[ Sat 18th Jan ] v St Andrews, KO 3pm FA VASE 4R HOME

[TheIncognitoKid]

I take it a mom wasn't awarded yesterday? I didn't hear one anyway. Think we're relying on a decent performance next week or else player of the month will be interesting! :?

[Formic]

Mal's pics added to the match report - http://www.afcdiamonds.com/afc-rushden- ... drews-fc-2

[Basil]

Looking at Mal's photos how the hell did their lardy arsed no. 10 beat Tom in the air to score their 1st goal :( :(

[discodunk]

there number 5,joe lathem, was emmense yesterday,,,,the kind of center half we need ,rough ,dogged,no nonsense,who won everything,,,,and by the looks of mals piccys he wants one of our shirts :lol: :lol: sign him up boys

[Trek]

St Andrews have been drawn away to the winners of the East Preston/Brantham Athletic tie.
Wisbech have been drawn away to Hadleigh United who are currently topping the Thurlow Nunn ECP. Tough tie there.

[Brownie]

Of course improvements should be done to the squad between now and next season, but I really don't think its the players as individuals that's the problem, it was the attitude of the team in general that was the problem yesterday and don't forget as already pointed out I think, the teams that beat Cambridge City or Spalding and who've got us into a strong 2nd place in the league are not that different to the team that got beat yesterday, which is why I wish we hadn't got an easy draw now, we would have been far more up for it away at a tough NL side.

Pages of comments to read as nothing gets us going like a defeat, avoided posting anything till i`d had time to see what others were commenting.
Possibly the main reason why Sat has angered so many of us so much is summed up in the comment above, "I wish we hadn`t got an easy draw now" (not a dig Olly just you put in writing what I feel many were thinking) as i`m sure if we all put our very honest heads on regardless what we may have said about caution, they are in the last 32 for a reason, not being complacent. Not one of us had considered the possibility of not being in the draw today. Sadly though it`s football did Cambridge contemplate getting beat by us? to enjoy the Cambridge moments it`s likely we may have to also experience days like Sat.
Yes agreed the way we were beaten was poor, but again on clear cut chances we could and should have won regardless how badly we performed, it`s been a fact now for a season and a half we don`t convert enough of our chances, that said Sat was only the 2nd time in 83(I think) competitive games we have failed to score. As for the goals, gave them the 1st one, and would like to see the 2nd again but on real time viewing we appeared short on numbers at the back, not sure why but with only 52 mins gone and only one down no real need to have to many in the box for a corner was the.
I spoke to some of the St Andrews fans, tried to keep it to the sober one`s, and as bad as we thought we were they still thought football wise we were the better side, they had one shot and one way to get a result and they took it. The work ethic and commitment from every one of them was immense but then should we have expected anything else??
Mention has been made of the players being pampered at our Club, not sure it`s the word i`d use but I would agree they are well looked after, and not talking money here. But it is a two way Street and yes what they receive is above average for level 5 football, but I also feel that what is expected of them is sometimes far greater than the average expectations. Could say "if you can`t stand the heat etc" but if we consider what has been achieved in the last 2 seasons, the average age of our squad and the fact it is level 5 part time football, possibly things are not so bad after all.
Yes Saturday hurt, and still does & that`s not just the supporters, but we didn`t become a bad team that day, but hopefully a team who learnt a few things, as it was possibly the case we all had a bad day, on the pitch out battled and left wanting, out thought on the sideline and for the first time ever out sung on the terraces.
One final thing, and this is in no way any form of criticism just possibly a error of judgement. Starms programme notes made mention of players in treatment, Parky, Kingy, Dunks and Sam, add to that Sean not right, would the extra week have possibly been enough to see Bunts fit? the game was only played due to the massive efforts of volunteers & I have no doubt this was instigated with all good intention to give us fans the game we had been looking forward to for over a month. But turning an unplayable pitch into a playable one gives a surface which is referred to as a great leveler, as we were the "better side" maybe not in our best interest. Possibly last week may have been the one to let nature take it`s course & allow an extra weeks rest & treatment for pitch and players alike.

[Diamond_ Wolf]

St Andrews have been drawn away to the winners of the East Preston/Brantham Athletic tie.
Wisbech have been drawn away to Hadleigh United who are currently topping the Thurlow Nunn ECP. Tough tie there.

Damn a weekend in Brighton would have been decent!

[Trek]

Funny enough Brownie, I made the comment earlier in the week that an extra week rest may have helped those carrying knocks such as Bunting, Dunks and Parky time to recover. Had a great view from the Peter Ebdon Stand of the moment St Andrews broke with pace from their penalty area for their second goal and I thought immediately that we had a major problem as they had at least two men over. They kept their heads and took their opportunity in a clinical fashion which Lingy and Alfie didn't when presented with similar opportunities.
As for their first goal, unfortunately we are seeing too many goals conceded with similar errors.

[Olly]

Of course improvements should be done to the squad between now and next season, but I really don't think its the players as individuals that's the problem, it was the attitude of the team in general that was the problem yesterday and don't forget as already pointed out I think, the teams that beat Cambridge City or Spalding and who've got us into a strong 2nd place in the league are not that different to the team that got beat yesterday, which is why I wish we hadn't got an easy draw now, we would have been far more up for it away at a tough NL side.

Pages of comments to read as nothing gets us going like a defeat, avoided posting anything till i`d had time to see what others were commenting.
Possibly the main reason why Sat has angered so many of us so much is summed up in the comment above, "I wish we hadn`t got an easy draw now" (not a dig Olly just you put in writing what I feel many were thinking) as i`m sure if we all put our very honest heads on regardless what we may have said about caution, they are in the last 32 for a reason, not being complacent. Not one of us had considered the possibility of not being in the draw today. Sadly though it`s football did Cambridge contemplate getting beat by us? to enjoy the Cambridge moments it`s likely we may have to also experience days like Sat.
Yes agreed the way we were beaten was poor, but again on clear cut chances we could and should have won regardless how badly we performed, it`s been a fact now for a season and a half we don`t convert enough of our chances, that said Sat was only the 2nd time in 83(I think) competitive games we have failed to score. As for the goals, gave them the 1st one, and would like to see the 2nd again but on real time viewing we appeared short on numbers at the back, not sure why but with only 52 mins gone and only one down no real need to have to many in the box for a corner was the.
I spoke to some of the St Andrews fans, tried to keep it to the sober one`s, and as bad as we thought we were they still thought football wise we were the better side, they had one shot and one way to get a result and they took it. The work ethic and commitment from every one of them was immense but then should we have expected anything else??
Mention has been made of the players being pampered at our Club, not sure it`s the word i`d use but I would agree they are well looked after, and not talking money here. But it is a two way Street and yes what they receive is above average for level 5 football, but I also feel that what is expected of them is sometimes far greater than the average expectations. Could say "if you can`t stand the heat etc" but if we consider what has been achieved in the last 2 seasons, the average age of our squad and the fact it is level 5 part time football, possibly things are not so bad after all.
Yes Saturday hurt, and still does & that`s not just the supporters, but we didn`t become a bad team that day, but hopefully a team who learnt a few things, as it was possibly the case we all had a bad day, on the pitch out battled and left wanting, out thought on the sideline and for the first time ever out sung on the terraces.
One final thing, and this is in no way any form of criticism just possibly a error of judgement. Starms programme notes made mention of players in treatment, Parky, Kingy, Dunks and Sam, add to that Sean not right, would the extra week have possibly been enough to see Bunts fit? the game was only played due to the massive efforts of volunteers & I have no doubt this was instigated with all good intention to give us fans the game we had been looking forward to for over a month. But turning an unplayable pitch into a playable one gives a surface which is referred to as a great leveler, as we were the "better side" maybe not in our best interest. Possibly last week may have been the one to let nature take it`s course & allow an extra weeks rest & treatment for pitch and players alike.

Well yes sorry, that should have read 'easy on paper' draw, I didn't go into the game thinking it was a formality, I wrote on here how it would be foolish of us to think we'll cruise through and we can't go into such an important game complacent, but at the same time, there's no doubt that 9 times out of 10 we'd win that one. And I agree with what you say about Cambridge, as a football fan, you're always going to experience a mix of epic highs and miserable lows, that's what its all about as a die hard fan.

And they actually had more shots on target than we did (7 to our 4), we really should have scored, but at the same time, they had a few glorious chances (at least they looked that from the other end) that they missed, so it wasn't completely a case of they had 2 shots and 2 goals. Though I assume possession wise, we would have been a lot higher overall. Their work ethic and commitment reminded me of our ethic and commitment and Spalding and like us that day, they got what they deserved.

[Brownie]

Of course improvements should be done to the squad between now and next season, but I really don't think its the players as individuals that's the problem, it was the attitude of the team in general that was the problem yesterday and don't forget as already pointed out I think, the teams that beat Cambridge City or Spalding and who've got us into a strong 2nd place in the league are not that different to the team that got beat yesterday, which is why I wish we hadn't got an easy draw now, we would have been far more up for it away at a tough NL side.

Pages of comments to read as nothing gets us going like a defeat, avoided posting anything till i`d had time to see what others were commenting.
Possibly the main reason why Sat has angered so many of us so much is summed up in the comment above, "I wish we hadn`t got an easy draw now" (not a dig Olly just you put in writing what I feel many were thinking) as i`m sure if we all put our very honest heads on regardless what we may have said about caution, they are in the last 32 for a reason, not being complacent. Not one of us had considered the possibility of not being in the draw today. Sadly though it`s football did Cambridge contemplate getting beat by us? to enjoy the Cambridge moments it`s likely we may have to also experience days like Sat.
Yes agreed the way we were beaten was poor, but again on clear cut chances we could and should have won regardless how badly we performed, it`s been a fact now for a season and a half we don`t convert enough of our chances, that said Sat was only the 2nd time in 83(I think) competitive games we have failed to score. As for the goals, gave them the 1st one, and would like to see the 2nd again but on real time viewing we appeared short on numbers at the back, not sure why but with only 52 mins gone and only one down no real need to have to many in the box for a corner was the.
I spoke to some of the St Andrews fans, tried to keep it to the sober one`s, and as bad as we thought we were they still thought football wise we were the better side, they had one shot and one way to get a result and they took it. The work ethic and commitment from every one of them was immense but then should we have expected anything else??
Mention has been made of the players being pampered at our Club, not sure it`s the word i`d use but I would agree they are well looked after, and not talking money here. But it is a two way Street and yes what they receive is above average for level 5 football, but I also feel that what is expected of them is sometimes far greater than the average expectations. Could say "if you can`t stand the heat etc" but if we consider what has been achieved in the last 2 seasons, the average age of our squad and the fact it is level 5 part time football, possibly things are not so bad after all.
Yes Saturday hurt, and still does & that`s not just the supporters, but we didn`t become a bad team that day, but hopefully a team who learnt a few things, as it was possibly the case we all had a bad day, on the pitch out battled and left wanting, out thought on the sideline and for the first time ever out sung on the terraces.
One final thing, and this is in no way any form of criticism just possibly a error of judgement. Starms programme notes made mention of players in treatment, Parky, Kingy, Dunks and Sam, add to that Sean not right, would the extra week have possibly been enough to see Bunts fit? the game was only played due to the massive efforts of volunteers & I have no doubt this was instigated with all good intention to give us fans the game we had been looking forward to for over a month. But turning an unplayable pitch into a playable one gives a surface which is referred to as a great leveler, as we were the "better side" maybe not in our best interest. Possibly last week may have been the one to let nature take it`s course & allow an extra weeks rest & treatment for pitch and players alike.

Well yes sorry, that should have read 'easy on paper' draw, I didn't go into the game thinking it was a formality, I wrote on here how it would be foolish of us to think we'll cruise through and we can't go into such an important game complacent, but at the same time, there's no doubt that 9 times out of 10 we'd win that one. And I agree with what you say about Cambridge, as a football fan, you're always going to experience a mix of epic highs and miserable lows, that's what its all about as a die hard fan.

And they actually had more shots on target than we did (7 to our 4), we really should have scored, but at the same time, they had a few glorious chances (at least they looked that from the other end) that they missed, so it wasn't completely a case of they had 2 shots and 2 goals. Though I assume possession wise, we would have been a lot higher overall. Their work ethic and commitment reminded me of our ethic and commitment and Spalding and like us that day, they got what they deserved.

Didn`t need to read any different, like I said we all thought it, should have been straight forward but as you pointed out that`s the pleasure of being a fan. Would assume non of us thought formality but all of us thought home win. Think the shots on target was helped by our inability to actually hit the target from a few yards out. Onwards and upwards, and I do hope BR is wrong with thoughts of fans going missing from now to end of season. We all knew enough like that at NP who only ride the good ship success and jump overboard when she drops anchor or heaven forbid goes into reverse. I have always claimed that AFC is different and hope i`m correct with that line of thinking.