About a boy

Aldershot Town FC 2 - 4 Rochdale AFC

Journey:

Ok, I admit it. I have become a plaything of the media. After my appearance on Roch Valley Radio for Tuesday night's visit of Notts County, I would be once again slipping into the commentary chair for todays game at Aldershot.

I want to be completely clear on this:- my unexpected spell in the spotlight has not changed me - not one bit. Although I would like to take this opportunity to set the record straight on a few things:

- That was not me stumbling out of a Rochdale nightclub with Noel Gallagher.

- I have not agreed to a lucrative picture story deal with Hello magazine.

- Kelly Brook and I are just friends.

- The story in tomorrows News of the World entitled 'My Pie Hell' is grossly exagerated.

09:00 hrs, Club Shop, Spotland. With Mr. Culshaw installed in the shotgun position, The Daleworld commentary team of Mr. Brookes and Mr. Ashworth stowed in the back and Jane in an unusually cooperative mood, I departed God's Country once more for the balmier climes of the heathen south.

M62, M60, M6, M6 Toll, M42, M40, M3 all accompanied by the random output of my I-Pod. I suspect that Mr. Culshaw had been tipped off about my I-Pod by Mr. Keane as I detected more than one or two instances of tooth sucking as we ploughed southwards. Well, that or I genuinely have the worst taste in music in the English speaking world. Which - let's face it - it is highly unlikely. Clearly a conspiracy...

We broke our journey at Warwick Services. As Mr. Brookes tucked into a cooked breakfast, Messers Culshaw and Ashworth inhaled a family sized bucket of fried chicken and I nibbled on a Ryvita, thinly smeared with low fat spread (probably), the conversation turned to our collective obsession. Rochdale Football Club.

The disappointment at Dagenham, the triumph over Notts County and our prospects for this season in general. During this conversation a point of disagreement emerged. Joe Thompson. Mr. Brookes and Mr. Culshaw maintained that he has had a good season and that there is much more to come. Mr. Ashworth and I remained far from convinced.

For me Thompson seems a little lightweight, good going forward against indifferent defenders but weak in the tackle and apt to get bullied out of the game by more experienced defenders. He clearly has talent - but needs to toughen up to really make a mark in League Two.

I'm glad I only had the Ryvita - because there was a big slice of humble pie out there with my name on it.

Weather:

We arrived in the Deep South to clear skies and warm sunshine. However, just before kick-off a light overcast rolled in and the temperatures slumped. So much for the balmy south.

Food:

Being fully sated after my Ryvita at Warwick Services - which I confess some observers may have confused with a burger and chips - which is an easy mistake to make - I wasn't in the mood for further sustinance. However, there was a good selection of food on offer at the Recreation Ground. Burgers, hot dogs and a rather splendid looking roasted hog - available sliced, with stuffing, in a muffin. I imagine that one of the locals had 'rassled' it to the ground this very morning. I think grits may have been available as a side. Now that's good eatin' boy!

Ground:

Mr. Brookes mentioned that he had been to the Recreation Ground sometime during the early '90's. It was just as he remembered.

Aldershot's ground is a peculiar affair. It feels like it was assembled from the back of colourful wagons by men wearing neckerchieves. The on-site bar was held in position by 2 tonne bags of sand. I kept expecting to walk round a corner and find a ferris wheel, a merry-go-round and a hoopla stall. Quite charming in a funny sort of way.

What I couldn't argue with however, was the pitch. Quite the most beautifully kept stretch of greenery I have seen this season - and I have seen a few. Absolutely immaculate.

Action:

No signings, no departures, no changes - I should probably just get on with it then eh...

A tentative start from both sides. Rochdale getting slightly the better of the opening minutes. However, Aldershot began to apply themselves to the task and forced Dale back to the edge of their area - causing a number of potentially costly defensive errors. However, the danger passed without a serious effort from the Shot's.

Dale had begun the game with Buckley and Dagnall upfront, Adams on the left, Thompson on the right. What followed was a bit like the pea and shell game. The Rochdale front four switched places back and forth again and again. The effect on the Aldershot back line must have been dizzying. Dizzying indeed.

When Nicky Adams delivered a corner kick on 17 minutes nobody seemed to notice that Joe Thompson had sloted in at centre forward. Thompson rose unimpeded to deliver a glancing header towards the back post. Ruiz in the Aldershot goal seemed to have it covered - and then just as quickly didn't. A flick off the post did the rest. 1-0 Dale!

Five minutes later the Shot's defence seemed convinced they had found the pea this time. As they congratulated themselves, Thompson romped on to the end of Adams low cross and poked the ball through the flailing arms of Ruiz. 2-0 Dale!

A further ten minutes and the Aldershot defence realised they had guessed wrong again. Wiseman burst down the right wing, releasing Adams, who delivered a superb cross onto the head of the prowling Thompson at the near post. 3-0 Dale!

A blistering 17 minute hat-trick - but what came next was even more extraordinary. Driving forward with the ball, Thompson found himself disposessed by an Aldershot player. He turned on his heel chased after his man, cooly won the ball back, turned, and pressed on towards the Aldershot goal. I think I'll have that pie now.

The Shot's had all but collapsed by this stage. Teased, terrorized, tormented. The only thing on their mind was getting to half time without further disaster. Ciaran Toner had other ideas. As referee Penton checked his watch, Toner's 25 yard thunderbolt almost took the back out of the net . 4-0 Dale!

Half time was wiled away responding to ecstatic texts. Mr. Aasan from far away Norway, recommended that Joe Thompson should run for Prime Minister. Mr. Keane's comments were brief, but eloqent in thier economy. 'OMG!'.

In other news, the mighty Littleborough Yellow's overcame Seedfield Boys 4-2 to move second in the table. A performance our man on the spot, Mr. Keane, hailed as the best of the season.

In a repeat of the fixture up at Spotland, Aldershot brought on Marvin Morgan for the start of the second half. In the reverse fixture, Morgan had almost turned the tie in favour of the Shot's - but they say lightning never strikes twice - be wary of 'they' - they don't know what they are talking about.

Rochdale began very much as they had left off in the first half. Chances to further extend the already impressive lead came, Dagnall probably going closest with an effort a whisker outside the post.

It was somewhere around this time that I committed the ultimate commentators sin - I said - 'Rochdale are in absolutely no danger here...'

On 75 minutes a long diagonal ball forward found Sandell on the Shot's right. A powerful low cross to the near post found Morgan who poked the ball home. 4-1.

Five minutes later a bit of rough and tumble between Stanton and Morgan saw Morgan on the floor, Stanton heading for the dressing room following a straight red card and Mr. Penton pointing to the spot. All quite proper but for a couple of inconvenient facts:

- Stanton wasn't the last man.

- Morgan wasn't in the penalty area.

Davies stepped up and converted the spot kick. 4-2.

A nervy ten minutes followed, spiced up by another huge penalty shout for a foul against - yes you guessed it - Marvin Morgan. However, this time Mr. Penton waved away the appeals. In spite of a whirlwind of Aldershot pressure no further break through came. 4-2 it ended.

Now here is where I usually stop. But, today I was with the press gang. As the Rochdale fans made their way back to coaches and cars and the Aldershot fans were 'fixin to go a fussin an a fuedin' down on the bayou - I found myself standing on the pitch at the end of the players tunnel with real journalists.

In a moment I was surrounded by the Dale squad - going through their warm down - Gary Jones was stood three feet away, trading quips with the press. Mr. Hill duly made an appearance and calmly answered the questions of the jounalists - heaping praise on Joe Thompson.

...And then Joe Thompson emerged from the tunnel. The waiting press surrounded him. I'll be honest, I was a bit surprised. Rochdale's hat-trick hero is not much more than a boy. Fresh faced, polite, shy - he modestly answered the questions from the journalists, giggling at some of the more outrageous plaudits. A genuinely nice young lad without any hint of the arrogance usually associated with young footballers.

As he retreated to the dressing room I patted him on the shoulder and said, 'well played Joe'. He said, 'Thanks'.

Summary:

In his post match comments Mr. Hill described the first half as 'total football'. I can't disagree. At times during the first half, Dale were utterly breathtaking.

The second half was a far more even affair with Aldershot giving every bit as good as they got. Their first goal was very well worked - although the penalty was a little fortunate.

Adams had his best game so far in the black and blue, Toner also had a great game - aside of the goal - his all round contribution to the game was excellent - a perfect partner for Jones.

However, the star of the show was that nice young boy, Joe Thompson. One game doesn't make a career - but his performance today showed that he has more in him than I had given him credit for. Today was all about a boy.

Turner Watch:

Settling into the Oval office quite nicely, although the neighbours have complained about the noise. Status Quo clearly isn't to everybody's taste.

31/1/09