Sorry it's late but my senses of recovery are not what they were after an awaday day and 20 pints, but this is what I think I saw.
That footballing expert Francis somebody, turned up in shirt and tie, dut, black crombie and his nannas umberella, I knew then it was gonna be a long day. Train left on time 8:15 arrived Wetherspoons Huddersfield town centre 10:45
Canny crowd, almost 15,000 with about 650 odd from Pools but no one odder than our resident expert.
Disaster for Huddersfield, they hadn't scored after 5 mins, let's put pressure on the ref and sure enough it worked the ref fell for it, this multi ball carry on was a joke, Flinders being accused of time wasting after 10 minutes, someone needs to tell them that just because they throw the ball back on the pitch within a milli second of it going out of play, we don't have to re-start until we're ready FFS there were 2 balls on the pitch at least 4 times before the ref finally told them to collect them all in, ooh they didn't like that and the Lee Clark show was in full swing by then, arms waving all over the place letting everyone know he was there but couldn't fathom out why his team with a wage bill of over 8 million was losing to a team with a wage bill of just over 1 million, don't they know who we are, we want every decision, we want to be able to take throw ins from anywhere, we even want to take free kicks from off the pitch, and we want anyone who tries to tackle us booked, they got all there wishes granted. With Austins booking in the first half being the most damaging to us.
Any how we held on to Liddles headed goal at the back post off a good free kick from Austin and should have gone in 2 up, but Boydie missed his headed opprtunity from 2 yards out from a similar position. We were looking comfortable, the defence passing it out through the midfield, Jones and Humphreys controlling things and playing simple football to Monkehouse, Browny and Boyd who all looked dangerous going forward, but then half time came and that was that.
It looked to me as if we thought we could just defend the lead, there was no attempt to play the ball out any more and as a consequence it kept coming back relentless, it was crying out for us to either change the way we set out in the 2nd half and get back to what we were doing the 1st half, or make some personell changes, we did neither and they equalised from a free kick from a similar position to ours, the only problem was it was given for a nothing challenge by Collins. It hit the post and bounced out to Hartley and rebounded into the net, it was harsh on Hartley who looked as though had been singled out by Huddersfield as our weak link, but stood up to the challenge till then.
Larkin then pulled up with a Hamstring injury so a change was forced upon us, and we decided to try and completely fool them by not only replacing Larkin with McSweeney but we'll also take off our leading goal scorer because we won't need him because we won't attack anymore we'll just play the way we are and hold on to a point.
But almost immediately there full back ran unapposed, Austin daren't put a challenge in for fear of getting a 2nd yellow, the central defenders didn't close the ball down and it was rifled into the top corner from 20 yards.
And that was game set and match because we in effect played the remainder of the game with 10 men.
Don't think Behan got a touch, Browny left isolated and our top scorer sitting in the dug out.
They could have scored a couple more but that would have been harsh on Liddle who was Man of the Match by miles, but depite the crowd, the stadium, the wage bills etc etc we should have got something from that game, they are in the same division as us for a reason but we appear to always have an inferiority complex and it's not funny any more.
And that Francis fella won't be laughing today either because he lost his nannas brolly.
Monday, 23 November 2009
Thursday, 5 November 2009
Match report Vs Brighton
After 1 cry off from my hypochondriac navigator, panic stations were starting to set in until I remembered we never ever got lost till he claimed the front seat due to his ailling health, unfortunately there's only his tongue that's yet to start to falter.
Anyhow part timers aside, an early ten to 7 start and it's off to Brighton to claim our first 3 points at the Hove, then it'll be home to witness Parmo with his strides around his ankles in Church street.
For those of you that have not been to the Withdean, you lucky people.
After the usual commotion of how to get in without a ticket,
it's easy really, you just go to the ticket booth and buy one, but it's all cloak and dagger stuff, but you always get one and always get in. For those that have ever gone down and not got in, well all I can say is you lucky people.
Sat behind the running track and the goal on terracing no higher than the Town end it's not easy to see exactly what is going on from 3 quarters of a mile away but this is what I observed.
A scrappy game littered with mistakes from both sides, our defence was all over the place, Both Hartley and Austin were caught out of position at virtually every attack, Collins struggled to handle Dickinson, Liddle worked over time to cover and Flinders decidedly suspect.
The midfield put some great 1 touch moves together in the 1st half, right accross the midfield, but the final ball in from McSweeney almost every time failed to beat the full back and after promising positions corners were all we were getting.
Boydy looked dangerous, with Jones supporting, but Behan is looking either predictable or jaded.
Word started to spread among the 120 odd away fans that Boydy had turned in the box and scored, and that's why Brighton were kicking off again.
Wehay hope it's gonna be a cold night when Parmos trolleys come down we thought, but it wasn't to last, after a few scares, Humphreys, (cue the knockers) instead of booting clear, tried to play the ball out from the edge of the box, only to get dispossesed, the resultant shot was blocked by Jones, the rebound scuffed into the ground and over Flinders
should have been cleared but should also have been saved.
Crosses were coming in regularly now, our full backs failling to stop any of them and eventually a ball inside Hartley was crossed into the box, missed by the intended forward unly to run accross goal and side footed in with Austin nowhere.
But hang on a minute, Brighton are kicking off again, that must mean we've equalised, wehay, apparently good work by Boydy to Monkehouse a little Shimmy Shammy (were is he nowadays )and smashed right footed into the net 2-2.
Into added time and after a few minutes of us not knowing were the ball was could only mean we are on the attack, rumour has it that Jonesy has burst forward and curled a right footer from the edge of the box Pools are 3-2 up and Parmos strides are coming down.
2nd half disaster strikes, thigh strain to Jones means a substitution.
Hang on a minute, why are we taking the kick off again, oh no it sounds like a loose ball had not been cleared after a good stop by Flinders following yet another cross into the box and the loose ball was eventually blasted into the net.
More crosses into our box throughout the 2nd half all sounded dangerous, with our best chance of the 2nd half coming after a quickly taken free kick over the top of the defender and over Boydies left shoulder, only one result here, he's gonna cooly side foot it into the net on the volley, but disaster, Mr cool misses the ball altogether and Brightons and Parmos blushes were saved.
To sum up, defence dodgy both halves, midfield good 1st half poor 2nd. Attack bit dis-jointed.
Larkin looked lively, on for McSweeney who got injured during 1st half in what looked like a cast iron penalty incident for us. Greulich wasn't on long enough to show anything for the underperforming Behan, and Sweeney was his usual full of running self, he might have been better suited to the running track tho' and left the football to Rowell or Freddie.
Another game unbeaten, another point away from home, both true but in reality it was another 2 points dropped.
Back in Church Street for Qtr to 10, Halloween masks and Fancy Dress every where, but nothing would have been quite as scary as if we'd brought those 3 points back up North and sent Parmos trolleys South.
Anyhow part timers aside, an early ten to 7 start and it's off to Brighton to claim our first 3 points at the Hove, then it'll be home to witness Parmo with his strides around his ankles in Church street.
For those of you that have not been to the Withdean, you lucky people.
After the usual commotion of how to get in without a ticket,
it's easy really, you just go to the ticket booth and buy one, but it's all cloak and dagger stuff, but you always get one and always get in. For those that have ever gone down and not got in, well all I can say is you lucky people.Sat behind the running track and the goal on terracing no higher than the Town end it's not easy to see exactly what is going on from 3 quarters of a mile away but this is what I observed.
A scrappy game littered with mistakes from both sides, our defence was all over the place, Both Hartley and Austin were caught out of position at virtually every attack, Collins struggled to handle Dickinson, Liddle worked over time to cover and Flinders decidedly suspect.
The midfield put some great 1 touch moves together in the 1st half, right accross the midfield, but the final ball in from McSweeney almost every time failed to beat the full back and after promising positions corners were all we were getting.
Boydy looked dangerous, with Jones supporting, but Behan is looking either predictable or jaded.
Word started to spread among the 120 odd away fans that Boydy had turned in the box and scored, and that's why Brighton were kicking off again.
Wehay hope it's gonna be a cold night when Parmos trolleys come down we thought, but it wasn't to last, after a few scares, Humphreys, (cue the knockers) instead of booting clear, tried to play the ball out from the edge of the box, only to get dispossesed, the resultant shot was blocked by Jones, the rebound scuffed into the ground and over Flinders
should have been cleared but should also have been saved.
Crosses were coming in regularly now, our full backs failling to stop any of them and eventually a ball inside Hartley was crossed into the box, missed by the intended forward unly to run accross goal and side footed in with Austin nowhere.
But hang on a minute, Brighton are kicking off again, that must mean we've equalised, wehay, apparently good work by Boydy to Monkehouse a little Shimmy Shammy (were is he nowadays
)and smashed right footed into the net 2-2. Into added time and after a few minutes of us not knowing were the ball was could only mean we are on the attack, rumour has it that Jonesy has burst forward and curled a right footer from the edge of the box Pools are 3-2 up and Parmos strides are coming down.
2nd half disaster strikes, thigh strain to Jones means a substitution.
Hang on a minute, why are we taking the kick off again, oh no it sounds like a loose ball had not been cleared after a good stop by Flinders following yet another cross into the box and the loose ball was eventually blasted into the net.
More crosses into our box throughout the 2nd half all sounded dangerous, with our best chance of the 2nd half coming after a quickly taken free kick over the top of the defender and over Boydies left shoulder, only one result here, he's gonna cooly side foot it into the net on the volley, but disaster, Mr cool misses the ball altogether and Brightons and Parmos blushes were saved.
To sum up, defence dodgy both halves, midfield good 1st half poor 2nd. Attack bit dis-jointed.
Larkin looked lively, on for McSweeney who got injured during 1st half in what looked like a cast iron penalty incident for us. Greulich wasn't on long enough to show anything for the underperforming Behan, and Sweeney was his usual full of running self, he might have been better suited to the running track tho' and left the football to Rowell or Freddie.
Another game unbeaten, another point away from home, both true but in reality it was another 2 points dropped.
Back in Church Street for Qtr to 10, Halloween masks and Fancy Dress every where, but nothing would have been quite as scary as if we'd brought those 3 points back up North and sent Parmos trolleys South.
Shamrock's top Poolies
Andrew Linighan.
Born. Hartlepool 18 - June - 1962. (The same day as Admin, just 20 years off!)
Debut. Stockport. 23 - August - 1981.
Local boy Andy played played for Murton colliery welfare before been picked up by Pools and he made steady progress though the ranks until his first full appearance against Stockport County.
This 6'2" man mountain was blessed with good feet as well as being awesome in the air and was earmarked for a big future.
Andy was offered a trial at Everton but opted to join second division side Leeds United for a fee of £20-000.
Andy did well for Dirty Leeds but was sold to Oldham in 1986 for a quick profit the fee was £45-000.
The big man had 2 great seasons for Oldham till Norwich City moved in for him with a big fee £350-000. Andy once said that his days at Norwich were the most enjoyable days of his football career. He was called up and won England B team caps the big clubs were taking note of the big mans performances and the mighty Arsenal put in a bid of 1.25 million and Andy became a gunner.
He was the first Hartlepool born footballer to break the magical million mark.
In my opinion it was a strange signing at the time because Arsenal had 5 of the best centre backs in the country Adams, Bould, Keown, O'Leary and Pates.
With this amount of quality on the books Linighan only made 101 appearances in 6 seasons but in that 6 seasons he picked up a championship medal, league cup winners medal, European cup winners medal and scored the late winning goal to give him and Arsenal the F.A. cup not bad for a Poolie boy.
At the age of 34 he moved across London to Crystal palace making over 100 appearances. His last league move was to Oxford at the age of 38 he bowed out of league football.
He has a spell at St Albans then set up his own business in the south.
Andy came from a big footballing family.
Dad Brian: pools res and Lincoln.
Brothers: David pools Shrewsbury and Ipswich. Brian Sheff Wed. John Sheff Wed. Mark pools res.
cousin Micheal pools youth team
Born. Hartlepool 18 - June - 1962. (The same day as Admin, just 20 years off!)
Debut. Stockport. 23 - August - 1981.
Local boy Andy played played for Murton colliery welfare before been picked up by Pools and he made steady progress though the ranks until his first full appearance against Stockport County.
This 6'2" man mountain was blessed with good feet as well as being awesome in the air and was earmarked for a big future.
Andy was offered a trial at Everton but opted to join second division side Leeds United for a fee of £20-000.
Andy did well for Dirty Leeds but was sold to Oldham in 1986 for a quick profit the fee was £45-000.
The big man had 2 great seasons for Oldham till Norwich City moved in for him with a big fee £350-000. Andy once said that his days at Norwich were the most enjoyable days of his football career. He was called up and won England B team caps the big clubs were taking note of the big mans performances and the mighty Arsenal put in a bid of 1.25 million and Andy became a gunner.
He was the first Hartlepool born footballer to break the magical million mark.
In my opinion it was a strange signing at the time because Arsenal had 5 of the best centre backs in the country Adams, Bould, Keown, O'Leary and Pates.
With this amount of quality on the books Linighan only made 101 appearances in 6 seasons but in that 6 seasons he picked up a championship medal, league cup winners medal, European cup winners medal and scored the late winning goal to give him and Arsenal the F.A. cup not bad for a Poolie boy.
At the age of 34 he moved across London to Crystal palace making over 100 appearances. His last league move was to Oxford at the age of 38 he bowed out of league football.
He has a spell at St Albans then set up his own business in the south.
Andy came from a big footballing family.
Dad Brian: pools res and Lincoln.
Brothers: David pools Shrewsbury and Ipswich. Brian Sheff Wed. John Sheff Wed. Mark pools res.
cousin Micheal pools youth team
intotheblue.org.uk
Welcome to the new look Intotheblue.org.uk
I've switched to a blog style arrangement to make it easier for us to upload features, stories and match reports.
The forum is still available as usual and now we have a better way of uploading stories all submissions are welcome.
Cheers,
Admin
I've switched to a blog style arrangement to make it easier for us to upload features, stories and match reports.
The forum is still available as usual and now we have a better way of uploading stories all submissions are welcome.
Cheers,
Admin
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)