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14th
September
2004
Bruising Victory over League Leaders for Gornal (thanks Steve for the following details) Saturday Sep 11 2004 Gornal Athletic 1 Tipton Town 0 Gornal beat Tipton by way of a Dave Bate goal scored after five minutes, but what should have been celebration of a famous victory was marred by the physically intimidating activities of the visitors, who introduced themselves to the young Gornal side with some crunching early challenges during which the Peacock's physio was the busiest man on the pitch. These tactics from opposing teams are becoming very predictable and too commonplace to be anything but a deliberate strategy. It makes you wonder what specifically is said to these players before they step out to face our young lads. As has often been the case this season the opening exchanges (the goal apart) were unentertaining with the visiting team prepared to give away endless free kicks as long as it left a Gornal player requiring treatment. On twenty minutes play was stopped again, this time Steve Bills had received an elbow in the face. It was clear he could not continue his eye appearing as just a slit in a massive swelling. Matt Edwards back from injury replaced him. Ten minutes before half time and Gornal's Lee Wherton was forced to leave the field with a nasty looking mouth injury. He was of the field for a full five minutes receiving treatment during which time the ten men withstood some mounting Tipton pressure. Midway through the second half those present witnessed a horrific knee-high studs-up challenge on Matt Edwards. It left him screaming in agony, his left leg horribly misshapen as he was stretchered off to hospital. Matt lives down the road in Pensnett and has played for the first team since he was sixteen. He only turned eighteen last week and is a great prospect. We can only hope that his injury is not as sinister as everyone fears. The referee awarded a free kick but again no card was shown Football is and, hopefully, always will be game of physical contact but some of the stuff trying to be passed-off as honest aggression is nothing less than violent conduct. If the match officials do not have the bottle to stamp out cynical behaviour from the outset then it goes on to strangle the life out of the game as a footballing spectacle as well as putting players at risk of serious injury. Gornal play Brierley & Hagley on Wednesday at Lye Town's ground. www.gafc.org.uk sport@yampy.co.uk. --> |
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