Pink Panther
Well-Known Member
Team news ahead of tonight's game at home to Binfield.
Isthmian League Cup 2024/25
- Thread starter Pink Panther
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Pink Panther
Well-Known Member
Pink Panther
Well-Known Member
Team v Binfield:
The Balance
Active Member
I’m fairly sure Petrou is the right footer, who started at left back, against Fisher FC in our first pre-season friendly.
Don't Slow Down
Well-Known Member
Usual shit, different cup 
Don't Slow Down
Well-Known Member
Dulwich well and truly binned, 3-1 on 82 mins.
It's good that we have one optimistic fan.
Pink Panther
Well-Known Member
That was a pretty embarrassing result. We made 10 changes to the XI that started our best performance of the season on Saturday, only Hudson retaining his place. A slow start was to be expected, but we were behind after just 3 minutes, and two behind within 15 before our scratch side began to find any sort of rhythm or cohesion.
The first goal came from defensive hesitancy, with Dami allowing the ball to bounce outside our box, then failing to reach it. Kresh fouled an opponent in attempting to retrieve the situation, and their best player Mitchell Parker whipped a perfect free kick past debutant keeper Grosha from 25 yards. Further defensive indecision allowed Binfield to double the lead when a rising shot was rifled high into the net after we'd failed to clear. We began to create chances as the first half wore on, but Dami scuffed a first time shot into the side netting from a Hudson corner. Porter was thwarted at point blank range from a Collins cross by visiting keeper Coleridge Fubler Jr, which sounds like one of those names that scroll across the screen in the production credits at the end of 1970s US television shows such as Kojak or Starsky and Hutch.
We pulled one back shortly after half time when a Hudson shot from distance was blocked near the penalty spot and Lorenzo snared the loose ball before sidestepping a defender to fire home. For the next 20 minutes or so I felt we played reasonably well, and the US "media mogul" had to make some decent saves. Introducing the experience of Mills and Marshall from the bench might have been the catalyst to complete our fightback, but instead we just seemed to fade away. We had one let off when Parker let rip from 30 yards with an awesome shot that bounced down and away from the underside of our crossbar, but not long afterwards the same player with a neat volleyed finish from a cross whipped in to the near post. Our humiliation was completed in the first minute of stoppage time when a fourth Binfield goal was glanced in by a near post header from a corner. There was still time for Parker to receive a warm ovation from the main stand as he was substituted just before the final whistle, much of which must have been from Hamlet fans unless Binfield brought a couple of coach loads of supporters.
I feel selection for these sorts of matches is a genuine dilemma with no kind of development team. We had a great result on Saturday, but a couple of key players picked up knocks with two of our centre backs already out for several weeks, and we have another big league game in 4 days. There were people starting tonight who've had very little game time of late, and if any more first choice players had been injured we could have been relying on those undercooked replacements for Saturday.
I thought the selection itself was the biggest problem. It looked like a 4-2-4, with Porter often more of a second striker, leaving us very light with just SBJ and Kaya in midfield. Kresh looked ring rusty at centre back. Collins simply doesn't look as strong as Lynch up front. Riddington generally looked tidy at right back and showed some potential, although he was caught out once or twice by opponents with greater speed of thought. If Barnes, German and Ross Marshall had all been ready to resume after their injury layoffs it might have been different, but ultimately we just threw too many side salads onto the pitch at once without any meat and potatoes!
The first goal came from defensive hesitancy, with Dami allowing the ball to bounce outside our box, then failing to reach it. Kresh fouled an opponent in attempting to retrieve the situation, and their best player Mitchell Parker whipped a perfect free kick past debutant keeper Grosha from 25 yards. Further defensive indecision allowed Binfield to double the lead when a rising shot was rifled high into the net after we'd failed to clear. We began to create chances as the first half wore on, but Dami scuffed a first time shot into the side netting from a Hudson corner. Porter was thwarted at point blank range from a Collins cross by visiting keeper Coleridge Fubler Jr, which sounds like one of those names that scroll across the screen in the production credits at the end of 1970s US television shows such as Kojak or Starsky and Hutch.
We pulled one back shortly after half time when a Hudson shot from distance was blocked near the penalty spot and Lorenzo snared the loose ball before sidestepping a defender to fire home. For the next 20 minutes or so I felt we played reasonably well, and the US "media mogul" had to make some decent saves. Introducing the experience of Mills and Marshall from the bench might have been the catalyst to complete our fightback, but instead we just seemed to fade away. We had one let off when Parker let rip from 30 yards with an awesome shot that bounced down and away from the underside of our crossbar, but not long afterwards the same player with a neat volleyed finish from a cross whipped in to the near post. Our humiliation was completed in the first minute of stoppage time when a fourth Binfield goal was glanced in by a near post header from a corner. There was still time for Parker to receive a warm ovation from the main stand as he was substituted just before the final whistle, much of which must have been from Hamlet fans unless Binfield brought a couple of coach loads of supporters.
I feel selection for these sorts of matches is a genuine dilemma with no kind of development team. We had a great result on Saturday, but a couple of key players picked up knocks with two of our centre backs already out for several weeks, and we have another big league game in 4 days. There were people starting tonight who've had very little game time of late, and if any more first choice players had been injured we could have been relying on those undercooked replacements for Saturday.
I thought the selection itself was the biggest problem. It looked like a 4-2-4, with Porter often more of a second striker, leaving us very light with just SBJ and Kaya in midfield. Kresh looked ring rusty at centre back. Collins simply doesn't look as strong as Lynch up front. Riddington generally looked tidy at right back and showed some potential, although he was caught out once or twice by opponents with greater speed of thought. If Barnes, German and Ross Marshall had all been ready to resume after their injury layoffs it might have been different, but ultimately we just threw too many side salads onto the pitch at once without any meat and potatoes!
Ben Caldecourt
Well-Known Member
I had Jake Riddington at Lingfield last year and for a period of the 22-23 season, have to say I'm surprised to see him pop up at Step 3 level! Good full back at Step 5, thought he could possibly push for a move at Step 4. Unfortunately think he may be a little bit out of depth in our division, but glad to see him push on and hopefully gets the most out of it!
wphillips7
Member
Given it was his first start, he didn’t do too badly last night. We looked like a collection of fringe players maintaining/getting fitness rather than a reserve squad playing for the win. Wasn’t great but no need for alarm IMO.
The real issue is the knocks to the first team squad and getting them fit for Saturday.
The real issue is the knocks to the first team squad and getting them fit for Saturday.
AveryDave
Well-Known Member
As soon as the two signings were announced just prior to kick off it was obvious how the game was being approached.
The League Cup was probably bottom of the list of priorities for the season, and whilst I can’t imagine Hayrettin was happy with the manner of the defeat, I equally can’t imagine he’s wringing his hands in despair this morning.
Perhaps most concerning is the lack of a performance from the likes of Collins and Taiwo-Pratt, when they had a chance to show they should be knocking on the door of the matchday squad - can see them being the next to move on in search of playing time.
Pink Panther
Well-Known Member
Last night's match might have been useful if we were struggling for form, and with a settled side, 3 clean sheets, plus a few players out injured, we simply didn't need it ahead of a tough league fixture. There was nothing to really gain by fielding our strongest available side and winning comfortably, other than progressing to the next round of course.
In the post-match interviews, Hak often mentions scouting other teams and preparing to negate them, as well as setting up his own team. He and his staff did a great job on Hastings, I'm sure they'll already be preoccupied with Billericay. It must be pretty much impossible to simultaneously prepare a radically different group of players to tackle someone like Binfield, or to really know what to expect from that opposition. I've no idea whether Binfield picked their usual league XI, who've won the previous 3 games, or whether their manager also mixed it up. They did look better prepared though, and effectively won the game in the first 15 minutes. It sounds like the bloke who did most of the damage has only just rejoined them and it was his first game back!
Isthmian Premier may well be above his ceiling, although he looked confident enough and willing to take responsibility, if maybe a little lightweight. He sounds to have been training with us for weeks, but without any game time it's a stiff challenge to suddenly play 90 minutes without that match sharpness, and he's not likely to get anything more than a few minutes off the bench any time soon. He's also had spells at Sutton Common Rovers and Haywards Heath Town during the last couple of seasons.
The other outfield debutant, Chris Petrou, had one game for Chipstead in August. I think he did appear for us in pre-season, when his hair was shorter.
Pink Panther
Well-Known Member
I think you're correct, with shorter hair 3 months ago. He clearly wasn't a left back and had a bit of a torrid time on that occasion, although he did his best and didn't hide. I think he may have subsequently featured in one or two other friendlies at right back and in midfield, where he appeared as a late substitute with no chance to make an impression last night.
Don't Slow Down
Well-Known Member
Billericay played a Cockpiss Cup game last night and only made 3/4 changes to their 16 man squad from Saturday......
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