I think as Hartley Hare 0 Zippy from Rainbow 2 proved today, we are now entering into the tricky, don’t-expect-much-entertainment stage of the season where things could get tricky. On a crappy pitch, with interesting flatness, we started off pretty poorly, and HW could have easily got one. However, a slightly-against-run-of-play from the edge of the area by KC put us 1-0. After that, despite the occasional bit of pressure, we started to go up a gear, especially in the second half. After some fine saves by their goalie, we went 2-0 up thanks to a KC penalty. Nice off the ball bundle, sent KC flying anyway. Two sendings off (see below), and the ghosts of last year were gone. It was NE’s first game at AFCW last year….
Unfortunately, the ever-improving Scotty was given a straight red for head-butting, which can carry a bloody long suspension. That said, it was reported that Scotty was retaliating after a comment by the HW player about bananas. Work out the insinuation there, I understand Colne have already been alerted to the player in question.
Anyway…
Plus points: Win. 3 points. Clean sheet. Kept going. Got stronger as game went on
Minus points: Shooting. Defence still looks iffy.
The referee’s a……: Actually not that bad. Disallowed an all-right looking HW goal, gave most decisions to us. Linesman was quite fit as well, don’t think we’ve had a lino who goes red after Joe Sheerin before.
Them: Welcoming as usual. Supplied buses to/from the railway station as well. Certainly went for it until we went 1-0 up. Their #5 looked like (and I quote) “somebody from a 1970s football comic strip”. Had a bit of a mouth on him as well. Their dugouts were purchased with the money from our game last season, though that didn’t stop them nabbing the seats from the local primary school.
Question time: Which one of our players was seen in the half time interval with his bag looking VERY pissed off? Football can be a vicious game, even at this level.
Trivia time: Is this the first time that it’s ever snowed at an AFCW game?
Truth is stranger than fiction: (1) The Hartley Wintney Explorer Unit was in full force in downtown HW today. No, it wasn’t the local firm but instead a bunch of weird looking scouts with something that looks a cross between a campaigning stall and a strange pagan festival. Most of the participants were wearing Sutton United-esque colours, and a couple of them were walking around with THE worst sandwich boards I have ever seen, basically a cardboard box with “6000 Children Die Each Day” or something. Please don’t ask me to expand any further on what it all means, because I honestly don’t know. But anything with jugglers in its ensemble isn’t something I want to get involved with. I don’t think there were many takers, though they did try, bless them. One thing for sure, I’m going to miss these quaint local customs if/when we finally leave the CCL. (2) Didn’t the first half feel like it went on for bloody ages? (3) PISA making merry for most of the second half. Methinks “Nicky English’s barmy army” has a nice enough ring to it..
Franchise watch: Lost. 4-0. To Watford. Neil Ardley scoring. Please, don’t laugh. As it’s their localish derby, they took a massive ONE coach to Herts, with reportedly 36 people on it. Now that’s what I call a frenzy. Sadly, Warren Barton is now playing for them, reportedly playing like a huge shadow of his former self. That said, he might just be getting his coaching badges with them, so will probably leave when he wises up or the admin people wise up, whichever comes soonest.
Wallingford watch: It really must be disheartening to be a Wallingford fan. Whenever they win 6-0, they tune in to find out that we win 8-0. And on a day that we struggle at HW, they entertain the Vile in the agricultural epicentre and what happens? They lose, 3-2…..
Anything else? Yes, the new garden furniture in a neighbouring house was the cause of many seconds of distraction for a few sad inquisitive Wombles. How suburban…
So, was it worth it? I suppose so, as said above, I’m going to miss these sort of places if/when we go up, so it’s best to make the most of them
In a nutshell: Who are our next victims?