Basingstoke's TERRY BROWN, when managing Aldershot up at Leigh some years back...

I wrote this some seasons ago when Terry Brown was Aldershot's manager and I had driven up to Leigh to see their game at the rugby stadium there...

"When Terry Brown realised that the Shots substitutes had not emerged from the players’ tunnel at the north-west corner of the ground from his dug-out’s point of view, he bellowed his anger across a ghostly quiet stadium, dotted with 545 cold, wind-blown die-hards. Suddenly the substitutes began to run, realising that Jon Challinor lay injured and that they were risking the wrath of their manager. As Challinor rose, Coach Cash informed startled substitute Tanfield: 

'Let that be a f*****' lesson to you….'

Terry’s voice though, could be described as resonant and pleading for much of the game and he was as entertaining as, if not more than, the match itself. When Tanfield finally replaced Roscoe D’Sane, the winger received a constant one-to-one coaching blast from his manager:

'Tanners, you’re better than this, now come on… Stop givin’ it to Dom... Get you’re a**e turned round. Deliver the ball in the box...' It was so loud and constantly echoed all round the stadium, revealing Terry as a real character and a joy to behold.

The advice was correct of course, as were his post-match comments, which is more than can be said for Leigh manager Mark Patterson. He must have been wearing a virtual reality headset, for what he saw that day bore little resemblance to what had actually happened..."

HOLBROOK SPORTS 0-6 RADFORD: FULL MATCH REPORT...

Radford Stretch Away, As Russell Hurts Holbrook 

Holbrook Sports 0-6 Radford

The score looks like a hammering for Holbrook but Radford only really stretched away after the hosts were unable to equalise Reece ‘Rico’ Fyfe’s first-half strike for the guests, as Sports spurned three early opportunities after the break and then home left-back Sam Spencer’s headed own-goal, more of a Frank Spencer situation really, led to the combative and effective Radford midfielder Jahred Russell squeezing the life out of Holbrook. He had already assisted with the opener, then set up goals three and five, scoring goal four with a free-kick himself. And yet, there was a nasty incident in the opening period when home midfielder Ash Hayes fouled Russell, who responded by kicking out at his aggressor. The referee chose to caution both players and on reflection, maybe they will consider themselves slightly fortunate. Russell would go on to affect the result considerably but in truth, Radford performed better on the night, netting five times up the Holbrook slope. It was only a pity that we didn’t see Radford’s Marvelous Entiriwaa enter the fray, a fine name on a par with ex-Birmingham Bullets basketball player Fabulous Flournoy, now a coach, I believe…   

THE TOSS...

Radford mangled Holbrook’s start and really should have been ahead early but neither striker Errol Campbell, nor skipper Carey Knight could capitalise upon decent chances. Errol Campbell’s first effort, a volley, was more akin to a punt, he scooped another effort over the crossbar, one-on-one with Holbrook ‘keeper Chris Whiteley and after Knight had missed two opportunities, Errol fastened onto a hooked, if fortunate pass by tall forward Ken Reeves but Whiteley saved at his feet. Knight had benefited from a Reeves flick and from 6 yards, lifted his angled effort too high at the right post and he then drove an effort across the face of goal, but all Holbrook could muster was a long shot by number 9 Labrada Domini, which rolled well wide. 

RUSSELL, RIGHT, CONDUCTED EVENTS...

The flashpoint between Russell and Hayes was quickly over but rather spectacular anyway, yet the most angry player seemed to be Knight, who was pleading that Hayes had kind of stamped at Russell. Calming things down with a pair of yellow cards, the referee breathed a relief sigh and Russell then set about gripping the game. Nick Labbatte had replaced George Morgan for the home team I believe, for Spencer had moved inside and suddenly I had noticed a chap wearing 15… Such is the darkness of non-league and the lack of an announcer… Both fours had gone by half-time in fact, for Radford’s Reuben Desrosiers had been injured in an offensive situation and didn’t really recover, being replaced by Simon Hore, who was given the skipper’s armband by Knight, by night…

THE RECRIMINATIONS...

KNIGHT RIDER...

DESROSIERS CAN'T CONTINUE...

The opening goal, not too far from the interval, stemmed from a fine cross-field pass by Russell, right to left and the speedy Fyfe took on a home defender, his angled drive from inside the penalty-box deflecting off a Holbrook boot over the helpless Whiteley. A deserved lead but how Errol Campbell must have hoped for a little more luck like that, for he had foraged in attack for Radford but with no real reward. Despite the strength of home defender Sylvanus Bockarie, Holbrook had rarely threatened Adrian Hawes and his fellow Radford defenders but after Reeves was substituted by Kev Mushabi at the break, leaving the visitors bereft of an aerial threat on offense, the hosts would test their guests as the second period began.

0-1: FYFE DRUMS ONE IN...

A shot on the run by the eager Paul Fisher rapped against the outside of the right upright from 25 yards and a couple of efforts from the left-flank came to nought too. Labbatte drove into the side-netting and a right-footer, maybe from Kristian Gilbert or Jamie Turner, flashed across the goalmouth. Incredibly, a long boot forward by Radford ‘keeper Kavel Patel (an assist for him?) led to a farce in the home defence; Spencer attempted to nod the bouncing ball back to Whiteley but he had advanced and the ball rolled into the vacant net. I did that once too, and it’s so frustrating to watch the ball bounce apologetically into goal and be unable to anything about it… Spencer pulled his shirt up over his face to cover his expression and really, Radford didn’t look back.

WHITELEY, AFTER THE OWN-GOAL...

Matt Hopewell, the Radford left-back was replaced by Joe Evans, Errol Campbell was nudged clear again but Whiteley saved well at his feet, at the expense of a corner and a decent 23 yard effort by the ever more influential Russell flew past the left post. The third goal was well constructed by Russell: a pass for Fyfe to run onto at inside-right and beat the ‘keeper with a low shot into the left corner of the net from 15 yards.

0-3 & FYFE HAS SCORED AGAIN.
RUSSELL (6) GETS THE ASSIST...

Radford’s Hawes, taller than anyone in the Holbrook penalty-area for a subsequent free-kick situation, saw the ball fall onto his boot but, unbalanced, was unable to get in a shot, then Errol Campbell was floored and Russell drove a 20 yard free-kick into the right side of the net, a shot which took a touch off the Sports defensive-wall, I reckon. 

0-4: RUSSELL...

...& RADFORD ARE FLYING...

Radford were running the game by this time and Holbrook were simply doing what they could to limit the damage but soon, a long, low pass was just flicked slightly by Russell and Errol Campbell, onside, benefited from the break and this time, although Whiteley advanced and got something on the striker’s low shot, the ball went into the net. 0-5 and still another goal to come. A 25 yard free-kick by the hard-working Radford man Frazer Campbell flew too high, Domini was cautioned for Sports, for a foul on the more deep-lying but still effective Fyfe, then Radford completed their half-dozen.

FINALLY, ERROL CAMPBELL HAS SCORED...

0-5...

Right-back Ash Miles had featured well for his team during the encounter, had lately moved further forward into midfield and he was involved in the build-up to his goal. He then made for the penalty-box as Errol Campbell fed Fyfe and he passed to I believe Evans, whose right-side delivery was headed home by Miles, a 10 yarder, just inside the near stick. Russell, playing as Errol Campbell’s strike partner during this half of course, saw a shot go straight to Whiteley and another seared past the right angle of bar and post from 25 yards, as the game waned to a sad home defeat for Holbrook but to a fine away victory for the claret and blues.

0-6: MILES AHEAD NOW...

What was a scrappy first-half became a decent second period, for Radford moved the ball around with more aplomb. Holbrook looked a beaten team right after the own-goal but they continued to battle nevertheless, despite the later goals being conceded. Bockarie continued to drive forward at every opportunity but the Radford defence offered little scope, bar Fisher’s decent strike. Russell might have scored more than one goal, Knight might be disappointed with his pair of misses but he always provided the width for his team, especially when Fyfe dropped back after the interval and became more of a creator than a run-at-defenders winger. Reeves wasn’t missed as it turned out and Patel wouldn’t have experienced a much easier evening at this level between the posts for Radford. Sam Spencer did OK but will recall his own-goal in bad dreams for a few nights, maybe…

LOVELY FIRST VIEW OF THE GROUND...

TEAMS:

HOLBROOK SPORTS:

CHRIS WHITELEY, GARY DRAKE (CAPT), SAM SPENCER, GEORGE MORGAN, SYLVANUS BOCKARIE, GRAHAM O’REILLY, JAMIE TURNER, ASH HAYES, LABRADA DOMINI, PAUL FISHER, KRISTIAN GILBERT.

SUBS:

ASH WILLIS, CALLUM GREEN, NICK LABBATTE, VAUGHN HALLSWORTH.

RADFORD:

KAVEL PATEL, ASH MILES, MATT HOPEWELL, REUBEN DESROSIERS, ADRIAN HAWES, JAHRED RUSSELL, CAREY KNIGHT (CAPT), FRAZER CAMPBELL, ERROL CAMPBELL, KEN REEVES, REECE FYFE.

SUBS:

SIMON HORE, PHIL HINTON, MARVELOUS ENTIRIWAA, KEV MUSHABI, JOE EVANS.

    

HOLBROOK SPORTS 0-6 RADFORD: LINK TO 15 VIDEO CLIPS...

CHANGING FACILITIES...

ENTRANCE...

IS THAT THE BODGING?

YEP...

NICE SKY...

ATMOSPHERIC...

QUOITS? IMAGINE THIS ON A CRUISE SHIP...

GRANDSTAND...

WE LIKES THE IMPLEMENTS...

NO NEED TO TRAIN, JUST PUMPING THE FOOT-PRESSES TO GET ANY WATER FROM THE LOO TAPS WOULD SUFFICE...

IT'S LIKE A CARAVAN SITE AT HOLBROOK-ON-SEA... 

SMALL SHELTER, LEFT OF PICTURE...

GRANDSTAND LABELS...

MOST SPECTATORS STOOD IN FRONT OF THE SEATS...

SPOT THE CLUB BADGE...

RATHER CLOSE DUGOUTS...

THE PLAYERS WERE PRESENTED IN FRONT OF, ER, NOBODY IN A CORNER...

"LET'S TWIST AGAIN..." SINGS SAM SPENCER (3)...

SPOT THE PANTOMIME HORSE...

HOLBROOK HUG...

RADFORD CLINCH...

CLICK THIS MESSAGE TO GO TO THE 15 VIDEO CLIPS, INCLUDING 5 OF THE GOALS...

A NEWLYN HARBOUR WALL...

Never Morning Wore To Evening But Some Heart Did Break...

Broken.

Eyes averted from scene,

Covered by her calloused palms,

Elbows her only support;

For the sympathetic hand’s ageing touch

Wasn’t felt...

Forsaken.

Bay silken in death,

Nestling as a lined casket,

Ripples quite sickeningly smug;

For its haunting threat had been

Cruelly dealt...

Stricken.

Tears ripped from soul,

Sea-wall dark in the mourning,

Seining debris now grave goods;

For widowhood would hack such a 

Harrowing welt...

Pete Ray

My favourite Walter Langley painting, probably created upon the very sea-wall I call mine, in Newlyn...

The sea looks like a coffin’s silken lining and it made me think...

BRINKLOW FC MANAGER EDWIN GREAVES REPORTS ON A 1-1 DRAW @ AMBLESIDE...

BRINKLOW FC: A POINT PROVED AT AMBLESIDE...

"Ambleside got the game underway and started quite brightly, although never really forced Daniel Mallinson into a save.


We, on the other hand, had a great opportunity in the 34th minute when Danny Lucas and Benny Adeeko linked up to set Kris Bedder through one on one but the Ambleside goalkeeper pulled off a good save.


The Ambleside goalkeeper also pulled off a fine save from Lloyd Pulford. The rest of the half was pretty uneventful with both sides evenly matched.

The 2nd half we found ourselves more on the front foot with good opportunities being missed by Kris Bedder and Viqas Yusaf and it seemed like it was not going to be our day in front of goal.


In the 80th minute a pass from Manny Dhesi found Nathan Stoute who crossed for Benny Adeeko to score his 1st goal for Brinklow: 0-1. That goal made the game very open and it became end to end stuff with both sides putting the opposing defences under pressure.


In the 85th minute Ambleside scored from a corner: a header was going towards goal but deflected off our player and was adjudged to have crossed the goal-line by the linesman: 1-1.


We still had a couple more opportunities to score as both teams went for the win.
The best of those chances fell to Connor Tallett who shot wide when through on goal and a long range shot from Nathan Stoute hit the crossbar and cannoned out in the last minute.


In summing up this game:


Better but still room for improvement.


After the two heavy defeats we have suffered recently it was nice to get any sort of result today. We had the better of the chances over the 90 minutes today but didn't take them.  Ambleside never gave up and like me will find positives from their performance today.


We now have something to build on and we need to continue to work hard to start climbing the table.

On to the next game..."

EDWIN GREAVES, MANAGER, BRINKLOW FC...

WINSLOW UNITED 1-4 TRING ATHLETIC: FULL MATCH REPORT BY THE MOWDOG...

Tring Master the Wind and Breeze Past Plucky Winslow

Winslow United 1-4 Tring Athletic

Tring’s strong second-half opening shaded a forgettable first period, during which they struggled to master a gusty wind, as well as Winslow’s eager showing and also, it must be said, their own deficiencies. Their ‘keeper Jack Hopwood had already saved well from home skipper Ryan Freshwater, before left-sider Grant Karwacinski struck a smart goal for United and although Tring were thus harassed into some offensive action near the interval and home goalie Carl Knox saved from Chris Vardy, their other attempts drifted off target. Two early goals after the break, one a remarkable effort from the narrowest of angles and with the minimum of measuring up by Vardy, plus a birthday strike from midfielder Sam Joliffe, allowed the guests some leeway, although to be fair to the hosts a Richard Armstrong header and a Charlie Flanagan shot flew just astray with the score at 1-2 and then Hopwood made a fine save from replacement James Davey. A late flurry by the visitors deservedly won the game however as a vicious Vardy strike against the goal-frame was sandwiched between Joliffe’s penalty and the impressive Ryan Sturges’ emphatic added-time finish from, er, 23 yards…   

STONE, PAPER, OR SCISSORS?
IT'S A TOSS BETWEEN THE THREE...

Knox had already held onto near post left-booted efforts by Tring’s George Brinkmann and Jack Seaton, who had cleverly beaten Karwacinski to create his opportunity but when a right-side Hateley Mercer corner was won against visiting skipper Dan Steadman by home skipper Freshwater, Hopwood leapt right to claw the ball away from just inside his right upright. Annoyance had already resulted in a caution for Tring’s inventive midfielder Luke Dunstan who had carried on an argument, like the referee would surely change his mind but it appeared that Freshwater was also booked in an incident with Brinkman, who had flung himself to the turf in a fine display of Norman Wisdom acrobatics. Brinkman was a livewire, a perfect fellow to play the part of pantomime villain in Tring’s next production but his humour, possibly not appreciated by opponents, even stretched to suggesting that I, as well as the groundhopper lounging nearby should have fetched a ball for him from near the croquet lawn… I usually do volley balls back but I was intent on pigging George off on this occasion… We both wind people up, it appears. 

THE REFEREE APPEARS AMUSED THAT A PLAYER IS INJURED, BUT A SPECTATOR FINDS THE MATCH PROGRAMME MORE INTERESTING...

FLANAGAN REALISES THAT HE IS LESSER HURT THAN LESSA... 

DUNSTAN: "BUT I WANT TO SEE WHAT COLOUR CARDS YOU HAVE IN YOUR POCKET..."

GEORGE BRINKMAN PREPARES FOR A NUCLEAR ATTACK.
HE ASSURES HIS TEAM-MATES THAT IT'S THE ONLY PROTECTION NECESSARY...
THANKS, GEORGE.

WINSLOW'S PLAYERS DON'T BELIEVE HIM THOUGH...

Joliffe set up Vardy on the left side of the penalty-box for a low drive, which Knox beat away effectively but it was the hosts who scored following a weak Vardy header at the opposite end. A fine pass between two Tring defenders by lively forward Drew Mitten, threaded like a hand into a glove, saw Karwacinski hold his run and time his advance perfectly then beat the advancing Hopwood with a low drive from inside-left, which struck the net just inside the right stick.

THE CELEBRATING WINSLOW PLAYERS HAVEN'T QUITE GOT THE HANG OF A BALLET LIFT, AS YET...

YEAH, THE JIG IS BETTER...

1-0 NOW...

In an urged response to being behind to a lower ranked team, Sturges began to look more effective, Vardy and Joliffe both shot wide and the impish Jack Sunderland finished, well, like Sunderland, across the face of goal and not into it. The interval was signalled and although the wind had not been conducive to a flowing game Winslow hadn’t really used it too well, leaving Hopwood relieved that shots from distance hadn’t rained down upon him. Long punts by Knox had simply been like pulling apples from trees for the Tring custodian and in truth, surely Athletic could not play much worse after the cuppa and the rant from their coaching staff. This proved to be correct… 

GEORGE BRINKMAN: A GREAT CHARACTER...

Brinkman received a caution, following the start of act two, proving that brinkmanship can often finally end up with egg on the face and Sturges began to make inroads on the United defensive right, first clipping over a dangerous right-shoe cross, then providing a shooting chance for Joliffe whose effort was dragged past the left post and also firing over the crossbar himself. However Dunstan’s clever play on that left attacking flank finally offered Joliffe the chance to regain a relieving parity for his crew and the midfielder did so with aplomb. Dunstan tricked Ben Baines as he made towards the byeline, passed into the centre and Joliffe had time to put a foot to the ball and then smack it past the helpless Knox from 8 yards, with Armstrong in his wake.

LESSA GOES OVER TO LOOK AFTER HIS LITTLE MATE...

STURGES SURGES...

SAM JOLIFFE REHEARSES FOR SUNDAY MORNING AFTER HIS BIRTHDAY NIGHT OUT...

THE MASSED RANKS OF TRINGERS BEHIND THE GOAL...

1-1: JOLIFFE...

DUNSTAN PRACTISES HIS ROBOTICS...

The second goal was soon to arrive and deflate the home resistance but what a strange, if beautifully taken strike it was. A long ball forwards, carried no doubt by the wind, was chased at inside-left by Vardy, but Knox had advanced, didn’t make it and Vardy nicked the ball away towards the left touchline and without so much as a glance at his protractor, set-square, or satnav, he clipped a very narrow angled delivery, left-footed, just inside the far post for a remarkable goal. Vardy simply turned as if he’d just posted a letter to his aunt, until his team-mates, duly impressed, mobbed him. I’d seen Jamie Vardy play for Stocksbridge Park Steels at Retford United (The Badgers, oddly…) in 2008-09 and how his career changed afterwards… Keep the dream, Chris.

SCORING? SIMPLES...

...DESERVES A HUG THOUGH...

1-2: GOAL BY VARDY...

POST-GOAL HUDDLE...

Substitutions then affected the game a little and although on top, despite the promptings of Dunstan and Sturges, who were by now well in command in midfield, alongside Joliffe, Tring loosened their grip a little and Winslow nearly capitalised. Davey replaced Geno Tosolari for the hosts, whilst Adam Scotcher and George Carbery (I hope that’s right…) replaced Sunderland and the giant, embattled, hurt Lessa Boka for the guests. Oddly, Boka hadn’t gone forward for set-pieces during the opening half but I guess Tring’s tactics didn’t include that ruse.

LUKE DUNSTAN: SO EFFECTIVE...

Indeed, Armstrong rose well but nodded a left-side free-kick past the right post, before Hopwood sliced an awkward back-pass but survived, then after another Sturges shot rose too high for Athletic, Charlie Flanagan who had worked well at times with Mitten, leaned back and clipped a shot just over the Tring goal-frame. After the injured James Banfield, at left-back for Tring, had been replaced by Stuart Stedman, who had been vociferous on the sideline, the home team so nearly pulled level. First, following another fine delivery by Mercer from the left, Ollie Goulding’s low ball in from the right flicked off Armstrong, was headed out by Joliffe but onto the right volleying boot of Davey 18 yards from goal. His fine effort was well saved diving right by the alert Hopwood, at the expense of a corner, following a scramble. The corner caused a few problems but was eventually cleared safely by Tring, whose butt had been truly kicked and they finished the stronger.

PENALTY AWARDED...

Scotcher was pulled by Alex Iyenger in the penalty-box, Joliffe clipped the resulting penalty into the top right corner of the net, Sturges and Dunstan combined to feed Vardy, whose powerful 15 yarder crashed down off the underside of the crossbar and as time ran out, Sturges received his reward. Fine work on the left by Dunstan who appeared to nutmeg Goulding, led to a clearance by United but Brinkman challenged, Vardy nudged the ball off Iyenger and there was Sturges maybe 22.65 metres out, to smack his shot into the bottom left corner of the net to leave Winslow distraught. 

...& IS SCORED BY JOLIFFE...

1-3 NOW...

1-4...

...& A DESERVED GOAL FOR STURGES...

Tring venture on in the FA Vase, the game had improved after the interval and the nippy Vardy, the clever Dunstan (who had done well to avoid trouble after his early booking) and the irrepressible Sturges had forced Winslow into a plucky defeat. Right-back Jack Seaton, one of a prial of Tring Jacks, was always willing to support for his team and skipper Steadman steadied his colleagues well enough. Mercer’s deliveries were good for United, Freshwater a rock at the back, Armstrong a physical plus but Mitten and Flanagan looked very useful on occasions.

In the match programme, one of the Tring players listed was the splendidly named Tommy Twelves but what number would he have worn? I think we should be told… 

TEAMS:

WINSLOW UNITED:

CARL KNOX, ALEX IYENGER, HATELEY MERCER, RYAN FRESHWATER (CAPT), BEN BAINES, RICHARD ARMSTRONG, GENO TOSOLARI, OLLIE GOULDING, DREW MITTEN, CHARLIE FLANAGAN, GRANT KARWACINSKI.

SUBS:

CHRIS SETTERFIELD, LEO BROOKS, CARL CLAY, MICHAEL REED, JAMES DAVEY.

TRING ATHLETIC:

JACK HOPWOOD, JACK SEATON, JAMES BANFIELD, LUKE DUNSTAN, DAN STEADMAN (CAPT), LESSA BOKA, RYAN STURGES, SAM JOLIFFE, CHRIS VARDY, JACK SUNDERLAND, GEORGE BRINKMAN.

SUBS:

CALLUM GREGORY, STUART STEDMAN, ADAM SCOTCHER, GEORGE CARBERY.