Berkhamsted Town 1 Hornchurch 1

[Urchins]

Another two points dropped today in a game of few chances. Berkhamsted had much of the possession in the first half but we came closest to scoring when an Andrew Martin shot from 18 yards was pushed over by keeper Nick Webb.

 

The second half was nearly all Hornchurch and Martin again came close on 50 minutes hitting the crossbar from a Benstock pass. Martin went close twice more before all our hard work paid off in the 82nd minute. Steve Jones sent in a low cross from the left hand side, Martin's shot at the far post was blocked on the line by the keeper but Fox followed up to drill the ball home with the keeper still floored. Martin was injured in this attack and left the field of play for treatment but he came back on without the referee's permission and was duly yellow carded for the second time and sent off. Berkhamsted pressed for an equaliser and Dimitri Kharine made a great save from a Kieran Webb in the dying minutes. In injury time though, Kharine retaliated against a late John Richardson challenge and was dismissed. Substitute keeper Paul Wood came on to face the resulting penalty but Webb converted despite Wood getting a touch.

We nearly took the lead again right at the end from a Steve Jones free kick but keeper Webb made a heroic save to claw the ball away from under the bar.

 

 

Line-up:- Kharine, McGowan, Bates, McDonald, Jopson (Wood 90+), Gooding, Locke, Fox, Jones, Martin, Benstock. Subs not used: Carter, Cripps, Price.

[Guest]

Not quite up to your usual objective standard Robbie old chap....where do we start....how about with the dismissal of Taffy, he was kicked all over the park by a big robust defence and without any protection from the referee, eventually retaliated and was booked, correct decision from the ref no doubt at all, taffy deserved to be booked.... would he have retaliated if the ref had given him at least some vestige of protection...who knows.... next stop....we've scored the goal. taffs injured...off the pitch for treatment....waiting to get back on...they attack....we defend...we send the ball down their right flank....jonesy attacks it and taffy then comes back on....no ones watching taffy....three minutes off the pitch...coming back towards his own half....hold on...ref blows....taffy gets yellow carded....not been called back on and he's off.....right decision....technically yes....but why didn't the ref call him back on...he forgot about him....good refereeing....who knows.....

 

now dmitri....very little to do.....getting all sorts of racist [censored] off the kids behind the goal...(he's a pro...deal with it...) brilliant save on the 90 minutes....injury time...(who's been injured)...free kick to berko....scramble...dmitri gets the ball and their forward slides in and catches him...free kick...absolutely 100% certain....do we get it....no...dmitri takes matters into his own hands...head butts the berko forward...ref doesn't see a thing...goes to the lino who has had the worst game you could believe and favoured no one...just got it all wrong

every time...ref consults the lino whilst the berko boy does a good impresion of the dying swan...result....penalty and dmitri off...nine men after 91 minutes with eleven....great....right or wrong....absolutely right to send dmitri off....totally out of order....right decision....but surely the berko forward should have been penalised for the first foul which should have negated the penalty....divided opinion...no...everyone agreed....the penalty....woddsie...bless him nearly saved it....who went home happy.....well...berko got out of gaol....can't blame them....good robust team and a right handful....but I doubt wether they got any satisfaction out of all of that....they can say what they ike...urchins were the beter team....HFC...well...another balls up and taff and dmitri should hang their heads in shame for letting their teamates down after such a superb performance away from home against a bloody good side......heros or villains....well.....players with adrenaline running through their veins will always take matters into their own hands if the ref doesn't stamp down on bad play....happiest man in the ground...why the ref of course....he was absolutely right to send them both off according to the rules but he created the incidents that led to the sending offs by poor refereeing in the first place.....the ref will be the centre of attention in his small world tonight...he sent off two internationals with 50 caps between them......hey...hang on a mo....I thought the players were the stars of this game...good game boys...keep it up.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool_shades.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

Yep, I agree with both of the above reports, seems like a repeat of the Vase replay at the Stadium two years ago when Appo was sent off for talking! to Wolffy. Berko still very strong but they know they were outplayed and very fortunate, however once again nice bunch of people, sorry I left the bottle of on the rocks, but hope they are looking forward to visiting us.

To the lads, you are obviously working very hard at improving matters and we are in a good position, we're all proud of you boys and that applies to the whole squad and Management team.

I can only see ouir supporter base, led by Multimap, increasing. Full marks to the lads who travelled, you were a credit to the club and encourage you to keep it up and enjoy your footie.

[Guest]

Shame you drop an excellent keeper for the "name" you bunch star struck spams. More money than sense.

[Guest]

welcome back to our humble forum sidney old chap....a few points that hopefully your biased philistine brain can digest...firstly...our club policy is to have a full 24 man squad, we only had one first team keeper, now we have two....whats that got to do with names or money....good management more like...the fact that it was dimitri is really irrelevant....we go for the best available within the allocated budget.....good management sidney....secondly....woodie is an excellent goalkeeper 100% agreement on that one... but is young with much to learn...dimitri will fulfill that coaching roll for all of our keepers including the youth team and under 16's....dimitri himself....a superb performance yesterday leaving all of us in no doubt....a good signing....the sending off....it happens...will happen again and will happen to everyone at all clubs throughout a season......when adrenaline runs high and players get knocked about...well...those of us that have played understand...you obviously haven't or else you wouldn't have posted your idiocy in the first place...by the way...nice to be able to come on here and discuss matters with us isn't it sidney old boy...pity we can't get on your forum...whats the problem....fenced in are you....scared of critism are you...look to your own affairs camel and we'll see what happens after the long Ryman winter...hows the ground redevelopment by the way...are the pigs still circling overhead? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

I feel sorry for woodie,okay he has to improve on he's kicking,but that will come eventually!The boy hasn't done anything wrong,and he's probabley been one of the players of the season so far!!!!

All i say woodie, is keep it going,and you've got a good attitude and professionalism to stand aside for another keeper!!!

Also woodie,take the experience of kharine eg(like headbutting players!)

Money isn't everthing lads!!!!

COME ON U URCHINS !!!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wavey.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

Woodie won't learn anything from losers like you will he, thats a fact, you don't need to feel sorry for Woodie either, he will be a full time professional in due course, (I've just been watching Woodie and Dimitri train and its a pleasure to see) hopefully with HFC, and you will be in the same place as you are now, the gutter. Get lost. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool_shades.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

Boxer seems a little uncertain of his standing in life, appears to want to be an authority on footie matters but posts himself as a 'pugilist' also seems as though he's appointed himself our 'Woodies' protector. Bet you ten pence to a pound he wasn't at the game on Saturday!

[Guest]

Having a full 24 man squad would be the pre requisite of any club with ambition and with professional aspirations.What you have failed to notice is that the club currently have 2 first team keepers..Woody and Michael Collier!.If you had seen any of the reserve team games this season you would have noticed a quality keeper who organises and talks to his defence,can kick a ball,with both feet.He is only 1 year older than Woods,and among some of the playing staff is considered a better keeper.He made his senior debut for Hornchurch aged 16,and was the first choice youth team keeper for two years.This was the very succesful youth team managed by Steve Cowley and Paul Sutton.The club at the time had no ambition at all and lost the services not only of Collier (Bishop Stortford),Danny Cowley(Harlow),Danny Hasleden(Grays and Dagenham). Whilst the addition of Kharine would help all of the keepers at the club providing a coaching role ,isn,t it a bit late in the day seeing as the season started in August.Up to now the keepers have had to coach themselves so when his limited contract ends are the club going to get a coach for the keepers?

[Guest]

Woodie,if your not happy,we will certianely have u at Romford f.c,no doubt about that!!!!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool_shades.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool_shades.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

damn password...lost it again...you are obviously not one of our Micks or you would know that we have been looking for a goalkeeping coach for six months now, they are not easy to find and Dimitri filled that role when we learned that he was available. The interest that we have in Dimitri and indeed another of our 'senior pro's' is long term with a view to coaching, (Dimitri may well leave in the new year, on the other hand Mick Marsden may offer him a contract on the coaching side, that is between them) This season will pass quickly as will the next and whatever happens we have the responsibility to ensure that we create and build on continuity at the club, the current guardians of HFC are not here for a quick 'one season' fix, they are here for at least five years and probably longer. We must accept that progress always has a price. With regard to Woodie and Michael Collier, they are both excellent keepers, they are both highly thought of and will both prosper with HFC, not just as make weights but probably and hopefully, fighting it out for the 1st choice jersey, that's healthy and we make no excuses for that policy. It's the same in all positions on the pitch, I wouldn't want to be In Mick Marsdens shoes when he picks the team. Its difficult but we do have the strength that others covet.....from another persepective, if we had signed another keeper, say from 'The Bulls Head' sunday league, not one comment would have been made, fact is this debate, sadly, is not actually about goalkeepers, its about high profile players. (We've done that one to death now) As for Dimitri, he's a nice guy, a good keeper, massive experience and will only serve to benefit both the club and the players who he trains with. It is unfortunate what happened on Saturday (no excuses) but unless you were at the game you will find it hard to understand. It is the first time that Kharine has been sent off in a glittering career and it can and has happened to other top class players at all levels in all countries. We will not stand in judgement with regard to that and what happened on Saturday with Dimitri and Andrew Martin is a matter for Mick Marsden to deal with in the way that he see's fit. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool_shades.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

Sorry, didn't answer your final question, if Dimitri does leave HFC in the new year we will replace him with another professional goalkeeping coach. If Dimitri did leave and took up a one or two year contract at a higher level, who's to say that he won't come back to HFC after that, we are building relationships for the future as well as seeking success now. It would help more if everything that we did wasn't the subject of how, where, why, and when... but we understand that people are interested in what we are doing and hopefully this forum serves to assist genuine people in that respect. Thanks for your interest in the club <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool_shades.gif" alt="" />

[Guest]

dream on parkie, you couldn't afford woodie woodpecker let alone woodie the goalkeeper, you can have me for a oner a week though, I'm only 65 and could certainly still play at your level, ask ol' arthur, he knows me well!!!

[Guest]

The goalkeepers themselves are the one's that can throw the most light on this debate, as I understand it, they are all pleased with the turn of events and have welcomed the opportunity to learn from a professional player with Kharine's experience. (They would be foolish to think otherwise would they not?) I also understand that Woodie has willingly accepted that Kharine will play a couple of games and indeed, from a spectators view, there was a much better shape to our game on saturday and we didn't play anywhere near as deep as we have been, Kharine wouldn't let the defence anywhere near him. We played one of our best games as well, so, not conclusive, not critical of Woodie, but maybe also not coincidence, any player that thinks he knows it all is not a good player, we can all learn, we never really stop learning. Woodie won't come to any harm and neither will young Collier, they both have bright futures and they know that. Kharine has a role to play for a short while, the future still remains very bright for the young keepers. They themselves are not contributing to this debate, other people are doing it and I suspect some for the wrong reasons, let Mick get on with what he's doing, he's never let anyone down yet. As to Collier being a 1st team goalkeeper, yes he has been brought into the squad but he is also needed to play in some reserve team matches so we did need more cover for a shoprt term. It is early days, everyone is in a hurry.