What a win! I’ve still not come down off the ceiling yet. Performance schformance! You can’t beat a last-minute winner! Morley’s technique and composure on the penalty was just 👌
There’s a still photo on the Facebook page which clearly shows their player with his hand on the ball in what is certainly, to quote the law, an ‘unnatural position.’
I wonder what Birmingham fans from the start of last season (when they were 6th in the Champo) would think if you could travel back in time and tell them that a little more than a season later they would be talking about trying to unsettle Wycombe Wanderers by putting a bid in for their striker.
Their player Watts knew it was a goal kick. He had his head in his hands because the ball clearly came off him last and ruined a good opportunity for Exeter. How the lino didn't see that from barely 10 yards away is beyond me. Watts then incriminated himself further by goading the Valley End. Absolutely zero sympathy for Exeter who are sore losers at the best of times (ungracious Grecians you might say).
And if Exeter want to whine about disallowed goals, maybe they can explain why Anthony Stewart's last minute winner against them in 2017 was disallowed.
There were two incidents, the first one I'm sure the Exeter manager will insist is a natural arm position...
The one that was actually given was a clear "hand to ball", Francis can be seen in the replay in the highlights to have moved his hand to the ball. The distance from the player to the ball is irrelevant when the player moves their hand to the ball, "natural position" or not.
Apparently, the Exeter supporters coach had to make an emergency stop at Reading Services on the way home, as the driver could hear a constant whining noise, which sounded like a fault with one of the wheel bearings.
After finding nothing wrong mechanically, he realised that all the whining was coming from inside the coach ...
I reckon he saw Watts's reaction and finally twigged it had come off him last. Wouldn't it be hilarious if that wind-up merchant effectively lost them the game...
Agree, that was also my reading of the situation. Like the ref and linesman, I had no idea who got the final touch, but Watt's reaction pretty much gave it away to the crowd and the referee that he'd knocked it out of play. Not a clever move and whilst it shouldn't, I'm sure it did play a part in influencing the referee to give us the decision from the corner.
Maybe bucking the trend a little but on my “if it was the other way around” scale I work on, I would have been livid if we had been penalised for that handball and Exeter were given in. I personally don’t think pens should be given for incidents like the one we benefited from.
But my anger/hate would be with the Handball rule as it is, than the ref giving the decision.
I’m very happy we won, and that’s not actually tarred by us winning from a pen I don’t think should have been given. We will have/have had decision go against us in a similar way this season. It’ll balance out.
How many pens have we been awarded this season btw? Is it as high as I seem to feel it is?
I was initially surprised that we got that penalty. I too believe penalties should only be given for clear deliberate handball. But replays show it was both clear and deliberate. It was very silly defending indeed and correct decision.
I had meant to say Watts's goading of the Valley End following his initial reaction probably led the ref to realise past the point he could reverse decision without looking like he had completely lost the plot.
we've had six in the league, joint most with Birmingham (scored 4, they have scored all 6). I can also think of the FA Cup v York, EFL trophy v Crawley (missed), so 8 overall this season I believe
Interesting point re pens. The answer (no stats to back this up) is maybe as simple as that both ourselves and Birmingham have probably spent a decent chunk of time in the oppo box trying to carve out chances, putting defenders under pressure, and so naturally will create more penalty chances? So in that sense, more to do with the action than the ref’s decision making.
However, I’d be interested in stats on penalties away vs home. Not sure it’s relevant here, but I’ve seen discussions in the past where the big prem teams seem to get most of their pens at home… No idea how much truth there is in this, it could be just an urban myth. (I’m sure stattos and conspiracy theorists up and down the country have been all over this for years).
Yeah, good teams will get more pens - lots of touches in the opposition box and better players mean you're more likely to be fouled there! Ours are 3 home/3 away in the league, plus 2 home in the cup games
No. That was Harper, who had already been booked, interestingly, so maybe the ref wasn't as harsh on the Grecians as they seem to think. He could have easily had a second yellow, for refusing to retreat when the linesman repeatedly told him to.
Yes, people like to claim bias a lot (and there might be some) but both pens and late goals are usually signs of decent teams, late goals based on not giving up and attacking to the end, pens being much easier to give away if you spend a lot of time in your own box and much easier to get if you are in the opposition box. The odd overdue Specsavers visit from a ref not withstanding.
It's a common misconception that more touches in the oppo box = more pens - it's much more random than that. I might have a look at the L1 data for this season.
That’s a really great analysis and interesting the change we made after the first 20 at Exeter in December. In that game we pressed the two CBs and got undone regularly in the first half.
We completely changed approach yesterday and it worked really well.
I wonder if we might be interested in Crama now Taylor has been recalled.
I think those who were saying that we overdid the "top bantz" on the WWFC TikTok feed following the Stevenage game will be less than amused by the road we've travelled on the same format post-Exeter:
Comments
For what it’s worth I think this is a perfect summary of today’s game.
What a win! I’ve still not come down off the ceiling yet. Performance schformance! You can’t beat a last-minute winner! Morley’s technique and composure on the penalty was just 👌
That’s how you start 2025. Top of the league.
There’s a still photo on the Facebook page which clearly shows their player with his hand on the ball in what is certainly, to quote the law, an ‘unnatural position.’
I wonder what Birmingham fans from the start of last season (when they were 6th in the Champo) would think if you could travel back in time and tell them that a little more than a season later they would be talking about trying to unsettle Wycombe Wanderers by putting a bid in for their striker.
Their player Watts knew it was a goal kick. He had his head in his hands because the ball clearly came off him last and ruined a good opportunity for Exeter. How the lino didn't see that from barely 10 yards away is beyond me. Watts then incriminated himself further by goading the Valley End. Absolutely zero sympathy for Exeter who are sore losers at the best of times (ungracious Grecians you might say).
And if Exeter want to whine about disallowed goals, maybe they can explain why Anthony Stewart's last minute winner against them in 2017 was disallowed.
There were two incidents, the first one I'm sure the Exeter manager will insist is a natural arm position...
The one that was actually given was a clear "hand to ball", Francis can be seen in the replay in the highlights to have moved his hand to the ball. The distance from the player to the ball is irrelevant when the player moves their hand to the ball, "natural position" or not.
Yeah, I think the ref must have realised from our protests he'd dropped one so made his mind up not to let it be decisive
I've watched it a few times and I can't see a foul. Regardless, I'm convinced it was a pre-determined decision
I'm glad someone else has said that, I said exactly the same thing to my mate
Apparently, the Exeter supporters coach had to make an emergency stop at Reading Services on the way home, as the driver could hear a constant whining noise, which sounded like a fault with one of the wheel bearings.
After finding nothing wrong mechanically, he realised that all the whining was coming from inside the coach ...
I reckon he saw Watts's reaction and finally twigged it had come off him last. Wouldn't it be hilarious if that wind-up merchant effectively lost them the game...
Agree, that was also my reading of the situation. Like the ref and linesman, I had no idea who got the final touch, but Watt's reaction pretty much gave it away to the crowd and the referee that he'd knocked it out of play. Not a clever move and whilst it shouldn't, I'm sure it did play a part in influencing the referee to give us the decision from the corner.
Maybe bucking the trend a little but on my “if it was the other way around” scale I work on, I would have been livid if we had been penalised for that handball and Exeter were given in. I personally don’t think pens should be given for incidents like the one we benefited from.
But my anger/hate would be with the Handball rule as it is, than the ref giving the decision.
I’m very happy we won, and that’s not actually tarred by us winning from a pen I don’t think should have been given. We will have/have had decision go against us in a similar way this season. It’ll balance out.
How many pens have we been awarded this season btw? Is it as high as I seem to feel it is?
I was initially surprised that we got that penalty. I too believe penalties should only be given for clear deliberate handball. But replays show it was both clear and deliberate. It was very silly defending indeed and correct decision.
I had meant to say Watts's goading of the Valley End following his initial reaction probably led the ref to realise past the point he could reverse decision without looking like he had completely lost the plot.
Or maybe I'm giving him far too much credit...
Less of a penalty than the one we were denied at Charlton, surely.
we've had six in the league, joint most with Birmingham (scored 4, they have scored all 6). I can also think of the FA Cup v York, EFL trophy v Crawley (missed), so 8 overall this season I believe
Interesting point re pens. The answer (no stats to back this up) is maybe as simple as that both ourselves and Birmingham have probably spent a decent chunk of time in the oppo box trying to carve out chances, putting defenders under pressure, and so naturally will create more penalty chances? So in that sense, more to do with the action than the ref’s decision making.
However, I’d be interested in stats on penalties away vs home. Not sure it’s relevant here, but I’ve seen discussions in the past where the big prem teams seem to get most of their pens at home… No idea how much truth there is in this, it could be just an urban myth. (I’m sure stattos and conspiracy theorists up and down the country have been all over this for years).
Yeah, good teams will get more pens - lots of touches in the opposition box and better players mean you're more likely to be fouled there! Ours are 3 home/3 away in the league, plus 2 home in the cup games
Birmingham have had 4 home, 2 away. Wrexham 1 home, 0 away.
Watts was the one who kept refusing to retreat for the free kick as well wasn't he?
And doing silly stuff like kicking a ball back on the pitch to try and delay things.
No. That was Harper, who had already been booked, interestingly, so maybe the ref wasn't as harsh on the Grecians as they seem to think. He could have easily had a second yellow, for refusing to retreat when the linesman repeatedly told him to.
Yes, people like to claim bias a lot (and there might be some) but both pens and late goals are usually signs of decent teams, late goals based on not giving up and attacking to the end, pens being much easier to give away if you spend a lot of time in your own box and much easier to get if you are in the opposition box. The odd overdue Specsavers visit from a ref not withstanding.
It's a common misconception that more touches in the oppo box = more pens - it's much more random than that. I might have a look at the L1 data for this season.
Just wanted to share this absolutely fantastic thread about yesterday written by a sixteen year old fan.
https://x.com/dzi_wwfc/status/1874803335783748039?s=46&t=1RBEO4WBqGcRsvgU2yU85Q
Very astute analysis. I wonder if the club would consider offering this guy some sort of apprenticeship/internship.
Watts it’s all about, Caleb?
Australian Essex boy. Fine combination.
That’s a really great analysis and interesting the change we made after the first 20 at Exeter in December. In that game we pressed the two CBs and got undone regularly in the first half.
We completely changed approach yesterday and it worked really well.
I wonder if we might be interested in Crama now Taylor has been recalled.
Was Crama the **** Andy Carroll?
I think those who were saying that we overdid the "top bantz" on the WWFC TikTok feed following the Stevenage game will be less than amused by the road we've travelled on the same format post-Exeter:
https://x.com/James_BFP/status/1874845389314232402
That sort of thing is for fans to rant, blog and post about...I think it's a bit grim for any sort of official club outlet myself.
But I'm not the intended audience I suppose.