football rambles

 My first time flying solo at the football in a long time in a game that was really a game of two halves. Overall Cambridge were probably the better team, but the first half belonged to Port Vale and the second half to Port Vale. It was Vale who opened the scoring on 20 minutes when Ben Garrity put the visitors ahead. Unfortunately, after a bright start Ahadme is starting to look like another disappointing forward that Cambridge have signed and Kachunga, Kakai and Ahadme were all disappointing in the first half. Mark Bonner obviously felt the same way and the cavalry were introduced just after the hour mark with the aforementioned three being replaced by Jack Lankester, Fejiri Okenabirhie and John Kymani-Gordon. It's hard to understand why the three didn't start as they all have the ability to change games. You just wonder if Bonner sees Okenabirhie and Kymani-Gordon as impact subs, as when they come on they usually have an impact. It only took the duo 4 minutes on the pitch to...

 It's a long trip to Stoke-on-Trent and one that I'd been swayed to taking when I thought that there was a train strike on this day, which in the end there wasn't, but I am still glad we went. If I hadn't been at the match, I would have presumed it was an April Fool's Day prank when I saw the result. Cambridge scoring a goal never mind two is a rare enough occurrence, so getting two and winning away is not aomething anybody would have expected before the game. I also have to say that the Tommy Cheadle Social Club with £3 a pint Marston's and old school fanzine the Port Vale Beano for sale felt like a bit of a throwback and as I got an old pound coin as part of my change, it really did take me back. The first half was the turgid affair that we all expected it to be, with Port Vale with not much to play for and Cambridge being abject for most of the season. However, it was Cambridge who had the better chances and Shilow Tracey and Jack Lankester both came close fo...

It was a slow start to the game on Saturday and Port Vale did most of the early running and put pressure on the Os from the start. This was perhaps a bit strange as Orient needed the points being in the League 1 relegation zone, whereas the visitors sit in mid table and could be excused for feeling that they were already on holiday. That said, the first real chance, after a couple of Port Vale corners that were easily dealt with fell to the home team. Marvin Bartlery sent a fine cross into theb box, but nobody was there to trouble Vale keeper Chris Neal.  This was the story of Orient's first half, as both sides tried to hit each other on the counter attack. The away team looked more effective, where as orient looked like they had forgotten their striking boots and  Chris Neal looked like he was going to be hard to beat on the odd occassion where they found their footing.  After the first 20 minutes of end to end, but ultimately ineffective football Vale started to ...

On Saturday we went on the yearly trip to Orient. They beat Port Vale 3-1 to keep their hopes of staying in League 1 alive. The match report will follow shortly, but here are a few random photos for now. Getting ready for kick off. Orient players warm up.  The teams enter the pitch. Orient on the attack, unfortunately in the first half the most accurate person on am Orient shirt was a kid who threw a paper cup at the linesman in the picture.