Huge game, Huge crowd hopefully, Dartford will bring loads and make a lot of noise if we let them.
Kick off 1pm and you can pay on the gate. Get there early to avoid queues and remember its happy our in the bar and the gates and bar open at 11am.
Not sure what radio is on for the exiles, Dartford do a pretty good commentary even if its biased that might be on and Radio Kent might send someone down as a kent side is at PVR.
Sunday Bus service so get down to Park View Road for hopefully a great game. Dont think it will be as easy as last year as they are better this season.
COYW!!
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Alexander O'Neal 1987 "I'm fed up cos all you wanna do is criticize "
Healy sent off for two footed challenge. Can't complain, because it was bad, but the bloke he tackled also slid in with two feet and neither of them got the ball. Surely a red card each, but the ref clearly didn't see it that way.
1) Goalkeeper looks very confident and commanded his area. Was good to hear a goalkeeper talk to his defenders. 2) Defence looked more solid
The problem we had today was that we couldn't take our chances when they came. Luis had a golden chance bang on half time that should have gone in, one off the bar, few end balls went array.
We know we can score goals that wasn't the problem but I do worry that when/ if Pugh leave we play Loick up front on his own we will just end up punting balls up to him and nobody really looks like scoring.
Very poor decision from the ref today cost us but the boys worked really hard and they all dug deep. They should take heart from the defensive performance today, as we looked very solid at the back and even Ben Martin looked confident. Whether thats the goal keeper or have Jack alongside him he looked better today.
The thing I don't understand about the red card is this. Why did Dirtford end up getting a free kick? Their player was booked so clearly he was in the wrong too?? Why do they get the free kick? If two players threw punches as each other you wouldn't send one off for hitting harder you would send both off?? Very confused by the decision to just send Joe off!! From what was said behind the goal I'm sure the ref will come and explain himself on Twitter later so keep your eyes peeled!! Joke of a ref, good performance, reasonable result considering we played half hour with 10. I said I'd take 4 points from the 2 games and its still on. We go again on the 2nd!! COYW
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All opinions expressed are my own and are likely to be labelled bollocks!
I think the players were great today, dartford had an early spell but after that i felt we dominated the game, they didnt really have an attempt on goal worth worring about.
Keeper looked very solid good from crosses and quick off his line, good to see Jack back playing at the back him and Ben dominated there forward and the boy from Gillingham looks very goid as well.
For me somes our luck up really miss a pen and then they score direct from that.
Loads of positives tho and cant wait for the return leg.
Coyw
What a useless ref, he gave Dartford nothing in the first half then in the second he was giving them stuff for nothing. He was awful for both sides. Dartford started really well, we never had a kick for the first 20 mins, think we were the better team after that including with ten men. Weve missed a good chance, hit the bar and missed a pen when we had ten men we really should have been 2 or 3 clear. Dartford really got pumped up when we missed the pen in last minute and a quality ball in and indecision cost us. Darts also had one off the line so they will feel they were worth a draw. they got out of jail today and they know it.
I personally thought the red card was a poor decision their guy lunged in and if joe hadnt of lunged in aswell he would have got injured. hes only sent joe off after their six gave it the oscar treatment, but how does he then book their 6?
Decent crowd, well behaved both sets of fans.
We played well today and im confident that we will win comfortably at their place when they come at us Loick and Obo will get through them. Both were very good today as was the defence and Keeper.
Interviews With Jamie Day and Jack Evans up later and probably highlights up late tonight.
Spoke to TB after the game and showed him the tackle, he said he thought it was late but that there was no intent or malice from Joe Healy.
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Alexander O'Neal 1987 "I'm fed up cos all you wanna do is criticize "
Highlights should be up at 11ish tonight 16 mins worth, very hard could have been 30 mins worth.
Havent changed my opinion from seeing it happen live, Think Champion lunged in and Joe has gone in too. Still feel both yellows and a talking to for both not to tackle like that, but if one should have got a red then its champion imho, think Joe has been hard done by there. The ball is closer to Healy when Champs launches off the ground lunges in. Poor ref probably cost us the game with that decision.
These things happen lets hope we get the rub of the green at Princes Park. To be fair he gave us everything in the first half and the Darts got nothing from him until half time.
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Alexander O'Neal 1987 "I'm fed up cos all you wanna do is criticize "
The Healy tackle looked 50/50 at the time but looking at the replay maybe 60/40 but still never a straight red. Was a tasty challenge but no players hurt - the ref should have cautioned Joe for being 'first' as there was no malice. Why did their player get booked? same for both or one party.
Annoying thing is the ref totally contradicted himself by not pullling players up long before that flashpoint.
Proud of the players for the way they played with 10 men after a slow start. Meant a bundle to Dartford but that's the way it is when you play teams above you.
Still gutted nearly 48 hours later that we didn't win that game. Will have to watch the video before commenting on the tackle and the alleged elbow on Evans??
Actually thought we played better with 10 v 12 in the second half and just a shame we couldn't take one of the late chances on offer.
Very pleased with the display of the new keeper who did what he had to do very well and looked confident throughout. Think he might be tested a bit more in the return game. Jack O back to something like his best and hope he is not badly injured. Will miss Daisy in the next game but would like to keep the back four in tact from Monday and play either JJ or Sambrook in midfield.
Hopefully we can catch them om the break as we did on numerous occasions and, if we defend properly, I have no doubts than we are more than capable of getting the three points
Sambrook over Jordan for me. Jordan is very good on left but gets stiffled and outmuscled in center mid. Sammy has proved he can play there and won't be overawed. Or if the rumour is true then cracknell can go there. If Jordan comes in he has to play left for me. That's his best position.
Passing against kingstonian was poor. This will be a right hard game after boxing day and we need the experience and fight of a sambrook or similar in midfield I think. Could put jp there and Sammy at back but jp and Ben looked solid so would put Sammy in midfield all day long.
On a different note, their fans are still doing a good job in getting our players up for it on the 2nd. According to them Jamie Day is a cheat and is a ryman player and Parkinson is a donkey. Perhaps if they had donkeys and cheats they would be second and would have beaten us in living memory in a competetive match.
COYW!!
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Alexander O'Neal 1987 "I'm fed up cos all you wanna do is criticize "
Sambrook over Jordan for me. Jordan is very good on left but gets stiffled and outmuscled in center mid. Sammy has proved he can play there and won't be overawed. Or if the rumour is true then cracknell can go there. If Jordan comes in he has to play left for me. That's his best position.
Passing against kingstonian was poor. This will be a right hard game after boxing day and we need the experience and fight of a sambrook or similar in midfield I think. Could put jp there and Sammy at back but jp and Ben looked solid so would put Sammy in midfield all day long.
On a different note, their fans are still doing a good job in getting our players up for it on the 2nd. According to them Jamie Day is a cheat and is a ryman player and Parkinson is a donkey. Perhaps if they had donkeys and cheats they would be second and would have beaten us in living memory in a competetive match.
COYW!!
They also ridicule a fellow fan who liked Pires because nobody with colour of his hair and shoes should play for them. They are not very observant so probably did not notice the colour of Bradbrook's footwear.
