Hemel Hempstead v Torquay F.A Trophy

Post by **MidDevon** » 24 Jan 2015, 21:06

Just got back from Hemel.

Don't really quite know what to make of that. A very heavy pitch, a low sun and a bitterly cold day, key players out and a makeshift defence made worse by Angus's injury.

I am just pleased we are through to be honest, it was one of those days when a shock was a distinct possibility....but it did not happen

Very impressive yellow army turnout, I made it at least 250 from a rough headcount

eastmoorgull · Post by **eastmoorgull** » 24 Jan 2015, 21:19

Ricey played very very well, defence odd but sufficed, attack not bad in fits and starts. Midfield; Richards sliced, miskicked, mispassed and generally looked inept for 90 minutes. Harding had a game of total indifference and they are probably the reason we were continually outplayed in the 11 men against 10 part of the game. Well done Bowman and Downes for getting us into the next round. Well done to the TUFC contingent.

nickbrod · Post by **nickbrod** » 24 Jan 2015, 21:50

Downes was outstanding. Being Captain for the afternoon seemed to raise his game. He won every header and scored the important second goal which calmed things down.
What a shame he's still on the transfer list probably because of his weekly wage which the club can't afford.

Burnhamgull · Post by **Burnhamgull** » 24 Jan 2015, 21:53

Ajala and Chapell were our best players by a long way. Both tackled back and worked their socks off.

Bowman..........oh dear god, Bowman.........the guy is either desperately short of confidence or not the striker we thought he was when he joined. His miss from a yard out and the two opportunities when he tried to score through a gap smaller than the eye of a needle were awful, especially when a cut back could have ensured a better angle for another player on one of those occasions.

Rice had a good game and pulled off some very important saves, well done to him.

Richards was abysmal. Fact.

A terrible pitch, a poor performance possibly not helped by the pitch but a victory and that's the important bit.

Asked at the turnstile, if I could go into the Tudor Tavern once inside and was told yes. Paid my £10 to get in and was then told by a steward that I couldn't. This left me stuck in the ground at 2.15pm shielding the sun from my eyes.

ferrarilover · Post by **ferrarilover** » 24 Jan 2015, 22:20

We'll forget the first half, which was a non-event. Second half was excellent entertainment. Should have finished about 6-3 to us. Our man advantage was nullified by the pitch, which was not at all conducive to playing the type of football which exposits the extra man. Good tactical adjustment from Chris at HT to move people about and make us much more threatening.
If Bowman was a real player, rather than the bad joke he is rapidly becoming, we'd have had a hat full. How he managed to miss from, quite literally, 12 inches today, I'll never know.

Mcquilkin a real asset, could well be an actual footballer. Briscoe had a good game, but was caught offside too many times for my liking. Star of the show for me was Ajala. Made some outrageously good tackles and really attacked the HHT back like with gusto. Still needs to learn when to shoot and when to pass, but much improved.
Harding is fined a week's wages for being limper than a damp Julian Clary.

HHT a nice little club with friendly fans and what not. Thoroughly decent burger from the van down the away end and special mention to the ball boy who went to the club shop for me at half time. There's a letter of recommendation on its way to the club for you, from me.

Very finally, great effort from the supporters. My count says anywhere between 250 and 300 there today, away, in the Trophy, at Hemel, in January.

Matt.

A Realist · Post by **A Realist** » 25 Jan 2015, 00:14

Today was a day, as Matt alluded to, where the better quality of player was going to be more difficult to tell given the state of the pitch. Also, having now seen 3 teams from that league, Hemel are imo by far the best of them. They have some decent players and some that would not look out of place playing at least one level up. It has to be said that they didn't really carry much luck today as I reckon some refs would not have given the keeper a red (even though I thought it was) and they lost their best centre back reasonably early on.

That said though every single Torquay player deserves a lot of credit today. I accept that not all played to their best but I'm sure that most who were there today would agree that every one of them gave it their all in terms of effort and commitment. Rice played very well for me, Ajala was good but Downes was head and shoulders above them all. Apart from a fantastic header for the second goal I think there was only really once that one of their front players got the better of him in a dangerous area and even then he got back to put in a vital block. The put a lot of high balls into the box and any time it broke to them, either Downes, Pearce or Richards were there with brave blocks. Even Harding got back to nullify them a fair few times.

I cant see the DVD of this game being released any time soon under the great days section but the one thing it did show is that when the players have to roll their sleeves up, they are capable of doing so. More of the same heart for the rest of the season and there still could be something to keep the fans with at least a modicum of positivity.

Btw, yet another superb turnout of away fans today.

Post by **Dave** » 25 Jan 2015, 08:19

Out most of the day yesterday, not much idea how this game went, so thanks for the match reports, another good win in the Trophy.

Post by **MidDevon** » 25 Jan 2015, 09:11

I found out after the match that the Hemel fan ejected from the ground was thrown out because he chucked a bottle at Martin Rice

tubbytudor · Post by **tubbytudor** » 25 Jan 2015, 09:32

MidDevon wrote:I found out after the match that the Hemel fan ejected from the ground was thrown out because he chucked a bottle at Martin Rice

The plastic Pepsi bottle was thrown by an idiot just after the final whistle, which went unseen by stewards as they were already walking towards the exits. The person ejected from the home end was in the first half, when another member of the crowd complained to a steward about his language while he was shouting abuse at your penalty taker.

Post by **MidDevon** » 25 Jan 2015, 10:07

Sorry I stand corrected then. I was told by a Hemel fan after the match that he was chucked out for throwing a bottle....perhaps he heard it 3rd time around himself!

No doubt enough Hemel fans saw the incident to get the chap who did this banned as IF Torquay or the referee report the matter the consequence could be serious for Hemel, which would be a shame for one idiot ..... well two if you include the muppet fighting as he was dragged out in the first half

Kit_robin · Post by **Kit_robin** » 25 Jan 2015, 10:50

Getting fed up with the criticism Bowman gets. Seeing as the complete dross he normally gets from most of our midfield, and having to play upfront with people who look like they've never played there before, he still manages to score 13 goals so far this season. People forget he's 23, too. At any other club he would probably be the young striker alongside an experienced one, not one of the senior players in the whole side. His movement is light years ahead of any other forward we have, and we would be a much poorer side without him.

Post by **MidDevon** » 25 Jan 2015, 11:12

Have to agree Kit_robin.

I was standing very near to his chance which let to the typical "how the hell did he miss from 12 inches" type of comments yesterday.

Being so close, I can tell you Didier Drogba would not had put that away....the only people who would have, without doubt, are those who have never kicked (or headed) a football in anger in their life.

All last season people yearned for a "20 goal a season forward"....well we have one now and they still moan

hector · Post by **hector** » 25 Jan 2015, 11:20

Kit_robin wrote:Getting fed up with the criticism Bowman gets. Seeing as the complete dross he normally gets from most of our midfield, and having to play upfront with people who look like they've never played there before, he still manages to score 13 goals so far this season. People forget he's 23, too. At any other club he would probably be the young striker alongside an experienced one, not one of the senior players in the whole side. His movement is light years ahead of any other forward we have, and we would be a much poorer side without him.

I agree with that. Bowman is decent and is doing ok in my view. People should get off his back.

PlainmoorRoar · Post by **PlainmoorRoar** » 25 Jan 2015, 12:03

Good post kit_robin

The point about midfield service is very true, I doubtt Harding and Richatds have many/any assists!

Ajala seems to at least provide that spark that is left by Youngs absence

Mattpuma · Post by **Mattpuma** » 25 Jan 2015, 14:27

If we win our quarter final we wont have a home Saturday League fixture until March 7th against Telford. Our last one was against Barnet on Dec 6th That will be 3 months without a Saturday home League fixture!

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