With their worst performance of the season the Vets slumped to a home defeat.
Knebworth rarely beat Welywn, in fact according to club historian Tony Kingsbury they have never beaten them. And having dominated the first half of the match there will never be a better chance to win in this fixture.
Knebworth were the better side in a sluggish first half but went in 1-1 at half time. A shot from Bully was dropped and Dave Millhouse put the rebound home. This was about the only shot on target in first half where Knebworth dominated possession. Welwyn immediately responded and equalising after a winger was allowed too much space to put in a cross leading to a goal from close range.
The less said about the second half the better. Brendan dropped some toys on his knee and the sub was substituted. Tony made a great save 1 on 1 but when we should have gone on to win the game we gifted Welywn the decisive second goal. Very disappointing, too many poor games across the team.
Mountain of food in the pub consumed by then 7 brave enough to show their faces in the pub.
Goodbye Sir Ronald
Quack quack
Monday 23 November 2015
Monday 16 November 2015
Knobs 2 Goldings 1
At the start of the week we thought we were playing MBDA, mid-week Kimpton, but eventually we ended up playing our old adversaries Goldings in a friendly.
Woody doesn’t do friendlies so he dropped out. Paul drank so much on Friday that the pain in his ankle disappeared so he felt fit enough to replace Woody. On Saturday Paul woke up with a pain in his ankle and head and so he dropped out again. Barney then made himself available after his 1 appearance and instant retirement 4 years ago. The situation was fluid.
On the day there was confusion about whom we were playing and who Barney was. This was not helped by Goldings turning up with 10 and Barney being donated to them. Last week’s referee Gavin also returned from retirement but did state ahead of the game that he may not be able to work as hard as the rest of the team had the previous week.
Gavin need not have worried as the team must have felt sorry for him as they played at a much slower tempo and work rate that the week before.
Referee Les / Len also seemed to be confused. He asked why we were doing another Remembrance Day silence before the game!
The last time we gave the opposition players we lost. It looked like we would do this again as after only a few minutes Barney broke down our right and crossed for the Goldings forward to poke in at the near post. A very poor start.
Although we had the balance of play and possession we looked susceptible to long balls for the 2 (1 borrowed) quick forwards to chase and this became the pattern of play for the rest of the half.
Greg was obviously full of confidence after his goal last week and also wanted to show us he believed in the saying, “if at first you don’t succeed” as he peppered the trees and tennis courts with long range efforts over and over again.
The management dream team’s decision to leave Wayne on the Bench (he took that too literally) was proved to be a genius decision. His replacement (Chairman Al) picked up the ball on the right, crossed and picked out an unmarked Greg who headed the ball into the corner of the net. Total football personified when your centre back appears on the wing and gets an assist. Shortly after the equaliser the whistle went for half time and Al was rewarded for his assist by being donated to Goldings who had another player turn up just in time for their forward to pull his hamstring.
Wayne replaced Al, Barney switched shirts and took a rest, Tony K replaced Gerry and off we went again. Bully declared that anyone who embarrassed Al would win a pint. Martyn nutmegged Al to claim the pint. Goldings changed their formation to what they described as 3 in the middle. In practice it became 5 centre backs as we lay siege to their goal. We must have had 80% possession. Our winning goal finally arrived with a great cross field pass from Greg to Martyn who beat his man to roll the ball across to Barney who had a 1 yard tap in. Goldings had 2 attacks in 45 minutes, both of those from Gavin who somehow managed to sub himself on for one of their players whilst being subbed for Barney. The best chance for Goldings was when our chuckle brothers (Tony C and Wayne) decided to tackle each other under no pressure from anyone.
There was a big concern for Dave K who injured his lungs having to run 20 yards to keep the ball in before slicing it off. He begged to be replaced due to a lack of oxygen.
The game ended, we all decided their best player was the goalkeeper who had made a number of saves and we will all probably forget about the game very quickly.
Ground hog day then ensued – Greg and Wayne swept up and most of us went to the pub for brown food.
Woody doesn’t do friendlies so he dropped out. Paul drank so much on Friday that the pain in his ankle disappeared so he felt fit enough to replace Woody. On Saturday Paul woke up with a pain in his ankle and head and so he dropped out again. Barney then made himself available after his 1 appearance and instant retirement 4 years ago. The situation was fluid.
On the day there was confusion about whom we were playing and who Barney was. This was not helped by Goldings turning up with 10 and Barney being donated to them. Last week’s referee Gavin also returned from retirement but did state ahead of the game that he may not be able to work as hard as the rest of the team had the previous week.
Gavin need not have worried as the team must have felt sorry for him as they played at a much slower tempo and work rate that the week before.
Referee Les / Len also seemed to be confused. He asked why we were doing another Remembrance Day silence before the game!
The last time we gave the opposition players we lost. It looked like we would do this again as after only a few minutes Barney broke down our right and crossed for the Goldings forward to poke in at the near post. A very poor start.
Although we had the balance of play and possession we looked susceptible to long balls for the 2 (1 borrowed) quick forwards to chase and this became the pattern of play for the rest of the half.
Greg was obviously full of confidence after his goal last week and also wanted to show us he believed in the saying, “if at first you don’t succeed” as he peppered the trees and tennis courts with long range efforts over and over again.
The management dream team’s decision to leave Wayne on the Bench (he took that too literally) was proved to be a genius decision. His replacement (Chairman Al) picked up the ball on the right, crossed and picked out an unmarked Greg who headed the ball into the corner of the net. Total football personified when your centre back appears on the wing and gets an assist. Shortly after the equaliser the whistle went for half time and Al was rewarded for his assist by being donated to Goldings who had another player turn up just in time for their forward to pull his hamstring.
Wayne replaced Al, Barney switched shirts and took a rest, Tony K replaced Gerry and off we went again. Bully declared that anyone who embarrassed Al would win a pint. Martyn nutmegged Al to claim the pint. Goldings changed their formation to what they described as 3 in the middle. In practice it became 5 centre backs as we lay siege to their goal. We must have had 80% possession. Our winning goal finally arrived with a great cross field pass from Greg to Martyn who beat his man to roll the ball across to Barney who had a 1 yard tap in. Goldings had 2 attacks in 45 minutes, both of those from Gavin who somehow managed to sub himself on for one of their players whilst being subbed for Barney. The best chance for Goldings was when our chuckle brothers (Tony C and Wayne) decided to tackle each other under no pressure from anyone.
There was a big concern for Dave K who injured his lungs having to run 20 yards to keep the ball in before slicing it off. He begged to be replaced due to a lack of oxygen.
The game ended, we all decided their best player was the goalkeeper who had made a number of saves and we will all probably forget about the game very quickly.
Ground hog day then ensued – Greg and Wayne swept up and most of us went to the pub for brown food.
Monday 9 November 2015
Knobs 2 Dun Cow 5
Co-mangers Hobbs and Aldrich launched a stinging attack on Director of Footballs John Boyle after the Vets conceded 2 critical goals through unlucky bounces in this match against Dun Cow.
The hard men managers accused Boyle of buying sub-standard match balls. Boyle maintains the balls are genuine high quality, bought from Fred the Fence at the back of Mike Ashley Soccer World. Hobbs and Aldrich remain unconvinced.
Having lost in the cup last week, Knebworth made several changes to the squad for this league match. Jono was left out following a training ground bust up with Tony C, Paul "biscuits" Matthews was sent to A&E as a precautionary measure, Woody was competing in a marathon (a drinking one) and Tony K took one look at the form guide and pulled his groin. So the formation switched to 4-5-1, once the telepathic managers realised they had agreed to play different Robs at centre half.
On a heavy pitch, Knebworth held their own in the first half against a strong Dun Cow side who have not lost a match since Tony Clare had a full head of hair. Knebworth conceded possession at times, but looked dangerous in the counter attack, with the Dave 'the mouth' Millhouse putting in a great shift. In midfield his brother Greg 'wallace' Millhouse had his best game of the season despite having to carry Bully and Darren on his shoulders.
Into the second half Knebworth had just started to believe in themselves when disaster struck. Hobbs was perfectly positioned (as usual) to clear a cross but the bouncing ball did not bounce and went straight under his foot to the far post and Dun Cow were able to take the lead. At this point John Boyle started to look a bit shifty on the sidelines.
Knebworth soon struck back - the Millhouse brothers combined well, and the one with slightly more hair (Greg) found some space in the box to equalise. Back in the game, Knebworth continued to attack and Banksy found some space on the edge of the box.... say what you like about Banksy, and most people do, the boy can finish 2-1 Knebworth with 21 minutes to go - what could possibly go wrong ...
Into the last 20 minutes the crowd doubled with Tony K, Vinny and Phil Wheeler arriving at the Rec having heard on the radio a victory to rival Japan vs . South Africa was possible.... But disaster struck again when a weak shot bounced under Tony Clare due to the faulty footballs again. John Boyle was now starting to look very guilty. Dun Cow could not believe their luck, and were re-energised to go for the win. They were successful in that objective. From 2-1 up with 20 minutes to go, to a 5-2 defeat for Knebworth.
The final score did not reflect a strong performance, and everyone showed great commitment. particularly the Millhouse brothers who also swept up after non-paying Rob H failed to do his duty and clean the dressing room. Note to all, if you have to leave in a hurry after the game make sure are not in the last 2 to arrive!
Thanks to Gavin "Tory Boy" Simpson for another good performance with the whistle.
The hard men managers accused Boyle of buying sub-standard match balls. Boyle maintains the balls are genuine high quality, bought from Fred the Fence at the back of Mike Ashley Soccer World. Hobbs and Aldrich remain unconvinced.
Having lost in the cup last week, Knebworth made several changes to the squad for this league match. Jono was left out following a training ground bust up with Tony C, Paul "biscuits" Matthews was sent to A&E as a precautionary measure, Woody was competing in a marathon (a drinking one) and Tony K took one look at the form guide and pulled his groin. So the formation switched to 4-5-1, once the telepathic managers realised they had agreed to play different Robs at centre half.
On a heavy pitch, Knebworth held their own in the first half against a strong Dun Cow side who have not lost a match since Tony Clare had a full head of hair. Knebworth conceded possession at times, but looked dangerous in the counter attack, with the Dave 'the mouth' Millhouse putting in a great shift. In midfield his brother Greg 'wallace' Millhouse had his best game of the season despite having to carry Bully and Darren on his shoulders.
Into the second half Knebworth had just started to believe in themselves when disaster struck. Hobbs was perfectly positioned (as usual) to clear a cross but the bouncing ball did not bounce and went straight under his foot to the far post and Dun Cow were able to take the lead. At this point John Boyle started to look a bit shifty on the sidelines.
Knebworth soon struck back - the Millhouse brothers combined well, and the one with slightly more hair (Greg) found some space in the box to equalise. Back in the game, Knebworth continued to attack and Banksy found some space on the edge of the box.... say what you like about Banksy, and most people do, the boy can finish 2-1 Knebworth with 21 minutes to go - what could possibly go wrong ...
Into the last 20 minutes the crowd doubled with Tony K, Vinny and Phil Wheeler arriving at the Rec having heard on the radio a victory to rival Japan vs . South Africa was possible.... But disaster struck again when a weak shot bounced under Tony Clare due to the faulty footballs again. John Boyle was now starting to look very guilty. Dun Cow could not believe their luck, and were re-energised to go for the win. They were successful in that objective. From 2-1 up with 20 minutes to go, to a 5-2 defeat for Knebworth.
The final score did not reflect a strong performance, and everyone showed great commitment. particularly the Millhouse brothers who also swept up after non-paying Rob H failed to do his duty and clean the dressing room. Note to all, if you have to leave in a hurry after the game make sure are not in the last 2 to arrive!
Thanks to Gavin "Tory Boy" Simpson for another good performance with the whistle.
Monday 2 November 2015
Knobs 1 Oxhey Jets 2
The Vets crashed out of the Herts County Cup losing in a competitive match for the first time this season.
It was a beautiful November morning, the early morning sun rose over the church and shone through the giant cloud of mist from Banksy's Shisha pipe. Despite the loss of Woody, Sergio and Biscuits Matthews, Knebworth were able to put out a strong team with Jono and Dave M back in the squad to reinforce the forward line. It was a typical Knebworth first half - a strong Oxhey side dominated possession but good shape and a resilient back line kept the ship steady. Greg and Martyn put in a lot of work to help Bully and Darren who were out numbered in he middle. Playing on the break, Knebworth had a couple of half chances, but non-scoring centre midfielder Darren was the man to break the deadlock. After some good work down the left, a shot was blocked and the ball fell to Darren to smash a side footer home. 1-0 against the run play, this usually means Knebworth are playing well.
Unfortunately after a couple of changes at half time, Knebworth lost their shape and conceded twice shortly after the interval. As Tony C was keen to point out after the game, neither were his fault (team game Tony, first for everything and all that!). A cruel bounce saw a cross skip past Tony K for the first goal, and Wayne left the referee with little choice for a penalty for the second goal.
Knebworth fought hard to get back in the game, but struggled to impose themselves and hold their shape. Wayne and Tony C were excellent throughout, but in the end it probably looked more likely to go to 3-1 than 2-2.
Great effort from everyone, this was a strong Oxhey side and a close game.
Strong turn out from a hungry Oxhey side at the pub left a few chips for the Knebworth stragglers.
Post match warm down was held at Odyssey "Health Club" Family Swim session where Jono and James were joined by reserve squad members Gerry Dempsey and Steve Bradley. Unfortunately the pool had to be closed when a huge amount of foam appeared in the water after Jono jumped in. Jono, now banned from the "Health Club", blames the 2 litres of shampoo dumped on his head by best friend Wayne after the match. Hard man Gerry took the opportunity to strut his stuff in the free weights section of the gym.
It was a beautiful November morning, the early morning sun rose over the church and shone through the giant cloud of mist from Banksy's Shisha pipe. Despite the loss of Woody, Sergio and Biscuits Matthews, Knebworth were able to put out a strong team with Jono and Dave M back in the squad to reinforce the forward line. It was a typical Knebworth first half - a strong Oxhey side dominated possession but good shape and a resilient back line kept the ship steady. Greg and Martyn put in a lot of work to help Bully and Darren who were out numbered in he middle. Playing on the break, Knebworth had a couple of half chances, but non-scoring centre midfielder Darren was the man to break the deadlock. After some good work down the left, a shot was blocked and the ball fell to Darren to smash a side footer home. 1-0 against the run play, this usually means Knebworth are playing well.
Unfortunately after a couple of changes at half time, Knebworth lost their shape and conceded twice shortly after the interval. As Tony C was keen to point out after the game, neither were his fault (team game Tony, first for everything and all that!). A cruel bounce saw a cross skip past Tony K for the first goal, and Wayne left the referee with little choice for a penalty for the second goal.
Knebworth fought hard to get back in the game, but struggled to impose themselves and hold their shape. Wayne and Tony C were excellent throughout, but in the end it probably looked more likely to go to 3-1 than 2-2.
Great effort from everyone, this was a strong Oxhey side and a close game.
Strong turn out from a hungry Oxhey side at the pub left a few chips for the Knebworth stragglers.
Post match warm down was held at Odyssey "Health Club" Family Swim session where Jono and James were joined by reserve squad members Gerry Dempsey and Steve Bradley. Unfortunately the pool had to be closed when a huge amount of foam appeared in the water after Jono jumped in. Jono, now banned from the "Health Club", blames the 2 litres of shampoo dumped on his head by best friend Wayne after the match. Hard man Gerry took the opportunity to strut his stuff in the free weights section of the gym.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)