Hey Joe

Tranmere Rovers FC v Steeeeeevenage Borough FC in EGL League 2 at the Lamex Stadium

The Rovers face the Boro on a sunny 🌞 but cold ❄ afternoon in Hertfordshire.

First time that we have seen the Rovers for a while but we are now into a bit of a run of southern games at the back end of the season. There are a few new faces and an old one in the team today. Saunders is up-front and Turner-Cooke and Hendry in midfield. Nice to see Joe back in goal as that has been a concern recently.

It didn't start well for us or the whites. We arrived about 20 minutes into the first half but hadn't missed anything from either side. Both sides were attacking with no real end product. Rovers using the wings well but nothing connecting with the strikers. Joe had made a few easy saves but the home keeper hadn't been tested as they were defending well in front of him. No score at the break.

Much the same in the second half with no clear cut chances. The Whites, seen here in Teal, had and took a few long range shooting opportunities which makes a nice change from the endless passing backwards and forwards into ever decreasing spaces until the ball is lost. The hosts made 4 changes on the hour mark. Micky bought on Merrie. Saunders has added a lot of aggression to the attack and it seems to be rubbing off on his teammates as Lee O'Connor got into the box on 72 minutes only to be tripped. Hawkes made sure of the penalty ⚽ despite the keeper being a good yard off his line by the time the kick was taken. Boro started throwing themselves to the floor with increasing regularity but the ref was unimpressed by many of them. It got a bit niggly and there were a few yellows. Micky bought Jameson on for Hawkes to defend a late free kick. An equaliser wouldn't have been undeserved but it didn't happen and the 3 points are headed back to the Wirral. Another Micky fist-pump for the collection. UTFW.

A better performance and the defence more assured with Joe behind them. Saunders looked good bringing energy to the attack. Perhaps a better result than the performance deserved but there are no points for style. Never heard any home fans that were so obsesed with jeering at every one of our goal kicks. Seemed to keep them amused though. Nice to have a quick rendition of Tequila. Seems like a long time since we have heard that. Up the Super White Army.

Ref had a strange day. Got most things right especially with the increased diving but there were some strange yellows given.  What went on when Josh was pushed over we will never know.  And another booking for kicking the ball away. That's 2 in 2 games.  Wait all year for 1 then 2 come along together.

POTM: It would be easy to make it Joe for his consistency but it goes to Saunders for making it exciting to watch for the first time in a long time 🏆.

Hot chocolate was a yummy 8 for the Cadburys. Needed on such a cold day.

See you soon

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Back at the Lamex

Boys playing well

Get in Tranmere

It's a Ton-Up For The Troops

Newhaven FC away to AFC Varndeanians at the Withdean Stadium in the SCFL Premier Division

The Dockers ⚓face the 'V's at the Withdean Athletics Stadium complete with running track. A stronger line up for the Dockers today. Billie is out after limping off on Saturday but Harry Reed is in his place after a good spell out injured. Big and Little are out wide and Connor is up front. Nice to see the opposition have a full complement of subs. The Reds, playing her in Blue, are on 97 goals for the season so could make it 100 tonight.This is also the game that means we have watched Newhaven more than Tranmere

The game never really settled into a pattern of play, there were long balls and lots of head tennis. Bit like watching Tranmere. Lukas got the first goal on 9⚽. 98… Big Robbo was fouled just wide of the 18 yard box but the ref consulted the lino and gave a penalty. Benno buried his penno as ever on 21⚽. 99…. Jake made a great save on 24 when he got a hand to a strong shot from a wide posision to tip it onto the post, it hit one of the 'V's in the midriff and went out for a goal-kick. Phew.

Things didn't improve much in the second half with the Dockers looking very It nervous despite to 2 goal advantage. Worried about the important 3rd goal? The 'V's had clearly had the hairdryer treatment at half-time and looked the most likely to score. It didn’t look like it was going to come when one of the floodlights went out on 63. Are you Swindle in disguise? 50p was found and the light came back on a 70. Still didn't look like a goal was coming though. Eventually it happened, Robbo got onto a bouncing though ball and lobbed the keeper on 80⚽. 100…🥳 The Dockers settled into their usual passing game now but the score stayed 3-0.

Strange game again. Atmosphere not great and the running track in the way doesn't help. A bit sterile and no way of wandering round the perimeter.

Ref had a bit of a bad day at the office. Some inconsistent bookings particularly for the Dockers including one for the Manager presumably for something that was said. One for kicking the ball away when the opposing player had already picked up another ball for the throw in. Then giving the Dockers a pen for a foul that looked just outside the box. He was very fussy about where free-kicks and throw-ins were taken even if he had got the position wrong and the player was trying to correct his mistake.

Hot choccy was lovely and scored an 8. Hospitality friendly in spite of the lack of facilities.

Knackered now after 3 in a row. Couple of days off and the Lionsesses on the telly.

See you at Steeeeeeeeevenage.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

At the Withdean Stadium

We've arrived

Strange Ground

The Boys are Winning

A Message To You RD

Arnold Clark Cup - Game day 2 at Coventry Building Society Arena

We are at the Ricoh and Today it's England v Italy. This is followed by and the Korean Republic v Belgium but we have to leave before that. The Lionesses face Le Azzurre. There are more than a few changes for the lionesses. Katie Robinson is starting. Rachel Daly is up front, Jess Park and Laura Coombs in the 10s. Kiera Walsh is back. Roebuck is in goal.

Serena's Lionesses are happy to be patient in a fairly even game with a few chances each way. Robbo having an impact down the right wing with her pace. The Lionesses eventually broke the deadlock when RD headed home a cross from Robinson on 32 ⚽.

A couple of half-time changes with Katie Zelam and Jordan Nobbs coming on. The equaliser came on 62 when the ball may or may not have crossed the line after Cantore met a low cross. The controversy was that even if the ball had crossed the line, it appeared to go out before the cross. The crowd ruled the goal out but the ref ignored us. The lead was restored on 71 when RD met another cross from the right with her head ⚽. This time the assist came from Lauren James.

England win but conceded a goal. Serena made a huge number of changes and it was almost a second 11 with most expensive Women's player in the world back in after illness. 6 points from 2 games. Top of the group with 1 game to go. It's all to play for when England meet Belgium at Bristol on Wednesday to try to retain the title.

The Scranometer registered a yummy 7 for the veggie pie. Needed a bit of spice to up the score, a bit like the football.

Nice stadium🏟, easy parking 🚗 but a club shop with no pin badges😢.

See you at the Withdean tomorrow.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Big Crowd

New Ground

Exploding wheelie bins again

Stand up for the anthems

Watching the action

Winning

You are here

Roff Justice

Newhaven FC play Roffey FC at Fort Road in the Southern Combined Premier League

The Dockers ⚓ are second in the league 😎 and face the Boars 🐗 who sit bottom and winless 😢. With the Dockers in action again on Monday, there are a few being rested with Little and Henry on the bench. The Boars only have just 1 sub. Feel sorry for him sat there on his own.

The Boars nearly scored in the first minute but after that it was, mostly but not quite all, one way traffic. Dockers dominated possession and camped out in the Boars half, attacking the Skatepark end. The first half turned into a goal fest and went Lukas on 5⚽, Lee under the keeper on 7⚽, Callum on 17⚽, Callum claiming an OG after a scramble in the 6 yard box on 24⚽, Lukas on 28 ⚽ and then Lukas getting his hattrick on 34 ⚽. 6-0 at half time.

The second half started the same with Josh on 47 ⚽, Connor claiming his 'hattrick' on 50 ⚽. Charlie scored on 62 ⚽ then Tyler Scrafton got his first for the Dockers on 63 ⚽. I looked like the Dockers had settled for 10 as it went flat for a while before Lukas got his 4th on 87 ⚽. The scoreline is little harsh on the visitors who tried to attack and a consolation goal or 2 wouldn't have been undeserved.

A strange game where the opposition were leaking goals but not responding with changes to tactics. It was Plan A, play from the back whatever then consequences. If at first you don't succeed, press on regardless. Very British. They have now conceded 105 goals this season. Some xG that.

Ref didn't do much wrong and was even a good enough sport to allow one of the Dockers to play a one two off him

POTM: Lukas takes the trophy 🏆for work rate as well as goals, never stops running and pressing and chasing the ball.

Hot choccy was as yummy as ever. 8/10

See you in the West Midlands tomorrow.

Love Tranmerkat 🐾

Back At Fort Road

We Got More Subs Than You

Wrapped up warm

At the Fort End

Korea Opportunities

Arnold Clark Cup - Game Day 1 at Stadium MK

It's the Arnold Clark cup so four teams battle it out over three days for the trophy 🏆of which England are the current holders. Today it's Italy and Belgium first up. They are followed by England and the Korean Republic.

The Blues were rated as one of the biggest disappointments at the Euros and they have an opportunity to set that straight before heading off to the World Cup in the summer. They were runners up in the Algarve cup last year so be no pushover. The Belgian Red Flames 🔥 one last years Pinatar cup and got to the quarter finals of the Euro's but have failed to qualify for the World Cup so they will be looking to him bounce back here. The korean "taegeuk" ladies are another formidable group. They were runners up in the Asian cup and have qualified for the World Cup. There are a couple of Brighton players in the squad with our “favourite” Lee in the starting 11 and Park on the bench. There are lots of familiar faces for the lionesses. Brighton's Katie Robinson is on the bench and Laura Coombs is in the squad. Keira Walsh, ill🤢, and Fran Kirby, injured🤕, are both unavailable. Leah is playing in midfield and Carter is in defence.

Italy and Belgium kicked off first. Italy threatened first but couldn't convert. Marie Detruver put Belgium ahead on 16 ⚽ and took the lead into the break.

It got a bit more lively and there were plenty of fouls some spicy tackles and a dive or two. Both sides had chances and substitute Manuela Giugliano levelled on 64⚽. it looked like the points would be shared when Tessa Wullaert broke clear about 40 yards out. She had a lot to do but made in count on 90 minutes ⚽ to take the points for Belgium.

The ref and her team did well to manage the game and she became less tolerant of the Italian theatrics as the game went on dishing out 4 yellows .

Next up the Lionesses and South Korea. England were lively from the start with Lauren James and Chloe Kelly causing problems out wide and swapping sides to mix it up. Korea offered little threat and struggled to keep the ball. Russo's shot is tipped on to the post on 37 but England couldn't get the ball across the line until Lauren was tripped in the box and Georgia netted from the spot on 40 ⚽. Was funny watching the ref try to make Kim in goal move back to the goalline.

Serena must have had words at half time as they came out flying and Chloe put the ball in the back of the net with 30 seconds on the clock ⚽. It was all over a couple of minutes later when Alesia flicked Greenwood's low cross between the keeper and the post ⚽. Korea had few chances and started rolling around a bit. Lee got kicked in the shoulder by Lucy, ref stopped play for treatment and then gave the whites a throw-in. Serena rang the changes as usual and we got to see RD, who came on for Alesia, , Lauren Hemp and Laura Coombs. Lauren James got her first England goal on 78 ⚽ when she blasted a low shot from inside the box. She then made way for Katie Robinson who did really well getting in some great crosses. 4-0 to the Lionesses.

Ref had a good game and kept it flowing better than the earlier game.

Thanks again to MK for the hospitality and the novel Park and Stride 🚗🚶‍♀️🚶‍♂️🏟.

The scranometer registered a 7.5 for the Vegan sausage roll.

See you at Coventry

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Big crowd for the Lionesses

Quiet here at the moment

Italy v Belgium

Lionesses warming up

Watching Korea warm up

Jord Nobbs and Hatricks

Brighton & Hove Albion Women play Aston Villa Women in the WSL at the Peoples Pension Stadium

The Seagulls face the Villans just 7 days after the last meeting between the 2 teams. That ended in a 1-1 draw. This meeting was delayed from august due to the death of the Queen when it was scheduled to be at the AMEX. It would have been warm and sunny 😎 then. It's not now. It's cold and damp at the Broadfield Stadium in Crawley.

Afew of new faces on both sides. A familiar face in the Villans is Jordan Nobbs wearing no 88. A new face to Brighton is Lydia Williams in goal and surprise of the day was Vicky Williams on the bench.

It couldn't have started better for the seagulls. A quick attack led to a corner and zigaotti headed home on 3 minutes ⚽. They kept attacking and came close to a second. It didn't last long and the Villans became the villains as they scored 2 in quick succession, then a third and 4th. RD8 causing the defence all sort of problems but her goal, the 4th, was clearly offside but linesperson was not bothered that he had clearly made a mistake and ref declined to overrule him. It soon became academic when Jordan Nobbs scored her 2nd and the Villans 5th just before the break.

The second half was much better from the Seagulls. It got even better when Lee was fouled right on the edge of the box and Carter buried the resulting penalty on 49 ⚽. Jordon Nobbs got her hattrick with a long range blast into the top corner on 69. It finished 6-2. 😥

It was nice to see Jordan Nobbs flourishing having left Arsenal but would have been even nicer if Brighton weren't on the wrong end of it. Kullberg moving from left back out to the right wing worked well and showed her pace. Difficult result for Brighton.

POTM: Julia Zigiotti for first goal and her work rate when playing deeper in midfield.

Scranometer registered a yummy 8 for the Bombay Potato pie. Hot chocolate was a sad 4 due to most of it turning to concrete in the bottom of the cup.

It's international break now so we are off to MK for the arnold Clark cup.🏆.See you there.

Love Tranmerkat 🐾

Back at the Broadfield

Watching the girls warm up

After the Gould Rush

Newhaven FC play AFC Uckfield Town at Fort Road in the Southern Combined Premier League

The Dockers host the Uckers on a mild but dull winter afternoon.

The Fort Road Boys first win of the season came away to Uckfield back in August when we picked up 3 points for a 5-0 win on a very hard and dry pitch. Hoping for a repeat performance today to help move on from the defeat away to Bexhill last Saturday. It interrupted a good run of form and dropped them off the top of the table. Hoping to get back into the swing of things today. Callum Connor 9 starting up front 🙂 with big and little out wide.

After an early scare the Dockers were straight back on the front foot or in this case, head, as Charlie nodded it into the net from a corner in the 2nd minute⚽ . Callum Conner's ninth minute chip over the goalkeeper looked like it was going to roll over the line but it skimmed the outside of the post and went behind to a collective sigh. He was soon subbed off due to being unwell so James Rhodes came in as the 10 and Lukas moved up front. The visitors keeper was having a good game keeping the score down with a number of great saves. It was Lee 'big' Robinson that eventually got past him on 41 ⚽. 2-0 at the break.

The second half saw both sides looking for the important 3rd goal. The Dockers getting a bit complacent at times. They would threaten but then get exposed on the break. Third 3rd goal went to the visitors who broke clear and beat an onrushing Bussy to get one back on the hour. Cheeky Uckers It was uncomfortable for the Dockers for a while but they came back and the 4 goal fell to Lukas on 67 when the opposing keeper practically handed it to him when pressed ⚽. Lee got his 2nd and the Dockers 4th on 80⚽. Lukas blasted home from range just a minute later⚽. The Dockers last goal to make it 6-1 came in injury time when 2 substitutes combined as Demas volleyed in at close range from Josh Gould's looping cross to the far post⚽. The Uckers were gifted a chance for a consolation with practically the last kick of the game but the penalty was so bad that Jake could have saved it in his sleep.

Great game. Some really good performances with 4 players on the score sheet. Such a shame that Connors chip didn't go in. Would have killed the game off really early. The Uckers keeper made some great saves and some absolute howlers. They might not invite him back. Important to keep the 3 points rolling in to maintain the challenge at the top table. And we got to watch the ferry leave ⛴.

POTM: Some great performances but goes to Lukas as we are so glad to have him back 🏆.

The ref was doing OK until Ryan got ahead of the attacker chasing a long through ball and was pulled back then booked for the privilege of being pulled back. He didn't get much right after that. The linesman on the stand side was so far behind the play he was still in 2022.

The hot chocolate was the usual 8. Lovely ☕.

Back to the WSL next.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Big Robbo on the Programme