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Feb. 17th, 2007 06:35 pmHawks drew 1-1 with Braintree. It was a dire game, but not altogether lacking in entertainment. Things got pretty bad-tempered, with a lot of argy-bargy off the ball; the referee lost the plot at times; there were a couple of heated verbal exchanges between the rival fans in the stand; and the Braintree number 11 was sent off for two temper tantrums - the first time he threw the ball at the referee, the second he kicked a spare ball, that was lying on the grass around the pitch, straight at the Hawks dugout - while the game was still going on! As soon as he did that there was uproar, and the ref sent Hawks manager Ian Baird off for protesting too much, before he finally called the Braintree number 11 over to show him the red. He started to argue, until two of his team-mates took a firm hold of him and conducted him off the pitch.
Later the Braintree manager George Borg was sent off, also for yelling at the ref. Borg is one of non-league football's more volatile, and eccentric, characters. When he was sent off he walked slowly across the pitch to the stand, holding up the restart of play, waving to both sets of fans behind the goals as he went. Once off the pitch, Borg initially stood on the tarmac in front of the stand, despite the 'No Standing In This Area' sign - one Hawks fan called out "Can't you read, Borg?" He grinned and said "No." Eventually a steward asked him to move, so he came up to the stand, looking decidedly pissed off. As he climbed the steps, two guys in the row in front of me stood up and gave him a mouthful, prompting Borg to wave his hands in a provocative "Do you want some?" gesture. Then, finally, Borg sat down in the away directors' and officials' section.
And there was still nearly half an hour more to play. The rest of the game wasn't without a couple of skirmishes; Hawks had a few chances to get a winner in the late minutes but wasted them; and with all the stoppage time, it was 5pm when the ref finally blew the final whistle. Had to head straight for the station to make sure of catching the train - just as well that I couldn't have had a post-match Magners anyway.
Later the Braintree manager George Borg was sent off, also for yelling at the ref. Borg is one of non-league football's more volatile, and eccentric, characters. When he was sent off he walked slowly across the pitch to the stand, holding up the restart of play, waving to both sets of fans behind the goals as he went. Once off the pitch, Borg initially stood on the tarmac in front of the stand, despite the 'No Standing In This Area' sign - one Hawks fan called out "Can't you read, Borg?" He grinned and said "No." Eventually a steward asked him to move, so he came up to the stand, looking decidedly pissed off. As he climbed the steps, two guys in the row in front of me stood up and gave him a mouthful, prompting Borg to wave his hands in a provocative "Do you want some?" gesture. Then, finally, Borg sat down in the away directors' and officials' section.
And there was still nearly half an hour more to play. The rest of the game wasn't without a couple of skirmishes; Hawks had a few chances to get a winner in the late minutes but wasted them; and with all the stoppage time, it was 5pm when the ref finally blew the final whistle. Had to head straight for the station to make sure of catching the train - just as well that I couldn't have had a post-match Magners anyway.
