Gateshead (Hive) The Match Thread Hunting Glory

[Bee_Forever]

So Saturday sees the bees return to the training ground, we hope for the last time this season, for the final regular Bananarama league fixture.

With tensions running high on the terraces this promises to be an enthralling encounter for the many fans who will be visiting the Hive for the first time, hoping to see Barnet lift the trophy for the third time in 25 years. For the rest of us, it promises to be 90 minutes of ecstasy and agony as we live every kick and tackle and hope against hope that we will manage somehow to finish the game with the three points needed to secure league football.

I will be sitting in my customary seat in the now sold out West Stand watching the action from behind my hands, and hopefully the club will cope with the increase in demand so that we do not have the chaotic scenes which reigned for Torquay at Home.

In terms of the team lineup, while it may seem harsh to drop Gash and Clifford after their recent good performances, I think this is a game where we need to find our creative spark, and keep the ball on our excellent Hive Pitch. With this in mind I am suggesting the following:-

-------------------------------Stack-------------------------------

--Yiadom--------N’Gala-------Stephens-----Johnson-----

--Vilhete------Weston--------Togwell------LUISMA-----

----------------Akinde--------MacDonald--------------------

Subs: Gash, Clifford, Saville, Gambin, Marsh-Brown

I know the last selection may raise some eyebrows, but if we are entering the final 5 minutes, needing someone who can provide the x-factor to get us over the line, I would rather see KM-me on the bench than either Cowler or Muggleton.

5 days, 6 hours to go.

[John_c]

KM-me

[jerroll]

Cook has more chance of being on the bench than him .

[Mem Beespod]

Cook has more chance of being on the bench than him .

What has happened to Cook? He's been out of form but still expected him on the bench.

[jerroll]

Dropped for the last 2 games, was particularly poor both at Alfreton & Dartford but maybe almost 3 weeks off may give him enough energy for a final effort.

[Edd1]

Simply no way you can go into a winner takes all match like this and not have a reserve keeper on the bench. Can you imagine if Stack picked up an injury 5 mins in (remember the torquay game?) and we ended up with Saville in goal. Doesn't bear thinking about.

[jerroll]

Simply no way you can go into a winner takes all match like this and not have a reserve keeper on the bench. Can you imagine if Stack picked up an injury 5 mins in (remember the torquay game?) and we ended up with Saville in goal. Doesn't bear thinking about.

Good point, I would certainly have a keeper on the bench.

[ninestein]

Yes, I noticed we names Cowler on Saturday. In hindsight that was nearly a justified decision.
But we must name a reserve keeper for this one.

[GRH]

Exactly right about the sub keeper. You can gamble during the season when it might even itself out over time, but in a one-off match, you have to have a specialist for that position on the bench.

Cook has more chance of being on the bench than him .

I've got more chance of being on the bench than KMB.

[becbee]

I really want Cowler on the bench. I thought it risky that we've gone all/ most of the season without a sub keeper. We've been lucky. I was pleased that Cowler was on the bench at Kiddy, even before Stack's potential red card incident.

I know we've not needed a sub keeper all season but there's always a first time. There could have been on Saturday.

Remember the Torquay relegation decider when Lee Harrison was carried off after 20 minutes? At least we did have a sub keeper that day, please let us have one on Saturday also.

As for KMB, if we do make it, why on earth should he be there sharing in the lime light? Absolutely no way should, or will he be on the bench.

[Jimbokav1971]

I think it stands to reason that Cowler will be on the bench because he was on the bench at the weekend.

I think the match squad will be the same as Kiddie, but I think that Luisma or Gambin should play on the left. My personal preference is for both to play, (Gambin wide left and Luisma on the right), but I think MA will keep Mauro in and add Luisma.

Either way, both players improved the starting line-up at the weekend.

[ninestein]

We need to be flying out of the traps like we did against Halifax, which was absolutely brilliant.
If we can get that early goal the players will hopefully settle down a bit and express themselves with the ball.

[Mem Beespod]

Mauro offers a lot of things like energy, defensive awareness and the occasional goal but we're not playing a game away where a draw would be a good result. We HAVE to win. Luisma is our 2nd top goal scorer and a match winner. He has to start

[Jimbokav1971]

---------------Stack.---------------

Yids. ----Stephens. Bondz. ----EJ.

Luisma. Weston. Togwell. Gambin.

----------Gash. Akinde.----------

Bench: Cowler, Saville, Clifford, Mauro, MacD.

This is what I would go for.

We need to attack them from the off and properly dominate and I think Luisma and Gambin are our most creative players. Gash and Akinde will fill their boots after Saturday.

I wouldn't usually put a GK on the bench but I think it's a no-brainer in these sorts of games.

Muggles probably unlucky not to make squad. Cook, not so much.

Really hope that Yids hasn't picked up a knock.

[Dreamy]

In my head, I see us going into HT 1-0 down, equalising around the 65 minute mark and getting a glorious winner in the final 10 minutes. Please.