Eastbourne V Newport
Newport have been as layable as Jenna Jameson this season and it looks like the good times are set to continue.
After they sacked their manager a week or so ago a "big" performance was demanded at Chippenham, a team playing in the league below. Well, something "big" was acheived - a 4-0 reverse. This is taken from their site:
25th September 2005
The Board of Directors have today taken swift action to reduce the playing squad, and instil a new discipline amongst players, in readiness for a managerial appointment within the next 10 days. The standards of team performance in recent games have been unacceptable, and the Board has reviewed the playing squad as a consequence.
Dominic Reece, Antonio Corbisiero and Wayne O'Sullivan have all been released by the Club today.
Cortez Belle has been heavily fined as a consequence of his petulant sending-off yesterday, and has been transfer listed.
Glyn Jones will again take charge of the match at Eastbourne next Saturday. The Club is hopeful that Jason Bowen and Ian Hillier will be fit for a return at The Langney Sports Club Ground. A new manager will then take charge of the Club.
Apparently Bowen is one of their key players aswell.
Here's the match report from the last game:
Saturday 24th September 2005
F A Cup Second Qualifying Round
Chippenham Town 4 v Newport County 0
County were dumped out of the F A Cup at the first attempt by an organised and motivated 'Bluebirds' side at Hardenhuish Park. County first forced home goalkeeper Steve Perrin into a save in the final minute - and a weak Mark Draycott free-kick at that - a statistic which underlines County's lack of enterprise and edge in a game in which they simply failed to compete.
County played a 4-4-2 formation with Academy product Dale Evans being drafted in at right back and Ashley Williams moving into a central midfield berth.
Both sides started the match warily. The home side began to take control and on 11 minutes the reliable James Constable had time and space to control a right wing cross before volleying the ball home across goal from 12 yards. County began to press the home defence but failed to create a clear opening. On 19 minutes the lively Sam Allison lashed an angled shot against the County bar, and on 33 minutes Constable was released one on one with Delve to finish with ease and double the home lead. On the stroke of half-time Gilroy rose at the far post to nod home a Herring cross to wrap the game up before the whistle was blown for the interval.
The second half was a drab affair in which Chippenham coasted. County were reduced to 10 men when Cortez Belle was dismissed on 57 minutes for violent conduct. A cleared Darren Jones header was the nearest County game to threatenning the home goal. Chippenham added a 4th on 80 minutes when Ross Adams' header from a Herring corner bounced down and across the hapless Delve into the far corner of the net. Allison was guilty of allowing Delve to close down his shot when he had the simplist chance to score in the entire match in the 90th minute.
The final whistle was met with boos and derisory comments from the away support. County's performance was dismal and the losing streak now extends to seven matches. We wish Chippenham well in the next round. The Bluebirds thoroughly deserved their victory - if only County had given them a contest!
You can see from the stats that I posted up previously that they are 2nd bottom and have scored just one goal and conceeded 7 in their last four games, which have been:
A Farnborough Town Conference South 1 - 2
H Histon Conference South 0 - 1
A Lewes Conference South 0 - 1
H Weymouth Conference South 0 - 3
It seems a bit of a shame as all of those teams are fairly decent and in the main they've gone down buy a single goal. However, they've lost those players mentioned in the interim. They've alread lost senior pro Ampadu (whose name rings a bell) and this was the reason given:
"Kwame Ampadu was used to full-time football and training and by his own admission found the adjustment to part-time football a challenge"
Strange one eh? Also it's doubtful that Belle will be playing after being sent off, fined and transfer listed. I note in the Weymouth game that he was played all alone up top and in the Lewes game he created two good chances so I'm sure he'll be surely missed.
Forum dwellers are a pessimistic lot when things are going badly and over optimistic in the reverse scenario. I like this opinion though of rushing back their injured players and the timescale (within 10 days) of the new manager being appointed:
I would also leave Bowen and Hillier out (give them another fortnight if they aren't 100% fit), write this game off and start again with the new manager in a fortnights time. We don't want them getting injured again and being out for the season.
Now could be the time to throw some youngsters in to see what they can do. Not a lot to lose.
So it appears that they will go with some youth players.
So, why the 2.2 about Eastbourne? Despite finishing in the play-off places last season they've started this season dreadfully. They haven't won at home in the league since February. Their last few results are:
H Welling United Conference South 1 - 1
A Cambridge City Conference South 3 - 2
A St Albans City Conference South 0 - 5
H Weston-super-Mare Conference South 1 - 2
The draw at home with Welling is not a bad result based on recent form and the narrow defeat to WSM who are one of the better teams in this league. However, Eastbourne have had a lot of injuries recently and have got a couple of of the treatment table.
They almost went out of the cup to lowly Redbridge on Saturday but spanked them 5-1 (and won me back the money I'd lost on them) at home in the replay.
The match report can be found here:
http://www.eastbourneboroughfc.co.uk...27_sept_0.html
So they must have gained some confidence from that.
Finally, I'm not a massive fan of head to heads but last season Newport lost both games, 3-1 at home and 1-0 away. Either would do me this time.
2.2
Bet365......
AMP