FA Cup - Hornchurch 1 Paulton Rovers 0

[Urchins]

Hornchurch FC are through to the First Round Proper of the FA Cup.

 

That's the first time I've ever been able to say it. On paper the draw was kind to us but we knew that Paulton were not going to be easy meat. Any side that has beaten five teams on their way to this stage are going to be tough.

 

Paulton soaked up a lot of pressure in the first half but their goalkeeper John Rendell kept them in it with a couple of superb saves - one from a Vinnie John header which he scooped off the line after the ball had already passed him and one from a John Keeling 25 yard drive a few minutes later. At the other end Steve West had to pull off a great tackle to prevent Graham Colbourne from bearing down on goal. West had a header cleared off the line and Vinnie John headed against the crossbar towards the end of the first half. Andy Douglas headed in from a Mark Graham cross from the byeline on half time, but the goal was disallowed after the linesman on the far side of the pitch ruled that the ball had crossed the line before Graham sent it over. Hmmmm......

 

The winning goal came on the hour. Vinnie John went down in the area under a clumsy challenge by Paulton's Mike Kilgour and a spot kick was awarded which Steve West converted with his regular thunderbolt. Paulton worked hard to get back into the game and by the end there were some tired legs and some tired passes. John Martin nearly scored an amazing goal with 15 minutes left when he floated a ball in towards goal from the left flank near the half-way line which bounced off the top of the bar, but in the last minute he was sent off after receiving a second yellow card when he was adjudged to have dived when tackled just outside the area.

 

Full credit to Paulton Rovers who worked their socks off and certainly were not disgraced.

 

Line-up:- Gay, Stirling (Gooding 56), Kerrigan, Adedeji, West, Locke (Southon 14), Keeling, J Martin, John, Douglas (Allen 65), Graham. Subs not used:- Ada, Collier (GK)

[Little Miss Urchin]

I thought little JM received his marching orders because he mouthed off at the ref. It certainly wasn't for diving just outside the box for 2 reasons: 1. he wasn't just outside the box but just passed the halfway line, 2. he didn't dive but brought down via a mistimed tackle (que the mouthing off).

 

Either way, what game will he miss?

[Urchins]

Apparently the referee confirmed it was for a 'dive'. At least that's what I was led to believe. It was perhaps 3-4 yards from the penalty area.

 

If it stands he will miss the Darlington game.

[Little Miss Urchin]

That's rubbish! What the Hell was the ref watching!!!??? (Urchinette wasn't within his line of sight at the time, was she?).

 

The tackle was poor and there was no way he dived. Couldn't believe he didn't get a free kick, let alone receive a 2nd yellow! <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

 

That's why we (those I went to the game with) thought he went carded for dissent.

[Lord]

In fairness though, I thought JM was lucky not to have got a straight red for smacking their guy in the first half! Say what you like about the second yellow, it was indiscipline that got him the first yellow and probably should have earned him a red!

 

That said, the ref was poor. It was never a penalty in my opinion and his general control of the game was poor throughout. I'd go as far as to say that he was as bad, if not worse, than the dodgy ref we had at Carshalton. At least the dodgy penalty put us through <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />

 

[YELLOW]

From where I was standing in the second half near the dugout it looked like Martin had been sent off for dissent. As for the penalty, never a penalty. I remember commenting on what a good challenge the defender had made and couldn't believe it when he pointed to the spot.

[Little Miss Urchin]

Why would the defender point to the spot? <img src="/images/graemlins/blush.gif" alt="" />

[YELLOW]

Someone bribed him perhaps <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

 

You know what I mean young lady or should that be old lady! <img src="/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

[Little Miss Urchin]

Quote:

or should that be old lady!

I was called a granny again last night. <img src="/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" />

[Fleet fan]

so u dont look ur age LMU never mind

[YELLOW]

LMU, do you enjoy knitting?, talking about the old days?, baking cakes?, getting up at the crack of dawn for no apparent reason?

 

If the answer is yes to all the above questions then without a shadow of a doubt you are a granny! Do Hornchurch do OAP concessions?

See that could be one advantage! <img src="/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

 

If the answers are no, well there's hope yet!

 

God I can feel that damned sheep biting my ankles right now!