RYMAN PREMIER DIVISION
Att: 644
SUTTON UNITED – 1 [Bolt 52]
FARNBOROUGH TOWN – 0
Report by Chalmers
Home games are not the easiest to write about for this site. For away games you don’t just find out about what happened in the game (Do they? First I’ve bloody heard of it! – Taz), you find about how pissed we got, what pubs we got pissed in and who made an arse of themselves while pissed. You get the idea…
But at home? The enthusiasm just ain’t there. I started the day getting up at the crack of dawn to risk an attempt at getting to work in the City of London. What with the trains being up the spout, waiting half an hour at East Croydon weren’t part of the plan. During the day, with all the racket at work, I never realised the Lord Mayors show was going on! This added to the nightmare of getting back to the game, with just enough time to spare losing my regular bet at the bookies. Ladbrokes being the lucky recipients of my dosh this weekend. I encounter some pissed Fulham fans on the way down. Away game spirits in effect??
I’m never destined to get to home games on time. Something always delays me. This week it was only five minutes. Not bad for me! Bob informs me I’ve missed only one half chance by Farnborough. Or FTFC as they are now called, according to their manager/chairman/owner/el supremo presidente for life, Graham Westley. Mr Westley has changed the club colours to red and white stripes (At least it’s not hoops. Now that would be crap…..) and spent a fortune in transfer fees and fat wage packets luring big name players. Like Jimmy Dack. Nuff Said.
The first real incident comes from a tame Farnboro attack. Howells gathers the shot comfortably and as he kicks downfield, Iain Baird flies in like the karate kid trying to charge the ball down. He only succeeds in connecting with our ‘keepers thigh, clattering him. This sends our section of the crowd loopy, demanding the visiting forward be sent off. Bit harsh, but I thought a yellow might be right. Surprisingly he does’nt even get that. Palmer is looking solid at the back as ever. Chasing onto the ball with 2 Farnboro players in pursuit, he turns inside leaving one on his arse and the other standing. Class.
Farnboro are a good passing side, running rings round us at times and looking the only team in it. Nko comes in with a heavy but fair tackle that upsets ex-U Steve Watson and like old times, bull in a china shop style, he gets himself cautioned soon after, with Sears feeling his boot. Chris Boothe, playing back up front where he made his name with Farnboro has a good chance after an awful back pass by Jimmy Dack (Nooo, really? -Taz), but his finish is more like a cross than a shot. A good strike from Baird has Howells gathering at the second go and another fierce drive is deflected wide for a corner. Nko, I think took a knock and is replaced by Thompson after about 34 minutes. This means Boothe drops back into defence and Sears goes out to the left. Our best five minutes of the half follow.
A Bolt free-kick to the near post is touched onto the upright by Haworth and Thompson slides in only to see his effort somehow cleared off the line. Another Bolt free kick raises hopes after 2 successive corners but is hit too long. Right on the stroke of half time Farnboro hit the top of the bar from nothing, but Howells seems to have it covered.
Start of the second half and Bolt flies down the left and passes to Thompson but the chance comes to nothing as he’s under a lot of pressure from the visitors. Our defence is holding out well, looking very solid. It’s from defence the U’s go in front. Brooker picks up the ball on the edge of our box and launches it forward to Thompson who holds it up and then threads it into Bolt, leaving him one on one with the ‘keeper. With a defender closing in from his right, his powerful shot goes through the legs of the ‘keeper and into the back of the net. 1-0!!
Farnboro reply when a ball in from the left is put in by Baird but the lino has his flag up early for offside. Farnboro have by far the more possession and are finding acres of space through midfield, running the show. Also they look very good out wide coming forwards. Another dodgy moment when Horner plays the ball out and loses possession, a quick passing move sets up De Souza to score but again it’s offside.
A throw in sees their ‘keeper run past the ball aimed at him, luckily he beats Haworth to the ball and clears. Luckily we hold out with Boothe clearing up at the back and our defence having a solid game. Farnboro are a good solid unit, their passing and movement deserved at least a goal and we were lucky to win. But thats all part of the game ain’t it? Although we did cope well with a lot of pressure and should hopefully gain plenty of confidence from an important win.
Off for a beer in the Robin Hood after, I had a bit of luck on the gambling front. Put 90p in a fruity in the pub and won 3 straight jackpots. 45 quid! (Bet you didn’t buy a round you bastard! -Taz) The need for alcohol for the ‘long’ journey home to Croydon wasn’t there and I got home about 7. Where I then got stuck into the hoovering and dusting. Hardcore.
God, bring on the next away game!
TEAM : Howells, Brooker, Boothe, Hammonds, Plamer, Harlow, Bolt, Horner, Haworth, Sears, Ekoku (Thompson 34)