Written by Andrew Madaras
Photos by Liam Smith
There was no hiding the disappointment in Joe Deeney’s post-match interview with Andy Burrows for the Talk of the Town podcast, following the Blues exit from the Isuzu FA Vase at Creasey Park on Sunday afternoon.
He congratulated Tring Athletic on their victory and as most Blues fans did, conceded his team had just not performed well enough to have gone into the draw for the next round.
Joe has so many endearing qualities as both a man and as a manager. It’s what made his appointment into the Blues hot-seat 14 months ago such an easy decision for the Directors to make.
As honest as the day is long, Joe explained where the Blues had come unstuck and how he intended to put things right for the remaining 25 League games that lie ahead between now and the final scheduled match away at Stotfold on Saturday, April 22nd.
There are 75 points to play for and Deeney will be looking for nothing less than a maximum return from all of them.
But, he said, for that to happen, players needed to concentrate on doing the very basic things right and stop making costly mistakes.
And unfortunately for anyone with Dunstable Town loyalties those mistakes ended the Wembley dream, but we wish Tring well in the next round as they and Leighton Town are now the two remaining SSML teams left in the Competition as St Panteleimon also lost away at Pinchbeck Utd.
The crowd of 252 was just above the season average with Tring well supported by their own vocal fans.
The pies and mash catering outlet provided by Mark from Farmhouse Catering did a roaring trade and proved to be as popular with spectators as his last appearance had been for the Friday night Vase game against Enfield FC in the previous round.
An 82nd minute goal from Danny Webb had proved to be decisive in that game, and although Webb was on the scoresheet again, albeit two minutes later in the 84th minute, it wasn’t enough and Tring held on to their one goal advantage.
Dunstable gave themselves a hill to climb as within the first half an hour Tring had gone into a two goal lead and took that into the half-time break.
Kelvin Osei-Addo reduced the arrears with a 53rd minute penalty but when Tring extended their lead on 75 minutes it pushed the odds firmly back into the away side’s favour.
And so it proved, despite Webb’s late addition.
On Wednesday night Dunstable Town had gone down narrowly at home in the Beds Senior Challenge Cup against fellow ground sharers, AFC Dunstable in an evenly contested match. A controversial penalty being the deciding factor of the game.
Sam McClelland struck in the 34th minute to put AFC ahead, showing a neat turn in the box to fire into the bottom corner.
Danny Webb evened things up in the 51st minute, stooping low to head in at the far post a well worked short corner routine between Harry Beaumont & Tolu Ikuyinminu.
It was no less than the Blues deserved and should have been enough to have taken the tie to penalties.
Dunstable face a tricky December with matches against, Shefford Town & Campton and Crawley Green in the League as well as a Wednesday night re-visit to Hertford Town to play St Panteleimon in the Dudley Latham Cup.
The only home match of the four is the Christmas Bank Holiday visit of Crawley Green to Creasey Park on Tuesday 27th December. Kick off time has still to be confirmed.
Comentarios