Competitive, fairly good natured game apart from a couple of sweary spats.A deserved win on the grounds that their young keeper pulled off some blinding saves, especially a double save from powerful efforts by Vinnie. Mind our keeper, Tony, was the real McCoy once again, good saves, comfortable handling, commanding on crosses, the Knebworth Slapper, and verbally superb.
A lovely move early on was stopped on the goal line by an excellent last minute block on Vinnie.
Mind there were repeated worrying attacks down our left flank only nullified by stout defending of the several resulting crosses. A close first half ended 1-1. A soft penalty for a perceived push by Steve saw Walkern take the lead, though Tony nearly saved it. An equaliser resulted from the powerful and persistent Vinnie who slotted into the corner.
Second half got a bit more mouthy probably as energy fades the last place to lose momentum is the human gob. We attacked sporadically and were unfortunate not to go ahead , often the attacks were not well supported as the game became very stretched. At last the winner, from a goalmouth scramble, was slotted in by Gerry, who was among those having an excellent game.
A goodly crowd had assembled to watch this ancient local derby.
We failed to unearth the top posts, lack of a crane, we lost two balls up those pesky trees and adjourned once more to the Station our hereditary watering hole. A good turn out by both sides and lugholes were enjoyed once more.
Next week home to Buntingford.
Final games
May 12 home to Goldings- league
May 19 home to Blunham- league
May 26 home to Sandridge- league
Goodbye Sir Ronald
Quack quack
Monday 29 April 2013
Monday 22 April 2013
Knobs 3 Saints 0
Sunny, spring morning and a very good natured game ended with a comfortable home victory.
Trevor fails to turn up leading to Tony once again playing a leading role between the posts. Competent, commanding and unbeatable. His kicking is another asset long missing from Knobs make up.
We had a bare 11 and fortunately noone was injured and everyone stuck to their task till the end.
Saints provided two subs as linesmen and Alistair promptly upset one of them by exhorting him to change his top. We disassociated ourselves from Alistair, the bloke put on another top and we got under way.
Early on saw Sean involved with two delicious passes to the left which came to naught. I suppose it was fairly warm so the game seemed stretched from the off. We looked very competitive at the back and they had few shots to trouble us. One shot was scambled off the line but that seemed it. Gavin was looking sharp going forward but by half time there had been no end product. 0-0 half time.
The stale mate lasted till with 20 minutes left Knobs were awarded a penalty. Gavin hurtled forward at pace leaving the full back for dead. A last ditch lunge from the back toppled poor Gav but Steve scored easily from the spot. Shortly afterwards came the 2nd and 3rd. Sean hit an inside the full back pass which few but Gavin would have had the pace to latch onto. Manfully keeping his balance he did all the hard work before nearly missing! He didn't, it crawled inside the post. 2-0.
The best came last. A punt from Tony, was headed on by Vinnie to galloping Gavin. He turned an early ball inside, on the ground, to a beseeching Bully who with only the keeper to beat met the ball with the outside of his foot and hit top corner from 30 plus yards. Sumptious, classy and cultured. And of course meant!
A number of us adjourned to the sunny yet wind chilled 'garden' of the Lytton for the last time this season. From now on we take to the Station and all that it promises!
Thanks to Brendan for doing a line second half. With the flag that is.
Trevor fails to turn up leading to Tony once again playing a leading role between the posts. Competent, commanding and unbeatable. His kicking is another asset long missing from Knobs make up.
We had a bare 11 and fortunately noone was injured and everyone stuck to their task till the end.
Saints provided two subs as linesmen and Alistair promptly upset one of them by exhorting him to change his top. We disassociated ourselves from Alistair, the bloke put on another top and we got under way.
Early on saw Sean involved with two delicious passes to the left which came to naught. I suppose it was fairly warm so the game seemed stretched from the off. We looked very competitive at the back and they had few shots to trouble us. One shot was scambled off the line but that seemed it. Gavin was looking sharp going forward but by half time there had been no end product. 0-0 half time.
The stale mate lasted till with 20 minutes left Knobs were awarded a penalty. Gavin hurtled forward at pace leaving the full back for dead. A last ditch lunge from the back toppled poor Gav but Steve scored easily from the spot. Shortly afterwards came the 2nd and 3rd. Sean hit an inside the full back pass which few but Gavin would have had the pace to latch onto. Manfully keeping his balance he did all the hard work before nearly missing! He didn't, it crawled inside the post. 2-0.
The best came last. A punt from Tony, was headed on by Vinnie to galloping Gavin. He turned an early ball inside, on the ground, to a beseeching Bully who with only the keeper to beat met the ball with the outside of his foot and hit top corner from 30 plus yards. Sumptious, classy and cultured. And of course meant!
A number of us adjourned to the sunny yet wind chilled 'garden' of the Lytton for the last time this season. From now on we take to the Station and all that it promises!
Thanks to Brendan for doing a line second half. With the flag that is.
Monday 15 April 2013
Knobs 3 Tesco Vets 3
On a lovely Sunday morning, a battle ensued. We knew from last time that it would be a physical battle and so it proved yet again but it was pleasing to see that we were up for the fight, led in exemplary fashion by Darren A – our captain of the day, who harassed and hurried the opposition throughout and was quite magnificent.
With a bare 11 and the MBDA guy as the referee, we started off the game in good spirits, mainly because the goals were up (I think). Unfortunately we soon found ourselves a goal down as woeful defending from Gavin saw a free-kick go over his head to the player he was supposedly marking and their man scuffed it into the back of the next with Good Tony just getting a hand on it but not preventing it from going in. After that it was quite an open game but one with few chances. We finally got a goal though when a through ball from Richard sent Gavin scampering on and his scuffed shot ended up with Vinny sweeping home. They believed it was offside and it might have been but it wasn’t as obvious as they suggested. They scored just before half-time with another shot nearly saved by Good Tony. Overall though we looked quite solid with Darren B making a return alongside Tony and Sean and John doing some good work as full-backs. Chris W was putting himself around in the middle of the park and Dave was huffing and puffing on the left hand side.
In the second half, a new guy turned up called Nick who came on in the middle of the park alongside Darren B and Chris W went to centre back. Nick looked a very useful player and talk in the changing room afterwards suggests we might see more of him in the future. He certainly got under the skin of the opposition and it could be argued that’s what changed the game after they went 3-1 up after a defensive error from Tony, who admittedly held his hands up straight away. We had chances throughout the game but didn’t look like we were going to get the rub of the green but after a punt from Tony (or John), the ball bounced and hit the bar and Richard headed in. Their keeper made some good saves and it looked like time was running out but after a lot of pressure, the ref gave a penalty for a handball in the box. It was no more than we deserved and Gavin calmly tucked the penalty away despite little faith from his team mates. Other notable moments included John Boyle hitting a lovely free kick that just went wide, Vinny having a wrestling match with their centre back that finished with a kiss, Good Tony showing himself again to be a very competent goalkeeper (sorry to say that) and like I said, Darren A having an absolute stormer in the middle. If everybody could muster that energy, we’d be world beaters. Unfortunately most of us can’t, hence our position in the league! So 3-3 seemed like a fair result although they were clearly unhappy. It was good that we kept going and going and going and a celebratory pint was well-deserved at The Station, led again by Darren A. and agreed by all.
Well done everyone…two battling performances in the past two weeks and hopefully we can keep those energy levels up for the remaining matches of the season. Drawers never quit, quitters never draw! Thatcher might say there is no such thing as society but the KNOBS are our own little society and we must believe in ourselves and the comrades alongside us, whoever that might be. U-turn if you want to but this club’s not for turning!
With a bare 11 and the MBDA guy as the referee, we started off the game in good spirits, mainly because the goals were up (I think). Unfortunately we soon found ourselves a goal down as woeful defending from Gavin saw a free-kick go over his head to the player he was supposedly marking and their man scuffed it into the back of the next with Good Tony just getting a hand on it but not preventing it from going in. After that it was quite an open game but one with few chances. We finally got a goal though when a through ball from Richard sent Gavin scampering on and his scuffed shot ended up with Vinny sweeping home. They believed it was offside and it might have been but it wasn’t as obvious as they suggested. They scored just before half-time with another shot nearly saved by Good Tony. Overall though we looked quite solid with Darren B making a return alongside Tony and Sean and John doing some good work as full-backs. Chris W was putting himself around in the middle of the park and Dave was huffing and puffing on the left hand side.
In the second half, a new guy turned up called Nick who came on in the middle of the park alongside Darren B and Chris W went to centre back. Nick looked a very useful player and talk in the changing room afterwards suggests we might see more of him in the future. He certainly got under the skin of the opposition and it could be argued that’s what changed the game after they went 3-1 up after a defensive error from Tony, who admittedly held his hands up straight away. We had chances throughout the game but didn’t look like we were going to get the rub of the green but after a punt from Tony (or John), the ball bounced and hit the bar and Richard headed in. Their keeper made some good saves and it looked like time was running out but after a lot of pressure, the ref gave a penalty for a handball in the box. It was no more than we deserved and Gavin calmly tucked the penalty away despite little faith from his team mates. Other notable moments included John Boyle hitting a lovely free kick that just went wide, Vinny having a wrestling match with their centre back that finished with a kiss, Good Tony showing himself again to be a very competent goalkeeper (sorry to say that) and like I said, Darren A having an absolute stormer in the middle. If everybody could muster that energy, we’d be world beaters. Unfortunately most of us can’t, hence our position in the league! So 3-3 seemed like a fair result although they were clearly unhappy. It was good that we kept going and going and going and a celebratory pint was well-deserved at The Station, led again by Darren A. and agreed by all.
Well done everyone…two battling performances in the past two weeks and hopefully we can keep those energy levels up for the remaining matches of the season. Drawers never quit, quitters never draw! Thatcher might say there is no such thing as society but the KNOBS are our own little society and we must believe in ourselves and the comrades alongside us, whoever that might be. U-turn if you want to but this club’s not for turning!
Monday 8 April 2013
Knobs 2 Welwyn Sports 4
Bit of a cock up with Joel and Jamie saying they were available with a post to Ian Lang, who they didn't know and then turning up on spec, turning 12 players to 14 and the difficulties that that causes in fitting everyone in and yet staying competitive.
Welwyn looked the part doing team exercises and jogging before the game. In fairness we do have to put the nets up but at least we don't just stand around smoking. We just stand around.
They got off to a brisk start smacking a belter of a goal from distance and pace which Tony Clare, making his first effort attempt at playing in goal never got a sniff of.
We looked dangerous from a corner and then should have equalised when a perfect, deep cross from Vinnie found Gavin three yards out at the far post, he failed to score. Possibly expected a clattering and took his eye off the ball. Having said that Gavin was a pain in their butt throughout the game, foraging with pace and always a cause for concern to their not too mobile defence. Another corner led to a scramble from which Gerry equalised from a close range melee. Very shortly afterwards we were awarded a penalty which was hotly disputed by their personnel. This was not unique, they disputed everything that didn't seem to go their way and continued to do so throughout. The bloke handled it, could easily have got his arm out the way, he didn't, so a penalty. Steve lashed in powerfully via the underside of the crossbar. 2-1 Shit hitting fan time. Knobs raised their game and were now fighting like tigers. Could and probably should have gone further ahead until half time intervened.
Problem with the subs needing to come on and yet noone deserved to go off in a highly competitive match. They used their subs tactically and didn't bring subs on till very late when they went 3-2 then 4-2 up.
Second half we were still competing hard and Tony was having an outstanding game in goal especially on high balls, punching and slapping out everything that came near him and was verbally calling and encouraging throughout. A save he made in the first half from a rocket heading top corner was world class. He flung himself high and left and one handedly extinguished the threat of their going into a 2 goal lead at that point.
Dave was on being Dave, he too was up for it! One memorable pass to the left wing should be what he concentrates on as he recuperates from the imminent surgeon's knife not his Thomas the Tank Engine approach.
They equalised with a soft penalty when the ball struck Roy's hand but the hand was held high. So I gave it. Silence prevailed, not one of them complained about that one and it was arguably more marginal than the one I gave earlier for Knobs. Why did noone come forward from the opposition and urge me to change my mind? Can't understand it. It must be something to do with the human condition!
They took a lead with helluva hard struck shot that swerved and contorted all over the place. Their 4th was very fortunate, a clearance ricochetting off their advancing player and squeezing inside the post.
That's how it stayed folks and at least it was a proper game.
Poor turnout at the pub and I was left with a pint surrounded by their whole team after our minimal contingent had fucked off. Thank God they'd won.
Welwyn looked the part doing team exercises and jogging before the game. In fairness we do have to put the nets up but at least we don't just stand around smoking. We just stand around.
They got off to a brisk start smacking a belter of a goal from distance and pace which Tony Clare, making his first effort attempt at playing in goal never got a sniff of.
We looked dangerous from a corner and then should have equalised when a perfect, deep cross from Vinnie found Gavin three yards out at the far post, he failed to score. Possibly expected a clattering and took his eye off the ball. Having said that Gavin was a pain in their butt throughout the game, foraging with pace and always a cause for concern to their not too mobile defence. Another corner led to a scramble from which Gerry equalised from a close range melee. Very shortly afterwards we were awarded a penalty which was hotly disputed by their personnel. This was not unique, they disputed everything that didn't seem to go their way and continued to do so throughout. The bloke handled it, could easily have got his arm out the way, he didn't, so a penalty. Steve lashed in powerfully via the underside of the crossbar. 2-1 Shit hitting fan time. Knobs raised their game and were now fighting like tigers. Could and probably should have gone further ahead until half time intervened.
Problem with the subs needing to come on and yet noone deserved to go off in a highly competitive match. They used their subs tactically and didn't bring subs on till very late when they went 3-2 then 4-2 up.
Second half we were still competing hard and Tony was having an outstanding game in goal especially on high balls, punching and slapping out everything that came near him and was verbally calling and encouraging throughout. A save he made in the first half from a rocket heading top corner was world class. He flung himself high and left and one handedly extinguished the threat of their going into a 2 goal lead at that point.
Dave was on being Dave, he too was up for it! One memorable pass to the left wing should be what he concentrates on as he recuperates from the imminent surgeon's knife not his Thomas the Tank Engine approach.
They equalised with a soft penalty when the ball struck Roy's hand but the hand was held high. So I gave it. Silence prevailed, not one of them complained about that one and it was arguably more marginal than the one I gave earlier for Knobs. Why did noone come forward from the opposition and urge me to change my mind? Can't understand it. It must be something to do with the human condition!
They took a lead with helluva hard struck shot that swerved and contorted all over the place. Their 4th was very fortunate, a clearance ricochetting off their advancing player and squeezing inside the post.
That's how it stayed folks and at least it was a proper game.
Poor turnout at the pub and I was left with a pint surrounded by their whole team after our minimal contingent had fucked off. Thank God they'd won.
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