Thurrock V U's

[Rax]

0-0 H/t for those stuck at work like me or just plain unable to attend.

***Update***
Thurrock 3-0 U's
We've had Luke sent off & they scored from the subsequent penalty it seems.

[Paul L]

T'wasn't a penalty. They scored from the resulting free-kick.

We ended the game without anyone between the sticks as Alan Bray, Naughton's replacecment as we'd already used all our subs, went off after one of there strikers caught him in the head with his boot.

Another game where you better not mention the ****** in black.

[Andy K]

I have clear footage of Taz's "ejection" from the ground today. Its priceless....although I will happily accept a price to put it on youtube.

[Millsy]

Three serious points about yet another 'special' ref who really shouldn't bother:

1] Naughton's challenge looked to be fair, winning the ball which went off towrds the corner flag. Not sure that it was a foul, let alone a red card

2] Thurrock Keeper clattered Blackwell who went down with a head injury - ref has a good look and decides to play on only stopping once Thurrock counter-attack has ended. Nonsense.

3] Akurang appeared to follow through on AJ (keeper) after he'd collected the ball. AJ had lengthy treatment and had to leave the field with a huge lump on his forehead / around his eye. Free kick but no card for Akurang?

Seriously think that Luke's sending off and no action against Akurang may have been influenced by him getting upset at abuse from the stands. If he let that influence his decisions then he deserved 'polite enquiries' after his parentage and personal habits.

Five changes to starting line up didn't exactly work but we still had four or five gret moves in the first twenty minutes and missed chances. The rest of the game we looked like we didn't care and without being horrible, if that was Thurrock lifting their game to avoid relegation then it's no surprise that they've struggled!

[os]

I agree with Millsy on all 5 points for once

The Thurrock fans (all 2 of em) behind the goal confirmed no contact and forward running away from goal.

Not stopping the game for what could have been a serious head injury, could actually be criminal rather than just bad refereeing, he has a duty of care towards players under law!

We really were not up for the game and Thurrock were not able to produce anything either, it was a dire match until the ref stepped in. Matty showed most movement of the afternoon in a pair of slippers one trouser leg rolled up a bottle of coke in one hand and still managed a few decent efforts on goal

Poor Old Newport, would I laugh?

[Millsy]

Credit to Rupert Scallywag who found this report written by Thurrock:

www.thurrockgazette.co.uk/sport/local/display.var.1362885.0.hakans_tears_as_thurrock_survive.php

Great comments about the ref and confirms that Luke's red card was a joke decision.

[os]

"Today we got some breaks, their keeper shouldn't have been sent off "

I was about 2 feet behind him when the challenge was made and he was calling like mad for a red card, I told him he was having a laugh

AND:

"Sutton were still dishing out the rough stuff and other unpleasant challenge from Paul Honey eventually forced a yellow card from reluctant ref Paul Barnes in the closing minutes of the first half"

WHAT US ROUGH

[Rupert Scallywag]

Interesting that he was calling for a red but I guess you should not expect anything else. Many other managers would do the same, especially once the foul has been given.

When I first saw the report I did not agree with the comments about dishing out the rough stuff but if got me thinking. I have discussed with a friend of mine in the previous 2 seasons that we seemed to be a little soft, got bullied off the ball a bit and struggled against the more physical teams because we did not put it about a bit like they did. Whilst I still do not agree about us being rough, if we are and I just cannot see it (must be the amber tinted glasses). Good!

[Amber Aleman]

It was a pity that things fell apart in the second half, as I thought we looked the better team before the break. Alan Bray had the ball in the net from a great header, but the goal was disallowed seemingly for a marginal offside.

Ultimately Thurrock needed the points much more than we did and took advantage of our weakened line-up.

[medibot]

It was Quinton Mark, not Bray.

Then again you are probably very, very drunk and Biggles did dye his hair a funny colour

[markf]

My comment at the time of Luke's sending off was that the ball ended up going away from the goal suggesting either that LN had diverted it or Akurang was running away drom goal. The ref was so behind play he really could not have made such a match changing decision.

As for the abuse his reaction to get the stewards to come & have ago at us is beyond a joke. By doing so he brought refereeing to a new all time low at this level. If you can't take the heat......It was embarassing & suggests he knew that he should have stopped the game with RB clutching his head on the ground. By involving the stewards he inflamed the situation & the stewards should have told him that unless you are physically threatened we will do nothing. Let us steward & you referee that's what we are both here to do.

My concern is that he may report SUFC for our reaction & it didn't help with one of us banging on the windows of the officials' dressing room. When I put my boot through that hoarding I owned up & apologised & I think the perpretrator of this action should do the same.

As for the steward man handling Taz, that is bang out of order & could be assault. Nobody encroached on the pitch & the ref was never under any danger. It was a complete over reaction. It was laughable as Taz marched towards the bar. The bloke was so unfit he had to tell Tax to slow down because he couldn't keep up!!! All so, if he was that worried, why did he let Taz go in the bar?

TBH, the match itself disappeared off the radar after the incidents. We ended up with a forward line with not a competitve goal between them & in disarray.

And in effect the ref abandoned the game at the end when it was obvious AJ couldn't continue. There was still a few mins of injury time left & the full 90 was not completed.

All in all a complete farce, once again down to an appalling official. Perhaps it was fitting that such a ref should be in charge of our last game. I know they have been bad in the past but I cannot remember a season where we have had to put up with so many bad important decisions. If it does even itself up then we are owed big time. Is it any wonder that our players put in rash challenges & pick up yellow cards willy-nilly as the frustration mounts or that we on the terraces lose our cool so often?

TBH, I am glad our season is over if only for the fact that the most consistent part of this season has been the damn awful officiating that we have witnessed over 42 matches. I am afraid the depths have been reached - surely the only way is up but I wouldn't bet on it!

[bh]

I admit the offense, it was stupid and childish, sorry to all our supporters and the club. In mitigation, not for the first time this season a good performance by the team was spoiled by another clown in black, and I admit I just snapped. Usually I content myself with the length of my tongue (which appears to get worse the older I become) and am satisfied with that. Again Apologize to all concerned, apart from one man!

I would have apologized without prompting, but obviously I was beaten to it!

[thurrockboy]

Mark, the situation with Taz is slightly different. My understanding is that the ref wanted him removed so Steve agreed to a slow walk with Taz, but letting him go into the bar. At no point did the steward want him removed.

For the other issues, Wes Thomas got to the ball first, your keeper then got his knee to the ball and then he caught Wes. For me it was never a foul but once he gave it I felt that he had to go as Wes is very quick. It was a goalscoring opportunity in my opinion.

With regard to your second keeper, everyone off of the pitch thought it was your player that caught the keeper in the face. I have been assured that he didn't by Scarborough. However, they both also said that there was absolutely no intent.

[taz]

The ref was abysmal. Tunred a nothing game into an utter farce. As soon as he left the player on the ground with a head injury and allowed play to continue, he lost it. As shown by his prissy reaction to some quite frankly 2nd rate, but much deserved, abuse.

From then on, I'm fairly convinced it influenced his decisions against us.

As for my 'ejection', the steward picked me from 3-4 people having a pop at the ref, who had gone inside once already only to reappear. I an others thought this was a little provocative and told him so. Seems he came out as someone had banged on the window. No idea why I was picked out. Guess I was closest to him!

Thought the arm lock was a little OTT, but he eased it off once we got back behind the changing rooms and I released myself. From then it was a nice sunny stroll down to the bar.

Cheers to Frakey and Mr Dolbear who tried to intervene on my behalf. Much appreciated gentlemen. And a "You naughty naughty boy" wag of the finger for BH.

As for the game, dreadful wasn't it! If we'd actually applied ourselves a bit better in the first 20 mins, the game would've been over, but there you go. Thought it was a nailed on 0-0 until they scored with their one real chance before the ref intervened.

Apart from that, had a good day out and a good laugh. Which was nice.

[suttonview]

Leaving aside the controversy, I thought once Akurang scored the first goal we never looked like getting back on terms. It was a rare classy bit of play. We were very poor in the second half and have finished the season in disappointing fashion - one win in our last ten games and only Yeading have been worse than us recently. These facts seem to be overlooked by people constantly blaming the refs. Now, where's that "hiding behind a wall" smiley when I need it....