Tonight's friendly

[David Holden]

For those who don't know we lost 3-2 to a strong Brentford side with two cracking goals from Hamid Barr and Gary Abbott.

 

The only disappointment (for me) was the attendance of 317.

 

Justin Skinner and Danny Lye both played about 30 mins, and hopefully came through unscathed.

 

Gary Abbott looks real class, his style of play will bring the midfield into the game around the opponents box, and I'm sure that he will create goals as well as scoring them.

[Alan W (GNFC)]

It was only a friendly, Dave, and , like it or not, most people will not bother turning out for a friendly, especially mid season, against a second division reserve team.

[David Holden]

Yeah after all Grease - after they were famous must have kept many people at home.

 

It may be only a friendly but it was the last chance to see the team at home this month!

[FleetFanatic]

I had to work.....

 

.....but in my defence - I was one of the '68' last week!

 

Still, I.C. brought me up to date when he caught his train to work!

[Richard C]

I was there last night, so was Bateo. I have to say we outplayed them second half at times, but they were so quick. Abbott, Barr, Carter, Jacko and a few others all had blinding games. Both Wilko's were up to their own very high standards and Barnett at the back coped admirably with their pacey front line. Coyle was unlucky and being a young lad will bounce back and learn from his mistakes - There was a shout of head it, which came from the striker, who prob couldnt belive his luck!!

 

I wasnt to displeased with the crowd, second half was fun with all the shouting and as for their number 4 who looked like he punched Danny, thats just not on in a friendly. He was justifiably booed for the entirety of the match. good game well played and Scarborough had better watch out, we looked dangerous against Div2 team.

[Bate'o]

<img src="/forums/images/icons/crazy.gif" alt="" /> Cheers Richy, now my other half will know where I was last night, I told her I was with my other girlfriend.

 

Good game though, thought we would have been thrashed after the first 20 minutes showing, but we seemed to wake up a bit after we went 3 - 0 down. Thought young Mr Abbott was great, scored one and set the other up, and his touch was real class throughout. Good to see Skins, and Danny come back after long layoffs.

 

Got to try and think of something to do now until the Middle of December when we are next at home.

 

[Richard C]

The more i think about it the better Mr Abbott seems to be. He had class touch, held the ball up when surrounded by three defenders on every occasion and still managed to release players. Absolute class and a real good improvement to the already improving squad. A shrewd signing if ever i saw one. Also, how good were Barr and Carter tonight and even Grace when he came on. Seemed to look like the Irish Exile may not be that missed after all.

[David Holden]

I think that's spot on. Gary Abbott is the sort of player that we need to get the best out Hamid who will be able to play just behind him and burst through onto his passes.

 

Abbo also seems to have quickly rebuilt his understanding with Mark Bentley from their days at Aldershot.

[Guest]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote Dave GNFC:</font><hr />

The only disappointment (for me) was the attendance of 317.

 

<hr></blockquote>

 

I used to watch Liverpool's reserves play at Haig Ave, Southport in the years when their A team could boast Marks Kennedy & Walters, Stan "The Man"(GUFFAW) Collymore and the silky skills (AHEM) of Paul Stewart, and believe me, 317 would've been great for them!!

[Bate'o]

That would have been a good turn out for a Wimbledon 1st Team home game!!!

[boaky]

Overall i thought it was a good game,they ran rings round us 1st half their passing was crisp and quick.2nd half i thought we played 10 times better,must agree about Abbo he has such a good touch and brings players into play so well.Hamid had another good game i think he will only get better, nice to see Jamie get half a game after having a good season last year he has been unlucky.I noticed stroutsy took a knock on the ankle hope it is not too serious. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif" alt="" />

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Thought it was more the attempt at a head butt that really got the crowd upset. A ridiculous thing to do when there was nothing riding on the game & it wont have done him any favours in trying to win a first team place, I'm sure.

[JimGNFC]

Enjoyed the game last night. My initial reaction upon hearing that we had signed 37 year old Gary Abbott was that he was past his sell by date but how wrong was I!

 

Held the ball up well, practically stuck to his feet at times and clearly knows when to make runs into the box to get on the end of things - reminded me of a certain Mr Portway. My money's on Abbot getting 15 goals before the season ends.

 

Does anyone know how many of the Brentford team were first teamers last night? They looked like a pretty decent outfit, especially if that was just their reserves.

 

Jim

 

P.S.

 

Is there some sort of "cost cutting exercise" going on at the Fleet that has coincided with the Fleet's exit from the FA Cup?

 

Kwashi (unforeseen I know), Booth, Sodje and Watts have all been removed from the Payroll within a matter of weeks after the Margate defeat, with only Abbot coming in.

[FleetFanatic]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote Dave GNFC:</font><hr />

I think that's spot on. Gary Abbott is the sort of player that we need to get the best out Hamid who will be able to play just behind him and burst through onto his passes.

 

Abbo also seems to have quickly rebuilt his understanding with Mark Bentley from their days at Aldershot.

 

<hr></blockquote>

 

I hope he will also help to bring more out of Che?

Overall, he must be our signing of the season.

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Link to Brentford version of the game

 

Brentford Match Report

 

I actually thought we got back into the game for the last 10 to 15 minutes of the first half, although I agree their view that they could (and probably should) have had more goals in the bag by then.

[mikef]

A thoroughly enjoyable game particulary in the second half when i think we where every bit as good as them.

Shame about Jamie Coyle's error which possibly unsettled the team for a short time but we all mistakes don't we.

I agree with Alan & Richard's view on Brentfords performance, very fast & good slick passing.

I didn't see what happened with their no 4 (Andy Frampton) just before the corner that led to our second goal, but the Brentford coach (i believe) who was standing only a few feet from me called out to him "you stupid boy" thus confirming as you said alan it did him no favours in getting into the first team.

WELL DONE LADS.

 

Mike F

 

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wavey.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wavey.gif" alt="" />

[mikef]

A thoroughly enjoyable game particulary in the second half when i think we were every bit as good as them.

Shame about Jamie Coyle's error which possibly unsettled the team for a short time but we all mistakes don't we.

I agree with Alan & Richard's view on Brentfords performance, very fast & good slick passing.

I didn't see what happened with their no 4 (Andy Frampton) just before the corner that led to our second goal, but the Brentford coach who was standing only a few yards from me called out to him "you stupid boy" thus confirming as you said alan it will probably do him no favours in getting into the first team.

WELL DONE LADS.

 

Mike F

 

<img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wavey.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wavey.gif" alt="" />

[David Holden]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote Alan W (GNFC):</font><hr />

Link to Brentford version of the game

 

Brentford Match Report

 

I actually thought we got back into the game for the last 10 to 15 minutes of the first half, although I agree their view that they could (and probably should) have had more goals in the bag by then.

 

<hr></blockquote>

 

Don't you just hate websites where you have to register to see anything at all. Surely it's counter-productive the object of a website must be to inform everyone not just a select few. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool_shades.gif" alt="" />

[Richard C]

The halifax website and a few others are the same. It seems the higher up the leagues you go, the more the websites become inaccessible. I was going to put this link on their yesterday but, as I had to register the html was only accessible by me. Anyway pasted version if anyone still interested.

 

 

Goals from Rowlands, Blackman and Hutchinson ensured Brentford reserves left Kent victorious on Tuesday evening.

 

Gravesend fielded their first team, and the selected Bees eleven went about their business in a professional manner. The margin of victory should have been much wider, as Brentford ran riot in the first half.

 

It was an unorthodox line-up selected by Geoff Taylor at a chilly Stonebridge Road, with Mark Williams at right back, and Eddie Hutchinson performing central defensive duties.

 

Fleet must have thought the odds were against them from the start as all three officials trotted out in Brentford training tops to officiate the match; all having fallen foul of The Bees’ black strip.

 

It wasn’t long before Brentford opened the scoring. With six minutes on the clock, Lloyd Blackman intercepted Coyne’s weak header back to the goalkeeper, and he rounded Wilkerson to score. Ten minutes later, the lead was doubled. Eddie Hutchinson rose above a sea of players to head home a Martin Rowlands free-kick, awarded for a foul on Blackman.

 

By this time, The Bees were threatening to run up a cricket score, carving open the Fleet defence like a knife through butter at every opportunity, and it was no surprise when Martin Rowlands added a third in the twenty second minute; shooting home from the edge of the penalty area after good work from Blackman. Brentford even had time to sandwich in a goal disallowed two minutes prior to Rowlands finish, Jay Smith ruled offside.

 

Ten minutes before the break, Gravesend pulled a goal back with a rare attack, Hamid Barr scoring from close range.

 

At half time, trainee Danny Thomas (pictured left) replaced Eddie Hutchinson, so Jay Smith dropped into defence. It was a much more even contest in the second forty-five, Gravesend’s endeavour matching The Bees obvious superiority. Three minutes the hour-mark Stephen Hughes narrowly failed to make it four, his header going just over the bar from a pin-point Williams cross.

 

Ijah Anderson had the opportunity to chalk up a rare Bees goal from a Rowlands free-kick, but his volley lacked power and went straight into the path of Jamie Turner, the Gravesend substitute goalkeeper.

 

Andy Frampton incurred the wrath of the ‘Fleet crowd in the 76th minute, when he appeared to be at the centre of a melee that occurred inside the penalty area, just as Gravesend were due to take a corner. As tempers eventually died down, the corner was taken, and veteran striker Gary Abbott reduced the arrears.

 

Substitute Rob Traynor hit the bar with a textbook header with five minute remaining, and spurned a further chance before Referee O’Keefe signalled full-time. Amongst those Bees’ players that shone in a strong team performance, Jay Tabb, Martin Rowlands and Lloyd Blackman may feel that their first team opportunities may come sooner rather than later.

 

Line-up: Julian, Williams, Smith (J), Frampton, Anderson (capt), Rehman, Rowlands, Hutchinson, Tabb, Blackman, Hughes.

 

Subs: Thomas for Hutchinson half-time, Traynor for Blackman 61 minutes, Allen-Page for Williams 77 minutes.

 

Attendance: 317.

 

 

 

[Guest]

<blockquote><font class="small">Quote Super Daz:</font><hr />

Overall, he must be our signing of the season.

 

<hr></blockquote>

Far too early for that sort of comment surely.....?

I hope he will grow into that accolade though.