The View from the Bar
Hmm, last week then… Strangely, I’m still more annoyed about the fact we didn’t get all three points against Fareham than I am about the fact we got a proper walloping off Horndean. The contrast between the two games couldn’t have been more obvious. Against Fareham our (currently a bit makeshift) side gelled, and battled superbly against a very good side who were clearly misfiring a little on the night. Against Horndean though, we were up against another very (very) good side, but one completely on top of their game and brimming with confidence. It’s odd, but I didn’t begrudge Horndean their win, or the magnitude of it, one little bit, and it certainly didn’t leave me as morose as other tonkings I can recall over the years.
A day or two after the game Cowes stalwart Andy Glaysher texted me, and we sent a few messages back and forth recounting the heaviest Cowes defeats we could recall. I haven’t had the chance yet to trawl back through the record books to check the veracity of his memories, but he thought he was on the bench for a 9-0 defeat at the hands of Lymington (more likely Lymington Reserves, as it goes), c.1983. A 7-1 hammering at Pegasus (in Basingstoke) also came to mind.
For my part, the 94-5 season (I think it was) stands out, when we lost no less than three games by the score of 7-1. Away at Aldershot in the Hampshire Senior Cup it was pretty much expected, and the edge was taken off it by several factors that day, not least the fact we had such a grand day out. Steve Ryan’s goal was definitely goal of the game, too (I dropped and broke my camera jumping around celebrating it, despite the fact we were still four or five goals down by that point). The 7-1 defeat at free-scoring Andover in the league was a bit more dispiriting. We hadn’t yet established ourselves as their bogey side but visited the Portway full of hope, only to b sent home with our tails between our legs. They were a very good side with some outstanding players. If memory serves me, Paul Hunt scored four that night without really breaking sweat.
The one that really hurt was the 1-7 reverse at Andover New Street is the one that really stands out, although come to think of it that must’ve been the following season because that was in the Hampshire Senior Cup too. They were still Hampshire League at the time, and we were establishing ourselves nicely in the Wessex. But we were terrible that day – truly awful. “This is the worst Wessex League side I’ve ever seen” commented one local, and on the basis of the evidence before us that day, it was hard to disagree.
A few years before that was the actual heaviest defeat I could recall though, again in the Hants Senior Cup, at Bashley in 1990. 8-0 (and we were lucky to get nil), although in fairness they were a very solid Southern League side at the time.
I guess the point is, these results are always going to happen every now and again. We’ve dished out a few over the years too, so it would be unrealistic not to expect to be on the other end of them from time to time. None of those results killed our season, or really made much of a difference to the team, or club, at all. They happened, we moved on, and that’s what will happen this time too. In years to come, having been here to witness it will probably become a badge of honour (as it undoubtedly has with those others I’ve mentioned).
If I had the history books to hand I’d be delving in to see what our results were like the week after these hammerings. Unfortunately I’m away from home as I write, and I can’t. But I’d be prepared to wager we bounced back with a win on more than one occasion. Would be nice if that happened today too. Let’s see…
The latest of our match posters are out and available today, and after an intensive run of home games these ones will actually see us through to the middle of January. If you can help the club out by getting one up in a window, on a notice board somewhere or in a local shop or business we’d really appreciate it. Give me a shout today and I’ll sort you out.
So yes, not so many home games coming up, but one or two doable away days in the offing, with U.S. Portsmouth on 18th December standing out. I hear the chaps from Country Corner are already making plans, so put it in your diary if you fancy a big away day – more details to follow.
Enjoy the game.
Toby