| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend 17:42 - Dec 14 with 1296 views | durham_exile |
JMc takes his automatic promotion candidates north to Carlisle tomorrow (Saturday) for a tough but intriguing encounter with the Cumbrians, managed by John Sheridan.
I have been to Brunton Park almost too many times to remember. Although it is a 630-mile round trip for the U’s faithful, at 55 miles each way it is one of my shortest journeys.
The weather is a potential problem this weekend. Carlisle’s weather forecast is cloudy on Friday evening with a low of 1 degree Celsius, but on Saturday morning from 8.30am Light Snow is forecast and then from 1pm SNOW and 2 degrees Celsius turning to rain at kick off and then rain showers from 6pm. A milder 8 degrees in the evening as a thaw sets in. A potential four seasons in one day for Saturday 15th December.
Now for travellers the all-important location is Stainmore on the A66 over the Pennines. SNOW is forecast from 12noon onwards, again turning to rain. Now we all know about the snow gates between Bowes and Brough and if there is any doubt the Highways Agency will close the gates meaning that an uncomfortable journey north to Newcastle and across the A69 to Carlisle could lie in wait for the Away supporters.
The other option for the faithful would be to use the M62 and then the M61 and M6 north, neither alternative journey is particularly appealing, but at least there are no snow gates on the M62.
I will be watching the conditions very carefully in the morning. Travel safe and arrive safely is the order of the day.
Providing the match goes ahead and the problem is when any decision might be made by the referee regarding postponement, but hopefully it won’t come to that then JMc has to decide whether to make any changes to his starting line-up.
He now has three fit strikers in Mandron, Nouble and Norris. Luke Norris came off the bench for 15 minutes last week and of course Mika Mandron scored the winner against the Silkmen. Big Frank Nouble has been a consistent performer all season, so does JMc play an unchanged team on the large playing surface at Brunton Park. The other decision involves Tom Eastman who thankfully is fit again.
With a difficult set of fixtures to come over the Christmas and New Year period including MK Dons next weekend, I reckon JMc will keep Norris on the bench and bring him on for the last 30 minutes or so. Sammie Szmodics of course has hit good goalscoring form at the right time and we are waiting to see whether his excellent technical strike against the Grecians will be enough to secure goal of the month in League Two (decision next Friday).
So unchanged against the Cumbrians tomorrow:
Barnes
Jackson Kent Prosser Vincent-Young
Senior Lapslie Pell Szmodics
Mandron Nouble
Subs:
Gilmartin Eastman Comley Gondoh Dickenson Collins Norris
JMc must decide though whether to play Aaron Collins at some stage, who must be the unluckiest striker on the books (on loan from Wolves) he has ability and must be incredibly frustrated to warm the bench each week.
Table:
MK Dons 21 43
Lincoln 20 41
COL U 21 38
Bury 21 36
Mansfield 20 35
Newport 21 35
Tranmere 21 34
FGR 21 33
Exeter 21 31
Stevenage 21 31
13th place Carlisle 21 27
Tomorrow is all about another three points at a difficult ground where the weather will make the conditions challenging. Whether it is snow or rain the playing surface is normally a good one, but it will be difficult to get the ball down and play. Physical conditions and a hostile partisan crowd within the Paddock on the Grandstand side of the ground all contribute to the atmosphere.
The other stand out League Two fixture is at Rodney Parade where Newport play hosts to the MK Dons. The Exiles can do everyone a favour with a narrow home victory.
Anyway, safe journey to all travelling U’s fans and enjoy the game. I will be delighted with a 2-0 victory for the Super U’s.
Up the U’s
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| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 20:01 - Dec 14 with 1278 views | gerry_us |
Thanks for the weather forecast Durham. Even though I have never been to Brunton Park think I may give the journey a miss and stay in the warm tomorrow. |  | | |
| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 20:35 - Dec 14 with 1273 views | GOSBTS |
Thanks for the preview durham! Can remember Brighton receiving and giving many a stuffing at Carlisle, not an easy place to play. Can't say I've visited and can't say I have any plans to in the near future. Drove through Cumbria on the way to Scotland in the summer though and it's a beautiful part of the country. Big respect to all those travelling tomorrow and hope the U's come away with something to show for the mileage!
Already a bit nervous for next week's game against the Dons. Up the U's! [Post edited 14 Dec 2018 20:36]
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| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 10:56 - Dec 15 with 1216 views | durham_exile |
Current weather at North Stainmore on County Durham/Cumbrian border no SNOW yet at 1055hrs light snow forecast for 1115hrs and then Snow after Noon today.
Similar forecast for Carlisle light snow then SNOW, rain later.
The threat of freezing rain is a worry though.
No pitch inspection at Brunton park so as things stand pitch is playable.
I will make a decision at 12noon as to whether I am going - already have tickets so still hopeful that the match will be on.
Safe journey to the faithful.
Up the U's
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| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 14:30 - Dec 15 with 1196 views | durham_exile |
Inside brunton park.
Pitch in excellent condition hovering around zero degree but no snow yet. Fingers crossed it keeps off.
One coach with the faithful great effort given the 315 mile journey.
Team unchanged which is the right shout.
Up the super U's | |
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| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 14:35 - Dec 15 with 1193 views | gerry_us |
| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 14:30 - Dec 15 by durham_exile |
Inside brunton park.
Pitch in excellent condition hovering around zero degree but no snow yet. Fingers crossed it keeps off.
One coach with the faithful great effort given the 315 mile journey.
Team unchanged which is the right shout.
Up the super U's |
Enjoy the game Peter, whatever the score. I will be thinking of you when I have my half time hot chocolate stretched out on the sofa at home!...and warm. | | | |
| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 16:24 - Dec 15 with 1177 views | gerry_us |
0-3 ... I assume U's will refund you petrol money. Not a result you or anyone wanted. Safe journey home. | | | |
| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 16:38 - Dec 15 with 1160 views | DCPete |
Plum ugly (radio).. onward to the next one. |  | | |
| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 18:05 - Dec 15 with 1127 views | noah4x4 |
Do we ever play well in miserable weather?
Slightest wind, rain or cold and we seem to fall apart. |  | | |
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| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 19:21 - Dec 15 with 1110 views | GOSBTS |
| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 18:05 - Dec 15 by noah4x4 |
Do we ever play well in miserable weather?
Slightest wind, rain or cold and we seem to fall apart. |
Lol the three U's games I've been to this certainly seemed to be the case!
For those who braved the trip, what went wrong today? One to forget - all promotion candidate teams have days like this in every league. Onwards and upwards to the big one next Saturday! | | | |
| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 22:23 - Dec 15 with 1063 views | durham_exile |
Nothing went right today.
The most uninspiring game, and although the journey was ok getting to Carlisle. The return trip (after a pleasant Toby carvery meal) was horrendous.
Because the snow gates were closed on the A66, we had to return via the A69 and A1, adding another 50 miles to the journey in snow sleet and freezing rain and all three at times at once. Then managed to get home to a power cut. Apparently power had been off since 7pm fortunately it came back on 10 mins ago.
The match was dismal, apart from Jackson, Lapslie and Nouble, the rest were a total shower today.
The end of the game was marred with an altercation between a fan and Frank Nouble, all very unseemly and unnecessary.
I will think about a match report tomorrow, but it was a horror show.
Up the U's
Now we just have to win at the franchise next week. | |
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| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 22:39 - Dec 15 with 1058 views | gerry_us |
| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 22:23 - Dec 15 by durham_exile |
Nothing went right today.
The most uninspiring game, and although the journey was ok getting to Carlisle. The return trip (after a pleasant Toby carvery meal) was horrendous.
Because the snow gates were closed on the A66, we had to return via the A69 and A1, adding another 50 miles to the journey in snow sleet and freezing rain and all three at times at once. Then managed to get home to a power cut. Apparently power had been off since 7pm fortunately it came back on 10 mins ago.
The match was dismal, apart from Jackson, Lapslie and Nouble, the rest were a total shower today.
The end of the game was marred with an altercation between a fan and Frank Nouble, all very unseemly and unnecessary.
I will think about a match report tomorrow, but it was a horror show.
Up the U's
Now we just have to win at the franchise next week. |
Should have listened to your own weather forecast Peter. I did!
It was a lovely and warm where I was and I didn't have the indignity of having to watch what must have been the poorest display of the season.
Oh well..onwards and upwards, still in third but several teams with games in hand...but they still have to win them. | | | |
| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 11:29 - Dec 16 with 983 views | Moor_Pinot |
| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 18:05 - Dec 15 by noah4x4 |
Do we ever play well in miserable weather?
Slightest wind, rain or cold and we seem to fall apart. |
Totally agree Noah - the same thought occurred to me several times when our players slipped over whereas I never saw a Carlisle man in any difficulty with his footwear.
I was fortunate to able to endure that live for a fraction of what the fantastic 114 who travelled had to pay out. Wonderful fans.
For the team I hope it is a wake up. They stopped scoring goals weeks ago and yesterday forgot that they have been defensively decent for months. In truth it could have been a lot worse, every Carlisle attack from 1-0 onwards exposed a U's defence only loosely marking whoever was around.
I am telling myself to ignore the game as a one-off but factually did it give us a better reflection of whether we are a top 7 side or not? Time will tell but from start to finish yesterday we did indeed look like - sorry - a bunch of southern softies who didn't like the weather.
Yes Durham, Lapslie, Jackson [when he stood up] and Nouble were okay; but what was the awful business between the latter and Kent after the 3rd goal when Carlisle's players had to separate our pair? No doubt the management will say that it shows how much they care................but that is utter twaddle. It summed up a poor show where every pass was misplaced, marking was inept and our midfield created nothing. The whole second half we had just a sole Norris free kick that Carlisle's wall defended weakly - just as ours did for their deserved 4th goal. There was nothing else. Nobody found Norris with the ball & Pell was simply awful. Sammie was not on the pitch that I could see, his first half shot notwithstanding.
We must learn to score goals again and moreso, actually learn from what went on yesterday. Time will tell but I can't imagine MK are too worried about next week.
Sterner stuff required U's. It rains sometimes in the football season.
Hats-off to the 114, they deserved a lot better. |  |
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| Super U's to outfox Cumbrians at Brunton Park this weekend on 19:34 - Dec 22 with 808 views | Moor_Pinot |
What an excellent and unexpected riposte - terrific to go into Boxing Day in the top three. Let's be top two by the end of the Crawley game! | |
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