football rambles

This was quite a bad tempered match and one that saw Ely score two whilst down to 10 men. Dan Brown gave Ely the lead after 10 minutes before Gibbs equalised for the visitors on 40 minutes, so the teams went into the break on level terms. The second half was pretty scrappy with a lot of tempers starting to fray and quite a bit going on off the ball that the officials didn't seem to notice. Ely had Hida sent off on 55 minutes for a studs up challenge and it looked like it was going to be difficult for the Robins. However, it just seemed to galvanize them and two wonder strikes settled the game. Substitute Frankie Lee Webster scoring on 80 minutes and Hamer on 88.

Neil Harris had already replaced Mark Bonner for the away game at Charlton the previous week where the Us got a creditable point from a last minute Ahadme goal that salvaged a 2-2 draw. This week marked his home debut as Cambridge manager. At the start of the game it didn't look like things had changed too much though, as a Blackpool team that included players previously predicted to reach the top in Jordan Rhodes and Karamoko Dembele dominated the home team. It was with some inevitability when Jordan Rhodes gave the visitors the lead in the 25th minute. However, the Us weren't taking this one lying down and Kachunga led the fightback with a goal on 32 minutes and Ahadme gave the Us the lead with a penalty just before halftime. The second half was a bit tetchy with Paul Digby paying the price and being given his marching orders after two late tackles. Overall Blackpool had more chances but didn't take them and it was the type of performance that Cambridge are going to have

 Well, this game happened on 2nd December, so it has taken me over a week to upload this, but it has been an exceptionally busy time. This was a second round FA Cup game and when my friends from London decided to come up for it, I thought that they must have a screw loose, as on paper this looked like one of the worst ties in the round with two League 1 teams, who would probably like a bit of a cup run to get money, but are equally looking over their shoulders with relegation looming took on each other. It also didn't bode well fo Cambridge who had let their manager Mark Bonner go just a couple of days earlier. Therefore when Cambridge unleashed an opening 15 minutes where they looked like 2010 Barcelona everybody was shocked, but in particularly the Fleetwood team. After just 13 minutes Andrew, Kachunga and  Okenabirhie had put the Us three goals to the good. After this Cambridge calmed down a bit, but Ahadme came on to add a fourth with 7 minutes left in what was probably the mos

 Thetford are one of the favourites to win the Eastern Counties League after finishing 2nd least year. Downham have been one of the surprise teams having just been promoted. Whenever I see them they seem to score goals! This was a really entertaining game and after firing two goals early on Thetford looked comfortable. However, Thetford scored in stoppage time to make it 2-1, but Downham weren't finished and went in at the break with a 3-2 lead. There were 2 more goals in the second half as Downham went to win 4-2

 After a long walk to the seafront we went on another long walk to Mestalla and another long walk to the top of the stand at La Mestalla to watch Valencia take on Granada. I had hoped that Valencia would have started Yaremchuk, but he was on the bench, which I kind of expected anyway. La Mestalla is a spectacular stadium, although I do feel that the warnings of getting vertigo in the stand we were in are a bit exaggerated.  I was blown away by the stadium and the atmosphere around rather than in the ground. Unfortunately, the game didn't live up to the settings. It was short on quality and chances and decided by a penalty - the second shout for one that Valencia had had.  Most of the first half had been characterised by Granada trying to stop Valencia playing by any means possible. The fact that the goal came in the 7th minute of stoppage time at the end of the first half from Pepelu penalty, sums up what was going on. The second half wasn't much better as both teams seemed hap

 I was intrigued to visit Levante as part of the Valencia double header. I had heard that they were known for their well-behaved Ultras which sounded a bit of an oxymoron to me. Anyway, after a day of sightseeing and paella in the town, I made my way after a few beers over to the Ciutat de Valencia stadium. On the way I met some Dutch lads who were a good laugh. We went into the stadium only to find that alcohol isn't for sale in Spanish grounds. Never mind, I'd probably had enough by then! I was sat near the Dutch lads, but in a different section so we said goodbye. The next problem I had was that my seat didn't seem to exist, but that wasn't a problem as I still managed to find a place to park myself. The pre-match singing of the club hymn was pretty impressive, but the 2 aliens on the pitch and the lights going off to the music of 'Close Encounters' being played was a bit odd. The match itself was really entertaining. I wasn't a fan of the referee, who se

 Last weekend I was in Valencia and visited Ciutat de Valencia to witness Levante draw 2-2 with Mirandes and the Mestalla to see Valencia win 1-0 against Granada. What an amazing weekend it was. I am missing Posh v Cambridge today as my bank and health needs to recover after a fabulous few days in Valencia.

 The last league game that I saw at Villa Park had been the 4-2 defeat to Leicester City. Since then Villa haven't lost a home game and the win list was extended to 12 with this defeat over Luton Town. Villa were dominant in this game and the result actually flatters Luton, who didn't see much of the ball for long parts of the game. Villa opened the scoring from a brilliant shot from Super John McGinn on 17 minutes. Diaby ripped them apart before Douglas Luiz set up McGinn to drive the ball home. At half time the score was somehow still 1-0. Villa had amassed a multitude of shots, but despite some commanding play from the midfield, the forwards weren't able to get a goal. Some of this was down to Zaniolo, who in his keenness to impress sometimes makes the wrong decision. It was therefore not really surprising that he was replaced by Leon Bailey at half time. Bailey made a difference at the beginning of the second half when he provided an assist for the impressive Mousa Diab

 The last time I went to Ely City a couple of weeks ago it was an entertaining game and this game didn't disappoint either - even if the result did. Like in the game against Lakenheath things didn't start too well for Ely with them going in at the break 2-0 down. When they had a chance at some retribution when rewarded a penalty a feeble Jack Friend shot was easily saved by the Harleston keeper. Ely came out as a different team in the second half and Luke Mansfield soon pulled a goal back. Towards the end Ely were awarded another penalty. This time Charlie Tunnel stepped up and he didn't miss. There were only a few minutes left on the clock and Ely pushed for a winner. However, they were caught out and Harleston got a winner on the break.

 This was a game that neither team wanted to lose and this was clear from the offset. After both teams getting off to good starts, reality has set in and both are in the lower part of mid-table. It was imperative that Cambridge got off to a good start to the season - which they did - as there are going to be several rough patches in the season for a team with such as small squad and this is probably one of them. The first-half was a nervous affair for both teams. Cambridge looked the stronger of the two but it was no surprise really when the first half finished goalless. Cambridge did however start the second half with more attacking intent and pushed for an opening goal. Substitutions around the hour mark when Jannah came on for Gordon and Adam May for an out of sorts Lankester further galvanised the team. The breakthrough came about though from an unlikely source on 69 minutes when Michael Morrison finished beautifully from distance after waltzing through the Shrewsbury defence. It w