What The Papers Say: The Shots 1 - 1 AFC Bournemouth

Last updated : 20 August 2008 By Stray Shots Team

Charlie Oliver from the Aldershot News reported that a 1-1 draw is, statistically, the most common result in football.

But there was nothing run-of-the-mill about this goal apiece stalemate, which was a royally entertaining clash between two attacking teams and a fitting match with which to welcome League football back to Aldershot.

One-all was a fair result, too. While substitute Ricki Sappleton's late equaliser, cancelling out a rare goal for the Shots by Louie Soares, was against the run of play of the second half, only the agility of keeper Nikki Bull had stopped Bournemouth taking a decisive advantage before the break.

Conceding an equaliser with less than ten minutes to go is never easy to stomach but this point and the opening day victory at Accrington Stanley certainly represent a good start to life in League Two for Gary Waddock's side.

For the full article and reaction from Gary Waddock, click on the link below:
www.gethampshire.co.uk/sport/football/s/2033966_cherries_hit_back_after_soares_strike

While the local reporter and The Shots manager both refused to be drawn on the issues that could have quite easily seen a Shots victory, Daily Echo reporter Neil Perrett, decided to blame "A Comedy Of Errors" by referee Andy D'Urso for failing to hand a victory to the visitors saying, "While absence is supposed to make the heart grow fonder, familiarity can often breed contempt.

The first league meeting between these two clubs since 1982 was a keenly contested affair, played in cordial spirits.

It finished with the Hampshire adversaries of old sharing the spoils as the Shots celebrated the return of league football to the Recreation Ground following a 16-year exile.

However, if Cherries and their followers were never again to see sight of referee Andy D'Urso, it would be too soon.

The bumbling Billericay-based official has now firmly replaced the infamous Barry Knight as Cherries supporters' public enemy number one.

While Knight was on the up when he lost the plot at Dean Court in 1995, D'Urso is now heading in the opposite direction - and it is not difficult to see why.

Just a month after making a pig's ear of Cherries' 2-0 defeat by Doncaster in February, Billy Smart's Circus arrived in Aldershot and, on the evidence of D'Urso's latest showing, the clowns clearly left town minus their star performer.

Ambivalent throughout, he should have swapped his boots and whistle for a pair of oversized plastic shoes and a chrome hooter.

The last time Cherries crossed paths with D'Urso they ended up having their knuckles rapped by the FA after he reported them for "failing to conduct themselves in an orderly fashion".

Several players had surrounded the official after he had controversially dismissed Shaun Cooper against Doncaster at Dean Court six months ago.

This time around, Kevin Bond's men showed remarkable restraint after D'Urso failed to award them a stonewall penalty five minutes from time.

He was guilty of bringing the game into disbelief after Shots defender Anthony Charles had clearly used his left hand to scoop Brett Pitman's thumping header off the line."

There's nothing like blaming the ref - and the biased report and views from Cherries manger Kevin Bond both fail to mention the disallowed Shots goal or either or the two Shots players who were dragged to the floor in the visitors penalty area - but for fun, click on the link below to read the full article:
www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/sport/topsport/display.var.2427346.0.dursos_comedy_of_errors_denies_cherries.php