A ROSE AMONG THE THORNS...

Disappointing day all round really yesterday.   Well, almost.  Cricket went down the tubes with England losing again to India in the T20 decider.  England`s rugby team got stuffed by Ireland.   Wales were beaten in the last minute by France to be denied the grand slam - I felt for Alun Wyn Jones who was denied the chance to be the first Welsh player to win four grand slams and at 35 he may not get the chance again.  

Forest Green Rovers went down to a narrow 1-0 defeat away at Cambridge, despite which they remain in the automatic promotion places and Gillingham were held to a 2-2 draw at home to Doncaster Rovers despite surging into a 2-0 lead within the first ten minutes of the game.  They have moved up to eighth in the league table, so the prospects of getting into the promotion play offs are still flickering.

Truro City, Fort William, Maidstone United and Stoke Gabriel are all still in hibernation but Brechin City emerged from the Scottish lockdown to play their first game since December.  Yesterday they travelled to Forthbank Stadium to take on high flying Stirling Albion but came away with a 1-0 defeat which anchors them firmly at the foot of the table. Unless there`s a dramatic turnaround before the end of the season they could be playing Fort William in the Highland League next term.

And so to the rose among all these thorns and it was Southampton who visited Bournemouth in the quarter final of the FA Cup and managed an impressive 3-0 win to propel them into the semi-finals and a trip to Wembley.  It was encouraging to see a return to something like their true form after a pretty abysmal run of Premier League results.  

So, a refreshing change to see the Saints at last bringing some cheer to chez Snopper as he now emerges from behind the sofa for a couple of weeks respite from the mental health anguish of being a Saints fan.