Which happens most weekends of course and despite my preoccupation with the FA Cup I must start my roundup with Gillingham, my neighbour`s heroes;  it is rumoured but unconfirmed that he made the journey to Priestfield Stadium yesterday only to see the Gills get hammered 4-0 by visiting Ipswich Town.  Worrying times for him and his fellow devotees, as this result firmly anchors the Gills in the relegation zone of League One.  I am there for him, of course, should he feel the need for counselling - a service he has offered me in the past given my own penchant for Southampton FC.

Elsewhere Brechin City made the journey to Pitmedden, a small village north of Aberdeen and the home of Formartine United.  City came out 1-0 losers to dent their hopes of a swift return to Scottish League Two.  They have now slumped to fifth in the Highland League, but then Formartine`s North Lodge Park is never an easy place to go to.  

No games for Fort William, Stoke Gabriel and Torbay Police FC, Vale of Leithen or Truro City, whose game away at Salisbury City was called off due to a waterlogged pitch.  Maidstone United went to Billericay in Essex in the National League South but could only manage a 1-1 draw against the league`s bottom club - a disappointing result perhaps which sees the Stones drop to second in the table on goal difference from near neighbours Ebbsfleet.

As our street are now Ravens fans, we followed Bromley`s National League home game against Solihull Moors with renewed interest as it marked the home debut for Scott Wagstaff of this parish, who did not disappoint, scoring Bromley`s first goal in their 2-1 win.  I think they are due to play Aldershot soon, so it will be interesting to see what reaction Scott gets from the Shots crowd on his return to play against the club he has just recently left.  Maybe they will be charitable.

I have left Southampton to last partly because their gritty 3-2 win away at Swansea in the FA Cup has been perhaps under reported.  The Saints, despite suffering injuries and Covid cases, put out a strong side against their Championship opponents;  went 1-0 up after Nathan Redmond`s deft finish and then went down to ten men as a result of French defender Yan Valery being dismissed after 30 minutes for two `soft` yellow cards.   So, the game changed - went a bit topsy turvy with Swansea going ahead 2-1, Saints pulling it back to 2-2 and eventually winning 3-2 after extra time.  A performance of much character and endeavour to play with ten men for 90 minutes but one which may have taken its toll on the team`s fitness in advance of Tuesday evening`s Premier League game against Brentford.  We`ll see.

So, as the great man said, "You win some, you lose some."   Life`s rich pageant, I guess.

 

Yes, it`s been another of those weekends as far as my football teams are concerned.  A number of games were called off for various reasons with Stoke Gabriel, Brechin City, Fort William, Vale of Leithen and Southampton not having a game.    The most disappointing postponement was Southampton`s home game against Newcastle which should have take place at St. Mary`s yesterday.

Newcastle, claiming the effects of Covid and injuries to their two best players, asked the Premier League to postpone the game which request was granted.  It seemed extraordinary that a club with 65 registered players could not `fulfill the fixture` and it led to suspicion on the part of the Saints fans and a complaint to the league officials by the Southampton club.  It won`t make any difference, of course, but it does give strength to the notion that clubs who had requested games to be postponed by the Premier League should not be allowed to play an newly signed players in the rearranged fixture now that the infernal transfer window has opened again.

Undoubtedly pride of place this week goes to Maidstone United who, in beating local rivals Tonbridge before a home crowd of 3,100. went top of the National League South table. Nice one. And it was encouraging to see Gillingham gain a valuable point away in a goalless draw at MK Dons; the score in that game being 0-0.

Now at this time of the year the various leagues try to arrange fixtures so as to reduce the amount of travelling time for both the clubs and their supporters - witness Maidstone against Tonbridge, for example, separated by a mere 14 miles.  But sometimes geography works against that idea and so we saw Truro City making the 300 miles round trip to Weston super Mare on New Year`s Day.   Tomorrow evening they travel to Wimborne in Dorset for another `local derby` which will involve another 325 miles on the road.

Lastly, a word or two about Aldershot Town.   After a more than shaky start to the season, they have managed to turn things around in recent weeks having lost just one game in the past couple of months and climbed well clear of any relegation worries.  Yesterday they pulled off an impressive 3-2 away win at near neighbours Woking in the National League so their excellent recent run continues. 

An unconfirmed rumour suggests that yesterday`s game was the last one for Aldershot for our street`s local hero Scott ("Fear the Beard") Wagstaff.  His contract with the Shots has come to an end and although the club are keen to keep his services, family and logistical considerations mean that he might feel the need to `move on.`   The rumours also suggests that he is likely to join the ranks of Bromley FC - also in the National League - which will be a much more agreeable arrangement for all concerned.  

So, whilst maintaining a close interest in the fortunes of Scott`s former clubs, including Forest Green Rovers, Bristol City, Wimbledon, Gillingham, Northwich Victoria, Leyton Orient, Bournemouth, Charlton and now Aldershot, it`s likely that our street will now become Bromley fans - at least for a while  Come on you Ravens!!

 

With so many football matches called off this weekend thanks to assorted Covid outbreaks, at least it`s a chance to concentrate more on the more minnow-esque teams that I follow.  (I`m a bit puzzled though as to why so many games in the Premier League have been called off, when each club has a big squad of players to choose from.  OK, if their first choice players are unavailable, surely they have enough other players to `fulfill the fixture?`  Nice idea but I suppose Premier League football is all about TV rights and money - sigh;  I remember when it used to be a game.)

Anyway, Southampton`s home game against Brentford was off, as was Gillingham`s home encounter with Crewe Alexandra and Maidstone United`s trip to Maidenhead became a Covid casualty as well; whilst  Fort William fell victims to Formartine United`s frozen pitch. 

In the minnow games that did go ahead, Stoke Gabriel and Torbay Police FC (SG&TPFC) again suffered a narrow 3-2 defeat at home, this time to AFC Torridgeside in front of a crowd of 49 at the JG Churchward Memorial Ground; and Vale of Leithen - hot on the heels of last week`s first win of the season - went down 4-0 at home to Civil Service Strollers in Scotland`s Lowland League.

Better news with Aldershot Town achieving their sixth straight win in a 2-1 victory over Kingstonian in the FA Trophy but in the same competition Truro City lost in a penalty shoot out against Dagenham and Redbridge from the National League after a 1-1 extra time conclusion which, to be fair, was a decent display against a team two tiers higher in the football pyramid.   And last but not least Brechin City managed a 4-0 home win against Deveronvale in the Highland League to overcome their disappointment at losing the midweek Scottish Cup replay on penalties away at Darvel (no, me neither.)

Who knows what the next few days and weeks will bring to this sporting life?  Or, indeed, in life itself.

 

Well I suppose by any standards the new Covid variant is an ill wind.  It is threatening many aspects of life that we all hold dear - even life itself - and I do sympathise with anyone who either themselves or their friends and family find themselves caught up in the slings and arrows that this pandemic is throwing at us.

And yet.....and yet for some of us it truly is an ill wind that blows no good. This coming Saturday would have seen an event of monumental importance to those, like me, who in our infantile sense of priority seem willing to follow the fortunes of Southampton Football Club. You see, to do so belies a warped sense of priority, it singles us out hopeless cases perhaps more suited to treatment in the Priory or even suitable cases for sectioning under certain legislation.

But we march on, as the club mantra goes, and having achieved the unexpected bonus of a point away at Crystal Palace the other evening we have been looking forward to the admittedly outside possibility of actually winning a game at St. Mary`s Stadium this coming Saturday against mid table Brentford.

And what happens?  Mr. Covid and his new found variant happens and thanks to an onset of infections in the Bees camp, the game has already been called off.  Curses.  Foiled again.  But maybe not too surprised because Brentford manager Thomas Frank has been pleading with the Premier League to postpone matches this weekend - well, he would, wouldn`t he?; as he`s clearly petrified with having to play the Saints at St. Mary`s.  

But there is as always a bright side to be looked upon and it is that I can now spend my Saturday afternoon free of the mental anguish that besets Saints supporters every time the team crosses the white line and takes to the field.  And perhaps my neighbour will share my relief with his beloved Gillingham`s game has also being called off for Saturday.

Maybe, instead, I will find something else to trouble my infantile octogenarian mind? After all, there`s plenty to choose from. 

 

ANOTHER ONE OF THOSE DAYS.......

I guess you can tell by the illustration that, as bunnies go, I`m not an especially happy one this morning.  The reason?  Well, it`s time to report on another weekend`s football and with the odd exception, there`s not much to lift the gloom.

Think it might be best to just list the results, so here goes:-

Arsenal 3 - Southampton 0. (Well, what can you expect when we had to recruit a 40-year  old free agent goalkeeper on a month long contract as our two `proper` keepers are both out injured and our third in line is about 12 years old;  and there were suspensions and injuries as well.  And we`ve never ever won a Premier League game away at Arsenal.  So there.)

Fleetwood Town 2 - Gillingham 1.  (My neighbour`s heroes seem to be taking up residence in the drop zone of League One - how long can chubby manager Steve Evans survive, I wonder?)

Fraserburgh 12 - Fort William 0.  (A classic top v bottom outcome in the Highland League.)

Truro City 2 - Farnborough 2.

Maidstone United 4 - Dartford 0.  (The Stones coming out on top in a top of the table local derby.)

Stoke Gabriel and Torbay Police FC 2 - Elburton Villa 3. (Another narrow defeat for the minnows in the South West Peninsula Premier Division East, but one which keeps them bottom of the league on goal difference only from Sidmouth Town.  SG&TPFC are currently minus 64 and Sidmouth minus 63 - it`s tight at the bottom, to be fair.)

Bo`ness 0 - Vale of Leithen 1.  (Miracle do happen.  Vale`s first win in 22 games, as a result of which their goal difference now shows a more healthy minus 116.)

Brechin City`s game was again called off due to waterlogged pitch at Keith but I`m pleased to note that our street`s local hero Scott (`Shot`) Wagstaff was back in business coming on in the second half of Aldershot`s impressive away win at Eastleigh, having missed the last few games with `a knock.`  Good to see him back in action. 

 

As ever, a mixed bag of results this weekend; apologies for the late reports but I`ve been waiting to see how Brechin City fared in their Scottish Cup game last night against Darvel from Ayrshire and who play in the West of Scotland Premier Division.  Like me I expect you could hardly wait to hear the result. Well, it ended in a 1-1 draw on a difficult night in the aftermath of storm Arwen, so the two teams will meet again on Saturday at Darvel`s Recreation Ground to see which of them will face Arbroath in the next round.

So, on to other matters.  The odd bit of good news saw Truro City travel to Binfield in Berkshire for an FA Trophy clash and they returned to Cornwall with a 3-2 win to set up a home tie in the next round against Dagenham and Redbridge.  Maidstone United crept through on penalties after a 1-1 draw at home to Billericay - the Stones will have to travel to Maidenhead for their next tie in the Trophy.  I think that might be it for this week`s good(ish) news.

As a lifetime Southampton fan I`ve got used to losing away at Liverpool, so the 4-0 defeat was not unexpected;  I`m just taking comfort in the knowledge that the week before Arsenal got stuffed by the same score at Anfield, but I put Saints defeat down to Liverpool`s excellence and Saints manager Ralph Hasenhuttl`s bizarre tactics which didn`t work and to which he has confessed and been let out on police bail pending further enquiries.

I felt sorry for my neighbour whose Gillingham were on course for an honourable draw against the blue few of Portsmouth at Priestfield, only to be undone in the last minute of the game to lose 1-0 but also to take what is hopefully a brief residence in the relegation zone of League One.

Back in Minnowland, there was a real local derby on Saturday when Stoke Gabriel(and Torbay Police) FC entertained near neighbours Dartmouth in the South West Peninsula League Premier Division East which ended with the visitors winning 4-0. Not very neighbourly, to be fair.  Vale of Leithen didn`t have a game and Fort William`s match at Rothes was called off due to a waterlogged pitch at Rothes.

But there is good news for The Fort, whose Claggan Park ground will host a friendly tomorrow evening against Greater Lochaber Thistle - the first time the ground has been used following extensive repair and maintenance work.  Let`s hope this might mean that Fort William can soon play their home matches, err, at home.

 

JUST ONE OF THOSE DAYS.....

......when the raindrops of football kept falling on my head.   A painful litany of defeats for some of the teams that have the unnerving habit of producing results that  are disappointing.  I shouldn`t really complain about Southampton losing at Norwich of all places but I will.  The 2-1 loss to the team propping up the rest of the Premier League came as a particular setback given that the Saints had been on a five game unbeaten run and dominated the encounter at Carrow Road.  A win would have propelled Southampton into something like 7th or 8th place but as it is they remain 13th with the prospect of a visit to Anfield next Saturday.   Another of those days beckons I guess.

A quick round up elsewhere beginning - and why not? - with my neighbour`s Gillingham going down 2-0 away at Crewe`s Gresty Road;  Fort William, bless them, suffered a 10-0 drubbing at the hands of  Deveronvale, who play at Banff - a mere 130 miles away and fellow minnows Stoke Gabriel and Torbay Police FC went down to the narrowest of margins, a 2-1 reverse away at Cullompton Rangers. 

There were some wins, however - Truro City went all the way to Kings Langley in Hertfordshire (a mere 525 mile round trip) and managed a 1-0 win;  Maidstone United beat Chippenham Town by the same score but it was once again Brechin City to go nap for th second week running in a 5-0 win away at Lossiemouth.   Mercifully, Aldershot Town didn`t have a game - they entertain Torquay United on Tuesday evening when we hope that our street`s hitherto pacy representative Scott ("Six pack") Wagstaff will have recovered from his recent `knock.`

In the end I suppose the results were mixed but somehow Southampton`s unfathomable defeat at Norwich was just silly.   Oh well, I`m never gonna stop the rain by complaining.....

 

Well, with the international break in full swing, not much to report on the football front so it will be short with just a hint of sweetness.  I can`t resist mentioning, however, that the odd Southampton player has featured in one or two international successes over the weekend.  

The lethal combination of Stuart Armstrong and Che Adams contributed to Scotland`s 2-0 World Cup qualifier win away at Moldova and Moussa Djenepo helped Mali to a 3-0 win away in Rwanda - a difficult place to go to I imagine.  I had expected to see Saints` Chelsea loanee Slough born Albanian centre forward Armando Broja appear against England on Friday evening but it seems he was either injured or unwell.  Saving himself for Norwich away next Saturday I hope.  Meanwhile, our Norwegian playmaker Mohammed Elyounoussi  played in the 0-0 draw with Latvia and Jan Bednarek featured for Poland in their 4-1 win in Andorra.

On the domestic minnow-watching front Vale of Leithen went down by the narrowest of margins - just 2-1 - against The Spartans in the Lowland League and Maidstone drew 0-0 against Havant and Waterlooville and away from minnow land, Gillingham secured a creditable 1-1 draw away to Sheffield Wednesday and Aldershot Town finally managed a 2-1 win at home to Grimsby.  

Truro City play today against Bognor Regis Town but neither Fort William nor Stoke Gabriel had a game yesterday;  which leaves Brechin City to be the star of the show this week with a 5-0 away win at Formartine United in the Highland League Cup.

Today however I shall mostly be concerned with the cricket T20 World Cup final in the hope that New Zealand finally get their hands on that trophy.  C`mon you Kiwis....

 

Well, after another weekend of football`s of ups and downs, I must start by mentioning the fact that Vale of Leithen - our newly discovered ultra minnows - have reached what is perhaps an unhappy milestone in their season in the Scottish lowland League.  It came when their 7-1 home defeat to East Stirlingshire brought their record this season to 18 games played, none won, one drawn and 17 defeats;  but it`s their goal difference of scoring just 7 goals this season, conceding 107 and thus reaching the milestone of minus 100 that brings them pride of place this week.  But congratulations to them for carrying on against all the odds.

In other news, despite my forebodings about Friday night football, Southampton overcame Aston Villa 1-0 under the St. Mary`s lights to climb to 12th in the Premier League table following three wins and a draw in their last four games.  Heady stuff. Pass the sal volatile.

Two other wins to report - Brechin City`s 1-0 away win at Clachnacuddin kept them in second place in the Highland League; trouble is that only the team finishing top is guaranteed promotion and as things stand Brechin are six points behind rampant Fraserburgh.  A long way to go though.   The other victory came courtesy of Truro City`s 3-1 win away at Merthyr Town in the Southern League Premier South.  Reminded me of the old days when fans produced club fanzines; Merthyr`s was `Dial M for Merthyr` which almost rivalled Fulham`s `There`s only one F in Fulham` for an inventive title.

Gillingham drew 1-1 with Cheltenham in the FA Cup, so a replay at Whaddon Road looms for my neighbour`s heroes.  Maidstone United contrived to lose again, this time 1-0 at home to Slough Town, all of which suggests that Maidstone`s game plan of just avoiding promotion for financial reasons seems to be working.

As for Fort William, their game at Keith was postponed because Keith`s Kynoch Park ground failed a pitch inspection, which leaves only Stoke Gabriel and Torbay Police FC to mention and they duly obliged by losing again, 4-0 to Axminster Town in the South West Peninsula League Premier Division East.  That result keeps them at the bottom of the table thanks only to Sidmouth Town`s slightly superior goal difference.

So that`s that for another week - it might be an international break now for a couple of weeks but I doubt that will trouble most of my perennial minnows although the Saints could lose Bednarek, Adams, Armstrong, Salisu, Ward-Prowse, Broja, Djenepo and Elyounoussi (yes, he`s Norwegian believe it or not) to international call ups.  Come back safe, lads - there`s Norwich away in two weeks time.

 

Well, a bit.  Not quite dancing in the streets just yet but definite signs that things are looking up.  This week I can report two wins, two draws and whilst there were the inevitable defeats for our plucky minnows, at least those defeats are now only by the odd goal rather than the usual drubbing.

At last Southampton won a game away from St. Mary`s, the first since last March - this time at Watford, where Vicarage Road is always a difficult place to go to.  The game was won by Che Adams` solitary goal but his deft finish has rocketed The Saints up to a heady 14th place in the Premier League.  The other victory came courtesy of Brechin City who handed out a 7-3 walloping on lowly Strathspey Thistle to maintain their position in the upper reaches of the Highland League.

The two draws were, firstly, Gillingham who played out a goalless stalemate against Accrington Stanley at the Priestfield and our newly acquired strugglers Vale of Leithen managed a 1-1 draw away to second bottom Gretna in the Scottish Lowland League.  This was the first point Vale had managed after losing all their other 16 games from the start of this season.

And so to the defeats.  Maidstone United were perhaps surprisingly beaten 3-2 away at Hungerford, although having a player sent off twice didn`t help (He was apparently shown the red card but the referee changed his mind and later in the game he was shown the red card again but this time it was for real.)   Back in the Highland League, Fort William put in another spirited performance last time out, this time losing just 3-2 against Turriff United but the club are delighted to announce that football will be returning to Claggan Park on Wednesday 1st December as they welcome near neighbours South Lochaber Thistle AFC in a mid season friendly.  Let`s hope that the condition of their ground will encourage the Highland League to allow them to play their remaining home matches, err, at home .

And finally to Stoke Gabriel and Torbay Police who lost yet again but this time by the narrow margin of just 5-4 at home to Crediton United.  (Truro City play tomorrow night against Cirencester Town in an FA Trophy tie as a result of Saturday`s game being postponed due to a waterlogged pitch.)

So, all in all a mixed bag of results this weekend but one which suggests that things might be looking up, if only a bit.  

 

Well, not much. I`ll spare you (and myself) the details but sufficient to report that the best I could find was one single win, a couple of draws and the usual suspects all losing again.

Southampton could and perhaps should have won yesterday`s game at St. Mary`s against low flying Burnley which ended 2-2.  I`m not complaining really - that`s four points from the last two games although sliding to 16th in the Premier League table thanks to Watford`s jaw dropping 5-2 win at Everton is troubling - especially as the Saints are away at Watford in their next league game. (Following a visit to Chelsea on Tuesday evening for some rinky-dink Cup game.  NURSE !!!)

The one win came courtesy of Brechin City who scrambled to a 2-1 win over Haddington Athletic (no,me neither) in the Scottish Cup thanks to an injury time strike.  Meanwhile, Gillingham contrived to draw 2-2 away at Bolton despite leading 2-0 at one stage;  Aldershot - our new found heroes - lost 3-2 at home to Bromley which reportedly included a sterling performance from our street`s local hero Scott ("Where`s Aldershot?") Wagstaff.

And in a series of other narrow defeats Truro City went down 2-1 at home to Gosport Borough;  Fort William succumbed 3-2 away at Turriff United and Stoke Gabriel also lost 3-2, this time at home to Ivybridge Town.  Vale of Leithen suffered yet another loss, this time 3-0 at Edinburgh University; and Maidstone United lost at home 2-0 to Dorking Wanderers to complete a depressing afternoon.

Not sure I can go on like this - it must be having an effect on my mental wellbeing - but I suppose I could be a Norwich fan.

 

During my recent absence I confess to having lost a bit of touch with football results;  some of the teams I follow are not always easy to track down but out of a sense of loyalty to their respective causes I have made a surprising discovery.   It is that the likes of Fort William and Stoke Gabriel (and Torbay Police) FC may now have a serious rival to their claims as the ultimate perennial strugglers, plucky minnows, whipping boys even.

And it comes in the form of Vale of Leithen FC who currently prop up the league table for the Scottish Lowland League.  So far this season they have played 15 games, won none, drawn none and lost all 15,  They have managed to score five goals so far but have conceded no less than 96, giving them a goal difference of minus 91.  One or two of their recent defeats saw them lose 13-0 to Bonnyrigg Rose and their last game against Berwick Rangers ended in an 11-0 loss.

In contrast, Fort William whilst propping up the Highland League table have played 12 games, won none, drawn one and lost 11.  Their one league point came in an encouraging 3-3 draw away at Nairn County but they have conceded 60 goals so far, scored 16 and currently have a goal difference of minus 44. 

 At the other end of the country Stoke Gabriel are improving to the extent that the 14 games they have played so far have resulted in one win, one draw and 12 defeats but their goal difference of minus 44 mirrors that of Fort William.  Stoke Gabriel have risen to the heights of next to bottom of the South West Peninsula Premier League East Division with bottom place going to Sidmouth Town who have yet to gain any points this season.  Perhaps another rival there?

It will be interesting to see how the season pans out for these gallant crusaders in the lower reaches of the game but you have to acknowledge their fortitude, their determination and their battles to keep going against overwhelming odds.   They remind us that those same qualities  are often missing in the higher reaches of the football pyramid and in the process teams like those I have mentioned here become so much more admirable.

 I wish them well.

 

Let`s start on the bright side with a tale of two cities, where both Brechin in the Highland League and Truro in Southern League South each had good 4-1 wins against Forres Mechanics and Chesham United respectively.  The city of Southampton, meanwhile, is in deep mourning for the failure of the Saints to overcome visiting Wolves live before a worldwide television audience yesterday.   They were undone by a combination of a well taken Wolves goal, slack defending, absence of midfield creativity and a powder puff attack, all of which conspired to produce the 1-0 defeat.   Chelsea away next weekend - dancing in the streets decidedly on hold, to be fair.

However, continuing the brighter theme, Maidstone United won again, this time a convincing 3-0 win away at Bath City.   This result leaves them well clear of third place but marginally behind near neighbours Dartford who top the National League South following an impressive start to the season.   A local derby or two should be fun.   

And Gillingham also achieved a decent result, drawing 1-1 away at Oxford but it was our perennial minnows at the extreme ends of the country that produced expected defeats.   Fort William`s 3-0 reverse at Huntly was in keeping with their run of defeats although the manner and size of those defeats is nothing compared to the ritual double figure mauling suffered in previous seasons.  Hope springs eternal and all that.   In a similar vein, Stoke Gabriel and Torbay Police FC (STATPFC) continued a losing streak of their own,this time going down 6-1 away at Torpoint Athletic.  They will take comfort in Sidmouth Town keeping them off the bottom of the South West Peninsula League Premier East Division following Sidmouth`s 10-2 home defeat against Welton Rovers.

I`m often asked why I don`t follow teams that are more successful but I enjoy the uncertainty, the romance, the desperate hope that things will get better - so much more agreeable to follow clubs with whom I feel an affinity (Southampton was the first proper game I ever saw when my Dad took me to The Dell to see my then local team play in 1946) and the earnest hope that the minnows might one day turn into rainbow trout.  Mind you, they do say that it`s the hope that kills you.

Have a good week.

 

  Just about sums up a quite extraordinary sporting weekend.  A case of all action, some action and no action at all.   I`ll follow the rest of the world first by saying what a fantastic achievement it was by Emma Raducanu to win the US Open tennis grand slam title.  I see she was born in Canada but moved to the UK when she was two years old but despite claims from our Canadian friends that the final was between two Canadians, here in the UK we are claiming Emma as one of our own.  

And here in Kent we are claiming that she is a Kentish maid, albeit denying the fact that the bit of Kent she comes from is now within the London Borough of Bromley.   Great stuff though, Emma - very well done.  (I wonder if a bandwagon is revving up in Downing Street as bookmakers are opening books on how long before our Emma, a-la Blair knighting Ferguson, becomes Dame Emma?)

From that high we had the unedifying spectacle of no action at all in the fifth Test Match between England and India at Old Trafford which was called off, ostensibly due to panic in the Indian camp following a Covid outbreak among their non-playing group.   I just wondered whether that might have been a cunning plan to avoid playing the game which would have seen an England win levelling the series and sharing the points in the World Test Championship. 

 But perhaps that is unfair when the reality seems to be an acknowledgement that the power in the game now clearly resides with those players who seem more concerned to fulfil their lucrative IPL contracts than pay respectful homage to the traditions of the game.  Not a good look though - and as for playing the `deciding game` next summer, forget it, just award the game to England, call the series squared and move on.

In other news, a mixture of highs, lows and indifferences in the world of football. In a sense, Southampton`s neighbourly diplomatic friendly 0-0 draw at home to West Ham mirrored Emma being the first British woman tennis player to win a Grand Slam in 44 years.   Before Saturday`s encounter the Saints had gone 24 games without managing to keep a clean sheet - it just felt like 44 years.  

Another high was Brechin City`s 3-1 win away at Nairn County which keeps them on track for a swift return to the Scottish League Two and Maidstone United`s 2-2 draw with Concord Rangers (me neither) extended their  unbeaten run and kept them second in the table, whilst my other neighbour`s Gillingham secured a creditable 1-1 draw away at Burton Albion.  

But that was it really - a succession of dismal failures by the plucky minnows I also follow saw Truro City lose 1-0 at home to Beaconsfield Town;  Fort William lose 10-3 against high flying Inverurie Loco Works; and Stoke Gabriel and Torbay Police FC (SG&TBPFC) lose 6-2 away at AFC Torridgeside - a nice day out at Great Torrington though.

So in summary it looks like two wins (Emma and Brechin City;) three draws (Saints, Gillingham and Maidstone;)  three defeats and one non-event.   Well, sport is supposed to be about highs and lows, to be fair.  Try again next week.

 

That`s all there is to report this weekend, I`m afraid.   As mentioned in my last post, no game for Southampton and no game either for a number of my other teams.   Sadly, my neighbour`s Gillingham had their game against Charlton called off due to international call-ups and Brechin City`s game against Brora Rangers was also postponed due to a Covid outbreak among the Brora ranks.  Fort William`s game against Buckie Thistle didn`t go ahead as Thistle were playing Inverness in a Scottish Cup match.

Where play was possible, Truro City had a comfortable home win 3-1 against near(ish) neighbours Exmouth Town in an FA Cup qualifying game and Maidstone United continued their successful start to the season with a 3-1 win away at Oxford City to keep them in second place in the table.

And finally to the combined force of Stoke Gabriel and Torbay Police FC who went down 1-0 at home to Okehampton Argyle, who are in the top half of the South West Peninsula Premier Division East league table, so it was a very narrow reverse for our Devon heroes who seem to be on the fringe of a revival, sitting three places above the bottom of the table. 

That`s it really - not much to report but what little there has turned out to be encouraging.  Next week might well be a different story.

 

Turning once again to my old friend Collins English Dictionary, I see that `miracle` is defined as `a word usually used to describe any beneficial event that is physically impossible or impossible to confirm.`   Well I can exclusively reveal that one, if not two, have happened and  been confirmed.  A bit like London buses coming along in pairs.

The first one concerns perennial strugglers Stoke Gabriel, recently amalgamated with Torbay Police and now known as Stoke Gabriel and Torbay Police FC.   The coming together has so far produced a little more encouragement for the Railwaymen of Stoke and things exploded into life on Saturday when SG&TPFC recorded the first victory since their amalgamation with a resounding 3-2 win over Sidmouth Town in the South West Peninsula Premier League East.   Details are sketchy but it seems that our minnow-esque battlers performed doggedly to lift themselves up to 17th spot in the league table and consign Sidmouth to bottom place.   Maybe this is a pivotal moment, a miracle even, or one that might see their hopes fade gently away? - time will tell.

The second concerns Southampton and their trip to Newcastle where another battling performance secured a 2-2 draw with the miracle appearing like an apparition from beyond the unknown.   No, not so much the calm assurance that saw James Ward Prowse slot home the 96th minute penalty or indeed the fact that the Saints had pretty much outplayed their opponents for most of the game.   No, the true nature of the miracle was the awarding of the penalty by VAR !   Something that has never happened to the Saints in the entire history of VARness.   The divine providence handed down from Stockley Park was most welcome.

In other news, my neighbour`s Gillingham were on the wrong end of a 2-1 defeat away at Shrewsbury with the game ending in bizarre controversy after Gills` Daniel Phillips was sent  off along with Shrews` David Davis, both of whom having received second yellow cards following a confrontation.  Gills` assistant manager Paul Raynor was  left on the floor after a coming together with Shrews` substitute goalkeeper Harry Burgoyne on the touchline which resulted in both of them being sent off as well to make four dismissals in all.   It`s perhaps a miracle that Gills` rotund manager Steve Evans kept his composure but he was confident that the FA will clear his right-hand man of any wrongdoing when they see the footage.  Not so much the conclusion of a football match, more an over enthusiastic skirmish.

Lastly, Truro City entertained Hartley Wintney (a small village between Reading and Aldershot) but the game ended scoreless at 0-0, whilst Maidstone United maintained their unbeaten run with a `scrappy` 1-0 win at home to Billericay Town.

The international break is now with us - an event that will not trouble most of the teams I follow - but one which will see eight Saints players depart for international duty.  When they return in two weeks time, West Ham will be the visitors to St. Mary`s followed by a trip to the Etihad to play Manchester City away.   If ever another miracle or two were needed but after this weekend miracles are something I might just begin to believe in.

 

You will have seen from my last post that I was predicting a difficult time of it as a follower of football.   True enough my prediction came to pass in a rather spectacular set of results for the teams I forlornly tend to follow.

The headline says `Business as Usual` and it was certainly that for Southampton, who were 1-0 up at half time but lost 3-1 away at Everton.   Two patterns emerging here already - never winning at Everton and losing a game from a winning position.  It`s like last season all over again. (Perhaps things will improve, he hopes, after yet another pig flies over his roof.)

So let`s see if things got any better elsewhere.  Not really - business as usual at Fort William who are playing all of their games in the Highland League away from home as Claggan Park is unfit for purpose this season.  They have played four league games so far, losing all four but yesterday`s narrow 3-2 defeat to high(ish) flying Forres Mechanics was an improvement on the heavy defeats normally inflicted on the Fort.   As a result, they are not bottom of the league table;  OK, next to bottom only alphabetically as Turriff United starts with a `T`, but it is slightly encouraging.  

My neighbour`s Gillingham made a difficult journey in the circumstances to Plymouth yesterday and perhaps diplomatically lost by the only goal of the game, the final score being 1-0, to quote David Coleman.   My neighbour tells me that Gills` rotund manager Steve Evans has already been booked in one game and sent off in the next one so maybe diplomacy ensured that he was on his best behaviour at Home Park yesterday.

Heading further west, Truro City`s hopes of a good start to their season in the National League South failed to materialise as they were soundly beaten 4-0 by visiting Hendon.   But better news for the ultimate minnows of Stoke Gabriel in the South West Peninsula League Premier Division East.   They have taken the drastic step of combining forces with Torbay Police FC to become, err...Stoke Gabriel and Torbay Police FC.   A case of `if you can`t beat `em, nick `em` perhaps.   They lost their opening game 6-0, they lost 3-0 yesterday to Honiton Town but in between lost by the narrowest of margins 3-2 to top six side Bovey Tracy - an arresting performance I suspect.  Business as usual or the early signs of green shoots?

So, defeats all round yesterday but the party partly pooped by Maidstone United winning their first league game 3-0 at home to Hemel Hempstead and Brechin City making an impressive start to their time in the Highland League with three wins followed by a draw yesterday against  Rothes.   The hedge at Glebe Park looks immaculate.

A typical start to the season then - business as usual indeed.

 

ON REFLECTION..

OK, I`ve used this image before of a fellow Southampton fan trying to come to terms with yet another defeat.   But in some ways, it sums up my reaction to the events surrounding the European Championship over the past month.

I mentioned in my last post that I would give time a chance to settle the dust of the last few days but I have a feeling that it will take more time than I bargained for before any semblance of normality returns.  So let`s begin with the outcome - England perhaps predictably losing the final on penalties.  I`ve got over that - it happens and I guess I`m used to it by now after all the similar outcomes over the years.   But football is a game, the definition of which - according to my standby dictionary - is `an amusement or pastime; a single period of play in a contest.`  And that`s it - it`s not World War 3, it`s not about famine or pestilence, it`s not about deprivation or even pandemics.  It`s a game.

Trouble is, games like football at the professional level have long ceased to be an amusement or a pastime but have morphed into a world-wide industry and have reached an importance and status far beyond their value.  And so against that background, I am able to accept that England lost to Italy on penalties - surely the most ludicrous method of determining an outcome - and lost to the better, more experienced team on the day.   It was disappointing, of course, but as they say, "That`s football."

So that`s the game dealt with but what are infinitely more disturbing are all the things that have gone on around it.  Which is where disappointment turns to embarrassment.  And I think embarrassment is what accurately describes my reaction - not to the football itself but to the antics that have shown themselves in various ways, most of which are offensive and unbecoming of a nation that used to pride itself on `playing the game` and knowing how to lose with dignity and good grace.

England`s football team under their excellent manager did themselves and the nation proud.  They came through the games before the final with skill, determination and a togetherness and in the final itself acquitted themselves admirably before the fateful penalty shoot-out.  As a nation we should be celebrating all that but instead there are probably criminal acts of abuse being perpetrated on the anonymity of `social media` by an unthinking minority which brings discredit to them and the rest of us.  I hope collars are felt.

And drink fuelled fights and squabbles in towns and cities, reports of Danish fans being abused by England followers as they left Wembley after the semi-final, a mural of Marcus Rashford being defaced and a misplaced sense of being let down by a team who have achieved more than any other in the past half century, not only on the field of play but also by their dignified and measured attitude away from it.  For them to have to live with the nonsense being directed towards them after all they have achieved is not only genuinely disturbing.   It`s embarrassing, so much so that I`m heartily relieved that it`s all over and I can look forward to about a month`s respite before it all kicks off yet again.

 

So, the first Saturday when none of the football teams I have been following throughout a fractious season are in action.  Their season is over, done with, finito and apart from minor issues like the Champions League final, the odd play-off final and the upcoming European Championships, there`s not much to occupy the minds of fans of proper football like me.  And so we are left to wonder what happens now.

And in doing so, it`s instructive to have a look at what fate might befall my heroes - beginning with Forest Green Rovers whose season ended in a narrow defeat in the League Two play off semi-final to Newport County.  What has happened in the last week following that defeat is that the club has announced its `retained list` along with the list of players whose services have not been retained.   Among them is our street`s local hero Scott Wagstaff whose contract was up at the New Lawn and, at 31, it was perhaps expected that he might not be offered another contract, especially as Forest Green have appointed a new manager to take the place of Jimmy Ball who, I have to say, impressed in the few games in which he was in charge.

For both of them the curtain closes on another chapter in their football journeys and time will tell whether new opportunities might open up for each of them, given the vast experience of the Football League that they have acquired over many years.  I hope they do.

For us Southampton fans, another few weeks of closed season speculation, hopes and dreams as attention turns to the transfer rumours.  There are some players who really do need to go and some who really do need to stay.  Manager Ralph Hasenhuttl claims he needs to `build from the back` but what he and the rest of us really need is a new benign ridiculously rich owner willing to plough most of his money into the club in order to supply the investment that is sorely needed.  Sometimes the closed season is more stressful than when games are being played.

Elsewhere, Brechin City`s fate has been secured and they now face a long winter ahead negotiating the farthest reaches of Scotland`s Highland League.  Their fixtures against Fort William will bring divided loyalties for me but they should be compelling encounters. Meanwhile in - deepest south Devon - Stoke Gabriel have at least maintained their place in the South West Peninsula League Division One East.  They must also build from the back, but also in midfield as well as up front if they are to stand any chance of competing on a level playing field next season.  And in Cornwall, I look forward to Truro City emerging from their extended hibernation following the curtailment of hostilities in the National Southern League South.

Not sure why I find comfort in following teams such as those - maybe they remind me of my own playing days in the dim and distant past when proper football was played at places like Frittenden in the Maidstone and District Saturday League Division 3B, where the sheep were herded off the pitch before play commenced, when games against them ended in 6-6 draws and where most of the attention was spent not on playing the game but more on avoiding the deposits left behind by the departing sheep.   Ah, the romance of it all.

Have a good Summer.

 

THE PARTY`S OVER...

....."it`s time to call it a day.  They`ve burst your pretty balloon and taken the moon away.  It`s time to wind up the masquerade."  These snatched lyrics from a timeless classic seem somehow to catch the mood as yet another  football season draws to a close.   Well, almost.  Just things like play-off finals to determine promotion, relegation or stagnation, then the European Championships and all that jazz before the bandwagon leaves the stable for another roller coaster ride.

Forgive me.  I am in danger of losing myself in yet another lyrical fantasy world.  But I confess to having mixed feelings about the end of another season as far as the teams I follow are concerned.  In one sense I`m heartily glad that it`s just about all over and I can look forward to a stressful few weeks before it starts all over again, but that is met with a tinge of disappointment that, once again, the three teams I am left to follow have all contrived to lose again.

Perhaps I`ll start with hopefully the worst damaging defeat, which came at the London Stadium as Southampton capitulated to yet another 3-0 defeat against West Ham.  It typified the season for the Saints really - a bright start that led to nothing followed by a pretty dismal end which also led to nothing.  Hard to believe that back in November the Saints were top of the Premier League beating the likes of Liverpool and Manchester City before a dreadful run which saw 19 league defeats overall and conceding more goals than any other club in the Premier League except relegated West Brom.

OK we scraped through the season by missing relegation, finished 15th, lost in the FA Cup semi-final but in truth it was a pretty dreadful season, which has left worrying questions about next season and the need for a wide ranging overhaul of much of the squad, the coaching staff and most importantly the ownership.  Surely there is a guardian angel out there somewhere willing to invest all his or her money, rid us of the absent non-investing Chinese owner and take us back to the promised land of mid table obscurity?

The next two reports cover yet more damaging results.  Last night the televised second leg play-off semi-final between Forest Green Rovers and Newport County was a game of proper football with so much riding on it.  Rovers were 2-0 down from the first leg but went 2-0 up within eight minutes to level the aggregate score.  Then 3-0 up early in the second half only for Newport to come back with two goals to bring the aggregate score to 4-3 in their favour and although Rovers scored another, it was Newport who went on to score again in the 118th minute - yes, that deep into extra time - to secure their place in next week`s Wembley final. Although  Forest Green  won the game 4-3 on the night, sadly for them the 5-4 aggregate score was a case of winning the battle but not the war.

So near and yet so far.  The Nailsworth faithful, whilst disappointed with the result, are full of praise for the team`s effort last night and proud to be Rovers fans - wishing Newport all the best for their place in the final against Morecambe.   Such is life in League Two, which has so much to commend it.

Lastly, yet more disappointment for Brechin City fans whose 67-years stay in the Scottish League came to an end following their 3-1 aggregate loss in their own play-off final to Kelty Hearts, who now take Brechin`s place in Scottish League Two.  Brechin, meanwhile, are now consigned to the outposts of the Highland League but visitors to Brechin`s Glebe Park will surely be in awe of the famous hedge if not the opposition..  

So, pretty balloons severely burst all round for me.  I`ll end the season with another visit to that classic song. "The party`s over.  The candles flicker and dim.  Now you must wake up.  All dreams must end. The party`s over.  It`s all over, my friend." (At least for another season.)