11-03-2007, 21:40
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#144
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God Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: defending the union
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Re: vs Swindon
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phil Whalley
It’s true that we were very poor going forward yesterday, but we’re not being helped by some of the decisions that come our way. I know that some of you on here are fed up with the management team griping at the officials, but yesterday was farcical. Coley set the team up to defend with men behind the ball, and it worked for 48 minutes. We knocked Swindon out of their rhythm, and for a period in the first half looked settled in the middle of the park, with Jay, Rommy and Toddy combining well. We didn’t create much, it’s true, but we were competing well and the home crowd were starting to get restless with their lot.
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Then came the incidents. Firstly, their No.10 Peacock, a tattooed thug masquerading as a centre-forward, launched himself into Kaz, and concussed him. The home fans bayed for Kaz’s blood on the basis that they thought him time-wasting. The ref gives us a free-kick but does nothing to punish Peacock. Just minutes later, the same player does Almeida with a similar challenge (I’ve heard that our lad might have a fractured cheekbone?). Again the home crowd boos Almeida for time-wasting and does nothing to punish Peacock. Net result? Two injured players (who both carry on after perfectly reasonable amounts of treatment time), no disincentive for Peacock to carry on the dirty play – and (here’s the killer) FOUR minutes of extra time for Stanley to survive. In the fourth minute of this, the ball hits Leam’s hand (absolutely no intent on his part) and the ref gives the pen. By this time its 3.55 and we should be back in the dressing room geeing each other up after a good 45 minutes, but because of two vicious challenges and resultant injuries to our players, we’re still out there and get a harsh decision with seconds to go to the break.
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You might think this just another way of finding excuses, but I can sympathise with Coley when circumstances combine like this. We’re playing in big stadiums with home crowds well-versed in pressurising referees, and with experienced opposition who constantly niggle away at the officials too. The refs give the easy decisions. Peacock even had the gall to whinge incessantly when the ref did eventually pull him up for yet more foul play. The gamesmanship is brazen – and it’s something that we just haven’t learned to combat during the season.
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this is why we should have a full house for the torquay match turn the fes into a fortress even if we dont reduce prices we should go round all the schools and give them free tickets for the coppice end and shove torquay fans into the away shed.
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