Rage Online

How will we do on Saturday?

I've gone for a 2-1 win.

Are there really only 9 people using this forum these days?

YF Dan wrote:Are there really only 9 people using this forum these days?

No

10 nil to Oxford.

Seriously tho, Dunks is 61/1 for the first goal... just saying.

recordmeister wrote:10 nil to Oxford.

Seriously tho, Dunks is 61/1 for the first goal... just saying.

Cheers Joel - just stuck a tenner on at 71/1. Wes Thomas meanwhile is 10/1 for the first goal - less than generous!

An interesting one this game, Boro have apparently only scored a few goals since December, whereas we are on a pretty good run (Southend excepted). So will they have one eye on their league position, and perhaps think that the FA Cup could be a bit of a distraction?

Anyway, they are looking forward to the return of the £200million goalkeeper!
http://www.gazettelive.co.uk/sport/foot ... r-12609277

I've just had a few quid on a half-time draw and a Yellow win. No idea what drew me to it, but 16-1 seemed generous, considering we have a solid defence and tend to play better in the second half.

Well, hard not to be happy with that in the end. Going out in the fifth round, away to Premiership opposition, giving a good account of ourselves. It was Lincoln's day anyway!

Chris Maguire second half was immense - an incredible showing.

His free kick was a beauty.

The first half was very frustrating and a bit worrying. We seemed to be overawed and could scarcely hit a pass. Our retention of possession was very poor. And in the first half we were outnumbered in midfield. Why oh why did Martinez not square the ball for Hemmings in the 2nd minute. As for the non-goal, from my angle I thought there was contact. But it became clear as the game wore on that PL players go down under the slightest contact, and PL referees see that as a foul. In the second half, Boro switched off and we finally woke up. Two goals in two minutes was amazing, but it could have been three in three. Ah - what ifs. A big payday from a replay would have been great for the club, but we still have a chance for another of those in the Checkatrade. And our fixture pile-up is bad enough as it is. So disappointing to lose in the way we did, but heads held high.

Wow when that second goal went in was why I go to watch Oxford - what a high.

Absolutely gutted at the end though simply because we fully deserved a reply and the financial reward that came with it. I thought Boro were a good side in the first half, closed us down quickly kept the ball well and looked dangerous going forward. We didn't help by being well off the pace, we gave the ball away a lot, aimless balls forward and gave away two very poor goals. However, second half we more than matched them and looked like we belonged there. Maguire and Hall go into the game and looked dangerous everytime they got the ball and we started bossing midfield. We had them on the rack and it looked like there would be only be one winner so very frustrating that another hopeful cross in resulted in a goal.

The ref I thought was dreadful. Every 50/50 went there way, Dunks was manhandled from every corner and he simply had a word with the defender when the ball next went out. He also looked quite upset when Mags was celebrating his free kick and was joking and laughing with their players throughout. AS for the goal that was disallowed - the defender made a hash of it Hemmings simply stopped himself running into him as he was doing so.

Turnout and following was fantastic from the fans (and their fans gave a good account of themselves - far better than other fans at a similar level) rather than a load of day trippers for the big game 90% of the fans sang stood and were loud and proud. Also very friendly home fans to and from the ground - hope they stay up.

Hopefully we won't see a hangover on Tue - this team should be knocking on the play off doors.

Well I bloody missed it, and spent Saturday driving my poorly son back from Oxford to Cornwall instead of travelling on to Boro with him. £100 wasted on unused match and train tickets. Gutted.

Anyway, listening to RadOx I got the impression we'd been robbed by a cheating ref, but watching the highlights I just don't see it. For our disallowed goal it looks like the defender is lining up to clear Maguire's cross until Hemmings pushes him off balance at the perfect moment and he stumbles just as the ball passes him, which also catches the keeper off guard. A nice try by Hemmings but correctly penalised. Whereas for their winner I don't see much of a foul at all. And the penalty is as blatant as you'll see.

Still, a great effort from the players and fans, and I'm glad those of you that went had a good time (bastards)

Appleton felt that Nelson was "pinned" by Negredo for the late winner
and if referee Marriner had spotted the nudge by Hemmings on Bernardo,
he could have seen Negredo's hand on Nelson's shorts, as he backed in
for the attempted scissors kick.

Did anyone else spot the referee and the Boro captain exchange a hug at the end of the game instead of a handshake?

Hardly professional......