Lazing On A Sunday Afternoon - 'til Cobb Went And Spoilt It !
United lose two league games on the trot for the first time this season, as injuries and suspensions begin to take their toll. And it was, of course, inevitable that Cobb should do the damage AGAIN.
The weekend had started so well, what with England winning, and (more importantly) Sutton losing. So the large Aylesbury contingent in a sizeable Sunday crowd were in good heart and good voice.
The team was a patched up affair, barely recognisable from the line-up which had dominated the league back in autumn. The defence was the worst affected, with Kelly, Court and Rooney all suffering from long-term injuries, and Hercy suspended. Lee Harvey was the only recognised centre back with midfielders Butler and King filling in alongside him. Butler had a good game, and was arguably more effective than Harvey, who looked nervy after picking up an early booking. King made a couple of slips which almost resulted in goals, but didn't play badly overall. Given that the defence was so makeshift, they did exceptionally well to hold out for as long as they did.
The problems came elsewhere on the field. The creativity of King was badly missed in midfield - new signing Beevor was anonymous, whilst Mason has flattered to deceive after his promising early performances, and hobbled off at half time to be replaced by the vision and flair of - er - Kimble. To be fair to Kimble, he didn't play badly and put in a couple of decent crosses. But how we missed King and Soloman.
And OH how we missed the divine Darlo. His replacement on the left flank, Wilson, had a good game and was probably the pick of the United outfielders in the first half, but was never going to offer the same attacking threat, whilst mystery man Marvin did not shine on the other wing.
Up front Bignall and Crawshaw put in hard working performances, but Crawshaw failed to put away two gilt edged chances. This is not the time for the Riddler to lose confidence in front of goal.
The game was great for the neutral (notable "neutrals" in attendance included the managers of Aldershot and St Albans). End-to-end stuff, with several chances for both sides and good saves by both keepers. In the first half, Dagenham came close to scoring early on, with King beating his own keeper only for Harvey to clear off the line. Later on King misjudged a long ball out of defence and allowed the striker a clear run on goal, but Brown saved well. In the meantime a right-wing cross evaded both Dagenham centre backs and fell at the feet of Crawshaw, who could only shoot tamely at the keeper.
United should have taken the lead mid-way through the second half, when
Bignall beat the offside trap and placed a perfect pass into the path of
Crawshaw inside the box. Again, the shot was tentative and the keeper (a
stand-in from their reserves) was able to save with his legs. Soon
afterwards Kimble's cross found Marvin the Paranoid Android in acres of
space at the far post, but he failed to control and the chance went
begging.
As time went on, Dagenham had more and more of the ball. United's attempted clearances became more desperate, more likely to be airborne, and hence more likely to be held up by the strong breeze into which they were playing. It was no surprise when the deadlock was broken; a right wing cross looked to be too long, but was nodded back from the far post to Cobb who had time to finish.
United had a chance to equalize soon afterwards, with the ball reaching Rutherford in space at the far post following a corner, but he blazed his shot wide, and after that we barely threatened, whereas Dagenham hit the bar and forced Brown into another excellent save.
Harding had two strikers on the bench. One had conference experience and semi-professional caps. the other was a youth teamer. He chose to put on the youth teamer, who is clearly a promising talent - but in this situation and against this standard of defence? Clearly, he and Corey don't get on. It will be a shame if he lets this cloud his judgement.
So overall, a much better performance than Enfield at home, and unlucky not to get a draw. If Crawshaw had taken his chances, it would have been at least a draw. But "ifs" and "buts" are no good to us now.
KG 29/3/99
Team.
BROWN
BUTLER KING
HARVEY
HARRIET
WILSON
BEEVOR
MASON (KIMBLE) RUTHERFORD
CRAWSHAW
BIGNALL
Referee.
Mr P.Vosper - London - Not bad, although remarkably lenient when it comes
to the use of the elbow.
Delbert's Magic Moment of the Match .
The quality of the support
Thanks to Simon for permission to publish the above report. The 'Ducks on the Web' site can be found at:http://www.ndirect.co.uk/%7eschoon/ and is another good quality Ryman Premier site.
Ryman Premier Division
Daggers 1 Harrow 0
Report by Simon Grigor
Harrow could consider themselves unlucky to return pointless from Victoria Road on Monday evening, following a spirited performance that saw them take the game to the hosts for much of the 90 minutes.
Francis McCormack and Jon-Barrie Bates shot wide with efforts in the first five minutes, but in the sixth minute the hosts scored what proved to be the game’s only goal. A break on the right ended wth a deep cross that the Borough defence only half-cleared, and the Daggers’ left-back Pratt picked up the loose ball and thumped it home off the crossbar from 12 yards.
Harrow hit back strongly. McCormack’s free-kick was deflected wide and, from the resulting corner, Dagenham’s England semi-pro international keeper Gothard had to make a fine save to turn over Bates’s header. A good run and cross by Otis Roberts then led to a scramble in the home defence before the ball was cleared. At the other end, the highly-rated Cobb turned on a loose ball and fired wide.
The influential Bates then forced Gothard to dive to save another effort. Played switched to the other end where, first, David Hook had to save at Cobb’s feet and then Mark Cooper, looking very comfortable at this level, made two good tackles to break up an attack. As Borough attacked again, Roberts slipped the ball to Paul Adolphe who was stopped by Blackford’s tackle just as he was about to shoot.
As half-time approached, Shipp shot across the Borough goal after another cross had not been properly cleared, and Aidan O’Brien blocked a fierce shot by Broom. Harrow forced Gothard to make two more saves from shots by Paul Harding and Roberts.
Harrow missed a good chance ten minutes into the second half when Bates rose unchallenged to meet McCormack’s corner but sent his header across the goal. Pat Gavin then rose to head another corner and in the resulting melee found the ball at his feet, but hit a tame shot past the post.
The visitors suffered a blow when O’Brien was carried off after 64 minutes with a leg injury, Lee Randall substituting. Harrow took a while to settle at the back, and Sean James and Hook had to combine to foil a break after Randall and Alan Paris had collided going for the same ball. Shipp then headed a cross over the bar.
The last quarter of an hour saw constant Harrow pressure. Randall cut in from the right and hit a left foot shot wide, Gothard saved Gavin’s header following a long run and cross by Roberts, who then got round the back and crossed for Gavin to head past the post.
Gothard held Randall’s free-kick and Harding ended a good move with a shot past the post. Borough’s best chance of the game fell as the game entered the last minute, when Bates shot was blocked. The ball dropped to Adolphe on the angle of the six-yard box but with only Gothard to beat he drove it over the bar.
Harrow have played worse than this and won this season. More performances like this in the weeks ahead will surely win the few remaining points needed to be mathematically certain of another season in the Premier Division.
Harrow: Hook, O’Brien (Randall), James, Roberts, Cooper, Paris, Adolphe, Bates, Gavin, Harding (Duru), McCormack. Sub not used: Dodds
Thanks to Paul for the permission to publish this report. He runs the official Harrow Website (which is excellent) which can be found at: http://www.harrowboro.demon.co.uk
FA Trophy 4th Round
Saturday 6th February 1999
Dagenham & Redbridge 4 Telford United 0
The defensive problems that we have witnessed in recent games reared it's head again, as Telford were torn to shreds by a pacy Dagenham attack. Telford supporters changing to the end Telford would be attacking in the first half barely got to the halfway line before Dagenham took the lead, at this point thoughts turned to weathering the inevitable storm from a 'up for it' opposition, and then trying to get back into the game, however Telford crumbled and the game was over halfway through the first period when opposing attackers were offered up chances on a plate, and took them with style each time. By the time the fourth went before half-time, thoughts in sizeable Telford travelling support were turning to home, and indeed at least half made their way back to the club at half-time or just after.
Serious work now has to be done on the creaky defence if the club are to stay in the Conference.
Thanks to Neil for permission to publish the above. He runs an unofficial Telford United website at:
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Sideline/3365/index.html
FA Trophy 3rd Round Replay
Daggers 1 Farnborough 1 (Daggers win 4-2 on penalties)
MONDAY, 25TH JANUARY:
Boro's hopes of making further progress in the Trophy were dashed when visitors Dagenham kept their cool in a penalty shoot-out at the end of a closely fought tie.
Following Saturday's toils at Kingstonian, the Boro' players looked heavy-legged against lively opposition who could easily have been two-up after 45 minutes: one shot crashed against the bar and Stuart MacKenzie managed to get a knee in the way of another goal-bound effort. Boro' improved slightly in the second period, but never really got to grips with the Daggers' aggressive midfield. Jon Underwood, playing in a central role, too often found himself by-passed by events, and Darren Robson also struggled.
After five minutes of extra time Boro' took the lead when Stuart Harte found substitute Justin Day, who bore down on the visitors' goal at pace. Day was dispossessed, but the ball ran loose to fellow substitute Mark West who slotted home from close range. This time it was Dagenham's turn to look ragged, however, in the 120th minute Keith Rowlands fouled on the edge of the Boro' box and was stretchered off for his pains. The Boro' wall never looked convincing and Dagenham No. 5 Lee Matthews crashed the ball into the far corner, making penalties inevitable. After Justin Day's penalty had been well kept out by Paul Gothard, the visitors had the initiative which, in the end, proved to be decisive.
Thanks for permission etc from Nigel Long (please visit his site www.farnborough-town.demon.co.uk/index.htm )
FA Trophy 3rd Round
SATURDAY, 16TH JANUARY:
Boro' keeper Stuart MacKenzie made two blinding saves in the final moments to take this FA Trophy 3rd Round tie to a replay, at Cherrywood Road this Tuesday (kick-off 7.45pm). First, he bravely snatched the ball from the feet of Danny Shipp when the striker was clean through on goal. Then he hurled himself to his left to fingertip a goal-bound header past the post.
If anything Boro' made too good a start to the game - in the second minute Mark West spotted Dennis Bailey's run and slid the ball to him, leaving Bailey to advance and fire past Paul Gothard.
Strangely, Boro' were subdued for the rest of the half, and the home side gradually regained their confidence and the initiative. After a couple of close calls the equaliser arrived on the half hour - a clinical execution by Danny Shipp following a neat move.
For the second half, the disappointing Keith Rowlands was replaced by fit-again Neil Baker. Later, Darren Robson, who'd had a frustrating afternoon, made way for Justin Day.
Both sides had their chances to seal the tie, and the best move of the game came from Boro' when some slick one-touch play by West and Bailey put Phil Wingfield in the clear, but he skewed his shot past the upright. Then came those vital saves by MacKenzie.
Thanks for permission etc from Nigel Long (Visit his site www.farnborough-town.demon.co.uk/index.htm
FA Trophy 1st Round Replay
Wealdstone 0 Daggers 5
I wasn't going to do a report tonight, but......
The result, if not the scoreline most of us felt would happen having had such a great chance at Dagenham. Yet the Stones could not be faulted for effort, and we matched them all the way in the first half. The second half turned it with an early goal, followed by a turned down penalty appeal.
Stones tonight: Imber, Lamb, Sterling, Moore (Kent 78), Waugh, Dicker, Walton, Jones, Swaysland, Bircham, Holmes. Unused subs: Dale, Yaku, Horner, Benning
An early scare for Stones on 5 mins, Dicker giving the ball away and Imber making a great save 1 on 1. There was nothing in it, and no further clear cut chances for either side for some time, Holmes was booked on 22 mins for nothing in particular, followed by Dagenham's Goodwin. On 30 mins, Fergie in a good position blasted over. On half time, Daggers had Broom booked for a clumsy tackle.
2nd half, and it all went wrong. 50 mins, a long through ball found Cobb clear. Fergie was the marker, and couldn't get near him, Against this class of finisher, Fergie just can't be the last man. Cobb coolly finished past Imber, 1-0. 62 mins, the turning point perhaps. Jonah jinked into the box and was brought down, The ref gave nothing, but as usual Jonah got a booking for his retaliatory kick. At 1-1 (assuming Bircham wouldn't have taken the penalty), who knows?
Still we threatened, on 65 mins, following a corner, Jonah's shot was well saved by Gothard on the near post. On 66 mins, probably our best chance - Fergy had the perfect opportunity to put us level, but his header went wide with the goal at his mercy. We all held our heads. 67 mins, Shipp was booked for Daggers. 68 mins, Jonah was brought down on the edge of the box, and somehow the ref had lost his cards this time. Sterling's kick was deflected wide.
Then it all went pear-shaped. 72 mins, and from a corner, Daggers went 2 up, Goodwin heading in from close range, with no challenge - poor defending, well taken. On 76 mins it was 3-0, which completely killed it, Shipp, scoring a spectacular effort from 25 yards.
Lamb was booked on 79 for a clumsy challenge, Cobb hit the post on 3, and we brought a couple more saves from Gothard through Jonah and Sterling. 87 mins it was 4-0, I think it was Shipp, but my interest was waning, 90 mins 5-0 probably the same player.
The Stones battled well, but it was just not going to be our night. 0-5 was a pretty unfair scoreline, but you have to take your chances which Dagenham did. The news was also confirmed that following Rocky's appearance against Berkhamsted, we have been thrown out of the Isthmian League Cup.
Cups? Who needs them.
Ronnie