Erhun has scored 9 in the League -
http://www.isthmian.co.uk/statistics.php
We do seem to get a helluva lot at Champion Hill!
I think that's 17 in all competitions home and away now, and we haven't missed one yet. Daly, Gonnella, Green and Henry-Francis have all successfully converted one when Erhun hasn't been on the field.
That disallowed goal right on half time was scandalous. I was at the back of the stand at that end at the time and Green was clearly 2 or 3 yards
onside when Erhun struck the pass for him, the defender was caught flatfooted and Ellis just surged past him. We've had that linesman countless times for many years now and he's always seemed competent enough. He must have been daydreaming. It wasn't even close.
I was only behind the goal for the second half (towards the side nearest the turnstiles) and noticed one item (probably a raw sausage judging from earlier descriptions) lobbed onto the pitch from the opposite side of the goal, but couldn't see who was responsible. Then later in the half there was a whole volley of stuff hurled over the wall from the carpark and into the goalmouth. The keeper tossed several items into touch, and whilst none of them looked likely to be dangerous we certainly don't need it. A couple of supporters went outside and chased off the offenders, but it may need official stewards behind the goal. Considering the size our crowds now we must have the most low key stewarding in the league.
I didn't think there was anything wrong with the general atmosphere, but it was a bit disappointing that when the singing started to crank up early in the second half as we really battered the visitors a minority of people near the back seemed determined to dilute the regular chants by shouting anti-Police stuff at the same time. I'm not particularly offended by it, it just seems a bit of an insult to our own players when they're doing their best to turn it around on the field to waste energy hurling politically motivated vitriol at the opposition instead of getting behind our own team. Obviously there's always room for a bit of selected barracking of players who commit bad fouls, make cimical errors, or indulge in blatant cheating etc., and the "Let's Kick Police Out of Football" flag was very funny, but I'd like to think the main focus will be on getting behind our own team, because when we do it sounds and feels a bit special these days. I've waited decades for us to have this sort of support, and it's the newer and younger supporters who have really made the difference. Gavin Rose has frequently praised our vocal support and encouragement for the team and told everyone it does make a positive difference.
Most of their players aren't even Police officers anyway, they're just regular semi-pro players the same as ours. The manager is a Police Sergeant, and his assistants are coppers too I believe, and maybe two or three of the players. It's a very odd arrangement. Personally I wouldn't want to play for a works team I didn't work for, whether it's Met Police, Civil Service, Rayal Engineers, Nat West Bank, London Fire Brigate or anyone else. They're effectively funded by 30,000 sports & social club members who never turn up to watch them and probably don't even realise they're funding a team of semi-pro players in many cases. I believe when new players sign registration forms they're given an application pack to join the Plod, and a small number of officers have been recruited in this way. So at best the team is a marketing and recruitment tool. Personally if I was a serving officer I think I'd feel the profits from the Police Lottery ought to be spent on more generous prize money rather than a semi-pro football team for outsiders.
