Those Were The Days; 12th September 2007

[Les1949]

THOSE WERE THE DAYS

12th September 2007

Football (Blue Square) Conference; South; Premier Division


HRBFC 3 (Yaku 59’ 90’ Inns, 28’) Eastleigh 1 (Hann, 20’) Att; 259
HRBFC;-
Matt Lovett; Graham Harper (Shaun McAuley, 85’), Ryan Lake (Alex Haddow, 69), Orlando Jeffrey, Dean Wells, Francis Quarm, Alan Inns, Elliott Godfrey (Barrie Matthews, 69’), Ian Hodges, Lawrence Yaku, Stuart Lake.
Unused Subs; Elliott Frost, Glenn Harris.

Eastleigh;-
James Pullen; Chris Piper, Luke Byles, Anthony Riviere, Andy Harris, Rob Marshall, Danny Smith, Andy Forbes, Matt Hann, David Hughes, Damian Scannell,
Subs; Ellis Green, Paul Sales, Justin Bennett.

The Beavers fell behind, levelled, then went down to ten men, all before half-time – then came back to win, even failing to put a spot kick away. Just a normal day at Beveree. Matt Hann gave the visitors the lead in the 20th minute, thanks to an assist by Andy Forbes. Eight minutes later Inns equalised steering home a cross from Harper. That was as good as it got for Inns as in the 36th minute, Referee Forrester deemed the combative midfielder to have recklessly felled David Hughes and sent him off. In the 47th minute, James Pullen saved Godfrey’s penalty - the day wasn’t going well. Yaku put Hampton in front in the 59th minute, Pullen thought that he had cleared the ball away, only to see the Assistant signalling a goal. The play then swung from end to end, Wells clearing his lines on one occasion. Just prior to the final whistle, Yaku ensured the three points when Hodges and McAuley laid the ball on a plate for the veteran striker. Never give up was Alan Devonshire’s mantra, even when things seemed stacked against you.

The Old Historian

[Tony]

I was looking at the attendance compared to day's average. 12 September however was a midweek game so likely to be lower ( ? a Wednesday?). Shows how non league crowds have changed in 20 years.

[TW2-Beaver]

Hi - I have this game taking place on Saturday 15th September and 359 recorded as the attendance (reflected in the Sky Sports archive and also in matchday programmes from that season).
https://www.skysports.com/football/hamp ... eams/87896

Regardless, the crowds have still significantly increased!

[Tony]

If 15th is correct, then the increase is that much more stark. There may be many reasons for this. Increasingly expensive cost of watching London Premiership teams; greater commercial promotion by the National League; ex EFL teams dropping into the NL bringing with them traditionally larger supporter following; increasing investment in NL clubs (and lower divisions) as the cost of investing in EFL/Prem is priced out by billionaires and sovereign wealth funds.

[Les1949]

Yes, the game was on the 15th and I have absolutely no idea why I picked it out of hundreds of games and gave it the wrong date. It is definitely in my records as the 15th. We all make unaccountable mistakes!

As I was typing this, someone left a parcel outside our door, not expecting anything, I went to see who or what it was. It was addressed to Flat 7, correct, but to Acorn Court on Hanworth Road, we are Oakdene Court (about 500 yards away), got his attention before he had got into his vehicle.

Unaccountable mistake, you couldn't make it up.