nicely handled

[CANV EFM]

well done lads good win in crap conditions against an improving city side.. how the ref gave that penalty against wardy is beyond me.. and surely the penalty we got should have had their defender sent off.. their second goal was totally against the run of play we should have been 5-1 up by then.. and what a goal from parms!! greggors volley that went just wide in the first half was pretty tasty as well.. buzz and chenners came forward well and wardy was rock solid.. well done lads! spencer is looking good as well and i notice in the programme notes that last week we had a team out with an average age of 25..mm not bad for a bunch of alledged ex pros eh?!?

[Charlie Farnsbarnes]

CANV, you don't think you might be just the slightest bit biased in your assessment of today's game do you? I'd say there was a team out there hanging on like no tomorrow for that final whistle to go for the last 7 minutes and it wasn't St. Albans. No question you deserved to win but the match was nowhere near as one-sided as you are making out and you know it.<p>Apart from that, good luck in the Trophy match at Yeovil.

[Guest]

Yes, good win. I always enjoy beating St. Albans, and this is the first time in a couple of seasons that we haven't beaten them by at least two clear goals!<p>As each player we have individually is class but can't quite bond, something needs to be looked at but bugger me if no-one can guess what it is.<p>Ash - Pulled of a few good saves, but seems to live dangerously. His kicking was less efective yesterday.<p>JK - Does this guy have a niggling injury he seems slower these past couple of weeks?<p>Spencer Knight - Very quick and positioned himself well, although his crosses got caught in the wind.<p>Cheners - Solid game at the back and looked good coming forward. What can you say a class defender.<p>Wardy - My MOM. He cleared chances off the line, and out run the Saints forwards. Very solid.<p>Buzz - He got forward quite a lot too. Brought thr ball with him too. Thought he had the chance to score another 'Port Vale' yesterday.<p>Lee Boylan - Converted the penalty well and chased every chance. Could've got a couple more today if the wind wasn't so strong.<p>Stimmo - Was ok in middle. Put together some nice touches but seemed to lack his flare and skill.<p>Greggors - Another good goal and had should have scored more too. He seems to be able to put the ball about well like an Attacking Midfielder.<p>Millsie - Well a bit like Stimmo today, he held on to the ball to long on a few occasions. But seemed from my angle offside for our 2nd goal.<p>Parms - Cracking goal, he's been waiting for one of them for a while, looks more comfortable after an unsettled patch.<p>Cobby - Looked hungry when he came on could have got a couple if the wind wasn't so hard too.<p>Ashley Nicholls - Good to see he can play anywhere in the middle. Not as effective as he has been but still, didn't do anything wrong.<p>Tilly - Captain's back, changed something in the team's morale when he came on. He should've had one today too. Poor Southend how they missed him! <p>Well there's my opinion of our team yesterday. Still need to do a bit more digging to find our top pre-Burnley form.<p>Pumpkin.

[R Zimmerman]

Deary deary me. Please excuse me if I laugh.

[Merv]

Of course you may laugh. <p>I guess watching that mob at St Albans you get lots of laughs. Correction, lots and lots and lots of laughs. Laughing all the way to the bank, no doubt. <p>Oops, another correction. St Albans wouldn't have much to do with banks would they?<p>On a more serious note, St Albans have a lot to offer, in spite of their problems off the pitch. To be 10th in the league, in spite of having only played 24 games, is quite an achievement. If they could have played like they did in the last seven minutes for the other 83, they would be quite formidable. Canvey were really under the cosh for those dying minutes.<p>Pity you have to take all those morons with you in support. Still, I was in the VI form myself once and I guess I was just as bad.<p>Merv CIFC

[GHA EFM]

Could someone please tell me what those 'morons' did wrong?

[frenchy]

Nice appraisal of the team by Pumpkin. Positive, but realistic.<p>Well done.

[Guest]

1 of them had matching haircut and coat,strange but true

[CANV EFM]

i agree.. there is nothing wrong in being a moron..

[GHA EFM]

I still don't know what they did wrong...<p>

[GHA EFM]

And could someone also tell me why there were 3 police vans in the car park?

[Guest]

Possibly cause someone close to them have been reading our boards, and were worried just incase you did bring flares and have a good piss-up!<p>Pumpkin

[Charlie Farnsbarnes]

A pal of mine who couldn't get down to the match on Saturday tuned into BBC Radio Essex who announced that there were four van loads of the local constabulary on standby at the match due to intelligence (?) which suggested there might have been trouble due to aggressive messages on the internet. I've heard it all now. <p> <img src="graemlins/dark3.gif" border="0" alt="" />

[Guest]

What a load of toss you are GHA.

Can I remind you of the notice posted on our MB you directed us to:-

"

This coming Saturday 23rd Febuary, St.Albans City play away to FA trophy holders, FA Cup giantkillers and uneducated simpletons Canvey Island.

This is traditionally a very drunken abusive away trip for the firm and would apppreicate any memebers of the team to join. We have no game on Sunday so the old I'm getting my head down early for the big match excuse won't wash.

Highlights of the last trip to Canvey included excessive drink and drug taking.

"

It goes on as you know boasting and promoting violence, and then you wonder why a Police presence was necassary!

I together with 99pct of other NL football fans watch NL football because its grass roots football with the added bonus of enjoying a relaxed beer before, during and after the game.

Its the 1pct we need to get rid of and the sooner St. Albans folds in my opinion the better for the rest of the RPL fans.

[R Zimmerman]

The message left by one Colin Zeal (I think his name is). If you can't see that this is a joke, then maybe you should go an have your eyes tested. What most people don't realise is that all the EFM do is joke about violence etc. I have only ever witnessed one occasion when the EFM have been involved in any trouble on the terraces, and on that occassion they were heading in the opposite direction.

Also, maybe the club could do somthing about where the supporters stand in the ground. It probably isn't a good idea to have both sets of fans behind the goal. I know this isn't any excuse if there is trouble, if a minority of fans want to behave in this way nothing is going to stop them, but as we know, fans all over the country will chant songs that are aimed to tanut opposition supporters, and having the fans that it is aimed only a few yards away it is just asking for problems. And anothere idea, have a few more stewards who arn't 2 feet tall, little children don't really give an intimidating sense of authority do they.

Oh and is your ground conference standard, cause if it is then maybe Croydon's is too.

[R Zimmerman]

I fully agree with you that the beauty of non-league football is you can mix fans, even though when you are in the conference you will find it will change. It still doesn't take away the fact decent stewarding is vital.

[Merv]

I found the 'threats' made by Colin Zeal (sorry, I assume that's his name based on your posting) intimidating and I consider myself to be quite level headed. To say afterwards, 'It was only a joke!' really doesn't stand up. You may know the guy and know his style, I don't (neither do the police, I assume) and so I consider his outpourings to be the sort of thing that may well incite violent behaviour.<p>Moving on, I'm glad we don't segregate fans at Park Lane for for Ryman games. Like others who have posted here, part of the fun of footy at this level is the fact you can have a chat, bit of banter and a few beers with the opponents. However, following the messages that I read (as above) I was not happy to get involved with St ALbans fans - shame really as I guess that 99% of them are just blokes like myself.<p>With regard to the ground grading, the work that is going on will bring it up to Conference standard. You may not like that, but the criteria is clear and the club is able to meet it. It doesn't take into account whether the place is pretty, aesthetic or tasteful but more mundane stuff like height of perimeter fence, height of steps, number of seats, etc., ect. If you still have a problem with that you should direct your complaints to the relevant Conference ground grading committee.

[GHA EFM]

Have you ever seen a member of EFM? Have you ever heard a report of violence caused by an EFM member? Have you ever seen them play football?<p>As someone remarked...<p>'Hooligans? No. Thespians.'

[David Holden]

Much as it pains me I have to agree with Merv and Canv on this.<p>I read the original posting, and I certainly couldn't tell if it was a joke or not. Based on that posting, there was no option but to have the police involved just in case.<p>Mind you I'm not as liberal as the Canvey moderator, if that had been posted on the Gravesend Board it would have been consigned to the Cyber Dustbin where it belonged.

[Colin Zeal EFM]

It's an absolute joke. You only have to read the home page of the EFM Website where the original posting came from to realise that it's all tongue-in-cheek. Never heard of parody?<p>Four police vans? I couldn't believe what I was seeing. What a waste of taxpayers money.<p>I was at the previous match at Canvey, and I saw just one scuffle break out - and that was started by one of your mindless stewards who took offence at a chant as innocuous as "you're thick and you know you are".<p>By the way, EFM (yes, they're a Sunday league team too!) have no fixtures planned on either 10th or 17th March, so if your fans fancy a match, leave a message on the EFM website messageboard.<p>Cheers,

Colin Zeal