Pink Panther
Well-Known Member
Mishi and I panicked when B.I.G engaged us in pre-match conversation.
Eastbourne Borough v Hamlet, New Year's Day Tuesday 1 January 2019 (3pm Kick Off)
- Thread starter Pink Panther
- Start date
dcdulwich
Well-Known Member
It looked like they’d played 3 games in 6 days and spent the rest of the time being polite to relatives. Something had to give.
Pink Panther
Well-Known Member
I think we should also bear in mind the players who were missing: Okuonghae, May, Vose, Thompson, Kargbo (whose wrist had a cast/strapping); that's a lot of experience. Eastbourne's two loan debutants gave a superb performance in goal and scored a well taken winner in a close contest.
It's disappointing and frustrating that we've lost so many points in marginal contests with ordinary sides over the past couple of months, pbut this season was always going to be a steep learning curve. I'd have settled for 9th-14th at the start of the season and still believe that's achievable.
pompeydunc
Well-Known Member
The most depressing thing about yesterday was the feeling of inevitability about the result. The squad may have been suffering from 3 games in seven days, but that is no different to the opposition. We are missing Kargbo badly, and don't have a replacement for him. We don't have a player to cut out the danger in the final third, and this puts too much pressure in defence. I expected the return of Onovwigun would see him slot into that position, but he has played at the back, and picked up an injury yesterday. Not clear why Quade didn't start, who has not done a lot wrong this season, but perhaps wasn't fully fit yet. We should have perhaps had a penalty late on, but a better team generally doesn't need to point to inevitable poor decisions as excuses.
Up front, Dipo demonstrated very well yesterday why Gavin doesn't trust him to start. His first touch was often poor and he struggles to hold the ball up for other forward players. Tomlin undoubtedly does this better, but is goalscoring touch has disappeared since his injury last season. I hear Jay May has been released, and I guess Erskine has arrived as cheaper option for the more direct approach, but he looked like a player who needs a pre-season. Where has he been playing for the last 18 months? I can't find a record of him playing anywhere. Too early to pass judgement on Banton, who played as the centre forward option for the start of the game, with Dipo and Clunis wide. It's the lack of goals that worries me the most, and we are the fourth lowest scorers in the division. It's probably the hardest position to pick up players that will improve the squad, and be within budget. All the more difficult at this level, as opposed to the Isthmian league.
It's quite clear after half of the season the current league position is about right for this squad. Hopefully, we can pick-up a similar amount of points in the second half of the season, so we can maintain our status. I don't think this is a nailed on certainty though, as morale seemed low and frustration boiled over at the end of the game - this needs to be fixed. The next three games will be interesting - a home tie against a play-off team (Bath) and two away games against teams around us in the table (H&R and East Thurrock).
Up front, Dipo demonstrated very well yesterday why Gavin doesn't trust him to start. His first touch was often poor and he struggles to hold the ball up for other forward players. Tomlin undoubtedly does this better, but is goalscoring touch has disappeared since his injury last season. I hear Jay May has been released, and I guess Erskine has arrived as cheaper option for the more direct approach, but he looked like a player who needs a pre-season. Where has he been playing for the last 18 months? I can't find a record of him playing anywhere. Too early to pass judgement on Banton, who played as the centre forward option for the start of the game, with Dipo and Clunis wide. It's the lack of goals that worries me the most, and we are the fourth lowest scorers in the division. It's probably the hardest position to pick up players that will improve the squad, and be within budget. All the more difficult at this level, as opposed to the Isthmian league.
It's quite clear after half of the season the current league position is about right for this squad. Hopefully, we can pick-up a similar amount of points in the second half of the season, so we can maintain our status. I don't think this is a nailed on certainty though, as morale seemed low and frustration boiled over at the end of the game - this needs to be fixed. The next three games will be interesting - a home tie against a play-off team (Bath) and two away games against teams around us in the table (H&R and East Thurrock).
editor
hiraethified
Cyclodunc
Where's the slam tent, mate?
the 12th man
Well-Known Member
What was the attendance yesterday?
727 maybe. It was 700 something.
I think it was Max’s.
#legend
editor
hiraethified
Dignified interview, that.
pitchfork
Well-Known Member
Might dust off my boots for Saturday looks like we could be short!
Moroccan Sunset
Well-Known Member
I think Mr Banton might be heading back to Torquay fairly soon, then.
Hope it's not the last we see of Dipo. What happened at the end exactly? I've never seen Gavin talk about his players like that before.
Hope it's not the last we see of Dipo. What happened at the end exactly? I've never seen Gavin talk about his players like that before.
Someone said he should be more ruthless.
StephenMac
Well-Known Member
And Cook I suspect.
Pink Panther
Well-Known Member
The video recording doesn't tell me anything I didn't see at the time. Edwards reacted angrily to something, which is unusual for him, and was already walking away when he was shown a yellow card. Then there seemed to be a commotion in the tunnel but I was on my way to the exit at the other end of the ground by then. Cook often looks excitable when something flares up, but if there was an unacceptable off the ball incident frankly it could have been anyone, I've no idea. An Eastbourne fan on the National North & South Facebook group was blustering about it, saying we should be kicked out of the League, but when asked to explain why he wouldn't say because of his "position" within the club.
Banton's one month loan will have expired now anyway unless we renew it.
Banton's one month loan will have expired now anyway unless we renew it.
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kevinanderson
Member
PP, and everyone, forgive me for treading on your hallowed turf here. Just to say (as Borough press officer) I have no idea who the "Eastbourne fan" is - I didn't even know until just now that there is such a Facebook group! But she/he certainly doesn't speak for us. On the Borough Facebook page there are several positive comments about Gavin's interview. As a club we believe 100% in the "rivals-not-enemies" mantra, and we hugely respect all of you Hamlet lot.
Like most of us, I only saw the altercations from a distance, and I only know bits and pieces second-hand so I won't add to that debate. Best wishes to all.
Like most of us, I only saw the altercations from a distance, and I only know bits and pieces second-hand so I won't add to that debate. Best wishes to all.
Who runs the twitter that said Preston got a red?
Pink Panther
Well-Known Member
I'm not going to name the guy on here, in fact he helped me by offering travel information before our FA Cup visit a few months back. I believe he's a matchday volunteer who was in the tunnel area after the players left the field. He wasn't abusive, I just found his comments pompous and self-important and said so. He either removed them or had them removed by a moderator after I challenged him to explain clearly what he saw, and a few neutrals ridiculed him for overreacting and refusing to tell us what was so terrible about the incident. It was one supporter spouting off, I keep that sort of thing in perspective and don't take it as representing any sort of consensus of opinion. As far as I'm concerned Eastbourne Borough is a welcoming club and I'll be happy to go there again.
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