Pink Panther
Well-Known Member
That was pretty grim to watch. The era of sexy football has well and truly gone. This is football with its big pants on and beige tights, and some Tena pads wouldn't go amiss either with the number of goals we're now leaking. If we'd got over the line with a clean sheet and a place in the next round, the end would have just about justified the means. Instead we have another "post code derby" (N22 v SE22) on Tuesday night, on a 3G pitch, a type of surface on which we seldom seem to have won during the 10 years since they began appearing at opponents' grounds.
Haringey were the poorest side I've seen us face so far by a margin. I felt we were the better team until midway through the second half, but having failed to score the second goal that would have put the game to bed, we just seemed to be holding out for the final twenty minutes. I still thought we looked reasonably comfortable at the back until Miquel Scarlett got too tight to his man out wide and practically invited him to go down under slight contact for an inevitable penalty. Marvel Ekpiteta, a defender who played against us for Hungerford and Billericay in National South, was the latest new recruit, slotting in at centre back alongside Michael Chambers. Jerome Binnom-Williams got injured in the pre-mach warm-up, with Momodou Jallow coming in on the left wing for his debut, as we reverted to a flat back four. (I'm guessing JBW would otherwise have remained as a third centre back.) There have obviously been some injuries (Elliott Romain was back on light duties in the warm up) but we seem to be rolling the dice with team selection in much the same way as Gavin Rose did whenever results too a downturn.
I could accept the erratic results, which were always an early season possibility with so many new players, but to say the performances are aesthetically poor would be an understatement. I can cope with watching a high tempo long ball game if it get tangible results, but ultimately we need goals and wins, otherwise it's almost unwatchable. Our supporters have remained incredibly loyal throughout five seasons with more defeats than wins. Last April I saw a comment on the Dartford forum suggesting we didn't bring much travelling support to their place for a fairly local game. (We took about 200, despite being in a terrible run of just 1 point from the previous 8 away games.) They were 2nd in the table and their ground was two thirds empty, with barely 1,000 locals present in a crowd of 1,200. If they'd been on the sort of run we were on I reckon they'd be lucky to get more than 500 in. However, I'm beginning to worry that some Hamlet supporters may start drifting away if we're playing a kick and rush game as well as losing.
Incidentally Hornchurch won their tie 5-0, so whatever happens on Tuesday we won't be visiting them on Saturday week.
Haringey were the poorest side I've seen us face so far by a margin. I felt we were the better team until midway through the second half, but having failed to score the second goal that would have put the game to bed, we just seemed to be holding out for the final twenty minutes. I still thought we looked reasonably comfortable at the back until Miquel Scarlett got too tight to his man out wide and practically invited him to go down under slight contact for an inevitable penalty. Marvel Ekpiteta, a defender who played against us for Hungerford and Billericay in National South, was the latest new recruit, slotting in at centre back alongside Michael Chambers. Jerome Binnom-Williams got injured in the pre-mach warm-up, with Momodou Jallow coming in on the left wing for his debut, as we reverted to a flat back four. (I'm guessing JBW would otherwise have remained as a third centre back.) There have obviously been some injuries (Elliott Romain was back on light duties in the warm up) but we seem to be rolling the dice with team selection in much the same way as Gavin Rose did whenever results too a downturn.
I could accept the erratic results, which were always an early season possibility with so many new players, but to say the performances are aesthetically poor would be an understatement. I can cope with watching a high tempo long ball game if it get tangible results, but ultimately we need goals and wins, otherwise it's almost unwatchable. Our supporters have remained incredibly loyal throughout five seasons with more defeats than wins. Last April I saw a comment on the Dartford forum suggesting we didn't bring much travelling support to their place for a fairly local game. (We took about 200, despite being in a terrible run of just 1 point from the previous 8 away games.) They were 2nd in the table and their ground was two thirds empty, with barely 1,000 locals present in a crowd of 1,200. If they'd been on the sort of run we were on I reckon they'd be lucky to get more than 500 in. However, I'm beginning to worry that some Hamlet supporters may start drifting away if we're playing a kick and rush game as well as losing.
Incidentally Hornchurch won their tie 5-0, so whatever happens on Tuesday we won't be visiting them on Saturday week.
