Today at Dunstable Town

[Rob_the_Saint]

A gentle breeze blew off the Chilterns as a helpful chap in a blazer directed me to a spot in the carpark. I followed the signs to the bar where several other City faithful were gathered. After a quick pint of Fosters I wandered out to watch an assortment of players, only one or two of whom played for the first team last season.

 

To be fair they looked a class above Dunstable, who on this showing will struggle in the Dr Martens Premier division. After half an hour's gentle sparring, City went ahead when the brightest attacker on the field, Dean Fenton, rounded the keeper and poked the ball into the net. A few minutes later, it was two and all seemed well with the world. Half time came, and the youth of Dunstable invaded the pitch to be rebuked by the announcer and told in no uncertain terms to 'get orf'.

 

Second half, and Dunstable started playing like a different team. Fifteen minutes later and they were level. Two good moves down either flank and two clinical headers past Ashane Deacon (no relation to Greg, I can assure you).

 

Substitutions were made. Davies, Okai and Sarll went off, Butler, Adam Smith and Adam Furnesss came on. Saints were in control once again and from a number of through balls, chances came and went with varying degrees of ineptness.

 

2-2 it finished, the plus points being the performances of Fenton up front and, er, Attwood had a reasonably good game. Smith looked lively when he came on, but didn't have long to prove himself. The rest were OK against average opposition. The 25 or so City fans went home in reasonably happy mood, probably at the thought they wouldn't have to visit the place for at least another season.

[EFM The Firm, The Voice]

Quote:

Rob the Saint said:
. The 25 or so City fans went home in reasonably happy mood, probably at the thought they wouldn't have to visit the place for at least another season.

Thats quite neagative Rob, do you think we'll struggle? <img src="/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

And why weren't you at the 1st team game?

[Rob_the_Saint]

I had enough trouble finding my way to Dunstable let alone Welling!

 

I'll reserve judgement until after the Barnet game, they got beat 3-0 by the AFC Wombles but had a makeshift side out so will be looking to make amends. Ooh err!!

[AFF]

What an interesting match summary, Rob.

 

Tha starting line-up was Deacon in goal [a triallist]; 4 at the back: Riley, Ryan Freta [sp?], Will Davies and Scott Cousins, 4 in the midfield: Attwood, Craig Rydeheard, Darren Sarll and Parys Opai; and up front: Dean Fenton and Martin Standen.

 

Freta suffered a horrible looking foot injury after 5 minues and was replaced. Attwood went to right back, Riley to centre back and Jenner played wide right in the midfield. As you say, Graeme Butler, Adam Smith and Adam Furness came on [in the] second half.

 

I don't know anything about football and I have no idea why the manager selected the two sides that he did for the two games on Saturday, but of that lot at Dunstable, Sarll and Rydeheard have been signed in a deafening fanfare of publicity and, I assume, are seen as 1st team players. The way Opai has been 'looked at' he isn't here on trial for the Reserves. Nor are Furness, Jenner and Freta. I imagine that this season's 3/4 strikers will be selected from Fenton, Standen, Furness & Jenner along with MacBreen and Lee Clarke [who were both at Erith]. From what I've seen so far, Fenton & Standen appear to me to be better bets than Jenner, Furness and MacBreen. Sadly, Gary Crawshaw did not appear on Saturday. It would have been good to see some quality.

 

[in the] first half, we played a spoiling game in the midfield, were untroubled at the back and created half-a-dozen chances from which we took two. The best player on the field was Rob Keen, who wears the blue of Dunstable.

 

In the second half, they played with some belief and scored two. We lost the plot, created half-a-dozen chances of which we converted less than one.

 

'Average opposition'? Yes, I would go along with that. Average Southern League Division 1 or wherever they play. On that showing, our team on Saturday could hold its own in that company and could be hoping for a mid-table finish assuming half the side get themselves fit.

 

I was one of the 25 or so Saintsfans and I certainly didn't go home 'reasonably happy'. I approached the game with my new 'positive' attitude - "we are going to struggle big-time this season but I've come to terms with that so it's O.K." - but it didn't last the 90 minutes, I'm afraid.

 

Good clubhouse at Dunstable and a very good P.A.

[Woody]

 

 

AFF said

Quote:

I imagine that this season's 3/4 strikers will be selected from Fenton, Standen, Furness & Jenner along with MacBreen and Lee Clarke

 

Lord help us AFF, if they are the best on offer, we should give up right now. Of those 6, the only serious contenders are Lee Clarke and Dean Fenton. With the exception of McBreen, who I have only seen once, the rest would struggle to make the reserves team. Fenton and Adam Smith ( who came on to the field about 75 mins too late) were easily the pick of the Saints players.

 

Unless we use Adam Parker up front, which is far from ideal, we need a target man in the Watts mould to partner Lee Clarke.

[AFF]

As I said, Woody, my positive attitude of "We are going to struggle big-time this saeson but I've come to terms with that so it's O.K." didn't last the match on Saturday. In fact, it didn't last until half-time.

 

I responded to a point made by RtS on another thread last week. He said something about 'only 10 of the side on display against Watford will make the 1st team squad' and I said 'I don't think so'. It's a bit late looking for half-dozen more potential 1st team players now.

 

Oh, by the way. On Saturday, I thought that the left back, Scott Cousins, showed some touches and was worth a mench.

[Laz]

Woody, for the record, at Erith, Lee Clarke scored twice including confidently struck penalty, McBreen scored once, and Adam Parker seemed to run through their entire defence before knocking in our fifth. The other goal was scored by "Abbot", can't remember his first name.

[GHA EFM]

Paul Abbot's his name I believe (he's incorrectly identified as Ben Cogger in the new photo gallery, by the way RtS or webbo).

 

One thing confuses me. Dunstable was supposed to be the first team match, and Erith was for the reserve team. Why did this not happen?

[Webbo MFI]

oops - cheers

 

[Laz]

This was a matter of some debate on Friday, GHA. If our team at Dunstable is our intended first team, then it sounds like we're in for a tough season. On the other hand our reserves shouldn't have too many problems from what I saw at Erith.

[GHA EFM]

Hypothetically though Laz, let's just say that Dunstable was our reserve side, and Erith was our first team.

 

It's going to be a tough season for both.

[Laz]

It's hard to say: that was Erith's first friendly, and they didn't put up much opposition. Our (in fact it was their) keeper didn't have a save to make in the first half. In the second half our (or was it their) other keeper, only had three saves to make.

 

 

[GHA EFM]

So Erith's keeper played in goal for the Mighty Saints? Bit odd, that.

 

The chap at Dunstable, Ashane Deacon, he looked a little shaky to say the least.

[Laz]

We had two different keepers in each half, both from Erith.

[YB941 5thD EFM ~soul~]

Professional.

 

 

[GHA EFM]

So Erith and Belvedere have more keepers than the Mighty Saints? Very odd, and somewhat disheartening.

 

Someone approached me with a rumour at Dunstable, that I was meant to be playing in goal. 'Twasn't me that started the rumour, but if I was asked by the powers that be, I wouldn't turn the proposal down.

[Laz]

It seems Mel "Melon" Capelton is on holiday and James "Jamesy" Other-bloke is injured. The reserve team keeper must have been at the "first-team" game at Dunstable. Do we not have any youth team keepers?

 

 

[AFF]

I have it on good authority that Ashane Deacon, who played in goal for The Mighty Saints XI at Dunstable Town is the 'keeper for Kettering's PACE side and he helped out in the light of the 'crisis'.

 

The two 'keepers who played for The Mighty Saints XI at Erith & Belvedere were the second & third choice 'keepers from the home side.

 

Mel 'Melo' Capleton is, indeed, on holiday and James 'Robbo' Robinson is injured. George Clark is 'believed to have severed his ties with the club', if you remember. I don't know where Wesley Jackson is. The Yoof U18 'keeper is injured. Skew Bridge Reserves' keeper is also injured, apparently.

 

Mark Bosnich has yet to sign and commit his future to any club, I believe.

[Laz]

PACE: how's that going this year?

It wasn't too successful last year!

[Rob_the_Saint]

If I heard right, we're entering a team into the Football Conference Youth League (Midland Division) or something like that instead. Games to be played on Wednesday afternoons, school sports days permitting.