With the additional backroom staff who have arrived to support Head Coach Tony Miller (we have six on the coaching staff now including TM), the players should be getting more and more quality coaching, information, guidance etc and I do feel that we are improving. We will be a force to be reckoned with once we get to the point that we can compete for the vast majority of 80 minutes.

As far as Oldham are concerned, they will present another difficult challenge. A 64-10 victory over Gateshead Thunder this weekend shows it would be very dangerous for anyone to under-estimate them.

We're not going to underestimate them....we are just going to thrash them.

Watched Scott howlett play for hull Fc reserves yesterday had a good solid game,

Think this is a real positive in what the club is trying to achieve in bringing on its young players

Shows the coaching staff have ambition and are committed to the development of players not just this season but for the future of the Dons and hopefully in time they will be able to have their own academy/reserve sides to bring players through.

Are we in a position to thrash anyone?

The final score on Friday definately flattered us. You were well in the game fo the first 55 minutes are were probably the better side.

Your pack was very aggressive and we simply couldn't raise our game after the Whitehaven match. Gomersall was very impressive in the backs for you.

The one thing that was obvious though was that looking at the shape of many of your side, especially the pack, there was no way you'd keep up that level of intensity for 80 minutes. We picked up on that at half time and had you scored when we were a man short it may have been a different outcome, but once we went 20-12 up there was only one winner as our much superior pace and fitness told. 48-12 was harsh though, your first hours' efforts deserved more.

Till you get the likes of Bovill off the kebabs though you'll struggle

Good luck though for the rest of the season, it'd good to see the Dons alive and well.

I am boosting them see........it's psychological.

Agree with all the comments so far. We did play well up the incident in the corner.I thought Collins could have caught it but it hit his leg and just bounced dead over the line.It was very close. Next minute they went up field and scored and the heads seemed to drop after that.
There was another chance in the same corner about 5 mins before that as well when Gomersall just couldnt get the pass out to Collins properly and the ball went straight out otherwise he would have been in in the corner.

If we can play for the full 80 like the first 55 we would have won.If we can get some lads back fit again the wins will come.

Not many fans made the trip though only about a dozen i would say.

We happened to hear a bit of the Blackpool prematch meeting in the ground before the game, and they were emphasising the need to pay particular attention to Lee Gommersall

Anyone know why we were missing Henry, Leaf , Johnson & Stanley.

The crowd at this game was [size253[/size.
I would like to know how that is sustainable and how Blackpool can afford a 100% record side on that kind of income.
They must be in the red barring some heavy backing......and even with backing they are just being propped up.
Gateshead of the other year springs to mind.

Oldham, also 100% record....crowd [size413[/size

WTF?

all injured or unavailable due to work commitments

Thanks Neil.

It's a fair question. We have new backers on board this season whose aims are promotion to the Championship and a return to Blackpool.

They accept the crowds will never be good at Fylde (it's a very sleepy, well to do area, the main sporting interests being Yoonion, Golf and all things horsey) and have set their sights on a return home.

The other problem is that we do, sadly, have a lot of supporters whose first love is the SL and will always watch Wigan/Saints before us. Friday night clashed with the Pie Eaters being at home and that knocked a fair few off the gate.

Those of us who have been around long enough know that the chances of ever pulling really good gates over here, even in the Championship, are slim and that the investors will need chuffing deep pockets and need to be dredging those pockets for a long time.

The reality is that sooner or later the bubble will burst and we'll be back to square one. The harsh truth is that Championship 1 is a RL backwater these days and it simply doesn't make financial sense to be there.

In the meantime, we'll enjoy the ride whilst it lasts, but most of us older heads know that in reality, it won't last long.

Well thanks for that honest answer ......most folk would go on the defensive after a question like mine.....thinking it to mean 'what right as Blackpool to be up there?' and it wasn't meant that way....Blackpool have an excellent side and deserve far better support for what they are serving up.
They do deserve their day in the sun......but ultimately like so many clubs that go for it and don't have a proper income stream they are doomed.
We've tried, it Gateshead have tried it and Barrow are making a good fist of it.....but without a proper response from the public then it will all end in tears.
That is why I admire anyone who is willing to put their money in to try to buy success.......it's usually a waste......but as you say it's great while it lasts.

Part of my point was our club often whinges about whether Donny deserves a RL team with the support we get......but other clubs have better sides on lower crowds. That all might be down to backers.....but I suspect a lot is down to the skill of the coach and skill in recruiting.

Anyway good luck to Blackpool.