Hampton & Richmond v WFC - Match Thread

[Keithsson]

Onwards...

Match Centre - Link

Match Tickets - H&RB Club Site

Minibus - SOLD OUT 

Ground Guide - Beveree Stadium

Last season these opponents were deemed our 'local rivals' and as such were allocated as the Boxing Day/New Years Day double header. The home game was a stereotypical late Christmas present (4-3) and the NYD stalemate was every bit a stereotypical hangover from the night before. Shalln't bore you with the highlights, there weren't any!

The Beavers finished 17th last season, just six points above the drop zone. But they've been (ahem) Beavering away since then and are a pretty much new look team since we played them. Currently in 11th they are just two points behind our now 7th place, we now occupying the last of the play-off berths. Quietly whilst our league form has dipped the league has bunched up, it is a ridiculously close competition this season... incredibly we are now as close to 20th place (the last place before the relegation zone) as we are to the top spot!! Just six points separate Aveley in 6th and Weston in 20th...

NLS Table - Link

And talking of 20th place, form wise we are nosediving, that's exactly where we are. With just one win and five points from the last 18 available, whilst we all know our team was transformed by changes going into our cup games, we need to start converting that new dynamism into league points. Conversely our hosts on Tuesday are in third place for overall form with 13/18.

Respective home and away form reads no better. With two 4-0 defeats last out on the road in the league we're only trading off our early away form in 9th with 9/15. Hampton are harder to read because due to ground issues they've only played three home games to date. In 17th for home form with just six points, however two wins and one defeat extrapolated up to six games would see them 5th with 12/18

Make no mistake, it'd be easy to see them sitting six places below us and just dismiss their chances. But the league is so tight and their form is so much better than ours, in every department, that they will start as clear favourites and we'll have to be at our very best to get something.

NLS Form (last 6 H&A) - Link

Yesterday they ended Taunton's 10 game unbeaten run winning 0-1 away. But last up for them at home, and for your viewing offering this time, was their 4-3 win against Dartford...

H&RB v Dartford highlights 14/10/23 - YouTube

And just as we need a clean bill of health the squad isn't in the perfect state it was until recently either. Nothing major, except Aarran obviously, but minor niggles for Michael Klass, Odei and Bailey Smith are being monitored plus Greg Luer and Cam Tutt continue to be sidelined.

All midweek fixtures...

Monday
Chelmsford City v Dover Athletic



Tuesday
Bath City v Taunton Town
Eastbourne Borough v Dartford
Farnborough v Tonbridge Angels
Hampton & Richmond Borough v Worthing
Hemel Hempstead Town v Braintree Town
St Albans City v Slough Town
Welling United v Maidstone United
Weston-super-Mare v Torquay United
Yeovil Town v Weymouth

Wednesday
Havant & Waterlooville v Aveley

Might not seem it with all the big home games and cup games we've had but this game is huge... we could be a long way down the table on Tuesday if we lose but right back in the automatic promotion race if we win. The league has to stop bunching up at some point, lets try and make sure we're at the higher end of the ladder when it does. A run of form now could be pivotal.  

Safe travel to all going up and come on you Rebels! 
             

[pauld]

For those driving to the match, if you have an older vehicle and want to avoid the wrath of Khan, note the following (taken from tfl website):

Hampton Court Bridge is outside the ULEZ. At the roundabout on the north side of the river, the exit for Hampton Court Road going north is inside the zone. The exit for Hampton Court Road going west along the river is outside the zone.

Hampton Court Road
Going west along the river, Hampton Court Road is outside the ULEZ. All roads off Hampton Court Road to the north are inside the zone, while all roads to the south are outside the zone.

Upper Sunbury Road
When Hampton Court Road turns into Upper Sunbury Road, it remains outside the ULEZ. All roads off Upper Sunbury Road to the north are inside the zone, while all roads to the south are outside the zone.

[Keithsson]

Line-up - Twitter/X

Have we ever had such a quality and experienced bench as that? 😳

[dutchboy74]

Oct 24, 2023 18:08:01 GMT Keithsson said:

Line-up - Twitter/X

Have we ever had such a quality and experienced bench as that? 😳

Didn’t help tonight though. Very underwhelming performance again. And let’s not talk about their 3rd goal. Feels like repeating myself every week!

[Keithsson]

Hampton & Richmond 4-1 Worthing 

Third straight away league defeat conceding four and no wins now in five ☹

It had to happen eventually but our poor form has finally caught up with our league position and we exit the play-off places and drop down to 11th... now closer to the relegation places (8pts) than we are to top spot (9pts).

NLS Table - Link

[findonrebel]

12 goals conceded in 3 away games... that needs fixing and fast!!! I'm going to the Bath game this Saturday and I'm hoping to see aoot better than whatever that was!!

[Bally]

Had the pleasure of the National League TV pass this evening while I'm on holiday.

Didn't have the pleasure of enjoying the viewing.

Who needs to plan against us when we offer 3 chances on a plate every game?

Dose of realisation needed me thinks. We've come a long way but so will others and we're not as good at our own game as wee need to be yet. Keep on training and bring in a couple of players to cut out the errors.

[topbloke]

Conceadimg over 1.5 goals a game . Thought we had a defensive coach at the club ? Mark of a decent side is the goals against . Needs to be sorted fast .😠😠😡

[dutchboy74]

Oct 24, 2023 20:57:45 GMT Bally said:

Had the pleasure of the National League TV pass this evening while I'm on holiday.

Didn't have the pleasure of enjoying the viewing.

Who needs to plan against us when we offer 3 chances on a plate every game?

Dose of realisation needed me thinks. We've come a long way but so will others and we're not as good at our own game as wee need to be yet. Keep on training and bring in a couple of players to cut out the errors.

[

The only thing other teams need to do is have pop at goal. And then follow up. Chances of a spillage and then an opportunity to score !

[dutchboy74]

And even the worst bit about tonight was one or two players having a go at the fans because opinions were voiced about performances. There was no booing at the end. Just fans giving their opinion. And considering what length people go through to be there I strongly feel that we can voice an opinion.
If they came up and said sorry guys tonight was just not good enough than I could live with that. But having a go at the fans after a performance like that lol, not good!

[portlandred]

Fully agree Dutchboy, these players are now getting paid handsomely in relative football terms and I’m not sure they’re giving value for money. There are two or three in the squad who are playing on reputation and don’t appear to have the club at heart. It would be nice to see them playing for the badge and not just their wallets. Us fans invest a lot of time and money on following the team and we are fully justified in voicing our opinions after watching that garbage served up in the second half.
We’ve developed a soft underbelly away from home and hopefully this will be rectified in time for the Alfreton game with the return of Felix and Odoi who are two that most definitely give it their all for the club.

[dutchboy74]

Oct 25, 2023 7:44:47 GMT portlandred said:

Fully agree Dutchboy, these players are now getting paid handsomely in relative football terms and I’m not sure they’re giving value for money. There are two or three in the squad who are playing on reputation and don’t appear to have the club at heart. It would be nice to see them playing for the badge and not just their wallets. Us fans invest a lot of time and money on following the team and we are fully justified in voicing our opinions after watching that garbage served up in the second half.
We’ve developed a soft underbelly away from home and hopefully this will be rectified in time for the Alfreton game with the return of Felix and Odoi who are two that most definitely give it their all for the club.

Hopefully both will be back on Saturday. Both were missed last night.

[Keithsson]

Hinsh post match - YouTube

[dutchboy74]

Oct 25, 2023 8:30:08 GMT Keithsson said:

Hinsh post match - YouTube

Did I hear that right? Did Adam blame Luque for the 4th goal?

[Keithsson]

Oct 24, 2023 21:28:12 GMT dutchboy74 said:

And even the worst bit about tonight was one or two players having a go at the fans because opinions were voiced about performances. There was no booing at the end. Just fans giving their opinion. And considering what length people go through to be there I strongly feel that we can voice an opinion.
If they came up and said sorry guys tonight was just not good enough than I could live with that. But having a go at the fans after a performance like that lol, not good!

This is by far the most concerning news to come out of this game. Waking to crap weather the morning after a crap defeat, that makes things ten times crappier.  

Bad results, well they happen. Bad performances, well we're getting used to them happening more often.

But what has underpinned our journey over the last few seasons has been unity, togetherness. The squad has been united amongst itself and the fans have been united with the squad... players and fans as one.

Fans can voice their disapproval, they pays their money, they've earnt that right, especially on the road. It can come back the other way but only if the criticism is unjustified... but 4-0, 4-0, 4-1 isn't exactly a firm foundation upon which to mount any kind of justifiable self defence. Playing Devils Advocate you could also argue that at least it shows they care?... well yes, but if they cared that much they'd channel it into improving things, not causing division.

If this is the beginning of cracks emerging in our relationship then they need filling in and shoring up immediately because once cracks become fractures the structure can quickly fall apart.

I said it this summer but the loss of Buddy was seismic, on sheer force of personality he was the beating heart of all things positive in the squad, the glue that kept everyone on the same page. We've seen other longstanding cornerstones of the generally very settled squad move on too, Barks, Meeky etc., we've also observed with alarmed curiosity the 'Ollie situation'. And I also agree with the observation already made that some, not all by any stretch, of those coming in have certainly appeared at least to be more about 'me,me,me' than 'us,us,us'. 

Its entirely up to those who were there to name names, i'd fully understand if they didn't want to do that, but I suspect i'd be unsurprised by the names given.

This is the first time this sort of friction has surfaced, and it needs to be the last. Quiet words from key figures need to be made to those individuals before a crack becomes a chasm. Because we will lose games again, we will play badly again, the key thing is to stay together when it happens.