Cheltenham Town 4 Wycombe Wanderers 0

Jake Taylor ran wretched Wycombe ragged to get Cheltenham's promotion push back on track.

Loanee winger Taylor scored his first Robins' goal and made another to help his team to a first win in four and move them to second place in the table.

Taylor joined Cheltenham from Reading in early November on a two month deal, but boss Mark Yates will be hoping to extend the deal until the end of the season on this performance.

In the 29th minute full back Sido Jombati nodded an overhead clearance to Taylor and he rifled in a volley from the right angle of the box.

Portuguese full back Jombati then sent over a inch perfect cross for striker Jeff Goulding to nod in his third of the season from eight yards.

Nine minutes after the break hard grafting Taylor set up striker Darryl Duffy for a third.

Goulding picked Taylor out on the left wing and his cross found Duffy unmarked at the far post to head in his second goal of the campaign.

Jermaine McGlashan added number four in the 70th minute.

Midfielder Darren Carter dribbled his way into the area before sending a low ball across the face of goal and winger McGlashan back-heeled home for his third of the season from one yard.

Wycombe could have been really embarrassed, but keeper Jordan Archer kept the score down with a sting of excellent saves including two at full stretch from Taylor and Carter.

Yates was delighted to see his side bounce back from last Friday's 1-4 drubbing at Rochdale and said:

"It was a case of the boys putting right what was wrong then. They showed grit and determination."

Wycombe player-manager Gareth Ainsworth said:

"We're gutted, but it was a fair result and we'll take it on the chin."

My piece from the morning paper

Walsall 1 Colchester United 0

Febian Brandy lifted Walsall's spirits after clinching a first win in SEVENTEEN outings.

Brandy netted his second league goal for the Saddlers in the 62nd minute.

West Brom loanee midfielder Sam Mantom threaded the ball through to Brandy just inside the box and the striker ghosted by two defenders before rolling the ball past keeper Mark Cousins.

Former youth prospect and summer signing Brandy, 23, then said:

"I was at United from the age of eight until I was twenty, but then had a year and a half out with an injury and ended up sleeping on a mate's couch in Greece. I was left feeling pretty disenchanted. I didn't know what I wanted to do, but it didn't involve football.

"Sir Alex called me up twice. The first time was for a chat and the second time was a real bollocking for not finding myself a club. When someone like Sir Alex takes time out of his schedule to call you and tell you to sort your head out and get back in the game, you listen.

"If you don't take the mickey with him, he'll always be there to look out for you and I'll always be grateful to him."

And Brandy - who represented England at under-16 through to under-20 level - revealed that Ferguson wasn't the only one giving support from Old Trafford. He said:

"Mike Phelan, Paul McGuiness the youth team coach and mates like Danny Welbeck and Tom Cleverley also called to keep my spirits up. Ole Gunnar Solskjær even phoned from Norway where he is manager of Molde to make sure I got back on track.

"The club also gave me medical help and inserted a plate in my foot to help with an injury I'd been trying to deal with myself."
But Cousins had looked as though he would help Colchester to their first point in five games.

Three minutes into the second half Cousins pulled off a brilliant double-save as Walsall dominated the game.

Winger Jamie Paterson crossed from the right and Cousins saved striker Will Grigg's point blank shot from twelve yards at full stretch before jumping up to block Brandy's follow up effort at the foot of his post.

Colchester came close to snatching a point in the 90th minute, but central defender Josh Thompson nodded Brian Wilson's free kick on to the top of the bar from twelve yards.

Both sides hit the crossbar before half time and Brandy could have nabbed a hat trick.

On the half hour MK Dons loanee striker Jabo Ibehre latched on to a long ball forward from full back John White, but saw his chip come back off the woodwork.

And in the 42nd minute Cousins did well to tip defender Andy Taylor's in swinging corner onto the top of the bar.

In the second minute Cousins did well to shut out Brandy from two yards.

Ten minutes later Brandy raced to the edge of the U's box from half way, but central defender Tom Eastman deflected the shot inches wide.

And in the 27th minute co-striker Craig Westcarr split the Colchester defence with a pass to the right of the box that Brandy dragged just wide of the far post.

Delighted Walsall boss Dean Smith said:

"I felt we deserved to win and thankfully we crossed the line. It was hard out there and we adapted well to the conditions. That's now one defeat in six league games.

"I'm really pleased that we were able to get the three points. We deserved to win; there were a few hairy moments towards the end, but, on the whole, it was a deserved victory."
Colchester manager Joe Dunne groaned:

"It's exceptionally tight at the bottom, but we just need a break. We have to keep going though and we will strengthen the squad.

The players are down at the moment because they don't like losing, but after a couple of days with their families at Christmas, hopefully that will kick-start them again."

My piece from the Sunday paper ...

... and from this morning's edition

Swindon Town 5 Tranmere Rovers 0

Andy Williams grabbed a brace as Paolo Di Canio's rampant Robins terrorised table toppers Tranmere.

But it was Charlton loanee Danny Hollands who sparked a goal rush that moved Swindon into the play-off places.

Midfielder Hollands was snapped up on a two month deal in early November by manager Di Canio and he netted his first goal for the club in the fourth minute.

Hollands low shot from the edge of the box took a wicked deflection off hapless midfielder Liam Palmer to leave keeper Owain Fon Williams wrong-footed.

Fon Williams was then the victim of another deflected goal three minutes later as Raffaele De Vita chalked up his seventh goal of the season.

Winger De Vita cut in from the left and his low shot hit full back Danny Holmes to leave Fon Williams helpless again.

In the 21st minute Williams scored his first from twelve yards.

Defender Nathan Thompson cut the ball back from the right and Williams stroked in his fifth league goal since joining Di Canio's County Ground revolution from Yeovil in the summer.

In the 33rd minute winger Matt Ritchie added number four.

Fon Williams did brilliantly to beat away a twelve yard drive from striker Williams, but Swindon's leading scorer Ritchie blasted in the rebound from just inside the box for his ninth of the campaign.

And Williams scored his second six minutes after the break and seal Rovers' second defeat in eleven games.

Ritchie stole the ball in midfield and raced forward before feeding Williams who drilled in a low shot from fourteen yards.

Williams blew the chance of a hat trick when he had a 62nd minute penalty saved brilliantly by Fon Williams after striker Chris Martin was tripped in the box by substitute Donovan Daniels.

Incredibly, Fon Williams was Tranmere's best player and pulled off a string of great saves to prevent Swindon hitting double figures as his team mates were left red-faced.

Di Canio was delighted with the win, but said:

"It was a fantastic game, but we have done nothing and have to keep going. We are only half way thought the season.

I was sure we would win this game, but not in this manner."

Stunned Tranmere manager Ronnie Moore groaned:

"I didn't see that coming. I know it's nearly Christmas, but we were like Santa Claus giving away presents at the back. We were all over the place."

My piece from the morning paper

Oxford United 2 Accrington Stanley 0

James Constable kept his lucky Cup streak going to set up a third round home tie with Sheffield United.

Constable headed in his third FA Cup goal in as many games in the 66th minute.

Leeds loanee keeper Paul Rachubka did superbly to turn a low Constable shot past the post, but the striker then buried Peter Leven's corner from eight yards.

In the 79th minute Constable returned the favour.

Stanley failed to clear their lines and Constable teed up former MK Dons midfielder Leven to volley in his third of the season from the edge of the box.

Democratic Republic of Congo full back Aristote Nsiala had kept the scores level in an otherwise poor game with two excellent goal line clearances in the space of one minute.

Nsiala stretched to block Constable's low shot in the 19th minute and then nodded Michael Raynes header clear from the resulting corner.

Oxford assistant manager Mickey Lewis was pleased with the result, but admitted:

"Both teams are known to play football, but the pitch didn't help either of us.

The lads are a good bunch of professionals though and we wore them down eventually.

The important thing was to get through to the next round which we did."

Stanley boss Leam Richardson said:

"Both teams were tying to earn the right to play, but the goals eventually took their toll on us. It's a bitter pill to swallow, but my players gave it all they had.

We went in at half time quite confident, but we lost both central defenders to injury and had to reshuffle against a good Oxford side." 

My piece from the morning paper

Cheltenham Town 1 Port Vale 1

Louis Dodds is ready to step out of Tom Pope's shadow to drive Vale's promotion push.

Co-striker Pope has already raced to twenty-one goals this season, but Dodds made sure of a draw against fellow contenders Cheltenham and joked:

"He's had too much glory so far - now it's my turn."

Dodds, 26, pounced to level with his fifth of the season in the 67th minute after Robins keeper Scott Brown had blocked Pope's header and revealed:

"It's great playing alongside him. He's an unselfish player and a good guy, but it's my job to pick up the pieces.

"I hadn't scored since September and so I think, subconsciously, it was starting to get to me. It wouldn't have mattered if it had come off my backside, I just needed to get back on the scoresheet.

"As a striker though you are always going to go through patches when you don't score and so you just have to keep plugging away."

Midfielder Darren Carter,28, opened the scoring with his fifth goal of the season five minutes earlier.

Striker Chris Zebroski's low shot was blocked by full back Richard Duffy, but Carter pounced to drill home from ten yards.

Carter is hoping to play a part in taking the Robins up this season even though his six month deal ends in January. He said:

"I'll be speaking with the gaffer. I've loved it here. We're on a roll and when you're on a roll you want to stay to be part of it and finish the job."

Vale substitute Chris Shuker made sure of the draw in injury time by clearing off the line twice in a matter of seconds from Darryl Duffy and Jeff Goulding.

Cheltenham should have sealed the win before Dodds's equaliser.

Three minutes after the break, full back Billy Jones saw his angled shot hit the inside of the post before being cleared.

And keeper Chris Neal palmed away a header at full stretch from midfielder Jake Taylor in the 58th minute.

Brown saved twice in three first half minutes keep the scores level.

In the 19th minute Brown turned central defender John McCombe's volley from two yards past the post and then beat away a fierce 25 yard drive from former Cheltenham team mate Ashley Vincent.

Cheltenham manager Mark Yates said:

"I'm delighted with the performance and the number of chances we created. We kept going right to the 93rd minute. We're just a bit shell-shocked we didn't win the game to be honest. I thought we were excellent and deserved it, but you don't always get what you deserve. Everyone to a man had a decent game and we were really good value."

Manager Micky Adams was pleased with the point, but said:

"We'll know how good it is at he end of the season. It feels like a decent result because Cheltenham are a good side. We could have won it and we could have lost it. It's a point on the board."

My piece from Sunday's paper ...

... and Monday's

Oxford United 2 Northampton Town 1

Jon-Paul Pittman won't skip past his blooper when he watches the DVD of his starring role.

Substitute Pittman got Oxford back to winning ways with a 79th minute winner and then joked:

"If I hadn't scuffed a shot just after coming on the lads wouldn't have had to work so hard late on, so I'll punish myself by watching it again. Then I'll watch the goal a few times as well - and really enjoy it."

And the busy striker was impressed with the attitude of his team mates when Northampton cancelled out James Constable's fifteenth minute opener three minutes before his winner. He said:

"I looked around me and didn't see anyone's head dropping. Quote the opposite, you could see a determination to win in their eyes. I knew then that our season was still very much alive."

Pittman's stop-start season has been dogged by several injuries and Constable said:

"It's great to see him back on the scoresheet. He's an excellent player and a nice lad as well."

And Constable is also confident Oxford can turn their season around. He explained:

"We haven't had a great time recently, but when you look at the table, we're not out of it by any means. We need to put together a run now and with our fans behind us, especially at home, there's no reason why we can't push on."

Oxford assistant manager Mickey Lewis said:

"We’re heading the right way. A couple of results and it’s amazing how it can change."

Cobblers central defender Clarke Carlisle was dismissed with a second booking in the 90th minute.

Boss Aidy Boothroyd shrugged of the defeat and said:

"We've grown as a team over the last few weeks and there were lots of positives. We will learn from this and keep improving."

My piece from this morning's paper ...

... and yesterday's edition

Swindon Town 4 Yeovil Town 1

Darren Ward's crisp finish reminded Paolo Di Canio of former England striker Gary Lineker.

But it was Ward's marshalling of the Swindon defence that really caught the eye - despite manager Di Canio's tongue in cheek comparison to the Match of the Day and potato snack front man.

Former Millwall central defender Ward, 34, poached a 43rd minute third goal from two yards as the Robins moved to third in the table and sees the County Ground as the base for a promotion push.  

Midfielder Simon Ferry sent over a deep cross from the left and Devera's header was parried by keeper Marek Stech into the path of Darren Ward who tapped in his first goal this term and said :

"The lads have been working really hard and personally I have been working as hard as I ever have in my career. The target is to make this place a fortress and we have everything we need to make that happen."

James Collins's brace kept Paolo Di Canio's Swindon in the promotion hunt.

Former Shrewsbury hit man Collins took his tally to eight for the season and scored his first in the 28th minute.

Central defender Joe Devera crossed the ball from the left and Collins judged his run perfectly to tap in from two yards.

But Collins had to wait until the 94th minute for his second.

New Charlton loan signing Danny Hollands pumped a long ball forward and Collins collected it one the left before cutting in and curling home his shot from just inside the area.

Former Yeovil striker Andy Williams had opened with his fourth of the campaign in the 24th minute.

Williams flicked the ball past Byron Webster on half way and then outpaced the central defender before drilling his shot home from sixteen yards.

Yeovil hit back four minutes before the break when striker James Hayter nodded in substitute Keanu Marsh-Brown's right wing cross off the underside of the bar for his sixth league goal.

The goal sparked protests from the Swindon players who felt the ball had not crossed the line, but the home side's two goal margin was restored two minutes later.

Collins, 21, revealed:

"The gaffer told us after the game that if we keep going with the spirit we have and our determination and quality, we're definitely contenders to be there at the end of the season."

But Di Canio still felt his team could have done more and said:

"I should be happy with four goals and three points from a good home win but I am not completely satisfied. We dominated everything and put them into trouble but we have to learn to kill off opponents.We still have to become more greedy and nasty. We have to do a better job of killing the game off earlier when we are in control. But it was a very good win and I'm very happy and very pleased."

Striker James Hayter headed a goal back for Yeovil four minutes before the break, but manager Gary Johnson admitted:

"Some of our players go missing when we go to the bigger places, but we cannot change anything until January. We will get there in the end.They had more experience than us, but we have to start learning fast."

My piece from this morning's paper ...

and from Sunday's edition

Walsall 2 Lincoln City 3

My piece from this morning's paper

Vadaine Oliver came off the bench to grab a brace and leave Walsall red-faced.

Former Sheffield Wednesday youth striker Oliver nodded in Alan Power's 102nd minute corner at the far post to stun Walsall and then nipped in to prod home James Chamber's weak back header with four minutes left.

Midfielder Power had fired the Conference outfit ahead in the 50th minute from fourteen yards.

Walsall midfielder Richard Taundry forced extra time when he drilled in his first goal of the season through a crowded box in the 80th minute.

Jamie Paterson scored a deflected injury time consolation for the Saddlers.

Walsall manager Dean Smith was disappointed after seeing his team dumped out of the Cup and said:

"I've told the players not to feel sorry for themselves. They raised expectations with some good early season results and with that comes added pressure. We've got to get back to those levels.

We looked very nervous in the first half and had a lot of possession, but not a lot of clear cut chances for my liking. We need to turn it round and regroup."

Delighted Imps manager David Holdsworth said:

"I'm very proud of my players and the way they acquitted themselves. I couldn't have asked any more of them. Throughout the game the stood up to the task.

We were at Barrow the other day and they played at Swindon and so there's a big gap, but we closed it." 

Fronting Up

I can't imagine the pressure Bristol City boss Derek McInnes is under at the moment. Seven straight defeats, his team propping up the Championship, injuries to key players and Ashton Gate reverberating to the sound of jeering at half time and, again, as the final whistle blows. It must be tough for the guy and I can honestly say I wouldn't fancy it.

However, sending his assistant - Tony Docherty -  in to face the media after yesterday's home defeat to Charlton was a big mistake. Don't get me wrong, Docherty handled himself well, but the punters want to hear from the main man ... especially at times like this.

And whether you work for the papers, radio or television, your job is merely to try and ask the questions the fans themselves want answered. Sometimes we can ask them bluntly or even in a clumsy way, but by blanking the media, McInnes is merely snubbing the club's own fans (or customers as the board room would have it).

Some people in football (and public life generally) are a little paranoid and think the media are out to get them. They can take the questions personally. They shouldn't. Rather they should spend some time reading blogs or scanning Twitter or Facebook and read some of the things supporters are saying about them ... and then thank their lucky stars that the media present their questions in a measured way and with a little less emotion and vitriol.

I didn't hear anyone in the media room calling for McInnes's head yesterday afternoon, but I lost count of the number of supporters wanting to see various other parts of his anatomy removed!

Docherty made a big deal of telling us how hard McInnes is working and I'm sure he is. I suspect that he is having sleepless nights trying to work out ways of re-building confidence in a squad that is so obviously lacking it, but part of the job entails speaking to the fans ... and the great unwashed in the media.

McInnes isn't in a great situation at the moment and I for one would love to see him turn it around, but in the meantime I think it's important he fronts up.

Bristol City 0 Charlton Athletic 2

My piece from this morning's paper

Danny Haynes made it a Remembrance Day to forget for City boss Derek McInnes.

Haynes helped pile the pressure on under-fire boss McInnes and dish out City's seventh straight defeat. The poor performance triggered jeers from the Ashton Gate faithful at both half time and at the final whistle.

Striker Haynes set Charlton on the way to their second win on the bounce in the 20th minute to leave his former club four points from safety and rooted to the foot of the table.

Midfielder Dale Stephens rifled in a low shot from the edge of the box that hit the inside of BOTH posts before rebounding to Haynes to stroke in his second goal in two starts from fourteen yards.

Central defender Michael Morrison doubled the lead in the 57th minute to ease the Addicks' own relegation worries.

Midfielder Bradley Pritchard lobbed the ball into the crowded box and Morrison was first to react to slot home his first goal of the season from eight yards as the City defence dithered.

McInnes made five changes to the team that lost to Birmingham last Tuesday, but confidence levels now seem to have dipped to a new low for the season no matter who pulls on the red shirt.

Haynes could have scored a hatrick.

Only two minutes after his opener he managed to drill the ball into the ground and off the wrong side of the post from five yards.

And in three minutes into the second half he beat City's sloppy offside trap to latch on to winger Salim Kerkar's superb 40 yard pass, but then sent his snatched shot high and wide with only keeper Tom Heaton to beat.

Both teams had chances to score before Haynes opener, but defender Chris Solly slid into block winger Martyn Woolford's ten yard shot in the tenth minute and Heaton palmed an angled effort from Kerkar past his far post two minutes later.

McInnes dodged the media after the game, but assistant Tony Docherty remained positive and said: "We must take heart that we created a lot of chances. There's a long, long way to go this season and no-one is working harder than the manager to turn things around. We know that when you're on a run like this, it's luck that changes it and we've got to work hard for that luck and change the trend."

Delighted Charlton manager Chris Powell said: "It was a complete performance from us and the first one this season. I thought my players were excellent. They gave it their all and it was heartening. It's a young team that's evolving and this win will do the the power f good. There was a real determination from the boys and it sets us up for the second third of the season."

Cheltenham Town 1 Burton Albion 0

Chris Zebroski grabbed a last gasp winner to keep Cheltenham in the promotion hunt.

Both teams looked to have run out of ideas when Zebroski struck his fourth of the campaign in the 85th minute.

Central defender Alan Bennett had a low shot cleared off the line, but keeper Mark Oxley fumbled the looping rebound and Zebroski pounced to score from two yards.

In the last minute, Cheltenham stopper Scott Brown was forced to beat away a header from striker Calvin Zola to seal the win.

Brown was also called into action twice in ten minutes to save a near post shot from striker Zola in the 62nd minute and then tip over a 20 yard curler from winger Chris Palmer.

Cheltenham dominated the first half and full back Billy Jones did all he could to put them ahead.

In the seventh minute Jones's free kick was nodded against the bar by skipper Bennett.

Ten minutes later Sido Jombati met another Jones cross, but the Portuguese full back saw his point blank header from eight yards cleared off the line.

And in the 28th minute Jones teed up Steve Elliott, but the central defender's header flew just high of the woodwork.

Zola squandered Burton's best chance in the first half when he hit the side-netting on the turn from six yards in the 41st minute.

Burton boss Gary Rowett  remained upbeat despite the result and claimed :

"I still thought we were excellent and I've told the players I'm very proud of them. I am proud of the performance and I think it shows a lot about us as a team. We had one or two opportunities and with more composure we could have taken them."

Cheltenham chief Mark Yates  was delighted his team kept plugging away for the win and said :

"I think everyone deserves a pat on the back after a difficult week in which we've picked up four points against two very good sides. We threw strikers on and bodies in the box and it turned out right in the end.

You've always got to keep believing. You think maybe it's not your day when we had plenty of chances. We've got good players and we tried different things.
It was a very hard fought and thoroughly deserved win."

And Jermaine Cheltenham winger McGlashan is happy to take the knocks if it lets his team mates do the damage.

McGlashan, 24, was a constant threat to the Burton defence before Chris Zebroski's late, late winner and then explained:

"I'm getting cuts and bruises all the time,but I'm becoming immune to it. I'm going to get kicked, but it's bitter-sweet when you get the three points. I'll just keep my head down and try to do a professional job.

It's frustrating that teams seem to be doubling up on me because you want to play one on one. I'm getting it a lot now, but it's a back-handed compliment and it gives more space to the other lads. We're capable of scoring goals from all over."

Striker Zebroski, 26, said :

"The back four were magnificent and the deserve credit because they gave us the base to go out and get three points.

We need to make our place a fortress now. Our away form has been good and to keep our home form going will give us a good chance of promotion."

My piece from today's paper ...

and from yesterday's edition

Walsall 1 Scunthorpe United 4

Niall Canavan's brace eased ten-man Scunny to victory in Brian Laws first league game as boss.

Central defender Canavan scored his first of the season by leaving woeful Walsall flat-footed to nod in Mark Duffy's thirteenth minute corner at the far post from eight yards.

On the half hour striker Karl Hawley tame shot was pounced on by Duffy to finish off from close in for his first of the campaign.

One minute before the break Iron midfielder David Prutton was shown a red card for a bad midfield challenge on Adam Chambers.

But Canavan combined with winger Duffy again in the 50th minute to produce a carbon copy of his first goal and striker Leon Clarke sealed Scunthorpe's first win in nine games in the 75th minute by tapping in his eighth of the season.

Saddlers substitute Will Grigg scored a consolation goal in the 92nd minute from six yards.

Laws was delighted with the win and said:

"It's been a long time coming, but it's just one small step. No-one's getting carried away. The test will be if we can continue from here on Saturday.

I told the lads afterwards to smile as they'd just won and a couple of them chipped back that they'd forgotten how to smile."

Disappointed Walsall boss saw his team's winless run stretch to nine games and he groaned:

"We have three experienced players out, but that's no excuse. We didn't get to grips with the game at all.

That's as painful as it's been as a manager and I've told the lads that. There are two ways to go from here - we either sink or swim.

We're trying all the time to get people in and this result might force the point."

My piece from this morning's paper

Cheltenham Town 3 Yate Town 0

Scott Brown believes Cheltenham are developing the X Factor in their push for success.

Keeper Brown, 27, stopped Yate from getting back into the game by pushing Jake Cox's free kick onto the bar only four minutes after defender Scott Thomas had scored a third minute own goal. He said:

"We're becoming more professional. If it means sitting at home watching Match of the Day and the X Factor rather than going out and enjoying ourselves, then that's what we're going to do. Promotion is the main aim, but a bit of fun in the Cup always helps."
Scott Thomas was the unfortunate fall guy for Yate and was was lying helpless on the deck when team mate Tom Warren's attempted clearance ricocheted in off his back in the third minute.

Winger Kaid Mohamed added a second in the 65th minute when he nodded in Billy Jones corner from eight yards for his fourth goal of the season.

And Mohamed, 28, was not surprised by Yate's gutsy performance. He said:

"I come from non-league myself and so knew they would be up for it, but so was I. It's a job done."

Substitute Chris Zebroski saw off the round's lowest ranked side by firing in a low fourteen yard shot in the 92nd minute.

But little Yate had given their county neighbours a couple of big scares just after Thomas's opener when striker Tom Knighton and defender Jake Cox both hit the woodwork

At the other end, stopper Josh Dempsey kept the score down with a string of excellent saves to shut out defender Sido Jombati, Mohamed and strikers Shaun Harrad and Darryl Duffy.

Cheltenham boss Mark Yates was impressed with Yate and said:

"Credit to them, they did themselves proud, but I thought we were pretty comfortable. I always want more, but we'll take three goals."

Yate manager Rob Cousins said:

"It's been a long road to get here. We've played five rounds and been the underdogs each time, but the better side won this one.We could've let our heads drop, but bounced back to hit the woodwork twice."

My piece from this morning's paper ...

... and yesterday's

Bristol City 1 Hull City 2

Cole Skuse was left feeling sick - and it had nothing to do with a bug sweeping Ashton Gate.

Skuse was the unfortunate fall guy after deflecting Hull striker Stephen Quinn's into his own net in the 65th minute as City dropped into the relegation zone. He then revealed a stomach virus is also leaving the squad feeling queasy.

Officials will close the ground for business today (Monday) in an effort to contain the problem that has infected several players and backroom staff. Combative midfielder Skuse, 26, explained:

"It never rains, but it pours. On top of the injury list we already had, it doesn't help. A few people have it. Stephen McManus had it before the game, but he stepped up because we were already short of central defenders and Steven Davies was throwing up at half time. We'll come through it stronger though, like we have before.

"I couldn't do much about the goal. It went in off my chest, but if it hadn't hit me one of their players would have put it away. At least scoring goals at the other end isn't a problem - we've scored more than most teams. When the manager is given the chance to name a settled side our luck will change."

Sone Aluko, 23, opened the scoring for Hull in the eighth minute with his fourth of the season and revealed that boss Steve Bruce had little work to do when it came to team spirit. He said:

"From day one everyone got on well and there's no need for any team building exercise as it seems to come naturally. There are some real clowns in the squad and even the players who don't start games make sure the atmosphere is good around the place in in the changing room.

I must admit I can't remember too much about the goal, but everyone is telling me it was a good one and so I can't wait to see it."

Davies pulled the Robins back into the game in the 25th minute with his sixth goal in six games, but City have notched up only one win in ten and boss Derek McInnes groaned:

"It wasn't the start we envisaged, but the players worked hard to get back into it. I don't see us being where we are now at the end of the season. We have to keep our shoulders to the wheel and work hard. It's not a position we haven't been in before.

"We are on a bad run and the only remedy is hard work. But I have 100 per cent faith in the players here and I know we are capable of digging ourselves out of trouble. It won't happen overnight, but there is no shortage of commitment from players or staff."

Bruce was delighted with the win that moved Hull up to sixth in the table, but said:

"If I'm going to be critical, the chances we missed have been typical of us.

"In a few games this year we should have been out of sight, but overall I have to be very pleased indeed with the way we performed."

My piece from today's paper

... and yesterday's (a bit harsh of Cole, but the confusion around the goal and the deadline on the whistle didn't help :-) )

Wycombe Wanderers 0 Barnet 0

Edgar Davids now knows what life is really like in League Two after this scrappy, dull tussle.

Former Dutch international Davids, 39, remains unbeaten since becoming Barnet's joint Head Coach with Mark Robson, but his side had lost the spark that brought about a 4-0 drubbing of Northampton in his debut last Friday.

But rock bottom Barnet did come closest to scoring when John Oster's 30 yard shot needed to be tipped over the bar by keeper Nikki Bull.

Wycombe's best chance fell in the 94th minute, but Bees' keeper Graham Stack managed to beat away Sam Wood's 20 yard shot.

Robson was pleased with the point and said:

"I felt we looked good and solid. The biggest thing is we got another clean sheet. That's two in a row and very important.

We looked more threatening from set pieces, but our final ball let us down. We perhaps made the wrong decisions at the wrong time."

Wycombe's caretaker boss Gareth Ainsworth remained upbeat and said:

"I think we restricted Barnet to one shot in the game, but it didn't happen for our front players. We'll hope they are back on Saturday, but I thought our defenders were excellent. We must have had nine or ten chances, but couldn't find the target." 

My clipping from this morning's paper

Bristol Rovers 3 Torquay United 2

Matt Lund ignored boss Mark McGhee's orders - and made him a very happy man.

Lund, 21, set Rovers on the road to victory by teeing up striker Tom Eaves for the opener before drilling home a 20 yard free kick himself.

But McGhee had banned him from taking free kicks after a howler in a recent game.

Lund revealed:

"I was on the other side of the pitch so the manager couldn't say anything! I'm always practicing free kicks well after training, but I'm never down to take them. Hopefully I've proved a point that I should be."

McGhee joked:

"I told him not to take free kicks. That was my contribution."

Midfielder Lund is on loan from Stoke until Christmas, but is playing as a full back to help ease Rovers injury problems. He said:

"I'm enjoying it and I'll play anywhere I'm needed. Stoke are watching me and so hopefully I'll do a good job, work hard, make the right impression and go back in the new year and take it from there."

Bolton loanee striker Eaves grabbed the winner in the 76th minute when he tapped in a pass by substitute Wayne Brown from one yard out for his third goal since joining Rovers on a three month loan deal last month. 

Eaves had started the goal rush in the 15th minute by beating the Torquay defence to a lofted pass from full back Lund before chipping keeper Michael Poke.

Two minutes later Lund buried his low free kick after midfielder Craig Easton had handled just outside the area.for a first goal since joining on a loan deal until Christmas from Stoke.

Torquay then found themselves up against it after half an hour when former QPR defender Joe Oastler picked up his second booking and was sent off by referee Scott Mathieson. The first caution was picked up for a body-check on young winger Fabian Broghammer, 22, and resulted in the German leaving the field with what looked like a neck injury, a few minutes later. 

Oastler's next 'victim' was Broghammer's replacement Wayne Brown who was taken out on the touchline. It was a soft booking, but I suspect that the ref decided he needed to get the lad off the field before he killed someone. He appeared to have lost the plot a little at that point as Torquay fruitlessly chased the game.

But in the 53rd minute former Rovers loanee Rene Howe curled in his seventh goal in successive games from the left edge of the box to leave the home side stunned - and equal Torquay's 58-year scoring record.

And six minutes later central defender Aaron Downes nodded in a cross from full back Kevin Nicholson at the far post for his third of the season to pull Torquay level.

Former Rovers loan player Howe, 25, told me afterwards:

"I'd like to go on now and make the record my own by getting one against Gillingham on Tuesday."

Aussie central defender Aaron Downes, 27, nodded in to give the Gulls hope level six minutes later, but boss Martin Ling said:

"I always say you can carry three bad players, but in the first half we were carrying ten.  We look like a good mid-table team at the moment, but I think we've got a squad to be better than that. We haven't won back to back games since March and so consistency is a worry."

McGhee admitted:

"There's a wee bit of frustration. To produce the performance we did in the first half was what I'd been hoping for. What I hadn't been expecting was the sloppy start to the second half. We didn't bottle it though and kept working for that winning goal."

My clipping from this morning's paper

... and yesterday's 'effort'

Oxford United 0 Gillingham 0

Ryan Clarke produced a goalkeeping master class to turn his season around and expects Oxford to follow suit.

Clarke, 30, was dumped on the bench for a couple of games following a run of four defeats, but bounced back to pull off a string of superb saves and shut out league leaders Gillingham.

But stopper Clarke claimed the experience had just motivated him to do better. He revealed:

"I was disappointed. It's the first time it's happened to me. The gaffer made a decision, but I didn't spit my dummy out. I just told him I'd be working hard so that, if and when he wanted to put me back in, I'd be ready to go. As one of the senior pros it's up to me to set a good example as we've got quite a young team."

And Clarke pointed to last season's Champions Swindon as an example of what the club can still achieve. He said:

"If we want to look at any team to copy, it's probably them, even if they are our rivals. They were in all sorts of trouble at the start, losing five out of five, but they came good and that could happen with us."

Stuart Nelson, 31, also made a great finger tip save to deny winger Alfie Potter as the Gills remained unbeaten away from home in six games, but he still praised his opposite number. He said:

"He made some great saves and kept them in it because we were all over them in the first half."

Oxford boss Chris Wilder was delighted with his team and said:

"They showed heart and desire to get something. The goalkeeper was outstanding and he's definitely back to his best."

Gillingham Chairman Paul Scally has promised the players a trip to Spain if they achieve promotion and manager Martin Allen joked:

"It’s another point on our total towards Benidorm. We’ve gone away from home and dominated possession. We’ve had chances, but not taken them."

My clipping from today's paper

... and from Sunday's edition

Wycombe Wanderers 1 Plymouth Argyle 1

Guy Madjo rescued a point for Plymouth - and dented Gareth Ainsworth's job prospects.

Striker Madjo scored his first goal for the club five minutes after the break.

Winger Alex MacDonald crossed from the right and Aldershot loanee Madjo buried the equaliser from eight yards at the far post.

Caretaker player-boss Ainsworth, 39, played himself from the start and set up the twelfth minute opener with a teasing right wing cross that was nodded in from six yards by former trainee Matt McClure.

Plymouth keeper Jake Cole made sure of the point with great saves from Stuart Lewis, Gary Doherty and Joel Grant.

Plymouth boss Carl Fletcher said:

"It must've been a great game to watch the way it ebbed and flowed. We knew it was going to be tough with their players trying to impress Gareth Ainsworth, but once we conceded I was pleased with the response."

Ainsworth said:

"To say there was emotion in my voice when I told the players what I thought of the in the huddle at the end would be an understatement. That's the best performance I've seen at Adams Park for many a day. It was a real warriors' performance."

Swindon Town 3 Burnley 1

Paolo Di Canio's classy underdogs swept Burnley aside to keep his cup dream going.

Swindon boss Di Canio's League One Swindon knocked out Championship leaders Brighton in the first round and followed that up with a shock win at Premier League team Stoke. 

Di Canio has said he hopes to lead his team out at Old Trafford and they had definitely had no problem dealing with Championship side Burnley.

Paul Benson grabbed the first in the 19th minute.

Defender Jay McEveley whipped in a cross from the left and Benson pounced at the far post to bury his third of the season from eight yards.

Swindon doubled the lead three minutes before the break.

Canada international central defender David Edgar lost the ball to Tommy Miller forty yards out and the midfielder fed striker Andy Williams who raced into the box and slotted in his third goal in three games from twelve yards.

Central defender Troy Archibald-Henville sealed the win with his first goal for the club in the 83rd minute when he nodded in a McEveley right wing free kick at the far post.

Former Swindon hitman Charlie Austin had pulled one back for Burnley in the 74th minute.

Austin scored 37 goals in 58 games at the County Ground and looked Burnley's only real threat.

Substitute Sam Vokes played the ball into the box and Austin rounded keeper to tap in his tenth of the season from three yards.

Danish keeper Brian Jensen spared Burnley's blushes with two excellent second half saves.

In the 59th minute Jensen saved with his feet from midfielder Alan Navarro and seven minutes later palmed away an eight yard header from Williams.

Burnley's best spell came in the first nine minutes and Austin was in the thick of it.

Brian Stock stepped over fellow midfielder Ross Wallace's corner in the third minute and Austin fired a low shot just wide.

Four minutes later McEveley stretched to clear off the line after Austin got his head to another Wallace corner. 

In the ninth minute Austin flicked the ball on to Chris McCann, but the midfielder was ruled offside after putting the ball in the net.

Di Canio was delighted to knock out a team from a higher league for the eighth time since taking over at the County Ground and said:

"If we play our football we don't need to worry about any club in the country. The team did well. My football is expensive in terms of energy and today they ran at the right time and in the right way.

We are fit and train hard. I told the players to keep going. With hard work, energy and desire we'll have lots of smiles this year and maybe a big laugh.

I'll take Manchester United away next. We might lose 6-0, but if there is one chance in a million, I'd like to make history for this club."

Burnley boss Eddie Howe said:

"We wanted to win and we're hugely disappointed not to be in the hat.

We're so inconsistent at the moment. The ability of the squad isn't in doubt, but we've got to use it.

Their first goal knocked our confidence and then they were in the ascendency."

My piece from the morning paper

Bristol Rovers 0 Fleetwood Town 0

Neil Etheridge can finally add a league debut to his THIRTY-SEVEN international caps.

Enfield-born keeper Etheridge, 22, has signed a one month loan deal from Fulham and kept a clean sheet in his first Rovers appearance, but he has already notched up a good deal of experience playing for the Phillipines.

Former Chelsea youth prospect Etheridge explained:

"My mum is Filipino which allows me to qualify and I've played in some pretty big fixtures for them since I was eighteen.

We played two semi finals of the South East Asian Cup in Jakarta against Indonesia in 2010 because we didn't have the facilities in the Phillipines at that time. There were 85,000 at the first leg and 100,000 in the second leg. Our support was just family and friends - about ten people!

There aren't many stadiums anywhere that can hold those numbers. It was frightening, but a great experience."

Etheridge was supported in his debut by best pal, injured Manchester United and England defender Chris Smalling, but Etheridge said:

"People take different paths in life, this is mine and I'll take it. I was on the bench for the majority of last season with Fulham. The season before I had slight knock backs with injuries. Now is the time to go out on loan to gain experience and I'll grab it with both hands to help Bristol Rovers as much as I can."

Opposite number Scott Davies shut out Rovers with three great second half saves as Fleetwood continued their good form following promotion from the Conference last term.

One minute after the break Davies blocked striker David Clarkson's powerful twelve yard drive with his feet and five minutes later pushed away midfielder Oliver Norburn's shot at the near post.

In the 64th minute Clarkson was denied again.

German-born winger Fabian Broghammer teed up the former Bristol City hitman from the left, but Davies produced the pick of the bunch when he palmed away Clarkson's shot from  just inside the box.

Fleetwood were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty in the 53rd minute when midfielder Matt Gill seemed to handle, but referee waved away protests after discussing the claims with his assistant.

Striker Andy Mangan had the first effort of the game in the fifth minute, but his 25 yard shot  just cleared the Rovers bar.

And Broghammer came close to breaking the deadlock twice in one first half minute.

Broghammer nodded a cross from fellow winger one yard wide of the far post in the 16th minute and then curled a shot onto the roof of the Fleetwood net from the edge of the box. 

Rovers chief Mark McGhee was delighted with his team's defensive performance, but said:

“That's the first bit of luck we've had this season and Gilly was delighted. It was a strange one because the linesman had has flag up and we assumed there must have been a push or something, but the referee eventually gave a throw in.

If there is any criticism it will be in the forward department where we were not able to score a goal. We will try and do business before next week and try and get someone who will help us put the ball in the back of the net."

Fleetwood manager Micky Mellon was happy with Davies's role in the draw and said:

"He's developing into one of the best keepers in the league.

If you said to me before the game that we'd take a point off Bristol Rovers, I'd have taken it."

A tale of two keepers ...

My piece from yesterday's paper

My clipping from this morning's paper

Cheltenham Town 1 Southend United 3

Sean Clohessy is laying foundations for a promotion push - and planning to build a life after football.

Southend full back Clohessy, 25, drilled home an equaliser just before the break and said:

"We shot ourselves in the foot last season when we should have gone up, but that experience has motivated us all to do it this time."

Clohessy started out in Arsenal's youth team before drifting into non-league with Salisbury City and he revealed:

"My girlfriend has a good job and at one point I thought she'd end up having to keep me! I seriously wondered if I'd make it in the game.

Fortunately I got another chance with Southend a couple of years ago, but it does make you think and I'm now considering getting some building qualifications so I have something to fall back on in the future."

Cheltenham winger Jermaine McGlashan opened the scoring in the 15th minute, but striker Britt Assombalonga nodded the Shrimpers ahead four minutes after the break.

Central defender Mark Phillips, 30, headed home Kevan Hurst's 52nd minute free kick to seal the win and then said:

"I was good to get off the mark. I got eight last season and I'm looking to beat that this season, but the real aim has to be promotion. No-one's talked about us as promotion favourites, but we fancy our chances."

Paul Sturrock had to change tactics to cope with Cheltenham and said:

"These days you need to move players about like you're playing Subbuteo. Once we got the the equaliser we got ourselves into decent positions on the pitch and I thought the boy Hurst was outstanding."

Cheltenham manager Mark Yates said:

"We unhappy with the start we've made and the reality is we've conceded three goals at home again, but it's up to me to put that right and I will."   

My piece from this morning's paper

My clipping from yesterday's paper

Wycombe Wanderers 1 Cheltenham Town 1

Shaun Harrad spared the blushes of team mate Keith Lowe as Cheltenham claimed a deserved point.

Striker Harrad pulled the Robins level from the spot in the 38th minute.

Stuart Lewis tripped fellow midfielder Marlon Pack in the box and Harrad netted his fourth goal in five league games since joining the club on loan from Bury in the summer. Harrad then revealed:

"Marlon fancied it, but I've just had my best ever start to the season and now got four in five games. I wouldn't let go of the ball and so he just gave me a friendly shove and told me not to miss. I wasn't going to."

And Harrad admitted that since joining the Robins on a season long loan from Bury His confidence has returned. He said:

"I'm the sort of player who needs a run of games to feel good and show what I can do. The gaffer is giving me those games"

But the unfortunate Lowe had gifted Wycombe the lead in only the third minute with soft own goal.

Winger Joel Grant sent in a low cross from the right and central defender Lowe put the ball into his own net from eight yards when he should have cleared the danger easily.

Lowe's clanger stirred the Robins into life and Nikki Bull was the busier keeper in the first half.

In the eleventh minute Bull shut out a glanced header from Harrad and less than one minute later blocked winger Jermaine McGlashan with his feet.

One minute a before half time Lowe had a chance to make amends, but deflected a shot from team mate Darren Carter high over the bar - something he'll wish  he'd done at the other end!.

Harrad came close to netting a brace four minutes after the break when he fired over from 20 yards after being teed up by Kaid Mohamed.

And substitute Jeff Goulding should have won the game for Cheltenham in injury time, but he volleyed Billy Jones corner high from ten yards. 

Delighted Cheltenham boss Mark Yates said:

"We gifted a calamitous goal, but we got there action we wanted. We knocked it about superbly."

Wycombe's squad has been hit by injuries, but new striker Jo Kuffour, 30, was more than happy to play through the pain barrier and said:

"I spent the summer keeping fit in my local gym in the park hoping for a new club. It was about ten days ago that I trained with the lads for the first time and I started cramping up after only 35 minutes. There was no way I was coming off. I just love playing football and so when you get the chance, you take it." 

Manager Gary Waddock was missing six first team players and said:

"I'm sure if any other manager was missing that many, they'd find it difficult as well. The players deserve a lot of credit for digging in against a very good side."

My piece from this morning's paper

My clipping from Sunday's edition