Two teams, a whole heap of problems... one mutual goal - survival!
Click to enlarge picture
These are some very thin times off the pitch for both Durham City and Worksop Town at present.
The Tigers had only Gary Townsend (currently suffering with Influenza) and Andy White on the bench alongside the untried (this season in first team action) goalkeeper Michael Chapman today.
Worksop's Assistant manager, the veteran Micky Galloway, was in the starting eleven, he actually put in a very good shift..
The Tigers had only Gary Townsend (currently suffering with Influenza) and Andy White on the bench alongside the untried (this season in first team action) goalkeeper Michael Chapman today.
Worksop's Assistant manager, the veteran Micky Galloway, was in the starting eleven, he actually put in a very good shift..
The team Durham City have put out over these past two seasons would be sat comfortably amongst the Unibond Premier pacemakers this season, make no mistake about that ... but the (mostly) young side they put out today are merely fulfilling fixture obligations as the team crash to defeat after defeat. It's a real shame.
There but for the grace of God!
Kevin Sanasy and Alex Callery have both left Worksop this week as the grim reality of cash flow problems caused by struggling to survive in exile have really taken on a quite sinister twist, others are alleged to be leaving soon too.Alas we'll just have to wait and see, but with an embargo in place stipulating that WTFC can't currently register any new players, it doesn't bode well at all.
This statement was released on the Worksop Town official website earlier this week:
http://www.worksoptownfc.co.uk/news/details.php?news_id=507
Another worry for the club (nowt like putting the boot in when you're down and defenceless eh!?) was that Worksop had been threatened with being prevented from playing their fixtures until money owing to an ex player was paid off ... a director of the club has stated publicly that he will personally cover that debt long before such sanctions are taken - well done Chris Smith.
For the record that is the same Chris Smith who helped Retford United sort their mess of a pitch out (along with WTFC's Steve Hardy) so they can play the remainder of their home games at Cannon Park this season. Not that this inter club act of friendly helpfulness as received so much as a mention in certain places, ahem!
It's not the size of your flag that counts, it's how you use it!!!Janice & John Hepworth personally (and the WTFC board and supporters organisations) have put up considerable monies to keep Worksop Town afloat at this current difficult time - it's time for the people of Worksop to follow suit now and decide whether they want to save their local football club or not.
There are loads of ways to help even if travelling the 80 mile round trip for 'home' games is not an option to you.
So get up off your apathetic arses while you still can.
Those of you who are exempt from that rebuke will know who you are.
Check out the Tigers in Exile forum and WTFC website links in the66pow index and see what opportunities to help SAVE THE TIGERS there are available.
Without further ado and before this descends into a finger pointing naming and shaming rant (which would be wholly f***ing justified by the way and will most likely be appearing on this humble little blog in the not to distant future any time soon anyway) some thoughts and observations about the Durham v Worksop game ...
The Unusual Suspects
Left to Right. Wheelie Bin, Father Ted, The Spell Checker, Yan, Craig Shithouse,
Finchley Tiger and err ... somebody else?
Left to Right. Wheelie Bin, Father Ted, The Spell Checker, Yan, Craig Shithouse,
Finchley Tiger and err ... somebody else?
Saturday 10th October 2009. UniBond League - Premier Division
At Esh Stadium, Durham (It was still the Arnott Stadium when I went there pre season but so much as happened since then)
Durham City (0) 0
Worksop Town (2) 5 (Bacon, Bowler, Tomlinson, Townsend, Hindley)
Admission £8. Programme £2.
Attendance 135
Click picture to enlarge
On 70 minutes a pinpoint pass into the six yard box to Ben Tomlinson from Hindley (who else) found the young striker in front of the goalkeeper and he won't get a simpler tap in goal than that all season.
A few minutes later Kris Bowler put his hand up into the face of Andrew Stephenson shortly after he'd been fouled, it wasn't a punch or a slap, but raising your hand is a straight red card offence. The referee never saw it, but Rinky's favourite linesman did and Worksop were down to ten men.
Gary Townsend, on as a sub, headed home from a Ryan Hindley corner on 84 minutes and the game was well beyond Durham's reach now.
At Esh Stadium, Durham (It was still the Arnott Stadium when I went there pre season but so much as happened since then)
Durham City (0) 0Worksop Town (2) 5 (Bacon, Bowler, Tomlinson, Townsend, Hindley)
Admission £8. Programme £2.
Attendance 135
"City's early flair and promise goes unrewarded" read the title in the Durham programme for a match report from their previous game.
Same as today then.
They've nothing to lose by now, having already shipped in 55 goals whilst losing their first twelve league games in a row ... and they started in a very gung ho and lively fashion. Rufus Ayre, Durham's 18 year old centre forward (but he looks much younger) had the best of three early chances for the home side but Jon Kennedy pulled off a great save. Max Stoker had already forced a point blank block from the Tigers keeper and another long distance shot flew wide of the upright too.
On 22 minutes, the Worksop manager Peter Rinkcavage was dismissed from the dug out for verbals directed at the linesman.
Yes, it's been a tense old week, there are livelihoods and football clubs at stake, and yes the linesman did call the decision completely incorrectly, but Rinky, passionate about his team at the best of times, could have voiced his reservations in a slightly less expletive strewn manner.
We all swear in the work place especially when things go against us unjustly, but we aren't all going to be sent up to the back of a stand.
I like Rinky, he wears his heart on his sleeve and he's Worksop Town through and through ... but, sometimes a little bit of restraint is required.
I see on the Worksop Town web site, Tom Jones was given man of the match and in the Non League Paper, Matt Glass got it. But though it was a backs against the wall all round team performance and both those players did very well, in my estimation there could only be one candidate, Ryan Hindley. Back at Worksop and making his debut a second time around, 'Massive' created four goals and scored one for himself.
Retford's loss is Worksop's gain.
On 35 minutes Hindley was involved in the build up and the ball fell kindly for Danny Bacon who had the easiest of chances to lob the ball over the stranded Marc Riches in the Durham goal. It seemed to knock the stuffing out of the home side who had been very lively until then.
Just before half time Hindley lashed in a corner to the far post that Kris Bowler got on the end of to give the Tigers a commanding half time lead. And Durham then adopted the mantle of a boxer caught up against the ropes with a sucker punch who had let his guard drop and lost his gum-shield.
You can just about make out the second goal in the picture below if you squint really hard.
Same as today then.
They've nothing to lose by now, having already shipped in 55 goals whilst losing their first twelve league games in a row ... and they started in a very gung ho and lively fashion. Rufus Ayre, Durham's 18 year old centre forward (but he looks much younger) had the best of three early chances for the home side but Jon Kennedy pulled off a great save. Max Stoker had already forced a point blank block from the Tigers keeper and another long distance shot flew wide of the upright too.
On 22 minutes, the Worksop manager Peter Rinkcavage was dismissed from the dug out for verbals directed at the linesman.Yes, it's been a tense old week, there are livelihoods and football clubs at stake, and yes the linesman did call the decision completely incorrectly, but Rinky, passionate about his team at the best of times, could have voiced his reservations in a slightly less expletive strewn manner.
We all swear in the work place especially when things go against us unjustly, but we aren't all going to be sent up to the back of a stand.
I like Rinky, he wears his heart on his sleeve and he's Worksop Town through and through ... but, sometimes a little bit of restraint is required.
I see on the Worksop Town web site, Tom Jones was given man of the match and in the Non League Paper, Matt Glass got it. But though it was a backs against the wall all round team performance and both those players did very well, in my estimation there could only be one candidate, Ryan Hindley. Back at Worksop and making his debut a second time around, 'Massive' created four goals and scored one for himself.Retford's loss is Worksop's gain.
On 35 minutes Hindley was involved in the build up and the ball fell kindly for Danny Bacon who had the easiest of chances to lob the ball over the stranded Marc Riches in the Durham goal. It seemed to knock the stuffing out of the home side who had been very lively until then.
Just before half time Hindley lashed in a corner to the far post that Kris Bowler got on the end of to give the Tigers a commanding half time lead. And Durham then adopted the mantle of a boxer caught up against the ropes with a sucker punch who had let his guard drop and lost his gum-shield.
You can just about make out the second goal in the picture below if you squint really hard.
Click picture to enlargeOn 70 minutes a pinpoint pass into the six yard box to Ben Tomlinson from Hindley (who else) found the young striker in front of the goalkeeper and he won't get a simpler tap in goal than that all season.
A few minutes later Kris Bowler put his hand up into the face of Andrew Stephenson shortly after he'd been fouled, it wasn't a punch or a slap, but raising your hand is a straight red card offence. The referee never saw it, but Rinky's favourite linesman did and Worksop were down to ten men.
Gary Townsend, on as a sub, headed home from a Ryan Hindley corner on 84 minutes and the game was well beyond Durham's reach now.
Of course the final slice of icing on the cake was to belong to Ryan Hindley who in the very last minute burst into the box from the left hand side and buried the ball home from an acute angle - it was the very least he deserved.
And here is how the good folk on the Durham City message board viewed the game:
http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/durhamcityfc/clubforum/messageBoard.pl?teamid=90554&topic_id=1395&index=10
And here is how the good folk on the Durham City message board viewed the game:
http://www.clubwebsite.co.uk/durhamcityfc/clubforum/messageBoard.pl?teamid=90554&topic_id=1395&index=10
THE66POW
