Bert, not sure that 'rehabilitation' is the right word, unless our players have been to those coffee shops that you have in Amsterdam but know what you mean!
3 points, two well taken goals by Frannie, an improved performance from Kiernan, but that wasn't difficult, but apart from that what a complete and utter shambles in the second half. Not sure what is going on at the moment but the team just looks a shadow of what it was last month. More serious looking injuries tonight, Ollie and Jack nowhere to be seen, Johnson and Bodkin both look like they are struggling and as for Steve Watt.....I just don't what to say, the guy is just not fit or even 50% fit. We very nearly threw away a comfortable 3-0 lead today against a quite awful opponent who to be fair battered us in the second half and like E Grinstead, if not for Pidge, we would have probably lost. Thought the big new lad at the back looked decent, the left back just looked like another typical average Hastings left back but let's see after he gets a run of games and poor old Pat Butcher had a stinker at right back.
Three points is of course fantastic but the whole ground just felt flat at the end. Hope im wrong but just think we have major problems at present and players not looking happy. I hear Saturdays game may be in doubt already due to the Three Bridges pitch. After tonight I am guessing they will do all they can to get the game on.
Well John after seeing 3 bridges watering their pitch at 10 o clock last Saturday morning. I doubt game will be on. Thought 2nd half was a shambles and im seeing nothing yet to change my view of Darrens management.
Sadly missed this one (through the worst 'man flu' ever recorded) but it sounds like another hit and miss performance against another poor side. Does anyone have any idea how many defenders and how many back four combinations we have used this season ? It feels like dozens and, to be honest, it's surprising we haven't conceded more than we have. I feel if we could get a settled rearguard of our best four (Davies, Rowe, Cruttwell, Butcher(my opinion)) we would be right up there.
Well done to Frannie....that's a remarkable record that he has running at the moment. Perhaps the classiest finisher we have had since Ernie Batten ?
Well I don't think you will get your wish Mick. Only rumours of course but heard Ollie is being rested for 2 weeks due to his broken toe, that of course may change now. Crutts went off with what looked like a pulled hamstring, 4-6 weeks? Davies required the stretcher after coming on as sub and looked pretty bad and even the new lad looked like he hobbled off. That leaves Butcher who had a stinker and Watty who is still some way of full fitness.
Just another couple of questions from last night 12 hours on. During a 20min spell in the first half Matt Bodkin absolutely destroyed and tormented Matt Whitehead during Hastings only dominant spell, down the right hand side. Why, as so often this season did Matt then swap sides with Kieran? It just took all the momentum out of our attacking game and we never looked the same again. Why do we do this as this is not the first time this has happened this season. Does this come from the bench or from the players?
Was also shocked by our tactics in injury time when we got two corners. Usually a team would play it short and keep it in the corner. What did we do? Even though we had 10men we stuck 5 in the box and swung it over. Corner didn't beat first man, they broke, had a one on one and Pidge saved the day. Two minutes later we did the same again. So much experience on the pitch I was so surprised that we did this, and it really needed a calming head.
Also see on twitter that Steve Watt has said it was the first time in his career that he has been booed by home fans when coming on. Have to say, I was behind the goal with the bulk of supporters and I heard nothing from that end so can only assume it came from main grandstand or behind dugout. Anyone hear anything? Pretty poor if that did happen and find it hard to believe.
Didn't hear any boos but a few comments were definitely made. I think it just goes to show how angry people are becoming with what goes on year after year, Yesterday he had no choice but to go on, but apparently Saturday was different, and if he was as abject as some people have said how can he be surprised.
With respect to yourBodkin comments, I agree entirely it just furthers my belief that tactics are on a whim and no thought has gone into anything its all off the cuff.
Looks as if 3 of the Bridges players arrived late and couldn't start the game. Their nos 14 and 15 played well in the second half. Didn't hear any booing for Steve from the stand. Viewing last night was hard work-not sure what was wrong with Matt at the start of the game but it seemed that every Hastings player appeared to be carrying an injury of some sort. At least we won but unconvincing hardly does it justice.
mmmm, the plot thickens, shall we call this "boogate". Something just doesn't sit comfortably with me and my suspicious side tells me it's almost like attention is being taken away from other more important matters at hand. I was behind the goal with probably half of the attendance on the night and there was definitely no booing whatsoever. People I respect who were sitting in the grandstand heard no booing. Cliff who was over the far side heard no booing. Darren Hare from his comments heard no booing from the dugout. At the supporters team footy tonight not one supporter heard booing from any part of the ground. Reading on twitter today others have tweeted Steve and said they heard no booing. So what the hell did Steve hear and why make a bloody statement when no one else in the ground heard a thing. All very strange and amazed Darren has felt he needed to put something in the paper.
Don't think this puts the club in good light and unless someone tells me they heard booing then I think it's disrespectful to the supporters who were there on the night.
-- Edited by johnw on Wednesday 11th of January 2017 09:37:12 PM
-- Edited by johnw on Wednesday 11th of January 2017 09:39:56 PM
"Boogate" I heard nothing from the far side, but what a pity Darren did not think to may a statement to the paper about the loyal fans who had to put up with that rubbish, rather than making a bit thing about a non-event. As you say John, detract from the main concern.
It could in an answer to what Boggins posted about him!
-- Edited by KT on Thursday 12th of January 2017 07:02:33 AM
The one thing that amazes me in this 'non-event' is that Darren should consider it appropriate to speak to the press.
From what I have read here it seems no-one heard anything and, if anything at all, it must have been a single, isolated comment. A comment that quite a few may have been thinking after Watt's 'cameo' on Saturday.
Honestly, what a load of crap !
The atmosphere at the match was as flat as a pancake and you could of heard a pin drop at times so quite incredible that nothing was heard, but even if someone did boo why make such a big deal and put it in the papers. Looking at Steve's career and who he has played for surely he has had worse than a boo in his career. Against Cray Kiernon got fierce critisicm both verbally during the game and on this forum, a lot of it from me, but he didn't go crying on social media and actually came back on Tuesday twice the player. I think Darren has been poorly advised, if he has of course, and this is a huge error of judgement by the club.
What of course we don't want to happen now, especially as Steve has told the world, is let it effect other players, team morale and performance, even though that is pretty average at present anyway. I have no doubt Steve is excellent in the changing room and has lots of contacts, and is a huge part of the entertaining football we have played this season, and I am glad we have him, but now I think he needs to concentrate on getting himself 100% fit, forget this rubbish, and do what he was signed to do, because at 31 he is still pretty young, and to date he has shortchanged us as a player because even before his injury he didn't look fit. You would not have got this from Razor!!!
I was behind the goal in the 2nd half and certainly did not hear any booing.
What I did hear was some supporters questioning the decision of the substitution amongst themselves, nothing that was in the earshot of Steve Watt.
And what a poor decision that substitution turned out to be,as they took off a very good (in my opinion) Jerome Sobers who had an excellent game and won nearly everything in the air and was doing OK and brought on Steve Watt who ended up getting booked and giving away a penalty. He was also the last substitution and when Richard Davies went off injured we couldn't bring anyone else on and ended up hanging on in the end for the win with only 10 men.
I'm certainly not going to let such a minor incident affect my judgement of Darren and Steve who I think continue to do a pretty good job in increasingly difficult circumstances. I just don't get why the club/Darren escalated it rather than do the sensible thing and ignore it.
For as long as I can remember, HUFC's use (and often non use) of substitutes has regularly baffled me.
But none more than on Saturday !
I'm certainly not going to let such a minor incident affect my judgement of Darren and Steve who I think continue to do a pretty good job in increasingly difficult circumstances. I just don't get why the club/Darren escalated it rather than do the sensible thing and ignore it.
For as long as I can remember, HUFC's use (and often non use) of substitutes has regularly baffled me. But none more than on Saturday !
Me too Mick, IMO young Jordy Robins should not have been taken off, in both games, he had done enough work to carry on to the end, he`s fast, good on the ball, a little surprised his name has not come up on here.
I was standing at the gate by the tea bar and didn't hear any booing. I think Jerome was substituted as he was injured and Steve should be a more than adequate sub. Jordy was subbed before the bizarre run of injuries and I think it's because he hasn't been playing regularly. I have to say that given the injuries and that we only had ten men at the end the lads did well to keep all three points.
Very good update from Darren regarding "Boogate" on the Official site and also a comprehensive update on the injury situation, which has clearly reached crisis point.
I think we will do very well to 'keep in touch' through the next few busy weeks.
Very good update from Darren regarding "Boogate" on the Official site and also a comprehensive update on the injury situation, which has clearly reached crisis point. I think we will do very well to 'keep in touch' through the next few busy weeks.
Indeed Mick, a good statement from Darren which ought to end the 'Boogate' matter. Attention should rather be on our awful injury situation. I hope Saturday's game is off - not something I would normally wish for - so that the club has time to gather its available resources as best it can.
Excellent response, have a lot of sympathy over injury situation. The lad Stevenson makes it 42 players for the season. When we won the Dr.Martens Eastern Division back in 2002 we used 25 players all season. Hopefully most of injured players recover soon.