Ash Trees 0 Rovers 1

[Swifty]

So near and yet so far. We probably deserved a draw overall.

 

Full marks for effort, especially after we went down to ten men after a soft red card for Jim in the 65th. I like Jim a lot but, retaliation or not, we don't need that to happen. That's three games Jim will now miss, and who's to say he'll get another chance this season if the team does well in the meantime?

 

Rovers are a bit of a frustrating team. Skilful and nice to watch when they show what they can do, and you can see why they're where they are in the table, but masters of the 'cute' fouls which rarely get punished, and their three yellows typified their play - one apiece for pushing a player over, time wasting and dissent. Why their lad wasn't booked for simulation when trying to get a penalty beats me. 

 

The key difference today was that Rovers' forwards were on target far more and brought out five or six excellent saves by Tyler whereas, apart from Tom's wonderful first-time 20 yard snapshot which Kyle Forster saved brilliantly, we missed four efforts from six yards out, and horribly so. It was a shame that, for all Rovers' fine strikes, we conceded a soft looking 46th minute winner down the middle of the goal, though well struck by Keshi Anderson.

 

Credit to our lads who battled really well. Special mention for Tyler and also Elliott, playing at left back and who probably had his best game in an Ash Trees shirt.

 

Three notices to finish with...

 

Apologies to Rovers' Jermaine Hall who I lampooned when he was subbed. I thought the lad was time wasting while leaving the pitch when, in fact, he had a knock to his leg. Sorry about that!

 

Secondly, speedy recovery to Conor, who I understand broke his jaw at Kettering. Get well soon, mate.

 

Finally, lovely to see Keith Balmer (and Liam too) back on the terraces. Welcome back, lads.

 

[brenwill]

Another great effort from the lads with no reward . Very soft red card given to Jim Mann but that always seems to be what happens when you are down. Any way lets get behind the team on tuesday it's not over till it's over. Good to see Keith B back , wishing you a speedy recovery mate

[Swifty]

Duhh! Els was, of course, at right back. Ben "J.R." Ewing was in the left back slot as usual. I need mittens with L and R on to help me!

 

Hope the gentlemen's evening went well, but that we don't have any players now out with groin strains for Tuesday's game!  

[Tel]

Top performance from Tyler, but we must take our chances. Two or three very good chances from inside the six yard box went begging.

 

It's ever over until the final whistle!

[ZolaPower]

A great Team effort today, Overall I think we deserved all three points. The ref bottled It with the handball which was so clear to see by all including the Lino who was shocking all day. Tyler was excellent again today and we will do well to keep him next season. Jack & Russ also played well along with Elliot.

[B378]

There was possibly a case for one of the Barton lads to have walked as well. From where I stood definitely took a kick at one of ours, he got booked later for complaining too much.

[fatboyatmfc]

One of the most frustrating games I have ever watched. Should have got a point, could have won.

 

Brilliant effort all around but we need to keep that intensity up for the games remaining!

 

As to the Gents Evening. It a really good night and comedian was great with most people getting picked on. Apparently, I am Harry Potters Fat Dad!

On a sad note, the event was very poorly attended and I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but people need to ask themselves if they really support this club, because if it wasn't for

Alan, the club would have suffered a heavy financial loss.

 

Anyway let's hope we put Hayes to the sword on Tuesday.

[fatboyatmfc]

Oh BTW , good news is Conor hasn't broken his jaw. It's Bad bruising and he wants to play Tuesday ! Great desire to play for the team!

[Beano]

As to the Gents Evening. It a really good night and comedian was great with most people getting picked on. Apparently, I am Harry Potters Fat Dad!

On a sad note, the event was very poorly attended and I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but people need to ask themselves if they really support this club, because if it wasn't for Alan, the club would have suffered a heavy financial loss.

 

Fair comment, Mr B, but what was done to market the event? I am more or less "working remotely" these days, as is well known, but I do still see every programme (on account of printing them) and, for the time being, have access to every area of the website. Now, I might have missed it, but I don't recall any promotion for the evening in the programme or on the website. Nor here, come to that. I've also dropped several programmes off in the clubhouse lately and I'm sure I would have noticed a strategically-placed poster had there been one. If I have missed it, which is more than possible, then I apologise. However, I think it's a question worth asking.

 

Marketing is not something we do well as a club; Lord knows I took a lot of criticism for the "pay what you want" day against NGU - in fact, the constant flak that day, in front of my daughter and visiting officials and supporters, was a major factor in my decision to stop attending matches on a regular basis. I sometimes feel that there is an element within the club that actually wants events and promotions to fail. But we do need more support, whether through the turnstiles, or at events, or with the day to day tasks. 

 

Collectively, we do have an opportunity to do something about our failings off the pitch. The date of the AGM needs to be fixed soon and there are / will be a number of vacancies at Board & Committee level to be filled at that meeting. Whatever happens on the park, there is a real chance (indeed, a necessity) to freshen up and strengthen the group of decision makers who will be the next custodians of our club. I would urge anyone with a skill to offer up some of their free time to help the club; I have enjoyed my seven years on the Committee and would consider returning to it once Lilly has grown up, because being involved has been hugely rewarding. 

 

Next season will be a new era for the club, in lots of different ways. Who fancies being a part of it?

[fatboyatmfc]

All male members of the club were emailed on a couple of occasions and there were posters put up in the club. I asked several gentleman during the Barton game if they were attending and everyone I asked were at least aware of the event. I am not picking on anyone in particular, I just think it's a shame the event was poorly attended. Especially as it was free!

[yinyang]

I think we crossed the moral divide here a Gentlemen's evening at a community football club. Sure in the days of smoking in pubs this activity might have been deemed acceptable,.....at least the smoke would have masked the scene as it were. 

 

Let's not fool ourselves about what this really is, it had a direct impact on junior matches the following day (not good timing) whereby it was deemed that the clubhouse was not going to be fit for purpose i.e. lots of little kids eating from the very same tables.......

 

That also had a direct baring (no pun intended) on what is usually a thriving community on a Sunday a community that helps keep this football club alive.

 

So not only was this a draconian event not well attended it also did nothing for our status as a family friendly club.

 

Did this event get committee approval - i would have grave concerns if everyone felt that this type of event was\is a good idea in 2014......

 

Let's hope that the players don't take their eye of the ball 

 

We reap what we sew....

[fatboyatmfc]

We wouldn't think twice about holding a hen night. In fact it was only a couple of years ago there was one in the bar if I recall.

 

To say that the club was unusable the next day is laughable.

[Keith B]

Blimey - feels like I've walked into someone else's argument. The youngsters' parents appear to be unhappy about the clubhouse issue (we need to find out why and resolve) about something and I read that Gareth was stepping down from all roles next season.

 

If Board and Committee vacancies will exist it would be useful to know what skills / abilities are going to be useful ahead of the AGM itself - you never know who may able to offer something unless they know what could benefit the club.

 

As for marketing and communications, well I know that Gareth has sometimes felt unappreciated by some but despite Saturday's result the team is good to watch and success is often a marketing position in itself.

 

Must go, I'm off to the Victoria in Hayes for some old-fashioned gentle-person's entertainment.

[Beano]

All male members of the club were emailed on a couple of occasions and there were posters put up in the club.

 

Thanks for clearing that up, Dan. I didn't get any emails about the evening although, as I wouldn't have been able to attend, I don't have a problem with that.  The posters probably went up between matches - I didn't drop off the Barton programmes, so would have missed them if they went up close to the match.

 

I think we crossed the moral divide here a Gentlemen's evening at a community football club. Sure in the days of smoking in pubs this activity might have been deemed acceptable,.....at least the smoke would have masked the scene as it were. 

 

Let's not fool ourselves about what this really is, it had a direct impact on junior matches the following day (not good timing) whereby it was deemed that the clubhouse was not going to be fit for purpose i.e. lots of little kids eating from the very same tables.......

 

That also had a direct baring (no pun intended) on what is usually a thriving community on a Sunday a community that helps keep this football club alive.

 

This kind of evening might not be everyone's cup of tea, but the fact is that a social event on a Saturday evening is clearly intended to generate revenue for the club at a time of day when the clubhouse might not even be open. There is no reason at all why the clubhouse couldn't be used the following day, surely a clean-up operation took place at the end of the night, or the following morning?

 

So not only was this a draconian event not well attended it also did nothing for our status as a family friendly club.

 

Did this event get committee approval - i would have grave concerns if everyone felt that this type of event was\is a good idea in 2014......

 

"Draconian" isn't a word I would have used and while I can sort of see where you're coming from because this kind of evening isn't a family function, they have been run successfully at the club in the past and at least someone made an effort to get people using the bar and spending money.   

 

I wasn't able to attend the last meeting, but I can say that social events do get discussed by the Board & Committee in the monthly meetings.

 

If Board and Committee vacancies will exist it would be useful to know what skills / abilities are going to be useful ahead of the AGM itself - you never know who may able to offer something unless they know what could benefit the club.

 

Hi Keith, welcome back! This is a good point and might be worth a thread of its own, or at least a couple of additional posts on the Webmaster thread at the top of the page.

[Swifty]

Hopefully putting a line under the recent posts, I wish I hadn't mentioned the evening in question in the first place!

 

I may be wrong and, if so, I apologise but I understand it was originally a select private function and it was later advertised in order to generate more revenue. Let's just leave it at that.

 

Getting back on track, great to hear Conor wants to take part again so soon after an awkward injury. That says everything about the attitude of our lads. if you could channel the team's spirit into points, we'd have avoided relegation by now. I still can't believe how positive the lads are and how much every defeat gets to them. 

[MarkT]

Let's concentrate on the Football guys !!!!!

[fatboyatmfc]

I must say it was brilliant seeing Keith Balmer back at The Robert Parker Stadium on Saturday looking the spitting image of his son Liam, or as KB pointed out, Liam looks the spit of him!

 

Delighted you are getting better mate

[Swifty]

Let's concentrate on the Football guys !!!!!

 

Is that you, "Arthur"?    If so, you should be proud of your lad this season. How that boy's blossomed.

[MarkT]

Yep it's me Ed, thanks for your comments I'm very proud, :0)

[SlimBoyFat]

I'd be interested to know who deemed the club unfit for the Juniors on Sunday morning, and when that decision was made ? Wouldn't have been you would it ? I'm sure Iain would take umbridge that you are insinuating his cleaning isn't good enough.