! Despite the odd Crewe-style showing we surely will have to raise a glass to our 6th best finish across 122 years? It's not perfect, it never is perfect, but we have had cause for feeling a lot worse at the end of most other seasons since 1901. There's no room for complacency as we build towards next season but it would be more than reasonable to allow ourselves a smile when this season closes.