I Guess That's Why They Call Them The Blues

Brighton & Hove Albion Women face Chelsea Women in the WSL at the Peoples Pension Stadium

The Seagulls face the league leading Blues on a chilly evening in Crawley. It's a bit drier than last time Chelsea were here when the pitch was so wet the ball landed with a splash instead of bouncing.  Were in the transfer window now but Mellisa hasn't got any new signings to bring out yet.  so it's the same back four as last week. She has made changes in the middle and it's Julia, Vicky and Tatiana this time out. Pauline and Vee are out wide and Terri is up front. Chels have made some changes at the back with Eve in for Ashley on the right and new signing Nathalie Bjorn is in for Kadeisha. Emma has gone for LJ and Super Fran up front. Thanks for that. They have new signing and WSL record transfer fee setting striker Mayra Ramirez on the bench just in case they need more firepower up front! Brighton have been making steady improvements as the season has progressed so we are hoping for a good or not too bad result today🙏.

Brighton start on the front foot and are showing no fear. They are taking the game to the Chelsea and their cast of international superstars. It takes 20 minutes for the Blues, seen here in a very nice dark blue away kit, to get good chance. LJ gets one of her trademark curling shots off but Sophie saves it well on 20. There are no more really good chances. Chelsea have one break down the left that is clearly off-side but not a peep from the officials but it goes wide anyway. The first half finishes with no goals. Settle for that at 90.

No changes at the break. Chelsea must have had a right telling off from Emma 🚀 because they are attacking from the off. They take the lead with less than 2 minutes gone. It's LJ again. She can't stop scoring in the league. Brighton go straight down to the other end but are without the quality to break through the defence. Super Fran double the lead after a corner and some penalty area head tennis on 50. The Seagulls don't back off and are playing better but the Blues have stepped up even more. The one Brighton chance comes from Pauline Bremmer but she hits the post. Down the other end, Sophie makes a good save but it rebounds straight to the feet of LJ who makes certain of it on 59. Less than 15 minutes into the second half and it is as good as all over😭. Mellisa makes her changes with Lee on for Tatiana, Katie for Bremmer and Maisie for Vicky. Brighton battle on and continue to play pressing attacking football. They just can't get it quite right in the final third to get a goal back. Brighton might have been expected to be relieved when LJ goes off but she is replaced by Mayra Ramirez with 25 still to play. There are 7, yes seven, minutes of stoppage time and the Seagulls have to soak up huge pressure but they hold firm and don't concede again. 3-0 to the Blues.

The Seagulls played well and the scoreline reflects the fact that Chelsea have a world class strike force and not any failing on their part. They took the game to the Chels at times and defended well. It took a special goal from a special player to break the deadlock. To be 3-0 up and then bring on the WSL signing record striker shows how the WSL is as much a level playing field as the Enclosed Ground at Whitehawk⛷. Shame all the action happened at the other end so we didn't get a good view of any goals. We did get to watch England No. 3 keeper doing not very much for 45 minutes. Expected to see the Blues make more changes for tonight as this is their 3rd game in a week and they are away to Paris on Tuesday but fair play to Emma, she set out to win the game and started with 2 top strikers up front.

Ref was not dreadful but the line keeping was. Some awful off-side calls at the south end, couldn't see the North end. It's not unusual here as we were high up and line with some of them so it's easier to tell the good calls from the howlers. And we know better than all the officials😜.

POTM: Poppy Pattinson had a great game doing a much better job than last weekend. She was tackling and passing well up and down the left wing.

Basil watch: He was outside the RedZ Bar then running round the West, East and North stands making a lot of noise and giving out sweets🍬🍫.

Scranometer registered a nine forth Pizza🍕 and a 7 for the donuts🍩. Lattes got an 8.5☕. Scranometer now has indigestion🤮.

Not back at the Broadfield for a few weeks now for the Liverpool game.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

WSL at the Broadfield

Basil

Carabali

A Paler Shade Of White

Chelsea WFC v Real Madrid Femenino in Group D of the UEFA Champions League at Stamford Bridge

The Blues face Les Blancas in the match day 5 in group D. These two met in Madrid on match day 1 and played out a draw thanks to the ref robbing Chelsea of the 3 well deserved points. The Spaniards penalty from a foul that was clearly outside the box for the equalizer and again when Niamh was about 5 yards on-side when her goal was disallowed for offside. Madrid sit bottom of the group (good) with just the 1 point from that draw and can't qualify (Bye). Chelsea are top of the group but are no means clear yet thanks to the draws away to Madrid and at home to Hacken. Blue's striker Sam Kerr has joined Madrid's Caroline Wier on the ACL list. Lauren James has scored back to back hattricks in WSL games at the Bridge but is on the bench tonight. Fran is in the 10 with Mia Fishel is the 9. The rest of the squad looks quite settled now with Jess and Kadeisha at the heart of defence and Niamh and Ashley out wide. Erin and Melanie are in the middle with Guru and Kaneryd out wide. It's a UWCL debut for Lionesses no.2 keeper, Hannah Hampton. Congratulations Hannah. Hope she has a good game. There are 2 world Cup heros in White tonight and they are ribbon wearing Australian Hayley Raso and Columbia's exciting young winger, Linda Caicedo.

The Chels get lots of possession early on and are finding space on the wings but the defending of crosses is good enough to stop any real threats. The shots they do get never really threatened to go in. We all jumped up when we thought Mia headed it home but it goes just wide. None of the shots seem to be caught quite right and are easily saved or blocked. Down the other end, Hannah isn't tested at all and it's no-score at the break.

Linda Caicedo came off at the break but she had been down for a while in the first half so it may have been an injury concern.  It definitely wasn't that she has school in the morning🏫. Lauren James came on at half time in place of Mia Fishal and went straight up front in the no.9 roll.  False 9?, total imposter mate, she's wearing no 10.  She makes some good runs but doesn't get much of the ball but she is floating around deep and wide and making some good passes. Niamh is having some good battles defending on the left but keeps forcing them to turn infield were Erin eats them alive. She makes some good forward runs herself and + are some good interchanges with Guru but if the cross wasn’t blocked, it was cleared out of the box. Niamh gets ploughed down (agricultural 🚜tackle) in the box and Guru takes great penalty to put the Blues in the lead on 62⚽. The whites equaliser comes from a quick break and a shot from wide that Hannah saves but falls to a white shirt.  The ball is smashed in to the roof of the net on 69, right in front of a suddenly silent Shed.  All level again with 20 to go.  The Blues waste no time in recovering and Erin Cuthbert shoots but it deflects off a defender into the net and the Chels are back in the lead on 70⚽. If only we could remember who hit the winner against the Madrid at Kingsmeadow last year🤔 22 .   Aggie Aggie Aggie comes on and goes to the right leaving Lauren up front. Didn't expect that. Nusken comes on for Fran who had run her legs off.  There is some good defending by the Blues as they try to see the game out. In particular Jess who has had a great game but so have all the back 4 with Captain Millie. It finishes 2-1 to the Chels who stay top of the group and have now qualified for the Quarter Finals whatever happens in Paris next Tuesday.

That's job done for Emma and the girls who deserved the win. Should have had double points after the farce in Madrid. It wasn't the best watch as the goals were down the other end but the atmosphere was good and it was nice to be back in the Shed. They weren't clinical enough in the first half but stepped it up in the second. LJ showedd a little bit of quality but the defending was very good. It was a great team performance from the Blues again against a side that was well organised defensively even if they were a little shot of attacking talent. Speaking of which, Caicedo was fantastic on the wing for Columbia but seems ineffective here in the 10 roll. Shame!🤣!. It only been a few months but we have got used to the clock running on after 90 but, this was UEFA and things are a little difference so we had to follow our own watches. Some good singing form the Chelsea fans but what is that "10 men went to mow" thing about🤷‍♂️. Anything that get the crowd going though is a good thing. Got them over the line. Five down and one to go.

The ref didn't have much to do but she did ok as did the lines people. Both sides playing the game and not the ref helps it flow and allows the officials to pick up what needs dealing with.

POTM: Jess Carter, 🏅, she is much more assured and composed than a year ago. She has played across the back but was a great presence at centreback today. Top defender.🛑

Basil watch: He was camped out by the wall behind the Shed. He later appeared in the East Stand making lot of noise and getting the crowd going.

Raso ribbon watch: It was white today.

Scranometer is on a diet so stayed sulking at home.

We are taking the Chels with us back to Crawley for the Brighton game on Saturday. See you there.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Back in the Shed

Baz

Home of the Blues

We Beat This City

Brighton & Hove Albion Women face Bristol City Women in the WSL the Peoples Pension Stadium

The Seagulls face the Robins at the Broadfield Stadium. The weather has thawed but the wind 🌬is kicking up. Hope it doesn't impact the game too much. It's a big game for both teams with just 3 points separating Brighton in 10th and Bristol in 12th, the sole relegation place. It's been a long time since we have seen the Seagulls play as it's been the WSL winter break and they have been away training in Portugal 😎⛱. Brighton had a big win last weekend away against Luton Ladies in the FA cup winning 6-0 with goals from 5 different players. Hope they keep some of that confidence today. Bristol are struggling on their return to the WSL with just 5 points from 10 games. It's a 4-3-3 with the Maria and Guru in the middle with Poppy and Emma out wide. The midfield 3 is Julia, Maisie and Vicky. Upfront is Elisabeth 'Terrie' Terland with Katie Robbo and Pauline. Not sure who is right and left but they will swap round anyway. Sophie is in goal. There is no sign of Nicky Everard so maybe she has gone back to the Chels. Lee is on the bench. She has been back to her best recently so hope she gets to play tonight. Ex-Albion defender Megan Connelly is the Robins Captain tonight.

The teams swap ends after toss. Wonder why teams bother doing that?🤷‍♂️ Especially without a massive home following. City start off sitting deep and letting the Albion come at them. Brighton struggling to string many passes together with a lot of sloppy passing losing possession too easily. Brighton score first as Terrie nicks it off a defender on the edge of the box and sticks it in the bottom corner on 31⚽. Still in front at the break.

No changes as the come back out. City have not given up by any means and a scramble in the Brighton goalmouth leads to an equaliser on 55. The SheGulls are soon back in the lead though, as Katie Robbo is put through, the keeper comes out to her but she somehow squeezes it past and it rolls slowly inside the far post on 57⚽. 2-1 the Seagalls. The Robins are playing the ref like a fiddle, diving like they are auditioning to play for West Ham. They get a very soft free kick about 30 yards out. Another chaotic scramble in the goalmouth and another equaliser on 83. Boo. The Seagulls make some changes bringing on Lee, Sarri and Tatiana. With the fresh legs they press as the 6 minutes of injury time starts. Seagulls score the winner as Terri sticks it in the top of the net on 95 ⚽ . The ref made us wait another 2 minutes as we tried to run down the clock. Eventually the whistle goes. That is a massive three points for Brighton.

A huge game and a great but necessary result. Seagulls are now 6 points above the relegation place where todays rivals are stuck. Brighton have vertigo up into heady 8th place. They go to Charlton away in the last of the pizza Conti Cup group games. We are missing that as it's a trip to the Chels at the Bridge for us.

Ref will have had better days. The lino on the west side didn't make a single decision without the ref flagging first. Just did what she was told. Not a great performance for any of them. Mugged by a team lacking in quality but with plenty of passion to try to get the job done. You love it when it's your team but it was frustrating tonight. Job done though.

Scranometer had a wild day out with pizza 🍕and chips 🍟 thanks to Dough Shack and Kate's Fish and Chips. Both scoring a yummy 9.5. Need a nap now.

See you in SW6.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Here for the Seagulls

Wrote For Uck

Newhaven FC host AFC Uckfield in the SCFL Premier League at Fort Road

Tranmere away at Swindon was postponed due to a frozen pitch and definitely not because they have no manager at the moment. So, we are at Newhaven who host Uckfield, the Oakmen🌳, or the Uckers🤣, on a chilly but not freezing afternoon by the Ouse. Today's opponents are 2nd from the bottom of the league having only won 2 games but they will be up for a battle and the Dockers will need to be at their best. There is no Bussy in the squad tonight and Paul "Woodsy" Woods is in his place. There is a debutante in the form of Luke Donaldson who is playing in the 11 where Little would have been. Bussy is later spotted queuing for chips! Looks like a back 3 of Billy, Robbie, and Max. Reedy is right wingback and Callum Edwards is on the left. It seems like a bit of a waste of his attacking skills and some skills they are. He is a joy to watch with the ball at his feet. Hope we get to see some of that today. Hoping for a scoreline that reflects the league position of the 2 opponents but actually expecting it to be quite a tight game.

It's a slow start for the Dockers ⚓ and nothing memorable happens until Billy gets caught on the ball. Instead of smashing it out, he tries to be a bit too clever and as a result, the Uckers striker is through on goal. He makes no mistake in putting it past Woodsy into the net. The hosts are a goal down after 24 minutes. Oops. Maybe this will fire them up a bit They soon equalise with a small helping of luck. Reedy makes a run to the line and goes down when he gets a hand on the back. Soft, maybe🤷‍♂️. What isn't soft is Alfie's strike from the spot. Level on 30⚽️. It gets to 45 with no more goals. There were a lot of offsides as the Oakman played a high line and the Dockers are trying to play on the break but not getting it right. A frustrating and lackluster half of football.

It's all to play for as we restart. Bailey is on for Reedy and goes left back as they change to a back 4. Callum is on the right and new boy Luke is on the left in front of Bailey. Looks more like a Dockers line up now. The men in red start to press and there is a scramble in the goal mouth. The are multiple shots from various players but it won't go in. A minute later and Lee breaks clear. He passes across the 6 yard box to Alfie who is waiting there ready to tap it in on 51⚽. Some real quality on display as Callum Edwards runs on to a fantastic ball from Bailey. He forgets to cross and puts it in the net instead from outside the box on 55⚽. Demas comes on for Callum, imagine being 3-1 down and a player with that pace comes on. New boy Luke Donaldson gets a goal on his debut as he runs on to a through ball then calmly rounds the keeper for a class finish on 76⚽. We like him already. The Uckers look to have got one back but it's block by a docker leg then Woods makes a great one handed save from short range. How did they keep that out🤷‍♂️.  We've not seen James Rhodes for ages but he come on for Alfie, Fin swaps with Luke and Toby Reeder is on for Big Robbo. The Dockers often struggle when they make a lot of changes, hope they can push on today. A docker (maybe Toby?) heads it in at the near post from a Ryan Warwick cross on 86⚽. He's only been on 2 minutes. Good boy. 5-1 Into injury time and Demas races clear and a great cross gives Fin his turn to score on 94 to make it 6-1⚽.  Uck'ing great result😲.

All over. Disappointed not to get to watch Tranmere today but got to watch some decent football instead. Didn't get beaten up by Swindle's Ku Fu ninja🥋 stewards is an extra bonus.  Dockers were struggling first half but the introduction of Bailey and change of formation worked wonders. They were more solid and also had more threat than they could muster in the first 45. The penalty was a bit soft but the ref had set the precedent that you can put your hand on someone's back. Alfie never going to miss that. Great team performance that just got better as the Uckers imploded. Top of the table still.

Ref seemed to think that football had suddenly become a non-contact sport and was giving free kicks for very soft contacts. He did however, make one of the most sensible uses of allowing an advantage and then pulling it back when no advantage has been gained, that we have seen for a long time. Lee had ended up with the ball near the corner but was surrounded by three defenders, the ref deemed that not to be sufficient advantage and pulled it back despite Lee's complaints. No pleasing in some people. Could do with a bit more of that common sense in the WSL. Both teams seemed to be caught off-side a lot but both were playing a high line and we didn't see any howlers of decisions.

Ferry sailed a little early and was on it's way about 4.55 ⛴ .

The Scranometer didn't attend today but if we can track down Bussy, we'll ask him how the chips were.

See you at Lewes for the visit of the Hornets 🐝

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Sunshine at Fort Road

Woodsy in goal

Tide is out

Up Against The Wall ✊

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

The Dockers ⚓host the Crows and it's a clash of the top 2, the reprise. This fixture was postponed back in early December with 15 minutes left to play when the Dockers held a 1-0 lead due to an invasion of sea mist. The mist had reportedly not got worse since half time and cleared the minute the postponement was decided. Glad we "mist" that one. The Dockers have just retaken the top spot from the Crows with a win over Little Common on Saturday. It's a slender lead as the Dockers are 1 point ahead but the Crows have a game in hand. It's starting to look like a straight 2 way fight for the title as the other early challengers are slowly dropping away. Sad news on the team front is that Little is out long term with an ACL injury. Get well soon. Captain Jake is back in goal. It looks like a back 3 of Robbie Keith, Billy and Max. Conner Edwards and Harry Reed are the wide players. The Ryans and Rob Malia are in the middle with Alfie and Big up front as the 10 and 11. There is a strong bench tonight too with Josh, Baillie, Fin, Demas and speedy winger John Lucero is back. Lets hope we get to the final whistle tonight and that the Crow s head home with their tails between their legs and "Nil Point" in their pockets.

The first half has few chances. Alfie's free kick was headed wide. It looked like it is headed by a defender but the lino gives a goal kick so maybe it wasn't🤷‍♂️. Lee had the best chance of the half but headed just over from a great Reedy cross. It was a great chance and he should have made it count. A dreadful back pass put the Crows no. 9 through and to go 1 on 1 with Jake. The Dockers keeper rushed out and flattened him just outside the box. Jake gets lucky with a yellow and it's a free kick just outside the box. It was hit straight at the wall and the danger evaporated. The visitors had a couple more half chances but the Dockers got bodies in the way somehow. No score when the whistle goes after 45 plus a few.

The Dockers started to get on top a bit after the break and kept the Crows penned in for a while. The Dockers won a free kick about a yard outside the Crows box. The ref paced out about 6 and half yards for the wall 🧱. The crowd and players altered him to his mistake but he appeared oblivious🤡. It didn't help them as Alfie put it through the wall into the net anyway on 67 ⚽. Massive celebrations from the boys in red. The Docker retained some control but the second goal to secure the points wouldn't come. The Crows equalised on 85 from a quick forward ball thanks to a helping of dodgy defending and a side serving of poor refereeing. It felt like a loss after taking the lead but the points were shared.

It was a fair result on the night 😠 with either side having a better half⚖. The Dockers needed to have got a second when they were in control as there is always a chance they will make a defensive howler. The late equaliser proving the point. And not 3 points. Fantastic goal from Alfie but a cheap goal given away late on made it feel like 2 points lost. The Crows are a good team and were working and communicating well together. Gits . The Dockers are still a point ahead. Having played 1 more. Expecting these to two be still neck and neck at the end of the season.

POTM: Alfie Rogers 🏅 for putting the free kick in the net. And not in the skate park as usual.

Officials had a bit of a hit and miss game. Far too much leniency early on set the bar very low leading to some inconsistent decisions. What does it take to get put in the sin bin for abusing the ref. Think some clearer guidance is need for refs. Or as some Dockers fans suggested, there is too much paperwork involved so they don't bother. Sounds about right for a bureaucratic (dis)organisation like the FA. We expected Jake to walk and it must have been closer to red than yellow. Maybe red cards are too much paperwork as well.

Scranometer hit a delicious 🥰9.5 for the lovely and warming got chocolate. Thanks ladies.

Very disappointed that the ferry was a no show tonight ⛴😠.  

Up the Dockers. See you at Swindle.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Big game tonight

Strong line up

A Lard Days Night

Horsham FC away to Eastbourne United AFC in the Sussex Senior Cup Quarter Final at the Oval

The Hornets are away to the Whites in a bid to be runners up to Brighton in the Sussex Cup. (Stop that).  Brighton have been knocked out by Steyning anyway.  Up for grabs is a place in the Semi-Final against either Burgess Hill or Steyning. The Green and Yellow are 2 league above the whites but this is Cup football in proper football weather on a very cold and windy Tuesday night in East Sussex. It's +2C but the wind child is making it -6C. The shock of the night is the addition of a certain Mr. Tuck in the starting line up in his usual No.4. Thought he had a cold weather clause in his contract so he wouldn't have to play on cold winter nights😲. We recognise a few the names of the Hornets players.

The Hornets start well and are getting lots of possession. The imaginatively named Whites were struggling to get out . They were being forced to play long balls by the Green and Yellow press but the wind was blowing it back at them and the keeper couldn't kick as far as the halfway line. The visitors were wasteful with a few chances but the wind was causing them problems too and it's not the best pitch for good passing play. The waited until we were completely frozen to give us anything to celebrate on 26 ⚽ when James Hammond heads in a cross goal header. We are a bit warmer now. There are some more chances. Dougie gets into the 6 yard box (did he have a SAT NAV failure) and it's either a great low cross or he puts it wide. He gets another chance with a low volley from the edge of the box but it goes just wide. He's getting closer to the target🥅. He could still put a penalty out for a throw-in though. Eastbourne get shot on target but it's easily saved. Reece Meekums nets for the Hornets second on 43 ⚽. Two up at the break and time for the Lardy Army to change ends via the clubhouse to defrost a bit.

One change at the break and Jack Mazzone comes on up front for Horsham. We have to wait until 63 minutes ⚽for the next and important 3rd goal. It's from half time sub Mazzone, who goes on to score again ⚽after a couples of minutes. He has his hattrick inside six minutes⚽. Some substitution that. Has well and truly warmed us up. The Hornets full of confidence now but can't find a 6th. The Lardy army are is good voice too, "Start speading the lard" 🤣. The consolation goal for the Whites comes on 73 when a complete failure of communication at the back leaves the surprised striker with an empty net to tap into. The home fans finally get to warm up a bit now. A few more attempts at a 6th goal are missed and then it's time to go home and get out of the wind.

That was a great game largely because there were lots of goals to cheer and hence getting a chance to warm up celebrating. I hope the goal for the opposition came in time for their fans to hold off the frostbite setting in. The Hornets were a bit wasteful in front of goal and maybe should have scored more but 5 a was plenty to get the job done. The Whites consolation was only their 2nd shot on target so it was never really in doubt especially after the important 3rd goal went the Visitors way. It was one of the coldest we have done for a while, especially out in the wind but was well worthwhile. Need to get to a few more Horsham        games as they are good to watch.

POTM: Almost goes to Tuck but as he missed his changes it goes to Jack Mazzone who turned an ordinary game into an exciting one.  A six minute hattrick in the conditions against a good opponent was something special to watch..

There isn't much to say about the officials except to thank them for braving the freezing wind🥶. And congratulate the linespeople for not freezing solid🧊. Well done.

The Scranometer needed a couple of hot chocolates to defrost. 7/10.

See you at the Dockers next week if we ever get warm.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Back at the Oval

A few familiar names

Uncle Dougie

The Whites

Freezing