Aug 4, 2009
Town vs TNS Match Report
Market Drayton Town's most implacable enemies on the field have handed them a great, much-needed boost off it.
Marcus Low and Nick Green, the manager and skipper of bogey side Barwell, by far the toughest threat to last season's triumphant Town Midland Alliance double campaign, both believe Drayton's troubled pre-season preparations are a blip, albeit a bad one, to their continued progress.
Still decimated by illness and injury, Town lost 4-0 to Barwell in a sometimes stormy showpiece Joe McGorian Cup final at Greenfields on Saturday and suffered a 3-0 defeat by a polished TNS New Saints side on Wednesday evening.
But after the McGorian final, in which defender Grant Goodhead was sent off and manager Simon Line was ordered from the touchline, Low and Green offered unexpected encouragement to the Town camp.
Low, whose side did the double over Town in the league last season, said:"It's a tough time for them but, from what we know of them, they've got the character and talent to do well in the Unibond.
"We always expect a tough game against them and although they were not the same bunch of players we met last year, this was no exception.
"I think they have the ability to fight through this bad time if they keep their heads and stick together as I know they can do. We wish them good luck."
He also went some way towards sympathising with Line for an outburst against referee Michael Myers, which led to him being banished from the touchline.
"He had a real go at our bench too, but I think it's true to say that neither side was happy with all the decisions of the officials," he said
Skipper Green added: "At full strength I am sure they will do well in the Unibond. They've got great fighting spirit. We know it will always be a battle when we play them - and that's great to see that in a side. You've got to admire it."
Some of today was all a bit unfortunate but we've got our cup and I hope they get their success in the Unibond while we get promoted to meet them again next year."
An outlandish, hotly disputed Barwell goal in the first half when Town appeared to be getting the upper hand started the trouble on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Andrew Spooner looked the victim of a clear foul before Nigel Julian found the net but referee Myatt gave the goal.
Line claimed afterwards that even the game's fourth official thought this wrong. "At the time he said, that's a booking for the forward," he said.
More incidents, in which a Barwell player escaped with a dressing down from Mr Myatt the referee's sending-off of Goodhead for retaliation and then awarding Town a foul plus two quick goal when Town looked close to equalising, finally triggered Line.
He and other members of the Town bench became in an angrey confrontation with Mr Myers, some Barwell players and then their bench.
Line admitted afterwards that they were incensed and bitterly disappointed by what had happened in a game they'd all been looking forward to.
Of Barwell's opening goal, he said: "The fourth official admitted that our keeper, Andrew Spooner, was fouled for that score.
"On top of that, one of their guys was merely given a talking to for slapping one of our players off the ball in another incident.
"And when Grant was sent off, the referee actually gave us the free kick for a foul against him"
"When the ref came over I was simply asking him why he was interpreting the rules so erraticerratically ... it was after that the real argument began."
Wednesday's defeat by the Welsh border outfit TNS was another desperately unlucky saga for Town.
Saints opened the scoring with a soaring header by Matthew Berkeley from Chris Seargant's fine cross but Town fought back well to hit the woodwork twice through Paul McMullen and Duncan Horler before Seargeant snapped up a second and then, adding injury to insult, Chris McKenna made it a flattering three in stoppage time.
Able, and above all at full strength, Barwell and TNS All Saints showed what promoted Town can expect to be up against when they enter the Unibond League first division south with a home opener against Grantham on August 15.
But Town still have two attractive pre-season games to start meeting Barwell's expectations - hopefully with the return of some of their ill and injured.
They have a particularly attractive match on offer at Greenfields tomorrow (3pm) against FA Vase finalists Glosup North End and finally, they meet Aberystwyth, on July 8.
Then it's into the uncharted territory of the Unibond League first division south - with the added bonus of an opening home game against Grantham before two away trips.
"It's good to start at home but with two of our first three games away, it's going to be a tough start," forecast Line.
Marcus Low and Nick Green, the manager and skipper of bogey side Barwell, by far the toughest threat to last season's triumphant Town Midland Alliance double campaign, both believe Drayton's troubled pre-season preparations are a blip, albeit a bad one, to their continued progress.
Still decimated by illness and injury, Town lost 4-0 to Barwell in a sometimes stormy showpiece Joe McGorian Cup final at Greenfields on Saturday and suffered a 3-0 defeat by a polished TNS New Saints side on Wednesday evening.
But after the McGorian final, in which defender Grant Goodhead was sent off and manager Simon Line was ordered from the touchline, Low and Green offered unexpected encouragement to the Town camp.Low, whose side did the double over Town in the league last season, said:"It's a tough time for them but, from what we know of them, they've got the character and talent to do well in the Unibond.
"We always expect a tough game against them and although they were not the same bunch of players we met last year, this was no exception.
"I think they have the ability to fight through this bad time if they keep their heads and stick together as I know they can do. We wish them good luck."
He also went some way towards sympathising with Line for an outburst against referee Michael Myers, which led to him being banished from the touchline.
"He had a real go at our bench too, but I think it's true to say that neither side was happy with all the decisions of the officials," he said
Skipper Green added: "At full strength I am sure they will do well in the Unibond. They've got great fighting spirit. We know it will always be a battle when we play them - and that's great to see that in a side. You've got to admire it."
Some of today was all a bit unfortunate but we've got our cup and I hope they get their success in the Unibond while we get promoted to meet them again next year."An outlandish, hotly disputed Barwell goal in the first half when Town appeared to be getting the upper hand started the trouble on Saturday.
Goalkeeper Andrew Spooner looked the victim of a clear foul before Nigel Julian found the net but referee Myatt gave the goal.
Line claimed afterwards that even the game's fourth official thought this wrong. "At the time he said, that's a booking for the forward," he said.
More incidents, in which a Barwell player escaped with a dressing down from Mr Myatt the referee's sending-off of Goodhead for retaliation and then awarding Town a foul plus two quick goal when Town looked close to equalising, finally triggered Line.
He and other members of the Town bench became in an angrey confrontation with Mr Myers, some Barwell players and then their bench.
Line admitted afterwards that they were incensed and bitterly disappointed by what had happened in a game they'd all been looking forward to.
Of Barwell's opening goal, he said: "The fourth official admitted that our keeper, Andrew Spooner, was fouled for that score.
"On top of that, one of their guys was merely given a talking to for slapping one of our players off the ball in another incident.
"And when Grant was sent off, the referee actually gave us the free kick for a foul against him"
"When the ref came over I was simply asking him why he was interpreting the rules so erraticerratically ... it was after that the real argument began."
Wednesday's defeat by the Welsh border outfit TNS was another desperately unlucky saga for Town.
Saints opened the scoring with a soaring header by Matthew Berkeley from Chris Seargant's fine cross but Town fought back well to hit the woodwork twice through Paul McMullen and Duncan Horler before Seargeant snapped up a second and then, adding injury to insult, Chris McKenna made it a flattering three in stoppage time.
Able, and above all at full strength, Barwell and TNS All Saints showed what promoted Town can expect to be up against when they enter the Unibond League first division south with a home opener against Grantham on August 15.
But Town still have two attractive pre-season games to start meeting Barwell's expectations - hopefully with the return of some of their ill and injured.
They have a particularly attractive match on offer at Greenfields tomorrow (3pm) against FA Vase finalists Glosup North End and finally, they meet Aberystwyth, on July 8.
Then it's into the uncharted territory of the Unibond League first division south - with the added bonus of an opening home game against Grantham before two away trips.
"It's good to start at home but with two of our first three games away, it's going to be a tough start," forecast Line.
