Play offs guaranteed

Now to put us in the prime position for wembley and promotion

BT sports saying not, they're wrong. We are definitely in the playoffs.

Shame the bt sport numpties cannot read the table!

Halifax guaranteed too in all but mathematics.

Now the question of what team we put out at Braintree...

Wonder what team Paul will put out next week knowing we are guaranteed a playoff place? do you go for it to finish 3rd or do you rest key players with having the risk of losing and finishing 4th/5th?  

We could play any of the the 3 teams in the play-offs.

Quoted from cmackenzie4

Wonder what team Paul will put out next week knowing we are guaranteed a playoff place? do you go for it to finish 3rd or do you rest key players with having the risk of losing and finishing 4th/5th?  

I'd really play for 3rd, just looks alot better fixture wise, I guess rest shaun pearson still with his bookings, but otherwise wouldn't make too many changes, if we play a strong team and get a win it would be a big much needed confidence boost and a finish on a high

Quoted from cmackenzie4

Wonder what team Paul will put out next week knowing we are guaranteed a playoff place? do you go for it to finish 3rd or do you rest key players with having the risk of losing and finishing 4th/5th?  

I think the playoffs are just a few days later so definitely rest those that need a break, I'm not fussed who we get.

What date is the first playoff leg? If we have enough resting time then why not play a strong team?

Skrill Premier

5v2 & 4v3

Semi Final 1st leg Wednesday 30 April 2014 and Thursday 1 May 2014, K.O 7:45pm


2v5

Semi final 2nd leg Sunday 4 May 2014, K.O 1:30pm TBC by BT Sport
3v4

Semi final 2nd leg Sunday 4 May 2014, K.O 4:30pm TBC by BT Sport


PROMOTION FINAL - Sunday 18 May 2014 at Wembley Stadium, Kick Off 4pm, Live on BT Sport

Cambridge and Halifax will be resting key players. So should we at Braintree, learn from what Newport did last season.  Braintree still have a chance of a playoff spot so they will really be going for it on Saturday.

Obviously we don't risk Pearson as a booking will rule him out of all three play off games. Kerr and Neilsen should be rested. As the player most likely to score, Hannah should be not be risked either.

I just hope that Disley and Rodders are fit in time. No point rushing either of them back against Braintree either.

If Braintree win and Gateshead slip up, we might well be playing Braintree in the play offs.

I would not mind if we finished 5th,

Play Cambridge in the semi finals ( who are on a poor run )

I think we can get our revenge and play Halifax or Gateshead at Wembley.

Quoted from GyMariner

What date is the first playoff leg? If we have enough resting time then why not play a strong team?

Because we don't want to pick up injuries or suspensions to key players in a meaningless game.

Quoted from grimsby pete

I would not mind if we finished 5th,

Play Cambridge in the semi finals ( who are on a poor run )

I think we can get our revenge and play Halifax or Gateshead at Wembley.

I suspect that Cambridge have been resting key players for the last few games because they guaranteed their play off spot ages ago. So I wouldn't read too much into their current form.

We will end up playing cambridge in the semi

Play a weakened team against braintree and practically rest from 1 to 11, a bit like newport last season.

Tbh I would rather finish 5 th and play cambridge anyway.

Then gateshead but least I would like is halifax, I would not like that at all.

Quoted from Tinymariner

BT sports saying not, they're wrong. We are definitely in the playoffs.

Lincoln fans still working it out too...
[url]http://www.lincoln.vitalfootball.co.uk/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=36412&posts=5[/url]

Chance our game against Braintree could be shown as well.

It's getting that momentum though Ron going into the playoffs, i would rest Pearson next week but put out the strongest 11 and go for it, looks like Hannah will play a key part.

Quoted from Madeleymariner

We will end up playing cambridge in the semi

to be fair they aren't looking too scary right now

Rest the first team !
Newport did a good number on us last season ,even if Braintree beat us 5-0 they'd have a tougher game in the Play offs if they meet us

We can come out on top against any of the others in a 2 game contest, especially as we can get a positive result away from home.

We could still put out a decent under strength team, Southall, Winfarrah, McDonald, Hedges.....etc, even give Cook a runout.

Quoted from oldun

We can come out on top against any of the others in a 2 game contest, especially as we can get a positive result away from home.

Agree but think it will be an almighty scrap.  Our players will have to bust a gut to get through (with the fans busting a gut right behind them).  But I think we can do it.

                 Hedge
Walker McDonald Doig Fylfield

Colbeck Thanoj Charlseworth Winfarrow

            Cook Tounkara

Hows that???

Quoted from RoboCod

Lincoln fans still working it out too...
[url]http://www.lincoln.vitalfootball.co.uk/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=36412&posts=5[/url]

You would've thought with those extra fingers it would be easier to work out

Quoted from Sigone

                 Hedge
Walker McDonald Doig Fylfield

Colbeck Thanoj Charlseworth Winfarrow

            Cook Tounkara

Hows that???

Good. Bet they'd stuff Braintree 5-0  

Hedge
Bignot (if fit) McDonald Doig Fyfield

Colbeck Thanoj McLaughlin Winfarrah

Cook Tounkara

There.

We have a bigger squad than I thought what with Winfarrow, Southall, Fylfield and Hedges not making the 11

Why rest lots of players when a win would guarantee a home leg to finish with, and all supporters could be there if they wanted to see us qualify for Wembley. Rest one or two with niggles but not mass changes.

Quoted from GrimRob

Why rest lots of players when a win would guarantee a home leg to finish with, and all supporters could be there if they wanted to see us qualify for Wembley.

Because it worked for Newport ?

Quoted from grimsby pete

Because it worked for Newport ?

that's a rubbish reason, one swallow doesn't make a summer

I think we need to rest players. As Newport did against us in the final game last season, there have been a lot of games in a short spell

Quoted from grimsby pete

Because it worked for Newport ?

Newport were 3rd no matter what though weren't they? How do you know having those particular fixtures in that order didn't help, or that playing a team that hadn't won their previous 5 home games before we beat their second string team at home, wasn't really up to winning the home leg against the full strength team rested or not, and mentally we weren't right after losing the home leg. So surely a home leg second is alot better.

Why risk injury on a nothing game for us.  Doesn't make any sense.  Whoever we get in the play offs I really don't care.  Last season we learn't that Newport's reserves weren't very good, they learn't plenty about us.  I think we all agree were better away than at home so the 2nd leg doesn't matter either.  Give our supposedly best 11 the best chance, if there not good enough then so be it.

Definately rest players in my opinion, to be honest I would quite like to take on Cambridge, I think a big team means we will be up for it and could get a good atmosphere for both games.

Do yellow cards get wiped at all before the playoff final?

Is our home form good enough?

1-0 at home to the bottom team isn't the best advert for the semis??

Seriously... today should have been shooting practice !!

Quoted from GyMariner

Do yellow cards get wiped at all before the playoff final?

I think it depends, if you're an english team I don't think so, if you're a welsh team even red cards get wiped

Quoted from GrimRob

that's a rubbish reason, one swallow doesn't make a summer

Oh no it isn't, top managers do it all the time.

Quoted from GrimRob

that's a rubbish reason, one swallow doesn't make a summer

No, but it would make your night  

No sense in playing any of the regulars against Braintree, key players may get injured or carded anyway the others are just as good at getting a result

I know we didn't look great but I can't say I was impressed with Braintree either. Barnet seemed to be going through the motions with little desire but Braintree looked more lethargic than us!

Quoted from WOZOFGRIMSBY

You would've thought with those extra fingers it would be easier to work out

Quoted from RoboCod

We could still put out a decent under strength team, Southall, Winfarrah, McDonald, Hedges.....etc, even give Cook a runout.

Oh no, the latest victim of the Bradley Woods syndrome!  

Quoted from RoboCod

Lincoln fans still working it out too...
[url]http://www.lincoln.vitalfootball.co.uk/forum/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=36412&posts=5[/url]

Should be easier for them with their extra digits and all.

Not surprisingly Halifax fans want to play us. Tbh I don't care who we get, they are all beatable. Halifax think they only have to draw us to get to the final. We shall see
UTM

Who cares if we only won 1-0! We  have done it. 25% chance of promotion now. It's a chance we need to take! COME ON !!!

Quoted from BIGChris

Not surprisingly Halifax fans want to play us. Tbh I don't care who we get, they are all beatable. Halifax think they only have to draw us to get to the final. We shall see
UTM

Well you can understand why they'd say that of course, but it would give me particular satisfaction to turn them over.

Quoted from BIGChris

Not surprisingly Halifax fans want to play us. Tbh I don't care who we get, they are all beatable. Halifax think they only have to draw us to get to the final. We shall see
UTM

Complacency in the mind is a dangerous thing.

I remember us doing the double over Cheltenham in 05-06 and them beating us when it mattered in Cardiff.

I'd prefer Braintree or Gateshead in the semi but to get Braintree we would have to lose on Saturday, which we don't want to do

I don't care who we play and in which order. I don't really think it will change the outcome. So resting players on Saturday makes total sense. It would be idiotic not to.

We have to play well for three matches to get back into the league. Alfreton apart, we have been pretty strong defensively in recent weeks, especially away from home. Now that Hannah seems to have found his scoring boots, we have a real chance against any of the other teams.  

We just need the rub of the green for once, and avoid giving away daft penalties (Yes Mr Pearson, I do mean you!)

Quoted from N2K

I'd prefer Braintree or Gateshead in the semi but to get Braintree we would have to lose on Saturday, which we don't want to do

We can't realistically get Braintree in the play offs though...not mathematically certain I know but highly unlikely

They are guaranteed to finish below us so the only way they could finish 4th (to play us) would be if they absolutely hammer us and also both Halifax and Gateshead lose on Saturday

I hope they are all thinking they would rather play us, let them underestimate us at there peril. I bet last year everyone thought Newport were the easy option & we all no what happened to them. What ever happens we can't do any worse than last year.

Halifax beat us 4-0 and 1-0 in the regular season games which is exactly what we did to Cheltenham in 2006 if I remember rightly, then lost 1-0 in the final. Hopefully we'll do a Cheltenham and Halifax will be seething at the injustice of the play-offs.

3-0

Quoted from Abdul19

3-0

It was and that was the away game...we won 1-0 at home just a week or two before the end of the season proper if I recall things correctly

I want Halifax in the semi's ,We'll take a couple of thousand there and they'll bring a thousand to us.
If they beat us then it's saved us a wasted miserable day at Wembley ,If not then we should be on for 40000 there for the final against Cambridge  

Quoted from RonMariner

I don't care who we play and in which order. I don't really think it will change the outcome. So resting players on Saturday makes total sense. It would be idiotic not to.

We have to play well for three matches to get back into the league. Alfreton apart, we have been pretty strong defensively in recent weeks, especially away from home. Now that Hannah seems to have found his scoring boots, we have a real chance against any of the other teams.  

We just need the rub of the green for once, and avoid giving away daft penalties (Yes Mr Pearson, I do mean you!)

It wasn't a penalty. Otherwise I agree.