Poole Town 2 v 0 Swindon Supermarine

County Cup

 

Tonight was billed as the big celebration, picking up 2 trophies  and deservedly so. How often do these situations have a spanner thrown in the works by losing the game

Surely that couldn’t happen?  What do you mean Walker isn’t playing? I don’t care how far he’s run in his own time. Who’s his replacement?

Oh

Swindon started the brighter and within 2 minutes Killick was shown to have an embarrassment of riches in the goalkeeping department.

A stunning shot from their number 6 glanced off a defender’s head and stand in keeper Tom Brown did amazingly well to tip the ball over the bar

4 minutes later he was in action again. Again it was number 6 that shot, this time into the bottom left of the goal and Brown did well to get over and push away, especially as the ball bounced just before reaching him

It wasn’t until the 13^th minute that Poole had their first meaningful attack with a corner headed on by Dibba (Walker’s replacement) but no-one was able to latch on to it.

A pitch more bobbly than a 14 year olds’ forehead wasn’t helping control but Poole’s passing was poor with even the simplest passing going awry.

Passing through midfield wasn’t working and so long ball after long ball was fired up for Preston to run onto but clearly Swindon had done their homework and double teamed him to keep any threat at bay.

Swindon were having the better of possession and chances and will long rue missing 2 chances in 2 minutes on 26 minutes as first a free header and then a free shot from inside the box were inexplicably sent wide.

The first piece of home class was shown by a great turn and drive by Preston who was unlucky to have his shot blocked

 

This coincided with Pippa  joining the RWA and finally getting some volume out of the worryingly quiet regulars

It was still Swindon, however, doing most of the pressing and worryingly Poole’s defence started arguing amongst themselves

An old head on old shoulders Taff realised that the mood needed lightening and when pulled up for a foul, produced a Punch and a Judy doll from his socks and in his best Punch voice shouted “he just kicked my leg!!!”

Probably the most I have ever laughed at anything.

The half ended nil-nil and Taff’s cameo aside, there was very little to remember so I decided to break my tee-total intention in the hope that if the second half wasn’t any better – maybe I would still think it was.

As with all Poole games I have seen this season, Poole came out stronger in the second half and Devlin and Preston were slowly starting to take control

It was Devlin on 55 minutes that tried to get onto Soccer AM’s showboat slot with a quick round of keepy-uppy on the edge of the box before shooting low to the keeper’s left and it was well saved

2 minutes later Preston weaved his magic on the left and charged into the box. Instead of floating the ball over he fired it in low and hard into the 6 yard box only for the hapless number 4 to turn it into his own net.

The RWA were in full voice now but I feel they do need work on their diction because as I was joining in to their chorus of “where’s your quiche gone?” I couldn’t help but feel that couldn’t be right

Poole were in the ascendency now and were growing in confidence and control.

On 64 minutes Preston  was elbowed in the head to prevent him getting to the by-line and Devlin stepped up to take the kick from the left.

A low-ish cross (still too high for their number 10 – officially the smallest player I can remember seeing since my son’s under 12’s game) found its way to Spetch who turned sharply to strike it into the bottom right of the goal. Very nice, very nice indeed

The RWA redeemed themselves with a bellowing of “We’re putting holes in your Swindon submarine” and “Can we play you later this weeeeek?”, drowned out only by the gentleman to my left who spent the rest of the match shouting ”Shut up number 5!!” (maybe a Short Circuit fan?)

Summary: A performance of a team that has already won everything, with nothing really to play for, but still able to win. I can see why Swindon are right up there but when it mattered, Poole were just more clinical

Star Man : Brooks – Playing deeper than usual due to the Marathon reshuffle he was solid at the back  and looked a threat when going forward

An extra mention for Dibba – I gave him some fearful stick the last time I saw him as it appeared he’d put his boots on the wrong feet but today, despite a couple of wobbly moments when the ball was on the ground, was dominant in the air and showed the potential that he has

Oi, get your hands off Eloise - that's my daughter!!!

 

We are going up !!

 

Poole Town 4 - 1 Wimborne Town

Fans huddle against the rain

 

This was my first Poole Town away game, at Hamworthy United for the Dorset Cup final against local rivals Wimborne Town.

The clubhouse was bigger and better than Poole’s, but at £3 a pint (instead of £1.70) was it a price too far to pay? You decide. (I decided to still have 3)

Busy Clubhouse

 

The Wimborne fans were very vocal inside and outside the bar but Poole countered with a chant of “we don’t need no drum!” – I’ll grant you, not entirely grammatically correct but it did the job

The teams line up

 

We had twins for lino’s – our side had Danny DeVito whilst the other side had to try to look around Arnie.

We did worry about Danny’s credentials several times as he never stayed in line with the last man but insisted on tearing past him – it took until the 20^th minute for us to realise he was actually doing a bleep test and eventually scored 15.3 – bravo

Wimborne started the brighter with their Keith Lemon impersonator, the wrist-bandaged number 10 running the show with pace and skill in ever worsening conditions.

It was he who capped the first 8 minutes of pressure with a run that sliced effortlessly through Poole and  set up their number 6 to put Wimborne 1-0 up – it was an early goal, but nothing more than Wimborne deserved.

2 minutes later Poole were awarded a free kick 30 yards from goal and Devlin was handed the ball. He changed his boots for running spikes and lowered himself onto his quickly created marks before setting off on a 50 yard run up and crashing the ball onto the crossbar.

He and Cann were the stand out players for Poole in the first half but it was a half edged overall by Wimborne, despite Poole coming stronger as the half progressed, mainly because of the quality of the Wimborne crosses which made Poole’s constant over-hit efforts to the far post look very ordinary.

I did enjoy Burbidge defending a corner shouting “who’s meant to be defending the short corner” only to be told it was him (back to the training ground) and a 3 minute period where the ref used the Lancelot set of balls to make his free-kick decisions which baffled all and sundry but the half looked like it was fizzling out when Cann pounced on a loose ball

His ball to Preston was slightly deflected by the defender’s outstretched leg and this helped Preston to decide to take the ball and cut inside the Wimborne box. Then, just like his strike against Winchester, he drilled the ball to the keeper’s left and into the corner :  1-1

At half time Killick was looking confident after his consultation with his spy in the Wimborne camp – the guy was a master of disguise but we think we may have spotted him…

The Swans fly west in the morning...

 

Whatever news the Poole manager received, he put it to good use as Poole came out of the traps the quicker.

Conditions were getting worse by the minute and when Preston slid in to try to get onto a low cross after 48 minutes it was lucky that the Red and White army were slow to scatter as he’s still be sliding now had he not been met by one of the more *ahem* robust members of the 12^th man of Poole

Terrible conditions - even worse recording

 

Keith (10) was still calling the shots for Wimborne and Poole just couldn’t seem to get close enough to him to prevent a dipping shot which the keeper did well to claw away. But 10 aside, the balance of power was swinging towards Poole

Devlin and Brooks were gaining a stranglehold in the middle and crosses were beginning to find their mark. On 65 minutes one such cross was flicked on at the near post and Adam Kelly smashed the ball into the top right corner to put Poole ahead 2-1

6 minutes later, a Cann long throw in from the right was to be the undoing of Wimborne. The ball bobbled to Brooks who, reminiscent of a snakebite-drinking teenager, stumbled, got up, tripped and staggered through the whole back line before prodding the ball home for 3-1.

In a post match interview the Wimborne defence claimed they thought he was having a stroke and didn’t want to get involved – lesson learnt – play to the whistle

Wimborne heads were down now but there was still time for the goal of the game on 82 minutes.

Too late for the keeper to start praying....

 

Adam Kelly picked up the ball 25 yards out and a Messi-like run saw him bemuse and bamboozle all before him as he ran through the defence like a ghost before passing the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal

Final Score: 4-1

Summary Wimborne started the better and despite Poole’s equaliser, they shaded the first half. Poole, though, proved too strong in the second half and I hope that despite the backlog of fixtures, they get some time to enjoy this victory

Man of the Match – Brooks, Preston, Devlin and Cann all played well, but for the quality of goals in awful conditions, this goes to Adam Kelly

PS, if Killick is looking to improve his squad, he need look no further that Keith Lemon – OOOOOSH!!

Panoramic View of the ground