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Saturday 1st November, 2003 |
FA Trophy 1st Round |
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Rugby United 0 - 0 Hinckley United |
| Hinckley: |
 |
Whittle
 |
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Cartwright |
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Lenton |
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Crowley
 |
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Penny |
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Stone
(Piercewright 79mins) |
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Storer |
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Dyer
(Voice 46mins) |
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Sadler
(Smith 79mins) |
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Jenkins |
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Murray |
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| Rugby: |
| 1. |
Pearcey
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| 2. |
Moran
(Shanahan 46mins) |
| 3. |
Thompson
(Williams 30 mins) |
| 4. |
Hart |
| 5. |
Herbert |
| 6. |
Redgate |
| 7. |
Hall
(Marsden 72mins) |
| 8. |
Dutton |
| 9. |
Beard
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| 10. |
Pearson |
| 11. |
Squire |
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| Half Time: |
0 - 0 |
| Full Time: |
0 - 0 |
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the Hird Dimension: |
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Hello my darlings, well from my stairlift in heaven I've been looking down on
you all, and in particular that lovely football team in red & blue. Me and
Jimi Hendrix love a bit of 'knitting' of an evening and we really can't wait for
Geri Halliwell to join us for a threesome. Knit one, Perl one, deary. So we
thought what better way to pass our time than to follow the Knitter's football
team.
There isn't that lovely, then. |
Welcome to the knitting lounge up here in heaven once again. Not as full as last
week but I always said that Bing Crosby was a fairweather fan. Jimi as always is
by my side, Harry Secombe is in the comfy chair but not taking much notice and
Queen Victoria has got her usual spot back for her 20 rows of Perl. Todays game
would be the FA Trophy, now me not knowing that much about the non-league would
let Jimi do the knowledge bit. He told me it was the knockout cup competition
for the non-league. I was overjoyed, "It's a knockout?" I said "Oh good because
I love that Eddie Waring." He always seems to be laughing, and I like a man who
can laugh. Ask Arthur Askey. Then Jimi expalined it to me. Anyway Hinckley had
been drawn away at Rugby, who were in a division below them but still doing well
this season. Jimi said Hinckley would be favourites but that they would have to
work hard for it.
The game started with Hinckley pressing forward. Justin Jenkins had a shot from
the edge of the area that Jason Pearcey, in the Rugby goal, just fingertipped
around the post for a corner. Then a Dave Sadler header down was heading towards
the left hand corner until Pearcey again made the save. From the corner Jenkins
got the ball with his back to goal, turned and shot in one move but saw the ball
go over. Rob Beard found room on the edge of Hinckley's area but the Rugby forward
snatched his shot wide of the post. However it was mostly Hinckley pressure in
the first 30 minutes as Neil Cartwright then tried a cross come shot from wide
right that Pearcey also watched go safely past. Pearcey then nearly let Hinckley
in. He failed to collect a cross and the ball bounced infront of Justin Jenkins,
who couldn't control it properly, scuffed his shot and the ball was hacked away
by Adam Hart. Then the game was turned on it's head after half an hour. Even
Harry Secombe sat up and took notice. Tommy Whittle saved the ball at the feet
of Dave Pearson, but seemed to be kicked on the floor by that nasty, nasty Rob
Beard who was following up. After a heated debate Tommy was guilty of 'losing
his head' by using it to headbutt that nasty bully Rob Beard. The referee had no
choice but to send off the Hinckley goalkeeper. Fans Favourite, especially in the
knitting lounge, Justin Jenkins was chosen to go in goal, which surprised both
me and Jimi. His first job was to face the penalty. Danny Hall struck it well
but was dismayed to see Jenkins dive the right way and tip the ball onto the post
then cleared away. As you'd expect Rugby had their best spell of the match. Rory
Squire's glancing header drifted wide of the upright and Gary Moran wasted a good
chance by having a shot himself only to see it clear the cross bar by six miles.
Being down to 10 men didn't stop Hinckley pressing forward and Dave Sadler had
a glorious chance to give Hinckley the lead right on half time. Pearcey again
failed to collect a cross properly and the ball dropped to the feet of a very
surprised Sadler, who's snatched shot went high over from close in. Half time
came and the score was 0-0. Jimi's thoughts were that Hinckley had seen most of
the possesion and chances for the first half and even after they were down to 10
men had still played the same game pressing forward. Rugby had seen plenty of
good approach work but were lacking a killer touch to finish off the moves.
The second half started with Hinckley showing their intentions straight away.
Striker Scott Voice was substituted on for a midfielder Wayne Dyer, clearly
showing that Hinckley would not be content to defend with 10 men. Jimi said to
me this half was more open with plenty of end to end football, however Rugby
seemed to get stuck into the trap of trying to catch Hinckley on the break,
short in numbers, instead of playing their natural game. Disappointingly Rugby
never seriously threatened stand in keeper Justin Jenkins in the second half and
got more frustrated as the half went on. Hinckley applied a bit of late pressure
with a number of corners in succesion but also never seriously threatened Pearcey
as Andy Penny put a good headed chance staright at the Rugby Keeper.
The game fizzled out into a 0-0 draw.
Jimi's thoughts: Hinckley were definately the better quality side as had been
shown in the first 30 minutes. Being down to 10 men meant they would always have
to keep an eye on defence and not commit too much. Even then, Hinckley had had
good chances to get the goal. Rugby had started with good movement, workrate and
determination but as the game wore on were increasingly frustrated at not being
able to break down Hinckley's defence. Hinckley still playing with 2 forwards for
the second half meant that Rugby couldn't throw everything forward and settled
for hitting a long ball into the corners, hoping to catch Hinckley on the break.
It worked a couple of times but never dangerously enough to create a real threat
to Justin Jenkins in goal. |
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