The VARder they come

Chelsea Women FC v Olympique Lyonnais Feminin in the UWCL Quarter Final at the Stamford Bridge

The Blues face Les Fenottes on a cold West London night and go in to the tie with a one goal advantage. The Lyon fans have dubbed themselves the Lyondoners and are making a good noise up in the corner of The Shed. A few injuries for the blues with Fran and Harder still out. Millie is out too. Magda is in and captain. Wendles is playing for Lyon with Hegeberg and Malard on the bench. Hope it stays dry tonight after getting soaked at the Emirates last night.

The visitors were on it from the start with  THE CHELS  seeming a little sluggish. The visitors clearly had a plan to over load the right wing and poor Carter was playing very well at left back but getting out numbered. They had a few chances but couldn't score. Chelsea settled a little and defended well. 0-0 at the break with the Blues ahead on aggregate.

Uneventful second half apart from Gilles scoring on 77. A poor goal to concede. Level on aggregate at 90.

Into extra time then. It's nervy now as it could go either way. No goals in the first 15. Swap ends and go again.

Double nervy now. It looks like it is going the way of Lyon when Dabritz gets on the end of a Hegerberg free kick on 110. It all gets a bit more tense and chaotic on 113 as the scoreboards go off and we can't see the clock. It comes back on at 118 and Chelsea find a second wind, or is it first, to push for the equaliser. Into the second and last minute of extra time injury time and it looks like Lauren James is tripped in the box. Big appeals from the players and the crowd but the ref waves it away. Play carries on for another minute or so before the ref stopped play. We shout for VAR and our wish is granted. Ref checks the screen and awards a pen. Clock is now at 125. Chaos in the box as Chelsea try to take it. Sophie Ingle hangs on to the ball. Ref eventually manages to calm things down and Maren Mjelde takes the ball as the the ref tries to the clear the players out of the area. Just as she manages that, she tells them to go away. Players are confused and so are we. It's going to be the very last kick of the game so score and it's more pens or miss and it's all over. No pressure. Maren (ice for blood) Mjelde sticks it in the top corner on 128. Six minutes after the foul. Bonkers. There is carnage on the pitch and in the crowd as we go to a penalty shootout. Do they not know it's a school night.

It's at our end and who is first up but Mjelde and this time it's the bottom corner ✅️1-0. Marozsan equalises ✅️1-1. Kerr is rubbish at pen but nails it ✅️2-1. Hegerburg ✅️2-2. Jessie Flemming has only been on a few minutes but it's no problem ✅️3-2. Up steps Captain Renard ❌️🧤 saved, 3-2. Lauren James ❌️🧤saved, still 3-2. Dabritz levels the scores ✅️3-3. It's sudden death now. Carter has had a great game and steps up to smash in the last of the 5 pens ✅️4-3. It's all on Horan ❌️🧤 saved by AKB. Barcelona here we come. What an ending. The Blues and most of the crowd are ecstatic. Lyon look devastated.

AKB becomes the hero of the night with 2 massive saves. Going out with seconds to go and suddenly though to the semi-final. What a night. Up 'THE CHELS'. Sam and Lauen come over for selfies and then we leg it for the last train.

POTM: Has to be Ann-Katrin Berger 🏆 for the penalty saves under ridiculous pressure. Honourable mentions to Maren Mjelde who made a big difference when she came on and the 2 pens, Erin Cuthbert for being everywhere and Jess Carter for the best we have seen her play.

The ref didn't seem to know what was going on most of the time. Or maybe she did and she has a good poker face. Certainly struggled to communicate with the players.

Scranometer had the night off as we went to McDonalds 🍟🍔 on Victoria station.

Tomorrow off then Brighton v Man U on Saturday morning.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Back At The Bridge

Big Place

Super Fran

Behind The Shed

Front Row Of the Shed

Met Basil

Victorious

Chelsea Badges

Little Wing'd

Arsenal Women FC v FC Bayern Munchen Frauen in the UWCL Quarter Final Second Leg at the Emirates Stadium

The Gunners face the Baverians on a very wet North London night hoping to overcome a deficit of 1-0 from the away leg. No injury worries other than the ACL gang. Stina Blackstenius has hit form at a good time. Georgia 😍is playing as is Lina Mugull😡.

It's very wet at the kick-off and controlling the ball seems to be a challenge for everyone. Gunners have the better of the possession. None of the fouls on Arsenal were giving yet every Bavarian slip end in a free kick and a possibly a yellow card. This is never more obvious when Kim Little is fouled running at speed after 10 minutes, no foul given and she then hobbles off refusing to get in the stretcher that has been bought on for her. She is replaced by Lota Weuben Moy and Leah moves to the midfield. The possession pays off when Frida Maanum scores with a stunning curling shot from outside the box on 19 to level the aggregate score. Icing on the cake is that Leah Williamson gets a cheeky little backheel assist as her birthday present 🎁. Kaitlin Foord was a menace on the left and got an assist when she crossed for Blackstenius to head home. Ahead on the night and now in the tie. Grohs was kept busy in the German goal but scored stayed 2-0 at the break.

There were chances both ways in the second half but it gets a bit niggly and broken up. Loads of subs didn't help the flow. The visitors had the better of it at times but couldn't score. Was nice to see Zinsberger taking her usual second half nap 💤 to give the team a break. Georgia got booked in the last minute was the icing on the cake. Semi-finals here we come 🥳.

POTM: Katie McCabe   15 🏆 for being a warrior whatever position she played.

The Gooners seem to be able to work teams out. What a goal from Frida Leonhardsen Maanum. Great performance and into the semi-final against tomorrow's winner (hint, it's Wolfsburg 🐺).

The ref had a nightmare getting basic stuff wrong and giving 6 yellow cards for not very much. Also missed some clear fouls, Kim Little didn't hurt herself.

Scranometer again went Off Piste to Leon on Vicky Station for a Vegan Love Burger 🍔❤. Yum.

See you at the Bridge tomorrow 👀.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

It's wet at The Erirates

On the train on the way

Norf Larnden

Mr Bergkamp

2-0 to the Gooners

Get the badges in 

It's Medway or the Highway

Tranmere Rovers FC v Gillingham FC at the Priestfield Stadium in League 2

Tranmerekat stands in solidarity with Gary Lineker so there will be no blog today 😶.

Which is a relief because it was awful.

Love Tranmerekat ❤

quod erat demonstrandum

Gary's back so the rest off the match report is below 👇

The snow has melted and the rain has stopped as the Rovers face the Gills on a cold day in the Medway in Kent. The Gills have a new owner and their form is better than their 4th from bottom position. Tranmere, who have settled in midtable, have Jameson in for Tom Davies so Turnbull is captain. Jake Burton starts up front with Saunders. Lee O'Connor is playing on the right wing 👀.

The Rovers started quite brightly but it didn't last. Mellon ball otherwise known as long ball and head tennis soon returned. As usual, set pieces were all wasted. The Gills didn't waste theirs and scored from a corner and back post free-header on 32. Not a marker to be seen. A goal behind at the break.

Second half, same as the first. Changed a bit when Mumbongo came on for Jake and Chalmers for Hawkes who was not having a great day. Joel proved to a bit of a handful. He was getting his shirt pulled constantly and drawing 2 markers but no-one was able to utilise the space. He had the best chance but blasted wide in front of the SWA. Atleast he had a shot. The Gills doubled their lead when a low cross was tapped in on 82. Another loss for the Whites on the road. We dust ourselves down and go again🙄.

Well done to the 260 SWA who turned up to watch that. Glad that we could sit in the nice cosy side stand and not the 25 year old temporary stand behind the goal. Not a great watch but was nice to be out and about.

The ref did ok in the first half but seemed to get very officious in the second. He booked Henry for kicking the ball away but offered no protection for Mumbongo. VAR decision: Small Man Syndrome.

Scranometer registered a 8.5 for the Double Egg Burger from 'smiffys' in Rochester but was disqualified for not being at the stadium. Still, it was very nice and it's good to support local businesses. Hot chocolate was a sachet and scored a meager 6. No taste or texture.  

Off on an international break now and return with the UWCL quarter finals for Chelsea and Arsenal.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

We are at the Priestfield

Posing

Watching the Boys

Get (in) Carter

Brighton and Hove Albion Women away to Chelsea Women in the WSL at the Kingsmeadow

The Seagulls face the Blues on cold and wet night in Kingston. At least the predicted snow ❄⛄ hasn't arrived (yet). This fixture was postponed from Sunday so that Chelsea could lose yet another League Cup Final. With Jens leaving Brighton as manager on Monday, Amy is back in charge. Will Potter (Graham not Harry) be back at Brighton soon to manage the women? Two things to celebrate today with it being International Women's Day and Vicky Williams 100th appearance for the Seagulls.

We didn't see much of the first half from behind the Chelsea goal as most of the play was down the other end. Watching through the heavy rain didn't help. The foul on Sam Kerr was clear though as was Guru Reiten blasting home the penalty on 12 ⚽. Could be a long night. The second came from a corner that dropped to Carter on the near post to slot home on 21 ⚽. Sam Kerr got a third on 32 but it was disallowed for off-side. 2-0 at the break.

Brighton started much better in the second half and were much more competitive. Terland had the first good chance on 62 that was saved by Musovic. The Blues extended their lead on 71 when Kerr got clear and squared in to Keneyrd for her first Chelsea goal ⚽. It looked off-side when Kerr passed as both were ahead of the last defender but the linesperson didn't agree. Kaneryd, it's not easy. Emma made some changes bringing Niamh Charles on as a   9   (what?) in place of Kerr. Also coming on was Sophie Ingle OBE🎖. Amy made some changes too, swapping Carter for Lee and Sarri for Visalli. Seagulls kept up their pressure and it paid off on 88 when Danielle Carter was first to the second ball and poked it home ⚽. 3-1. And the rain stopped just long enough to get back to the car.

Wasn't a great game to watch for the 960 fans present and what a horrible night to be out 🌧🌨. Encouraged by the spirit that Brighton showed in the second half. Score for the last 45 was 1-1. Well done girls.

Ref did well in the conditions but shame about the off-sides. Especially for the penalty as Kerr was miles off.  VAR result 1-1 

POTM: Goes to Katie Robinson 🏆 for being a terrier and giving Carter such a hard time. Did look like the only way we might score before all the changes.

Scranometer registered a very tasty 8.5 for the spicy vegan pie. Hot chocolate was a scrummy 9. Hot, sweet and creamy. Bottle tops was a big fat NO. Confiscated at point of sale 😶

Off to the Medway next. Can't wait😏.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

here

Behind the goal

Chelsea Corner

Losing 😥

Baby Please Don't Crow

Newhaven FC v Crowborough Athletic FC at Fort Road in the SCFL Premier League

The Dockers face the Crows in what will be a tough game for the high flying hosts in one of very few remaining home games. Four away games in a row after today including a cup semi-final. Still top of the league and the run in is getting tense and it's starting to show on the pitch.

The Crows start well and threaten to take an early lead. The Dockers have chances too but it's the visitors who takes the lead on 13. The equaliser comes from a Henry as he leaps high to head home a Lukas corner on 18 ⚽. The Dockers regain a bit of control and are playing better when Little Robbo's shot is saved and Big Robbo nets from the rebound on 42 ⚽. It looks like a third might come before the break but it won't go in. The Dockers head in for half time orange segments 🍊 with a narrow lead.

The second half starts well as Marcin nearly breaks the goal post in the first minute. The second equaliser came on 53 after some poor defending in the box. We didn't have to wait long for the lead to be restored when Ian Robbo got free and made it count on 61 ⚽. We had waited so long for him to score since he came back from injury and it finally happened. Big celebrations from the whole team. Made up for him. Hope that opens the floodgates now. There were a few more chances but the reds spent the last 10 minutes under pressure helped by the ref who seems to play on for a draw. When the final whistle went, there was a massive cheer as happened to coincide with Arsenal's 97th minute winner. Bunch of Gooners this lot!

Three well-earned points for the boys. Hard fought but worthy victors. How many chances did Lee Robbo miss? He could and should have had about 3 or 4 more. He was a hand full and they couldn't cope with his pace. Overall there was too much giving the ball away and not getting pressure on it quickly and it made the afternoon harder than it should been.

It would be easy to criticise the ref which is an opportunity not to be missed. He did get lots wrong but it probably evened out as they were moaning at him more than we were. Towards the end the Crows were shouting 'ref' for every tackle. He went for some of it and it made for a tense ending.

POTM: Goes to Ian Robinson 🏆 for being unplayable again and getting his goal at last.

Hot chocolate fell a little below it's usuallly standard with clumps in the bottom so a 7.0 today.

Back to the WSL next.

See you soon

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Quick visit to Fort Road

Usual suspects

Watching the Ferry leaving

Corner to Newhaven