Ravens View of Bournemouth v Brighton

Last updated : 20 October 2003 By Mark R
The day started well, we drove down as had to be in Wiltshire for a Christening Sunday morning, arrived in Bournemouth about midday, parked in a side street to avoid car park queues after and we were in "The Queens" by 12.15 and had a beer in hand ready for the kick off of England v South Africa.

The pub was packed, probably about 70% Albion and it was a good atmosphere. A good win for England, a good sing song, a few beers and I was ready for a committed Albion performance and at least a point from a tough match.

We arrived just as the match kicked off and joined the 1,700+ Albion fans. My mates who had tickets in the home end all transferred to the Albion part no problem. I have no idea how it was a sell out as the stand opposite us was far from full, and the crowd was only 7,9?? and when they played Sheffield Wednesday they got over 8,100!!!

The match started competitively, but after 15 minutes or so we gave away a poor, soft goal. Goal scorer Feeny was later flattened by the ball, and was worryingly flat out and surrounded by St Johns Ambulance and the club doctor for about 6 minutes before they stretchered him off!

After the goal we just never got going. Time and time again we gave away the ball. The display called out for 3 subs to change/shake things up, but we didn't see a sub until there were 8 minutes left! Why? No confidence from Booker or did he really believe we looked like scoring?

Now the yellow cards. Mayo, bottled a header, then upended the bloke who won the ball. Knight went down like he had been shot and once the ball was out of play he was booked. Hinshelwood upended the player, not intent for the ball and looked like a red card to me. I missed what Watson did, and can't remember the Carpenter one, but all in all a very ragged, undisciplined display.

Still we are still 3 points clear at the top, so lets put in right on Tuesday night


Kuipers - 7 made a couple of good saves
Hinshelwood - 5 poor passing
Mayo - 4 dreadful passing
Butters - 6 solid
Cullip - 5 looked out of sorts and uninspired
Rehman - 4 dreadful match
Jones - 3 colour blind?
Carpenter - 5 was left deserted by team mates
Knight - 5 first real off game so not going to complain too much
McPhee - 5 out of sorts
Hart- 7 never say die, but no end result to anything

subs
Robinson (for McPhee 82)
Watson (for Jones 87)
Pethick (for Knight 90)
Flitney and Harding not used