OCTOBER 2001
Weymouth, FA Cup. A game we couldn't possibly win. Always 4th round heartache... NOT anymore.
 
Having worked nights on the Friday I had to settle for radio commentary, so I sat down with the SKY Panel on the telly and Andy Gibbs on the radio. At least that's how it should've been if Weymouth hadn't ridiculously asked for 10 grand for broadcasting rights! I'm sorry I must have missed when Beckham and Giggs signed for the Terras and that thousands of 15 year olds were desperate to listen in. Nevermind I still had updates from Andy Gibbs, plus the latest scores. Up to half time and no goals. Was that a good thing? Andy Gibbs had reported Hinckley being on the back foot and holding on thinly to their grasp. Surely it would only be a matter of time. It was. The Sky Panel had the update before the radio. "0 - 1 Lucas" it said. Then the report. Andy Gibbs told us Andy Lucas had got in the way of a poor goal kick and followed the ball up into the net. However the big cheer in the background told the radio listeners something else. Penalty. Bugger. 1 - 1 said the Sky Panel. Could we hold on for a replay? The minutes went like hours. Nothing from the radio, nothing on Sky. Final scores started coming in, where was ours? Too many question marks! Over to Andy Gibbs for the final summing up. Replay was the obvious. Hinckley had battled and were holding on, and then a Lenton cross� "oh it's gone in!" was the scream. Andy Gibbs the consummate radio professional momentarily 'lost it', like the rest of us. Nice to know isn't it. Even after the final score went through on Sky it was unbelievable. Then the draw. It's the FA Cup so we were bound to be drawn away, and sure enough the old Scottish whinger, Alan Hansen, picked us out the hat. Away to Grays. Disappointed, yes, everyone wanted Stoke or Bristol City. Me, I wanted Hull. That way we could beat the missus' team and I could laugh and point. Grays Athletic it is though, and you've got to look at the positives. They play at the same level as Hinckley. We've already beaten a team as good as them. Er� we've not lost a game in the FA Cup this season, home or away. Ok so there's not many positives, but the draw is made and it's up to the supporters to get down there and and the team to do the business.
 
Having finished last month...
...on the end of 5 - 0 hammering in the league, it was important to start this month with a good result. However the first 2 games against top 5 clubs didn't seem the ideal games to do that! Moor Green came to the Lane as favourites to take the points and duly obliged with the opening goal. Hinckley though crawled their way back into it and got the equaliser right on half time, Lucas getting the goal. Hinckley came out the stronger for the second half and Lynden Rowland gave the crowd, that managed to prise themselves away from the England game, a bonus with the best goal this season. A long kick from Beattie was miss controlled by Moor Green and Rowland, just inside the area, took one touch and curled it around Anstiss in the Moor Green goal. He then gave it all big time, whipped his shirt off and twirling it around his head and took the praise of the Chicken Shed. Lenton sealed the game late on with a penalty.
At Stafford early on in the season, Hinckley were outplayed and really were lucky not to concede more than the 4 they did. The return at the Lane would be an examination of just how much they'd learnt. After 15 minutes Hinckley were 2 - 0 up with the first goals for the club from Wilkes and Gordon. It really was a mirror image of the other game. Hinckley dominated and when Rowland scored the 3rd the match was over, except for Ecclestone who decided that Stafford could do with some sparring practise, and offered Gordon some extra curricular. A red card later and Stafford were really up against it. That's how it finished though and Hinckley proved to anyone and everyone that they can do it in this league.
This season's second break from league action was a trip to Cambridgeshire to play Histon in the FA Cup 3rd qualifying round. It's strange that for a county that's so full of tractors, they couldn't find one to cut the grass. I half expected one of our players to get ambushed by a crouching tiger. It was long, and wet too. It had the signs early on of being technically void. So it proved to be, though entertaining it was. Histon were obviously up for it and came at us right from the start. Hinckley couldn't make anything stick and when Histon took the lead you knew it was going to be a Dean Thomas half time special. More tea cups please. Out they came second half, bang bang, 2 goals, Penny and Gordon, and then went back to sleep again. Histon again got back in the match but almost straight away a customary Lenton penalty should have been enough to see Hinckley through. Histon had other ideas and would not lie down. Not only did they equalise again, but very nearly took the game. A big phew was heard at the final whistle and Histon would have it all to do at the Lane. The return game was almost carbon copy. Though this time Hinckley welcomed back from injury Neil Cartwright. This gave us the extra width we'd been missing. Although Histon still were doing the same things as the first game Hinckley were this time getting around the back and creating more chances. It took until the second half to wear down Histon but eventually goals from Titterton and Lucas, already up to 3 FA Cup goals this season, took us into the next round and a trip to the south coast to play Weymouth.
Back to league action and 2 away games against clubs lower in the table than us, so 2 wins were expected. Ah but then football wouldn't be so interesting would it? A trip across the border, into Wales, to Pendarren Park to play Merthyr. This started off at breakneck pace. Merthyr took the lead from the kick off and Wilkes equalised from the restart. In a game of end to end we took the lead early doors second half as Titterton scored his 50th goal for Hinckley United. Yet again we let a side back into it as Merthyr got their second from a 30 yard swerving 'blinder' of a shot. Either team could have won it so a draw was a fair result in the end.
The last league game of the month was a trip to resurgent Hednesford Town who, under their new manager Kenny Hibbert, were on a bit of an upturn. Isn't it always the case? Our 6 match unbeaten run came to a shuddering halt as we lost 2 - 1. Though at least Kevin Francis didn't score the goals! Despite Wilkes giving us an early lead, it was cancelled out and then bettered by another 30 yard blinding 'swerver'. Least said better etc.
So if we add it all up, games against teams below us in the league, we have won only 1. You can't help but wonder if that will come to haunt us at the end of the season. Ifs, buts, pots, pans, etc. Mid table, good enough for now.
 
Do they mean us? They surely don't!
Tommo Talks. Yes he does doesn't he, but I'm on about his weekly column for the Hinckley Times. One week he talked about management style. He says "I'm very passionate about the game and want my players to have the same passion and commitment. Then on the other hand, I think there's not much point in bawling and ranting because once the lads have crossed that white line there's not much you can do." Eh? Don't believe in bawling or shouting? Surely this must be some other Dean Thomas. A clone wheeled out on match days only who's not been informed of the plot? Why do Hinckley suddenly become a good team 5 minutes before half time? 'Cos they know if they don't they've got 15 minutes of Dean Thomas in their ear'oles and that is nothing to look forward to. Who'd be a tea cup on the wall at half time?
 
In out, Shake it all about
This month saw the departure of 2 of last month's signings! Carl Bacon and Mick Morrell were both released by the club. Also in some strange quirk of fate Hinckley signed and released Chris Short in the space of 2 weeks. The former Stoke City player signed, played 2 games and then moved away to a new job in a new area of the country. Merry go round? She certainly does! Outward bound as well was Pete Barry who left for Atherstone United. Also strange, is that despite having a defensive crisis early on, he never got a game? Ben Steane has also left to get 1st team football. He has signed for Bedworth United, who have not been exactly in the form of their pre season optimism of late. In the in tray for this month is Lynden Rowland after much haggling and asserting just exactly how his christian name is spelt, Hinckley allegedly paid a 4 figure sum for the striker who was sacked by King's Lynn. Yes you read it right. Apparently our new forward had his contract terminated by the Linnets for playing for a Leicester Sunday League team. He should fit into the side quite nicely, and er� do any of the local pubs need a new player?
 
World of Football Stuff
After last month's rant on football mascots and my joke about Swansea's 'Cyril the Swan' winning the wrestling, it now appears that Cyril is on the run from the law. At the Mascot Grand National a woman was pushed over inuring her wrist. Police have confirmed that Cyril the Swan is the main suspect. Cyril has a string of offences and this latest will only add to his er� reputation. Swansea have refused to comment on who was wearing the suit at the time, but John Hartson's not been seen for a while has he!? Also during the race Watford's Harry the Hornet cracked some ribs (on a Hornet?) and Wolves' Wendy the Wolf got stretchered off. The winner was Freddie the Fox, who after a stewards had to hand back the trophy because it turned out he was a ringer. It was an olympic hurdler in the costume! Honestly how can you make celebrities out of puppets? Then again how else can you explain Michael Barrymore!?
 
Football fan Ian Andrews got a red card from Sheffield United fans, after barring them from working at his firm. Sheffield Wednesday fan Ian needed some new staff and jokingly added to his adverts "No Blades." Now employment lawyers are probing his firm. Judging from the relative league positions of the respective teams I think they ought to leave him alone, he'll suffer enough come the end of the season.
 
P*ss*d striker downed 16 pints and then scored 5 goals. Andy Dibb had only scored 1 goal in the previous 2 months! Andy went on the p*ss after the England v Greece game safe in the knowledge that he had been dropped from his Sunday league side, Barrowford Rangers. Next morning he was dragged out of bed 30 minutes before kick off as a very late replacement for an injury. When he staggered onto the pitch he couldn't put a foot wrong. Goal 1: came from a lame shot that took a deflection. Goal 2: was a mis-kick from just four yards out, luckily sending the keeper the wrong way. Goal 3: came when he fell over and the ball bounced of his face into the net! Goal 4:was a mis-cued cross that drifted into the net. Goal 5: saw the ball bobble off his knee past the keeper. Andy said: "I can't remember a thing."
 
A football referee felt so sorry for a team losing a game that he scored a goal for them. Wimpole were losing a cup tie 18 - 1 at the time and ref' Brian Savill slotted in a volley with 10 minutes left. Earls Colne Reserves still managed to win the game 20 - 2. Brian said: "I volleyed it in and went roaring up the field signalling a goal. The people watching were half bewildered and half laughing. An Earls Colne player shook my hand and said, "well done!" it was all done in good humour. Wimpole even asked if I could play for them next week!"
 
Coming next Month: The month of the Cup! FA Cup 1ST ROUND, FA Trophy, DM League Cup, but the most important - Rolleston Charity Cup. If someone can invent another cup we could get away without playing a league match in November. Unfortunately we've got 3 to fit in - Newport County, Kettering Town and a rearranged game with Bath City.
 
return to top