Monday 31 January 2011

Southend - OUFC 1 Feb 2011 preview

This is a preview I originally wrote for www.rageonline.co.uk.   Any amendments and corrections will be in italics.
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On Tuesday night Oxford United travel to Southend United for the first since December 2007 when we also played on a chilly Tuesday night in an FA Cup second round replay.  At the time, Southend were a League One club, and Oxford were in the Conference with the newly appointed Darren Patterson in charge.  Southend duly won three-Nil, despite Billy Turley saving a penalty.  The home fixture in the current season was on New Years Day and the Us were pretty much outclassed and were defeated 2-0.   

Last Saturday Chris Wilder named an unchanged squad and bench for the visit of Cheltenham Town, and yet again went a goal behind before half-time.  After levelling via Tom Craddock, Ryan Clarke parried away a late penalty and so with the disappointment of not being ahead, the team finished the day relieved to have one point rather than none. 

Last week’s announcement of the signing of Jennison Myrie-Williams was premature, as apparently the international clearance rules prevent him from signing contracts at three clubs during the season.  Those with a keen memory will remember that Craig Nelthorpe faced us three times last season for York City, AFC Barrow and Luton Town, but as the latter two were classed as loans they don’t count.  On the last day of the transfer window, Matt Green has gone on loan to Cheltenham for the rest of the season, as he saw his first team opportunities limited following the arrival of Steve Maclean and the success of the other forwards.  The club have though signed Simon Hackney from League One Colchester United on loan until the end of the season.  Hackney, a 5’8” winger will be 27 on Saturday, and has only made two substitute appearances this season for Colchester following injuries. 

The Shrimpers come into this fixture with four wins, two defeats and one draw in a busy January.  Aside from their victory over the Us, they have defeated Rotherham United and Barnet away, and Macclesfield Town at home.  They lost at home to Cheltenham and Chesterfield, and drew with Bury. 

The Yellows go into the match the game in ninth place on 39 points, three points ahead of Southend in 12th, but who have a game in hand. 

There have been 22 goals in Southend’s last seven games, so again we predict three goals tomorrow night, presumably with Southend taking the lead in the first half, Oxford equalising, and then Oxford taking all three points with a goal in the last ten minutes.  Leading the goals table for the Shrimpers is Barry Corr who has 12 league and cup goals, including of course one against the Yellows. 

For those travelling by car, the following warning appears on the Southend website: “Victoria Avenue will be closed from 10.30pm between Fairfax Drive and Cuckoo Corner. A diversion will be in place due to road works taking place around the Cuckoo Corner area”.

Saturday 29 January 2011

OUFC - Cheltenham 29 Jan 2011 preview

This is a preview I originally wrote for www.rageonline.co.uk.   Any amendments and corrections will be in italics.
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Just got back from ‘Nam.
“Vietnam?, no Cheltenham” as Ted Chippington might say. 

On Saturday Oxford United face their first visit in five seasons from Cheltenham Town.  The game from February 2006 ended up 1-1 in front of 5,232, with Oxford United going down 1-0 to a Steve Guinan goal, before Steve Basham levelled for United from the penalty spot on 76 minutes.  The Robins match report suggested for the Us that ‘any fears of dropping further down the table are unfounded.’  That was the fifth time the Us faced the Robins that season, drawing away in the FA Cup and losing the replay at home, winning away in the league, and losing away in the LDV Vans trophy.  In the away fixture in the current season on a Tuesday night at the end of September 2010, the match finished 1-1, with Jack Midson equalising on the hour mark. 

After the disappointment of the defeat at Northampton, in midweek the Us tied up a decent 3-1 win against Shrewsbury, with a first ever United goal from Asa Hall, letting the Shrews get back level for half time, before a second half with two goals from James Constable gave the Us the bragging rights.  Subsequently 22 year old left footed winger Jennison Myrie-Williams has signed for the Us, previously spending six months on loan at St Johnstone.  There are no known injuries, and with Alfie Potter making an appearance back from injury on Tuesday as a late substitute, the side is unlikely to see any significant changes to the starting line-up. 

The Robins come into this fixture with two wins, one draw and two losses in 2011.  They lost to Wycombe Wanderers (currently 2nd), Accrington Stanley (15th) and Lincoln City (22nd); drew away at Northampton (16th) ; and beat Southend (13th) and Port Vale (5th).
United start the game in seventh place on 38 points, one point ahead of Cheltenham in 10th, who have also played 26 games. 

Four of Cheltenhams’s last six games finished up 2-1, so we predict that there will be at least three goals in this match, and as apparently the Yellows have the current longest run without a draw in the country, the regained confidence of the Us should result in a home victory.  Danger man for the Robins is 24 year old 5’11” striker Wesley Thomas who has 12 goals so far this campaign.  27 year old Jeff Goulding has scored nine in the league, and at 6’2” we can expect him to bundle a goal from a corner on Saturday. 

Sunday 23 January 2011

Preview - Northampton OUFC 22 Jan 2011


This is a preview I originally wrote for www.rageonline.co.uk.   Any amendments and corrections will be in italics.
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Will it be six points at Sixfields?
On Saturday Oxford United face their first visit in five seasons to Northampton Town’s Sixfields Stadium, with the chance to achieve their first league double of the season, with the Us taking up their full allocation of 1,600 away tickets.  Last time we visited was on a Friday evening in October 2005, losing 1-0 to a Scott McGleish goal.  That season saw Northampton promoted as runners up to League 1, helping to send the Yellows down to the Conference with a 3-1 home defeat in the third last game of the season.  The Cobblers had two seasons of mid table mediocrity in League 1, before being relegated in the last match of 2008/9 by one point, losing 3-0 in front of 34,000 at Leeds United.  In 2009/10, the Cobblers finished 11th in League 2.  Sixfields is an out of town stadium incorporated into a leisure park of cinema and restaurants, completed in 1994.  There is plentiful car parking, however it can take a while to exit after the game, and so some fans choose to leave early and watch the last few minutes from a hill in the car park, with a restricted view of little more than half the pitch. 

Last week, United had what was many described as a performance of the season, winning 2-1 against a defensive Bradford City.  Although the two goals scored by Steve Maclean and Tom Craddock were scrappy, the Yellows dominated the game, reminiscent of the start of the season Carling Cup 6-1 victory against Bristol Rovers.  Oxford now have six wins from seven, all by a one goal margin: five being 2-1, and the Torquay United game 4-3.  In three of the wins the Us were behind at half-time, so fans of both sides should be prepared for a rollercoaster afternoon. 

Against Bradford City, manager Chris Wilder named an unchanged starting line-up, {possibly for the first time} and with MacLean finally signing this week on loan from Plymouth until the end of the season, there are unlikely to be many changes.  Anthony Tonkin has a black eye from a challenge last week, but that is unlikely to rule him out of the squad.  Matt Green and Jack Midson both started in the midweek friendly against Thame United, and with Sam Deering also back from loan at Newport County, there are plenty of options available on the bench. 

Northampton started 2011 with losses against Crewe and Gillingham, a draw against Cheltenham, and a win against Lincoln, which perhaps reflects each team’s league position, the Cobblers currently in 17th place on 28 points, seven points behind United who start the afternoon ninth in the league.  Northampton have though been active in the January transfer window.  A much rumoured move for Calvin Zola of Crewe didn’t happen with Zola choosing to join Paul Peschisolido’s Burton Albion.  This then paved the way for striker Shaun Harrad to move from Burton to the Cobblers on a two and a half year contract.  Harrad has faced the Us twice already this season in league and cup, but he has not yet found the net against them.  Other danger men for Northampton are ex-Leicester City striker Billy McKay who has seven goals this season, Kevin Thornton,  and much travelled 32 year-old Leon McKenzie who both have six each. 

Wednesday 5 January 2011

Reacting to your own fans booing

Yet again this is in the news.  2010 had a fair few noteworthy incidents ...

WAYNE ROONEY - ENGLAND PLAYER
Wayne Rooney walking off the pitch after the dire nil-nil World Cup game in June against Algeria.  "Nice to see your {own/home?} fans booing you - you football 'supporters'. 
This was Algeria, it's not as if England were facing Brazil or Germany.   Still, England fans will continue to support the team, and Rooney's rant was symptomatic of a Premier League player reduced to playing with a team of lesser standard than his club side, a manager who doesn't know how to manage English players, let alone communicate with them.

GUS POYET - BRIGHTON MANAGER
27 November 2010, after Brighton had drawn 1-1 at home in the FA Cup with FC United of Manchester.  At the time Brighton were top of League 1 (old division three), whereas FCUM play in the Northern Premier division, which is sat the step in the non-league Pyramid below Conference North, four divisions below Brighton, who went on to win the replay 4-0.  

"I am very disappointed with the fans. I invite every single one of them who is going to boo to stay at home, because I don't want them and I don't accept that. At the end of the season they can give their verdict to the team. I won't have a problem if we do our lap at the end and they give boos. It means we didn't do well... The problem is that they are not realistic. They think it is too easy to play football. The proper supporters are the ones who support the team every single minute of the season. ..."

Does Poyet not realise that it is the fans who turn up week after week, buying season tickets, match day tickets, programmes, pies and refreshments, which help fund his own salary and keep the club going?  These are the paying customers and criticism like this is something that he should keep to himself.   
ROY HODGSON - LIVERPOOL MANAGER
Following Liverpool's1-0 defeat against Wolves at Anfield on 29 December 2010, Hodgson was furious after sections of the Liverpool support showed their displeasure at his reign with a sarcastic chant of "Hodgson for England" before calling for Kenny Dalglish to be installed as manager.  The much travelled manager said after the game he had never had the "famous Anfield support" in his six months in charge. That was seen as a clear attack on his critics in the crowd but, with his fans said to be angry at his comments.  

If there is one thing bound to annoy and club's fans, it is to suggest that there is support is not really as good as they like to imagine it is, especially if it is true.  This sort of outrage is normally reserved by self-proclaimed Best Fans in the Country, Newcastle United.  At least Roy Keane at Manchester United realised that selling more and more corporate boxes leaves the club with the prawn sandwich brigade who quietly munch away from their seats. 

MARVIN MORGAN - ALDERSHOT PLAYER
After supporters booed him during the Shot's 2-1 home defeat to then bottom of the league side Hereford on Monday (New Year's Day 2011).

Morgan responded to the crowd's reaction by posting a message on Twitter which read: "Like to thank the fans who booed me off the pitch. Where's that going to get you! I hope you all die.", apparently followed up by "To all the fans who have a problem with my comments I'll be at the ground Wednesday at 9!!!"

Marvin scored against Oxford earlier in the season, and just this last weekend was linked with a £50,000 move to Crawley of the Conference.  His comments in the League Paper were that he didn't want to go, and wanted to stay at Aldershot.  Now though, the striker has been suspended, fined two weeks' wages and placed on the transfer list. This should provide some welcome distraction to the Shots in anticipation of Oxford's visit this Saturday. 

Tuesday 4 January 2011

An 'Undred Pands

I love going to Torquay on the train.  The last half hour on the Dawlish coast is special going right by the sea-front and through the tunnels.  One time, the train from Guildford to Reading was ten minutes late, leaving me one minute to make the connecting train to Newton Abbot.  I ran to platform four, jumped on the train, and wandered up and down looking for fellow United fans.   I didn't find any, and soon found out I was on the direct train to Bristol.  I hopped off at Bristol, before getting a train back to Swindon, and finally off to Torquay.  More about the return journey later

This time New Year engineering works at Reading persuaded me it was better to drive down, as bus transfers meant I wouldn't get home until after 11pm.  As it was a bank holiday Monday, I set off at 10am for the 170 mile trip.  The journey has a lot of single carriageway roads, and took me past Stonehenge with families doing their bank holiday trek around the exclusion zone around the stones.

I arrived at Plainmoor at around 1pm, drove around the narrow roads looking for fifteen minutes for a space to park, and finally got a space just 100 yards walk from the training ground.  As per usual, I went into Boots and Laces, the club bar.  This time, they have introduced a Members' Scheme, so the home fans pay under £2 per pint, but the away fans are at full whack £2.80.  Still, they had a barrel of local real ale.  

We checked out the team line up, and bizarrely it almost exactly matched my suggestions on the forum the day before.  We had just succumbed 2-0 to Southend, and my post was "Seems like potter is undroppable. Still think he is best coming on late. Replace purkiss with batt and you don't need potter either. Perhaps we should mix things up a bit with craddock up front midson and green supporting him."  Wilder did exactly that, and the game was set up for a right rollercoaster.

United went ahead 1-0, then 2-0, before within seconds Torquay brought it back to 2-1 before half time.

In the second half interval, we had the joy of a half time 50-50 draw, with one of the prizes being a chance for a cross bar challenge for "an 'undred pands".  No-one won.  

Second half, United went 3-1 up, which set me up to tell Carl that we had been three up before at the Kasstad only to draw 3-3.   "Don't effing say that" was all that it took to prompt Torquay to get two goals back.  In the dying death we got the fourth to claim all three points, and I faced the drive back, with snow flurries and trails of red lights for a good hour or two.