WUPBlog

Apparently theres going to be a press release tomorrow from the Beveree announcing the sponsor of their new stand – Lego. By all accounts the toy manufacturer are simply saying thanks to Trumpton for buying so much of their product for use as the main material in the construction of The Lego Stand. Arf!

I currently have the Blue Square South League table (BBC Version) open in another window. I know how many points we are ahead of the Trumptonians, Eastleigh, Hayes & Chelsea, even Chelmsford (just to make sure they’re still a playoff position…). I can even recall goal difference, give or take a goal or two. Yet I still keep it there and look at it from time to time, just to give some sense of perspective.

I know we should placate the Football Gods by being Respectful of Our Rivals chances, but looking at that table, and looking at Hamptons remaining games, can anyone seriously see them beating us to the title? They’ve done really well to get where they are at the moment, but can anyone imagine living in a world where those bastards gain promotion at our expense in two out of three seasons?

Surely they are going to come apart at some stage, as Chelmo did before them, and we seem to be doing now? After yesterday I’m more worried about Eastleigh. They look the real deal. Tough to break down, playing to their strengths, on a couple of occasions they put some really awkward balls to deal with into our box for their forwards to get onto, almost as if they were saying ‘Go on then, try clearing that!’

And they were appaling at the start of the season! Losing five goals at Bromley and St Albans surely shouldn’t be on a champions CV, but if we end up falling over Hampton and they nick it, good luck to ‘em. I’ve heard a lot of people say if Hampton win the league they would have deserved it, but Eastleigh have come from nowhere. If they get revenge over St Albans on Wednesday night they are just four points behind us.

Anything could happen between now and the end of the season, thats for damned cliched sure. There’s only one way to guarantee that title, thats by winning every game. Theres not that many of them left, so its more than possible. I just hope the lads feel the injustice of yesterday as much as we do, and turn that anger into something positive.

I’ll be in the States for a week on Tuesday so I’m missing the Team Bath game. I’m obviously disapointed to be away for a week at this stage of the season, but for some reason I have a funny feeling things might look a little more rosy by the time I get back. Maybe its the holiday feelgood factor. Or maybe its because despite the up and down form this term, I still believe its going to be our year. Perhaps if we all believed, we’ll somehow muddle through.

After a turgid display at St Albans where we couldn’t manage a shot on target during 90 minutes,  Terry Brown has given us a timely shot in the arm by signing Kezie Ibe, who of course scored the winner for Ch£lmsford at Kingsmeadow last season after coming off the bench. Let’s hope he can perform similar feats for the Dons and help drag us out of the mini slump we find ourselves in. Wimbledon have enjoyed a certain tradition of effective black forwards in the past and whilst nobody would question the positions of Main and Kedwell, it’s great to have another option at this stage, which might just be enough to kick us out of the recent malaise. Looking at his recent goalscoring record, it hasn’t got near to the strike rate he achieved whilst at Staines but he could well prove to be the player for the big occasion, and we have eight big occasions remaining which all seem to have the “cup final” factor about them!

Victory in our next two home matches would surely leave Hampton with an uphill task. It remains to be seen if latest midfield recruit Rob Saunders can be the missing catalyst in a position which some have identified as our weakest/most unsettled area all season. One thing is certain, whatever the final outcome of the season, changes in the engine room will be forthcoming. Just as DeBolla, Ferguson and Co. were jettisoned unceremoniously directly after securing our elevated status, Finn, Davis et al should be looking over their shoulders right about now.

It seems strange to talk of “problem areas” when you sit six points clear at the top of the league, in a season which has generally surpassed expectations, but such is the frenzied fascination we as a fanbase have, analysing the every move of both management and playing staff alike. Even stranger to use words like “slump” and “malaise” when we haven’t actually lost a game in ages! The truth is, we should have made 3 points safe early doors at Weston and didn’t, but travelling Dons did get the feeling that Pullen’s penalty save might be viewed later as a crucial factor in the title race.

Hampton are only going to benefit financially from the current tense table standings, with nervous Dons fans swelling their modest attendances. It’s a win win situation for them and for as long as their results hoodoo remains over us, the tension and pressure are all on our side.

Whilst namechecking the Beavers, I noted recently that a capacity online audience availed themselves of the online interactive matchday experience at www.wimbledonstadium.com on the occasion of their home match versus Newport. Can you imagine, 215 people “tuning in” for a non league match not involving their own team!

I’ve seen it written on many an opposition forum that the interactive online stadium and it’s associated Radio WDON commentary are  the envy of others and way above the normal provision of updates for non league (and some league) fans unable to attend the game. As someone who has only been able to scrape into double figures for physical match attendance this season, I’d like to say how grateful I am for this fantastic service, and to it’s creator Mike Arrowsmith – if there isn’t some sort of accolade heading your way come the end of the season, then there should be! You have given the exiles a platform to gather together and share the collective joys and frustrations of supporting the Dons, and offered an experience which really is second only to “being there”. I’d also like to thank Mikey T and Geoff Hawley for their sterling work in relaying the action and making sure we never miss a kick. To all the freeloaders out there, it really is more than worth a fiver for the virtual season ticket over the course of a season!It’s worth more than that just to be a part of the remaining fixtures of this season

Finally for now, we’ve been asked what the deadline is for the next WUP. The answer to that is, shower us with your submissions starting now, and we’ll be in a position to know when an issue launch is most viable!

Come on Dons, settle our blood pressure’s* presure down a bit today, please!

*Thank you Sally for the comment

How can a night get any better when at the chip bar the serving wench delivers a piece of comedy genius.

Paddy, myself and Bubble, queuing for some outrageously decent chips, were at the front of the queue. Paddy, being the generous lad he is, decided to fork out for two portions of chips. “two chips please”. In a superb piece of comic timing the serving wench thrusts in front of us a carton with two rather tasty looking chips. Absolute genius. She must have been waiting for that moment, but what a start to the night.

Worcester saucily came at us with gusto from the first moment. They didn’t create too many moments of real danger, but boy did they keep us from getting anywhere near their goal. I cant remember us leaving our half to be honest. Kedwell and Main looked as ineffective as they were on Saturday, whilst Worcester crashed into every player, winning the ball back and pressing us at any opportunity. Honestly, though, they never looked like scoring, their best chances would be from any mistakes but Little didn’t look like making one.

When we remembered that we could actually lose this game, we started to kick on, matched the midlanders and somehow got us a penalty. Ball in the box, Main was prevented from scoring, yellow card for defender. The keeper looked far too confident with his dancing on the line and he made a good save low to his left.

Second half Brown brought on Finn and it seemed he was playing a rather disjointed unbalanced left winger pushed forward as support for Kedwell and Main. But who needs balance when Finn caused untold damage. He was chaos for their defenders, he was a man possessed and ran around them like a dog on heat. This meant Kedwell and Main could join the game, but it was Inns who finally smashed in the first goal. We were dominant now and all the action was in front of the Tempest End. We collectively knew the goal was coming having seen chance after chance spurned. When it did come it was from a delightful corner which was saved on the goaline from (i think) Kedwell and that gave Inns the chance to rifle the ball home. Eat that. Everyone went fucking mental.

Soon after, ball down the left and Main made it two. Chaotic scenes behind the goal, bits of people flying around the place; glasses, watches, chips and mustaches all ended up where they shouldn’t have been. Crazy few minutes.

There were many chances spurned by the Dons with Main shooting after some sensational dummy twisting from the edge of the box, the ball rebounding off the post and Kedwells confused body not being able to turn correctly enough to hit it in from a yard out.

Kedwell should have scored when he was given the ball in the area in a stupid backpass. After a comedy double take he was squeezed out by some excellent defending.

Worcester are a decent side and they will trouble most sides with their high tempo pressing. But I like to think we rose to their challenge and beat them fairly. Sign of champions? Lets hope so.

Only sour note was Andy Little who injured his ankle after falling. No contact, just an unfortunate moment.

Must be said that for a midweek, Worcester fans turned up in good number and were a credit to their club.

We SOOOO got away with this one. On a beautiful afternoon (in comparison to the hideous weather we’ve endured recently) our unconvincing run continued with a very lucky win over a side who really are surprisingly struggling in the Conference South. Maybe this goes to show that if you have a couple of forwards who are prepared to work hard and take their chances, you can maintain a top position, over a solid side like Thurrock who were blunt up top.

And thats likely all the difference between the sides. An ability to take your chance when its there. Just before half time Thurrock squandered many chances in a decent spell.  Hitting over the bar and failing to connect in front of goal. Pullen scares the shit out of me, but he looks like  Oliver Kahn so that might work for us..  

They had one close call in the second half. AFCW looked disjointed without Dwane Lee, the forwards didn’t connect with the midfield and goodness knows what was happening on the left. Time after time the ball was passed out to the wing and there was nobody there. We rarely kept possession and Thurrock were getting the ball back into our defensive areas far too regularly.

To enter my book of cliches, a good manager proves himself by being able to change things. With the game looking like a comfortable 0-0 Terry made significant changes. Finn came on and caused problems. He held the ball for more than milliseconds and ran at the opposition. We started to get free kicks around the box and Sam Hatton rammed one home. What a free-kick it was. Using the wall and a cunning set of well placed deflections Sam used Pythagoras to negotiate his spherical friend over a flat footed and despairing keeper. The last part of the deflected lob was sheer perfection. If Ronaldo had done it, then we would be talking about it for weeks, but because it was Sam Hatton, it just looked like a spawny multi deflected effort.

They say you get luck when you are top, and we certainly are getting it. How fun it is, but the real luck that we seek is for Hampton & Richmond to start losing. They look ominous and I have to admit I think we are only keeping the seat warm for them.

(So, how many cliches was that????)