Goodish day in the league AND trophy ?

[1 F in Fleet]

At work , but keeping in touch via Radio Kent and the interweb ... sounded a corker v Rushden , sad to miss it ... meanwhile at the top of the league -

Oxford 1 1 Cambridge

Weymouth 1 1 Burton

York 0 2 Tamworth

 

So it looks thus ?

Dagenham P29 Pts 61

Oxford P30 Pts 53

York P30 Pts 49

Fleet P29 Pts 49

Burton P28 Pts 48

 

Other trophy results :

Histon 1 2 Northwich

Wings 2 1 Worcester

Kettering 0 2 Salisbury

Morecambe 1 1 Satanage

Halifax 3 1 Redditch

Kidderminster 0 0 George Borg's Braintree

Grays 2 1 Yeading

 

 

Well done today Fleet - what are the odds on us drawing Wailing in the last 8 ????

[mikefleet]

another good solid performance by the boys today, westley is going mad aint he, stupid wa***r.

 

bring on the draw, welling at home?

 

P.S last time we got to the quarter finals was back in the promation year maybe we can do it again

[Fleet boys]

weymouth 1-1 burton 90 mins weymouth scored

[Harry J Allstars]

Originally Posted By: mikefleet

another good solid performance by the boys today, westley is going mad aint he, stupid wa***r.

bring on the draw, welling at home?

P.S last time we got to the quarter finals was back in the promation year maybe we can do it again

I think we got there two years ago Mike, when we lost to Bishops Stortford.

[1 F in Fleet]

Quite right ( bl**dy bbc - 15 minutes late with the updated scores again )... previous post dutifully amended ... now looks even better !!! Hope we avoid Hali-hex in the draw on Monday ... although free entrance if you bring a pitch-fork ?

[EUFC superb]

When's the next round?

[Graham S]

The pessimist in me says:

 

Watch us draw Morecambe/Stimpsonage away. Failing that Halifax at the Shay or possibly Salisbury away.

 

You know it just has to happen.

 

 

 

 

[Harry J Allstars]

24th of Feb. It replaces Northwich at home. Northwich are still in it so we could well end up playing them anyway.

[mikefleet]

next round is 24th febuary, we would of been at home to northwich in the league. that will now have to be arranged later on

[1 F in Fleet]

Originally Posted By: Graham S

You know it just has to happen.

How can your suggestion NOT happen ? We're in the last 8 and can't play ourselves , so it leaves 7 teams and YOU NAME 4 OF THEM ? Do you always bet each way way way ?

[Graham S]

Originally Posted By: 1_F_in_Fleet

Originally Posted By: Graham S

You know it just has to happen.

How can your suggestion NOT happen ? We're in the last 8 and can't play ourselves , so it leaves 7 teams and YOU NAME 4 OF THEM ? Do you always bet each way way way ?

Do the maths, Mr 1 F, Stimsonage & Morecambe count as one team as they drew & only one of them can go through, so there are still 4 other teams, counting the winners of Kiddy/Braintree as 1, though thinking about it, I wouldn't fancy drawing Kidderminster either. Unless we're lucky on Monday, then, it's not going to be easy.

[Stu M]

Some bloke on the Rushden forum called Woody... clearly viewing things from one perspective only:

 

 

"The most NON penalty EVER

Just a referee that was duped by a dive and the smiling b'stard Number 10 was virtually kissing the res [****!!****].

 

A Story of ineptitude that cost us the game.......Numerous Yellow cards, Red card, and TWO near Riot situations.

 

Mr. P. Gibb and his two linos. Twisted Evil Twisted Evil Twisted Evil

 

The Worst Officials I have ever seen on my time on this planet.

 

The blatant diving by the opposition players beggared belief."

 

 

So we'll forget Wilson smacking Charlie? We'll forget the blatant and cynical foul at the end when Charlie was all but clean through. We'll forget Sam Mott being booted twice when he went to collect the ball. We'll forget Watson's disgraceful reaction to Slatter's tackle, reckless though it was. We'll forget Jackson's constant moaning which he was eventually booked for. And we'll forget some of Rankine's more theatrical dives too.

 

Only thing I agree with that bloke is that the officials were complete pants. Rushden were one of the dirtiest sides I've seen this season.

[Riverview Supporter]

Welling at home could be good for both sets off fans.

 

A local derby.

 

Good media coverage from Radio Kent

 

Gills away to scunthorpe , so may attract a few of their fans who just love football and dont get caught up in this we hate the gills thing

[Alan W (GNFC)]

Whilst Slatt's challenge was clumsy, I and several others around e though he genuinely pulled out of the challenge at the last minute - didnt think it warranted more than a yellow - especially in the light of the subsequent assault on one of our players (not sure who) in the left back position later on in the game - late and 2 footed, yet it only got yellow?

 

Equally, the reaction from Watson to Slatt's challenge only got him a yellow which meant red only because of an earlier yellow.

 

If we're talking of diving anyway, what about their penalty claim in the first half? If it wasnt a penalty, their guy gave a good impression of a dying swan.

 

To argue that Charlie dived was ludicrous. The challenge didnt need to be made as I dont think Charlie would have got the ball. That said, it started as obstruction only, before their defender decided to persist in pushing Mac off the ball. I dont think the ref had a choice.

Could see that the ref was whistle happy and was going to "lose it" after a few minutes - unfortunately the guess became reality.

 

We played well 1st half, but rather stuttered to victory in the 2nd. Still, we should be glad none of our players suffered serious injury, although we'll now potentially be without Slatts for 3 games now (unless the video evidence lends itself to an appeal)

[Harry J Allstars]

I wouldn't worry about it Stu, they just seem to be really thick. Just take a look at this re AFC Dons appeal.

 

The Daily Mail on Thursday first mentioned this and in todays paper it says they are appointing FOC a top advocate (who defended Colin Stagg in Wimbledon Common murder a few years ago)

 

If they were to win the appeal (highly unlikely) Wombles would have to be reinstated and us play them. Todays game would become irrelevant, but sending off and bookings would still count!!

 

 

Yeah that'll happen.

[Santa]

Slatts challenge looked a little worse than clumsy from behind the goal and I feared the worse.

 

Agree we looked the better team in the first half but never kept hold of the ball in the second and when we had it we tended to knock it long and it had a tendancy to come straight back.

 

Having said that the defence was again outstanding Macca played well (and v nearly got a goal) and Ross' heading of the ball esp 1st half was excellent.

 

But a special mention for young Sam, whilst he never had too many shots to stop he did a good job in cleaning up some difficult situations. His handling was mostly assured and his kicking out of hand and from the deck probably more powerful than Lance's. Well done son.

 

 

 

 

 

[Hempstead Gaz]

Have yet to see anywhere a report on the game - apart from the goalscorers and there were a lot of bookings and a sending off. Could anyone give a short precis of the game, please, as I wasn't there and couldn't listen either?

[Harry J Allstars]

All over them in the first half, they made their way back in the second.

 

They kicked us and battered us but we didn't give up. Could of and should of won by more. Some more long ball today but the penalty came from a bit of a long ball so shouldn't complain. The long ball game can work, and has done in the past, so who am I to criticise. We needed a team of battlers today and found them we did, probably a few bruises but we deserve to be in the quater final, well... sort of.

[Hempstead Gaz]

Thanks, Harry.

The nearest thing I have found to a report is this.

[Stu M]

From Rushden's website... to save you registering:

 

FA Carlsberg Trophy Third Round

 

Stonebridge Road, Northfleet

 

Rushden and Diamonds were shaded out of the FA Carlsberg Trophy with a narrow 2-1 defeat in a controversial clash at Stonebridge Road, following a spirited second half performance.

 

It meant Gravesend and Northfleet took advantage of their reprieve in this competition to reach the last eight, but there were a total of 12 cards issued by referee Gibbs (11 yellows and a straight red), and these, along with his penalty decisions, mean his contribution will be remembered longer than the football on show.

 

After conceding an early penalty, and struggling throughout of the first half, the Diamonds players rallied in the second half, and had a number of chances to get the equaliser that would have brought the tie back to Nene Park.

 

Manager Westley made several enforced changes to the team that beat Oxford, with the cup tied Gary Mills and David Perpetuini, and injured Mark Albrighton being replaced by Marcus Kelly, Tom Bonner and Dave Savage. Wayne Hatswell captained the team on his 50th appearance in place of the absent Chris Hope.

 

A very youthful bench included Alex Bolt and Lawrence Lambley for the first time.

 

Fleet were able to field the team that drew with Stevenage, with Luke Moore suspended and being replaced by Onome Sodje, and Sam Mott playing in goal in place of loanee Luke McShane. This meant top scorer Charlie McDonald faced the Diamonds after missing the game in December, along with Onome Sodje, who scored the winner in December.

 

Diamonds lined up with Glenn Wilson in the centre of defence, with John Ashton staying at right back. Marcus Kelly was playing in central midfield, with Tom Bonner on the left.

 

Diamonds started brightly, and forced an early corner and a chance for Jon Ashton from a Paul Cook freekick. In the fifth minute G&NFC broke downfield for the first time, with Charlie McDonald running through the centre of the Diamonds defence, before falling to the ground. Glenn Wilson was adjudged by referee Gibbs to have fouled him, and he also decided from a position some way behind play that the foul was inside the box, and awarded a penalty. McDonald duly scored from the spot,

 

Although Fleet had the best of the play for the next half-hour, Diamonds felt aggrieved that a challenge that flattened Chris Beardsley was theatrically waved away by Mr Gibbs, when it looked considerably worse than the penalty challenge. The mood in the camp wasn't helped when a similar challenge on Simeon Jackson, this time outside the box, also went unpunished. General concerns about the officials increased when the linesman on the right appeared to flag for offside from a Diamonds throw in. Mr Gibbs rightly asked for the throw to be retaken.

 

This general mood was reflected on the pitch, with a 20 man confrontation in the Gravesend box seeing Jon Ashton and Ross Smith receiving yellow cards.

 

G&NFC were having the best of the chances, and as at the game at Nene Park, the nippy DeBolla and McDonald were proving a real handful, with one excellent move between the pair, including a McDonald backflick in the area, resulted in a shot flashing across the area.

 

On 28 minutes, manager Westley made what appeared to be a tactical change, with Michael Rankine replacing Tom Bonner, but shortly afterwards Fleet took a two-goal lead. Immediately following the Beardsley penalty shout, Fleet put together a fine move through midfield, with Charlie McDonald beating inside the box Paul Watson, and finding Mark DeBolla, who fired a shot low to Tynan's right.

 

The half ended with a further booking for Paul McCarthy, one that was clearly merited as he halted a dangerous Diamonds break. This was one of the few times the Diamonds looked dangerous, as they were caught offside far too often in the first 45 minutes.

 

Half-time: Gravesend and Northfleet 2 Rushden & Diamonds 0

 

Diamonds came out for the second half, looking far more purposeful, but it was a sign of things to come when Michael Rankine was booked, and then Rob Quinn committed one of the worst fouls of the game, but was spared a second yellow.

 

Beardsley, Jackson and Rankine were linking up well, with Jacko raiding down the left, and on 57 minutes it was as a result of a strong midfield challenge that the ball broke to Michael Rankine on the edge of the box. He burst past two defenders, pushed the ball wide of the goalkeeper, and the rifled a powerful shot into the net.

 

Fleet were rarely threatening in the second half, but one dangerous ball through the area by Stacy Long following a corner could easily have sewn the game up.

 

On 61 minutes, a bad foul by Danny Slatter in front of the Fleet fans provoked the second mass confrontation of the game, with Paul Watson pulling the player away by his shirt, and Glenn Wilson and Charlie Mcdonald also getting heavily involved. After much confusion, referee Gibbs settled on a straight red for Slatter, and yellows for Watson, Wilson and McDonald, but the second yellow for Watson meant he saw a red card.

 

Shortly after the incident, Chris Beardsley made a strong challenge to win the ball from a GNFC defender, and with the Fleet fans baying for a red, referee Gibbs settled on a yellow.

 

With both sides down to 10 men the match opened up even more, but Fleet were restricted to the odd break, whilst the Diamonds constantly threatened, although without creating many clear chances, Lee Tomlin came on for Kelly, and he created one of the better chances for himself, but as at Oxford, chose to shoot from long range rather than trying to feed the unmarked Rankine.

 

Further chances fell to Beardsley, Jackson and Rankine, but their shots were either wayward or blocked, so that young goalie Sam Mott was not really troubled. Dave Savage was able to find Cook and Jackson in the wide positions regularly, but the quality of crosses was not sufficient to really threaten, although the front men had finally begun to beat the offside trap.

 

As full time approached, Dave Savage received the seventh Diamonds yellow card of the half for a poor challenge on McDonald after he had needlessly given him the ball in a dangerous position, and he was substituted shortly afterwards by debutant Alex Bolt.

 

Referee Gibbs only added on four minutes of injury time, despite the mass of bookings and substitutions, as well as the trainer giving Mcdonald lengthy attention, but it was during this time that a final great chance fell to the Diamonds from a Hatswell flick-on from a free-kick, with a Beardsley shot blocked, and Rankine failing to hit the target when the ball broke to him.

 

The final whistle ended the Diamonds last chance of major silverware this season shortly afterwards.

 

So, after seven second half yellow cards, at least two of which will mean suspensions, the busiest person at Nene Park over the next couple of days will be the club secretary, but everybody would have preferred him to have the challenge of arranging a replay. He will be able to confirm the fact that it appears that Jackson and Ashton have collected their fifth booking of the season, as did Paul Watson prior to his dismissal.