Cobblers scorefred sponsored by 'Three steps to Heaven'.

[part time pete]

League rules state that of the 16 outfield players on last week’s team sheet, then 10 have to appear on this week’s team sheet.

[Martin Shaw]

A 17 year old, who looked about 12, in goal, whose attempts to save the goals was feeble. When they had a decent experienced keeper on the bench. One of the other 17 year olds who played was released on Monday. So what was the point of that other than putting out as weak a side as possible?

It was the same keeper they used the week before when they drew 1-1 with Hartlepool. This was hardly a weakened team used exclusively just for the last game of the season. Northampton only have themselves to blame for not pushing on to improve their score when they heard the goals were raining in at The Memorial Ground.

I don't agree. The Hartlepool game was of no meaning to both sides. The Bristol Rovers game was. They should have maintained the integrity of the league by playing a reasonable side against Bristol Rovers. They didn't.

[MTFCMusings]

I don’t think we’re in a position to talk about the integrity of the league after the last ten minutes on Saturday.

I don’t think Scunthorpe did anything wrong, and the rules say they didn’t either. Their only priority should be to do what’s best for them for the future.

[STAGS FOR LIFE]

David Sharpe & The play-offs - Shout Shout (Knock Northampton Out)

Shout shout, knock Northampton out,
Come on yellows yellows , loud and swell
Come on scream scream, you know what I mean,
Put another coin in the Stags machine.

[Stag95]

If I could have picked any team to play it would have been them. If we play like we did last time against them where their keeper had the game of his life we’ll have the tie won Saturday night.

[Tawnystag]

A 17 year old, who looked about 12, in goal, whose attempts to save the goals was feeble. When they had a decent experienced keeper on the bench. One of the other 17 year olds who played was released on Monday. So what was the point of that other than putting out as weak a side as possible?

It was the same keeper they used the week before when they drew 1-1 with Hartlepool. This was hardly a weakened team used exclusively just for the last game of the season. Northampton only have themselves to blame for not pushing on to improve their score when they heard the goals were raining in at The Memorial Ground.

I don't agree. The Hartlepool game was of no meaning to both sides. The Bristol Rovers game was. They should have maintained the integrity of the league by playing a reasonable side against Bristol Rovers. They didn't.

You could argue that a draw with Hartlepool was a good result and enough justification to play the majority of the same team again to try and get a result against Bristol. Meanwhile Mansfield and FGR teams agree to knock the ball around the back line for 10 minutes in order to preserve their respective finishing positions in the league. Much more questionable in my view.

[Martin Shaw]

Mansfield and FGR teams agree to knock the ball around the back line for 10 minutes in order to preserve their respective finishing positions in the league. Much more questionable in my view.

ok we'll disagree.

It was less than 3 minutes, not 10 minutes though.

[Sedgwick]

I don’t think we’re in a position to talk about the integrity of the league after the last ten minutes on Saturday.

I don’t think Scunthorpe did anything wrong, and the rules say they didn’t either. Their only priority should be to do what’s best for them for the future.

Watch it back, it was barely 5 minutes not 10.... anything to try and make a point

[MTFCMusings]

I don’t think we’re in a position to talk about the integrity of the league after the last ten minutes on Saturday.

I don’t think Scunthorpe did anything wrong, and the rules say they didn’t either. Their only priority should be to do what’s best for them for the future.

Watch it back, it was barely 5 minutes not 10.... anything to try and make a point

I had watched it back. The intent goes out of the game from the 86th minute. Both teams just exchanging throw-ins, lumping the ball with one touch as far away from each goal as possible. The keeping the ball at the back was just in stoppage time, but the drop in intent was well before that

[Tawnystag]

I don’t think we’re in a position to talk about the integrity of the league after the last ten minutes on Saturday.

I don’t think Scunthorpe did anything wrong, and the rules say they didn’t either. Their only priority should be to do what’s best for them for the future.

Watch it back, it was barely 5 minutes not 10.... anything to try and make a point

I had watched it back. The intent goes out of the game from the 86th minute. Both teams just exchanging throw-ins, lumping the ball with one touch as far away from each goal as possible. The keeping the ball at the back was just in stoppage time, but the drop in intent was well before that

Correct. We sit 3 rows behind the dug-out and there was an exchange between the teams around then, followed by a visible standing off.

[Sedgwick]

I don’t think we’re in a position to talk about the integrity of the league after the last ten minutes on Saturday.

I don’t think Scunthorpe did anything wrong, and the rules say they didn’t either. Their only priority should be to do what’s best for them for the future.

Watch it back, it was barely 5 minutes not 10.... anything to try and make a point

I had watched it back. The intent goes out of the game from the 86th minute. Both teams just exchanging throw-ins, lumping the ball with one touch as far away from each goal as possible. The keeping the ball at the back was just in stoppage time, but the drop in intent was well before that

But it was only just over 3 minutes they actually stood off and didn't play, which is where the "issue" is, nothing wrong with anything before that at all.

The "drop in intent" is just your opinion.. they were still playing the game fairly.

[stag861]

It would have been interesting if Exeter had scored during this truce

[MTFCMusings]

You’re welcome to your opinion but the lumping the ball out for a throw in with every touch and keeping the ball under no pressure at the back are just different ways to achieve the same goal.

[Sedgwick]

Every touch was it, straight out? They were still still playing. Hence why you could only really have an issue with the last three minutes and suggesting it was over 10 is wrong.

Think both clubs did the right thing and was quite sporting to each other, do what's best for you within the laws of the game.

[MTFCMusings]

Every touch was it, straight out? They were still still playing. Hence why you could only really have an issue with the last three minutes and suggesting it was over 10 is wrong.

Think both clubs did the right thing and was quite sporting to each other, do what's best for you within the laws of the game.

Yes it was, from the 86th minute. Aimless balls and lots of throw-ins. Watch it back.

I don’t really have an issue with it, but I might do it I was a Sutton fan. Just thought it was worth pointing out when some were questioning the integrity of other sides.

[Rob]

Rhys Day just been on H&J talking about the 04 play-offs with Northampton.

[adamstag]

Every touch was it, straight out? They were still still playing. Hence why you could only really have an issue with the last three minutes and suggesting it was over 10 is wrong.

Think both clubs did the right thing and was quite sporting to each other, do what's best for you within the laws of the game.

Yes it was, from the 86th minute. Aimless balls and lots of throw-ins. Watch it back.

I don’t really have an issue with it, but I might do it I was a Sutton fan. Just thought it was worth pointing out when some were questioning the integrity of other sides.

It was obvious both sides/clubs/managers whoever had a word with about 5 mins to go and basically it was a kick about, neither side did anything we just gently passed it about.

the point about sutton though, i suppose is just bad luck, we both earned the right to do what we did, and it would be impossible to prove even if it were investigated (which it won’t be)

[Gasbug+]

Good luck in the play-offs stags.You we’re by far the best of the other 3 contenders against us and I hope you will triumph and join us in league 1 next season.Please put Northampton out of their misery,they are just a team of anti football spoilers,yes they are good at it but Christ I’m so glad I don’t have to watch that raspberry every week.Swindon in the final for you I think and then kick their arses as well.All the very best of luck to you.

[Marky Mark]

Every touch was it, straight out? They were still still playing. Hence why you could only really have an issue with the last three minutes and suggesting it was over 10 is wrong.

Think both clubs did the right thing and was quite sporting to each other, do what's best for you within the laws of the game.

Yes it was, from the 86th minute. Aimless balls and lots of throw-ins. Watch it back.

I don’t really have an issue with it, but I might do it I was a Sutton fan. Just thought it was worth pointing out when some were questioning the integrity of other sides.

It happened a couple of minutes before the board went up. I was right behind the dug out so saw it from the very first moment that Clough approached Edwards, to Edwards then calling his captain over to tell him. I did think that there might not actually be an injury time. The problem seemed to be that no-one told the Stags players to calm down so the back 4 were all shaping to go forwards until they clicked what was happening, which was after the board went up - so the conversation happened around 88/89 minutes, then the board went up for 4 minutes then the back 4 clicked what was happening. At no point before this did it feel like the team took it upon themselves to slow it down or put the ball out of play, if anything it was the opposite as I was very very surprised at our naivety and lack of game nous in the last 10 minutes. Free kicks were being taken quickly, Bishop was restarting play quicker than he needed to, Clough came haring out of the dug out a few times to rollock someone for humping the ball forward when we could have kept it (I think one time was Maris), Bishop actually got a rollocking for the opposite by playing out from the back quickly and not keeping the ball for a while then belting the ball forward - Clough went straight to him after the whistle to tell him - only Quinn bought a foul in that time to slow the game down.

[yorkshire stag]

2-1 Stags tight game with a 1-1 at their place, the flippin stress this lot put you through it’s bonkers

[MOTG]

Good morning to all you Stags fans. Well a little over 12 hrs and our 1st leg will begin. What are your build up plans prior to the match ? Are you nervous? It’s exciting I know for sure! I have a sneaky feeling Akins will score today and be a hero…. COYS

[Tawnystag]

Every touch was it, straight out? They were still still playing. Hence why you could only really have an issue with the last three minutes and suggesting it was over 10 is wrong.

Think both clubs did the right thing and was quite sporting to each other, do what's best for you within the laws of the game.

Yes it was, from the 86th minute. Aimless balls and lots of throw-ins. Watch it back.

I don’t really have an issue with it, but I might do it I was a Sutton fan. Just thought it was worth pointing out when some were questioning the integrity of other sides.

It happened a couple of minutes before the board went up. I was right behind the dug out so saw it from the very first moment that Clough approached Edwards, to Edwards then calling his captain over to tell him. I did think that there might not actually be an injury time. The problem seemed to be that no-one told the Stags players to calm down so the back 4 were all shaping to go forwards until they clicked what was happening, which was after the board went up - so the conversation happened around 88/89 minutes, then the board went up for 4 minutes then the back 4 clicked what was happening. At no point before this did it feel like the team took it upon themselves to slow it down or put the ball out of play, if anything it was the opposite as I was very very surprised at our naivety and lack of game nous in the last 10 minutes. Free kicks were being taken quickly, Bishop was restarting play quicker than he needed to, Clough came haring out of the dug out a few times to rollock someone for humping the ball forward when we could have kept it (I think one time was Maris), Bishop actually got a rollocking for the opposite by playing out from the back quickly and not keeping the ball for a while then belting the ball forward - Clough went straight to him after the whistle to tell him - only Quinn bought a foul in that time to slow the game down.

This is precisely what happened. My original point is that we can hardly cast aspersions towards Scunthorpe (who on the day, simply played the same team who managed to get a result the week before at Hartlepool), whilst at the same time, ours and FGR management are overseeing an arrangement where they have agreed not to score against each other in the latter parts of the game.

Northampton had ample time to push on and secure their spot, but by all accounts decided to sit back after they had scored 3.

[yorkshire stag]

Good morning to all you Stags fans. Well a little over 12 hrs and our 1st leg will begin. What are your build up plans prior to the match ? Are you nervous? It’s exciting I know for sure! I have a sneaky feeling Akins will score today and be a hero…. COYS

my strategy is to cut lawns, a bike ride, steady drive down this afternoon then early into spoons to discuss tactics with Spiro, old Stag & young Yorkie, i absolutely hate the play off’s, way to much stress

[diablo]

Good morning to all you Stags fans. Well a little over 12 hrs and our 1st leg will begin. What are your build up plans prior to the match ? Are you nervous? It’s exciting I know for sure! I have a sneaky feeling Akins will score today and be a hero…. COYS

lol...you wish

[MTFCMusings]

I think the biggest cheer tonight could be Oli Hawkins picking up a yellow card given the price huge price the bookies have him at