Yorkshire ExAle

At our last meeting we talked about fundraising through a number of ways. It struck us that we could maybe organise a bottled beer to be sold to fellow fans.  To have a brew to order, what kind of quantity would we need to order and what kind of cost would it be?

I was thinking about a blond beer (maybe more tangerine in colour!!) and was thinking about calling it Best Trip or even The Yorkshrie ExAle

Basically, do you think the idea has any merit?

Pool Panel - West Ham and Bristol City

Sunday 26th February - West Ham (h) Lost 4-1 & Bristol City (a) Won 3-1

What a week this has been.  On Tuesday night we capitulated against a West Ham team that seemed there for the taking following the keeper going off, but somehow we failed to test Henri Lansbury in goal for 40 minutes, despite him being a small midfielder.  Angela Lansbury could have dealt with what we offered.

Despite all that, as good a following as I’ve ever seen at Ashton Gate made the trip and backed the team fully for 90 minutes.  There was more than a hint of déjà vu after they took the lead despite us having more of the possession, but eventually we imposed ourselves on the game and came away convincing winners with inspired substitutions playing a full part as we started to get at them and cause panic in their defence.  In particular, Brett Ormerod rolled back the years in creating the decisive second goal for Thomas Ince.

I don’t think it’s coincidence that we looked so much better on a decent pitch, able to play the passing football to rip Bristol apart, unlike the bobbly home pitch that is doing us no favours.  Hopefully a decent spell of weather will improve it as we have some massive home games coming up that could make or break our season.

Tickets are now available for all the remaining home games.  I’d urge anyone who hasn’t been this season to get back down to Bloomfield Rd and make the atmosphere that could take us back up.

STARMAN (West Ham) – Kevin Phillips

STARMAN (Bristol City) – Thomas Ince 

Forthcoming Away Trips

We have booked a mini bus for the away game against Bristol City on 25th February.  It's a 17 seater so should be room for all - there are currently 4 spaces left at the moment.

Please let either Phil or Charlie know if you would like to go.

East Coast Trains have discounted fares now online up to and including mid April, and I've got train tickets to Peterborough and Watford at below £20 each way.

A reminder that the Watford game is on Good Friday 6th April at 3.00pm.

Pool Panel - Wednesday (a) and Portsmouth (h)

On Tuesday night we were warmed up on a bitterly cold night by a tremendous footballing display as were tore Sheffield Wednesday to pieces to earn a game at Goodison.  Right from the off we were a class apart, and won in style, scoring great goals on the way.

Unfortunately we didn’t manage to take that into the home game with Portsmouth, with most of the blame for that lying with the state of the pitch, which cut up badly right from the off.  The conditions meant that we were unable to play the smooth passing game that had proved so successful on Tuesday as the wide players were unable to get into their stride on the bobbly surface.  In addition, Portsmouth came to disrupt the game from the off, managed to nick a goal against the run of play and were only pegged back through a wonderful free kick from Crainey.

It was exactly the type of game that we would have lost in previous seasons, but we stuck to the task and rescued a point, keeping us right in there in the promotion shake-up.

There is now an important game with Doncaster away on Tuesday before the cup-tie with Everton.  It will be interesting to see just how seriously the latter is being taken as we follow that up with a match with West Ham, a game that could prove crucial if we are to have any aspirations of automatic promotion.

Interesting times to be a Pool fan.

STARMAN (Sheffield Wednesday) – Ludo Sylvestre

STARMAN (Portsmouth) – Barry Ferguson 

Pool Panel - Coventry & Cardiff

Sunday 5th February - Coventry (h) Won 2-1 & Cardiff (a) Won 3-1

What a day!  Cardiff are the best side I have seen at Bloomfield Rd this season, so this game was a real test of our credentials to be taken seriously as a promotion challenger.  A win for them would have put us eight points behind them, but Saturday’s fantastic result means we are up to fourth and right in the mix.  Yet again, we overcame the handicap of conceding first to win with late goals.  I see this as no matter of luck but gradual assertion of our dominance as we wear teams out through possession football then continue strongly towards the end of games.This was also seen on Tuesday night, when two very late goals gave us a vital three points, but a win in such style at Cardiff is a result to make the rest of the League sit up and take notice.

There were a number of outstanding contributions, with Wilson having his best game to date, Ferguson pulling the strings in midfield, and Matty Phillips showing just what Cardiff were unable to secure in the transfer window.  The highlight of the day though was another exquisite finish from Kevin Phillips.  The way he took the ball down on his chest then hit a dipping volley up and over a number of players on the line was a real treat to watch.  It must be a wonderful problem for the manager on how to give sufficient game time to the players he has at his disposal.  Roll on Tuesday and the FA Cup.

STAR MEN:  v Coventry – STEPHEN CRAINEY; v Cardiff:  MATT PHILLIPS