Bradley Flory: Hello everyone and welcome to the second episode of the Devil's Own podcast. I am again joined by our chief football reporter Asa. Evening Asa, how are you?
Asa Finch: I'm doing good, thank you. How are you?
Bradley Flory: Alright, thank you just back from the Grimsby game. So we'll get into that a bit later And Jack making his podcast debut Jack. How are you?
Jack: Alright, how are you guys?
Bradley Flory: We're good, thanks, we're good. Okay, so let's get into it. So ⁓ first of all, I wanna thank our first podcast sponsor. So this week or this episode is sponsored by Mansfield Media. So some of you may know Grant, he's often around the club taking photos. His photography features in local publications. As well as the fans program the Devil's Diary so a big thanks to him He also allows us to use his photography. So that's very kind of it. Thank you Perfect so ⁓ First up let's talk player of the month. So we had We ran a vote on our Facebook group and our Instagram page for March player of the month and March goal of the month. Tricky to pick the goals for you Aysa, we didn't provide a lot did we in March. But before we reveal the result, I thought we would see where everyone's heads were at here. So Aysa, who'd be your player of the month for March?
Asa Finch: ⁓ go mum. For me, was Kevin Gordon.
Bradley Flory: Play of the month, but... Fair enough. Jack? Yeah.
Asa Finch: of the month of March.
Jack: I would have to agree. I would say Kellan Gordon was an impactful player last month. I thought did the best on the pitch.
Bradley Flory: Fair enough, clean sweet. And then, goal of the month for March Asa, what would your pick be on that one?
Asa Finch: For Goal of the Month. I think again, Kellen Gordon, that sort of the late winner, sort of the whole celebration and what that meant was quite a lot. And I think it was the way he got to that bull just in time ahead of, I think it's Hoylet and the way it the way it curled into the top corner and. The scenes afterwards were amazing. So for me, it was that one.
Bradley Flory: You probably have a better view of that in the West End than we did in the East because it was that end of the ground. ⁓ Jack, Golem up for you for March.
Jack: you
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Jack: As much as I loved Kellan Gordon's equaliser, I would have to go for Taylor Richards against Gillingham. I thought it was quite a good girl, whips it past a lot of defenders, gets it in, pivotal girl for that moment to win the game.
Bradley Flory: ⁓ no, I've got a tie break situation. I agree with both your points. I've been quite frustrated this season that we've not taken more shots from outside the box because you just never know what chaos it's going to create. So was lovely to see that done.
Jack: Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: But I did love that Kellan Gordon goal and Kellan has been incredible sort of since he's come back I think player wise you know he's of the band that came back he's been the guy that's kind of really rolled up his sleeves I'm very disappointed he's got an injury currently so I can reveal that
Jack: Yes.
Bradley Flory: Whilst you disagree with everyone Jack, most people agree. Kellan got 93 % of the vote for player of the month, sorry for goal of the month and he got 60 % of the vote for player of the month. That was a bit tighter. So Scott Malone got 26 % of the vote for player of the month.
Jack: What?
Bradley Flory: Chapman and Jay Williams both getting six and a half percent of the vote each. I mean look Scott Lowe I think he's been incredible sort of since he came back as well. you know honourable mention for Shaw.
Jack: Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: But well done Kellen, done the double in the first Devil's Own ⁓ player and Goal of the Month vote. That'll be back at the end of April. Hopefully there'll be some players and some goals to get excited about. Well there's really been some goals to get excited about. I think at the moment Harry McCurdy would win Goal of the Month if we did it right now. It could be either of his two goals.
Jack: Hmm? Yep.
Bradley Flory: But yeah, so that's good. The other thing I just want let people know about, those of you that follow our Facebook page, Instagram, YouTube, you'll see Asa gets out and about talking to the fans before the games. A lot of people are asking where they can find those.
Jack: He
Bradley Flory: once they've been recorded. So they are on our YouTube channel, we post them in our Facebook group and on our Instagram. You'll find everything you need if you go to our website, it's thedevilzone.uk. There's links there to all the socials. Feel free to join the Facebook group, it's a place to have discussion, different views, you know, a bit of fun as well along the way. So you Yeah, or welcome. Please feel free to join us on the socials. Okay, let's get into Newport. So, Asa, I you travel to Newport. Jack and I...
Jack: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Bradley Flory: went for the television route and not the six hour coach journey to South Wales. So first of all, how was your journey? Because we did do it to Swansea and we didn't get back till 3am in the morning. So hopefully you had a better journey than us.
Jack: You
Asa Finch: Yeah, it was a bit. It was better than that. Yeah, no, I think it was a pretty good journey. Smooth journey. There wasn't wasn't much traffic. We set off at nine, got there about. What pass off past one with an hour of hours break services and then on way back, we set off about quarter past five and half past five round there ⁓ and got back at that quarter to nine. It was. We took four coaches, which was really impressive and shout out to GH coaches for setting that up and what was a really good day out for the fans, really well organised and obviously picked up the three points, two goals, a clean sheet and a good away end. So yeah, it was a really good day out.
Bradley Flory: Let's get going. I was going to say from our perspective, I echo your sentiments, know, first of all, well done to GH Travel for getting four coaches on, well done to the club and the players for helping to subsidise that. It looked incredible on the telly, right? The away end was great. and go to take a picture of it during the game and it created a different atmosphere watching it on the telly I don't know what it was like in the ground but it felt like that it was a bit more 50-50 than perhaps a traditional sort of away game. Jack, thoughts on the match itself?
Jack: I thought the first half we did a good job defending, keeping all their chances away from Garl making blocks and all that. The second half had a great start to that one. McCurdy at the double in a wingspan of two minutes was able to hold on to that win to keep a clean sheet. I thought it was a very well-hard-fought performance for an away day.
Asa Finch: No.
Bradley Flory: I agree, I think, you know, looking at it from where we were sat, it was very much more of the same as the kind of Gillianham game. I will just remind you, Acer, you predicted two-ones crawly, so you weren't far off that. I went one-nil crawly, so somewhere in the middle, we were both right. ⁓ But I think, ⁓ it was scrappy at times. It was a... ⁓
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Jack: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Asa Finch: Yeah, good.
Bradley Flory: you know, it played as a league two relegation battle. I don't think either side really controlled the game. And the first goal was kind of pivotal in that regard. The one thing, so obviously both McCurdy's goals went in, the NG were sat behind, which is always nice too. So you got to sort of celebrate with the fans, which was good.
Jack: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: They just look like pretty simple goals from home, know, and stuff we've maybe not done much of this season, just getting a ball in the box.
Asa Finch: Yeah, I think with that, I think the first goal, know, I think they were simple moves, but they were really effective in terms of the way they were executed. You know, I think it's a brilliant ball over the top by Charlie Barker initially, obviously Adiemo got on the end of that and played a good cross into the box where McCurdy was waiting to put it in. And I think
Jack: Mm-hmm, yeah.
Asa Finch: think if he missed it, think Toby Adeyemi would have put it away as well. So, you know, I think they were both well-worked goals. I second had, I think it was Lewis Richards, drove forward, laid it off, Harry Forster, and he sort of chipped to the back post. I think there's a, probably an element of bad defending from Newport, but we capitalized on that. And I think it was, was important that we got, we got that second goal, sort of put some distance between ourselves and Newport. And I thought we saw out the game quite well. I don't think they really had any chances after that except for that one on one, which Jacob Chapman made a really good shot, stayed with, I think he closed down the angle really well. But as you said, yeah, the first half, I don't think there was much quality from either side. I think, you know, we probably edged it in the second half. But yeah, I think it was I think it's professional after we scored those two goals and we saw it out. And, you know, it was important three points at the end of the day and that's what we went there and we got it and that's all we care about.
Bradley Flory: Absolutely, absolutely. we had that. Jack, I know watching it home with you, obviously we were a little concerned at one stage. mean, yes, we saw the best of Harry McCurdy scoring the goals. There was a very strong possibility McCurdy could have got sent off.
Jack: Mm-hmm. Hmm.
Bradley Flory: you know, we both felt it was one of those sort of 50-50 decisions that could go either way. Because not only was it a terrible challenge, but the kind of dissent and stuff that followed, we weren't overly enamoured with that. He does do that. We see it quite a lot where we sit in the East End. He does love to have a chat with a linesman. Let's call it a chat.
Jack: Yes. Mm-mm. Yeah. You
Bradley Flory: ⁓ I mean, I think, you know, if you're scoring the goals and you're doing the business, that's great. But ultimately, the position we're in at the moment, we need our best players on the pitch. We'll talk about that a bit more later after the Grimsby game. ⁓
Jack: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: How did it, I mean certainly on telly in in real time I did think you know the way our seasons gone with some decisions that could have gone against us. Did it feel that way in the ground at Aesir or did it did it just seem
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Jack: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: like a fairly standard challenge. I I've got to say, for context, in the first half, I felt their yellow card could have been a red card as well. I think their right back cleaned out Harry Forster, and that was a bit of a naughty challenge.
Asa Finch: Yeah. I think, you know, I didn't, be honest, from our position, it was sort of over the far side. So we didn't really get a great view of that McCurdy challenge. ⁓ I don't really have much to say on it to be fair. You know, he could, might as well have got a red for it. But, you know, I think as we said, they probably, I'm sure Christian Fuchs, I think I saw in his post-match, he said,
Bradley Flory: Fair enough.
Asa Finch: McCurdy should have. But you know, as we said with things this season, you know, they all even themselves out at end of the day. And, you know, I think it was quite a fiery contest. I thought at one stage there was going to be a red card for either side. I think there was five yellow cards in that first half. So yeah, I didn't really see it that well. So I can't really comment on it. But luckily he didn't get sent off.
Jack: Mm.
Bradley Flory: So that gave Colin 100 % win rate out of two games. Two 2-0 victories, two more clean sheets for Jacob Chapman. Jack, how much confidence do you have now with Chapman in goal versus maybe the Harvey Davies who was here at the start of the season?
Jack: Look, I want nothing really negative. I feel, mean, half of the people who came in, was like the start of the season, was like a very controversial choice when he made the clear errors because my number one issue with him in goal was he just kept hesitating when an attack came towards him in the box. He just hesitated. And that's what led to most of our concedings.
Bradley Flory: you feel more confident.
Jack: But now that we've brought in Jacob Chapman, I feel like he is more confident. He makes the right decisions when needed to. He doesn't make the hesitations needed. He just acts on instinct. And I think that's what I just put the season when we're staying up and you need that kind of keeper. Jacob Chapman is someone you would want for those instincts.
Asa Finch: Yeah, I think that I think adding on to that.
Bradley Flory: Go on, carry on later.
Asa Finch: No, yeah, I just think adding on to that, you know, I think obviously, you know, it's a team game and stuff and they all put their efforts in. But I think we do have to in a way single out Chapman as I don't think we'll be where we are without him. You know, I think he's pulled off some incredible saves to keep us in games or at least sort of damage limitation, if you like. And I think he plays really quickly.
Jack: Mm-hmm. Nice.
Bradley Flory: Well, I was just thinking seven clean sheets. since he came in. I'll do some working out for the next podcast how many points he's sort of potentially won us with those seven clean sheets because prior to him coming in, Harvey Davis had one clean sheet, Jojo had one clean sheet. So it's always gonna be difficult to pick up points if you're not keeping clean sheets at times. So I mean, look, we've obviously not won all of those games, but I would... off the top of my head I reckon probably at least 10 points he's won us by keeping clean sheets whether you know we've got a point out of a 0-0 or you know six points in the last two weeks against Gillingham and then against Newport with two shutouts so that's six points there so it might it might even be more but I echo what Jack says, I think he's more commanding, he comes out, you know, he doesn't always get it right, but he's a hell of a shot stopper as well. I mean, we'll talk about Grimsby in a bit, but you know, there was some good saves in that game. So I just, I think he's been a... Key signing as much as you know the guys we we brought in over the January transfer window 13 of them a lot of them familiar faces to us cruelly fans He was a bit of a kind of left field one not someone I was particularly familiar with I Personally was clambering for a Corey add I returned
Jack: Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: didn't quite come to fruition. But Chapman's been fantastic. And I know Huddersfield fans rating very highly.
Jack: Mmm. No.
Bradley Flory: and I think we should be very fortunate that we've got him in for the back end of this season. Just ⁓ a touch as well on the Newport game, obviously second half. Jay Williams came out in full battle mode, wearing I think every bit of bandage from the physio kit that we had available. It was a good look.
Jack: Mmm. Yeah. I'm gonna have a shortage now.
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: Wow, let's hope no one else needs a bandage. That's all I'm gonna say. Grimsby today. So we are recording this at eight o'clock on Easter Monday night and the three of us were at the Grimsby game today.
Jack: Yeah Hmm. Mmm.
Bradley Flory: First off, good attendance for a game that was on TV on Easter Monday. I think there was just over 4,000 there. So that was good. There was a real, I felt there was a real positive atmosphere around the ground today, certainly in the fan zone and around the bar. You know.
Jack: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: It was a shame we couldn't get the result. mean, look, I felt the Grimsby game would be very difficult. Obviously, you know, they are chasing the kind of playoffs. Acer predicted a 1-0 win to crawl in this one. I went 0-0, so we were both way off the pace there. ⁓
Jack: No.
Asa Finch: it up.
Bradley Flory: Let's go. Jack, what did you think of the first half?
Jack: I thought initially in the first 10 minutes, thought it was mainly us creating chances, making crucial shots like for example, Scott Malone taking a massive volley shot from yards away. It was very, it didn't hit the post or anything, but I thought for a minute it would be close to getting a shot on target. But then I felt after that, it then just kind of slowly digressed down to Grimsby's way a little bit and it was annoying to then just see goals from Grimsby and then it was just us being shut off doing pass after pass and making little mistakes that gave Grimsby those counter attacking options for those goals and shots.
Bradley Flory: Yeah. Asa, your thoughts on the first half?
Asa Finch: First half of four Quite a lively start. I think a lot of both teams sort of got shots away I think we Didn't use the ball as well as we could have when we had it Obviously, you know, we're coming up against a side ⁓ Who are chasing the playoffs I think you look at the previous two games we have We played teams who are sort of in and around where we are ⁓ and haven't been in great form. This is our first sort of real test. ⁓ And I think, you know, we've praised Adiemo a lot and I thought, you know, he's done really well in the previous two games. And obviously, we come up a test against a test. of us who were really good quality. I thought they got around the sides of us too easily at times. I thought they overlapped really well. ⁓ But yeah, I we lacked that quality in the first half. thought we didn't quite use the ball as well as we could have when we had it. We didn't really offer a lot going forward, but ⁓ yeah, think first half, yeah, wasn't great from us really.
Bradley Flory: No, and it's rare. It's rare you watch a game of football and everybody's kind of got the same opinion. I made some sort of notes in my mind while I was watching it. And I think, Jack, your point, the opening 10 minutes, it felt like a Colin Kazim Richard side, right? We were going forward. I don't mind Malone having a dig from 40 yards, right? And there was a couple of occasions, I'm trying to think who it was, think it might have been Taylor Richards cut inside and got a shot off and keepers spilled it. In that opening 10 minutes I thought their keeper looked a little suspect and I thought, right, let's just keep firing balls at him.
Jack: Mm-hmm. Yep.
Bradley Flory: But then Grimsby seemed to work the system out so Kabir was getting in behind Adiemo. Adiemo was maybe sitting a little too high whereas down the other side
Jack: ⁓ huh.
Bradley Flory: Richards and Forster were maybe too close together. It was a bit like having two left backs at times, but then we had no right back at all. So that was problematic. What did you make of the substitution in the first half? mean it's rare. A rarer manager goes and makes a change in the first half that's not injury induced. I'll go first. I thought Taylor Richards was affecting the game. it was a strange one to take him off because he was affecting the game. He maybe wasn't offering the protection to Adiemo at right back that Forster was offering on the other side. But then I, you know, it seemed strange to me to take Richards off, move McCurdy wide because McCurdy was causing problems up front and...
Jack: Mm-hmm. Hmm.
Bradley Flory: I don't think McCurdy was going to offer that much more protection. What did you make of it Aysa?
Asa Finch: think, you know, I mean, it's a strange one to see, you know, he can come off for the within that first half, you know, bearing in mind it didn't look like he had an injury. I thought, you know, if you we didn't offer loads going forward. But if you want someone on the pitch who can just pull out a moment of brilliance, then you want him on there because he has that in his in his repertoire.
Jack: Mm-hmm.
Asa Finch: So yeah, it was a strange one. I mean, was nice seeing Louis Watson back on the pitch again, because I do rate him a lot. But yeah, I mean, yeah, it was a weird one, but he's not afraid to use his whole bench. I think in all the matches, he's pretty much used everyone on the bench. yeah, bit of a weird one.
Bradley Flory: And then second half, we came out perhaps a little too fired up. You know, certainly there was two guys behind me that saw the Jay Williams sending off coming about three minutes before it happened. There was a bit of ⁓ a tackle and an incident in the kind of Grimsby half of the pitch.
Jack: Hmm. You
Bradley Flory: And you know, we've seen it a few times as Crawley fans. Jay then goes on a bit of a rampage and hunts down a player and ⁓ I haven't seen it back yet. I haven't watched it back yet, but literally as Fop Mob pops up on my phone with the official highlights of Crawley Grimsby, I've not seen it back yet. My understanding is he kicked the ball at the player. ⁓
Jack: Yep.
Asa Finch: Bye.
Jack: you
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: So I guess they're gonna count that as violent conduct, so I'm guessing that's now Jay missing for three games. It's really hard to be frustrated with someone that leaves it all on the pitch for the club when he does play. And you know, I'm a massive fan, but.
Asa Finch: Yep.
Jack: Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: We're in a real pickle at the moment and you need your captain on the pitch not somewhere else you know. ⁓ To frustrate him from my perspective Jack what's your thoughts?
Jack: Mm-hmm. I like you, didn't really see much of the challenge. I just thought it was a tackle that was just gonna give him a booking as Jay Williams usually does with his tackles. He usually does. And I've getting a book in, I didn't see the incident. So when I heard all the opposing fans screaming off and I saw a red card, I just questioned what had happened at the moment after not seeing it. So. It was a little bit weird just seeing a red card out of nowhere. I'd have to also watch the highlights back. But if we are in a situation like we are at this moment in time where staying up and the points we need to stay up are crucial, we can't have a crucial role for captain like Jay Williams getting sent off in a pivotal moment of this season where we have so many games left to stick up on this lead and just survive.
Bradley Flory: So Aysa have you seen it back?
Asa Finch: actually seen it back either. didn't really see it in real time either. what I've heard from Grimsey manager, the Grimsey manager said that Jay Williams had fired the ball at the Grimsey players face from about 10 yards out. ⁓ And he said if that was my player, I'd be very disappointed in them. So obviously, you know, It's going to be three games. That means he won't be back for the Salford match until the Salford match. He's a big player, quite instrumental in our team. But I'm sure he'll be vocal from the sidelines, I'm, because then Richard's alluded to in his post-match interview. But yeah, again, I didn't really see it, so I can't make too much of a comment on it. But obviously a big song.
Bradley Flory: No, that's fine. The only reason I asked is I wondered if as a club we might appeal it. But you know, we'll wait and see it get back. obviously what then transpired was a 2-0 defeat. mean, look, know, credit where credit's due. The first Grimsby finish I thought was a ⁓ good finish. was a well-worked goal and it was a great finish by Kabir.
Jack: Yep.
Bradley Flory: The second one I went to get a drink, some chips, so I didn't see it yet. Jack, you were there. Go on.
Jack: ⁓ was a, it was a, it was a well-worked goal. It was kind of in a crowded moment in the box where Chapman gets his hand on it and instead of having maintained, he just kind of hits it outside of the box where Roger's waiting, slaps it, goes straight into the top left corner. Done deal. That just sealed a first half kind of statement on us.
Asa Finch: Hmm.
Bradley Flory: Yeah. I mean, look, Chapman, Chapman had a great game, which is a strange thing to say when you lose a game 2-0. He made a couple of really good double saves. And without him, you know, it could have been very difficult.
Jack: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah.
Bradley Flory: There were some hairy moments throughout the day. Like I say, was definitely a couple of guys sat behind me. I was getting a full SkySport Soccer rundown. You know, one moment Harrogate were out the relegation zone, then they were back in it and you know, it was all changing. I mean, the way the day panned out, you know, we're still 20th, we're on 37 points. We are still four clear off the relegation zone, but Barrett do have a game in hand. So in effect, we're three clear.
Jack: Heheh!
Bradley Flory: Newport. ⁓ I mean I still I still think we need another five or six points realistically I would say 42 43 is probably the number we need to get to and I think we can get them you know I definitely think we're in a good position I mean
Jack: Mm-hmm.
Asa Finch: the app.
Bradley Flory: I think I said last week when we recorded that it was Harrogate plus one and you know, Harrogate are now suddenly not looking quite so dead and buried. You know, I'd love to have a look and see if they did actually sack their manager because when they came to us they had a big banner that said in Gaffer we trust and in a half time they unfurled one that said sack him. So that was brilliant. So yeah, mean, look, this point in but.
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: We roll on. You know, I think Mr. Kazim Richards is adapting well. I saw him having his photo taken with some stewards and some fans and... I've noticed when he comes on the pitch to do his little clap, he still does his little hoppy, skippy thing that he would have done if he was coming on as a player before coming on the pitch. I kind of like all that. So I think he's really endearing himself to the fans. I think he's turned the tide a little bit. There's a lot more positivity around it. We touched on before, of, know, Scott.
Jack: You
Asa Finch: in my family. Yeah.
Jack: Yeah. Okay.
Bradley Flory: He's not universally loved by the Crawley fan base, you know, he will go down in folklore as the guy that did what he did, right? But we're now firmly in there. I mean, the only thing I was intrigued to see today was when we went one-nil down was how would we react to that? Because obviously we hadn't conceded a go under Colin yet. And...
Jack: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Bradley Flory: It did feel a bit like when it stopped going our way we didn't have the ideas necessarily. It felt at times we slipped back into old ways of playing which is kind of understandable and there were periods in the game where it felt like it did underscott. Do you think that's fair race or am I being too harsh?
Asa Finch: No, I think I do agree with you. think they sort of got that upper hand if you like, after after we went one nil down, sort of, you know, we haven't seen obviously, as you said, you know, it was the first guy we conceded under Colin and you know, it was it'd be interesting to see how we reacted to that. I do feel like we sort of caved in a little bit and we went sort of so defensive that it's sort of that a little bit and then we decided to get the upper hand. you know, I think again, it's just another learning curve. I thought we did show character in that second half. But obviously, again, a little bit too late for that. yeah, I thought, yeah, we did sort of capitulate a little bit, but then we came back out of shell again.
Bradley Flory: Yeah. Yeah, that was fair. think, like I say, we went a go down. We just didn't really seem to know how to react to that and maybe what they wanted us to do from a kind of coaching perspective. And then the flip side was, I think Jack, from 75 minutes on, we were probably the better side. With 10, chase in the game.
Jack: Yeah.
Asa Finch: Mmm.
Jack: Yeah, after we made the yeah, we've 10 chasing again. We made the crucial substitutions of Louis Copley, who is since he's coming online, I would say has shown his levels and shows his skills on a pitch inside and out. Another one I'm quite happy with is Johnny Russell. Yeah, it's like Johnny Russell as well. He makes
Bradley Flory: It's little flashes of quality isn't it?
Jack: those runs, he makes powerful rugby type throw ins from a mile away. ⁓ I just think this is a good squad.
Bradley Flory: He runs like a rugby player as well. Yeah, that's good.
Jack: Yeah, I know. It's a it's a squat that is like it can get there, but it's just it's realistically not a math and it's a race and it is a good race because what we get out of these players week in week out are the skills and the signs of them being brilliant players working in a team. It's just the minute we can see it's then like how are we going to react? How are these players going to react and It shows sometimes it's a bit like 50-50 where they'll have a shut off or some of them are like, come on, let's go forward. Let's go do this.
Asa Finch: Yeah, I think that's that's an interesting point really, because, you know, it is all right having that that technical ability. But it's also very much, you know, it is about what's your mentality like, because you're going to go down games and it isn't going to go your way. And, you know, I mean, you've got to have addressing I think I remember Scott saying a lot of it that we haven't got enough leaders in the team. And
Bradley Flory: Okay.
Asa Finch: know, maybe that is the case. But I think we, as I said, we sort of did cave in a little bit, but then we came back out of our shells in that when we came when we went down to 10 men. But yeah, I mean, let's just see, we still got four games left. And, you know, we're going to hit some more, some more rocky bit, a bit patches. So let's see, let's see what happens.
Jack: Hmm. Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: Yeah, yeah. Yeah I mean I want to focus on the positive but I think we have to be realist too right? We have to talk about the whole thing and the only other, not negative point, I thought Toby Adiema had a difficult afternoon today. think he just struggled to hold the ball up. and bring others in to play which has been his real strength I think since coming in. I mean look, you know, we're obviously short on options up front now, Orsi's out, but you know, and I've still got great faith in him. ⁓ We just didn't see the same player today that we saw against Gillingham and we saw against Newport. I can't recall him flicking the ball on once for kind of McCurdy to run in behind. ⁓
Jack: No. Well, it's kind of like what you said earlier, where you were talking about how Grimsby figured out what we did on the pitch and they must have known like what they've seen with Toby and the MO, what to do to shut him down.
Asa Finch: Hmm.
Bradley Flory: Yeah, quite possibly. Right, let's move on and focus on the next game. So we are away at Bristol Rovers next Saturday, 12.30 game. I believe it's on TV. Me and Jack are not making the trip to Bristol, so we will be armchair fans on that one.
Jack: ⁓ no.
Bradley Flory: Acer I know you're going because I was with you when you got your ticket earlier on I'm just trying to find the first game to see how we did against Bristol Rovers because as good as my memory we beat Bristol Rovers 4-0 at the Brawlfield in October Yes we did what what game
Asa Finch: and
Jack: I believe we've beaten four now.
Asa Finch: Yeah, we were 4-0, yeah. It's when they went back in November, I believe. Yeah.
Jack: Hahaha
Bradley Flory: It was October, just in October, Scott Malone, player of the match, ⁓ an own goal in the 45 plus 9 minutes and then we came out in the second half, Harry Forster, ⁓ I vaguely remember that, off the edge of the box I think, and then Scott Malone and Louis Flower.
Asa Finch: Yeah, I'll tell you that.
Jack: What? Yeah, don't forget as well. It was the game where their left back got sent off immediately and that's when we got into the game. And I also remember that game painfully because that was the match I witnessed Ryan Loft miss a penalty.
Bradley Flory: That's That's right.
Asa Finch: ⁓ god.
Bradley Flory: ⁓ okay.
Jack: Got saved, tried to do a little tap in, then he got saved.
Bradley Flory: Okay, so let's have a look at the team that started that day because I'm guessing it's going to look pretty different this time around. So our starting 11 was Wallachotting Girl, Barker Conroy Flint,
Jack: Yeah. What a cock was in girl. Hmm... No!
Bradley Flory: and then in the midfield we had Kyle Scott, Badrami, Anderson and Malone. It looks on paper like Kyle Scott was the right wing back and Scott Malone was the left wing back. ⁓ And then we had Watson and Hollahan behind Loft. ⁓ And then it looks like we brought on Harry Foster, Louis Flower, Reece Brown,
Jack: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: who seems to have disappeared off the of the earth. ⁓ Caby Sheminger, who's obviously now banging them in for Barnett. And Kahim Dixon, you know, unfortunately didn't set the world alight for us. So it's gonna look incredibly different because you would imagine of that team, maybe Barker, Malone, Anderson, Stark.
Jack: Yeah, no, yeah.
Bradley Flory: potentially Watson. So there's going to be three or four
Jack: I do want to have a. Yeah, I in my opinion, if for that game, Max Anderson has just recently come up from injury. He played against Newport. He played today. It did show signs when he played today of him still recovering from that injury after being back on the pitch because it was quite not the Max Anderson who banged girls were fun against Harrogate at the start of the year. It was a.
Bradley Flory: Wow.
Jack: Different episode. know Anderson can rebuild himself, but in a game where maybe potentially you want to show other potential rotations in the squad, I would personally start Louis Watson just to see what he could do with more than minutes before you bring on someone experienced like Max Anderson.
Asa Finch: Bye.
Bradley Flory: So Bristol Rovers are 15th in the league. are so they're five places above us but 15 points above us
Asa Finch: Yeah and five straight wins I believe, is it five straight wins? Yeah I think.
Jack: Nah. It is, yeah.
Bradley Flory: Let's have a look. It is after losing to Bromley they beat Shrewsbury 1-0, Gillingham 2-1 Excuse me, Atquinton 2-0 Fleetwood 1-0 and then they came back to beat Harrogate today didn't they? Because they were 2-0 down to Harrogate at one stage.
Jack: well maybe who knows maybe there's a who knows maybe there's a bristol robes fan that united guy and he's being able to cut his hair today
Bradley Flory: I don't know, yeah maybe. What are you expecting Asa? What are you expecting?
Jack: Got their five wins in a row.
Asa Finch: Look, think, you know, obviously, F-Bomb has been really good of late. I think it's going be a tough ⁓ match, as they all are. They've had a big transformation under Steve Evans. I think it's taken a while to get going, but they've really taken off recently and they look a good side. ⁓ it's gonna I mean I don't really know what to expect really yeah
Bradley Flory: Hmm the added dynamic of Steve Evans Yeah I mean it's a tough game isn't it?
Asa Finch: I think, good for them. Yeah, I mean my school prediction is going to be one-all. ⁓ Better jot that down Bradley. ⁓
Bradley Flory: Go. I've done it. It's in ready in case that it's committed as far as it goes. Jack, what's your prediction on it?
Jack: Yes. Look, well, first of all, take nothing off Bristol Rovers since the manager of change has happened. They've gone under, like I said, a complete transformation. They have started coming off from quite literally their ashes and have reborn themselves into these girls scoring winning machines. And as our current stats, they have won six, we have won six, and we've drawn four. So whatever happens here, we'll go to the tally. I do think it will be a tough game, obviously, after today, they just have to make sure if we concede first, if we do, just to keep the mentality on and just push for goals. I think it'll be quite a close game. I'm going to go for a 2-1 win to Crawley, bear at the edge of the game to score the winner.
Asa Finch: Mm.
Bradley Flory: Okay, so prediction. Okay, ⁓ I'd forgotten about the Steve Evans element. I forgot he'd gone in there. It's not the Steve Evans that was at Crudet. He was, he was the manager that got us into the football league for the first time, for those of you that are too young to remember that far back with backing from Bruce Winfield. The Matt Tubbs era.
Asa Finch: hope so.
Jack: Hmm, I believe he's full Macaulay's next recording manager You He has gone to many good teams here.
Bradley Flory: He's been around the block Steve Evans ⁓
Jack: Yeah, his last job before Preston Rovers was at Rovere when we played in League 1. I'm guessing he might have got sacked if we'd beaten them.
Bradley Flory: Yeah. He might got sacked after we beat them I'm gonna go I'm gonna go nil-nil. I think we We got to just try and keep it tight Rely on rely on the Chapman to do his thing You know, I look get a point out of this hopefully beat Shrewsbury pick up another point along the way
Jack: Let's have a look. Take it safe. the Chapman.
Bradley Flory: that's the kind of five that we need. Anything above that hopefully we can grab too. So, gone.
Jack: So.
Bradley Flory: What you got, Jack?
Jack: Looking at the stats he was actually he was actually sacked after we beat him for now away from home Where kamari Doyle scored twice Gavin Hollahan scored and Kamara because in straight after they got their new manager and immediately won a game against Northampton so Is this is revenge time?
Bradley Flory: So I like to chuck in a bit of a fun one that no one sees coming at the end of these pods. I am gonna reuse the fun one that we had today.
Jack: Alright. Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: ⁓ on our fan interviews because I think it's quite a good one. It's a bit tongue-in-cheek and I think Harry McCurdy would take it in the way it's intended as a bit of fun. So Asa, you've asked this several times today. Do you think Harry McCurdy should pull his socks up and tuck his shirt in?
Asa Finch: Well, I think we had a sort of general consensus really was, you know, he's sort of that, you know, he's quite a unique player in terms of the way he goes about things. You know, that's sort of his style. You know, lot people, you know, if that's what he feels comfortable playing in and playing like that, you know, by all means, if he's gonna play like that and score goals, then, you know,
Jack: Hmm
Asa Finch: no complaints. But I think, you know, maybe he does need to tone it down a little bit, you know, in terms of he's definitely one to keep piping off in the referee's ear or the linesman's ear. And I think I'm pretty sure someone said, he got told to sort of keep it down by one of one of the coaching staff at Newport away. ⁓ So, but yeah, I think, you know, If he's going to keep scoring, then I don't care.
Bradley Flory: Okay. Jack, what's your thoughts on Harry McCurdy? Should he pull his socks up and tuck his shirt in? Which is something as a parent I say to you a lot.
Jack: look now I now Harry McCurdy with an untucked it kind of feels like a video game character or like some sort of superpower like your final form or something Harry McCurdy with an untucked shirt has become our top goalscorer of 8 goals I know it doesn't seem like a lot but he's like a superpower he just brings them in with an untucked shirt so He just keeps that shirt on top and just scores more goals that do a world of favour for Harry McKinley. And I always love seeing him with an on top shirt.
Asa Finch: But when he scores one, he only scores two. That's what, when he scored that first one, I was like, I know he's gonna get another one. Not that I thought he gonna get it in two minutes, but I knew he was gonna get another one.
Bradley Flory: Fair enough. Yeah.
Jack: Yeah Exactly. He's got a super power I told you!
Bradley Flory: Yeah, mean, look, my view on it is this. I found it amusing from the start of the season. And like I I can say this, I'm sure he would take it as it's intended as a bit of fun. He looks like he's just walked in off the street, right? And I kind of love the fact that he sort of...
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: epitomises what Crawley and how Crawley seemed by the outside world. I feel like he is the kind of poster child. Listen, I'm in agreement if it works for you don't change right and keep doing what you're doing and score the goals that keep us up. To be honest it's no one's business whether he tucks his shirt in or pulls his socks up but I just thought it was a fun a fun piece of fun piece to take out and about today and hopefully make some people smile and like I say I think Harry would take it the right way. That yeah absolutely a bit of a smile so thanks guys for joining me Josh safe travels to Bristol Rovers and we shall
Jack: Yeah.
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Jack: So it's always good to end a positive night.
Asa Finch: Yeah, exactly. Okay.
Bradley Flory: Hopefully discuss again after that another three points. Good luck to the boys as well as we go up against Bristol Rovers. Thanks for joining me guys and enjoy the rest of your evening.
Jack: You're late.
Asa Finch: very much. Take care.
Jack: Thank you. Take care.
Asa Finch: I'm doing good, thank you. How are you?
Bradley Flory: Alright, thank you just back from the Grimsby game. So we'll get into that a bit later And Jack making his podcast debut Jack. How are you?
Jack: Alright, how are you guys?
Bradley Flory: We're good, thanks, we're good. Okay, so let's get into it. So ⁓ first of all, I wanna thank our first podcast sponsor. So this week or this episode is sponsored by Mansfield Media. So some of you may know Grant, he's often around the club taking photos. His photography features in local publications. As well as the fans program the Devil's Diary so a big thanks to him He also allows us to use his photography. So that's very kind of it. Thank you Perfect so ⁓ First up let's talk player of the month. So we had We ran a vote on our Facebook group and our Instagram page for March player of the month and March goal of the month. Tricky to pick the goals for you Aysa, we didn't provide a lot did we in March. But before we reveal the result, I thought we would see where everyone's heads were at here. So Aysa, who'd be your player of the month for March?
Asa Finch: ⁓ go mum. For me, was Kevin Gordon.
Bradley Flory: Play of the month, but... Fair enough. Jack? Yeah.
Asa Finch: of the month of March.
Jack: I would have to agree. I would say Kellan Gordon was an impactful player last month. I thought did the best on the pitch.
Bradley Flory: Fair enough, clean sweet. And then, goal of the month for March Asa, what would your pick be on that one?
Asa Finch: For Goal of the Month. I think again, Kellen Gordon, that sort of the late winner, sort of the whole celebration and what that meant was quite a lot. And I think it was the way he got to that bull just in time ahead of, I think it's Hoylet and the way it the way it curled into the top corner and. The scenes afterwards were amazing. So for me, it was that one.
Bradley Flory: You probably have a better view of that in the West End than we did in the East because it was that end of the ground. ⁓ Jack, Golem up for you for March.
Jack: you
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Jack: As much as I loved Kellan Gordon's equaliser, I would have to go for Taylor Richards against Gillingham. I thought it was quite a good girl, whips it past a lot of defenders, gets it in, pivotal girl for that moment to win the game.
Bradley Flory: ⁓ no, I've got a tie break situation. I agree with both your points. I've been quite frustrated this season that we've not taken more shots from outside the box because you just never know what chaos it's going to create. So was lovely to see that done.
Jack: Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: But I did love that Kellan Gordon goal and Kellan has been incredible sort of since he's come back I think player wise you know he's of the band that came back he's been the guy that's kind of really rolled up his sleeves I'm very disappointed he's got an injury currently so I can reveal that
Jack: Yes.
Bradley Flory: Whilst you disagree with everyone Jack, most people agree. Kellan got 93 % of the vote for player of the month, sorry for goal of the month and he got 60 % of the vote for player of the month. That was a bit tighter. So Scott Malone got 26 % of the vote for player of the month.
Jack: What?
Bradley Flory: Chapman and Jay Williams both getting six and a half percent of the vote each. I mean look Scott Lowe I think he's been incredible sort of since he came back as well. you know honourable mention for Shaw.
Jack: Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: But well done Kellen, done the double in the first Devil's Own ⁓ player and Goal of the Month vote. That'll be back at the end of April. Hopefully there'll be some players and some goals to get excited about. Well there's really been some goals to get excited about. I think at the moment Harry McCurdy would win Goal of the Month if we did it right now. It could be either of his two goals.
Jack: Hmm? Yep.
Bradley Flory: But yeah, so that's good. The other thing I just want let people know about, those of you that follow our Facebook page, Instagram, YouTube, you'll see Asa gets out and about talking to the fans before the games. A lot of people are asking where they can find those.
Jack: He
Bradley Flory: once they've been recorded. So they are on our YouTube channel, we post them in our Facebook group and on our Instagram. You'll find everything you need if you go to our website, it's thedevilzone.uk. There's links there to all the socials. Feel free to join the Facebook group, it's a place to have discussion, different views, you know, a bit of fun as well along the way. So you Yeah, or welcome. Please feel free to join us on the socials. Okay, let's get into Newport. So, Asa, I you travel to Newport. Jack and I...
Jack: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Bradley Flory: went for the television route and not the six hour coach journey to South Wales. So first of all, how was your journey? Because we did do it to Swansea and we didn't get back till 3am in the morning. So hopefully you had a better journey than us.
Jack: You
Asa Finch: Yeah, it was a bit. It was better than that. Yeah, no, I think it was a pretty good journey. Smooth journey. There wasn't wasn't much traffic. We set off at nine, got there about. What pass off past one with an hour of hours break services and then on way back, we set off about quarter past five and half past five round there ⁓ and got back at that quarter to nine. It was. We took four coaches, which was really impressive and shout out to GH coaches for setting that up and what was a really good day out for the fans, really well organised and obviously picked up the three points, two goals, a clean sheet and a good away end. So yeah, it was a really good day out.
Bradley Flory: Let's get going. I was going to say from our perspective, I echo your sentiments, know, first of all, well done to GH Travel for getting four coaches on, well done to the club and the players for helping to subsidise that. It looked incredible on the telly, right? The away end was great. and go to take a picture of it during the game and it created a different atmosphere watching it on the telly I don't know what it was like in the ground but it felt like that it was a bit more 50-50 than perhaps a traditional sort of away game. Jack, thoughts on the match itself?
Jack: I thought the first half we did a good job defending, keeping all their chances away from Garl making blocks and all that. The second half had a great start to that one. McCurdy at the double in a wingspan of two minutes was able to hold on to that win to keep a clean sheet. I thought it was a very well-hard-fought performance for an away day.
Asa Finch: No.
Bradley Flory: I agree, I think, you know, looking at it from where we were sat, it was very much more of the same as the kind of Gillianham game. I will just remind you, Acer, you predicted two-ones crawly, so you weren't far off that. I went one-nil crawly, so somewhere in the middle, we were both right. ⁓ But I think, ⁓ it was scrappy at times. It was a... ⁓
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Jack: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Asa Finch: Yeah, good.
Bradley Flory: you know, it played as a league two relegation battle. I don't think either side really controlled the game. And the first goal was kind of pivotal in that regard. The one thing, so obviously both McCurdy's goals went in, the NG were sat behind, which is always nice too. So you got to sort of celebrate with the fans, which was good.
Jack: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: They just look like pretty simple goals from home, know, and stuff we've maybe not done much of this season, just getting a ball in the box.
Asa Finch: Yeah, I think with that, I think the first goal, know, I think they were simple moves, but they were really effective in terms of the way they were executed. You know, I think it's a brilliant ball over the top by Charlie Barker initially, obviously Adiemo got on the end of that and played a good cross into the box where McCurdy was waiting to put it in. And I think
Jack: Mm-hmm, yeah.
Asa Finch: think if he missed it, think Toby Adeyemi would have put it away as well. So, you know, I think they were both well-worked goals. I second had, I think it was Lewis Richards, drove forward, laid it off, Harry Forster, and he sort of chipped to the back post. I think there's a, probably an element of bad defending from Newport, but we capitalized on that. And I think it was, was important that we got, we got that second goal, sort of put some distance between ourselves and Newport. And I thought we saw out the game quite well. I don't think they really had any chances after that except for that one on one, which Jacob Chapman made a really good shot, stayed with, I think he closed down the angle really well. But as you said, yeah, the first half, I don't think there was much quality from either side. I think, you know, we probably edged it in the second half. But yeah, I think it was I think it's professional after we scored those two goals and we saw it out. And, you know, it was important three points at the end of the day and that's what we went there and we got it and that's all we care about.
Bradley Flory: Absolutely, absolutely. we had that. Jack, I know watching it home with you, obviously we were a little concerned at one stage. mean, yes, we saw the best of Harry McCurdy scoring the goals. There was a very strong possibility McCurdy could have got sent off.
Jack: Mm-hmm. Hmm.
Bradley Flory: you know, we both felt it was one of those sort of 50-50 decisions that could go either way. Because not only was it a terrible challenge, but the kind of dissent and stuff that followed, we weren't overly enamoured with that. He does do that. We see it quite a lot where we sit in the East End. He does love to have a chat with a linesman. Let's call it a chat.
Jack: Yes. Mm-mm. Yeah. You
Bradley Flory: ⁓ I mean, I think, you know, if you're scoring the goals and you're doing the business, that's great. But ultimately, the position we're in at the moment, we need our best players on the pitch. We'll talk about that a bit more later after the Grimsby game. ⁓
Jack: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: How did it, I mean certainly on telly in in real time I did think you know the way our seasons gone with some decisions that could have gone against us. Did it feel that way in the ground at Aesir or did it did it just seem
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Jack: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: like a fairly standard challenge. I I've got to say, for context, in the first half, I felt their yellow card could have been a red card as well. I think their right back cleaned out Harry Forster, and that was a bit of a naughty challenge.
Asa Finch: Yeah. I think, you know, I didn't, be honest, from our position, it was sort of over the far side. So we didn't really get a great view of that McCurdy challenge. ⁓ I don't really have much to say on it to be fair. You know, he could, might as well have got a red for it. But, you know, I think as we said, they probably, I'm sure Christian Fuchs, I think I saw in his post-match, he said,
Bradley Flory: Fair enough.
Asa Finch: McCurdy should have. But you know, as we said with things this season, you know, they all even themselves out at end of the day. And, you know, I think it was quite a fiery contest. I thought at one stage there was going to be a red card for either side. I think there was five yellow cards in that first half. So yeah, I didn't really see it that well. So I can't really comment on it. But luckily he didn't get sent off.
Jack: Mm.
Bradley Flory: So that gave Colin 100 % win rate out of two games. Two 2-0 victories, two more clean sheets for Jacob Chapman. Jack, how much confidence do you have now with Chapman in goal versus maybe the Harvey Davies who was here at the start of the season?
Jack: Look, I want nothing really negative. I feel, mean, half of the people who came in, was like the start of the season, was like a very controversial choice when he made the clear errors because my number one issue with him in goal was he just kept hesitating when an attack came towards him in the box. He just hesitated. And that's what led to most of our concedings.
Bradley Flory: you feel more confident.
Jack: But now that we've brought in Jacob Chapman, I feel like he is more confident. He makes the right decisions when needed to. He doesn't make the hesitations needed. He just acts on instinct. And I think that's what I just put the season when we're staying up and you need that kind of keeper. Jacob Chapman is someone you would want for those instincts.
Asa Finch: Yeah, I think that I think adding on to that.
Bradley Flory: Go on, carry on later.
Asa Finch: No, yeah, I just think adding on to that, you know, I think obviously, you know, it's a team game and stuff and they all put their efforts in. But I think we do have to in a way single out Chapman as I don't think we'll be where we are without him. You know, I think he's pulled off some incredible saves to keep us in games or at least sort of damage limitation, if you like. And I think he plays really quickly.
Jack: Mm-hmm. Nice.
Bradley Flory: Well, I was just thinking seven clean sheets. since he came in. I'll do some working out for the next podcast how many points he's sort of potentially won us with those seven clean sheets because prior to him coming in, Harvey Davis had one clean sheet, Jojo had one clean sheet. So it's always gonna be difficult to pick up points if you're not keeping clean sheets at times. So I mean, look, we've obviously not won all of those games, but I would... off the top of my head I reckon probably at least 10 points he's won us by keeping clean sheets whether you know we've got a point out of a 0-0 or you know six points in the last two weeks against Gillingham and then against Newport with two shutouts so that's six points there so it might it might even be more but I echo what Jack says, I think he's more commanding, he comes out, you know, he doesn't always get it right, but he's a hell of a shot stopper as well. I mean, we'll talk about Grimsby in a bit, but you know, there was some good saves in that game. So I just, I think he's been a... Key signing as much as you know the guys we we brought in over the January transfer window 13 of them a lot of them familiar faces to us cruelly fans He was a bit of a kind of left field one not someone I was particularly familiar with I Personally was clambering for a Corey add I returned
Jack: Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: didn't quite come to fruition. But Chapman's been fantastic. And I know Huddersfield fans rating very highly.
Jack: Mmm. No.
Bradley Flory: and I think we should be very fortunate that we've got him in for the back end of this season. Just ⁓ a touch as well on the Newport game, obviously second half. Jay Williams came out in full battle mode, wearing I think every bit of bandage from the physio kit that we had available. It was a good look.
Jack: Mmm. Yeah. I'm gonna have a shortage now.
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: Wow, let's hope no one else needs a bandage. That's all I'm gonna say. Grimsby today. So we are recording this at eight o'clock on Easter Monday night and the three of us were at the Grimsby game today.
Jack: Yeah Hmm. Mmm.
Bradley Flory: First off, good attendance for a game that was on TV on Easter Monday. I think there was just over 4,000 there. So that was good. There was a real, I felt there was a real positive atmosphere around the ground today, certainly in the fan zone and around the bar. You know.
Jack: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: It was a shame we couldn't get the result. mean, look, I felt the Grimsby game would be very difficult. Obviously, you know, they are chasing the kind of playoffs. Acer predicted a 1-0 win to crawl in this one. I went 0-0, so we were both way off the pace there. ⁓
Jack: No.
Asa Finch: it up.
Bradley Flory: Let's go. Jack, what did you think of the first half?
Jack: I thought initially in the first 10 minutes, thought it was mainly us creating chances, making crucial shots like for example, Scott Malone taking a massive volley shot from yards away. It was very, it didn't hit the post or anything, but I thought for a minute it would be close to getting a shot on target. But then I felt after that, it then just kind of slowly digressed down to Grimsby's way a little bit and it was annoying to then just see goals from Grimsby and then it was just us being shut off doing pass after pass and making little mistakes that gave Grimsby those counter attacking options for those goals and shots.
Bradley Flory: Yeah. Asa, your thoughts on the first half?
Asa Finch: First half of four Quite a lively start. I think a lot of both teams sort of got shots away I think we Didn't use the ball as well as we could have when we had it Obviously, you know, we're coming up against a side ⁓ Who are chasing the playoffs I think you look at the previous two games we have We played teams who are sort of in and around where we are ⁓ and haven't been in great form. This is our first sort of real test. ⁓ And I think, you know, we've praised Adiemo a lot and I thought, you know, he's done really well in the previous two games. And obviously, we come up a test against a test. of us who were really good quality. I thought they got around the sides of us too easily at times. I thought they overlapped really well. ⁓ But yeah, I we lacked that quality in the first half. thought we didn't quite use the ball as well as we could have when we had it. We didn't really offer a lot going forward, but ⁓ yeah, think first half, yeah, wasn't great from us really.
Bradley Flory: No, and it's rare. It's rare you watch a game of football and everybody's kind of got the same opinion. I made some sort of notes in my mind while I was watching it. And I think, Jack, your point, the opening 10 minutes, it felt like a Colin Kazim Richard side, right? We were going forward. I don't mind Malone having a dig from 40 yards, right? And there was a couple of occasions, I'm trying to think who it was, think it might have been Taylor Richards cut inside and got a shot off and keepers spilled it. In that opening 10 minutes I thought their keeper looked a little suspect and I thought, right, let's just keep firing balls at him.
Jack: Mm-hmm. Yep.
Bradley Flory: But then Grimsby seemed to work the system out so Kabir was getting in behind Adiemo. Adiemo was maybe sitting a little too high whereas down the other side
Jack: ⁓ huh.
Bradley Flory: Richards and Forster were maybe too close together. It was a bit like having two left backs at times, but then we had no right back at all. So that was problematic. What did you make of the substitution in the first half? mean it's rare. A rarer manager goes and makes a change in the first half that's not injury induced. I'll go first. I thought Taylor Richards was affecting the game. it was a strange one to take him off because he was affecting the game. He maybe wasn't offering the protection to Adiemo at right back that Forster was offering on the other side. But then I, you know, it seemed strange to me to take Richards off, move McCurdy wide because McCurdy was causing problems up front and...
Jack: Mm-hmm. Hmm.
Bradley Flory: I don't think McCurdy was going to offer that much more protection. What did you make of it Aysa?
Asa Finch: think, you know, I mean, it's a strange one to see, you know, he can come off for the within that first half, you know, bearing in mind it didn't look like he had an injury. I thought, you know, if you we didn't offer loads going forward. But if you want someone on the pitch who can just pull out a moment of brilliance, then you want him on there because he has that in his in his repertoire.
Jack: Mm-hmm.
Asa Finch: So yeah, it was a strange one. I mean, was nice seeing Louis Watson back on the pitch again, because I do rate him a lot. But yeah, I mean, yeah, it was a weird one, but he's not afraid to use his whole bench. I think in all the matches, he's pretty much used everyone on the bench. yeah, bit of a weird one.
Bradley Flory: And then second half, we came out perhaps a little too fired up. You know, certainly there was two guys behind me that saw the Jay Williams sending off coming about three minutes before it happened. There was a bit of ⁓ a tackle and an incident in the kind of Grimsby half of the pitch.
Jack: Hmm. You
Bradley Flory: And you know, we've seen it a few times as Crawley fans. Jay then goes on a bit of a rampage and hunts down a player and ⁓ I haven't seen it back yet. I haven't watched it back yet, but literally as Fop Mob pops up on my phone with the official highlights of Crawley Grimsby, I've not seen it back yet. My understanding is he kicked the ball at the player. ⁓
Jack: Yep.
Asa Finch: Bye.
Jack: you
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: So I guess they're gonna count that as violent conduct, so I'm guessing that's now Jay missing for three games. It's really hard to be frustrated with someone that leaves it all on the pitch for the club when he does play. And you know, I'm a massive fan, but.
Asa Finch: Yep.
Jack: Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: We're in a real pickle at the moment and you need your captain on the pitch not somewhere else you know. ⁓ To frustrate him from my perspective Jack what's your thoughts?
Jack: Mm-hmm. I like you, didn't really see much of the challenge. I just thought it was a tackle that was just gonna give him a booking as Jay Williams usually does with his tackles. He usually does. And I've getting a book in, I didn't see the incident. So when I heard all the opposing fans screaming off and I saw a red card, I just questioned what had happened at the moment after not seeing it. So. It was a little bit weird just seeing a red card out of nowhere. I'd have to also watch the highlights back. But if we are in a situation like we are at this moment in time where staying up and the points we need to stay up are crucial, we can't have a crucial role for captain like Jay Williams getting sent off in a pivotal moment of this season where we have so many games left to stick up on this lead and just survive.
Bradley Flory: So Aysa have you seen it back?
Asa Finch: actually seen it back either. didn't really see it in real time either. what I've heard from Grimsey manager, the Grimsey manager said that Jay Williams had fired the ball at the Grimsey players face from about 10 yards out. ⁓ And he said if that was my player, I'd be very disappointed in them. So obviously, you know, It's going to be three games. That means he won't be back for the Salford match until the Salford match. He's a big player, quite instrumental in our team. But I'm sure he'll be vocal from the sidelines, I'm, because then Richard's alluded to in his post-match interview. But yeah, again, I didn't really see it, so I can't make too much of a comment on it. But obviously a big song.
Bradley Flory: No, that's fine. The only reason I asked is I wondered if as a club we might appeal it. But you know, we'll wait and see it get back. obviously what then transpired was a 2-0 defeat. mean, look, know, credit where credit's due. The first Grimsby finish I thought was a ⁓ good finish. was a well-worked goal and it was a great finish by Kabir.
Jack: Yep.
Bradley Flory: The second one I went to get a drink, some chips, so I didn't see it yet. Jack, you were there. Go on.
Jack: ⁓ was a, it was a, it was a well-worked goal. It was kind of in a crowded moment in the box where Chapman gets his hand on it and instead of having maintained, he just kind of hits it outside of the box where Roger's waiting, slaps it, goes straight into the top left corner. Done deal. That just sealed a first half kind of statement on us.
Asa Finch: Hmm.
Bradley Flory: Yeah. I mean, look, Chapman, Chapman had a great game, which is a strange thing to say when you lose a game 2-0. He made a couple of really good double saves. And without him, you know, it could have been very difficult.
Jack: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Yeah.
Bradley Flory: There were some hairy moments throughout the day. Like I say, was definitely a couple of guys sat behind me. I was getting a full SkySport Soccer rundown. You know, one moment Harrogate were out the relegation zone, then they were back in it and you know, it was all changing. I mean, the way the day panned out, you know, we're still 20th, we're on 37 points. We are still four clear off the relegation zone, but Barrett do have a game in hand. So in effect, we're three clear.
Jack: Heheh!
Bradley Flory: Newport. ⁓ I mean I still I still think we need another five or six points realistically I would say 42 43 is probably the number we need to get to and I think we can get them you know I definitely think we're in a good position I mean
Jack: Mm-hmm.
Asa Finch: the app.
Bradley Flory: I think I said last week when we recorded that it was Harrogate plus one and you know, Harrogate are now suddenly not looking quite so dead and buried. You know, I'd love to have a look and see if they did actually sack their manager because when they came to us they had a big banner that said in Gaffer we trust and in a half time they unfurled one that said sack him. So that was brilliant. So yeah, mean, look, this point in but.
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: We roll on. You know, I think Mr. Kazim Richards is adapting well. I saw him having his photo taken with some stewards and some fans and... I've noticed when he comes on the pitch to do his little clap, he still does his little hoppy, skippy thing that he would have done if he was coming on as a player before coming on the pitch. I kind of like all that. So I think he's really endearing himself to the fans. I think he's turned the tide a little bit. There's a lot more positivity around it. We touched on before, of, know, Scott.
Jack: You
Asa Finch: in my family. Yeah.
Jack: Yeah. Okay.
Bradley Flory: He's not universally loved by the Crawley fan base, you know, he will go down in folklore as the guy that did what he did, right? But we're now firmly in there. I mean, the only thing I was intrigued to see today was when we went one-nil down was how would we react to that? Because obviously we hadn't conceded a go under Colin yet. And...
Jack: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Bradley Flory: It did feel a bit like when it stopped going our way we didn't have the ideas necessarily. It felt at times we slipped back into old ways of playing which is kind of understandable and there were periods in the game where it felt like it did underscott. Do you think that's fair race or am I being too harsh?
Asa Finch: No, I think I do agree with you. think they sort of got that upper hand if you like, after after we went one nil down, sort of, you know, we haven't seen obviously, as you said, you know, it was the first guy we conceded under Colin and you know, it was it'd be interesting to see how we reacted to that. I do feel like we sort of caved in a little bit and we went sort of so defensive that it's sort of that a little bit and then we decided to get the upper hand. you know, I think again, it's just another learning curve. I thought we did show character in that second half. But obviously, again, a little bit too late for that. yeah, I thought, yeah, we did sort of capitulate a little bit, but then we came back out of shell again.
Bradley Flory: Yeah. Yeah, that was fair. think, like I say, we went a go down. We just didn't really seem to know how to react to that and maybe what they wanted us to do from a kind of coaching perspective. And then the flip side was, I think Jack, from 75 minutes on, we were probably the better side. With 10, chase in the game.
Jack: Yeah.
Asa Finch: Mmm.
Jack: Yeah, after we made the yeah, we've 10 chasing again. We made the crucial substitutions of Louis Copley, who is since he's coming online, I would say has shown his levels and shows his skills on a pitch inside and out. Another one I'm quite happy with is Johnny Russell. Yeah, it's like Johnny Russell as well. He makes
Bradley Flory: It's little flashes of quality isn't it?
Jack: those runs, he makes powerful rugby type throw ins from a mile away. ⁓ I just think this is a good squad.
Bradley Flory: He runs like a rugby player as well. Yeah, that's good.
Jack: Yeah, I know. It's a it's a squat that is like it can get there, but it's just it's realistically not a math and it's a race and it is a good race because what we get out of these players week in week out are the skills and the signs of them being brilliant players working in a team. It's just the minute we can see it's then like how are we going to react? How are these players going to react and It shows sometimes it's a bit like 50-50 where they'll have a shut off or some of them are like, come on, let's go forward. Let's go do this.
Asa Finch: Yeah, I think that's that's an interesting point really, because, you know, it is all right having that that technical ability. But it's also very much, you know, it is about what's your mentality like, because you're going to go down games and it isn't going to go your way. And, you know, I mean, you've got to have addressing I think I remember Scott saying a lot of it that we haven't got enough leaders in the team. And
Bradley Flory: Okay.
Asa Finch: know, maybe that is the case. But I think we, as I said, we sort of did cave in a little bit, but then we came back out of our shells in that when we came when we went down to 10 men. But yeah, I mean, let's just see, we still got four games left. And, you know, we're going to hit some more, some more rocky bit, a bit patches. So let's see, let's see what happens.
Jack: Hmm. Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: Yeah, yeah. Yeah I mean I want to focus on the positive but I think we have to be realist too right? We have to talk about the whole thing and the only other, not negative point, I thought Toby Adiema had a difficult afternoon today. think he just struggled to hold the ball up. and bring others in to play which has been his real strength I think since coming in. I mean look, you know, we're obviously short on options up front now, Orsi's out, but you know, and I've still got great faith in him. ⁓ We just didn't see the same player today that we saw against Gillingham and we saw against Newport. I can't recall him flicking the ball on once for kind of McCurdy to run in behind. ⁓
Jack: No. Well, it's kind of like what you said earlier, where you were talking about how Grimsby figured out what we did on the pitch and they must have known like what they've seen with Toby and the MO, what to do to shut him down.
Asa Finch: Hmm.
Bradley Flory: Yeah, quite possibly. Right, let's move on and focus on the next game. So we are away at Bristol Rovers next Saturday, 12.30 game. I believe it's on TV. Me and Jack are not making the trip to Bristol, so we will be armchair fans on that one.
Jack: ⁓ no.
Bradley Flory: Acer I know you're going because I was with you when you got your ticket earlier on I'm just trying to find the first game to see how we did against Bristol Rovers because as good as my memory we beat Bristol Rovers 4-0 at the Brawlfield in October Yes we did what what game
Asa Finch: and
Jack: I believe we've beaten four now.
Asa Finch: Yeah, we were 4-0, yeah. It's when they went back in November, I believe. Yeah.
Jack: Hahaha
Bradley Flory: It was October, just in October, Scott Malone, player of the match, ⁓ an own goal in the 45 plus 9 minutes and then we came out in the second half, Harry Forster, ⁓ I vaguely remember that, off the edge of the box I think, and then Scott Malone and Louis Flower.
Asa Finch: Yeah, I'll tell you that.
Jack: What? Yeah, don't forget as well. It was the game where their left back got sent off immediately and that's when we got into the game. And I also remember that game painfully because that was the match I witnessed Ryan Loft miss a penalty.
Bradley Flory: That's That's right.
Asa Finch: ⁓ god.
Bradley Flory: ⁓ okay.
Jack: Got saved, tried to do a little tap in, then he got saved.
Bradley Flory: Okay, so let's have a look at the team that started that day because I'm guessing it's going to look pretty different this time around. So our starting 11 was Wallachotting Girl, Barker Conroy Flint,
Jack: Yeah. What a cock was in girl. Hmm... No!
Bradley Flory: and then in the midfield we had Kyle Scott, Badrami, Anderson and Malone. It looks on paper like Kyle Scott was the right wing back and Scott Malone was the left wing back. ⁓ And then we had Watson and Hollahan behind Loft. ⁓ And then it looks like we brought on Harry Foster, Louis Flower, Reece Brown,
Jack: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: who seems to have disappeared off the of the earth. ⁓ Caby Sheminger, who's obviously now banging them in for Barnett. And Kahim Dixon, you know, unfortunately didn't set the world alight for us. So it's gonna look incredibly different because you would imagine of that team, maybe Barker, Malone, Anderson, Stark.
Jack: Yeah, no, yeah.
Bradley Flory: potentially Watson. So there's going to be three or four
Jack: I do want to have a. Yeah, I in my opinion, if for that game, Max Anderson has just recently come up from injury. He played against Newport. He played today. It did show signs when he played today of him still recovering from that injury after being back on the pitch because it was quite not the Max Anderson who banged girls were fun against Harrogate at the start of the year. It was a.
Bradley Flory: Wow.
Jack: Different episode. know Anderson can rebuild himself, but in a game where maybe potentially you want to show other potential rotations in the squad, I would personally start Louis Watson just to see what he could do with more than minutes before you bring on someone experienced like Max Anderson.
Asa Finch: Bye.
Bradley Flory: So Bristol Rovers are 15th in the league. are so they're five places above us but 15 points above us
Asa Finch: Yeah and five straight wins I believe, is it five straight wins? Yeah I think.
Jack: Nah. It is, yeah.
Bradley Flory: Let's have a look. It is after losing to Bromley they beat Shrewsbury 1-0, Gillingham 2-1 Excuse me, Atquinton 2-0 Fleetwood 1-0 and then they came back to beat Harrogate today didn't they? Because they were 2-0 down to Harrogate at one stage.
Jack: well maybe who knows maybe there's a who knows maybe there's a bristol robes fan that united guy and he's being able to cut his hair today
Bradley Flory: I don't know, yeah maybe. What are you expecting Asa? What are you expecting?
Jack: Got their five wins in a row.
Asa Finch: Look, think, you know, obviously, F-Bomb has been really good of late. I think it's going be a tough ⁓ match, as they all are. They've had a big transformation under Steve Evans. I think it's taken a while to get going, but they've really taken off recently and they look a good side. ⁓ it's gonna I mean I don't really know what to expect really yeah
Bradley Flory: Hmm the added dynamic of Steve Evans Yeah I mean it's a tough game isn't it?
Asa Finch: I think, good for them. Yeah, I mean my school prediction is going to be one-all. ⁓ Better jot that down Bradley. ⁓
Bradley Flory: Go. I've done it. It's in ready in case that it's committed as far as it goes. Jack, what's your prediction on it?
Jack: Yes. Look, well, first of all, take nothing off Bristol Rovers since the manager of change has happened. They've gone under, like I said, a complete transformation. They have started coming off from quite literally their ashes and have reborn themselves into these girls scoring winning machines. And as our current stats, they have won six, we have won six, and we've drawn four. So whatever happens here, we'll go to the tally. I do think it will be a tough game, obviously, after today, they just have to make sure if we concede first, if we do, just to keep the mentality on and just push for goals. I think it'll be quite a close game. I'm going to go for a 2-1 win to Crawley, bear at the edge of the game to score the winner.
Asa Finch: Mm.
Bradley Flory: Okay, so prediction. Okay, ⁓ I'd forgotten about the Steve Evans element. I forgot he'd gone in there. It's not the Steve Evans that was at Crudet. He was, he was the manager that got us into the football league for the first time, for those of you that are too young to remember that far back with backing from Bruce Winfield. The Matt Tubbs era.
Asa Finch: hope so.
Jack: Hmm, I believe he's full Macaulay's next recording manager You He has gone to many good teams here.
Bradley Flory: He's been around the block Steve Evans ⁓
Jack: Yeah, his last job before Preston Rovers was at Rovere when we played in League 1. I'm guessing he might have got sacked if we'd beaten them.
Bradley Flory: Yeah. He might got sacked after we beat them I'm gonna go I'm gonna go nil-nil. I think we We got to just try and keep it tight Rely on rely on the Chapman to do his thing You know, I look get a point out of this hopefully beat Shrewsbury pick up another point along the way
Jack: Let's have a look. Take it safe. the Chapman.
Bradley Flory: that's the kind of five that we need. Anything above that hopefully we can grab too. So, gone.
Jack: So.
Bradley Flory: What you got, Jack?
Jack: Looking at the stats he was actually he was actually sacked after we beat him for now away from home Where kamari Doyle scored twice Gavin Hollahan scored and Kamara because in straight after they got their new manager and immediately won a game against Northampton so Is this is revenge time?
Bradley Flory: So I like to chuck in a bit of a fun one that no one sees coming at the end of these pods. I am gonna reuse the fun one that we had today.
Jack: Alright. Mm-hmm.
Bradley Flory: ⁓ on our fan interviews because I think it's quite a good one. It's a bit tongue-in-cheek and I think Harry McCurdy would take it in the way it's intended as a bit of fun. So Asa, you've asked this several times today. Do you think Harry McCurdy should pull his socks up and tuck his shirt in?
Asa Finch: Well, I think we had a sort of general consensus really was, you know, he's sort of that, you know, he's quite a unique player in terms of the way he goes about things. You know, that's sort of his style. You know, lot people, you know, if that's what he feels comfortable playing in and playing like that, you know, by all means, if he's gonna play like that and score goals, then, you know,
Jack: Hmm
Asa Finch: no complaints. But I think, you know, maybe he does need to tone it down a little bit, you know, in terms of he's definitely one to keep piping off in the referee's ear or the linesman's ear. And I think I'm pretty sure someone said, he got told to sort of keep it down by one of one of the coaching staff at Newport away. ⁓ So, but yeah, I think, you know, If he's going to keep scoring, then I don't care.
Bradley Flory: Okay. Jack, what's your thoughts on Harry McCurdy? Should he pull his socks up and tuck his shirt in? Which is something as a parent I say to you a lot.
Jack: look now I now Harry McCurdy with an untucked it kind of feels like a video game character or like some sort of superpower like your final form or something Harry McCurdy with an untucked shirt has become our top goalscorer of 8 goals I know it doesn't seem like a lot but he's like a superpower he just brings them in with an untucked shirt so He just keeps that shirt on top and just scores more goals that do a world of favour for Harry McKinley. And I always love seeing him with an on top shirt.
Asa Finch: But when he scores one, he only scores two. That's what, when he scored that first one, I was like, I know he's gonna get another one. Not that I thought he gonna get it in two minutes, but I knew he was gonna get another one.
Bradley Flory: Fair enough. Yeah.
Jack: Yeah Exactly. He's got a super power I told you!
Bradley Flory: Yeah, mean, look, my view on it is this. I found it amusing from the start of the season. And like I I can say this, I'm sure he would take it as it's intended as a bit of fun. He looks like he's just walked in off the street, right? And I kind of love the fact that he sort of...
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Bradley Flory: epitomises what Crawley and how Crawley seemed by the outside world. I feel like he is the kind of poster child. Listen, I'm in agreement if it works for you don't change right and keep doing what you're doing and score the goals that keep us up. To be honest it's no one's business whether he tucks his shirt in or pulls his socks up but I just thought it was a fun a fun piece of fun piece to take out and about today and hopefully make some people smile and like I say I think Harry would take it the right way. That yeah absolutely a bit of a smile so thanks guys for joining me Josh safe travels to Bristol Rovers and we shall
Jack: Yeah.
Asa Finch: Yeah.
Jack: So it's always good to end a positive night.
Asa Finch: Yeah, exactly. Okay.
Bradley Flory: Hopefully discuss again after that another three points. Good luck to the boys as well as we go up against Bristol Rovers. Thanks for joining me guys and enjoy the rest of your evening.
Jack: You're late.
Asa Finch: very much. Take care.
Jack: Thank you. Take care.
