(Before the Vase game)
Well, our good recent run continues. Tough game down at Redcar, they look a very decent side, but eventually we began to get on top and scored some good goals. To Redcar’s credit they never gave it up and kept going to the end with Keaton as busy in the last five minutes as at any time through the match. We ran out confortable in the end though, so a valuable three points and a further rise up the table. Not sure how far we can go this year, but we do look in very decent order now, so who knows? The biggest spanner in the works at the minute is a rash of injuries, inevitable at some time, but a worry all the same. We have managed brilliantly so far without Sparky and AJ but a few more had knocks after the Redcar game so we need to see where we are for the Vase against Bishops.
The Vase eh? That brings back a few memories of seasons past. The two that stand out for me and I guess for many are consecutive seasons a few years back when we made it to the fifth round and were unfortunate not to go further on both occasions. Bristol Manor Farm and Newport Pagnell our two conquerors. A bit unlucky against Manor Farm at home, but fair enough. But Newport Pagnell away? Three or four nil to us would have been a fair reflection of the game, still can’t believe we managed to lose after extra time. Coulda, shoulda. Still always another season, and here it is.
Obviously an unexpected day off last week as the FA decided to call games off after the sad death of the Queen. Was that the right decision for the right reason? Not sure. The silence and national anthem at Redcar last Saturday was very well done and beautifully observed, so maybe it would have been better to have had the same thing the week before. A lot of people thought so. Hard for the FA to be fair, bound to be criticised whatever they did.
Anyway, what of the wider world this past couple of weeks? Sunderland have coped very well with the loss of Stewart so far and have got a few people watching their young players now. Not necessarily a good thing. The goals against Reading were top class and showed a lot of quality going forward. Overall not many would have been expecting such a good start and plenty were forecasting, in the classic Sunderland way, doom and gloom. All good stuff so far.
Meanwhile Newcastle drew again.
Not everything is looking good in English football though. Did you notice that yet another American is trying to buy a club over here? Bournemouth the latest to be threatened and I do mean threatened. The plan is pretty clear, get most of the Premier League clubs in USA hands and then do away with promotion and relegation and off we go to play against each other endlessly in Europe or against friends in the States. Can’t have open competition when there is lots of telly money to be made can you? Don’t say I didn’t tell you..