Archive
Dr Martens League Eastern Division 2000-01
4/11/00 Gravesend & Northfleet P Hastings Town P [FAT1]
The fixture has been changed to Wednesday 19:45 at Gravesend, however with a major storm due to hit England over the next few days keep an eye on their website, and phone before you travel.
The teletext website now has their short regional football stories available on the internet.
12/11/00 News
THE RAIN IN SPAIN FALLS MAINLY-
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15/11/00 Gravesend & Northfleet (0) 0 Hastings Town (1) 1 [FAT1]
MUDTASTIC!
Ferguson 18
Att:- 232
What a good result for Town on a bog of a pitch - a result that sees them away yet again - at Billericay in Round 2 on December 2nd. Gravesend, now in the Ryman Premier, used to be regular opponents of ours in their Southern League days - and seeing that my three previous visits following Town had seen no goals in a 0-0 draw and 0-2 and 0-4 defeats, I wasn't too sure about this one.
Gravesend are at home to Notts County in the FA Cup 1st Round on Saturday - and that has to explain in part at least their lacklustre display. Other than the opening 5 minutes and a 10 minute spell halfway through the second half, they never really threatened, their shooting was abysmal and Kess had little to do in goal.
Duncan McArthur was back in the side tonight - and never looked as if he'd been away on what must've been a horrendous surface of mud and sand. Town threatened as early as the 1st minute when Mylie was left with plenty of time on the edge of the box - but his effort was well off target. Gravesend's only serious attempt on goal came on 14 minutes - a good cross from the right flicked just wide. 5 minutes later - Town went 1-0 up. Excellent work by Simmo on the right saw him deliver a cross that Steve Ferguson met with a looping header over Jamie Turner in the Gravesend goal. Tommy Osbourne and Simmo both had chances late in the half - but Tommy took too long while Simmo fired just over after Duncan's quickly taken free kick.
Town started off the second half well on top and should've had the game won on 63 minutes when Simmo's one on one with Turner saw the keeper come out on top. That a few minutes after Paul Jones - another fine display - had brought out a good save with a stinging effort from the edge of the box. Simmo's miss seemed to galvanize Gravesend and for about 10 minutes they put the Town defence under pressure - the closest they were to come, though, was when Kess dropped a punt into the box just under his bar but the ball was hoofed clear.
After surviving that spell, Town got back into it and were to run out pretty comfortable winners. They might even have had a second when an effort from Duncan was deflected just wide in the 86th minute. Yeah - good to win anyway - but nice to avenge our recent sequence of poor results against this lot - and after three postponements - nice to play!
SS
Waffle WaffleStonebridge (is falling down) Road hadn't changed a lot since our last visit - 96/97 was it? The state of the place made it very apparent why they're only allowed a capacity of 3300 for the Notts County game. How that covered end with all that uneven terracing is allowed to stay open is a mystery all of it's own. Especially when you look at what we had to do to get a safety certificate for the stand behind the Elphinstone Road goal! Rip off merchants - £1.50 for a programme they printed for the original date the game was meant to be played - 4 November. Full price for something that was well out of date. Only 232 there - we thought it was at least a 100 more than that. Whatever - as we said to the affable Jamie Turner in the Fleet goal - "just wait for all those loyal supporters to turn up on Saturday". Well played boys - now, two league games at The Pilot Field to come, 6 points at stake as we chase the real prize. No messing - we have to win both games. |
"Ghost of MG 5yp"Issue 27 will be out on Saturday. On sale outside the ground before the Tonbridge game and in the club shop. Hopefully also over the bar provided they don't think the cover is too controversial. All proceeds from club shop and bar sales go to the HTFC. |
18/11/00 Hastings Town (0) 0 Tonbridge Angels (2) 4
MORE PILOT FIELD BLUES
Att:- 480
Amazing isn’t it? Our home form has been shite this season yet our average Pilot Field gate is one of the best in the Eastern Division. You look at the bare bones of a 0-4 home stuffing and you can’t argue with it. Yet - Town had so much of the play on a wet, slippery surface while all the Tonbridge goals came from set pieces - two of which were penalties.
In Wade Falana, Tonbridge had what we DESPERATELY need if we are to recover from this drubbing and still maintain an interest in promotion come May. A big, bustling, not particularly skillful striker who made a thorough nuisance of himself all afternoon and scored a hat trick into the bargain. Town were a goal down on 5 minutes after conceding a corner following a bad back pass from Mat Ball. Falana duly headed home. While Tonbridge looked lively up front, Town had much of the play and will look back on a half in which good chances were spurned by Chris Honey (2), Simmo and Stuart Myall.
Referee McCoy infuriated Town supporters throughout - three times he over ruled a linesman flagging for Town throw ins - and he played a big part in Tonbridge’s second goal. He waved play on after a blatant foul on Ballie, Tonbridge broke up field and Kess brought down Falana (I think it was Falana) who then slotted home the resultant penalty.
Town dominated the second half - but Joe Radford didn’t have a proper save to make till the 80th minute when he beat out Terry’s free kick. That was shortly after a mass bundle which started between Paul Ruddy and a Tonbridge player who went down - the usual old sack of spuds routine - with the face being clutched for added effect. Yet - McCoy saw fit to only book Ruddy. Whatever Ruddy did - and it looked no more than a shove - if it warranted a yellow card , then the same was due to the Tonbridge guy - couldn’t see who it was - for his cheating.
Our already suffering noses were rubbed in it by Dave Arter who hadn’t been on more than a couple of minutes when he headed Tonbridge’s 3rd from a free kick. ANOTHER old fashioned striker! As if that wasn’t bad enough - Falana completed a poxy afternoon for Town with his second penalty - again conceded by Kess.
We were never 4 goals worse than Tonbridge, well, we were - the score was 4-0, but to have so much and yet end up with diddly squat was unbelievable.
SS
21/11/00 News
ON THE MONDAY AFTER
that unreal defeat on Saturday - just a few snippets. If we beat Chelmsford in our DM League Cup tie it's off to Broadfield to play our great friends choke gag splutter Crawley. It's all about who gives a toss less so far as the Chelmsford game is concerned. I expect they'll care less than us when you look at their league placing.
Interesting to read the Tonbridge official site's report on Saturday's game. Really very little difference between theirs and ours - they were just a bit happier about the outcome. Amazing - when you go back to the Longmead game last season and add on Saturday's match - we've had so much of the play - like three of the four halves when you look at chances created - but have ended up with a 0-7 aggregate with all the Tonbridge goals being scored by Messrs Arter and Falana. If that doesn't qualify for "Specialist subject - the bleedin' obvious", when it comes to laying out our short comings, then I don't know what does.
Referee McCoy's performance, incidentally, got a wholesome 1/10 from the guy who wrote the Tonbridge match report. Not that you can blame the referee for a drubbing like that - but his contribution was appalling.
Rumours were doing the rounds late last week that our neighbours, who had an early morning visit from the East Sussex Fire Brigade last Thursday, might be merging with ASHford or BURNham..........Come on, come on - no need for that.
SS
SITTINGBOURNE WASH OUT?Don't hold your breath. Tuesday's game at home to Sittingbourne looks extremely doubtful after the latest downpours on Monday. Us programme assemblers have been told not to bother turning up on Monday night - looks very unlikely to go ahead. Gives us time to go out and get a big, ugly No 9. Also gives me time to think about the time I wasted on Sunday putting all my programme notes together...... One good thing about a depressing weekend - ENGLAND STUFFED AUSTRALIA AT TWICKENHAM!! |
26/11/00 News
Well I'll be
Saturday's game at Spalding is off - yet another fixture wrecked by this never ending sequence of shit weather. When will it end? That means we can look forward to a 360 mile round trip midweek as we catch up on the backlog.
STRIKER?
George Wakeling is looking for one to solve our problems up front where we're - er, on strike so far as goals are concerned. That's a wholesome two goals in our last four games - but when you look at the chances created against Histon and Tonbridge - we should have had maybe ten in those games alone. One of the problems George is encountering - just like those before him - is the actual location of Hastings and the bloody awful roads play a part too.
All Town supporters are to lobby the Town Hall and the local MP for a huge investment in the A21 and A259 roads with immediate effect. We should also demand that the East West bypass be started as a matter of urgency - with a minor deviation so as to ensure this new Trans Sussex Highway passes alongside/over/under The Pilot Field. This might necessitate some population shifts in Elphinstone Road - but those local residents who volunteer to leave will be rehoused in the Queens Hotel where they won't be bothered by the intrusive noise and floodlights on match days.
A price well worth paying if it results in Town getting their strking problems resolved.
TONBRIDGE RESULT TO BE OVERTURNED?
Last Saturday's 0-4 scoreline is by no means as cut and dried as those celebrating Angels supporters might think. Town have been in court this week demanding a recount........
Pssssst - wanna see a game of football?
Yes! Tuesday night - weather permitting - it's Town/Langney part 3 as we tangle up at The Pilot Field in the Sussex Senior Cup. And - who knows - next Saturday, Grantham are here. They beat Rothwell 4-3 last Tuesday night and are currently 3rd (I'm tapping away Saturday morning), 10 points ahead of us having played the same number of games. Now - how many times have I said this is a game we HAVE to win?
SS
28/11/00 Hastings Town (0) 1 Langney Sports (1) 3 [SSC2]
FORTRESS PILOT FIELD
(the ground where Hastings fear to tread)
Burt 51
Att:- 262
We've lost 6 games this season - and 5 of them have been at home. Langney were well fired up for this Susssex Senior Cup tie having lost the two league games between the sides earlier in the season. Matt Crabb on the Sports left wing caused problems all night and his 1st minute cross should've been put away as Town just never got going in the opening 20 minutes.
0-1 on 5 minutes - a long range effort that Kess never got near. Paul Ruddy headed over from a corner a couple of minutes later but Town were second best by a long way and didn't really get into the game till halfway through the first 45. Great piece of skill in the box by Stuart Myall as he turned on a sixpence and beat two defenders - but nobody on hand to convert his cross. Town were doing more by this stage - but Langney should've been 2-0 up on 33 minutes when a cross flashed across Kess's goal after the three man defence was caught out again.
Referee Legg played far too big a part in the evening's proceedings and his contribution started with a couple of howlers - both involving Mylie. Firstly - our old favourite - Sticky Willard clearly prevented Mylie from getting up and Legg didn't see what was abundantly clear to everyone else - then when Stuart was on his own, well clear of anybody from either side, Legg managed to spot something apparent to nobody else and gave Sports a free kick. It was that kind of performance from Legg - though it has to be said that he was right to show Simmo a red card as half time approached - Simmo was already on one yellow (now, what that was for, I'm not sure) and was daft to go in from behind - especially as the referee had made it clear what a tosser HE was. We thought Kess was off as well - a minute or two later when he came charging out of his area and the Langney 10 went down under what I thought was a ball winning challenge - but - others did say it was an iffy challenge.
Back to football - Town's best chance came right on half time. Great work by Paul Jones saw him take a back pass off the keeper but his cross to Terry wasn't quite right and Tel's effort screwed wide. Unfortunately, Jonesie had crocked himself and didn't come out for the second half with what is thought to be a ligament problem which could keep him out for some time.
10 man Town started off like a house on fire in the second half and deservedly equalised on 51 minutes - fine work by Tommy Osbourne setting up Tony Burt. Substitute Phil Rhodes - on for Jonesie - caused Langney problems and on the hour he robbed the keeper but yet again - nobody on hand to put away the resulting cross. Against the run of play, Town went 1-2 down on 62 minutes. A poorly hit free kick seemed to have overshot everyone - but determined running running saw the ball crossed back in for Langney's second to be heraded home. Should've been 1-3 a couple of minutes later after Stuart Playford conceded a penalty - credit to Kess for a good save from the spot kick. All wrapped up on 81 minutes when Town failed to clear a corner and the ball was volleyed in.
Overall? Town played some decent football for 15-20 minutes in the second half. Langney deserved to win the game, Kess was the busier of the keepers. Losing Jonesie is a big blow - and the strength in depth of our squad has to be an issue (No Mat Ball or Duncan McArthur last night) when people are scratching their heads and saying "Who" when the subs come on. Of course we all know about the striker problem - but what is it with our home form this season?
Billericay await on Saturday. Hmm - what's the betting we turn it on against a side from a higher standard?
SS