Concord Rangers 1 Enfield Town 1

[Pavagrotti]

As usual Concord signed a player before the match!

 

Concord threw everything but the kitchen sink at the town in the first half bringing off some first class defending and saves from Chopper (my man of the match). Brad Brotherton, David Allen and Steve baldwin played brilliantly in defence. 0 - 0 at half time was very pleasing.

 

Second half we fancied it and were doing fine until Brad Quinn got niggled and sent off for a second yellow card. No complaints from town fans only the number of cards Brad has picked up this season. Needs an anger management course.

 

In the dying minutes Concord grabbed what looked an almost certain winner.

 

Town went up for the final corner of the game and Lee Smith scored a priceless equaliser. So one point more than normal at Concord but we did come for 3 and thought we'd get them too!

 

Disappointed In Brad Quinn yes. But it is better to get the one point than to lose a sixpointer.

[lovely stuff]

Due to numerous players missing,Town sent out a very strange line-up today....we had two forwards as wing-backs,and a wing-back as a central defender.

 

i thought Town had a poor first half,and seemed unable to retain good possesion,not helped by a bobbly pitch,and an ancient 'matt-finish' ball,used by Concord.

 

Second half didn't start much better,although going to four at the back helped...(My advice to jim,is that ,unless the wing-backs happen to be Allen and Negus,stick to a flat back four,because the system dosn't work with anyone else,apart from those two.)....I would give Adam Gant a try at left-back,once he's fit.

 

 

Once Quinn was sent off,harshly concidering his first caution....Town woke up,and created three good chance in the first 5 minutes of going down to ten men...from the on,Town began to take more cotrol of the match.....although obviously Concord still looked very dangerous on the break.

 

Having had a certain penalty turned doen when Lee Smith was chopped to the ground,with ten minutes left....Concidering our luck against Concord..you could tell what the Town fans were all thinking.

 

'Concord are going to score in injury-time'......And sure enough....As soon as the big hand reachrd 90...the ref gives Concord an imaginery corner....and Chopper(who had been excellent all game....knee's the ball into his own net.

 

BUT....with near enough the last kick of the game ,Cove rises high,to head the ball down to Smith,who showed bravery,to slide the ball into the net(injurig himself in he result).

 

Special mention to Brad Brotherton,who showed composure and fighting spirit,at the heart of the defence.

 

 

 

[Steph]

I didn't think that it was a penalty and I think that the ref and linesman came in for some very unfair comments from the Enfield fans.

 

I did not agree witht the first booking of Quin though the second was justified and Quinn should have realised that he was on a second yellow and adjusted his game accordingly.

 

I felt that as Concorde number 2 was playing an orthodox sweeper role and fell back very quickly as soon as Enfield has possesion the forwards and midfield should have got forward quicker and utilised the extra space he was offering. They did this in the second half and looked stronger.

[Gonzo]

In the end something of a result to get a point with the number of players we've got injured. The system clearly didn't work in the first half, we were outnumbered in midfield and Rids was having to work his socks off. I'm still not convinced by Riley at left back and agree that Gant may be an alternative. Now, I understand that Brad Quinn is a combative midfield player but he had to realise that once he'd been booked he needed to do his utmost to stay on the pitch - with hindsight Jim obviously should've substituted him at half-time. Hopefully Snowden & Gant will be back for Ilford. Any news on when Ian Cooper will be back training?

[Anfield Towner]

A hard earned point, I thought. Yes, Chopper & Brad Brotherton both had very good games but Lee Smith gave everything and was rewarded with a goal. Any news on whether he'll be fit for Tuesday?

[Mr Happy]

All in all, a competitive and very enjoyable game. AGree with most of the comments posted. Where we went wrong was in our delivery into the box. Every cross or pass went straight to the keeper. I disagree with Stph's comments about the ref. He was a disaster. Andy Hall said after the game that if we had him every week he'd give up playing!

[The Invisible Man]

Chopper and Brad B werre magnificent, Lee and Billy ran their socks off, but EVERY player was man of the match, a tremendous team performance.

 

As has been said above, the two strikers trying to be wingbacks was not a success. Dave Allen has however played centre back before, very successfully.

 

I would like to give a special mention to Steve Baldwin, who strikes me as something of a quiet man of the defence, a bit of an unsung hero, but he is consistent and solid, and just calmly gets on with the job of defending witth no fuss. Although an accomplished player already, I think he is improving all the time.

 

Adam Gant is a terrific footballer, so when he is fit, and Graeme sorts his ankle out and Stuart stops having babies, we can look forward to even meaner defence! And that's counting Brad B as a midfielder, where I prefer him!