If I were a betting person, I'd back Braintree to pull this back in the last ten minutes.
-
-
Finishes 3-1 to Wealdstone. Damn fine win.Comment
-
The way things are going, I can see Rotherham and Wealdstone being just a division apart next season...Comment
-
Oh, and you can see why I'm not a betting person...Comment
-
In other news in the Highland2 league Fort William lost 16-0 v Brora. Good to see Victorian football results making a comeback.Comment
-
Frickley Athletic 3-3 Romulus
Frickley were cruising just before half time as they were two up against the bottom side. Then their keeper dropped a cross, Romulus tapped in to an empty net and a comeback began. They equalised early in the second half, Frickley took the lead again before some more shambolic defending brought a final equaliser. The main feature of the game was how incredibly physical it was, loads of feisty challenges from both sides and it was astonishing there were fewer cards than goals. The ref's general leniency meant he also missed a blatant penalty Romulus should have had late on.
Since my last visit a year ago Frickley have built a functional new dressing room complex which gave me a surprise when the players entered the pitch in a different location from previously. Their fans are still not shy of saying what they think, the last words I heard as I left the ground were "Fucking shit Frickley, utter wank"
There was a minute's silence for reason unknown which I found mildly amusing. Also a good sunset.
Comment
-
That's a gorgeous sunsetComment
-
Walton & Hersham 1 Windsor 2
An excellent Vase tie frustratingly decided by a terrible refereeing decision.
The first hour or so was packed with goalmouth action bit scoreless due to fantastic keeping and last-ditch defensive blocks and clearances off the line. Then Barry Hayles showed a surprising turn of pace to beat his man to a long through ball take the ball around the keeper and roll the ball wide of an empty net.
On 72 minutes the deadlock was broken when a home forward flashed a cross across the box for his winger to fly in and convert. From then The Swans sat way too deep way too early to defend their lead and never looked convincing in repelling Windsor. In the 87th minute a free kick was placed in the box and after a further save and clearance off the line a visiting player nodded in from almost in the line.
As injury time ticked away most people were trying to remember if Vase ties went to a replay or straight to extra time when there game’s decisive moments occurred. In the 95th minute a Walton sub ran to the edge of the D and while shaping to shoot or pass was cleaned out in the most obvious manner right in front of the referee who bizarrely waved the foul away. The ball broke to a Windsor defender who cleared the ball up the pitch where after a few quick passes the winner was driven from a narrow angle.
After the inevitable protests there was still time for W&H to have one more attack and have a decent penalty shout turned down before the final whistle. The ref was booed off by a furious home crowd and even neutrals like me.Comment
-
Started the day in sunnyish Newport, doing the Riverfront Parkrun (surprisingly along the riverfront, going from near the railway bridge to the bridge near Spytty Park, and then back. Nice and flat, 20:11). Then I went to watch Newport's under 18s play Bristol Rovers. This was played on one of the pitches that make up Dragon Park, which is the Welsh equivalent of St George's Park. Entertaining game which Rovers won 4-2. Spent most of the game chatting to a groundhopper I know from Manchester.
From Newport I headed east to England. By the time I reached Thatcham the weather was fairly miserable, damp but never quite getting to full blown rain. Thatcham' ground is dominated by one reasonably sized stand attached to the changing rooms/ clubhouse. Other than that there's a little cover behind one goal. Good game between Thatcham, second in the Hellenic League, and Sevenoaks, top of what used to be the Kent League. Thatcham were awarded an early penalty, but after protests from the Sevenoaks players and a referral to the lineman, the referee changed this to a free kick just outside the area. This wasn't converted but Thatcham did manage to score twice before the break, the second a penalty they were actually allowed to take. Sevenoaks pulled one back on the hour but the home side soon restored their two goal advantage and held on to advance to the last 32 of the Vase.
Last stop of the day was ice hockey in Basingstoke. The home side entered the game having won 10 out of 10 in the league, whilst visitors Streatham Redhawks started the day second bottom. However the Basingstoke players appeared not to have met each other and created few chances despite having lots of pressure. Streatham played quite well and managed to score in each of the first two periods, so ended up with a surprise 2-0 victory. Perhaps most embarrasingly Basingstoke had designated this game as a "teddy bear toss" - after their first goal fans had been asked to throw teddy bears onto the ice which would be donated to charity. That first goal never came and so the toss ended up having to,take place on the final buzzer.Comment
-
Cracking sunset there, longeared.
My trip to Gillingham went off smoothly, the Past & Present micropub being a splendid addition to the rather knacked looking town centre. It's too small to have a bar, so the landlady greets you as you walk in and asks what you want, then disappears into the back room and brings you your pint, all for the very reasonable price of £3.20. I had sufficient time for a pint of each of the three beers on the board, but not enough to get in among the ciders.
As for the match, well it was a solid and workmanlike performance from Carlisle that deserved a replay - our fans weren't subjected to the usual shitty scaffold stand that greets you as you walk up Priestfield Road, but were instead tucked into two blocks of the Gordon Road stand. Cold afternoon, but managed to get out in time for a warming tray of deep fried goodness from the chippy at the bottom of the road, which I shovelled on the walk back to the station. Met Mrs Trlb (in jubilant mood after her trip to the Amex) back at Gatwick and finally got home at 10:45pm.
Comment
Comment