Town v Dartford

[The Invisible Man]

Did you know that the website says that this is an FA Cup game?

[Nikki 50/50]

no.

[DerekR]

I understand that this evening's result was Town 0-1 Dartford.

Attendance was 300+

[Guest]

Just got in from game. Have to say you deserved at least a point. A very Chelsea ish performance from The Darts,and a Crespo style strike to win it,from Jimmy Carter. Crowd was 315. Balls lost...about the same!!!

[Hawkeye Pierce]

Hall, Allen, Penn, Gant, Hall, Woodward, Green, Hall, Howard, Hammatt,

Morgan, Campbell, Stevenson, Negus, Riley, Nyman

 

Gate 315

 

Goal Carter 74th minute.

 

The First half was exciting for Town fans with Dean Green in inspired mood and early attempts at a cross blocked. Brian Hammatt set up a lovely layoff which Richard Howard skied. Johnny Morgan skied. Dean Green beat two men convincingly to no avail. Johnny Morgan ran from deep but lost it again. Dartford tried to catch town on the break and David Allen tracked back beautifully and tracked back. Kieron Woodward hit a screamer just over the bar. Brian Hammatt followed suit and did the same. Brian Hammatt then forced a full length save from the Dartford Keeper. No8 for Dartford was booked for throwing the ball at Johnny Morgan in frustration. Rudi Hall solo effort saved well. A Russell Penn shot dipped as it just flew over the bar. So many shots missed the target and the ones that did hit it were saved well by an inspired keeping performance. Dartford looked poor in the first half.

 

Second half Dean Green flipped the ball on for Richard Howard shot just wide. Dartford were increasingly breaking out. Kieron Woodward conceded a Free kick and received a booking for it. Another Town player booked for late tackle Dartford Free-kick headed across goal. It was end to end stuff but Dartford were starting to look dangerous on the break. Richard Howard hit the post and the ball bounced out. Dean Green off and Matty Negus on on the hour. David Allen tracked back and made a crucial tackle. Rudi Hall had shot over. Dartford shot wide. David Allen was shoved in the back to touch the ball and then the ref gave free kick on edge of box. Finally Adam Gant was injured and whilst he was off the pitch Carter stole through and scored. A Russell Penn shot was blocked. Another Town shot was headed off the line by the No2 for Dartford. Graeme Hall off Dean Nyman on. Richard Howard just missed a sitter right in front of goal. It wasn’t Towns night.

 

Comment – As someone who had not eaten all day I was annoyed the Brimsdown Rovers Cafe wasn’t open. If they cannot be bothered for a crowd of 315 when will they?

 

Secondly why was the Dartford Coaching staff coaching from both sides of the pitch? Standing in front of the all seater stand was rude and very poor behaviour from a club that should behave better.

 

Dartford potential League Champions I hope not!

[The Invisible Man]

Pooh! Why can't we win at home? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> At least it sounds like a good game and a good peformance. I was updated on the score by the Invisible Ex-Student while I watched the scouse scrape through a little fortunately.

 

Re. cafe - aren't what facilities are to be provided set out as paart of the tenancy agreement?

 

Re. Dartford coaching - surely if they were inside the rail the match officials should have moved them away (at the request of the stewards if necessary). Obviously if they were spectator-side of the rail teh stweards should have moved them on.

[andyetfc]

In answer to both statements made regarding the coaching. The 'coach' was moved on by myself after I had told him why we had a yellow hatched area infront of the main stand. He apologised and 'coached' from the ends of the stand. He was also asked to move by the supporters who were seated in the stand

 

What more do you want me to do?

 

Until we get the new fencing put up, then we will have to do the best we can.

[andyetfc]

Just goes to show that you will not win matches if you do not take your chances and you will lose games when basic errors are made!

[Cyclops]

Quote:

The Invisible Man said:
Did you know that the website says that this is an FA Cup game?

Yes it did. It's called trying to update the site using copy & paste before going to work.

[Sponsor of Beer]

Comment – As someone who had not eaten all day I was annoyed the Brimsdown Rovers Cafe wasn’t open. If they cannot be bothered for a crowd of 315 when will they?

 

I recently found out that its run on a 'contract' from Brimsdown S&SC.

 

I understand that the contract holder is a little less than impressed about some issues surrounding the H&S of the premises

[Guest]

You guys were certainly robbed of the points tonight, to be honest we would've been lucky to come away with a point tonight let alone all 3. The only difference was that our forward managed to take the 1 chance that he had where as your forwards either didn't or our keeper pulled off some great saves to keep us in the game.

 

Unfortunately thats just the way some games go and lucky enough for us it went our way.

 

This certainly wasn't one of our better games tonight and your guys didn't give us any time on the ball at all, hopefully the next time we meet then we might actually be able to play a bit more football rather than just hoofing the ball up field. After tonights performance you should do fairly well in this league and as long as your forwards start taking their chances then you could well start climbing the table.

 

Thanks to you all for the good wishes you gave us after the game and you showed that you are very sporting and gracious in defeat after some of you came up and congratulated us on our win after the game also some of your supporters and your stewards applauded our players off the pitch at the end of the game and congratualted them on the win.

 

This is very much appreciated and your club should be proud of you.

 

It makes a change to visit a ground that actually has a good support basis as well as being vocal, normally we are the only ones to be singing and at times are the only ones in the ground. I was hoping that we might have given you your highest gate tonight but unfortunately it wasn't to be, may be if it had been a Saturday then it would've been a different matter.

 

GOOD LUCK for the rest of the season and hopefully you will bring quite a few with you when you visit us at Stonebridge Road later in the season.

 

The 5th Searcher (Dartford F.C. Supporter)

[Gazza]

Thankyou 5th searcher for those comments much appreciated.

As for the game apart from Wivenhoe, which I missed, I have seen the other 3 SLE games & that was by far our best performance tonight.

Yes I know we didnt score but I thought both our forwards looked sharp, Dean Greene was awesome in the first half turning Dartfords left back inside out, Kieron Woodward is after 4 games, in my opinion, Towns most impressive performer, Rudi & Russ inspiring & Dave Allen a revelation, & fast becoming Mr Versatile!

I left disapointed at the result but very upbeat about the season ahead.

We do look like we need a stable central defensive partnership quickly!! (I was trying to sound tactful there Arky!)

Where has the other central defender gone that was at pre-season? Stevenson on bench again tonight, thought he was MoM against Harlow, but havn't seen him since, and talking of bums on seats in the dugout, is Lee Smith injured again? if not what did he do so wrong on Saturday that he was dropped last night? Also I still fail to see why Steve Baldwin is not in the squad, he has played left back, right back & central defence in his Town career, how can you not put someone like that on the bench as cover at least?! I know you can only have 5 subs, (well 4 in Towns case as we all know who 1 is always going to be!!!!!) but am i alone in thinking it makes sense to at least have him on the bench?

Oh yeah, Chopper wore his 4th goalkeepers kit of the season so far last night, a very fetching "fire engine red" number, Im sure he is after a centre page spread in womans own magazine!

Is there any more Chopper? do you have an F.A Cup kit to unveil to us on Saturday?

[Steph]

I dont think we were robbed and I dont think that all the blame can be placed at Grahame Hall's door. Yes he made a mistake which led to the goal but come on he has been the saviour before now and even the best players make the occasional blunder.

 

Let us look at our goal scoring record since coming into this league.

 

Joint top scorer O.G. with 2.

 

Richard Howard, after some reservations early on, appears to be doing his stuff and I think that Brian Hammet can count himself unlucky not to be on the score sheet last night but it is clear that 66% of our goals in competive matches have come from defensive blunders or the defenders who have used their heads.

 

We do not have, up front, a player who can trap, head and control a ball and bring it down for the forwards. Dean Green did this towards the end of last season but is now playing deeper, and to be honest, this position suits him and the ETFC style better.

 

There is a player who can perform the heading role and that is Byfield. Why hasn't he had a start in competitive games and not even on the bench. Is he injured?

 

Yesterdays performance by Dartford was a demonstration of discipline and good tatical awareness. They massed the defence knowing that we could not thread it through them and there was little aerial (spelling) threat. In the second half they were more adventurous and did not concede as much space in midfield. This forced ETFC midfield further back which meant that the back 4 could easily deal with any threat from Hammet and Howard. The long ball tatic in the first half was replaced by greater accuracy from further up the pitch in the second.

 

A good all round performance by Dartford and their coaching staff. On this showing they were by far the best team we have played this season.

[Gazza]

Quote:

Steph said:
I dont think we were robbed and I dont think that all the blame can be placed at Grahame Hall's door. Yes he made a mistake which led to the goal but come on he has been the saviour before now and even the best players make the occasional blunder.

Could not agree more Steph, Geordie is a Town legend, but I was concerned about the step up for several of our players from last season & in the three games Ive seen what happened for the Dartford goal last night has happened in every game so far.

[OldTowner]

Sure, there is no point in blaming Geordie as the reason we lost. However, it does show that if you give forwards just one chance - they will punish you.

This has happened in all our games so far and needs to be looked at, perhaps with a change of players of style.

The result was compounded by our lack of "killer instinct" at the other end.

I do not believe the opposition keepers have been that good - just that they have not had a forward challenging them.

I cannot recall a time last night when we played the ball to the near post or got a forward "infront" of the keeper for a cross.

On the good side, Town did play the ball around well and were unlucky to end up without a point.

However, from what I have seen so far, a mix of no goals and giving the opposition just one clear chance means defeat in this league.

A change of style in the cup at the weekend may help get the confidence level back up.

We have a big squad - but they will all need a run out or they will be off.

[OldTowner]

read that - players OR style !!

[Arkwright]

Quote:

Gazza said:

We do look like we need a stable central defensive partnership quickly!! (I was trying to sound tactful there Arky!)

Be careful asking for a stable defensive partnership, the jokes too obvious!.

[Chopper]

Ok fellas! I will take my part in there goal as well it was apoor choice of kick!

 

I think it a bit hard on Gerodie he has done alright this year ok he aint the fastest but give him a break. He has been a hero far more times than a villian.

 

Far play to Dartford they set out there stall early on and kept to it all game.

 

Also your keeper had a good game as well! well done fella.

 

I will say there supporters were superb great banter between me and them. It makes a change not to be abused ect and after the final whistle had a few hand shakes with most of them. They were a credit to their club well done supporters of Dartford.

 

Look forward to seeing you at your place! good luck in the meantime fells.

[MbrunoB]

I thought it was good to play a side NOT from essex at last!!!! <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

 

A good game but an unfortunate result from our point of view, I would rather be playing teams like this and learning than keeping on where we were.Can we just learn a little quicker? <img src="/forum/images/graemlins/bawling.gif" alt="" />

[Southport - TOWNER]

well if there were any neutrals in the ground last night waht a great advert for the SLE (oops nearly put ESL!)

 

Good atmosphere, good banter, some great football and nice people from Dartford, who came to enjoy the football; how different to some of the games last year

 

we do need to improve our finishing, but that will come, so heads up and on to Soham