Kettering V Torquay United 21st February 2009

I have also added romfordkevs (Forum Photographer)to the matchday thread and they can also be seen in in the grounds board.



In addition to Chris's fantastic picture gallery from Kettering, here are a selection of my photos - probably making this thread the most extensive selection to date!!



ON ARRIVAL - THE "BLUE SQUARE WELCOME" SIGN.




SIDE VIEW OF THE MAIN STAND FROM THE ROUNDABOUT.




CLOSE UP OF THE MATCHDAY FIXTURE BOARD.




VIEW OF THE CANTILEVERED MAIN STAND FROM THE "ROCKINGHAM ROAD END" (AWAY SECTION).




FROM THE SAME VANTAGE POINT, THE RAMSHACKLE "BRITANNIA ROAD TERRACE."




AT THE OTHER END, THE "COWPER STREET" TERRACING - THE HOME END.




BENYON AND HIS "MINDER" FOR THE DAY, GUY BRANSTON.




YES ELLIOT, HE REALLY IS THAT BIG IN REAL LIFE!!
BENYON LOOKS A LITTLE APPREHENSIVE.




SILLSY WITH KETTERING'S OTHER "MAN MOUNTAIN" - EXODUS GEOHAGHON.




MUZZY AND MATT WARM UP ON THE SIDELINES.




TORQUAY GO 2-0 DOWN, AS SEDDON SENDS BEVAN THE WRONG WAY FROM THE PENALTY SPOT.




THOMPSON AND BENYON CLOSE IN AS NICHO TRYS HIS LUCK WITH A FREE KICK.




BUCKLE LOOKS ON AS CARLISLE SENDS A CROSS OVER FROM THE RIGHT.




ROSCOE PLAYS "DAVID" TO GEOHAGHON'S "GOLIATH", AS KETTERING LOOK TO DEFEND A TORQUAY CORNER.




REFEREE J WAUGH HAS WORDS WITH KETTERING'S WESTCARR, AS WROE, NICHO AND CARLISLE WAIT TO TAKE THE FREE KICK WHICH WOULD LEAD TO NICHO'S GOAL.




TORQUAY "NEW BOY" CHRISTIE SHARES A JOKE ON THE SIDELINES WITH EX TEAM MATE CHRIS BEARDSLEY.




JP MARNA IS STRETCHERED OFF AS KETTERING'S MANAGEMENT DUO OF COOPER AND SINCLAIR LOOK ON.




HODGES AND ROBERTSON DOUBLE UP ON SEDDON AS TORQUAY DEFEND DURING THE SECOND HALF.




NICHO CHALLENGES FOR THE BALL WITH HODGES AND THOMPSON IN CLOSE ATTENDANCE.




ROBBO CHALLENGES FOR POSSESSION.




THE GULLS CLOSE DOWN ANOTHER SECOND HALF ATTACK FROM WESTCARR.




ALAS, IT WASN'T TO BE.
DESPITE A SPIRITED SECOND HALF PERFORMANCE, THE GULLS GO DOWN 2-1. A DISAPPOINTED NICHOLSON APPLAUDS THE TRAVELLING FANS.




ON EXITING THE GROUND, A LAST LOOK AT THE "BRITANNIA ROAD" TERRACE IN ALL ITS GLORY!!





AND YOU THOUGHT ONLY PLAINMOOR HAD A MOSAIC!!
ALTHOUGH ON A MUCH SMALLER SCALE, THE FOLLOWING 3 PICTURES WERE TAKEN IN THE "POPPIES' SOCIAL CLUB."









AS THE SUN STARTS TO SET, A QUICK DART BACK INTO THE GROUND - AND A VIEW OF THE MAIN STAND FROM THE "COWPER STREET" END.




THE VIEW OF THE "BRITANNIA ROAD" TERRACE.




AND THE AWAY SECTION OF ROCKINGHAM ROAD FROM THE HOME END.




THE OLD AND THE NEW.
THE TRADITIONAL OLD COWPER STREET SIGN HAS SEEN BETTER DAYS COMPARED TO ITS MODERNDAY ADMISSION CHARGE NOTICE - STUCK ON WITH MASKING TAPE.




AND FINALLY........THIS IS MY FAVOURITE SHOT OF THE DAY.

CONJURING UP THE ATMOSPHERE FROM YEARS GONE BY, A SILHOUETTE OF THE "COWPER" END FLOODLIGHTS TOWERING OVER THE SURROUNDING STREETS, AS THE SUN SLOWLY SINKS ON ANOTHER MATCHDAY.

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If you locate Dave Thomas sitting amongst the radio commentators at the top right of the stand, that's me just below him to the left in the dark glasses NOT standing or applauding and WITHOUT my blanket or grey hair! Dunno what happened to Anthony there ( must have beetled off somewhere) and the lady to my left is "somebody else's wife" - Mark Howarth's wife Karen; in fact.[/quote]
whats this game called--wheres Wally?? ;D ;D ;D ;D

I have to say that it was not the way i saw it and i was slightly disappointed he didn't come out and tell it like it was.

I wouldn't say he was sounding delusional, its more likely that he is being more diplomatic. I'm not sure what we would have gained had he come out and told it as it was in the first half. I have no doubt that he said his piece in the dressing room at half time, because in fairness they started the second half at 100 miles an hour, like they had a rocket shoved up their arse by Bucks.

That said, i would have preferred him to come out and say that we couldn't cope with their MASSIVE back four, made a few mistakes at the back and were out thought, outfought, out muscled and outplayed in the first half, but then came back into the game in the second half, missed a few chances and possibly, just possibly, deserved a draw.

However, like i said before, I'm not sure what that would achieve. Publicly criticizing the players certainly wouldn't help the players morale, it wouldn't be good for the 'team spirit' and it is unlikely to improve us or make us better in the next game. Publicly humiliating people rarely leads to improved performances.

The only way to improve is to work harder on the training ground, identify the things that are going wrong and work on them, then transfer this to the match. So maybe some shooting practice, from 8 yards, with the keeper on the floor, and see what happens tomorrow night.

That's a fair assessment but when will gullible people like Fonda stop and realise that what is said behind the dressing room door, stays behind the dressing room door and what is quoted in the after match press conference is said outside the dressing room door?

When will sarcastic cynics like Enzo realise that the way NOT to treat adults is to stand the manager at the foot of the Chairman's desk and demand to know what went on at training sessions or to childishly withdraw professional travelling arrangements through spite?

I would humbly endorse those observation's made by TUFC01 from his self confessed "crap view" behind the goal and those of JMGull who knows far more about team leadership, sport and the associated psychology of it than Fonda and Enzo could ever hope to achieve.

As usual, a defeat ends up being dissected and perceived as some sort of defining example of the manager's incompetence, the players lack of application and now the pre-match training and preparation, travelling arrangements - what have you by people who "listened on the radio" or only observed matters from a worm's eye view at one end.

One day perhaps, we shall get a more reasonable majority who recognise that (and I stress it once again) opponents do actually TRY to beat OUR team, sometimes prove better than OUR team on the day; and have actually no little skill and strength of performance of their own.

Had things gone the other way on Saturday, we would have had complaints about OUR team allowing things to slip in the second half.......................are they carrying on like this on Kettering's forum? About getting the rub of the green (deservedly so in my opinion) on three penalty shouts...................are they saying this on Kettering's forum? Or waxing lyrical about the inspirational vocal support and constant singing from Enzo and his chums down there behind the goal, the such as like they had never seen at Rockinham Road before.....................I bet they're NOT saying that on Kettering's forum!

Get real, we went to Kettering, we eventually narrowly lost after being mullered in the first half; it's happened to other teams up there and it'll happen to others in the future. It doesn't justify another disgraceful attendance at Plainmoor tonight and it doesn't justify treating the manager and players as some sort of naughty schoolboys.........................get over it!

I'm well aware of the difference between what is said publically, and what is said in private. But by all accounts the supporters that were there to witness the game desreve a little more credit than to be fobbed off with a blatantly unreal assessment. I'm not sure where the suggestion of a public humiliation came from (although it's considered a reasonable punishment at times apparently). Something along the lines of 'we weren't good enough, we are aware of what is needed to put things right'. Criticising individuals was never in my thoughts. As for this...'and those of JMGull who knows far more about team leadership, sport and the associated psychology of it than Fonda and Enzo could ever hope to achieve'..? Can i assume that just happens to be because you agree with him, and rarely us? Or is that a coincidence?

My worry is the drop in form with only 4 wins in the last 11 matches.

Oh, its quite simple. It means that I got fed up of reading thoughtless and brainless bollox on the other site.

I don't think you can guage much the radio from some of the BBC Radio Devon coverage I've heard as opposed to the excellent coverage and opinions you get on Five Live, apart from when Alan Green comments on a Man Utd game.

Like I said, the penalty seemed a bit iffy but we probably deserved to be at least two nil down due to the start we made. They are a decent side and they don't lose many at home. The penalty decision didn't help but you can't wait to start playing after 20 mins and hope to be still at 0-0.