Broxburn Athletic

[Jordi1977]

30 minutes ago, UpInTheStand said:

 

These 2nd two Linlithgow goals look even worse on 2nd viewing! And worse again in slow motion! I hope the video of these is gone over at the next training session and discussed amongst the group. Losing 1 like that is bad enough... but then a 2nd...

[Blowin In the Wind]

2 hours ago, Jordi1977 said:

These 2nd two Linlithgow goals look even worse on 2nd viewing! And worse again in slow motion! I hope the video of these is gone over at the next training session and discussed amongst the group. Losing 1 like that is bad enough... but then a 2nd...

The first set piece goal Broxburn lost they had someone on the back post who would have easily prevented it.  But for some reason the coaches shouted to them to come off the post a mark someone.  Second goal they didn’t learn .  

[lithgierose]

On 25/09/2022 at 11:42, Blowin In the Wind said:

The first set piece goal Broxburn lost they had someone on the back post who would have easily prevented it.  But for some reason the coaches shouted to them to come off the post a mark someone.  Second goal they didn’t learn .  

After second goal they learned. But put the smallest player on the back post. Was quite funny tbh. 

[Blowin In the Wind]

Big night for Broxburn players and staff tonight are a couple of disappointing results.

Need to get back to winning ways or the pressure will continue to mount and the natives will get restless .

Mon the Brox

[Jordi1977]

Well that was a game of two halves! A hugely improved performance from the weekend... it had to be really, but still a lot of areas to work on.

First half was an incredibly enjoyable watch. Early scare for Broxburn where another ref on another day might have given a penalty against them, but got away with it tonight. 

Didn't take long after that for Swifts to take the lead. A wonderfully played defence splitting pass put their striker through on goal who tucked it away nicely. Had to give it a little ripple of applause to acknowledge the pass.

Then Broxburn stepped up a gear. The tempo and driving forward and attacking the space pulled defenders all over the place and opened up space for support runners to move into.

A fine side to side attacking move with a ball played to the right hand side of the box for an unmarked Andy Gillan to steady himself, pick his spot and drill the ball into the opposite corner 1-1.

Another good bit of attacking play and the ball played out to Liam Gray on the right just outside the box, he cut inside, got a bit of space for himself and hit a powerful shot into the roof of the net 2-1

More positive attacking play around the edge of the box and Errol Douglas found himself 1 on 1 with the keeper, he had to stretch for it, did enough to get some power onto it which the keeper could only parry into the path of Mark McConnel to roll it home 3-1

Hillfield Swifts still made chances themselves and managed to open up the home defence a couple of times, but struggled to get too many shots away... combination of much better defending from Broxburn and passes just being too heavy.

3-1 at half time and one of the most enjoyable halves I've seen... both teams really having a go at it.

Second half... and it really comes in 3 segments

1. Hillfield Swifts score twice in first 15... a quick passing move working the ball out wide, quick first time cross into the box not dealt with by the defence and the ball was turned in to shift momentum onto the visitors. Then a long ball forward chased by the Hillfield runners, cut out by the defence, but a poor passback under pressure played onto the keepers wrong foot meant he needed time to control it, shift it to his good foot, by which time he'd been charged down and the ball deflected out off him for a corner. The corner came in, cleared to the edge of the box. It was picked up by a Hillfield player and with the defenders slow to react he hit a great shot curling inside the post. A hour gone and 3-3

2. Broxburn then had a 10/15 minute spell of lunging in late for tackles and diving in late. A couple of bookings resulted, but it had the desired result of breaking any momentum Hillfield Swifts had built from getting level in the match.

3. Last 10/15 mins Broxburn got back to trying to replicate their first half play, but just had a bit less accuracy and it wasn't quite flowing as before. 

In the end, escaped with a point as Hillfield Swifts broke forward and a tremendous shot from around 20 yards out came back of the woodwork. Unlucky. The rebound was touched in, but as the Hillfield players celebrated, the linesmans flag went up!

3-3 it finished but I left much more optimistic than I did on Saturday... still plenty room for improvement, but a lot of positive signs there.

Edited September 29, 2022 by Jordi1977

[Blowin In the Wind]

Simply not good enough for a team with aspirations to be near the top of the Division.  Played well for about 30 minutes and looked liked a side (much like the Sauchie game).  But failed to turn up in the second half and luckily escaped with a point.  Mid table mediocrity this season I think, when they have a team that on paper should be doing so much better.  

Impressed with the Swifts though who are getting better each year I see them.  Think they could become a bit like Jeanfield in a few years time if they keep going like this.

[fanfromafar]

1 hour ago, Blowin In the Wind said:

Simply not good enough for a team with aspirations to be near the top of the Division.  Played well for about 30 minutes and looked liked a side (much like the Sauchie game).  But failed to turn up in the second half and luckily escaped with a point.  Mid table mediocrity this season I think, when they have a team that on paper should be doing so much better.  

Impressed with the Swifts though who are getting better each year I see them.  Think they could become a bit like Jeanfield in a few years time if they keep going like this.

I agree, I said before the season started that i though Broxburn would be up there challenging at the top end with the money they have invested to bring in new faces, they are certainly not reaching the heights they should.

Swifts just know how to battle and get something, with their main man up top its an effective mix, ive been impressed with both them and crossgates this season so far.

[Blowin In the Wind]

I know there has been a lot of injuries which have hampered things but so far only one of the 13 new signings has impressed so far and that’s been the young lad from Blackburn.  

Early days, but out of the Scottish Cup to a Division 1 side (they only beat the other Division 1 side they played on penalties), the League looks to have already gone is not a good look before the end of September.

No settled formation, lack of pace and energy in the midfield looks worrying from my perspective.  Really hope it improves quickly.

[Jordi1977]

Think I'm more easily impressed than the others here.

I really thought, apart from first maybe 15 minutes that Broxburn looked really good in the first half. Definitely still a few issues defensively and giving the ball away easily, but it looked so much better and a huge improvement on Saturdays efforts.

Second half was more of a letdown and no doubt a better side would have beaten them... but could see efforts from all the team to try and get on the ball.

Saturday was just so disappointingly flat... so while last night was far from perfect, first half in particular was a massive improvement. 

[Blowin In the Wind]

1 minute ago, Jordi1977 said:

Think I'm more easily impressed than the others here.

I really thought, apart from first maybe 15 minutes that Broxburn looked really good in the first half. Definitely still a few issues defensively and giving the ball away easily, but it looked so much better and a huge improvement on Saturdays efforts.

Second half was more of a letdown and no doubt a better side would have beaten them... but could see efforts from all the team to try and get on the ball.

Saturday was just so disappointingly flat... so while last night was far from perfect, first half in particular was a massive improvement. 

They played well for 30 minutes last night and for around 25 - 60 minutes in other games. They just can’t put it together for a whole game. Not saying it’s a lack of effort or determination.  

In 11 competitive games they have won 4 games in 90 minutes.  Three of these were against the bottom 4 in the Premier Division. We’ve brought in 13 new players and now have 28 players on the books but have gone backwards from last year.

I desperately want this to turn around but we appear to be lacking leadership and organisation. We abandoned our 3-5-2 system against Vale after 20 minutes but decided to play it against Lithgae .  You have to play a system that suits your players.

[Jordi1977]

Don't get me wrong at all, I think the season has been quite a disappointment so far. I'm mostly comparing last night with Saturday which was one, if not the flattest performances I've seen from any side I've watched this season. Last night at least gave a bit of hope that they can perform. Still many questions to be answered defensively, still will watch through fingers when opponents have a corner, but I think, at least what I saw last night, was a step in tge right direction to rectify some of the woe of the last couple of weeks. 

But just a step.

[albynpark]

Isn't a 28 man squad a bit over the top for any club not challenging for the league and/or not getting far in Cup rounds. And how do you keep all these players happy with game time? 

 

Or should we sign more players to turn it around  

 

 

[Blowin In the Wind]

Another disappointing result today.  Can’t fault the effort from the 10 men who played 80 odd minutes today.

First sending off was just plain stupid by the player. Second one the player took one for the team and ultimately probably saved them a point.

Manager sent off too.  Not sure this is going to end well. Hill were really disappointing and this is definitely a case of 2 points dropped for Broxburn.  
 

Doesn’t get any easier next week against Penicuik.

[Jordi1977]

10 hours ago, Blowin In the Wind said:

Another disappointing result today.  Can’t fault the effort from the 10 men who played 80 odd minutes today.

First sending off was just plain stupid by the player. Second one the player took one for the team and ultimately probably saved them a point.

Manager sent off too.  Not sure this is going to end well. Hill were really disappointing and this is definitely a case of 2 points dropped for Broxburn.  
 

Doesn’t get any easier next week against Penicuik.

Thought we had a few big decisions against us. Seems the first sending off was for swearing at the officials... harsh if that's the case, but a classic case of just shut up. A few players were discussing it right beside where I was standing and downplaying it as a throwaway shout.

The penalty itself looked... harsh. I thought the lad went over his own player. And I thought Broxburn should have had penalty 2nd half... heavy looking challenge from their keeper on Binnie.

No issues 2nd red... as you say it probably saved the point and he had to make some sorta challenge. Really good save from Blair from the resulting free kick.

Despite all that... with the 75/80 mins 10 men, once adapted Broxburn were much better side, especially 2nd half. Scored a well worked goal. HoB look like they are going to struggle... the were at times looking outnumbered, despite an extra man.

Even after going down to 9 men, Broxburn and a clear breakaway right at the end which should have been worked better to snatch a goal. 

Hard to know what to make of the game... a goal and man down fairly early on makes a fighting draw seem decent, but the way 2nd half played out... definitely 2 points dropped.

Edited October 2, 2022 by Jordi1977

[Blowin In the Wind]

56 minutes ago, Jordi1977 said:

Despite all that... with the 75/80 mins 10 men, once adapted Broxburn were much better side, especially 2nd half. Scored a well worked goal. HoB look like they are going to struggle... the were at times looking outnumbered, despite an extra man.

As I said can’t fault any of the 10 men.  HOB will struggle this season unless like Broxburn they have a lot of injuries.

[Jordi1977]

1 hour ago, Blowin In the Wind said:

As I said can’t fault any of the 10 men.  HOB will struggle this season unless like Broxburn they have a lot of injuries.

Seeing big Errol being played again at Centre Half really drove home the issues with injuries/overall selection in that position. 

[Blowin In the Wind]

6 minutes ago, Jordi1977 said:

Seeing big Errol being played again at Centre Half really drove home the issues with injuries/overall selection in that position. 

The manager signed a centre half in August (Brad Donaldson) from Tranent but don’t think I’ve seen him play.  Our central defenders seem cursed to a season of injury

[StraightOuttaEOS]

played with big errol before and he can play centre half wi his eyes closed. brad will be a excellent signing for the broxy when fit and ready

[Blowin In the Wind]

1 hour ago, StraightOuttaEOS said:

played with big errol before and he can play centre half wi his eyes closed. brad will be a excellent signing for the broxy when fit and ready

Watching it yesterday I think Errol was when McConnell got sent off.

Unfortunately we have needed a centre half for the last 5/6 weeks not when fit and ready.  The full backs covering in have done a great job but we need them playing where they should be playing.

[Jordi1977]

12 hours ago, StraightOuttaEOS said:

played with big errol before and he can play centre half wi his eyes closed. brad will be a excellent signing for the broxy when fit and ready

The lad is a big unit and a very good footballer, so no argument he is a good standby to have as emergency central defender. But he was signed to score goals rather than prevent them. It's really just another wee gripe at how the season is playing out for Broxburn that he's needed back there.

It would be lovely to see a team out for consistent matches with everyone in their preferred/strongest position. And I can't wait to get a look at Brad in there when he's ready too (I'd actually forgotten all about that signing until mentioned above).