Well that match lived up to all my expectations, which is not something you can always say about Oxford. From arriving in the stadium to Alfie Potter's swaggering final goal the day was pretty perfect. The only blot was the train there but that was a minor irritation which I'll get out of the way quickly.
Coming back from Wembley we were well shepherded to the station and put onto a fast, if full, special train which got us back to Oxfordshire quickly and efficiently. That contrasts with the cattle truck we went from Bicester to Wembley on, which was standing room only. The atmosphere was great but I felt for my small son, whose journey was one of armpits and bums. Can't we do better in the 21st century?
However, we arrived and things got a lot better. Wembley town itself is pretty naff but we got our chips and a couple of cans. We then found out that we couldn't take the cans in so we wandered around with several beakers full of liquid, which was amusing if nothing else. All the Wembley staff were helpful and the general feeling of being herded into pens which can feature in such large venues was absent.
Walking into the arena itself was an awesome moment. I went to the old Wembley many moons ago but this was my first time at the new Wembley and it lived up to all my expectations. A stunning venue made extra special by the sea of yellow and blue. Magic.
Then the game started and Oxford seemed to be in control from the word go. This was confirmed when Matt Green scored a stunning first goal which was worthy of the finest players in the world. We started to party.
Then came glory when a few minutes later Beano did what Beano has done best throughout the season, whacking the ball into the net, long and low, with verve and power. Fire up the Mini, we're off to League Two.
Given the clearly superior performance of Oxford it was therefore a shame that Ryan Clarke made a mistake - not something you normally see associated with him, one of the lynchpins of the squad over the season. The wet ball slipped through his hands from a York cross and landed in the back of the net. A wobble but an error he could be forgiven for given the circumstances and the weather. You might say that Oxford scored all the goals.
That goal had the advantage of livening up what was already a cracking game and the second half continued to impress with York going for it and Oxford putting together some fine play. I don't wish to dismiss York by claiming credit for Oxford's performance as they impressed and they deserve credit for working hard to get the game back but Oxford were simply one better today.
Then at the end came the moment you dream of your team having in the 90th minute as Alfie Potter had time on a break to stop, think and then slot in a great strike in the bottom corner just away from the hand of the diving York goalkeeper and with James Constable to his right giving him options.
Once again York deserve credit for fighting until the last moment to rescue the game but by then it was Oxford's and the celebrations had begun.
I shall remember this day for many years and its perhaps true to say that the sea of yellow in the stands outshone even the football but the three goals which we scored today were all of the highest order so they might just take precedence...
Best player in the first half was probably Damian Batt, who seemed to be going forward constantly. In the second half Jack Midson took that role on and deserves plaudits but its difficult to pick anyone out. Maybe the manager, who got us there, not quite by the route we planned but the result was worth it. It was just a great day to be a yellow.
Sunday, 16 May 2010
Sunday, 14 March 2010
OXFORD UTD 1 KETTERING 1
Troubling times these for the Us as the team's hard work earlier in the season begins to unravel. The Oxford Utd which started with both drive and organisation seems to have lost its way in both these areas. The absence of some of the stalwart players of early days seems to have had a major impact on the team.
This was a second rate performance by the team, most of whose members were second to the ball against a strong Kettering side. It was a shame for the game that Kettering felt they had to resort quite so often to climbing all over the Oxford players and there were one or two very dangerous challenges by Kettering players which could have been nasty but that aside they played with belief and deserved their point.
As for Oxford, they struggled and they simply didn't give the impression that they were going to win throughout the game, which was at least an enjoyably end-to-end one. The problem in many games has been the lack of service for the strikers but of late it seems to me that the problem has been the failure to take simple chances to put the round thing between the wooden sticks. More than once in this game Oxford had players in the area in great positions but the ball was instead played back, sometimes to the halfway line before another slow build up which the energetic Kettering often broke up.
Now, I don't like criticism of the team as they work hard for 90 minutes and I'd last about 3 at the same pace. Plus I doubt I could score a goal if I was a yard out with all the other players at the other end of the pitch but, put plainly, the team which played yesterday was not a promotion-winning outfit. They lack belief and someone in the role the excellent Adam Murray performed for us of acting as someone to play around and someone to shout at them when things weren't going well. They urgently need to get this back.
Why not have a punt at Sam Deering as captain? There is no doubt he gives 100% throughout the game and he threatens the opposition constantly. We could do a lot worse. Similarly Frannie Green stood out from the others through his sheer application and ability to challenge and create chances. Why not give him a go?
The other thing the team needs is simply to lose its fear of having a shot at goal. Common sense suggests that the more the ball goes towards the goal the more times it will reach it. Oh Beano, where art thou?!
Finally, I have just received a postcard inviting me to renew my season ticket for next year. I'd love to do so but I'm not sure I could face another winter surrounded by the miserable whingers around me, including one whose idea of intelligent comment involved words of one syllable beginning with 'f' which I had to spend the match warning my eight year old son not to repeat on pain of severe action. He of course thought it was hilarious...
For the record the referee did know what he was doing, he did call most of the decisions reasonably well and he had a fair game. Not every tackle by a Kettering player on an Oxford player deserved a yellow card or a sending off and not every challenge by an Oxford player was right and proper. Every time I go just lately I wonder why some of my neighbours bother to turn up if all they are going to do is hurl abuse at the ref and slag off their team.
As my son pointed out at the disappointing end to yesterday's game, showing a lot more maturity than many there, Oxford are still second and they didn't lose yesterday. At the very least there is no doubt that this season is going to be a thriller as it draws to a close and the away game at Stevenage is likely to be a classic. All we need to do is win it.
This was a second rate performance by the team, most of whose members were second to the ball against a strong Kettering side. It was a shame for the game that Kettering felt they had to resort quite so often to climbing all over the Oxford players and there were one or two very dangerous challenges by Kettering players which could have been nasty but that aside they played with belief and deserved their point.
As for Oxford, they struggled and they simply didn't give the impression that they were going to win throughout the game, which was at least an enjoyably end-to-end one. The problem in many games has been the lack of service for the strikers but of late it seems to me that the problem has been the failure to take simple chances to put the round thing between the wooden sticks. More than once in this game Oxford had players in the area in great positions but the ball was instead played back, sometimes to the halfway line before another slow build up which the energetic Kettering often broke up.
Now, I don't like criticism of the team as they work hard for 90 minutes and I'd last about 3 at the same pace. Plus I doubt I could score a goal if I was a yard out with all the other players at the other end of the pitch but, put plainly, the team which played yesterday was not a promotion-winning outfit. They lack belief and someone in the role the excellent Adam Murray performed for us of acting as someone to play around and someone to shout at them when things weren't going well. They urgently need to get this back.
Why not have a punt at Sam Deering as captain? There is no doubt he gives 100% throughout the game and he threatens the opposition constantly. We could do a lot worse. Similarly Frannie Green stood out from the others through his sheer application and ability to challenge and create chances. Why not give him a go?
The other thing the team needs is simply to lose its fear of having a shot at goal. Common sense suggests that the more the ball goes towards the goal the more times it will reach it. Oh Beano, where art thou?!
Finally, I have just received a postcard inviting me to renew my season ticket for next year. I'd love to do so but I'm not sure I could face another winter surrounded by the miserable whingers around me, including one whose idea of intelligent comment involved words of one syllable beginning with 'f' which I had to spend the match warning my eight year old son not to repeat on pain of severe action. He of course thought it was hilarious...
For the record the referee did know what he was doing, he did call most of the decisions reasonably well and he had a fair game. Not every tackle by a Kettering player on an Oxford player deserved a yellow card or a sending off and not every challenge by an Oxford player was right and proper. Every time I go just lately I wonder why some of my neighbours bother to turn up if all they are going to do is hurl abuse at the ref and slag off their team.
As my son pointed out at the disappointing end to yesterday's game, showing a lot more maturity than many there, Oxford are still second and they didn't lose yesterday. At the very least there is no doubt that this season is going to be a thriller as it draws to a close and the away game at Stevenage is likely to be a classic. All we need to do is win it.
Wednesday, 17 February 2010
OXFORD UTD 1 RUSHDEN 0
Back to winning ways for the Yellows with the last two games won convincingly. Now that may seem an odd thing to say given that last night's game was won through a penalty and that Constable missed a penalty in the first half but the team I watched play last night and on Saturday was clearly better than the opposition on both occasions and can be most usefully criticised by noting that the players managed to miss a wealth of chances they created.
Saturday's game was notable for the quality of the Oxford game, as well as for the worrying sight of Alfie Potter pulling up and going off injured. He'll be missed as the season builds to a climax and hopefully he will be back soon. The other, happier sight was the Histon physio, a huge fat man whose run to his injured player surely gets plaudits for effort, even if he only managed to get there as the player was getting up and walking away. I think he got the loudest cheer of the afternoon.
Coming back to Rushden, once again I question the sense of Constable as captain since he is upfront and his job is to get goals, one he has proved to be excellent at. While he's worrying about the rest of the team it might be said that his focus is a little weakened. The other problem for me is the over-reliance on the superb Sam Deering to take the ball forward. In most situations when Oxford attacked the ball was passed to him on the right. He is more than able to deal with this but a little more variety in attack might help to provide more success.
Substitute Matt Green is a live wire and he always causes problems when he comes on. He might offer balance to Deering's searing runs.
I went last night without my son, who is getting over a cold and who was not very happy at being so cold on Saturday. This gave me the opportunity to listen to Jack FM's commentary. It was just a shame that Jack had gone to another game and that they were not able to tell me about Oxford United. Apparently the game last night was 'a war of attrition' and it was rather even. Er, not the game I saw. Oxford clearly had the upper hand and spent long periods in the Rushden half. Rushden had a handful of scoring chances all of which the ever solid Ryan Clarke managed to deal with ably and confidently.
According to Jack FM, all Blue Square refs are terrible and they all make the wrong decisions. This was echoed by the lamentable Lady Orgasm behind me who moaned her way through another game together with her equally miserable family. Everything Oxford did was met with cries of derision. Quite why these people come to football games to 'support' Oxford United is beyond me, since they complain about everything.
As to the referees, last night's example was officious but he seemed to me to be in control of the game and his two penalty decisions were spot on. The radio criticised him for his somewhat Teutonic hand gestures - there was more than a touch of the 'Austrian Corporal' about some of them - but generally I thought he did fine. Statistically, it is impossible for every refereeing decision to be wrong so why can't people just lighten up and accept that the ref is one man with 22 individuals challenging everything he does and every now and then he will err. Big deal. Get over it. Support your team.
All in all I thought it was an excellent performance and it demonstrates that the new signings have settled in very well. Call me a heretic but I am confident about the race to the finish. I realise that a true football fan laments every setback as the end of the world but that way lies the bleating of Lady O and her ilk and I'd rather not turn up if that is where football fandom leads.
One final point of controversy: the sale of the programmes prepared for December 26th was a scandal and p***ed me off. I like the programme and I actually bother to read it when I can. After all, normally I have an eight year old to attend to so I can only dip in. I shall therefore make my point in the only way possible, by not buying the programme at the next home game. I hope others follow suit. If I am going to spend my hard earned to support the team I expect to be treated better than this. Generally my experiences at the Kassam have been great but this annoyed me.
Anyway, onwards and upwards - and at the moment that's just what is happening so compliments to all concerned.
Saturday's game was notable for the quality of the Oxford game, as well as for the worrying sight of Alfie Potter pulling up and going off injured. He'll be missed as the season builds to a climax and hopefully he will be back soon. The other, happier sight was the Histon physio, a huge fat man whose run to his injured player surely gets plaudits for effort, even if he only managed to get there as the player was getting up and walking away. I think he got the loudest cheer of the afternoon.
Coming back to Rushden, once again I question the sense of Constable as captain since he is upfront and his job is to get goals, one he has proved to be excellent at. While he's worrying about the rest of the team it might be said that his focus is a little weakened. The other problem for me is the over-reliance on the superb Sam Deering to take the ball forward. In most situations when Oxford attacked the ball was passed to him on the right. He is more than able to deal with this but a little more variety in attack might help to provide more success.
Substitute Matt Green is a live wire and he always causes problems when he comes on. He might offer balance to Deering's searing runs.
I went last night without my son, who is getting over a cold and who was not very happy at being so cold on Saturday. This gave me the opportunity to listen to Jack FM's commentary. It was just a shame that Jack had gone to another game and that they were not able to tell me about Oxford United. Apparently the game last night was 'a war of attrition' and it was rather even. Er, not the game I saw. Oxford clearly had the upper hand and spent long periods in the Rushden half. Rushden had a handful of scoring chances all of which the ever solid Ryan Clarke managed to deal with ably and confidently.
According to Jack FM, all Blue Square refs are terrible and they all make the wrong decisions. This was echoed by the lamentable Lady Orgasm behind me who moaned her way through another game together with her equally miserable family. Everything Oxford did was met with cries of derision. Quite why these people come to football games to 'support' Oxford United is beyond me, since they complain about everything.
As to the referees, last night's example was officious but he seemed to me to be in control of the game and his two penalty decisions were spot on. The radio criticised him for his somewhat Teutonic hand gestures - there was more than a touch of the 'Austrian Corporal' about some of them - but generally I thought he did fine. Statistically, it is impossible for every refereeing decision to be wrong so why can't people just lighten up and accept that the ref is one man with 22 individuals challenging everything he does and every now and then he will err. Big deal. Get over it. Support your team.
All in all I thought it was an excellent performance and it demonstrates that the new signings have settled in very well. Call me a heretic but I am confident about the race to the finish. I realise that a true football fan laments every setback as the end of the world but that way lies the bleating of Lady O and her ilk and I'd rather not turn up if that is where football fandom leads.
One final point of controversy: the sale of the programmes prepared for December 26th was a scandal and p***ed me off. I like the programme and I actually bother to read it when I can. After all, normally I have an eight year old to attend to so I can only dip in. I shall therefore make my point in the only way possible, by not buying the programme at the next home game. I hope others follow suit. If I am going to spend my hard earned to support the team I expect to be treated better than this. Generally my experiences at the Kassam have been great but this annoyed me.
Anyway, onwards and upwards - and at the moment that's just what is happening so compliments to all concerned.
Saturday, 6 February 2010
OXFORD UNITED 0 KIDDERMINSTER HARRIERS 0
Well that was one of those games which could be said to be interesting for the neutral but for anyone in a yellow shirt it was deeply frustrating. My concerns were raised when Captain Marvel failed to emerge but there were enough regulars to give me confidence. However, James Constable as captain? Strikers rarely flourish in that role given that they are meant to be facing forwards for most of the game.
For all the difficulties it would be churlish to criticise the effort the team put in and the early period of play was great, with attacks going in from all sides. How we failed to score is difficult to understand.
Kidderminster Harriers seemed to have a better understanding between their players and they were the better passing side today but they were also decidedly free with their challenges and they clearly had a great fondness for Oxford United's players, given the amount of time they spent climbing all over them.
Which brings us on to the ref. Now I always fight shy of criticising the ref as he has an impossible job but even I found myself screaming some choice comments at the man in black over a number of his omissions. By my count we had two obvious penalties in the first half and the number of fouls by Kidderminster Leapfroggers was in double figures after the first 45 minutes.
He rather lost control of things during the second half but I can't say that was surprising given the level of abuse he was being subjected to. Seriously, this is no way to treat a fellow human being.
Miserable Old Git in front of me insisted on shouting out the ref's name and telling him what he thought of him throughout the second half. I do wonder why he bothers coming along.
My son made a telling point when he said it seemed that Oxford's season had started to slide with the introduction of the new signings. That's a bit of an 'out of the mouths of babes' moment. It does seem to be the case that the team, which established itself as a hard-working and effective unit and which earned and thoroughly deserved its place at the top of the Blue Square through verve and style, has struggled to accommodate the new members. Still, you've got to have confidence in the manager's decisions as he's got us this far in some style.
Lady Orgasm provided a rare insight into evolution as she had brought along what must have been a close family relative - a granddaughter I'd guess - who joined her gran in screaming inanely throughout the game. Their running commentary consisted of shouting "Go on [PLAYER'S NAME HERE]" repetitively and very, very loudly. They also took very vocal umbrage at ever challenge by Kidderminster, whether legal or not. At one stage towards the end of the game Kidderminster were attacking the Oxford goal and the granddaughter screamed at the top of her voice "DON'T SCORE!". Kidderminster duly didn't and I am sure I heard her boyfriend administering CPR as the ball was played away. He's a lucky boy...Like a couple in the adjoining house making noisy love, I don't mind what they are doing I just wish they'd be a bit quieter about it. A few less inane comments would also be most welcome.
But I digress. Back to the action and Oxford had a series of attacks on the Kidderminster goal as the game worked its way to a conclusion, all of which would have seen them wheeling away in triumph on another day but this time there was just no finish and sadly no joy.
Good effort as ever from Alfie Potter who always seems to have double the work rate of the others. Sam Deering was unstoppable and created many of the chances, especially in the second half, through his midfield work, where he was central to breaking up the Kidderminster play. Ryan Clarke remains reassuringly solid in goal and Beano ran himself to a standstill in his new role, sadly to little effect. That's the point of a captain: during the pretty dismal performance against Tamworth, Murray worked and worked to try to deliver a result, without success but not due to a lack of effort. Constable didn't seem to play such a pivotal role today.
But then again, we were treated to Stevenage losing, we returned to the top of the league and we still have two games in hand so there's not too much wrong with the world when you think about it. We remain on track.
And that's pretty much where I part company with a lot of people, the ones who left early and the ones who were dismissive of the players. The best comment came from one of Lady O's brood who simply said "Same old Oxford United" like he could make that effort for 90 minutes. They worked hard, they tried, they didn't succeed. Well, no sh*t. That is football after all.
Keep up the good work.
For all the difficulties it would be churlish to criticise the effort the team put in and the early period of play was great, with attacks going in from all sides. How we failed to score is difficult to understand.
Kidderminster Harriers seemed to have a better understanding between their players and they were the better passing side today but they were also decidedly free with their challenges and they clearly had a great fondness for Oxford United's players, given the amount of time they spent climbing all over them.
Which brings us on to the ref. Now I always fight shy of criticising the ref as he has an impossible job but even I found myself screaming some choice comments at the man in black over a number of his omissions. By my count we had two obvious penalties in the first half and the number of fouls by Kidderminster Leapfroggers was in double figures after the first 45 minutes.
He rather lost control of things during the second half but I can't say that was surprising given the level of abuse he was being subjected to. Seriously, this is no way to treat a fellow human being.
Miserable Old Git in front of me insisted on shouting out the ref's name and telling him what he thought of him throughout the second half. I do wonder why he bothers coming along.
My son made a telling point when he said it seemed that Oxford's season had started to slide with the introduction of the new signings. That's a bit of an 'out of the mouths of babes' moment. It does seem to be the case that the team, which established itself as a hard-working and effective unit and which earned and thoroughly deserved its place at the top of the Blue Square through verve and style, has struggled to accommodate the new members. Still, you've got to have confidence in the manager's decisions as he's got us this far in some style.
Lady Orgasm provided a rare insight into evolution as she had brought along what must have been a close family relative - a granddaughter I'd guess - who joined her gran in screaming inanely throughout the game. Their running commentary consisted of shouting "Go on [PLAYER'S NAME HERE]" repetitively and very, very loudly. They also took very vocal umbrage at ever challenge by Kidderminster, whether legal or not. At one stage towards the end of the game Kidderminster were attacking the Oxford goal and the granddaughter screamed at the top of her voice "DON'T SCORE!". Kidderminster duly didn't and I am sure I heard her boyfriend administering CPR as the ball was played away. He's a lucky boy...Like a couple in the adjoining house making noisy love, I don't mind what they are doing I just wish they'd be a bit quieter about it. A few less inane comments would also be most welcome.
But I digress. Back to the action and Oxford had a series of attacks on the Kidderminster goal as the game worked its way to a conclusion, all of which would have seen them wheeling away in triumph on another day but this time there was just no finish and sadly no joy.
Good effort as ever from Alfie Potter who always seems to have double the work rate of the others. Sam Deering was unstoppable and created many of the chances, especially in the second half, through his midfield work, where he was central to breaking up the Kidderminster play. Ryan Clarke remains reassuringly solid in goal and Beano ran himself to a standstill in his new role, sadly to little effect. That's the point of a captain: during the pretty dismal performance against Tamworth, Murray worked and worked to try to deliver a result, without success but not due to a lack of effort. Constable didn't seem to play such a pivotal role today.
But then again, we were treated to Stevenage losing, we returned to the top of the league and we still have two games in hand so there's not too much wrong with the world when you think about it. We remain on track.
And that's pretty much where I part company with a lot of people, the ones who left early and the ones who were dismissive of the players. The best comment came from one of Lady O's brood who simply said "Same old Oxford United" like he could make that effort for 90 minutes. They worked hard, they tried, they didn't succeed. Well, no sh*t. That is football after all.
Keep up the good work.
Saturday, 16 January 2010
OXFORD UNITED 0 TAMWORTH 1
Well blimey, it's been months since I have written anything and it feels like months since I attended a football game. After today's shocker I wish it had been longer. This was by far the worst performance by the Us since I started attending. I am struggling for some crumbs of comfort so here they are: captain Adam Murray was clearly irritated by the performance and he upped his game accordingly, sadly to no avail; there are still two games in hand; and, er...that's it.
Tamworth clearly outperformed Oxford: they had the fabled extra yard in every situation, with very few exceptions. After a slow start Franny Green picked up his pace with welcome results but sadly without anything to show for it. Constable and Potter also threatened tantalisingly in the early stages but they also failed to deliver despite their efforts. Alfie Potter has been my favourite player this year for his industry and ability to create opportunities but he lacked an edge today.
Half time came and went and I calmly waited for a chastened team to emerge having endured the hopefully hairdryer-like input of manager Chris Wilder during the break. Me and my son assured each other that this would indeed be a game of two halves and it was - the only problem being that nothing changed between them both. The manager's motivational technique appears to have escaped him today. He appeared to have failed to impress on the players that they were a team which might get a result if they played together so the second half was little better. The work rate improved but once again there was nothing to show for it.
As for Tamworth, you have to wonder if they spend equal amounts of time during the week on the training ground and at acting school. One or two of them must be up for Oscars this year given their performances wasting time across the pitch. The strangely confused referee did eventually start to card the worst exponents of the 'Staffordshire method' but he had lost a lot of authority by this stage through a series of - put politely - 'confusing' decisions. [I am always loathe to criticise the referee because he has a bloody awful job to do and he gets no thanks whatever he does but Oxford were clearly badly served today by the man in black.]
The crowd was not happy and this might be considered a bright spot [bear with me...]. The normally quiet Family Area was today loud with general complaining and cries of anguish. Lady O behind me was of course the loudest of them all as she bemoaned every decision and bayed for blood in her inimitable style. She is so out of place in the football ground that you wonder if she accidentally swapped her season ticket for the Royal Opera with a friend by mistake.
Strangely the miserable old git in front of us said very little. He must have worn out all his cliches in earlier games, so much that he had no further depths to plumb today. He peaked too soon...
The referee seems to have come to some sense by the end as he added 6 minutes to normal time. The Tamworth team rushed for their ruffs and their skulls as they built up to this extra period of thespian excess with all the enthusiasm of Kate Winslet being promised a Sunday Supplement feature. Sadly the relentless pressure of the Us at the end did not pay off with the only successful strike by Constable ruled offside. The team then disintegrated, with Murray invalided off and Batt sent off. Bad times.
Anyway, you have to be philosophical: you're surely not a proper football fan until you see your team lose and today was our initiation into the 'Real World' of despair and angst that is football. There remains all to play for and that must surely be enough cliches for one blog post. Onwards and upwards...I hope.
Tamworth clearly outperformed Oxford: they had the fabled extra yard in every situation, with very few exceptions. After a slow start Franny Green picked up his pace with welcome results but sadly without anything to show for it. Constable and Potter also threatened tantalisingly in the early stages but they also failed to deliver despite their efforts. Alfie Potter has been my favourite player this year for his industry and ability to create opportunities but he lacked an edge today.
Half time came and went and I calmly waited for a chastened team to emerge having endured the hopefully hairdryer-like input of manager Chris Wilder during the break. Me and my son assured each other that this would indeed be a game of two halves and it was - the only problem being that nothing changed between them both. The manager's motivational technique appears to have escaped him today. He appeared to have failed to impress on the players that they were a team which might get a result if they played together so the second half was little better. The work rate improved but once again there was nothing to show for it.
As for Tamworth, you have to wonder if they spend equal amounts of time during the week on the training ground and at acting school. One or two of them must be up for Oscars this year given their performances wasting time across the pitch. The strangely confused referee did eventually start to card the worst exponents of the 'Staffordshire method' but he had lost a lot of authority by this stage through a series of - put politely - 'confusing' decisions. [I am always loathe to criticise the referee because he has a bloody awful job to do and he gets no thanks whatever he does but Oxford were clearly badly served today by the man in black.]
The crowd was not happy and this might be considered a bright spot [bear with me...]. The normally quiet Family Area was today loud with general complaining and cries of anguish. Lady O behind me was of course the loudest of them all as she bemoaned every decision and bayed for blood in her inimitable style. She is so out of place in the football ground that you wonder if she accidentally swapped her season ticket for the Royal Opera with a friend by mistake.
Strangely the miserable old git in front of us said very little. He must have worn out all his cliches in earlier games, so much that he had no further depths to plumb today. He peaked too soon...
The referee seems to have come to some sense by the end as he added 6 minutes to normal time. The Tamworth team rushed for their ruffs and their skulls as they built up to this extra period of thespian excess with all the enthusiasm of Kate Winslet being promised a Sunday Supplement feature. Sadly the relentless pressure of the Us at the end did not pay off with the only successful strike by Constable ruled offside. The team then disintegrated, with Murray invalided off and Batt sent off. Bad times.
Anyway, you have to be philosophical: you're surely not a proper football fan until you see your team lose and today was our initiation into the 'Real World' of despair and angst that is football. There remains all to play for and that must surely be enough cliches for one blog post. Onwards and upwards...I hope.
Saturday, 10 October 2009
OXFORD 5, GRAYS ATHLETIC 0
Its been a couple of weeks since we have been to a match so I was looking forward to today's outing. The weather played its part and we were full of the misguided optimism of the true football fan as we arrived at the ground. Every time we approach I annoy my son by pointing to the stadium and calling it the 'field of dreams'. Simple stuff but it makes an old fool and an 8 year old laugh...
The game didn't disappoint and the superlatives are running thin again. This was a polished performance against a side which once again didn't really threaten but that shouldn't detract from the effort the Oxford players put in throughout. The captain always stands out for his determination but almost any player in a yellow shirt could be praised for that most simple of talents, teamwork.
The referee deserves a mention as he got it spot on today, as demonstrated by the fact that no one was screaming blue murder at him, not even Lady Orgasm behind me. In fact the crowd was quite quiet around me. The miserable old sod who sits in front was notable by his absence and our other neighbours tend not to get too enthusiastic. The man in front brings his son just before the game starts and always leaves about 10 minutes from the end. Why bother?
My son remains blissfully ignorant of the 22 men running about on the pitch but he loves going and enjoys the whole event. He's Daddy's little decoy, allowing me to go to the match while his mum thinks I'm being a new man. Is this wrong?
Super stuff all round and the only disappointment is that we've got three weeks until the next game (two if we are allowed to go to the FA Cup qualifier).
The game didn't disappoint and the superlatives are running thin again. This was a polished performance against a side which once again didn't really threaten but that shouldn't detract from the effort the Oxford players put in throughout. The captain always stands out for his determination but almost any player in a yellow shirt could be praised for that most simple of talents, teamwork.
The referee deserves a mention as he got it spot on today, as demonstrated by the fact that no one was screaming blue murder at him, not even Lady Orgasm behind me. In fact the crowd was quite quiet around me. The miserable old sod who sits in front was notable by his absence and our other neighbours tend not to get too enthusiastic. The man in front brings his son just before the game starts and always leaves about 10 minutes from the end. Why bother?
My son remains blissfully ignorant of the 22 men running about on the pitch but he loves going and enjoys the whole event. He's Daddy's little decoy, allowing me to go to the match while his mum thinks I'm being a new man. Is this wrong?
Super stuff all round and the only disappointment is that we've got three weeks until the next game (two if we are allowed to go to the FA Cup qualifier).
Saturday, 19 September 2009
DAY 11: OXFORD 4, EASTBOURNE BOROUGH 0
Time to reach for the big book of superlatives as Oxford put four past Eastbourne. This is the first game I have seen where Oxford were clearly better and on track to win from quite early on. Mind you, all that said, Eastbourne significantly upped their game in the second half and had some excellent chances, including one which was only kept out by the goalpost so I don't want to take too much away from them.
Plus they definitely had the best fans of any game this season. There were only about 40 of them and they enjoyed themselves regardless of what was happening on the pitch. Any group of away fans which starts a conga is okay by me. Champion!
We met a couple of them at the train station as they got our bus to the ground and they were great company, so Amanda and whoever that man was (not a boyfriend, I think), you're welcome any time.
Goal of the game was Cook's simply perfect header at the end of the first half but I'd mtake any combination of the four any time.
This game was so good that even the miserable old git in front of me smiled and Lady Orgasm kept her bizarre screams to a minimum as the result was increasingly certain.
Plus they definitely had the best fans of any game this season. There were only about 40 of them and they enjoyed themselves regardless of what was happening on the pitch. Any group of away fans which starts a conga is okay by me. Champion!
We met a couple of them at the train station as they got our bus to the ground and they were great company, so Amanda and whoever that man was (not a boyfriend, I think), you're welcome any time.
Goal of the game was Cook's simply perfect header at the end of the first half but I'd mtake any combination of the four any time.
This game was so good that even the miserable old git in front of me smiled and Lady Orgasm kept her bizarre screams to a minimum as the result was increasingly certain.
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