The lost cup-tie
Stone Dominoes 1 Wigan Robin Park 3
As always a top day out at Stone.
This time however we won and in the process made the Dominoes look very average.
The immaculate pitch - which cynics may say remains like that as the ball never touches the floor with the way Stone play - was The Robins best friend as Neafcy, Corcy and Small bossed the game in midfield.
Bit unfair to single anybody out, mind, as it was pretty much a complete performance with all the players putting in an excellent performance.
Playing all the football The Robins dominated the game from start to finish and eased into a 2-0 lead through two superb goals from Ryan Small in the sixty third and sixty seventh minutes. One a great looping header from the edge of the box - the other a fine shot drilled into the corner of the net
However ten minutes later Stone got back into game through a scrappy Dwayne Spence and moments later were awarded a ridiculous penalty. Scott Robinson clearly got the ball, the league's top scorer Dan Brown knew this and went down like a lead balloon. A bad decision from a referee that actually had a good game but... it could have changed the game.
Brown dusted himself down, stepped up but Robins keeper Jay Foulds pulled off a great save as justice was seen to be done.
The Robins simply picked the ball up, went straight up the field and after terrific work from Steve Williams and Andy Neafcy - Chris McNally powered in a drive from the edge of the area for his seventh goal of the season and sealed the win for The Robins.
Game over. The one team that tried to play football won it and that has got to be right.
I have to say I can't quite understand Stone manager Shaun Hollinshead's mindset. They could be a decent side and a team has to be able to stand up to them to have a chance. We put in our worst display in years when we lost in the league a few weeks ago but they only have the plan A. Dan Brown and the big lad Charlton are great players but all the team seem to do is boot the ball long and hard. Personally I just wouldn't like to watch it each week, whatever the success it appears to be bringing. But each to their own.
In the next round The Robins make the short trip to Ashton Town on Saturday 31 October in what should be a cracking and feisty cup encounter.
So in a nutshell
Buzzing
Stone players in the showers singing: "We're gonna win the league!" Well you're not going to win the cup and I would hazard a guess unless you can bully a few more teams you won't win the league
Oatcakes - marvellous
Neil Swift - great first full ninety for the lad. Tremendous full debut. That said Whitey on the other side at left back had a cracker. Even if he was knackered for the last twenty. We thought oxygen might be required at one point!
Millie Small getting back to his best. However I should have known my: "I'll get you a pint if you score" would inspire him. Two pints of lager in Park Lane (at those prices). Anyhow he needed it as he was going to his gay cousin's birthday party later on.
Thanks to our driver Kev we got there with a few minutes to spare which was quite good as we had no sat nav, directions or anything...
Just one programme left when we got there. How many did they do? -Five?
Chipper at centre forward ... and you know what he did terrific
Bring on the Ashton Bads
Meanwhile....
The Reserves began a new era under Dave Knowles' managership by coming back from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 with Ashton Town Reserves.
Sounded a stormer as they were down to ten men on sixty minutes - with the sending-off of Big Pey Vermiglio but got back in it with an Ian Gough penalty before Meathead equalised with a powerful header (his words) in the dying seconds. Congrats to all involved in what has been a tough start to the season for the ressies.
Meathead is still talking everybody through his goal!
This Saturday it is back to league action at very-much-improved Daisy Hill. That's the team Daisy Hill not the place - that we guess will be it's normal self. A train job, a few beers and hopefully three points.
"Big Fat John's Barmy Army, Big Fat John's Barmy Army"
Preview later in the week...
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