I think it's pretty embarrassing to have a game called off for rain at this level. Especially seeing as every other game in London seemed to cope fine enough
Interesting point. I notice just over the Thames at Leyton Orient the game was played to a conclusion, as it was at Dartford.
When we played Hull at home last season, the rain was far worse, Orient had their game abandoned that day.
I'm interested in the reasoning of the decisions today. I suspect that, had it been 0-0, it would have been abandoned at 25 mins because both managers would probably have agreed and the ref would have an easy decision. However, as Donny were in control, Dickov protested vehemently (as we saw).
At halftime, the momentum had changed. The stoppage affected Donny far more than us, we got a goal and they got a man sent off. I suspect Dickov weighed up the options and figured that he really didn't want to risk his team throwing away a 3 goal lead AND having a man suspended. Potentially disastrous morale-wise. So he cut his losses and agreed. Both teams will feel they've got away with one there. Us more than them, but still.
Suspension stands despite the abandonment of the game.
It is quite correct that the last League match to be abandoned at the Valley was against Southampton in 1963 with us leading 1-0. We had to win the rearranged match to have any chance of staying in the old Division 2 and did so winning 2-1 thanks to a last minute Cliff Durrant goal. The following Tuesday we played at Walsall and were drawing 0-0 when the game was abandoned due to heavy rain. We returned to Walsall that Friday evening as in those days all games had to completed before the Cup Final which was on the Saturday. We won 2-1 with Keith Peacock being amongst the scorers and Walsall were relegated. The last first team game to be abandoned at the Valley was in the late 1960s when a friendly against West Ham which had been arranged for a Friday evening as we were both out for the FA Cup was called off after only four minutes when falling snow obliterated the lines.
The East side seemed worse after they came back on, for me totally unplayable. At one point the ball dropped in the covered end six yard box and stopped dead, I thought for an instant we were going to lose a goal to a puddle like we did at the Hawthorns in that cup tie in 1990. Haven't read all the posts on here, so I don't know if anyone has mentioned that the Hull game last year was similar, I thought the rain then was heavier and more sustained but the pitch held up better then.
It seems that the referee abandoned the game because player safety had become an issue. If that's true, I'd be very disappointed if I was a Doncaster fan.
At the risk of making a "...when I was a lad...." sounding comment, I do wonder whether we're becoming a bit over protective. How long before health and safety guidelines rule that players can't head the ball or slide tackle?
Come on, the pitch on the East Side was ludicrous. Was inches of water and ball was unplayable.
And Hamer was trying to bounce the ball in the six yard box, with little effect. Should never restarted, how could the ref not check how the ball was bouncing or rolling.
It seems that the referee abandoned the game because player safety had become an issue. If that's true, I'd be very disappointed if I was a Doncaster fan.
At the risk of making a "...when I was a lad...." sounding comment, I do wonder whether we're becoming a bit over protective. How long before health and safety guidelines rule that players can't head the ball or slide tackle?
Fair point. I recall in the day playing at the Goldstone Ground when players running with the ball were 'tackled' by huge puddles in places. Made for very difficult conditions but also made it interesting.
If it helps all you conspiracy theorists sleep tonight...all tickets & hospitality will be valid for the rearranged date.
There really is an awful lot of tosh on this thread. The pitch was unplayable, end of story. Weather changes from one square foot to another, get over it! Had the score been 0-0 you can bet your life the ref would have called it off the first time. He gave it a go, but as the rain hadn't ceased it was always going to get called off. Personally...I thought we'd have won 4-3! ;-)
I think there was a spell in the first half where it was really chucking it down - that did for the match. Maybe the pitch could be better but the weather was special today.
The match was a farce as one side was unplayable and the other ok - the second goal was down to the pitch and a case could be made for the third too. The 18 minutes after the suspension were vital. The pitch wasn't dangerous and Doncaster didn't want it abandoned - with the lead reduced, down to 10 men and having to defend the dodgy half, Dickov would have known the game was at best 50-50 for them.
Powell couldn't change his tune and with both managers agreeing it should be abandoned- easy for ref. I was actually disapointed - I really felt a point was the worst we would be getting at half time!
I remember our last abandoned game at Orient. I've even got an inkling that the ref was A Glasson - Tony Glasson. I'm sure someone will correct me though.
I think it's pretty embarrassing to have a game called off for rain at this level. Especially seeing as every other game in London seemed to cope fine enough
Ffs! Why is it embarrassing? It rains. A lot. The ground gets soaked. It happens.
Just my opinion. Plenty of lower league grounds coped with the same amount of rain, the pitch is in need of investment that's all I'm getting at
I believe the pitch got relaid in the summer, does not auger well, certainly with the drainage system.
Must see, the most farcical aspect was the ref after the break in play deciding it was now playable without even bringing a ball out !
I thought the pitch actually seemed worse when he restarted than when he suspended play.
Hamer bounced the ball down as hard as he could just before the re-start and it stopped dead. Just before that someone else (Ben Roberts I think?) had thrown a ball miles up into the air, only for that to stop completely dead in the goalmouth.
Of course by the time he called it off I was actually hoping the game would continue - not at all saying we would have won, but really did feel we had a good chance to get something from the game.
Still, left the game thinking of it as 45 minutes of free football, or whatever it was that I'd actually just witnessed.
Comments
The last first team game to be abandoned at the Valley was in the late 1960s when a friendly against West Ham which had been arranged for a Friday evening as we were both out for the FA Cup was called off after only four minutes when falling snow obliterated the lines.
At the risk of making a "...when I was a lad...." sounding comment, I do wonder whether we're becoming a bit over protective. How long before health and safety guidelines rule that players can't head the ball or slide tackle?
Anyone who thinks we would have won because "the momentum was with us" wasn't sober today.
There really is an awful lot of tosh on this thread. The pitch was unplayable, end of story. Weather changes from one square foot to another, get over it! Had the score been 0-0 you can bet your life the ref would have called it off the first time. He gave it a go, but as the rain hadn't ceased it was always going to get called off. Personally...I thought we'd have won 4-3! ;-)
The match was a farce as one side was unplayable and the other ok - the second goal was down to the pitch and a case could be made for the third too. The 18 minutes after the suspension were vital. The pitch wasn't dangerous and Doncaster didn't want it abandoned - with the lead reduced, down to 10 men and having to defend the dodgy half, Dickov would have known the game was at best 50-50 for them.
Powell couldn't change his tune and with both managers agreeing it should be abandoned- easy for ref. I was actually disapointed - I really felt a point was the worst we would be getting at half time!
I'm sure someone will correct me though.
Hamer bounced the ball down as hard as he could just before the re-start and it stopped dead. Just before that someone else (Ben Roberts I think?) had thrown a ball miles up into the air, only for that to stop completely dead in the goalmouth.
Of course by the time he called it off I was actually hoping the game would continue - not at all saying we would have won, but really did feel we had a good chance to get something from the game.
Still, left the game thinking of it as 45 minutes of free football, or whatever it was that I'd actually just witnessed.
http://www.theguardian.com/football/2013/aug/28/the-knowledge-waterlogged-football-august