Southampton away - should be a Premiership game but the Saints have fallen from the heady heights of Keegan & Le Tissier and are now in League 1 with the mighty Bristol Rovers - so it was off to St Marys Stadium for my 5th consecutive Gas game - 4 wins & 1 draw - an awesome start to the 2009/10 season.
Horrid journey down - accident on A36 - Ads TomTom suggests Radstock diversion & we are 12 mins late meeting Victoria in Salisbury - SFC suggest on their website using the "away" fans Park & Ride near the Hamble. Works quite well apart from having to rush a bit & needing a pee but the bus delivered us to the magnificent St Marys Stadium before the turnstiles opened at 6.30pm.
Has a nice couple of glasses of white wine in the away "Bar" area - like every new stadium its got a concrete block area with no soul & very pricey weak beer, lager - but white wine at football - oh err missus!
It was George Brimbles 10th birthday - good one George - true Gashead in his new away shirt!
We took occasional peeks at the pitch & where we were to sit - great view just to the left of the goal about 10 rows back - perfect, decent value at £22. Out came the Gas to warm up - Mikkel Andersen & Rhys Evans right in front of us acknowledged the amazing travelling support over 2800 Gasheads, crazy for a Tuesday night 3 hours from Bristol.
Saints kicked off with purpose, we were 2nd best for long period as they passed the ball to death without really hurting us - until - the great Rickie Lambert - ex Gashead & recent £1m sale to SFC - flicked one through for Lalana to give big Miki no chance 1.0 - oh dear. Gas came back strong & Campbell found Regan (Mr President to you) with a quick freekick in our half & he stormed forward into the space in front of Saints back 4 threading Chris Dickson a brilliant pass & the Charlton Athletic loanee was quickly through past the keeper Davies & sliding an acute angled shot past defender Trotman who couldnt keep it out of the net - 1.1 & half time, a great time to equalise.
Sadly the Saints scored again inside the first 40 seconds of the 2nd half - Lamberts header looked in but Papa Waigo made sure - bother - 2.1 Saints & it could have been worse Miki made 2 great stops from Lalana & with his face point blank from Schneiderlin - fantastic keeper this lad - Denmaks No 1 very soon.
Saints looked on fire but Campbell roused his troops, slowly the Gas saw more of the ball - Regan, Lines & Hughes pushed them back & Andy Williams and Darryl Duffy on for the tiring Dicko & Wrighty started probing the Saints back 4 - Willo chased down one lost cause, 40 yards he chased the right back who put his clearance out for a corner - fresh life in the Gas hoards & "Irene" belted out for the first time since the break. Willo to The President down the right, great run by Carl Regan past one, into the box, "cross" we all screamed but Mr Cool took his time & picked out Jo Kuffour in a tiny bit of space on the 6 yard line & little Jo flicked the ball home with a cheeky back heel into the corner - que pandemonium as Jo jumps into the crowd - yellow card but now 2.2 COYB.
It was all Gas now Hughesy blasted a wicked volley over the top from 15 yards, what a goal that would have been, Colsey charging forwards crossed just too high & there was a disalowed effort due to Hughes wandering offside.
5 mins extra time the 4th officials board says - where did he get that from - Dom Blizzard on for the amazing Jo Kuffour, I`ll take a point now, but the new Rovers just dont know when to stop & they pressed again, Regan to Duffy back to Regan, to Willo wide on the right, goes wide , comes back inside, the clocks ticking, space opens up 20 yards out & the ex Hereford man burys a mighty left footed curler into the far top corner, keeper grabbing at thin air, as the clock goes to 5 mins 26 secs of injury time.
*************Explosion of noisy celebration in the away end******************
Management, subs & coaches race to celebrate by the corner flag, Trolls remembers who he is & retreats back to his proper place but Steve Elliott, Jo Kuffour and Phil Kite get involved in the "pile on" - Willo booked for his celebration, his first goal for ages - ref could have booked the whole squad & all the supporters for all we cared.
Saints hardly have time to kick off - Cambo clears downfield & the ref blows for full time. Saints 2.3 Gas - great result, away end euphoria - "Williams, Williams, Andy Williams - he hits the ball & scores a goal - Andy Williams" - on and on for 5 mins before Andy takes an embarrassed bow - urged forward by Captain marvel Stu Campbell & "The Lord" Byron Anthony - surely the most improved player in League 1 this year.
Raced to catch the Park & Ride buses, singing & celebrating all the way back.
M3 - 3 lanes closed at Winchester, bloody great planning Highways Agency, 45 minute delay. Ads Tom Tom must have know as they missed the M3 junction & went back via Salisbury - home by 1pm knackered but on Cloud 9.
What a team this is now - how quickly they have made their mark this season. Who needs Rickie Lambert - new heros - Miki Andersen, Carl Regan, Byron Anthony, Danny Coles, Arron Lescott, Mark Wright, Stuart Cambell, Chris Lines, Jeff Hughes, Jo Kuffour, Chris Dickson & subs Darryl Duffy, Dom Blizzard, Andy (Supersub) Williams, Ben Swallow, Steve Elliott, Rhys Evans........yo Gas.......we are going up & now you gotta believe us!
Another fine away win, another amazing away trip.
Thursday, 1 October 2009
Monday, 21 September 2009
Seemed a good day for my first away trip of Bristol Rovers FC aka "The Gas" season 2009/10 - as Louise my wife, had joined some girlie school friends for a weekend in our Caravan in Little Haven, Pembrokeshire.
The trip had been arranged for some weeks & as Adam is a Londoner by birth & loves the aggressive driving of our capital city - he volunteered to drive. I picked up Craig at 10am & we met up with Adam in Sunnyvale Drive half an hour later.
The journey up the M4 to London was uneventful - the main topic of conversation being around Ads purchase of an iPhone - not the latest version - you know the one in the dusty box - better value - it does so much, its got a spirit level, you can order your groceries & its got an App to tell you where you were last Thursday & whats for tea tomorrow. Another great gadget for Ad - it does the same as all his other gadgets only its got a different name - by the way its also a PHONE!
It was the day after Craigs 41st birthday - he looks alot older - must be Jacks fault - & he brought along the obligatory "lucky" Cadburys Chocolate Eclairs - quite why they are lucky remains a mystery as one might suggest Bristol Rovers are possibly the most unlucky football team in England, well we think so anyway! Really we would be in the Prem with a bit of luck!
Anyway Adams other gadget of the day - TomTom - got us to the ground & Brentford Station - did we really need the TomTom as we could see the ground from the M4 & the station was 300 yards West! TomTom found us a parking place 50 yds from a pub & 200 yards from the away end at Griffin Park & we met my daughter Victoria at the station, after her trip in & mighty breakfast in Egham - perfect timing at 1pm.
Into the pub, quite quiet, a few Bees & one or two Gas, lovely afternoon to sit in the Beer Garden (rubbish dump) so we settled in the lounge for a mixture of Kronenburg, Strongbow, Becks Vier & Coke. At about 1.30pm Adams children - Alex a teacher in Marylebone & Hayley in PR for "The Guardian" arrived. They are becoming part time Gas due to living in London, Alex in particular hadn't changed much, a bit anxious, hot, drinking Lemonade & no money! Still a bit of a Student in him me thinks. Hayley now very grown up & off to the Lib Dem Party Conference tomorrow - I prefer the Gas.
Left for the short walk to the away end, lots of Gasheads around, £21 to sit or £20 to stand - we sat, rather cramped little stand holding 600 sitters & 1200 standers. Not a great place to exit in an emergency, took 10 mins to get to the bogs. Had some pre match, home made sarnies - Corned Beef, Mustard, Tomato & Pickle - sadly Craig didn't like the last 3 items - more for me & Ad!!!
Gas warmed up in style, nice little keep ball game looking very professional & Big Miki Andersen making fantastic diving stops in the temporary goal right in front of us - what a boy - will play 100 games for Denmark in the future - Ads iPhone predicts. Brentford warmed up like a Pub Team - no direction or organisation - all in dribs & drabs which prompted Craig to suggest they had "lost the game in the warm up" which actually later seemed to be the case.
A big welcome from 1400 travelling Gas to the team as the walked out for the game, in particular new striker Chris Dickson on loan from rivals Charlton - strange - & newly appointed Manager (ex 1st Team Coach) - the brilliant, brilliant, Paul Trollope.
The game was strange, Brentford had plenty of the ball, lots of whooshes & wallops but little in the way of direction or quality - like their warm up - & Rovers quickly went 2.0 up - new boy hero Chris Dickson latched onto Jo Kuffour`s (aka JK4) prod forwards, held of the defender & lashed past the home keeper Price & just minutes later ran onto Carl "Mr Cool" Regans long ball down the right, again out paced a statuesque defence & lobbed Price who didn't know weather to come or stay, he did neither & Dicko made it 2.0 with aplomb.
A few minutes later, complete dominance, Brentford in total DISARRAY, Arron Lescott wins a tackle in our box, swiftly finds Jeff Hughes on the left, who passes back to Arron who is now sprinting down the left wing. First time ball into Dickson in space, the striker holds it up neatly & at just the precise moment feeds the on rushing Lescott who has now made 70 yards up the left, two touches from Arron, into the box & sweetly sticks it into the onion bag past the out rushing goal minder (he wasn't really a goal keeper) 3.0 & quite the best Gas goal for many a day.
Game over - it should have been - but in the 2nd period the Gas dropped deeper & the Bees just had to improve & they did. Charlie McDonald thumped one past the brilliant Andersen from 25 yards but it was only a consolation as Rovers played out the 2nd period comfortably keeping Brentford well away from goal except for a few half chance. Andersen was booked for a challenge outside the box - on other days it might have been Red - but today was our lucky day, the Chocolate Eclairs worked & we ran out eay 3.1 winners - 18 points from 8 games - wgat a frigging start to the season, just behind leaders "dirty" Leeds United and the very generous Charlton Athletic - thanks for lending us Dicko guys.
Dropped Vic & Craig back at Egham so she had company on the way home & then me & Ad tested TomToms abilities - he got our ETA in Longwell Green wrong by 3 mins (as well as sending us London bound on the A4 for a mile in the wrong direction) whats wrong with a map Ad?
Three more points, nice journey home & I met up with Vic & elder daughter Cinda (Denmans stable girl) at the White Hart, Littleton on Severn where my Grand father Enos Orpheus Durnell - his real name, liked a pint - they now have Thatchers & Addlestones Cider - fine end to a good day.
Brighton next Saturday then Saints & Norwich away.....cant wait! Come on you Blues.
The trip had been arranged for some weeks & as Adam is a Londoner by birth & loves the aggressive driving of our capital city - he volunteered to drive. I picked up Craig at 10am & we met up with Adam in Sunnyvale Drive half an hour later.
The journey up the M4 to London was uneventful - the main topic of conversation being around Ads purchase of an iPhone - not the latest version - you know the one in the dusty box - better value - it does so much, its got a spirit level, you can order your groceries & its got an App to tell you where you were last Thursday & whats for tea tomorrow. Another great gadget for Ad - it does the same as all his other gadgets only its got a different name - by the way its also a PHONE!
It was the day after Craigs 41st birthday - he looks alot older - must be Jacks fault - & he brought along the obligatory "lucky" Cadburys Chocolate Eclairs - quite why they are lucky remains a mystery as one might suggest Bristol Rovers are possibly the most unlucky football team in England, well we think so anyway! Really we would be in the Prem with a bit of luck!
Anyway Adams other gadget of the day - TomTom - got us to the ground & Brentford Station - did we really need the TomTom as we could see the ground from the M4 & the station was 300 yards West! TomTom found us a parking place 50 yds from a pub & 200 yards from the away end at Griffin Park & we met my daughter Victoria at the station, after her trip in & mighty breakfast in Egham - perfect timing at 1pm.
Into the pub, quite quiet, a few Bees & one or two Gas, lovely afternoon to sit in the Beer Garden (rubbish dump) so we settled in the lounge for a mixture of Kronenburg, Strongbow, Becks Vier & Coke. At about 1.30pm Adams children - Alex a teacher in Marylebone & Hayley in PR for "The Guardian" arrived. They are becoming part time Gas due to living in London, Alex in particular hadn't changed much, a bit anxious, hot, drinking Lemonade & no money! Still a bit of a Student in him me thinks. Hayley now very grown up & off to the Lib Dem Party Conference tomorrow - I prefer the Gas.
Left for the short walk to the away end, lots of Gasheads around, £21 to sit or £20 to stand - we sat, rather cramped little stand holding 600 sitters & 1200 standers. Not a great place to exit in an emergency, took 10 mins to get to the bogs. Had some pre match, home made sarnies - Corned Beef, Mustard, Tomato & Pickle - sadly Craig didn't like the last 3 items - more for me & Ad!!!
Gas warmed up in style, nice little keep ball game looking very professional & Big Miki Andersen making fantastic diving stops in the temporary goal right in front of us - what a boy - will play 100 games for Denmark in the future - Ads iPhone predicts. Brentford warmed up like a Pub Team - no direction or organisation - all in dribs & drabs which prompted Craig to suggest they had "lost the game in the warm up" which actually later seemed to be the case.
A big welcome from 1400 travelling Gas to the team as the walked out for the game, in particular new striker Chris Dickson on loan from rivals Charlton - strange - & newly appointed Manager (ex 1st Team Coach) - the brilliant, brilliant, Paul Trollope.
The game was strange, Brentford had plenty of the ball, lots of whooshes & wallops but little in the way of direction or quality - like their warm up - & Rovers quickly went 2.0 up - new boy hero Chris Dickson latched onto Jo Kuffour`s (aka JK4) prod forwards, held of the defender & lashed past the home keeper Price & just minutes later ran onto Carl "Mr Cool" Regans long ball down the right, again out paced a statuesque defence & lobbed Price who didn't know weather to come or stay, he did neither & Dicko made it 2.0 with aplomb.
A few minutes later, complete dominance, Brentford in total DISARRAY, Arron Lescott wins a tackle in our box, swiftly finds Jeff Hughes on the left, who passes back to Arron who is now sprinting down the left wing. First time ball into Dickson in space, the striker holds it up neatly & at just the precise moment feeds the on rushing Lescott who has now made 70 yards up the left, two touches from Arron, into the box & sweetly sticks it into the onion bag past the out rushing goal minder (he wasn't really a goal keeper) 3.0 & quite the best Gas goal for many a day.
Game over - it should have been - but in the 2nd period the Gas dropped deeper & the Bees just had to improve & they did. Charlie McDonald thumped one past the brilliant Andersen from 25 yards but it was only a consolation as Rovers played out the 2nd period comfortably keeping Brentford well away from goal except for a few half chance. Andersen was booked for a challenge outside the box - on other days it might have been Red - but today was our lucky day, the Chocolate Eclairs worked & we ran out eay 3.1 winners - 18 points from 8 games - wgat a frigging start to the season, just behind leaders "dirty" Leeds United and the very generous Charlton Athletic - thanks for lending us Dicko guys.
Dropped Vic & Craig back at Egham so she had company on the way home & then me & Ad tested TomToms abilities - he got our ETA in Longwell Green wrong by 3 mins (as well as sending us London bound on the A4 for a mile in the wrong direction) whats wrong with a map Ad?
Three more points, nice journey home & I met up with Vic & elder daughter Cinda (Denmans stable girl) at the White Hart, Littleton on Severn where my Grand father Enos Orpheus Durnell - his real name, liked a pint - they now have Thatchers & Addlestones Cider - fine end to a good day.
Brighton next Saturday then Saints & Norwich away.....cant wait! Come on you Blues.
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