Walking the Flank

Newhaven FC at home to Bexhill United FC in the SCFL Premier League at Fort Road

The Dockers ⚓ host the Pirates ⛵ on a sunny Easter Saturday 🐣 afternoon by the Ouse. The Dockers are flying high in 2nd place while the Pirates are down in 17th. The tables doesn't tell it all and this will be a tough afternoon. There are some changes to the line-up which seems a little thin in the ground. Jake is in goal with Robbie and Josh Tuck in the middle, Bailie is on the left and Jacob Thomson on the right. Ryan Blunt and Rob Malila are in the middle with Cal on the left and Warwick right wings. Alfie is wearing the 10 as usual with Luke Donaldson in the 9.  Lets see how they get on.

The Dockers are attacking the skate park end as ever. The ferry ⛴arrives on time just before kick-off. Hope that's a good sign. We should be ahead after a couple of minutes but Bailie heads over. Luke Donaldson grabs his hamstring and goes down off the ball. It doesn't look good and he is subbed off with Lee coming on after just 13 minutes. He gets his first chance on 22 but it crosses the goalmouth to creep just outside the right post. It's the Pirates that score first on 35 after Dockers fail to clear their area. The Pirates manager has been shouting at the ref all half. Not sure what he hope to accomplish. What he does get is a 5 minute bollocking stern talking to from the ref after which he shuts up. While he is distracted though, there are about 6 of the Pirates within 6 yards of the lino at the skate park end all having a go. Appalling behavior from visitors here. We go into the break with a  single goal the difference.

The Dockers need to step up in the second half. They start well and the chances come again and again but they can't convert them. The Pirates score against the run of play as a shot evades Bussy's grasp on 54. First changes on 59 as Jon replaces Jacob Thomson and Tyrese Mthunzi replaces Blunty. The Dockers finally get on the score sheet when Robbie volleys home a loose ball after Alfie's corner. Another chance missed a minute later then Tyrese misses and another when Cal tips it over the bar. Demas replaces Josh and goes wide right. Robbie Keith's turn to miss again. Rob Malila is replaced Toby Reeder. There are a couple more good chances as the 90 minute mark is reached. The whistle goes on 90+5 straight after a Dockers corner but before the ball can be recycled. 2-1 to the visitors 😒.

How did we lose that? So many missed chances by the Dockers. The Pirates defended well but against a tough team the quality needs to improve. An early goal might have changed things but we were unlucky to lose Luke so early. Only the 3rd league defat of the season. Need to push on for the promotion and losses like this don't help. Not a nice game and not a nice atmosphere either. One to forget and move on. Back here in 2 days so hoping for a better day out and a better result.

POTM: Today's award goes to Robbie Kieth 🏅for the goal and overall performance at the back.

There was a post-match presentation for the Dockers team that won the league in 1974 🏆 . Great to see the old boys watching the match and to have a chance to applaud 👏their achievements 50 years ago.

Ref put up with a lot of abuse and should have shut it down sooner. What the lino had to put up with wasn't fair, if he had walked it would have been game over and you couldn't have blamed him. Did ok between them and it was a tough game to manage. They have earned a whiskey or 2 when they get home.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Sun in shining 

Team time

On the way

Too Dutch Pressure

Chelsea Women host Ajax Women in the UWCL Quarter Final Second Leg at Stamford Bridge

It's a big night tonight as the knockout stages of the Champions League begin as the Blues host De Amsterdames in SW6. Well the home leg does. Chelsea are 3-0 up from the away leg and the ruthless performance in Amsterdam gives the Blues the advantage tonight. It looks like Emma is resting a few players tonight, perhaps thinking of the Conti-Cup Final coming up on Sunday. Millie is still not back so the back 2 are Jess and Kadisha with Eve Perisset on the right and Ashley Lawrence on the left. She is usually on the right so interesting to see how she gets on up the left linking up with Guru. ABJ is in front of Eve. Unusually, Sophie and Erin are in the middle together, with Fran then Mayra up front. It's a bit makeshift but they with get on with the job like they do. There is just one we recognise in the Ajax line up with Netherlands midfielder Sherida Spitse in the team.

The Chels are attacking the Shed end and straight into attack mode but Ajax get the first chance as Spitse heads just over after a corner 2 minutes in. Erin hits just wide a few minutes later. Zecira nearly (very nearly) puts it her own net as she tries to hit a backpass upfield but hits it straight at the white shirt closing her down. 🤦‍♂️  It ricochets and goes pass her toward the goal and lucky for her hits the post. So close to an own goal howler. Phew. And Ajax come close again as their shot on 16 goes just wide. Chelsea are using the flanks to get forward but forcing Ajax to attack down the middle where Erin and Sophie are blocking them off. Guru gets a great chance from the left but somehow she hits it wide. The breakthrough comes on 33 when Mayra runs onto a pass from Guru and threads it between the keepers legs. 1-0 the Blues and 4-0 on aggregate ⚽. There half chances both ways but the half ends with advantage Blues.

The Dutch Champions level it on 66 as they break clear and nutmegs Zecira. 4-1 on aggregate. Still looks all over. Need to tighten up a bit though. Chelseas changes don't really help as Nusken comes on for Buchanan, Catarina Macario for Mayra, ABJ for JRK. Zecira makes a couple of really good saves late on to save our nerves. Marcario has a good chance but doesn't make it count. We kept waiting for 5 minutes of injury time for the whistle but it comes and we are in the semi-finals.

It's job done for the Blues as they are through. Emma clearly rested a few as it's the Conti-Cup final on Sunday. Nusken scored 2 in the first leg playing up frint and then came on a Centre-half tonight. Ajax made it a good scrap on the night and got their reward but it was all over really in the first leg. It's Barcelona up next with the away leg first in a repeat of last year's semi-final that we couldn't get to. Hopefully we can get to the bridge to watch this year and Chelsea go a stage further to make the final. The other semi-final is PSG and Lyon so an all French tie. The CHELS are halfway to Bilboa. Next step of the journey is uphill but hopefully they have the strength this time. Word is that Millie will be back after the international break. Before then the Blues have a cup final and we hopefully have some 9th division football to watch. It was a good humoured night in the shed with plenty of singing. Even a song for Sjoeken Nucken! Whoop whoop.

POTM: Erin was just everywhere, either to win the ball back or to receive a pass from someone under pressure.

Ref didn't seem to want to give anything to the hosts, not even corners. Hope the level of officiating steps up in the knockout stage.

Basil watch: He was near the main entrance with a new jesters  hat .

See you soon.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

At The Bridge

Big crowd

Watching the action

The Man

Our Jess

(I Kent Get No) Satisfaction

Tranmere Rovers away to Gillingham FC In EFL 2 at the Priestfield

The Rovers 🐶are away to the Gills 🐟on a sunny day on the Medway in Kent. The season is as good as over for Tranmere who are heading for the security of midtable obscurity whereas the Pixies are battling for a playoff place. Nigel has picked Chris Merrie in the 11. Not sure when he was last in the starting 11 but it's great to see him back. We know he gives his all so are hoping he can manage to stay away from the ref's notebook today. Norris is up front with Connor. Wood has settled in a left back with LOC opposite and Jordan and Tom in the middle. Regen Hendry joins Merrie, with Saunders and Robbie out wide. Connor is in the 10 linking the attack together like the hero he is. Hoping for a good result today but we need a good performance whatever. Want to see the boys showing some commitment and making a battle of it.

The Whites, seem here in black, are straight on the attack and pressing the hosts. The goal comes after 5 minutes and what a goal. A great pass for Connor to Lee O'Connor who puts in a great cross. It skims the top of a Tranmere head and then Regen Hendry volleys it on to the inside of the far post from the corner of the box. It doesn't look like it's gone in until it bounces across to the back corner of the net⚽. The crowd go wild. Were in the lead. At least no-one sings "we're winning away". There are more chances but we can't make it count. It could have been level but they hit the bar. A slender and precarious lead at the break.

The Gills come out a changed side and Rovers have lost what control of the game they had. There is some desperate defending and we hang on knowing what is going to happen. They have such a head of steam that if they do score one goal it won't be lonely long. We do manage to hang on somehow but the Gills have set up camp in our penalty area. Only brave blocking and great saves keeping us ahead. The defence holds out until the 84th minute when the inevitable happens and the host are level. The pressure is applied again as Rover set up came in their own box. It's only going one way now. They think they have won it on 90+5 but there is a foul in the box and it's disallowed. "Sit down, shut up" 🤣. The points are shared. Would have taken that at the start🤷‍♂️.

A draw was probably a fair result but we could easily have lost that. A great first half from the boys but needed to more clinical in front of goal. Second half was a very difficult watch but they want to be in the play-offs so need to build up some momentum now. They certainly showed some intent after the break. We got a point away against a good side. A good turnout for the SWA a long way from home. Sam Taylor looked like the next best thing last season but we don't see much of him these days. Hopefully, Nigel is bringing him along slowly and he features in our future plans. Next seasons RAptor. I was supposed to be the "Her Game Too" weekend but there wasn't much evidence except the female mascot.

POTM: Goes to the midfield goal scoring genius that is Regan (Logan to his friends 😉) Hendry 🏅 for the wonder goal on the volley. Where has he hidden that technique all season?

The scranometer boycotted the game following the decision to take homemade salads🥗😧. As a clear and obvious error, the decision has been referred to VAR.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Back at the Priestfield

Close Up!

Stop horsing around