FA Trophy QF Replay: Macclesfield Town vs Dulwich Hamlet, Tues 7th March

[B.I.G]

We did have some comps, so probably over 150, but who knows what the turnstiles actually told.

It's irrelevant really to whats been an amazing run, we've all done the club proud, The Team, Committee, Trust and Fans (bar the....4 pending FA Investigations!?). It's been a fantastic journey and a true advert for everything that DHFC is about. We should all feel proud to be associated with the pink and blue.

My seat on the 'quiet' coach allowed me to watch 10 episodes of Always Sunny in a row.

The poor man's Taxi.

 

[DonkeyAssessor]

Spot on clog and I should have done what you guys did. 11 hours on a coach in one day has destroyed me. See you both on Saturday

Lucky you don't support Plymouth, Carlisle or remotely located club then Andy. Their fans do similar nigh on every over week.

 

[DonkeyAssessor]

It made no difference to the outcome of the game, Macc did all the damage inside the first twenty minutes, and they're to good a side to blow that sort of advantage against us a second time, but I have to say I was very disappointed indeed with the ref's handling of the game. We were always going to need lucky breaks to have a chance, but even if Macc had played no better than ourselves we'd have stood little chance. He repeatedly penalised us for everything he possibly could, Chambers' booking was a joke (got tight to an opponent on the halfway line who rolled him and tripped - a foul yes, but never worth a booking unless for persistent foul lay, which it wasn't at such an early stage of the game); yet obvious holding and shirtpulling offences against our players were totally ignored. Looked like we should have had a second half penalty when Dumaka went down in the box but he gave a free kick the other way - I was too far away to be sure whether he got thatone wrong or not, but his overall display didn't inspire any confidence.


No, we had our moments but Macc learned not to be too defensive and invite us to press them in their own half and had good chances of their won after the break. I'd say the second half was pretty even with both sides breaking quickly and dangerously at times.


Beaney's composure and ability to just move the ball on briskly and accurately was badly missed. Macc's whole team played with a pace and precision that we couldn't really match; comfortably the best side we've faced this season, and we did very well to give them a run for their money over two matches.


Even more amazingly, it won't be because of B.I.G that people remember "that coach"!

Agree it wouldn't have made any difference to outcome, but that referee did give an impression he's been on Kevin Friend's recent "stag do" too.
(Early on in game, a couple of Macc players were shoved off ball, challenges that went unpunished, so his extensive errors weren't just one way)

Having seen DH v 2 x national league sides, still reckon best two strikers that Drage and Chambers have faced all season was Kabamba and Lowe (both now at Portsmouth ) in the pre season friendly at Hampton & Richmond. Reckon Staines must have forwarded video of that QPR trainee's 45 yard unchallenged run and strike against us back in November on to Macc ! All a learning curve for them.

All the best to Macc for the remainder of the competition. Might even be tempted to go along to the final whoever gets there now.

And to all the DH players, THAT WAS A BLOODY VALIANT EFFORT. WELL DONE.

And to Mr Dooley, thanks for making last night possible, without the cost of a hotel room.

 

[WillClunas]

Fans (bar the....4 pending FA Investigations!?)

*dons shades to early 90s Gangsta Rap soundtrack*

 

[Dulwich Mishi]

Radio said 140 DHFC I think, but could be creative accounting.

We had 150, if you include a few in the 'home stands/directors area'.

 

[chris gil]

Some quick match thoughts-

They started really strongly, was deja vu as two quality solo goals saw them race into an early 2-0 lead.

They relaxed after that and we got back into it, but really only had one short dangerous spell, with our best chance coming from a Nathan Green cutback. I couldn't see who struck the shot but it took a top save to stop the net from bulging.

Agree we missed Beaney, lots of high balls which didn't really work, Ash and Tomlin were quiet, but always seemed to have two guys instantly on them when the ball came through.

Really strong shout for a penalty in the second half as Tomlin was chopped down but Ref wasn't having it.

We played the whole second half in driving rain/hail/wind, which didn't help. Dumaka came on and looked lively but lacking recently match practice.

Great night at a very welcoming club.

(And there were definitely more than 140 Hamlet fans there...)

I think the strike was from sekajja ,cracking save from the keeper . we really missed greenys surging runs down the left , he had his hands full with their slippery goal scorer most of the night . I thought taylor did well in midfield but we really missed beaney , he is so industrious and keeps things ticking , same as the first game though Macclesfield looked just that bit sharper in midfield .
great performance from the team over 2 games though , acquitted ourselves really well .

I'm glad I was on the more refined coach by the sound of it

 

[EDC]

I've just remembered there was an undercover journo on the coach.

 

[B.I.G]

I've just remembered there was an undercover journo on the coach.

For the Sun no less.

 

[Dulwich Mishi]

If you think my poetry's shit look away....I scribbled this on the coach home, in a rare moment of quietness!

"Going home"

It's now the early hours
On the coaches heading home
No shame in losing to Macclesfield
As our performances have shown.
It's been a huge Trophy run
Of which I didn't dare dream
Despite being knocked out earlier
I'm trying to hide a beam.
In my head I had thoughts of Wembley
Knowing they'd never come true
But just to be drawn against Tranmere Rovers
Made me so proud to be Pink & Blue.
It wasn't so long ago
We had a replay down in deepest Hants
A Monday night at Havant and Waterlooville
When our away support was pants.
That night we were pony
Losing three nil away fans numbering ten
Tonight we went to Cheshire
An army of one fifty women and men!
Singing for ninety minutes
Lung and hearts pounding strong
Totally outclassing the Silkmen
When it came to cheers and song.
Out on the pitch
Couldn't find the back of the net
Wembley just wasn't to be
Simply not our time quite yet.
So much hope for the future
Under the genius of Gavin Rose
Still a chance of promotion
Let's see how it goes.
Then there's the League and London
Two cups still at stake
So much still to look forward to
I'm dreading the summer break!

 

[waxoyl]

I'm dreading the summer break! Me too.[emoji41]

.

 

[Dulwich Mishi]

Although, to be fair, the close season gets ever smaller.
Going to Hamburg at the end of May, Hamburg Cup Final May 25th, then two play-off games (out of three), just got to hope Altona qualify for both! If not it's just watching whoever's in them...
Then from Hamburg I go direct to Glasgow, via Stansted! Queen's Park Supporters' Sixes on Saturday June 3rd, I'll get a game in on the Sunday to watch. From there I head to Manchester for a couple of days, for the end of my summer holiday. No football, but plan to visit the National Football museum, and do at least one of the big stadium tours.
There's then Womens Super League games on some of the Sundays, until the pre-seasons start in early July...so despite my moaning I'll cope...

 

[DonkeyAssessor]

Well done today to Macc. It will be of some satisfaction if we can say we were beaten by the eventual winners. Enjoy your day at Wembley.

 

[PartisanDulwich]

Tranmere Rovers 0 Macclesfield Town 1 (2nd leg).... Attendance: 4,923

Macclesfield Town win 3-2 over both legs and play York City in the final of the FA Trophy

 

[DonkeyAssessor]

To be preceeded by Cleethorpes v south shields in the vase.
Cleethorpes Bt Bromsgrove 1-0 (2-1 on ag)
South Shields Bt Coleshill 4-0 (6-1 on agg)

 

[Dulwich Mishi]

Good job I'm not a betting fan...out of those four finalists the only one I would have gone for was South Shields!

 

[billbond]

I see tomorrow night Maccs are playing York]#funny how the fixtures work out