Now that’s more like it. Trees 0 Woods 2 was really an un-necessary fixture, but it does at least put us back on some sort of winning form. It just goes to show though that we really need people like RB back, because the way we’ve been heading, we’ll get stuffed 5-0 by Braintree.
And boy, were we grateful for RB’s goal. It settled us down, made them chase the game and this time you didn’t really think they would come back twice in a week. Certainly Moore’s stunning free kick killed them off, and we could have easily added a couple more after that. At times though, we still look like we’re expecting to win.
They had Lee Passmore sent off, who in the traditions of most ex-AFCW players didn’t exactly stick it to us. Of course, the AT lot were convinced that had he still been on the field, they would have won 4-1. Yes, and they get 500 people every game.
Of course, any joy from winning was finding out we’ll be playing W&H in the next round. Oh well. Expect the usual stuff from them about how loyal they are. And as Chelski are playing at home on that day, we might even be treated to more than 10 of them chanting MK at us.
So..
Plus points: Win. Away. Clean sheet. RB. Didn’t really look in as much danger as Saturday.
Minus points: Passing shite. Still look shaky at times. RB going off.
The referee’s a……: Jezus H. Christ. I don’t think I’ve written “wanker” down so many times in teeline shorthand as last night. Gave everything to them, seemed to ignore every challenge on us. And disallowed Dave Sargent’s goal for, I quote, “fuck all”. Still, he did make up for it by sending their player off, which annoyed their goalie a little…
Them: Up for it, a bit too up for it (hello Lee Passmore). So was their goalie, who jumped gazelle like when the fight started. And did his impression of Gareth Hunt when somebody asked him how his head was after a challenge. That’s gratitude. Wouldn’t look out of place in our division, although whether they were going at the usual 200% against us is anyone’s guess. Their fans? Usual part-time non fans who gave the big MK stuff from the safety of 100 yards away*. Reportedly very quiet when they went near anyone with a Dons shirt on. Funny that. Oh, and didn’t they know that they’re supposed to sing “we’ve only got 10 men” when they’re 2-0 up? Perhaps they are MK Dons fans after all.
* – judging by a story I was told last night about a Spurz fan getting a kicking during the FAC semi final in 1988, I do wonder how long it will be before one opposition numpty chants MK in the wrong place at the wrong time. Remember what I said in the Bromley report about there being an element of ours who have been reading The Naughty Nineties?
Point to ponder: I wonder if familiarity is breeding contempt at AFCW? It wasn’t the greatest turnout last night (though 600+ isn’t too bad considering the short notice and it being in the middle of nowhere), and you can’t help thinking that now the novelty of away games is wearing off only the big ones will get CCL level crowds. We’ve played AT before, and I doubt if W&H will get much about 2000 (with or without credit card bookings). That said, I wonder if the general disgust at football right now is a factor even at our lowly level?
Truth is stranger than fiction: (1) Was it me or were there relatively loads of coppers about? (2) Really nice to see an on-field brawl for the first time in ages. Nobody was maimed, although one of our players did look sparko while it was all occuring. Wimp.
Big club watch: No, not Franchise (chortle) but Chelski. Big Champions League game to further cement their status as London’s biggest club ever, and they get a whopping 29,575. Yup, the £50 entrance fee finally told. It’s not just the rent boys, I heard on Talksport last night that they’re advertising Fulham v West Ham tickets. Even during the dark days of the mid-to-late 80s, I don’t ever recall that fixture needing to be advertised. Mind you, I bet they never put the price of tickets in their ads*..
* – last year, I seriously toyed with the idea of watching West Ham v Forest on a spare Xmas day. The fact they asked me for £31 for a Championship game just proves how many casual fans are being put off going, almost for life. After all, would you be so inclined to go this yuletide?
A bit of me wants these clubs to wise up, start charging more realistic entrance fees and sending mercenary overpaid and undertalented cunts like Drogba back to whence they came. But actually, a large part wants them to continue on as they are right now. Keep paying Rio Ferdinand the price of a banana republic’s GDP so they can keep acting like the dictator of said country. Because then, when Sky decide that the Prem is worth a lot less money, there will be many a brown trouser in boardrooms up and down the country.
I really think football at the top level needs to collapse big time. It really needs the likes of Arsenal, Middlesbrough etc to suddenly find their gates on their training ground locked. Extreme? Well, how else will these sides take the hint? Empty stadia right now is embarrasing for these clubs, but it’s not likely to change their business ethos, because they’ll probably wait until the next upturn to justify themselves.
In short, just look at Leeds United. Or us.
Anything else? Yup. Afterwards, there was a rather loud rendition of “we’ve got no history” coming from (I presume) our dressing room. At least it shows that our players do hear chants. Like the MK stuff, you can’t help thinking the insults from no-markers just act as a spur…
So, was it worth it? When we get to Wembley in May, you can say “I was there”.
In a nutshell: How many rounds till the first round proper?