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Thread | Spireites game postponed
at 15:44 8 Jan 2026
My Spireite mate Craig reports that Saturday's game is already postponed due to a frozen pitch. Nothing that I've seen on our social media channels yet. |
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Reply | By Rail to the Away Games
at 18:31 7 Jan 2026
Boo - only two trips that I might have benefited from, Bristol Rovers and Crewe, and neither offering reductions  |
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Reply | Exiles to be sent back in exile on Saturday
at 11:59 4 Jan 2026
Incidentally, we’ll possibly see Braybrooke again next weekend. Unsurprisingly, Leicester have recalled him from Newport and loaned him straight out to Chesterfield. Good bit of business by the Spireites I reckon, and unless they can somehow replace him, possibly the final nail in Newport’s relegation coffin. |
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Reply | English Premier League
at 10:34 4 Jan 2026
I’ll be honest, I’m not really that bothered about nationalities of footballers - I don’t think that’s the reason our national team doesn’t win competitions. |
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Reply | Accrington Stanley, oo are dey? 'xactly!
at 10:26 4 Jan 2026
Oh well, at least we’ve got the matchday preview and thread in the bank ready for the rearranged fixture. Not many games have survived the freeze today. |
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Thread | Accrington Stanley, oo are dey? 'xactly!
at 13:14 3 Jan 2026
As the round of matches over the festive period draws to a close, we have the visit of Accrington Stanley on that most rare of events in our football history, a Sunday afternoon kick-off. If you filter out play-off and cup games, in the league this accounts for just 25 games since we were formed, seven won, six drawn and 12 lost. As you would imagine, Sunday games are generally focussed around Christmas and the New Year, or more recently, Sky-mandated final games of the season. It’s been a pretty positive holiday schedule for the U’s too, eight points from four games, and with other results often going our way, we’re now just two places and three points outside the play-offs.
Before we consider Accrington Stanley, a word or two first about the MK Dons match. It wasn’t as free-flowing as I had hoped, I’d even go so far as to say sluggish at times. I didn’t know about the frozen irrigation pipes preventing the ground staff from watering the pitch. I could, however, see dust/sand kicking up off the pitch, particularly for spot kicks, but didn’t have the knowledge to put two and two together. Others on social media have also commented about the definite ‘bobble’ the pitch seemed to have – so who knows, maybe there really was something in what Danny said post-match?
Nevertheless, although the energy and drive seemed diminished, and despite losing Bishop early on to injury, we still had much more about us than MK Dons, who I thought were very poor in the first half, but without carving out many clear-cut chances of our own. MK Dons found a bit more rhythm second half, and for a spell I genuinely though they might nick it. However, the defence held out no problem (apart from Rob Hunt’s suicidal back pass, but Macey pulled off a good double-save to keep them out). The substitutions on the hour mark made the difference, although I thought Samson had quite a good game, with the pace of Lisbie and Mbick finally started to turn the tide. Deep in added-time I had almost given up hope we’d find the winner, until Lisbie was hauled to the ground and Payne blasted home the winner – oh my days, the celebrations!
Since returning to the football league in 2006, Accrington Stanley have proved themselves to be no pushovers, grinding out generally lower mid-table finishes season after season. It was Andy Holt’s takeover in 2015 that changed that, taking them from plucky League 2 battlers to League 1 promotion in 2018, and where they stayed for several more seasons until relegation back to League 2 in 2023. They’re not doing too bad this season either, again in their customary mid-table slot, but with three wins on the bounce they are now only three points behind the U’s and really shouldn’t be underestimated on Sunday.
But don’t just take my word for it, our record against the ‘Owd Reds says it all – in nine league matches since Accy's return to the football league, the U’s have just a solitary victory, two draws and the rest defeats – talk about a bogey team. That victory btw was under caretaker manager Scott Marshall during the infamous Wagmi-gate debacle, when Matty Etherington had to stand down for a game whilst our lawyers checked the fictitious contract hold that Crawley claimed they had over him. With the benefit of hindsight, maybe we should have stuck with Scott Marshall?
As for tomorrows line-up, unfortunately we continue to be plagued by injuries, with Bishop limping off early against MK Dons with a calf strain, Kuffour Jr reportedly out with an ankle ligament injury, Oni a hamstring injury in training, even Harvey apparently has a minor injury, and Anderson seen at the New Years Day match wearing a knee brace. With all that in mind, I can’t decide whether Danny might stick with the general theme from the last game with Tovide on the right, Lisbie on the bench and possibly Mbick and Goodwin leading the line, or reverting to our more regular line-up with Tovide and Mbick up front and Lisbie starting? I’m going for the latter and fingers-crossed everyone comes through the game unscathed.
I may be getting old, but although there was a stunning sunset on New Years Day, it was bitterly cold. Tomorrow will be more of the same, a bright sunny day but barely above freezing, and in a gentle breeze from the west, it’ll feel well below freezing. Wrap up warm if you’re heading to the JobServe, and I do hope they’ve sorted out the frozen irrigation pipes.
It’ll be a tough game tomorrow, but the U’s to win 2-0 with Read opening the scoring.
Up the U’s |
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Reply | Happy New Year, with a great start!
at 22:19 1 Jan 2026
HNY to you too Gerry, and all on the U'sual.
Well I was there, and I'm pretty sure ghughes was in bed (when I say there, I mean the JobServe, not spooning in NZ  ).
I've just watched Danny's post-match interview, and that explains why sand (or something) seemed to be kicking up a lot during the game, no water on it. Whether that's the reason or not, although we largely controlled the game we did seem to lack a bit of spark. Traditionally that would be put down to hangovers, but our squad these days are far too professional to have that as a reason.
We got the result we deserved in the end, and both firsthand and from the highlights I've seen on the Sky Sports website, it was a clear penalty. Credit also to Jack Payne for having the courage to just blast it down the middle, confident their keeper would commit to diving to where he thought Jack would place it. The deafening roar and celebrations of the 6,000 U's fans after were just spine-tingling to be part of.
Talk about schadenfreude though, watching MK trying to play hurry up football in the dying seconds, having spent all of the second half trying to slow the game, waste time and run down the clock. Tough luck suckers! If they are genuine top three contenders then we have nothing to fear.
On to Accrington on Sunday, with the U's two places and three points outside the play-offs. [Post edited 1 Jan 22:22]
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Reply | MK Warne Down By Weary U's
at 21:56 31 Dec 2025
Haha - probably a clerical oversight, but I will check on his wellbeing tomorrow, rest assured. Happy New Year BTW ghughes, I think you're already in 2026? Do let us know how it is, did we win tomorrow?
Great review RS, and thanks for stepping in - your Durham-esque thread title was totally on point. I can't immediately add to the "they played for both" list, but whilst I probably agree your score prediction is closer to reality, I'm going for an upbeat 3-1 to the U's, and given the slight controversy, Payne to score the first.
Up the U's, and MK No Way! |
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Reply | Xmas Quiz 2025.
at 11:19 31 Dec 2025
Very tough indeed. Thanks to the clue I think I’ve got it, but I don’t have all the answers. I’ll PM you. |
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Reply | Match Previews In Honour Of Durham
at 14:01 30 Dec 2025
I think I'll struggle to find the time for MK Dons, as I'm out visiting my daughter's new house tomorrow, and going to the game itself on New Years Day, but I can pick up Accrington no problem. |
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Reply | Gills to be left gasping as 2025 closes
at 22:01 29 Dec 2025
Entertaining end to the game, looked like Ainsworth had Danny by the shirt collars, followed by a mass brawl. Be interesting to see what the referee picks out of that. We definitely deserved at least a point out of that, but to be fair Gillingham were better second half, though they couldn't have been much worse. |
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Reply | Gills to be left gasping as 2025 closes
at 20:36 29 Dec 2025
A really good game for the U's so far, but still 0-0. One or two wayward passes on occasion, but plenty of energy. Big 45 minutes to come. |
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Reply | Gills to be left gasping as 2025 closes
at 18:43 29 Dec 2025
Two changes tonight, with Rob Hunt coming in for KVY and Payne for Tovide, which I assume means a 4-5-1 with Mbick as the lone striker and a midfield of Bishop, Payne and Read, with Lisbie and Anderson out wide. Happy with that, so fingers-crossed Payne comes through unscathed. |
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