| FEBRUARY 2003 |
| The Richard Lavery award for Discipline, the nominations are... |
|
This time of year a squad size becomes important as suspensions take affect.
Hinckley have suffered more this year by regulars being unavailable more than
they have in the past couple, which has shown in the results, I think. Last
season we had only one player sent off all season, and that was Phil Stant late
on in the season. So far this season we have amassed 5 red cards and 47 yellow
cards at only the three quarters stage. At the time of year we could well do
without suspensions, we seem to be missing a player every week. I'm sure most
people at the Chippenham game think we would have won the match had Jamie Lenton
not been sent off. You could argue that some bookings aren't deserved and rightly
so, but once a ref has given a booking it stands, so players have to adapt to
referees short comings. No it's not fair, but still is what must be done. Whilst
not wanting the players to be any less passionate in their approach to matches,
there must be a temperate approach to referees and possible red card situations.
Two of our best and popular players, because of their commitment, are also
guilty of using that same commitment towards the referee. Dave Crowley and
Stuart Storer have talked themselves into needless bookings this season and is
no surprise they are at the top of the Discipline Table. Sometimes, just
sometimes I wish I didn't have to drudge home thinking 'what on earth did he do
that for?' Most of us accept that the Leicestershire Challenge Cup has been reduced to monkey level after the Leicester FA bowed down to Leicester Fosse and allowed them to switch the final to Holmes Park, which let's face it doesn't even come up to Barwell's standard. Then they allowed the Fosse to play the semi final under their own terms. It wouldn't surprise me if Sh*psh*d have to start the final with a 2 goal deficit. However is it just me that's a bit disappointed at not having the chance to turn over the Shepherds on the A512, to let them hang on to their Boxing Day dreams one more time would be really sweet. |
| The proverbial 6 pointer was the first game... |
|
...as Ilkeston came to the Lane. Ilkeston were 2nd from bottom, but we had never
beaten them as Hinckley United. This was a game both teams desperately needed
to win. Ilkeston started like a team possessed. Hemmings on the right hand side
was running the play and it was no surprise when Ilkeston took the lead after
10 minutes. Former Middlesbrough player Chris Freestone was on the end of a
corner by Hemmings to bury the ball into the back of the net. Hinckley still
didn't wake up. Cartwright injured his ankle and was replaced by Wilkes, but
Dyer who took over the right defence slot was being pulled all over by Hemmings.
It was Hemmings himself who scored Ilkeston's second goal, direct from a corner!
He took an inswinging corner and it eluded everybody to sail into the far corner.
0 - 2 down after 30 minutes yet again. This was now becoming ridiculous, for the
fourth league game running we had let in 2 goals before we started playing.
Hinckley got a lifeline right on half time. A cynical challenge on Sadler on
the edge of the area led to a free kick. Once the Ilkeston players had stopped
squealing like pigs Martin Fox took one of his trademark free kicks to top
corner. However the ball hit the bar and true panto season style, rebounded off
the bar onto the back of Matt Nurse, the Ilson keeper, and into the net. 1 - 2
at half time and the next goal would be crucial. As it happened we didn't have
to wait long. It was the second half so Hinckley had now started playing. Jamie
Lenton was through in on goal within 5 minutes but was pushed over (in a
loose sense of the word pushed) and Martin Fox scored his second from the
penalty spot. Hinckley were level and now had all the impetuous. Hemmings, the
only man who could probably get Ilson back in the game then let down everyone
in his team. In a tussle his and Doughty's legs became entangled. The ex-Tamworth
player then decided, right infront of the linesman and referee, to stamp on the
prone Doughty. The ref had no option but to red card Hemmings. Only 10 minutes
later we were in front. The ball was played on for Sadler, on the edge of the
center circle, who took the ball around a couple of defenders and slotted it
under Nurse. Cue scenes of jubilation thank you very much. The game was probably
over then but just to make sure Wayne Dyer scored a fourth. Sadler had a shot
blocked and the ball rebounded to Dyer on the right of the area. Without a
thought he smashed the ball low and hard into the bottom left corner with Nurse
stranded. 4 -2 and the game was over with still 20 minutes to play. There was
however still time for more drama. Dave Sadler was through on goal again, he took
the ball around Nurse and was about to score in the empty net when Nurse took
his legs from under him. Again the ref had no choice but to show the red card.
Ilkeston were now deep, deep in it. Down to 9 men and no regular goal keeper.
Martin Fox converted the penalty for his hatrick and Hinckley's biggest goal
haul in the Premier division to date. After that it fizzled out, and the game
ended 5 - 2 to Hinckley, vital 3 points in the bag, a jump up to 15th in the
table and our biggest win in the Premier division. Such joy! The controversy surrounding Moor Green's winner at Middlefield Lane earlier this season would have to be forgotten and, as Moor Green had just gone 14 games unbeaten, Hinckley would have to be on top of their game. 5 minutes from kick off and Dean Peer had put Moor Green 1 - 0 up. On top of our game? It got even worse when Chris Smith went off injured after 20 minutes. Hinckley responded well for the rest of the half and chances for Dakin, Voice, Jenkins and even Crowley saw us finish the half with most possession but no goals. Second half started with another controversial refing decision. Jenkins was fouled in the area but the ref waved away the appeals of our players, and then Doughty almost made up for the ref's error but his shat went just wide. Then typically we conceded another goal. Woodley (why is it always him?) caught us on the break and played the ball through the centre for Martin to slot it under Whittle. 2 - 0 down, oh how familiar. Moor Green were woken up by their goal and sensed a killer goal would come. Some bad shooting and a good save from Whittle kept Hinckley in it, but with 10 minutes left it looked a little bleak. However Scott Voice played in Jamie Lenton wide on the edge of the area and somehow he took it to the line and scored from an impossible angle. Only 2 more minutes later and Hinckley were level. Sadler in full flow received the ball, passed his marker and fired past Rachel in the Moor Green goal from 20 yards. Unbelievable yet again. From 2 - 0 down to 2 - 2. There was still time to win it and Tim Wilkes very nearly did, though unlucky for us his shot hit the post in the last minute and the game finished 2 - 2. Chippenham, one of the league's new boys this season, had surpassed everybody's expectations and were currently in 3rd place in the league. With the injury to Chris Smith, DT had decided to keep Sadler on the right and hand Tim Wilkes the striker's role. A role he enjoyed at Grantham and Kettering in the past. In this match it only took 10 minutes for Wilkes to remember what to do. Hinckley had surged forward from the kick off and took the game to Chippenham. Jamie Lenton played in Wilkes in the area and he turned and shot low to open the scoring. Hinckley had a 1 - 0 lead and none of us knew what to do. Hinckley didn't let up and continued to push forward but the constant intervention of the ref was causing concern for everyone. The smallest contact was being punished with a free kick. Chances for Sadler, Voice and a curling Fox free kick all went wide and Chippenham began to get more into the game. Chippenham showed their cards at half time by making a double substitution and clearly showing their intent to attack. John Mills, who could only be described as a refugee from a 'Westlife' prison camp, saw his floated free kick headed against a post by Gould, and Rawlins was also denied by Whittle. Hinckley were dealt a huge blow after 50 minutes when Simon Dakin was carried off injured, to be replaced by new signing Bradley Piercewright. Surprisingly Rawlins challenge went unpunished by the ref who wouldn't show the same leniency later on. Hinckley still pushed forward and should've increased their lead when Sadler was clear on goal but Bittner got down low and saved well at his feet. Then came the moment. Referee Cooper yellow carded Lenton for a late challenge. The problem being a petty yellow card he had handed out to the player in the 1st half. That resulted in Lenton using the showers first and Hinckley playing the last 15 minutes with 10 men. Hinckley struggled with the imbalance and 'Westlife fugee' Mills gave Chippenham an equaliser with 5 minutes left as he was found unmarked on the right side of the area and couldn't really miss. Fox and Doughty had good chances to win the game even still, but with only 2 minutes left Hinckley suffered what they had dished out in their last 5 games. Hinckley were caught on the break and Mills was really 'flying without wings' when again he was unmarked to score after Whittle had saved from Paul's shot. Having led this game 1 - 0 Hinckley lost the game 1 - 2, now knowing what it felt like to be on the receiving end of a comeback. The Leicestershire FA's refusal to move the Leicestershire Challenge Cup Semi Final from a Thursday night meant that Hinckley fielded an under 11's paperboys reserve side against Leicester Fosse. The 0 - 7 scoreline was no surprise with Leicester 1st team Tommy Wright getting a hatrick and Stefan Oakes also getting amongst the goals. I can't say it bothered many after the competition had been devalued after the decision by the Leicestershire FA to allow Leicester City to switch the Final from the Walker's Bowl to Holmes Park. Not much of a difference! They might as well call it the Leicester Fosse Challenge cup, and be done with it. Roll on the Rolleston. A short month made even shorter with postponed matches, ended in disappointment really. Having done the job against Ilkeston and Moor Green the Chippenham game was 3 points lost really. OK before the game we wouldn't have expected to realistically beat the 3rd placed side but with 10 minutes left and 1 - 0 up you'd expect at least a point. Never mind take it on the chin, put it behind us and concentrate on games coming, not games past. |
| In out, Shake it all about |
| In an attempt to shore up our leaky backline Dean Thomas signed Bradley Piercewright from Conference, er, neighbours (?) Kettering Town. Brad played for them regular for the last 2 seasons and even won a DM Premier Championship medal with them last season. Hopefully he'll bring a bit more composure in defence and not see us get stretched on the break as has been happening this season. |
| World of Football Stuff |
|
Oh how the tabloids loved it when Newcastle United comprehensively beat Bayer
Leverkusen. The German coach Ralf Minge came in for quite a bit of stick (ooer).
In a good old fashioned 'Carry On' style we were pissing ourselves reading the
headlines: It's a good job Graham Le Saux didn't score a hatrick, that would be libel! The comedy potential was endless. However for it to be a classic, Leverkusen and coach Minge would have to sign a certain German International Player... Whatever did happened to Stefan Kuntz? During a game in Finchley on the parks a referee was abused as he disallowed a goal. Instead of the usual yellow or red card and fancy arm waving in the direction of the dressing room, this referee was having no nonsense. He went to the dressing room, returned with an axe swinging it round his head shouting: "Who f***ing wants it?" In a month of 'psycho babble' between the top club's managers Arsene Wenger was quoted as saying: "There is a big animal inside of me. The bigger the animal is inside of you, the more you have to keep it under control." And to think only last month I was talking about Richard Gere� hello operator, can you give me the number for the RSPCA? |
| Coming next Season: Crawley, Grantham and Chelmsford at Middlefield Lane and Cambridge, Welling and Folkestone away. We've got to be looking at picking up 10-11 points from that lot or it probably is all over. If we've got time we may give Thurnby a, erm, thrashing in the Rolleston. |
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