We’ve picked up 4 handy points in the last 2 games.  Realistically, we have failed to score enough to win at home against a team that is doing badly.  I don’t think that will change any time soon, until we find the elusive gialscorer(s).  Omatayo must score some time, but how many games will go by before or after that happens !  We are now much more competitive, so much so that Gyasi would have more opportunities to score, and I feel sure he would bag more than Omatayo.  Haven’t seen him, but I suspect he’s a throw-back to the former game that used to be the norm.

Dilly, as you say, you haven't seen him.  Whilst Omatayo is tall, he is hardly 'a bruiser' and he and Linton linked up well last night and were both involved in the side creating a number of chances, which unfortunately weren't taken but, for me at least, we actually looked like we had options in the final third for the first time this season.  As for Gyasi, IC sets his team up to pass, move and make intelligent use of the ball which was in evidence last night and if you watch Clunan's goal it came from a well constructed move, Gyasi looks quick and 'tricky' but there is very little 'final product' and he doesn't seem to be able to see the runs or space that would see him add to the team, what he does bring is that something different which some may view as worth a late gamble rather than something you would want to build a team around at NL level

Much as four points from the last four games might be seen as a the bare minimum, if that, tonight's performance does give some cause for optimism.  Gold's penalty miss aside, I thought he and Linton looked a lot brighter as a pair and a better combination with Rowley than any other front three mix we have played to date.  I was concerned at Clunan's inclusion over McGavin but I thought he had a really good game and Jones doesn't look like a player who has hardly played for the past few months.  We still look very thin on the bench (are either Gyasi or Walker really NL standard?) but the squad is far more competitive than twelve months ago and maybe a bit more tinkering can be one that can keep us in the division.

My big hope for today is that we revert to a 3-4-1-2 formation.  We have three capable centre backs without Bird so I just hope we use them, Coleman is back from suspension so should be straight back into the lineup so the only decision for me would be who partners Morias, personally I would go with Linton but neither he nor Walker look like they are the answer and you can see why both are out on loan.  Also a big test of Jones' fitness as I assume Denton is unavailable after coming off on Tuesday evening.

Apologies for the delay, time and Parkrun wait for no man!  Sorry, what was meant to be summary on last nights event as turned into War and Peace.  Hopefully 'what was said' not 'what I thought'

A good attendance (around 50ish), listened to SC explain that last year was 'a disaster' and whilst IC wanted to stop and SC thought the £50k fine would have a better option but that the twelve point deduction would have meant relegation this year

Moving onto the current season, SC accepted that the club hadn't kept pace off the pitch with on it.  Catering 'not great' and on SC's 'to do list'.  New CEO David Hutchinson is full-time, although won't be based at the Walks and is looking at 'bigger projects' and longer term plans, so there will be another appointment to deal with local opportunities.  Still obviously has issues with the council / Alive Leisure re training facilities and talked about the option of going to West Lynn but agreement couldn't be reached (this got a little bit he said / she said with a member of the audience and so the meeting moved onto the Q&A)

I won't list all, as some were pretty specific / individual but this is a flavour of the questions
Q - Why no media, won't build friends.  A - Don't have friends in media and praised Reg and his team from KES who were there

Q - Was it £1000 for a burger van.  A - No, but it was £1000 for 'catering'

Q - Season ticket price can't be justified compared to NCFC.  A - Pricing is difficult and SC was concerned that a large number of season tickets @ (say) £250 would mean just over £10 per game which isn't enough to run the club.

This then opened up to a wider debate on pricing with SC admitting 'I have made a mistake’, particularly with the kids pricing.  ‘Big games’ come with bigger costs (security) and basically that needs to be paid for so SC was worried that lots of kids in the seats would mean a lower income figure than if those seats were sold to adults.  Now obvious that for the smaller games there is enough space so pricing will be adjusted.  It got a little chaotic with exactly what was being proposed but I think we are going to a category system with £3 off across the range of prices for the non-‘big games’ and possibly something else for kids sitting down so let’s wait and see what comes out of the club in the run up to the Barnet game. 

Q – How much does it cost to run this season.  A – Obviously difficult to say depending on trips etc but ballpark figure of £80K was mentioned.  Lots of costs to going full time, not just players wages – training pitch was again brought up, plus we now have a full time physio and full time analyst.  Only time will tell if going full time was the right decision.  Current (external) loans – Bounce Back £50K which we have started to repay, £430K Sport England which repayments don’t start for another four years but then its £4-5K per month

Q – Money for new striker (from Robbie Back).  A – depends on crowds
Q – Is the club sustainable at NL level.  A – Not on current crowds.  Discussion around what people really want
Q – Why 2 year contracts.  A- Only way to get some players, also anyone we paid a fee for automatically on a two year deal to ‘protect’ the investment.  Some first team players are on one year deals

There are only effectively about 14 games in the season we might expect to win......we have lost the first two......lose the next two and that only leaves 10......... difficult then to see how we get to the 45-50 point mark to keep us safe........these games in the mini league are absolutely vital........ something needs to change very soon I am afraid.

Couldn't agree more

This is why the likes of Barnet and Aldershot have reacted as they have....they recognise you can't hang around till 10/12 games have gone and you have say only 6/7 points.......from there it's almost impossible . Obviously for Lynn it's important for IC to stay, but we need a change to the playing personnel from somewhere very soon IMO

I think it is really interesting that 99% of the fanbase (me included) would totally back the statement that it's 'important for IC to stay' but when you speak to people outside of the club their natural reaction is that IC would be under far more pressure than is the case.  Don't get me wrong, I am not calling for IC's head and the recruitment has, on the whole, been a vast improvement on last season but I don't think it's unreasonable to question the lineups in the last two games, which as you said were some of the most important of the season.  I accept Bird has been injured but we have gone away from the back three that looked reasonable at the start of the season and brought in Walker who didn't look like he really fitted in his first game (I missed the Wealdstone defeat so can't comment on his performance then) and the I have no idea how the formation worked last night.  The fear for me is we are starting to 'search' for a winning lineup in the manner we did last season that saw 20 different lineups in the first 20 games, sometime you have to accept you were beaten by a better team on the day and it wasn't the lineup or tactics that were wrong but continually chopping and changing is even less likely to produce positive results. 

Personally I hope we go back to three at the back for Saturday and with Coleman returning from suspension we can find a front combination that will start to convert some chances.

Good news, a positive step from the chairman.  Let's hope we see some representation from the trust and FOTL . :)

Just out of interest, what are you hoping for from the representatives of the Trust and/or the FotL?  Personally I think it would probably be counterproductive, far better to have SC, and the club, being the focus of the evening, particularly when time is limited, than to have a meeting that would be far more likely to go off on tangents.

Both the Trust and FotL have held members meetings in the past couple of months - the Trust had a Special General Meeting in August and the FotL had both an AGM in August and an open meeting (for members and non-members) earlier this month so I think their respective memberships (and they are a number of common members) are both reasonably up to date with things.

Saturday starts a run of four games against teams in the bottom half so a great opportunity to put some points on the board and build a bit of momentum, a win on Saturday with a point or two in the next two away games might also see a better attendance for the Barnet game on the 5th.  We are certainly a better side than last year but so are many around us, we just need to start converting those half chances, I can't attend Saturday but would like to hear that we have gone with Linton up top with Morias as I just think that will give us a better edge than starting with Walker, elsewhere the team practically picks itself once you perm the three from four at the back.

Great initiative and well done to the clubs that started this off and those that have subsequently signed up, although I can't see KLTFC joining them any time soon.  Hopefully another source of support for the reset button and Tracey Crouch's report but still reliant on politicians turning words into actions so the pressure needs to be maintained