hrbfc

Lovett
Fernandes, Wells, Scarborough, McDonald
Smith, Collier, Lake, Tanner
Hodges, Dundas

15mins 1-0 Hodges!!
22mins Maidenhead down to 10 men (stamp)
38mins 2-0 Hodges!!
40mins Maidenhead down to 9 men (last man challenege)

HT

60mins 3-0 Hodges Hat-Trick!!
85mins 4-0 Wells

Would be good to know if people think we would have gone on so comfortably if Maidenhead hadn't had me sent off. Obviously we were winning before the first red card but did it look like we were all over them?

PS, anyone notice the scorer of Newports goal in there 1-0 win today. Mr Jamie Collins. Cue all the jibes about how it must have been our awful football that stopped him playing well. YAWN!

From the way H&RB started the game there was only going to be one winner today.
H&RB were really up for this game make no mistake and even before the sendings off Maidenhead never looked like they were going to trouble H&RB.

I would second that opinion. The bit that cheered me most was the return of Trigger to the midfield. He may not have the ability that Collins was reputed to have, by God can he organise the centre!

Can I just add that I Love Hodgey. If anyone has a problem with that we can discuss it the next time I'm down the club.

If we get him back in the team every week then it can only get better.

Well done to ALL the team (AND Dev & Duds) for a much improved performance this week. OBVIOUSLY Dev has taken on board some of the sensible comments from the fans, (which he probably noticed himself, but maybe didn't want to implement for his own reasons / pressures). All the problems may not have been completely 'fixed' but Dev has gone some way to making the necessary changes. A midfield of 'Trigger', Nathan and at times Craig and Ashley was beginning to give better shape to the team. They worked well together and the ENTHUSIASM of 'Trig' rubbed off on the rest of the team. I liked the way he was talking to Nathan and 'coaching' him as the game went on. That's what young players need to progress. That's why we need older AND younger players to work together for our team. Hodgie and Craig IS THE BEST striker combination we have and Hodgie was 'on fire' despite being fouled all the match. [When was the last time we had a striker score a 'hat-trick' with the help of a 'Russian linesman' type decision!!] Defence was a little wobbly at times BUT, we didn't over commit at corners and free kicks, John and Deano didn't go up every time and so saved their energy and didn't get caught by breakaways. In fact Deano arriving in the box late on surprised the opposition! Matt used the ball from the back more constructively and threw it to his colleagues, not just big boot! (It did help having only 9 to play against, but how often have we struggled in the past against 'reduced opponents?) Jamie Collins has moved on to join a club ('nearer home' ?????), good luck to him, but some of our problems have stemmed from his obvious mistakes and slowness and this change is for the good of the rest of the team. Brave decision to let him go, as we paid good money for him but had to be done

It always happens after several seasons of success, there is a time when 'things' go pear-shaped, as the Squad gets older and slower by just a couple of yards, at our 'giddy' level football level you are going to be punished!
The question is Will the 'Dev doubters' rethink their negative criticism? What was all that about?? Talk about over reaction, some 'fans?' were sounding like Premier League 'Prawn sandwich' scumporters, which Hampton supporters never should be (after years 'in the wilderness').
In non-league terms (under Dev) we have won the equivalent of the European Championship. No other non-league team of our size has ever had so many promotions AND been in TWO CONSECUTIVE Conference playoff Finals!! I think we owe Dev at least one season to freshen up his team. Maybe now that some of the 'problems' have been addressed we can get back on an even keel and talk sense, NOT thinking like spoilt Chelski supporters throwing toys out of the pram when we lose a few home matches in quick succession and making Daily Mailing type comments!! Blimey !!
I really enjoyed the match yesterday AND even without the sendings off Hampton would have won the match they had the proper positive, determined attitude and played proper football.
What we must be careful of is getting carried away and expecting the re-jigged side to win every match from now on, I would suggest that this is a 're-building' season and any success will be a bonus. (Presumably for some people Dev has got to win the FA Trophy!! to be a success this year??)
Those of us who were dreaming of FA Cup success should transfer our enthusiasm to our previous excellent football-loving Chairman's team Gateshead FC.
Graham has invested in his home-town club BIG TIME!! They have been given a 'plum' draw in the First Round, a home match against the 'Giants' of Division 1, Brentford FC. I've posted Graham with our good wishes for success and suggested that Gateshead draw the first match so we can go to Griffin Park to support them in winning the replay!

Dev has given this club a great deal of success and we must be very grateful to him for all that he has done to date. We have supported him in the past and he deserves to have support at the present time.
Any team comes to a point that it needs to have a more radical overhaul by the manager. A good manager recognises the signs and starts to make the changes he feels are necessary by introducing changes of personnel. What should be avoided is mass changes too quickly and losing players who would be key in the future. Some folk have already posted that perhaps a couple of players are getting that bit older and have lost that extra half a yard of pace. If the supporter notices this, then no doubt a good manager noticed it some time before? Harper has gone, perhaps for this reason?
As far as Collins was concerned, a good player but did not fit in? It happens, especially being the new boy coming into a settled and successful team, which at the start of the season, was hit by suspensions and injuries to key players. Thereby leading to a loss of confidence, resulting in poorer results than supporters expected . Wish him well and move on.
I would not be surprised to see other changes and it may be that there could be some recruitment with an eye for the future. The introduction of Collier from the reserves may be a pointer to the future. However, this policy must always be balanced with the introduction of more experienced players. As has been stated by others, this season may be a transitional, but for all connected with the club, there is the hope that the long term future will bring more success. Stability and careful planning are key components in any successful club.

To conclude, a quote from the Beavers Trust web site.

‘As a result of the Meeting with the Club Board, Brian Barwick and the Trust Board met together on Wednesday 30th September. Brian has been appointed by the club to, amongst other things, liaise with the Trust. Brian was very generous with his time and gave a very frank overview of his responsibilities within the club. Brian also outlined the financial pressures that the club was under. Not only is the Board having to fund the day to day running of the club it is also having to gradually pay off debts incurred by the previous regime. The Board, though, is confident that by the end of this season the club will be in the best financial position that it has been for many a year.’

Apparently the budget has been cut again this week. Less than a third of the season gone and its cut - Does this mean that their was no cash flow forecast at the beginning of the season and panic ensued because we got knocked out of the Cup? Dev already has one of the smallest budgets (I believe) in the league and yet we have managed to get to two play off finals in two seasons.

Think it says a lot that the players went out yesterday with a steely resolve - probably due to the fact that these guys genuinely play for the love of the Club - but money is always going to be important because these guys have mortgages and families like the rest of us - they seemed to be sending a message??

Heard that Graham Harper walked out because of the budget situation and obviously selling Jamie Collins to Newport had something to do with the wage bill.

I still think we can get to the play offs again - still love watching the team and it saves me a fortune following the Beavers and not doing my bo*****s in the betting shop every Saturday.

I think the Club had been running in excess of its playing budget for a while. While still in the FA Cup the Directors allowed this to continue because in theory any overspend could be offset by additional prize money.

However once the FA Cup run came to and end the playing budget had to brought back into line and that is just a reality of Football at this level where responsible financial management is surely the key to long term survival.

Well done guys... lets advertise the budget cut to everyone on the internet so the vultures at the rival clubs can come in and snap up our players... I think geoffo and cliffp. could do the club and it's fans a favour and delete their posts before they regret it.

Mawgan, please don't send my good wishes for success as A) I have no interest whatsoever in Gateshead, and B) I hope Brentford win.

Although i don't rate trigger much the team do seem to play better with him in the middle. He is one of the motivators of the team which is always needed and does get himself in the right positions. I dunno how old he is but think he is getting on a bit doesnt have much pace and misplaces passes a lot but he is good for the fans and gets up well in the air

Lewis you are so Damn rude...

Lewis you are so Damn rude...

MK...behave

Some players fit in to a team and the midfield on Saturday looked much better with Trigger alongside Nathan. He was constantly talking to those around him and broke up play nicely. I don't recall many misplaced passes and the team had a much better balance to it.