Injury-hit Stoke Lose At Home

Have to say I've not seen any side at this level with so much pace in every position, they were at least a yard quicker than us all over the field.

Looked like some nasty injuries tonight, god knows what team we will be able to field on Saturday, midfield and defence now threadbare

I`ve never seen a game in which there were four straight injuries. Hard to be too critical given those. As far as I could see, only Cal`s stemmed from a foul. The other three were "football clashes", no fault to the Hayes guys, they played the game in the right way, and won deservedly. Would love some of that pace transported to BTFC.

We have to remind ourselves that we were being outplayed and sliced open even back at 11 v 11, and apart from the injuries that is what will concern Dan. Not for the first time this season, we have come up against more pace all over, better midfield control and creativity, and shipped goals for "fun". Clear enough now that a consolidating midfield finish is the most realistic hope we`ve got. And I echo the question, Hamilton Bunga - man or ghost?

Just been counting, reached an injury count of nine (assume Le Paih unavailable, but if injured, make that ten). Dan would never use that as an excuse but he would have some justification!  Sounds like maybe 11/12 fit for Saturday. I`ve wondered before about our general fitness levels in fading in matches, now I`m wondering about our general conditioning. Is it simply atrocious luck?

The other stat, mentioned elsewhere, is our terrible run on midweek nights. P5 L5, For 3, Against 16. Nothing magical about playing under lights, then. I`ve excluded Totton, Monday afternoon. Fortunately, only postponements will mean more midweek games, or a Trophy replay??

Time to dig in, work together, battle for points and try to recover some of that early season momentum now punctured.

Yes, as for Trophy ties, Remember Our Home draw vs.Torquay at the Camrose, went to pens! NO Replay!