Oxford result - Overreact

I just had a chat with a friend of mine, an elderly janitor called Lloyd, who has a season ticket at Oxford and attends most games with his little lad, James.
I saw Lloyd just before the game and he was as excited as his young boy is on Christmas morning, but was left was seething at the final whistle and was full of doom and despondency.
It just reminded me how very important football is to some people.
Sorry for your loss Lloyd, but remember there really is a long way to go and I'm sure the smile will return to little Jimbo's face again before too long.

Oxford United 0 Hereford United 2 - Moo!

I’ve been to a few games this season and come away wondering how on earth one or other side managed to win – this was another example.

But credit to Hereford, they game with a game plan and executed it perfectly to secure three more points and edge themselves closer to League Two safety.

Oxford fans appeared frustrated at the end of the game - and there was certainly a lot of message board chat beforehand about how big the score would be – but sometimes you just have to hold your hands up and give the opposition credit where it is due.

Bull’s keeper Adam Bartlett was gushing in praise of the whole experience after the match describing the hosts as the “best side we have played all season”. Bartlett also praised the set up at the Kassam and also the fans.

“There was a bit of banter going on,” he said. “Especially when I was playing for time towards the end and I knew it was only a matter of time before the referee listened to them and booked me, but they have a good vocal support here.”

That’s one of the oddities of football isn’t it? If the opposition keeper is taking his time over goal kicks to run down the clock he’s a cheating so-an-so. If ‘your’ keeper rushes to take a goal kick when you’re one-nil up with minutes to play, he’s a complete pillock.

Goal scorer Stuart Fleetwood admitted they had come to “do a job and needed to be disciplined” and Oxford boss Chris Wilder was left bemused after watching a “decent performance” from his team.

Wilder also said:

“I’m not going to compromise the way we play and get in two bean pole strikers and throw it forward to them. Sometimes you have to play the long balls, but in general that’s not the way I want us to play.

I can't batter my team in the dressing room. It was a decent performance. From tee to green we've done really well, but as always it's about the two main parts of the pitch - in both boxes. We switched off and they scored, and we didn't take our chances."

Bull’s manager Jamie Pitman was honest enough to admit that “we rode our luck at times”, but they came to do a job against a side that – on paper – were possibly better.

And do a job they did.

This was a classic away performance. Fleetwood and Bartlett both described it as smash and grab, although I think they were being a little modest as they and their team mates were very well organised throughout.

Fleetwood, 24, now has 15 goals to his name this season and admitted:

“I got one goal off each shin pad. I didn’t know too much about the second one as it came through the defender’s legs at speed, but that’s what happens when your confidence is high.

That was my target at the start of the season, but I hadn’t scored after the first twelve or thirteen games and I must admit I didn’t think I’d get to five.

I was even played out on the wing for a few games, but once I got that first goal the confidence returned.”

I also had a chat to Stuart about his temperament as I’ve noticed that – in every game – he becomes a little over-exuberant top put it mildly. But having spoken to him on Saturday I found that he’s one of those typical manic players on e the pitch and mild mannered and very pleasant off it. He does recognise that it’s an area of his game that needs work and admitted:

“I do wear my heart on my sleeve and know I need to channel my emotions in the right way. I guess that’s why I’m on seven bookings, but just like the fans, I love the club and just want to see us do well.”

I suspect that Hereford fans will forgive him his excesses if he keeps on scoring important goals like the brace against Oxford.

One lad who was lucky to get away with a little over-enthusiasm of his own was Joe Colbeck. The winger set up Fleetwood’s 8th minute opener and worked his socks off defensively, but one touch line challenge on Tom Craddock could have ended the Oxford player’s career. It wasn’t so much a two-footed lunge as an assassination attempt. Fortunately Craddock had time to see it coming and managed to avoid any serious injury.

But that incident was the only real unsavoury moment of the game.

Oxford meanwhile must dust themselves down and focus on the next game. This wasn’t a performance that signalled the end of their season and the table is so tight that promotion is still on.

Whether they can make the automatic places is up for debate, but a play-off spot is well within the grasp of this bunch.

Despite Wilder’s public protestations, I suspect that at half time he had a few harsh words to say to some of his players as they were a little too sloppy at times. They didn’t appear to have the cutting edge up front on Saturday either. A bad day at the office for the strikers? Maybe. Oxford fans will know better than me as to whether there are more deep-rooted problems, but from what I have seen of them this season, they do look as if they are more than capable of finding the net in this division.

From a neutral’s point of view, this was more of an intriguing game than an exciting one. Hereford look like a side that will survive in League Two to fight again next season and Oxford fans look like they might be singing in the beer garden of the Green Man in Wembley again in May*.

As promised this morning, my clipping from this morning's copy of The Sun ... not really woorth waiting for was it?

* I've just been reminded that the play-off final is at Old Trafford this May, but you get my drift. Oh, and the beer's cheaper up there!

Oxford v Hereford – Meat Is Murder

So it’s the Ox(en) versus the Bulls tomorrow and great excuse to use one of my favourite songs in the headline above (that gives you some idea of how old I am!). Having said that, you’ll still find me munching my way through a burger or two before kick-off.

Hereford’s goalkeeping coach and the assistant manager to Jamie Pitman, Russell Hoult, has registered as a player at the grand old age of 38 and will presumably by used as back up for regular stopper and former skipper Adam Bartlett.

Oxford will be hoping to ‘do’ the double over Hereford after beating them 2-0 at Edgar Street with goals from James Constable and Tom Craddock. However, the visitors are on fire away from home and will be hoping to notch up their sixth away win on the bounce.

Craddock’s former Luton team mate, Hungarian defender Janos Kovacs, 25, returns to the squad following a suspension, but Pitman is expected to retain a settled side.

Kovacs didn’t play against Oxford earlier this season, but will be hoping for the sort of rip roaring end to the game he played in for Luton against last year against the Yellows. Luton scored two goals and had a man sent off in the last minute if memory serves me correctly while Oxford replied through Matt Green.

But Chris Wilder will live with that outcome if he ends up with a similar result at the end of the season – promotion.

Wilder has taken time out this week to praise the Oxford support and told the club website:

“Look at the fantastic support we have had for the last two away games. To take somewhere in the region of 500 to Morecambe was amazing.

The atmosphere our fans can create at home can really drive the players forward. I want this place to be difficult for the opposition to come to.”

Pitman allayed any concerns regarding new injuries and told the Press Association:

"Everyone`s in full health. Everyone`s ready to go so as long as it stays like that we`re at full-strength again apart from the long-term injuries."

Back to Oxford - United

I am being sent to the Kassam for Oxford’s game on Saturday – my first visit this year – against another United side from my patch – Hereford.


Oxford have been going great guns (according to my totally unbiased sources in the Kidlington area) as they look to force their way into the play-off places and an automatic promotion spot is still a distinct possibility, but they should beware the Bulls.

On paper Hereford look to be there for the taking, but Jamie Pitman has them playing with spirit and work hard, so any Oxford fan looking at the league table and assuming it’s a banker, should lower their expectations. They have only lost one of their last six games and won two others. Of the eight games they’ve managed to win in the league this season, six have been on their travels.

Oxford have alternated between wins and draws in the last four games and, if the trend continues on Saturday, honours will be even.

We’re now entering the business end of the season where form goes out of the window as everyone still has something to play for.

Pitman’s boys are six points above the drop zone and so can’t afford to roll over just yet, but Oxford are just outside the play-off places on goal difference and must fancy their chances of being in the promotion mix-up in May. A win on Saturday would definitely boost their credentials.

But following last weekend’s emphatic 3-0 win at Morecambe, keeper Ryan Clarke and midfielder Paul McLaren were both picked in the League Two team of the week. Again, my sources have told me that McLaren has added something to the team since his January move from Tranmere and so it will be good to see him in action. For my money Clark is one of the best League Two keepers I have seen this season.

I hadn’t realized until I read it on the Bulls best fans site (http://bullsnews.blogspot.com/), but these two teams have only shared a division once before – back in the 1977/78 season.

Darren Drysdale has been named as the man in the middle for the game.

I’ll try to put together a further preview along with some quotes tomorrow.

Cheltenham Town 2 Torquay United 2 - Last Minute

I never learn.

Sitting in the Whaddon Road Press Box last night I had my report pretty much sorted out by the 66th minute when substitute Ben Stevens added a second goal to Jake Robinson’s 14th minute opener. At that point you couldn’t see Cheltenham fighting back and so the introduction my report read:

“Danny Stevens’s super strike was too hot to handle as Torquay edged closer to the play-offs.”

Keeper Scott Brown had already made two great saves in the game, but could only palm Stevens rapier-like 20 yarder over his head, off the post and into the net. You could see that Brown was trying to deflect the ball over the bar and – in fairness – he did what he could, but the shot was just too powerful.

Even though Brown also got a hand to Robinson’s opener, he stood no chance with this one either – the striker’s 2nd goal in six games since joining on loan from Shrewsbury (where he had scored nine goals in fourteen games) until the end of the season.

Gulls skipper Lee Mansell’s free kick from the right picked out the unmarked Robinson on the opposite wing and he took one step in-field before unleashing and great shot from the angle of the box.

All sorted then. An easy night and the deadline to get the report over to the paper “on the final whistle” looked comfortable.

Step up Jeff Goulding in the 73rd minute to volley home a weak punch clear from under pressure keeper Danny Potter. From 12 yards and having made some space for himself, Goulding wasn’t going to pass up on his 10th goal of the season.

It had been strange to see Jeff playing wide left in the game as the understanding he has with Wes Thomas up front seemed good earlier in the season, but if he fancies getting his striking role back from Oxford loanee Matt Green, he certainly sent out the right message to boss Mark Yates.

Nice to see the Robins get a little something out of the game though, I thought to myself. The report was still looking good and I was at peace with the world ... until the 94th minute.

Now don’t get me wrong, Wes Thomas is a lovely lad, but at that moment I could have throttled him! Suddenly the Press Box resembled New York’s Fifth Avenue during a ticker tape parade as I tore up my notebook.

Fortunately the report was only a tiddler (see below), but I remember being at one game many moons ago when the way side came back from three goals down to win it in injury time. In those days newspaper technology wasn’t what it is now and each goal entailed a call to the desk with details while trying to do a large re-write at the same time.

Wes won’t get many easier goals this season. He pounced to spring the offside trap and poke the ball home for his 17th of the season from about eight yards out.

My clipping from this morning’s paper

Yates was by far the happier of the two managers at the end of the game and rightly said:

“Points wise it’s not what we would have wanted, but I thought we deserved at least a draw from tonight. We were the better team against what is a very good side. I told the lads to keep knocking at the door and that’s what they did.”

I also had a brief chat with Mark about the pitch which really deteriorated during the game and he agreed with me that it is now “terrible”. If Cheltenham miss out on a play-off spot – something they are more than capable of doing – they may look back at the surface and have a case for pointing the finger of blame in that direction.

Having Gloucester City share the ground is not doing them any favours at all, but- as I mentioned in yesterday’s post – beggars can’t be choosers and a small club like Cheltenham need revenue from whatever source to survive.

Paul Buckle was left shell-shocked by the last-gasp equaliser and groaned:

"We've drawn, but it feels like a defeat because it was a game we controlled. Cheltenham pushed a lot of balls up, but they didn't really hurt us. Ours were two good goals and there was a lot of good play from us on a poor surface, but we're disappointed because we know that was a game that was there for the taking.


At two goals up we were coasting and then the ref goes and gives a free-kick when the lad has won the ball and from that they score. We only had ourselves to blame at the end and we have to learn from that."

Cheltenham v Torquay - Chasing the dream

I have one of my increasingly irregular trips out to Whaddon Road tonight and I’m looking forward to seeing how the Robins are getting on when they face fellow play-off chasers Torquay.

Mark Yates boys are looking for their first win in seven and they have alternated between draws and defeats in the last six games – should they continue this run they should lose tonight!

But like Yates, I believe that they are good enough to turn things around. And it’s not too late.

Cheltenham are still only seven points off the play-off places and a win against Torquay will see the Gulls reeled in. The visitors are currently on 43 points compared to Cheltenham’s 40, but have a much better goal difference.

Cheltenham midfielder Marlon Pack recognises how frustrated the home support are, but has said to the local media (link to full article below):

“There is nobody more frustrated than us. We just need to put our finger on what's been going wrong and get a scrappy 1-0 win to get confidence back and kick on for the rest of the season."

http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/sport/Cheltenham-Town-Players-frustrated-8211-Pack/article-3248637-detail/article.html

Young Blackpool loanee defender Ashley Eastham has already been ruled out by the club after finding himself in a car accident at the weekend, but fortunately he is physically unharmed. Unfortunately winger Josh Low remains sidelined with an injury and so it will be down to his midfield colleagues to supply hot shot striker Wes Thomas with his ammunition. Thomas has already scored 16 League and Cup goals this season.

Torquay boss Paul Buckle’s major injury concern is striker Billy Kee, 20, who suffered an ankle injury during Saturday’s game against Southend and the Torquay boss will be hoping that the lad – who has scored six goals in eleven League starts – makes a speedy recovery.

It’s true I haven’t been to Whaddon Road as much as I would have liked this season, but during my last visit I noticed that the pitch was starting to cut up more than it had in previous seasons.

Cheltenham have developed a reputation over the years for having a great playing surface – which would certainly suit Yate’s style of play – but like many other clubs who share their grounds (in this case Gloucester City FC) the pitch has suffered this term.

Down at Bristol Rovers it won’t be too much longer before the Mem resembles Derby’s Baseball Ground in the winters of the mid-70s which in turn looked like a Somme battlefield.

Of course the problem these clubs have is to balance the needs of the parent club with the much needed revenue a ground share can provide. It’s a tough call for the directors, but worth bearing in mind when the odd pass goes astray or a player blazes over the bar when the ball rises up at the most inopportune moment.

Maybe Mark Yates would be well advised to bring in a couple of non-league cloggers to see the Robins through their home fixtures.

Bristol Rovers 1 Oldham Athletic 0 - All For One

Credit where it's due. It's now all for one and one for all down at the Mem.

Readers of this blog will have noted that on several occasions this season I have been critical of some sections of the Memorial Ground's home support for getting on the backs of their team to readily - on Saturday though they backed them and got their reward.

Dave Penney's side dug deep and kept plugging away at an Oldham team who were fighting for the right for a play-off place and Rene Howe eventually grabbed the winner after converting Will Hoskins's cross in the 73rd minute.

Howe, 24, is a confident lad who may well have put immature teenage arrogance behind him (see report below), but has still retained a self-belief that could prove invaluable come the end of the campaign.

The pitch is now cutting up badly and must be strength sapping, but it could prove to be a bit of a leveller when more confident footballing sides come to visit.

My clipping for this morning's copy of The Sun

At half time I had a long chat with Jerel Ifil who was sitting just behind me in the stands. Former Swindon centre back Ifil, 28, is a free agent following his departure from Aberdeen earlier this year and admitted he had talked to Penney about a move and the addition of another experienced defender to add some competition for places won't do Rovers any harm at all.

Jerel told me that as his young family and his church were in the area he was hoping to find a club close by. He was also spotted at the training ground the day before and so it looks as though an announcement will be made early this week.

Penney was understandably delighted with the win and said:

"It was nice to get three points and a clean sheet, which has been long overdue, but we are still down there and we still need points. We have got 30 but we probably need another 20 or 22 – and that gives us something to aim for. The win is massive. We didn't like losing all those games on the trot and it was nice to come into a changing room and see players with smiles on their faces. The spirit and togetherness is coming and we are gradually getting there."

Oldham boss Paul Dickov was left fuming though after seeing his side slip further away from the play-off positions. He said:

"We had enough opportunities to win three games and we have to start being more ruthless at both ends of the pitch. We believe we are a good side but we are on a dodgy run of results because we are not taking our chances.

I have warned the players about the need to concentrate for every minute of games, yet we switched off for a moment in the second half and Rovers capitalised with the winning goal. I don't think it will take much for us to return to winning ways but we have to capitalise when we're on top and make sure we stay tight at the back."

Scouser Carl Regan, 30, left Rovers today to join up with former MK Dons boss Paul Ince at Notts County.

Bristol Rovers v Oldham Athletic - Confidence

Well, following the midweek postponement of the Bournemouth game, Rovers find themselves in the same position as they were when I blogged on Tuesday - rooted to the foot of the table.

I suggested in that post that a win against Bournemouth might well give the players the confidence boost they needed and kick start the side's road to recovery. Well that obviously didn't happen, but then again, they aren't any worse off either.

I head off back to the Memorial Ground tomorrow though expecting to see another tough ask for the Rovers lads.

Oldham might not be second in League One like the Cherries are, but they are one place below the play-off spots and so the carrot of promotion is still there. However, they lost their last game at home to Carlislie, have drawn four from the last six games and won only one ( 4-0 home romp against Hartlepool on the first day of this month). I wonder then if there is a chink of light here for Rovers and whether, by catching the Latics during what they consider their own little wobble, they can get things back on track.

Rovers boss Dave Penney has brought in two more players this week to bolster his squad; defensive free agent Danny Senda, 28, and 24 year old Irish keeper Conrad Logan.

Penney is obviously very aware of the deepening trouble his side find themselves in and has said:

"They are all massive games now and we are fully aware we have not picked points up in the last few games. If we are going to get out of the situation we are in, we are going to have to start picking up points in every game – and, hopefully, three in most games. It is important we stop our losing streak and get some momentum going the other way.

"Is it pressure? Is it nervousness? If it is, we need them to get it out of their system and be more relaxed. If they are too relaxed, we need to get them up for it more. Whatever it is, we have to try and stop making the basic errors which are taking their toll week-in, week-out."

Penney must be relieved to hear that Chris Lines is available after injury to pull the strings from midfield and that striker Will Hoskins confidence doesn't seem to have been dented as without his eighteen goals they would arguably be dead and buried.

Oldham visit the Mem with a new face in their ranks. West Brom midfield loanee Sam Mantom, who is 19 on Sunday, will go straight into the squad while fellow midfielder Dale Stephens looks likely to have recovered from a virus that has kept him out of the last two games.

Latics chief Paul Dickov was delighted with the Mantom and said:

"He is a box-to-box midfield player, very good technically and also on the ball. West Brom think highly of Sam and are keen for him to come out on loan and to play games. We are always looking to bring in young, hungry players and Sam comes into that category and he will be an asset during the month he is with us.”

Mantom is obviously chuffed with the opportunity and revealed:

“I only received a call yesterday asking whether I would be interested in a loan move to Oldham which is a good club and well placed in League One. I went to Tranmere earlier in the season in the hope of playing some games, but managed only two because of the bad weather which killed that move. This is a great chance to come here and get some games under my belt and hopefully go back to West Brom a better player.”

I was surprised to see Oldham seventh and thought we have a chance of the play offs and I could be going to Old Trafford should I stay and we reach the final. I think West Brom are keen for the loan to be extended so hopefully I may be here for the rest of the season so I can show what I can do - score and create goals.”

Rovers v Cherries - Late Call

It was nice to see the Rovers and Bournemouth fans united last night ... albeit in their annoyance at the late postponment of the League One fixture.

As I pulled into the car park at 6.15 I immediately guessed something was amiss as everyone else seemed to be getting into their cars and driving off.

I had a quick chat with Bournemouth striker and assistant boss Steve Fletcher who told me the first thing they had heard about it was when they were five minutes from the ground and the goalkeeping coach - Neil Moss - took a call from his mum who broke the news.

Pretty shoddy organisation.

I certainly feel for the Bournemouth fans who travelled up from the south coast and wouldn't be surprised if many of them took the afternoon off work to get to the game.

Bristol Rovers v Bournemouth AFC – Time to Start

It’s time for Rovers to get a run going if they are to survive the drop and what better than a fixture against promotion hopefuls Bournemouth to get things moving.

The Cherries look to have shrugged off the disappointment of losing boss Eddie Howe to Burnley and Lee Bradbury has kept their drive for the Championship on track. Bradbury was appointed initially in a caretaking role on January 15th, but then given a two and one half year deal thirteen days later.

Former Manchester City and Pompey striker Bradbury, 35, has overseen four wins and two draws since taking the reins while the south coast club now sit in second in League One, three points behind leaders Brighton having played two games more.

But Bradbury has to taste defeat at some point and why not at the Memorial Ground?

Confidence is shaky among the Rovers players at the moment and it appears that whatever could go wrong is going wrong. Injuries, suspensions and even freak own goals. But a win against Bournemouth could be the catalyst for a great escape on a par with Steve McQueen’s in the famous war movie (okay, I know he screwed it up with safety in sight, but you get my drift).

The Gas have lost five of their last six games and are propping up the table, but boss Dave Penney has identified their forthcoming fixtures as key ones in the fight to beat the drop. He told the local press: "We have four out of our next five games at home now, so it's vital we start picking points up. Everybody is down and disappointed with the results and the position we're in, but it can change quickly if we do the right things.

"When we play the bigger games we can raise ourselves – we did it against Swindon and we did ok against Brighton in terms of performance. We have to make sure we do it again tonight."

He must be envious of tonight’s opponents who are chasing their second successive promotion. He compared the Cherries to his former club and said:

"We did the same at Doncaster. You get some sort of momentum going, get promoted and then get it going again. The team gets used to winning games – and we are going through the opposite at the moment because we have got used to losing games and it drains your confidence. As soon as we can change that cycle and start having an up, I'm sure we can string a few results together. It's what we do that concerns me rather than who we are playing."

Penney is going to have to hope that the Gasheads stick with him and get behind his side rather than jeering them as some of them have done too readily this season. He probably envies Bradbury who said:

“Since I took over, the supporters have got right behind us and away from home, have travelled in their numbers and it's a massive boost for the lads. Rovers will be like Walsall and a very hard place to go to and get a result and we will need the supporters to pull us through like they did on Saturday.

''Rovers are fighting for their lives and it will be very tough and at this stage of the season, it's a big and crucial game. Rovers are on a poor run, but that will mean nothing on the night as they will put everything in to it. If we start to think for a minute that the points are in the bag, then we will get our comeuppance.'

'They have some good players and I'm surprised they are where they are. We have to go there with the right attitude, work hard and play the way we play and hopefully that will be enough to get a positive result.”

On Saturday I saw a similar tussle in the Championship – promotion chasing Cardiff against strugglers Scunthorpe – and to be fair to the Iron, even though they lost the game, they fought tooth and nail.

They weren’t pretty to watch, but frankly who gives a toss about style if you’re a Rovers fan. It’s points they need and Penney will take them any way they come.

Tom Heaton - Rating

I also caught up with Cardiff keeper Tom Heaton after the game on Saturday. I first met Tom when - as a teenager - he spent a breif spell on loan with Swindon from parent club Manchester United, but after being loaned out to several other clubs on loan he has now thrown his lost in with the Bluebirds - and isn't regretting the decision on little bit.

He told me:
"Manchester United was a great place to learn your trade and the people there helped me a lot, especially Edwin van der Sar who I spoke to recently after he announced he'sd be retiring at the end of the season. He's a really good man. But I'm 24 now and needed to get away for the sake of my career and I couldn't have moved to a better club. The infrastructure here is superb and everyone is pulling in one direction."

I took Tom aback a little when I revealed that I was probably going to award him a 'five' in The Sun ratings until the 91st minute.

"Oh cheers, thanks!" He grinned.

I then explained it was merely because he'd had so little to do up to that point. But then he pulled off an acrobatic save to shut out an 18 yard curler from Scunny substitute Robert Grant and made sure of the win. Those extra two popints could prove invaluable come May and so the rating was upped to a seven.

Tom is a very likeable guy and I hope that he manages to walk out at Old Trafford next season with a newly promoted Cardiff.

Cardiff City 1 Scunthorpe United 0 - Grind

Just like last weekend, Cardiff edged their way to victory with a late goal, but unlike last Sunday when they beat promotion – and local - rivals Swansea, this time they had to grind out a result against a Scunthorpe side that are scraping for their lives at the other end of the table. And scrap they did.


Bluebirds boss Dave Jones recognised the fact that Scunthorpe had to come and spoil the game if they were to get anything from it and said:

“They are fighting for their lives and we are too, but for a different reason. They got men behind the ball, but we were always pressing hard and, as long as our two centre-backs did their jobs, it was really a case of when we would score.”

And eventual goal scorer Seyi Olofinjana was the man who ensured Cardiff added another three valuable points to their tally and finished the weekend in second spot in the Championship.

Olofinjana is a very approachable man who has more than his fair share of grey matter (see the scanned report) and it’s just as well that he was happy to talk to me as the home side’s media officer seemed the think that his job was to prevent the great unwashed in the media from talking to anyone he hadn’t approved beforehand.

As Mr. ‘Jobsworth’ told me: “E-mail me a request for an interview and I’ll arrange it.”

Fine if you know what’s going to happen and who the main characters are going to be before kick-off, but totally pointless otherwise. I’m afraid that Cardiff is one of a growing number of clubs that have employed people to deal with the media who don’t seem to understand what is required. They see themselves as gatekeepers to prevent questions being asked rather than doing what they can to assist the players and get their messages to the fans – through the media.

I’m afraid that the more difficult that they make it for reporters and the more clubs try and sanitise the information that is released, the more of a disconnect there will be between football clubs and fans and ultimately the game will suffer.

Of course the irony of trying to keep journalists away from news stories is that – by the very nature of the beast – they’ll start digging around and end up unearthing stuff you really didn’t want anyone to know about.

Rant over.

My clipping from this morning's paper

On the plus side, Cardiff is a smashing club and they have a wonderful stadium that will grace the Premier League next season if Dave Jones, his coaching staff and the players keep doing what they are doing.

I hadn’t spoken to Jones before, but he was very easy to talk to and is no-one’s fool. It would be great to see him take the club up to the top flight as he has put together a good footballing squad that doesn’t seem to be short on character either.

I’m afraid that the future doesn’t look too bright for Scunthorpe though. One win in thirteen games is definitely relegation form, but to give the players their due, they battled all the way.

Boss Ian Baraclough still has faith in his boys though and said:

“There is a definite belief we can get out of the bottom three and games like this should give confidence to the players that we can escape relegation. We now have three home games which will be vital for us in moving up the table. But we must reproduce our away form at home and make sure the players express themselves.”

Cardiff v Scunthorpe - Easy Pickins'

Fresh from their derby win against Swansea last Sunday, Cardiff now need to string a run of wins together to put pressure on the two teams sitting above them in the Championship - leaders QPR and Nottingham Forest - and reinforce their credentials as automatic promotion candidates.

A win tomorrow would see them leap frog Forest who travel to Loftus Road on Sunday for a top of the table clash.

Scunthorpe have had a rough season so far and look like relegation fodder. They sit second from bottom and seven points from safety and frankly, things aren't looking too good for them. They have played three games less than Crystal Palace who currently sit just outside the relegation places and so there is still hope - albeit fading fast.

Manager Ian Baraclough is not giving up quite yet though and said this week:

"Maybe one result is all it needs for us to start to turn things round. No-one, except within the four walls of our dressing room, will expect us to get anything down at Cardiff, but to us it's not out of the realms of possibility that we can. We have gone to places like that and got a result before this season, so we will go there in a positive frame of mind and pull off what in the eyes of most people would be an upset."

You have to admire his positive outlook - especially when you note that the Irons have lost five of their last six league games and only got one point from the other fixture. One win in twelve Championship games doesn't make better reading either.

But stranger things have happened and Cardiff need to guard against that old foe that haunts every side at some stage - complacency.

Scunthorpe are boosted by the inclusion in the squad of two youngsters from Premier league sides. Midfielder Abdisalam Ibrahim, on loan from Manchester City, returns from suspension and they have also signed Chelsea full back Ben Gordon, 19, to try and change their fortunes.

Cardiff boss Dave Jones has told his team to build ion the win against their neighbours and must know that it is this sort of game that they need to win in a professional and clinical way, if they are finally going to force their way into the top flight. He has said:

"It was a great performance at the Liberty, but we must carry on in the same vein this Saturday when we take on Scunthorpe. We need the next three points as much as we needed the last three, so we need everyone to be on their game and we need the home support to play their part as well.

We have seventeen games left in total to achieve what we all set out to do at the beginning of the season. Our destiny is in our hands."


He's right of course. Cardiff have everything they need to win promotion in my view and in Michael Chopra, Craig Bellamy and Jay Bothroyd they have three strikers who would be welcomed into several Premier League squads.

This should be a banker, but football isn't ever that straightforward, is it?

Getting nervous - Nightmare

I have to admit that I’m starting to get a little nervous. The nightmare scenario is looking distinctly possible.

For me this would involve all teams on my patch either going nowhere or – even worse - getting relegated.

At the moment Bristol City look frail in the Championship, Swindon, Bristol Rovers and Walsall are too close to the foot of the table for comfort in League One, while Hereford aren’t out of the woods in League One.

Wycombe seem to be in a pole position for a play-off place in the same division, but the same can’t be said quite yet for Oxford or Cheltenham.

As a neutral I’d like to see all of these clubs do well this season, but of course the bar has been lowered for some of them.

Survival for Swindon (last season’s defeated play-off finalists) and Bristol Rovers (who were hoping to push for a play-off spot themselves) is now the main hope for fans of both clubs. I’ve got to know quite a few of the players of both clubs and the one thing I can guarantee is that I haven’t come across a quitter yet.

The same can be said for the lads I know at the other clubs as well.

Bristol City have a good manager in Keith Millen and if he can steer them to safety, he’ll have done a good job and have something to build on next term. At the beginning of the season City were also hoping for greater things, but that was before Steve Coppell jumped ship and left Millen to pick up the pieces.

Gary Waddock isn’t getting carried away by Wycombe’s lofty position and, if he’s to be believed, he won’t do so until some point in the summer when the League One fixtures are released. He has a good head on his shoulders and is someone the Chairboys will do well to hold on to if they do go up.

Two other good young managers are Chris Wilder at Oxford and Mark Yates at Cheltenham.

Wilder has the extra pressure of knowing that, even though Oxford did brilliantly to get promoted last year, the fans have been starved of success for so long (or maybe suffered for so long, would be a better way of putting it) that they are in desperate need of more days like the one they had at Wembley last May. If they miss out this time round he’ll be hoping they have the patience to stick with him. Personally I think he’s earned the right. Then again, as I said above, I’m neutral.

Mark Yates probably doesn’t have as much pressure to deal with and any he does have is of his own making.

At the start of the season the Robins’ faithful feared they’d drop straight down to the Blue Square, but Yates has put together a decent side capable of beating anyone on their day and so expectations have risen in the main stand accordingly.

It’s going to be an interesting run in everyone. Try and hold your nerves even while I’m losing mine.

P.S. It appears that I will be spending a good deal of the remaining months of the season in South Wales covering Cardiff and Swansea, but still hope to be able to attend midweek fixtures for the clubs mentioned above.

Hereford United 2 Macclesfield Town 2 - Panic

Just what you need. The game’s dying out, the report is written and then some inconsiderate so-an-so scores an equaliser in the last minute to change everything entailing a panicky thirty second partial re-write.

My hastily written piece in this morning's paper

Then again, if you think I was annoyed you should have seen Bulls boss Jamie Pitman at the final whistle. He was not a happy chappy. True, he contained himself, but you could still see steam coming out of his ears. The last time I visited Hereford he was still fairly new to the managerial game – he now looks like a fully paid up member. I suspect that the Edgar Street tea lady will be looking for replacement cups and saucers today.
Hereford looked to be heading for three points. Macc had failed to convert numerous decent chances and the usually sound Adam Bartlett allowed them to take the lead when he let an innocuous 18 yard overhead kick from a central defender slip between his hands and feet. To top things off, skipper Michael Townsend picked up a second yellow card for dissent and will now miss the ‘derby’ game against former club Cheltenham on Saturday.
But despite going behind to Frenchman Tony Diagne’s acrobatic 18th minute opener, the Bulls pulled one back from the spot in the 40th minute – Rob Purdie converting after Joe Colbeck had been bundled over by Izak Reid.
Strangely, following Townsend’s 59th minute dismissal Hereford seemed to improve. Bristol Rovers loanee Harry Pell came on as part of a tactical change in the 63rd minute and immediately had Macc on the back foot with his energy and trickery. The lad looks a real prospect and topped off a fine cameo performance in the 70th minute when he launched a high ball forward for Stuart Fleetwood. The striker then did brilliantly to control the ball as it came down with snow on it and lifted it into the net for his 12th goal of the season.
But there was still time for Tyrone Barnett to rise at the far post, nod in his eighth of the season, stun Hereford, grab a last gasp point, and leaving me cursing in the Press Box.
A special mention for the Macclesfield away support. Thirty-three hardy souls made the trip down and so if anyone deserved to get something out of the evening it was them.
I had a brief chat with Macclesfield boss Gary Simpson who rightly paid tribute to the travelling support, but also revealed that the club was so strapped for cash that his top earner was on £700 per week and he had players on the pitch last night who were picking up £200. I’ve always known that there was a massive gulf between the Premier/Championship wages and the two lower leagues, but didn’t realise it was quite so wide. As Gary said last night: “If we manage to stay up it will be like swimming the Channel.”
Pitman wasn’t impressed with the visitors and said: “We’ve just thrown away two points to a horrible side.” Fair enough, but when you’re paying what they are at Macclesfield you cut your cloth accordingly.
"It wasn't enjoyable. We coped with ten men, they didn't have a chance, we made our own downfall in the end. We had a good spell. It was a game when you didn't think really they were going to get another chance. We made our own downfall by making a silly mistake."

Hereford v Macclesfield

Before starting on the brief preview of tonight's game, I'd like to help create awareness of a fund raising activity taking place this evening. Wristbands are being sold in the club shop for £3 to raise funds for the Adam Stansfield Foundation which was set up following the death related to a form of colorectal cancer of the former Bulls, Yeovil and Exeter striker at the age of only 31.
Adam was playing for the Devon club when he died, but played 62 of his 260 professional games for Hereford and was well respected by everyone he met in the game.
Macclesfield's visit makes the event even more poignant given that they have suffered the tragic loss of manager Keith Alexander, 53, and midfielder Richard Butcher, 29 in the last year.

******

Okay, so I'm back at Edgar Street (or Edgar Road as I mistakenly blogged for some strange reason - possibly tiredness or alcohol consumption related -earlier this season!) this evening for the first time in a while and it looks as though Hereford are on the up – despite the blip of a home defeat against Lincoln on Saturday.
Unfortunately for the Bulls, they could have dragged Lincoln back into the relegation scrap with a win, but it wasn’t to be. This evening though they have another chance to put another lowly club to the sword and put some distance between them and the bottom teams.
Hereford seemed to be on a little bit of a roll before Saturday’s game and had won four of their last five league games – not the sort of form you’d expect from a panicking relegation threatened outfit. It looks as though boss Jamie Pitman has picked them up for a second time this season to re-assert his own job credentials. Indeed he rallied the troops after losing to the Imps and said:
"We have also been on a good run but now we have to make sure we deal with that and get on with the next game. They had one or two opportunities but nothing else and probably we had the same.
Now we have to win our own games because we cannot control whatever our rivals are doing. Like Lincoln and ourselves, anyone can get on a run so we have to control our own destiny."
By way of contrast, Macclesfield haven’t won since they beat Bradford away back in November and have lost six of the eight league games since. On Saturday Macclesfield’s home fixture against Bradford was postponed and while manager Gary Simpson was left groaning about a possible fixture pile up, the way things have been going for the Silkmen, it’s better than groaning about another defeat.
Pitman has kept a settled line-up during the club's recent decent spell and has said to the local press:
"I could rotate but the danger is you get into rotating it like that, leaving people out and people then get frustrated. So I have to sit down with the other staff and think about what we're going to do with it all and where we're going to go come Tuesday because it's another game we need to get something out of."
Simpson will need to check on the fitness of defender Paul Morgan before the game. Morgan was carried off with swelling on his foot after just 10 minutes of last week's 4-2 home defeat against Bury.
Defenders Carl Tremarco and Shaun Brisley will remain sidelined with hip injuries.
Assistant boss Glyn Chamberlain said:
"Shaun Brisley is getting ever closer. Carl Tremarco is also progressing well and is perhaps a few weeks behind Shaun. We're going to need as many fit bodies as we can in the coming weeks as the games are coming thick and fast."

Swansea City 0 Cardiff City 1 - Perfect Day

I was asked to go to the Welsh derby yesterday as a back up to Sun reporter Paul Jiggins just in case a big story broke, but in the end I just enjoyed the occasion.

Aware that this was a massive game in terms of both the battle for promotion and also the local rivalry, I got to the Liberty Stadium for 10:15 and took in the hospitality on offer – bacon, beans and an unhealthy helping of hash browns – and then spent some time chatting to former Reading defender Graeme Murty and Arsenal legend Martin Keown about football and the media. Both guys were good company and they set the scene for a pleasant day out.

During the game I was given a seat just behind the home dug out among the home supporters and after Cardiff substitute Darcy Blake had weaved his way down the pitch before hitting a shot against the post, one of them even admitted:

“I’m ashamed to admit it, but that would have been a great goal to see.”

The home crowd were understandably partisan, but when one moron – presumably a member of the Swansea Supporters Club, Suicide Squad – stood in front of the away fans goading them (and then ran on to the pitch), he was roundly booed by everyone around me.

They also applauded the Cardiff side off – well apart from Craig Bellamy who is everyone’s pantomime villain! Afterwards though I had as much reason as anyone to be upset with goal scorer Bellamy when he refused to be interviewed by me because I worked for The Sun. However, he was extremely pleasant and told me it was because of the paper’s coverage following the Hillsborough disaster. He explained that he was a Liverpool fan.

For those too young to remember, The Sun ran a stories following the tragedy pointing the finger at some Liverpool fans for acts of theft of the dead and dying among other things. They got it wrong and have since apologised.

My understanding is that they were given some bad reports from an dodgy freelance journalist and – given that these were the days of common place hooliganism – took the decision to run with them as they fitted in with many of the other awful events of the time. From a newspaper editor’s point of view they made sense, but two plus two didn't make four on this occasion. From the point of view of the people of Liverpool – and especially the victims’ families – the claims were scurrilous and hurtful and the circulation of the paper in the city consequently plummeted overnight.

The executives on the paper at that time, in my humble opinion, were too slow to react. They should have apologised immediately, explained their position and made a hefty voluntary contribution to the Hillsborough Fund. They have done so since, but it was too late and the bad blood continues to this day.

Of course very few people who worked on the paper back then are still employed their, but those who have followed them continue to get reactions like Craig’s from time to time. Personally, I think it is time we all moved on as far as this issue is concerned, although Hillsborough and the lessons learned from that dreadful day should never be forgotten. The families are still fighting for justice to this day.

It was the first time I had met Wales international Bellamy and I have to say that – despite my frustration at not being allowed an interview – we still had a joke and he is nothing like his on field persona. I suspect that he revels in the abuse that he gets and lifts his game accordingly. His scorcher from the left angle of the box to settle this game was proof of that. I’d suggest that opposition supporters merely applaud him courteously each time he gets the ball – that might put him off!

I also had a chat with Jay Bothroyd who hadn’t made the cut to stand a chance of getting a second England cap against Denmark this week, but he was quite philosophical about it and said:

“There loads of world class strikers in the squad, but I was in the preliminary squad again which is good for me as I’m playing for a club in the Championship.

I think that being out for seven weeks injured as well didn’t help my cause even though I’ve come back and I’d scored two goals in two games, but it can’t have helped my cause because I wasn’t playing week in week out. All I can do is to keep working hard for my club and hopefully I’ll get invited back again.

Being in the preliminary squad after my performance last time is great, but like I said, I think this game came a bit too soon for me with me being injured.”

As for the game? Well I think it was a fair result. Aside from Brake’s near miss Cardiff had other chances to take the lead. Mind you, Swansea probably played the better passing game, but maybe they just need a Bothroyd or – dare I say it – a Bellamy up front to give them that cutting edge.

The battles between the respective central defenders and strikers was enthralling though and Swansea’s Alan Tate and Ashley Williams were immense. Even Bothroyd grinned when I mentioned his personal scrap with Tate and only a corker was ever going to get past him yesterday. Step up the very nice Mr. Bellamy.

Bristol Rovers 2 Brighton & Hove Albion 4 - Leaders

Gasheads take heart. This wasn't as bad a performance as the result might suggest.

Rovers took the lead through a superb Will Hoskins strike as early as the 2nd minute against the League One leaders, but as Albion boss Gus Poyet said afterwards:

"We knew we had 85 minutes to do something about it and my players aren't going to panic in a situation like that." And they didn't.

Poyet has assembled a very good side - arguably the best by far in this division - and so Rovers were really in a no lose situation and I agree with their manager who said:

"Funnily enough, I think this was one of the best performances since I've been here."

I can also understand Will Hoskins frustration at the moment. The likable hit man added a second - his 17th of the campaign - in the 86th minute and when I had a chat with him afterwards he told me:

"I'm getting a little fed up of people patting me on the back and congratulating me on scoring when we've lost. I want to score goals as that's my job, but I'd much rather we started winning."

I think that you will, Will.

Penney has brought in six players who look up to the job. It will take a little time for them to gel, but they are already showing signs of doing so and as Penney said afterwards:

"The quicker we can keep clean sheets the better because we look like scoring goals. But whatever system we play, whatever formation we play and whoever plays at the back, we have got to defend better and stop conceding basic goals, otherwise we will never win football matches. With the players we have got in now, we have some quality on the ball.


The work ethic and commitment was first class and, funnily enough, I think that's probably the best performance over 90 minutes we've put in since I've been here apart from the Swindon game. But Brighton are the best team we've faced. They always looked likely to score, although I was disappointed with the goals we conceded. But they have some real presence and quality in their side."

Rovers had to deal with an inspired and very hard working striker in Ashley Barnes and the former Plymouth man pegged them back with his 12th of the season in the 38th minute.

In the second half the Seagulls asserted themselves a little more and Rovers luck ran out.

Six minutes after the break Barnes passed the ball across the face of goal and Elliott Bennett buried his shot from the penalty spot.

In the 73rd minute midfielder Gary Dicker left the Rovers defence flat footed with a ball over the top . Barnes raced on to it and even though keeper Luke Daniels made a great save low to this right, the ball bounced of unfortunate teenage Leicester loanee Cian Bolger and into the back of the net.

Glenn Murray sealed the win in the 79th minute when he nodded in a cross from substitute Craig Noone for his 12th of the season.

Fortunately Rovers won't have to face Brighton again this season as Poyet is still urging his players to improve. He said:

"We scored four goals, but conceded two. I prefer scoring one or two and conceding none. To do well in football you need to be strong at the back and we have to go back to basics defensively. We don't concede many and when two go in in one game, we don't like it."

 

My clipping from this morning's paper

Swansea City v Cardiff City - Rivals

As far as English league derby rivalries go, this has to be one of the most intense, but there's an added edge to this fixture.

The two Welsh clubs aren't just going head-to-head for local bragging rights, but are both vying to beat the other to one of the two automatic promotion places on offer in the Championship.

By all accounts (outside of Cardiff) Swansea have been playing the more attractive football this season so far, but their neighbours have a certain resilience that develops within a squad after getting close to the promised land of the Premier League, but stumbling when it matters.

At this point I'll have to admit it is the first time I will have seen Cardiff live this season and so most of my observations are based purely on stats and what I've heard.

And (as regular readers will know) the only time I've watched Swansea perform - or no perform as the case may be - was in the Cup defeat to Orient last weekend. This was a result they were smarting over immediately after the game and I'm sure that a derby win - following the 2-0 win at Bristol City on Tuesday - will go a long way to helping the fans forgive them.

To be fair to the Swans they had much of the game against Orient who won 2-1 despite only having one real shot on target! Alan Tate's own goal was a bit of a freak and not one that a player of his experience will repeat any time soon.

And Tate has already moved on. The skipper is only concentrating on Sunday's game and said:

"I think I came back strongly at Bristol City, so it's not an issue.

This is the game we look forward to most anyway. It just so happens that it's also a big one in terms of where both teams are in the league and what we are trying to achieve. It is just three points, but it's not just another game. It's more than that.



When you look at the wage bills and how much money they pay for players, it's ridiculous that we even compete with them. They should be beating us comfortably when you look at it like that, but then that's what we do — compete with teams who are spending a lot more money than we do."

And it sounds as if Cardiff boss David Jones agrees with Tate about the importance of the game at least. He told the club's website:

"There are a lot of things that have been written about what I`m supposed to have said in the past about derby games. I`ve never played this fixture down - it`s how people interpret the things I say.


Everybody at this football club knows how important derby games are, including me. Why? Because I`ve played in them myself. This game with Swansea is very important to us - there are three points on offer and we want them.

No doubt about it though, it`s going to be a tough game. Our next game happens to be against our local rivals, but sometimes you do have to put things into perspective a little bit so as not to fall into the trap of playing the occasion.

So yes, it`s about getting three points against another Championship opponent, but we know derby games do have a different feel."

Swansea are two points and two places ahead of Cardiff in the table, but have played a game more and so could do with a five point cushion while also trying to reel leaders QPR in a little.

Their league form has been impressive and they have now lost only one of their last six games and lost only one. They'll also be trying to do the double after winning the reverse fixture 1-0 back in November.

Cardiff of course will be looking to even things up and leapfrogging Swansea in the table will go a long way to helping their fans to get over that result.

The Bluebirds have only lost one of their last six games as well, but have drawn three of them and so as the campaign starts hotting up - they need to start turning those draws into wins if they are going to avoid the lottery of the play-offs. Memories of last May's 3-2 Final defeat to Blackpool will motivate them if nothing else does.

My prediction - a feisty 2-2 draw.

Bristol Rovers v Brighton - Busy

It looks like I’ve got a busy weekend coming up. On Saturday it’s back to the Mem top watch Rovers taking on League One leaders Brighton and then on Sunday I cross the border to make a second trip in one week to see Swansea take on Cardiff.

I’ll use today’s blog posting to concentrate on the first fixture and then focus on the battle of the leeks and daffodils tomorrow.

New boss Dave Penney appeared to have stopped the rot at Rovers and managed them to their first clean sheet and then their first win since October. The jeering from the stands started to subside and the Gasheads were smiling again … for a few days before fellow relegations candidates Walsall thumped them 6-1 at the Bescot and then the MK Dons beat them 2-1 on their own turf last night.

I have to admit that I didn’t see either game and so can’t give an opinion on what went wrong, but it would seem from reading reports that the fragile confidence that Penney had started to give the players was well and truly shattered at Walsall.

Depending on your point of view, Brighton is either the last club they want to face at the moment or the side that – should Rovers win – good boost their collective self confidence and get them on a roll. It’s a glass half full, glass half empty question.

Like every other division this season, League One has been a tight one, but there are signs now of gaps appearing at the top and the bottom of the table and Rovers need to make sure of a few postive results. One win since October is real relegation form.

Brighton lead the table by one point from Bournemouth who have been the only team to beat them in the league in the last six games – and they’ve won four of the remaining five.

I suspect that Gus Poyet will be in demand in the summer whether the Seagulls get promoted or not and at the moment you’d have to say they are red-hot favourites.

But despite Rovers last two results, the word from Bristol is that they did bounce back against the Dons and showed a decent amount of fight and passion and so maybe there is a glimmer of hope.

Brighton were also held to a 2-2 draw in the reverse fixture back in November and so Penney’s boys may also take some self-belief from that result.

And that, for me, is the main reasons for the problems at the Memorial Ground. Self belief and the confidence to take what you do from the training ground and into the games. Rovers have a decent squad of players and Penney has bolstered it with some good loan signings – a mixture of experience and youthful potential. I can still see them beating the drop, but they better start pulling their fingers out soon.

Indeed, following the defeat to MK Dons Penney said:

"We finished the game strongly and if we can start like that against Brighton on Saturday it should be a good contest. Losing McCracken and Campbell is a blow but we have Danny Coles and Chris Lines back from suspension at the weekend, which now looks timely.


I feel the new signings have given us more physical strength and provided me with more options. After conceding six at Walsall last Saturday we desperately wanted to start off tight, so to concede a goal after 45 seconds was terrible.

It gave us a huge mountain to climb, but I credit the lads for keeping going and with a bit of luck we might have got a point."

And two of those new signings have waded in withtheir own thoughts.

Loanee striker Rene Howe is hoping for a fresh start. The Posh hitman revealed he was itching to face Brighton and said:

"I enjoy playing against the top teams, so I'm looking forward to it – and I'm sure the rest of the lads are, too. I prefer the bigger games and maybe do feel like I raise my game a bit more when they come along."


My contract there (Peterborough) is up in the summer, I'll be a free agent and I can't wait. Hopefully, I'll have a contract sorted somewhere else and can go to another club on a permanent deal. I've got on pretty well with most of the managers I've played under. It's just been difficult at Peterborough and I'd be happy to consider staying here if things work out."

And midfielder Gavin Williams moved across from rivals Bristol City earier in the week to join the five other new faces Penney has brought in and he warned:

""There's quite a few new lads here and it always takes time when so many people come in to a dressing room, but we haven't got a few weeks to play with – we have to try and gel straightaway.

We are struggling a bit at the moment, but I think we have enough in the dressing room now to turn it around. There are a lot of good attacking players at the club and now we have to try and get the wins we need. We have to turn games into wins because if we don't, the gap is going to get bigger and it makes it more difficult when you are chasing teams."

An apology - Sorry

I have just spent the last two days at a conference and so apologise for the lack of posts. In my defence however, I was often too drunk to see the keyboard. I will be posting on the Rovers v Brighton game shortly.