City v Wealdstone

4 on bench inc Joe McNulty? Wollacott injured. Jones starts.

@HJBurridge 11 minutes ago

So only four on the bench again for City, including Joe McNulty, a midfielder that came up the #BristolCity youth system

Jones sent off in a predictable scenario. A through ball that becomes a foot race that the cumbersome player loses.

The team battled incredibly hard and actually created the better chances. Probably should have seen the substitutions earlier but Welsh Hayes looks short of confidence and who can blame him?

The sending off wasn't even a foul....

Good point in the end after such an early dismissal. Could've won it with a couple of decent chances but there we go. Don't think Watto is going to be getting many Christmas cards from Middlesex, some disgraceful behaviour in the bar at the end

It looked a foul from where I was sat!
I'll bring up the bar issue with the board. I agree, it could have got out of hand.

I thought it was a foul and that the referee got the first two major incidents correct - definite yellow for their keeper. At least Jones has pleased those that don't rate him, I guess.

Fair result.

comrade powell wrote:It looked a foul from where I was sat!
I'll bring up the bar issue with the board. I agree, it could have got out of hand.

Perhaps a bit of consideration of the opponents and what's happened during th match.

A video has appeared https://twitter.com/stonesgoals/status/911593063704821760, make your own minds up but I thought he got the ball

Certainly agree about the substitutions being overdue
As for the disgraceful goings on in the bar afterwards, although not sure what they were exactly.
That does surprise me what with Kermit being on a walking stick this afternoon.
Was I needed, or was it not what i am imagining

Ashley wrote:

comrade powell wrote:It looked a foul from where I was sat!
I'll bring up the bar issue with the board. I agree, it could have got out of hand.

Perhaps a bit of consideration of the opponents and what's happened during th match.

A video has appeared https://twitter.com/stonesgoals/status/911593063704821760, make your own minds up but I thought he got the ball

The video certainly suggests it was a great tackle.

I assume the issue in the bar was that they weren't happy with Watkins' involvement in their player getting sent off. It did look a soft one from where I was sat.

Basically, Andy turned up for MOTM interview and one Wealdstone supporter called him a cheat and got shouted down by Bath City supporters and, I think, some Wealdstone. Said supporter left fairly sharpish and Wealdstone supporters were fairly boisterous afterwards but, you know, they bought beers, added to the atmosphere and it's football. It's the first time I have stayed in Charlie's afterwards to hear the MOTM interview and think it is a great initiative but you can't micro-manage such situations. I think that Bob handled it well and it was all a bit handbags really. To have two sets of supporters in a bar after what could be seen as a controversial match and all there be is a bit of verbals that was self-policed is the beauty of non-league non-segregation to me.

No need for the other c word that was used either.

If the link above doesn't work (Sorry, that page doesn’t exist!) - https://twitter.com/StonesGoals/status/911593063704821760 - this one does.

Ashley wrote:

comrade powell wrote:It looked a foul from where I was sat!
I'll bring up the bar issue with the board. I agree, it could have got out of hand.

Perhaps a bit of consideration of the opponents and what's happened during th match.

A video has appeared https://twitter.com/stonesgoals/status/911593063704821760, make your own minds up but I thought he got the ball

Yes, from that angle there is some doubt. And that doubt is increased by the look of the Wealdstone player - if it was the number 10 who spent most of the remaining 85 minutes trying to con the ref, it was a fair tackle!

I think more of an issue with Jones was the pretty aggressive push on a Wealdstone player after the incident. Obviously we don't know what was said, but still, the captain of the club really shouldn't be drawn into that kind of shenangans in the first five minutes of the game. I suspect that had the ref not already had the red card in his hand, he'd have fished it out for the push.

Jones may be a divisive player, but that kind of behaviour is surely unacceptable whether you're ether blind in your dislike or defence of the fella.

For what it's worth, I thought he got the ball as well.

Ashley wrote:No need for the other c word that was used either.

Didn't hear that but, firstly, agreed and, secondly, as i say, he got shouted down fairly quickly. However, Andy is a grown-up who has been a footballer for a long time so I think that he can handle abuse. Agreed that others in the bar shouldn't have to put up with it though.

Highlights - https://www.facebook.com/chris.stone.182940/videos/1158860824246742 - includes the  "missed" header.

There's no doubt the video shows he has made a lot of contact with the ball, but it isn't clear whether he's clipped his leg beforehand. And I agree with Roy, the reaction afterwards was stupid and could have been a red card alone.

I wasn't in the bar, but the motm interviewing appears to go down well, so it'll be a shame if it's scrapped because one or two idiots can't behave themselves. You don't want to be in the position where you segregate it just for City fans, but there could be some situations where it might not be a wise idea to interview there.

Perfectly timed challenge from the slower man. Was the linesman consulted ?
The game has gone soft in my opinion and for what it's worth Roy D Hacksaw, I admire a touch of aggression.
I'm not talking about fists or heads but gentle push on someone who is clearly looking for confrontation.
Even better when you take two out with one push.
Well done Darren for standing up for yourself.
A chance for Dan Ball to stake his claim has now opened up.

Roy D Hacksaw wrote:I think more of an issue with Jones was the pretty aggressive push on a Wealdstone player after the incident. Obviously we don't know what was said, but still, the captain of the club really shouldn't be drawn into that kind of shenangans in the first five minutes of the game. I suspect that had the ref not already had the red card in his hand, he'd have fished it out for the push.

Jones may be a divisive player, but that kind of behaviour is surely unacceptable whether you're ether blind in your dislike or defence of the fella.

For what it's worth, I thought he got the ball as well.

Though if the referee had got the first decision right then there wouldn't have been any 'afters'.

Anyway, it happened and credit to the way the team performed after that.

SASCHA wrote:Was the linesman consulted ?.

That's a good point. Like Hungerford, it was an instant brandish of the card. Unlike Hungerford, that was the final decision. Can't really tell if the assistant has flagged for the foul. I think they're instructed not to if they believe the referee has a better angle.

Given their most 'celebrated' supporter earned his status by acting like a hooligan I guess we shouldn't be surprised others act like dicks as well.

Their only 'famous' fan (and I use the term very lightly) wasn't there. Is there a Royal Command Performance tomorrow evening??

I thought it was a perfectly good tackle but it was a ref who managed to upset both sets of supporters equally well.

Should the goalie go as well for a deliberate handball?

I thought Wealdstone seemed more intent on getting the better of the ref than the opposition. Hence didn't take advantage of the extra man.

stillmanjunior wrote:(T)there could be some situations where it might not be a wise idea to interview there.

No. Wealdstone bring the most supporters down and, as I say, after a controversial game, one loudmouthed supporter was shouted down. It's a storm in a tea cup. It's football after all.

Having said that, Sascha, a bit of aggression may be fine but we were a man down after five minutes whether supporters think the game has gone soft or not. I make no comment but you do the maths.

I agree that the ref angered both sets of supporters which does suggest an issue but, in all seriousness, how may of us would ref a game? I have fairly frequently and am glad that someone else does it at matches I watch. The goalie would have never gone for the handball outside the box. It was a spot on decision to give a yellow card and a free kick. The sendings off were both more debatable.

BenE wrote:I thought Wealdstone seemed more intent on getting the better of the ref than the opposition. Hence didn't take advantage of the extra man.

I agree. And it was no surprise that it was their no.6 Jones shoved as he seemed to be the one at the centre of all the moaning.

Regardless of what you think of Jones' actions I can remember a much worse incident after a red card for one of our players many years ago at Burton Albion. And he is now widely considered something of a City legend!