Those Were The Days; 23rd January 1999

[Les1949]

THOSE WERE THE DAYS
23rd January 1999
Isthmian (Ryman) League Premier Division

Hampton 0 Aldershot Town 0 Att; 1,035

Hampton;-
Mark Russell; Simon Connell, Peter Wood, John Crouch, Steve Cheshire (Simon Bochenski, 88’), Dudley Gardner (Hakan Altinok, 80’), Robin Lewis (Johnson Hippolyte, 67’), Ian Savage, Jesse Hall, Phil Gallagher, Peter Barnsby.

Aldershot Town;-
Gary Phillips; Garry Smart, Jason Chewins, Lee Holsgrove, Terry Howard, Colin Fielder, Jimmy Sugrue, Neil Champion, Roy Young, Leon Gutzmore, Ian Hathaway.
Subs; Gary Abbott, Kieran Phillpott, Sam Cobbett

Several days before this game, Hampton did not have 11 fit or available players. 7 were missing because of injuries or suspensions, so it was a case of patching them up and sending out whoever could tie up their own laces. Crouch made his first start of the season and did a brilliant job at the back; Wood, back from injury ties up Leon Gutzmore; Connell, one reserve game since last season, slots in as if he’s always played in Hampton’s back four; Gardner, one sub appearance, straight into midfield and so it went on. The Beavers surprised the Shots with their brave, gutsy performance with their manager, George Borg going apoplectic on the sidelines. Hall almost won the game for Hampton when his run ended with a shot that just went the wrong side of the post with Phillips...nowhere. One of the reports indicate that it was less about the game, but more about what went on leading up to the game.
PS; Referee Mr P Armstrong was very complimentary about the state of the pitch before the start of the game but if anyone had read the comments on Aldershot’s web-site post-game, they would have thought that the match had been played on Brighton beach!


The Old Historian