Who Let The Dons Out?

Tranmere Rovers FC away to AFC Wimbledon at the Cherry Red Records Stadium in League 2

The Rovers face the Wombles at Plough Lane in Wombledon. First time here for Tranmere as the Dons only moved in here after we got demoted out of League 1. Our next game should have been these at the Kingsfield but it never happened and they were very keen to end the season on PPG because they were just a point above an inform Tranmere who had just won 3 away games in a row. Their new ground is next to where the old Plough Lane was and is on the site of the old Greyhound track. Let's hope it doesn't end up like a dogs dinner today. The Dons sit in 21st but are safe from the drop. They lost 5-1 at home last Saturday so what could possibly go wrong today.

Arrived At Plough Lane

The 533 SWA are quiet for a the first half with not much to cheer. Harvey Saunders, out on the left wing, had a chance but he headed just wide. He limped off later to be subbed for youngster Sam Taylor. There was little to celebrate at the break.

The second half was much better with some good play especially down the left with Hawkes in front of Bristow. Josh had a good long range and first shot on target effort saved on 58. The Wombles took the lead on 68 when ex-Tranmere youth player Ali Al Hamadi broke free to score. The Rovers equalised 10 minutes later when Hawkes made a deep run and pulled it back for Sam Taylor ⚽ to score his first senior goal. That's it for excitement. There weren't many more shots. 5 shots on target in 90 minutes says it all. A point on the road.

POTM: Josh Hawkes 🏆 for his best game in a good while and the smart assist for the goal.

SWA On tour

That's it. The last tequila of the season. Atmosphere was a quite unpleasant during the first half matching the performance but both improved after the break. Never seen a crowd with so many people restless, there was a constant flow of people in and out of the stand. Very odd. It was nice to see the new stadium at last having missed the match at Kingsmeadow when the season was ended by lockdown. A nice day out in the big city, saw a wobble and got some new badges too.

Officials did ok considering its rubbish 4th division football and neither side had anything to play for.

Scranometer stomped off in a huff when the pizza van was no show. The bottle top saga entered a new phase when they couldn't get the lid off one of the new coke bottles (the ones with the permanently attached lids) so left it on, only for a steward to spot it about an hour later and rip it from it's moorings.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Met A Womble

Cheery Red Records Stadium

One More Cup Of Toffees For The Road

Brighton & Hove Albion WFC v Everton WFC in the WSL at the Broadfield Stadium

The Seagulls host the Toffees 🍬 as we are back in Crawley 🕷  just 4 days after Tranmere's defeat here on saturday. It finished a goal apiece when these last met in the final game of last season. It's the first WSL game for new manager Melissa Phillips.  Brighton gave won just 2 league games since the sides last met but carry the confidence from the great performance against Man Utd at the weekend. Everton, BS seen here in (very nice actually) Barbie  pink  kit are having a solid season in mid table. Sally the Seagull is here but we steer clear as she is well scarey.

They started on the front foot and were pressing Everton back. Katie was a menace on the right and Lee playing well in the middle. Bance was right in there again breaking up the play. Lee wins a free kick, Poppy takes it and Terland heads it in on 12 ⚽. Well deserved. Brighton were camped out in the Blue half at times but they are also getting a few chances, being dangerous on the break. The Seagulls had more than a few half chances saved. Katie Robinson chases a bouncing through ball and gets a toe on it to lob the keeper. It seemed to take an age to go up and down and it looked like it was going over the bar but then it bounced and looked like it was going wide but it hit the back of the net on 42⚽. Step up Katie Lobbo. Hope she is OK as she got flattened by the keeper in the process. Great timing just before half time and 2-0 up at the break.

Three changes for the visitors at half time and it changes the balance of the game. Brighton have swapped Robbo and Sari left and right. Not sure why that is but hope it works. Everson are much more on the front foot. Brighton cope with the pressure and then a strange thing happens. The ref stops the game and the linesman from the far side walks round the pitch and goes down the tunnel. After about 5 minutes the 4th official takes his place running the line with no explanation what has happened. Very strange and going to be some serious added time at the end. The visitors pressure gets a reward when Snoeijs scores on the break on 63. Sari goes off for Kayleigh Green and Lee for Carter. Kayleigh makes a run down the right and a low cross to Terland is side-footed into the net on 80⚽. Linesman on our side makes no friends when he gives what is clearly a Brighton throw to Everton. It results in an attack that leads to Snoeijs getting a second on 83. Spectators are even more bemused when Carter is booked for time wasting at the restart. Hardly her fault when the rest of the team as still getting into position. Get to 90 minutes and there are 9 more added on. The Seagulls are now running down the clock by heading for the corners. They are quite good at it too. Poppy gets booked for timewasting on 90+5. The Toffees apply pressure and it's a nervous few minutes until the whistle finally goes to signal the end and a win.

Phew. The was a relief. Finally got to see a Seagulls win and in some style as well. Great performance from the girls. Two places off the bottom of the league after that.

POTM: Tough one to call today but in a good way. They were all awesome but it goes to Katie Lobbo for the spectacular goal. To lob like that at speed under pressure and hit the target takes some nerve and skill. 🏆

Ref did ok mostly. Weird thing with the lino but it's not the ref job to communicate with the fans. She is, however, not forgiven for the throw in mistake that led to the Everton goal. Offside decisions were not as bad as we have seen here previously here.

Scranometer did the double with a pizza 🍕 from the DoughShack and a veggie pie 🥧 later on. They scored a 9/10 and 8/10. The hot chocolate was a 7/10 but the (alleged) coffee was 3/10. It worked well as a hand warmer though.

Few days off now.

Love Tranmerkat 🐾

West Stand Today

Broadfield Stadium

Yummy Pizza

Clear but Cold

Pink Toffees

Sympathy For The Devils

Tranmere Rovers FC away to Crawley Town FC at the People's Pension Stadium in League 2

The Rovers visit Crawley in Sunny Sussex to play the Red Devils at the Broadfield Stadium.

Tranmere are on a run of 1 win in a row and looking to make it 2 in a row. The rRed Devils are second bottom in the league and lost 4-0 at the weekend. What could possibly go wrong? It's the usual suspects starting. The sun is shining and we have had pizza. There are 221 swa 👏  here to cheer the boys on.

It started bright enough and hopes we're raised when Harvey Saunders pressured the keeper (all 7'6" of him) into a mistake and smashed it home on 8⚽️. Tranmere didn't capitalise and couldn't generate any kind of pressure getting turned over easily. The reds equalised with a great goal on 30. They missed another then took the lead on 40 with a scruffy scrambled goal that should have been kept out. Behind at the break 🙄.

Second half started with a good chance from Chalmers but it went over and Tranmere looked the least likely to score. It improved as Dawsey made changes with youngsters Hughes, Turner-Cook and Taylor bringing more energy and enthusiasm. Pay back is a penalty on 82. Hawkes takes it and scores, no sorry my mistake, Hemmings takes it and its saved. Must be difficult in flip-flops.  Still 2-1 then. Burton comes on for 5 minutes but this is beyond him to fix. It ends with a loss. See you here next season then.

Full marks to the Red Devils today, they wanted it more but then they are teetering on the brink of the bin 🗑 league from which escape would be unlikely. Tranmere look like they are already on the beach ⛱️ . Atleast the youngsters showed a bit of energy when they came on. Crawley out of the relegation zone for the moment. Had a nice sunbathe 😎 in the East Stand which was much needed after getting soaked through at the last 2 games.

POTM: Harvey Saunders for the goal and the running, always willing to track back to cover. One of the few starters to actually try.

Ref liked to be the centre of attention and to be in the players way. Lino near us had a shocker with offsides and was in receipt of some polite feedback from the 5th official in our stand. I'm sure he was grateful for the education he received regarding his interpretation of the rules.

Scranometer hit a heady 9/10 with the margarita pizza by the dough shack van. Was yummy. Same again on Wednesday please.

See you back here again on Wednesday for  BS  Women against Brighton.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Sunshine at the Broadfield

Caught by the Red Devil

Waltzing Matildas

England Women v Australia Women in an Alzheimer's Society friendly at the G-Tech Stadium in Brentford

The Lionesses 🦁 face the Matildas 🦘 on a very wet night in West London in an Alzheimer's Society International. To help raise awareness of dementia, 3 players in each team will have numbers but no names on their shirts as 1 in 3 people will likely suffer from dementia and be unable to remember the names of their favourite players. It will be 3 different players in the second half . Alex Greenwood started on Thursday but is now injured so Esme Morgan is starting alongside Leah. Lauren Hemp is wearing a face mask 🦝 due to the facial injury she got at Wembley.  Sam Kerr is starting have been on the bench on Friday for the Matildas 1-0 👀🤣 loss to Scotland.

It's raining hard for the kick off but we can just about see the play. England are kind of controlling the game with lots of possession but not able to do much positive with it. That is not helped when Lauren Hemp goes off unable to play with her injury and is replaced by LJ.  Australia are playing on the break and it gets a result when Sam Kerr puts Leah under pressure and her header back to Mary is too short. Sam is one of the world's best strikers and makes no mistake on 32. Bum.  She is off-side but it's not spotted by the Linesperson and we head into the murky territory of the off-side rule as Leah gets to the ball first. No-one really knows the off-side rules so just go with flow and the Lionesses have a hill to climb. It will be tough as they unusually look short of energy and ideas. It's 1-0 to the Matildas at the break in the football but the is no break in the rain🌧🌧🌧.

England start brighter but still can't make any headway against such organised and aggressive team. It reaches the hour mark and Serena makes here first change so it's out with Toony and in with Daly. It get worse for the Lionesses when Sam Kerr hits on the break. Esme Morgan has stepped a couple of yards too high and can't get close enough to close down the cross. Pinpoint cross for the far post runner. The header deflects badly off Leah which wrong foots Mary who goes the wrong way. 2-0 to the Matildas on 66. Double Bum. It's too late for the change when it comes with Jess Parks replacing Carter and going to a back 3. Jess is lively and causing issues for the Matildas. We have chances from Chloe, Georgia and Lessie but none are converted. It's just not going in today. Georgia had a chance to save face with a last minute free kick be it didn't test the keeper. The Lionesses first loss under Serena and the crowd seem as miserable as the weather.

The Lionesses failed to roar and looked tired all over the pitch. Teams are working England out and they need some fresh ideas. Jess park bought the only excitement to an otherwise difficult watch. The lionesses looking a bit Tranmere with all the ball and no goals. It was also pouring down for most of the match which made it even more miserable to watch. Cold, wet and grumpy.

POTM: Lucy Bronze was by far the most consistent player.

Scranometer has lodged a formal complaint as there was loads of lovely looking vegan options advertised but they were not actually available. We will update you when we have heard back from the Scranbudsman. Bottle top news: It's yes from Brentford, says no in the rules but bottle entered the stadium Liddo Intacto.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Singing in the rain

Basil again

Getting the Badge in

This Could Be The Last Tyme

Newhaven FC away to Peacehaven and Telscombe FC the the Sports Park in the Southern Combined Premier League

It's Havens Derby Day the sequel, Easter Edition. The Dockers visit The Tye on a very wet and cold Easter Monday. It's the Peacehaven Centenary this year so we should help them celebrate it by beating them. Just like the Christmas Edition of the Derby, Big Robbo is out but he's hopefully stayed home in the warm and dry. The pitch doesn't look great but the match is on. It's not going to be pretty, it never is here. Can only hope the football is better than the weather with the drizzle blowing right into the stand.

It scrappy from the off with the wind and rain causing issues. The hosts scored from a low cross and far post tap in on 10. Only bit of the first half that gets a mention is Harry Reed for the run then finding no options for a pass so taking a shot and hit where the post and crossbar meet. 1-0 to the hosts at h/t. 

Second half was even worse as they scored on 61, 64 and 78. Henry for sin binned for telling the truth about how bad the ref was was doing. Tye's Captain was one of the worst culprits for moaning and tried to get on of the Dockers sent off by feigning an elbow in the face. The Captain clearly setting the (low)standards for the rest of the team. Highlight of the whole game was the Tye keeper getting booked for time wasting. Every time he got the ball he would kick it to the outer edge of the penalty area then fall in it. Not once or twice but a dozen times. Needed dealing with early on not right at the end. Dockers didn't really turn up today. They could have made all the peripheral issues inconsequential with a good performance but delivered a dire one instead. 4-0 loss but at least it's over and we can go home and dry out 🔥.

There is winning ugly and then this which hit every branch tree on it's fall from the ugly tree 🌳. Taking the dark arts to new heights by the opposition bench (allegedly)😏 rolling an extra ball onto the pitch to stop a Dockers attack. Also making Newhaven wait 2-3 minutes to take a corner as there were no balls available. Tin Pot.

Ref let far too much go early on an it was a lucky no-one got hurt. If he had booked the keeper for time wasting early on instead of near the end it would have finished sooner and we would have had to watch about 10 minutes less of utter dross football.

POTM: Harry Reed for getting so close to the top corner to give us at least something to cheer however briefly.

Glad that's over. Back here on Boxing Day 🥊 by the looks of if so maybe not the last time.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Soggy Sports Park

Derby Day

Centenary

Here Comes Summer

Newhaven at home to Eastbourne United at the Trafalgar Ground in the SCFL Premier division

We're at a sunny Fort Road for the penultimate home game of the season. Second in the league Dockers face ninth placed United as we near the end of the season. Not looking good for the title but the playoffs are in reach with some consistent performances. Big Robbo is still out but Little is back in. United are big physical team so this could be a battle.

The first half was not a good watch. Very broken up with few chances, lots of niggling tackles and endless moaning at the ref. Best chance went to the visitors who hit the corner of post and cross bar with a great free kick. Newhaven team a bit MIA. 0-0 at half-time.

Dockers much better in the second half and generated some good chances. Nothing would go in though with Charlie hitting the bar and Demas heading onto the post. It stopped for a while when Bailie was injured not long after coming on. Kicked in the face.  😲  In a better tempered game it would have been dismissed as an accident but we didn't see it that way, the ref did though giving the offending player just a yellow. Hope Bailie is OK as looked and sounded horrible 🙈🙉. Newhaven had a couple of late penalty shouts turned down, both of which could easily have been given. The first for a handball and the other for blatantly pulling Lukas over as he ran into the box in the dying seconds. Robbed.

What a horrible game to watch. Don't like playing this lot. They are good at what they do and reasonably successful in the league but they look like they all look like they hate football from the way they play it. Newhaven deserved something out the second half for effort but not for quality. Not exactly play-off form from the boys today. Wa dust wa selves down and go again.

Don't like to moan about the ref  but !'*& @ @#$%& !@!$ % £* &^^@? !$%£ *&^ ^ @1&*@ ! !@#£&£%*<£m  @^ ^@ ? !$% £* !. And not good enough when it came to player safety with the horror tackle on Bailie an example what happens when there are no standards set. And it was a yellow. !$%*&@!. And another thing. Allowed so much time wasting that we weren't sure if the match would finish in the spring ⛅or summer 🌞. *&@?£ %$£&*@*!

Scranometer had a day off but the hot chocolate was as nice as ever 8/10.

Glad that's over

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Sunshine on Fort Road 

Teams are out

The Finalissimo Countdown

England Women v Brazil Women in the first ever Women's Finalissima at Wembley Stadium

The European Champions v Copa America Champions. The Lionesses v As Canarinhas (the female Canaries now to be known by me as the Canariesses) on a drizzly North London night at Prenton Park South. Mille has dropped out of the squad and ben replaced by Lotte. The opposing captains are none other than the Arsenal centre half duo Leah Williamson and Rafaelle Souza. Wonder how much they will meet on the pitch. Lionesses are 29 games unbeaten under Serena 🤞.

England in their new kit with the blue shorts started brightly am were in control from the off. The Canariesees were sat with a back 5 in a low block. The Lionesses were starting to find ways to work in the tight spaces. Some really good close control on display. The first goal came from the right wing when Ella "Eyelashes" Toone put Lucy's low cross into the net on 22⚽. Lauren. James put the ball in the net on 33 ⚽❌only for it to be disallowed for offside. Offside would become theme later on. Ahead and (too) comfortable at the break.

Second half and Verde-Amarela made a number of changes and started pressing much higher. The white and blues England struggled with the pressure and were making lots of mistakes at the back. Keep giving the ball away in dangerous areas. They somehow manage to keep the ball out of the net though with Mary making a couple of good saves. The Lionesses are struggling with the pressure and playing long balls which are mostly offside. Result no clearcut chances in the second half. Lauren Hemp is injured and replaced by Katie Robinson with 10 minutes to play. Into 5 minutes of stoppage time and the Canariesses finally get the their goal from an attack down the right, there is a scramble when the cross goes in and it smashed into the top of the net on 93. The Lionesses sudden lively for the last couple of minutes but it's all level at the whistle. Penalties up next 😬.

England go first which is always good. Georgia smashed as ever ✅️1-0. Adriana 1-1✅️ Ella oops 1-1❌️ Tancred saved 1-1❌️ Rachel Daly 2-1✅️ Rafaelle hits the crossbar 2-1❌️ Alex Greenwood scores 3-1✅️ Kerolin scores 3-2✅️ Chloe Kelly scores the winner (again) 4-2✅️

Wow. Just a week since our last penalty shootout and glad this didn't go to extra time or we wouldn't have made the last train. Gutted for Toony but she did get a goal. Lauren James goal looked onside to us so we should have won that. Serena's white and blue's move to 30 games unbeaten.

Ref let a lot go then booked some odd things. Lines people were acting like there was VAR but there wasn't. Letting the play carry on like someone else will make the decision for you if you don't bother. Stop it before someone gets hurt 😠.

Scranometer didn't give a score as Felafel and Halumi Wrap was very lovely just not eligible. Bottle 😡 tops 😡not 😡 allowed so boycotted the catering 😡.

POTM Awarded by Wendy is Lauren Hemp giving the right back such a hard time and swapping over to give the left full back a turn.

See you soon.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Wemberleeeee

 

Under The Arch

Pyro

Chocker In Here

Arty

New badge

Take the Money and Run

Newhaven FC v Horsham YMCA FC at Fort Road in the SCFL Premier League

The Dockers face The YM at Newhaven but it's the away fixture as the very wet weather has forced a move to the all-weather pitch. The Broadridge Heath game was postponed last so the Docker have a chance to close the gap. A few changes to the squad as Big is injured and Little is running the Brighton Marathon tomorrow so a couple of new faces in the team. Centre Half Tarun Rohilla has come from Eastbourne Utd and new signing Shay Leahy gets a start.

Dockers started well but it was clearly going to be a battle. Early chances were unsuccessful then new boy Tarun Rohilla headed home on 18⚽. The home team, if that the correct expression for the visitors to fort road, applied the pressure and equalised on 23. They looked the most likely to score while the Dockers were in a bit of disarray. It didn't help that the increasingly robust tackling took it's toll with henry going off injured to be replaced by Bailie. It stayed level to the break.

Second half started like the first finished which scrappy and bad tempered. A few changes for the Dockers and substitute Harry Reed soon got clear and calmly slotted home on 57 ⚽. It looked more likely than not that there would be an equaliser but it didn't come. Charlie sealed the points (maybe) when he break clear to make it 3-1 in the last minute ⚽. Charlie was about 2 yards on-side but the defender playing him on went mad at the linesman and ref about off-side. Bless him. The YMs were handed a lifeline a minute later when they were awarded a penalty but it was stopped by Buss😶. Shame. 3-1 and 3 points to the Dockers.

Well that was a horrible game but a good result. Would settle for a few more ugly wins like that as long as we don't have to watch them.

POTM: Jake had a good game making some good saves and the penalty save rubbed salt in the wounds 🤣. Special mention to Ian Robinson who is running the Brighton Marathon in support of The Brain Tumour Charity.

The ref tried but was getting horribly bullied by a few of the Village People including their bench. There should have been a few sin binned but he understandably bottled it. Still some shocking decisions but this is 9th division football. Was nice to see the celebrity linesperson on our side. Someone hide the floor polish.

Hot chocolate was the usual 8. Lovely.

See you soon.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Back At Fort Road

No Robbos

View from the Fort

A Toone Without Pity

Brighton and Hove Albion Women v Manchester Utd Women in the WSL

The Seagulls host the Red Devils 👿 at the Broadfield Stadium in Crawley. The 2nd bottom but improving Seagulls face a tough test against the table topping Reds. Lee starts up front with an unusual back five. The visitors start with 5 Lionesses on the pitch.

The first half starts steadily with no real chances. The visitors went ahead on 12 when Galton headed home from Zelem's corner. Did she foul Lydia Williams in the process. Definitely Maybe. There were chances to level but a single goal separated the sides at the break.

The second half started with the Seagulls still holding solid but Galton gets a second from a tight angle after running on to a ball in behind the defence on 65. Taking Bance off didn't help the energy in midfield and she was doing a better job than Lee did when she dropped back in to the position. Brighton were still in it and had a couple of good chances. The important third goal went to the visitors as Williams headed down and into the net on 86. To rub salt 🧂 into the wounds, a sloppy back-pass was intercepted and put in the net by Gracia on 87. 4-0 was a very harsh result for the performance but the Seagulls didn't take their chances and Utd did. Gits 😧.

A better performance from the Seagulls that held their own for long periods then seemed to suffer when the changes started. A really good 60 minutes and a very disappointing last 30. Enjoyed the band playing in the other stand.

POTM: Libby Bance had a good game disrupting the attacks in the midfield.

The ref didn't have great day. Seems to be theme this week. Off-side decisions seems to vary depending on which end you are attacking.

Scranometer registered an 8 for the Vegan Pie 🥧, chips 🍟 quite nice too. Hot chocolate was of the self-stirring variety so gets a 5 ☕🥄😧. Was nice afterwards but tool ate by then.

See you later at Fort Road if we get there in time.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Back In Crawley

Bit Wet Here

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