Hooray for a proper football scoreline

I was starting to get irritated by the silly-looking scorelines of recent weeks, 6-6, 5-4, 3-7... Goalfests, yes, but not Proper Football Match Scorelines (mind you, there was that UEFA Cup final that Liverpool won 5-4 I suppose).  So I went into last night's game grittily determined to be part of a defence that, whatever the outcome of the match, conceded a normal amount of goals.  I even said as much to the rest of the back four just before kick-off.

2-1, now there's a proper scoreline.  We started pretty well and it became clear that the oppo would struggle to cope with Bobby and Simon up front.  Several first-half chances were created, but the only one that was converted came from a lovely Bobby cross into the six-yard box, where Simon, Andy T and Steve were waiting.  Thorny stabbed the ball into the net for a deserved lead.  Claxton slowly got their act together and in truth we were a little fortunate to get to half-time without c0nceding a goal - at one point, a Claxton forward waltzed past three Accies defenders and found himself with only Lee to beat - but his bounced safely away off the left-hand post.

The second-half was mainly a rearguard action for Effra – we defended countless corners in the half-light.  Our dear hosts, in their infinite wisdom, had put two floodlights on at one end of the pitch and none at the other.  Apparently at last weekend's athletics event, the lights were powered by individual generators, and our hosts had failed to connect two of the lights up properly.  Or something.  I found all this out in reception while the second half was in progress, much to my annoyance.  But when I got back to the pitch, we were still 1-0 up and I was put back on at left-back.  Claxton's pressure told and it was one of our own who scored their equaliser – Mickael kindly helped them make up the numbers and pounced on a loose ball following a great save from Lee, slamming it home.  Afterwards I assured Mike that it was good for the Accies that he'd scored - he's a striker, he's expected to score, regardless of who he's playing for!

On another night maybe we'd have crumbled on finally conceding that equaliser, but not tonight.  Some good pressure led to Steve being hacked down just outside the oppo's penalty box.  Greg and Joe conferred behind the ball and Joe stepped away allowing Greg to shoot goalwards.  It might not have been the most powerfully struck free-kick in the history of football, but it did enough to bamboozle the keeper, who let it slip through his arms and over the line, with Bobby in close attendance waiting to clean up any leftovers.

There wasn't enough time for Claxton to launch another comeback, although I vaguely recall Mickael having a chance to score again - that would have been hard to swallow!  But Robert The Ref's whistle blew and we'd hung on for a well earned win.

Team: Lee, Phil, Barry (sub: Luke), Dave, Stuart (sub: Graeme), Neill, Andy T (sub: Luis), Joe (sub: Greg), Steve, Simon, Bobby

Scorers: Andy T, Greg

Knee agonies

Following on from Andrew's update, I can sympathise, and wish him well and a speedy recovery. Hopefully you'll be back soon and fighting for that place.

My update: yesterday at the hospital I had my arthroscopy on my left knee. The surgery was larger / longer than the surgeon first thought would be necessary. My medical notes say:

- Plica excised

- OCD chondroplasty

- Micro fracture

- Partial medial menisectom to stable rim

- Knee washed out

- 0.5% marcain injected

As well as a nice drawing of the knee, and descriptions of tear body MM, extensive horizontal clearage, cartilage damage / delamination 2x3mm full thickness OCD etc

Just done my exercises, and hobbling about on crutches, definitely won't be fit for tonight's game! All the best, be positive and confident, we can win.

Up the Accies. 

Accies' Number 11 Injury Update

Hi all,

Thought I'd drop you a line to update you on the injury I picked up a few weeks ago when we played MHP on July 9th in North London.

After the game I knew things weren't right but was able to walk the mile or so to White Hart Lane station. The next morning I couldn't move my right knee without severe pain so went off to A&E.

They spent more time worrying about the Astroturf burn - treated and dressed it and gave me a tetanus booster injection. I did think at this point that perhaps Luke needs to drink a pint of tetanus booster given the quantity and severity of his astro burns over the years!

Anyway, after a 'clear' x-ray (ie: no broken bones) they didn't even examine my knee properly and sent me off with an ill fitting tubigrip with the instructions 'not to play football for a couple of weeks'.

Since then, the knee has continued to cause much pain - mild at rest and severe given certain movements.

I have been fortunate enough to see two qualified physiotherapists, both of whom knew it was serious and advised an MRI scan. Lucky enough to be covered on the Wife's health insurance I have now seen the GP, got a referral to a knee specialist, seen him and am having the MRI on Saturday morning.

After that I'm away on holiday for a couple of weeks and then am due to see the specialist for the results etc. on 19th August. After that, chances are it's an 'arthroscopy' (ask Mes).

I have no idea about how long it will be before I can play again - but am guessing months rather than weeks.

I do hope to see you all soon - I had a plan about still coming down to Palace on a Thursday and having a swim (decent exercise and OK for the knee) which would mean I'd still catch some of the games and get to have a pint with you.

The train strikes are affecting my line so that has scuppered tomorrow, then I'm away for two weeks. There will be one more strike and THEN I should be all set to come down again.

Utterly annoying - all because an MHP player fouled me intentionally.

Anyway - there is it: the update from your number 11.

Good luck in the coming weeks - I'm sure Stu will keep me informed about scores etc. I'll be checking the blog/facebook/twitter whilst on holiday so I'm there with you in spirit.

All the best lads, I look forward to hopefully swift treatment and swift recovery and then trying to fight my way back into the team.

Cheers,

Andrew

And It's Now Finished 0-1...

...in the only match that counts this week. But can you guess what that match is and who won???

Chef Sandoval!

A large round of applause for Chef Sandoval please! Luis, doubling up as Chef for the night as well as being Accies Social Secretary for 2009, cooked at least three hundred burgers last Thursday, even while getting totally drenched during the frequent downpours over southeast London.

He didn't quite look the part though as he wasn't wearing either his secretary's skirt or a chef's apron!

Poor Luis didn't even get to spend a night with Spuds as a reward - Steve has apparently caught swine flu :( Hope you get better soon wee man!

Nice buns

The Accies BBQ, held at The Paxton last Thursday, was a jovial affair attended by most Accies. At one point, a camera got handed round, and Elbows decided he simply had to take a picture of these "Nice Buns!" Poor old Phil clearly doesn't get out much these days...

Out of my window

Earlier on the weather was looking surprisingly BBQ-friendly... Right now it certainly isn't!  It's tipping down in SE1... wonder what's it's like in SE19?  Ah well, we can always pit our wits against the team in the now-on-Thursday-nights Paxton Arms pub quiz...  Either way I'm bang up for tonight (with commiserations to those of you who can't make it).

Live weather update: it's sunny again in SE1.  The tension!  Maybe I'll Tweet weather updates live from the venue later on...*

*I won't.

The Hut's match report

I thought The Hut's 'comment' on my previous post was so thorough that it deserved to be a post of its own...

I was standing on the side watching what turned out to be an extraordinary match. The torrential rain and variety of fork and sheet lightening that circled the ground for most of the 90 minutes just added to the atmosphere. No 'it was electric' cliches here, rather as the first half scoreline of 0-6 suggests it was really turning into a very damp squid of an affair. Difficult to raise an encouraging voice against the thunder.

However the 3 changes (swaps) to the team (4 if you count putting Lee in goal) absolutely changed everything. After every goal, those of us sheltering under the athletics scoreboard got more interested and excited in the outlandish comeback possibilities.

The Dolphins' supporters were with us cheering each goal, and jeering their defenders inabilities to handle their own striker now attired in Accies blue and red. Even when there was a Dolphins' penalty appeal in front us, they turned on their own players with 'you're joking - it was definitely outside the box' - sensing as well a Dolphins goal would spoil the drama unfolding at the far end of the pitch.

So 6-6 it was, and but for a disallowed goal and for the floodlights to go out possibly a couple of minute early (probably struck by lightening) the Accies were robbed of an almightly historic comeback win.

A new low or a historic comeback? You decide...

Such a preposterous and unusual evening's footy entertainment requires an unusual blog entry, so here goes - some random thoughts in no particular order until I get tired and crash...
1. Me and Luis lost 12-0 but the Accies drew 6-6.
2. A bloke called John Lizou scored 5 goals for the Accies in 45 minutes, breaking about 15 club records and giving him a decent shout at winning the 2009 Golden Boot.
3. Tremayne played in goal for 45 minutes with a hurty groin.
4. Lee kept a clean sheet for the other 45 minutes.
5. Neill Robertshaw scored his first ever Accies goal and I couldn't really celebrate it, annoyingly.
6. After the game, myself and Elbows tried to remember the vintage first-half quotes from a fellow defender, who will remain nameless but there are no prizes for guessing who it was. Our best guess at the quote, at the risk of attracting a different kind of visitor to this blog, was: "Come on Accies, let's fuck them up the arse for a change... I'm sick and tired of having some bloke pull my cock out of his arse". I'm really not sure that was exactly it but you get the general idea.
7. It rained very, very, very, very, very, very hard.
8. At one point, lightning struck the Palace mast.
9. At 3- or 4-0 down, I'm ashamed to admit I was more concerned about my bag being rained on. Thanks are due to The Hut for moving it. My iPod is fully functional.
10. Barry could've scored inside the first 10 seconds of the match.
11. I haven't figured out why Lee tends to refer to the Accies in the singular during a match. Not a criticism - each to their own! "Come on, Accie!" I think I quite like it, to be honest.
12. The Paxton has moved its quiz night to a Thursday, and I don't think I like that. 12 goals, 12 comments on this post - good night! Feel free to add points 13 onwards by clicking on "Comment"...

"We're gonna score one more than you..."

So chanted Fat Les on their remarkable footy choon Vindaloo.  They could be talking about MHP vs the Accies - so far this year we've lost 0-1, 1-2 and now 4-5 to them!  Well, we're playing them again in less than a month so let's hope we can break that tradition.  That's all - is this the shortest post in the short history of this blog?

The Last Two Weeks

Well, the last couple of weeks have been nothing if not eventful. Last weeks is it on..is it off...what day are we playing fun and games ended with a 3-7 defeat to Dolphin. A game that could have gone either way as we attacked well but yet again were undone by a team we allow too much time on the ball and who love route one footy.

This week we had training, this was not as well attended as previous sessions but all those who were there played their part in an enjoyable session. Also, as not so many players there I culd look closer at some players and analyse some aspects to be reviewed. Stuart Dade made progress towards his form of old after his marathon lay-off and Andy Dade showed some good touch and composure. Barry Gardener was also asked to keep the ball longer and look to play short balls and this was effective.

All told good evenings football hopefully enjoyed by all....