The Way You Rook Tonight

Lewes FC host Horsham FC in the Isthmian League Premier Division at the Dripping Pan

The Hornets 🐝 have finally arrived at the Dripping Pan to face the Rooks. We've been waiting a while as it was first scheduled for the end of November but was rained off. The game was re-scheduled for January but the Hornets got a bye though to the FA Cup 2nd round against Sutton so was postponed to allow them to train ahead of that. The bye came about because, having put up a heroic performance to get a 3-3 draw away Barnsley in the FA Cup 1st Round to take it to a home replay, which they lost, Barnsley were excluded for fielding and ineligible player. They eventually lost to Sutton and their visit to the DP was rescheduled for March. March turned out to be monsoon season in Sussex, and most of England, so it was postponed again. It was looking good for this evening until a torrential downpour late afternoon the was as much hail as rain. Fingers crossed it goes ahead. The Rooks are mid-table with nothing to play for except pride but the Hornets sit in the last play-off place and need to point to maintain their promotion push. Dougie is on the bench tonight as seems usual at the moment. There is a fantastic pink sky over the Pan so let's see how it goes.

The first half started with chances for both teams. The Rooks were attacking the East Stand end and as it starts to rain🌧, most of their fans are heading back to the other end to find cover. The play was the attacking and physical match you expect from these two teams. Ogunwamide was running riot down the right wing for the Rooks. Lewes take the lead on 36 when the keeper saves a shot from Sablier and Whelpdale's heads home the rebound ⚽. There are still a few die hard but very soggy Rooks fans behind goal to celebrate. There is lots of slipping sliding on the wet pitch but no more goals before the break.

The Rooks are in charge after the break and have a couple of really good chances. The goal comes from Ogunwamide running down the right wing, cutting in, dodging some defenders and slotting it home on 57⚽. 2-0 and the Rooks in the driving seat. The Hornets make a couple of changes with Dougie coming on as no 14. The changes help but it's time for the big guns and Jack Mazzone comes on. It's not long before he is on the score sheet on 75⚽. It's a tough 15 minutes for the Rooks as the Hornets pile on the pressure. It's not all one way though as the attacking Yellow and Green are exposed on the break but saved by the keeper from going further behind. In the 5 added minutes there is a good chance at each end but it finishes 2-1 to the Rooks.

A great game to watch with some real end to end action. The rain added a bit of excitement and the pink sky was stunning. It not what the Hornets wanted as they are still short of the points to make the play-offs but it's still possible. Hope they make it as they deserve a shot at promotion. It was good to meet up with Dougie as not seen him for a while. The Lardy Army were in their usual good voice with lots of taunting of the Rooks keeper. The rain was very heavy at times and blowing under the roof of the stand so we had to move back so we didn't get our fur wet but at least it stopped in time to go home.

POTM: Goes to our current favourite Rook, Ogunwamide 🏅, who has great acceleration and pace but great feet to skip in and out of defenders. Really fun to watch and a well-deserved goal.

Ref got most right and seemed to upset both sets of coaches and fans equally. Only howler we saw was a throw to Hornet that came off a Rook head that was given to the Rooks.

Scan'o'meter could live here with the great selection on offer. Today is was the parmesan chips at a yummy 8.5. 🍟

Next time we see the Hornets will be a The AMEX for Challenge Cup Final 🏆against Hastings.

See you soon.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Cloudy over the Pan

Pink sky to the West

Back at the Pan today

Not seen Dougie for ages

Wake me Up When The Season Ends

Newhaven FC host Steyning Town Community FC in the SCFL Premier League at Fort Road

It's first v second as the Dockers host the Barrowmen on a cold and gusty afternoon by the River Ouse.  Could have sworn it was warm and sunny at home just a mile away.  It's not a battle for the title as that's as good as done already.  The Dockers have theoretical chance to be champions but would need to win today and to beat Hassock in the last game and for the Barrowmen to drop points to Uckfield in their last game. It might happen but Uckfield are bottom of the league and Steyning top so it's not going to happen is it.  So, it's the playoffs for the Dockers. Also likely to be in the playoff spots are the Crows, Eastbourne Town and either Hassocks or Haywards Heath. All beatable on a good day 🙏. To confuse the issue, Crowborough have a couple of games in hand and can catch Steyning if the win them all.  Got all that? Clear as mud👀. Looks like Alfie is being rested as Luke Donaldson is starting and Alex Plumber has been replaced by Tarin Rohilla in the 7. Other than that, it's the same as Tuesday night although they all could be excused for being a bit knackered after the fantastic shift they put in for the last 15 to hold of to the lead.  Willl that same commitment be on show today.  Probably not but you never know with this team.  

The Dockers have to soak up the pressure from the kick off. The Barrowmen are good on the ball and containing the Reds in their own half. We can't get on the ball and Jake is having to kick long and then watch it come back towards him. Their first goal is scruffy, and a bit lucky, but inevitable when it comes on 23. The Dockers keep their heads up and keep attacking towards the skatepark end. Lee gets clear of the Whites defence but as he gets into the 6 yard box ,for reasons known only to him, doesn't shoot but instead chooses a cross that's not really on and the chance has gone. Not the first time he has chosen to pass instead of shoot in recent weeks 🤷‍♂️.  We are attacking the visitors but get dispossessed high up the pitch. The Barrowmen break quickly and make no mistake in finishing for their second on 34. Their third is another scruffy one on 44 after constant pressure on the Dockers goal.

Demas replaces Baillie Rogers at half-time. Bailey didn't look very happy about it when spotted later on. Callum drops into the left back position. Reedy replaces Tarin on 49. The Dockers are slowly starting to look a little more like themselves ,playing the ball form the back. It's difficult to workout who is playing where. It's looks like Jon might be in the 10 as Reedy replaced him at right back. The ball comes back to him just outside the box. He gets a shot in but unfortunately he gets a little underneath it 🚀and it lands halfway up Gibbon Road. Not getting that ball back. At least he had a go at the target. Toby Reader comes on for Luke Donaldson on 63. The Dockers are still trying to get back into it but being thwarted by the better team. Their fourth and thankfully final goal comes on 72. it's a great goal screaming into the top corner from outside the box. Take a bow whoever hit that. The Docker fail to reply and it's a relief when the whistle goes.

To summarize - it's over and time to go home. That was not nice to watch and couldn't have been more different to Tuesday night's very hard fought win. Nothing to win for the Dockers today as they have given up on the title and need to save some legs for the playoffs. Think Tranmere at Crawley in May 2019 where legs were rested for Wembley and we lost 3-1. Turned out alright in the end. The weather didn't help us today as the Dockers were trying long balls early on when the wind was gusting badly and making it impossible to kick the ball cross pitch towards the stand side stood. Any enthusiastic pass towards the river, nearly landed in it. What's "Please mister, can we have my ball back in French". The Dockers have got a bit of a rest now anyway with the sole remaining game at Hassocks in 2 weeks time.

POTM: Demas 🏆 worked hard down the right when he came on getting to the byline a few times so gets the nod today.

Officials deserve a mention for getting most things right and allowing the game to flow. 👍

Ferry watch: The Seven Sisters pulled in just before kick-off and left before the final whistle. We can see you sneaking out! ⛴ And we don't blame you.

Up next is and hopefully 4th time lucky 🤞, it's Horsham v Lewes. Or Lewes v Horsham if we decide to the that way inclined. Depends on the presence of Mr D Tuck. Whatever 🤷‍♂️ ,looking forward to the comfy seats.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Last Home Game

Squads a bit thin

Past the ponds on the way

And the river on the way home

Commander In Heath

Newhaven FC away to Haywards Heath FC the Southern Combined Premier League at Hanbury Park

It's a big night as the Dockers visit the Bluebells as the season draws to a dramatic conclusion. A win tonight guarantees the playoffs as the, "NEW FOR 23/24", playoffs are semi-finals and final just like the EFL instead of inter-step playoffs as previously. The Dockers lost the inter-step playoff to Lancing 2 years ago and finished 3rd last season. The Dockers have an increasing injury list but making up the 11 is a back line of Bailey, Robbie, Jacob Thomson and Jon. Blunty, Alex Plumber and Rob Malilia in the middle and Alfie, Cal and Robbo up front. The Bluebells, also known as the Heath have got a good number of fans here and they have got a drum 🥁. It's a first for us a drum in the 9th division. Heath Ultras making a noise.

The Bluebells are dominant and attacking for first 5 minutes. The Dockers start to settle after that and kept the ball better limiting the opponent attacking changes for the next hour. Lee puts the ball in the net on 23 but Father Jack on the far side flags in off-side. Feck. That is a bit of a theme with FJ getting very flag happy making it very frustrating for the Dockers. Alfie takes a free kick from five yards outside the box, it misses everyone and curls just inside the near post on 30 ⚽. He gets another go but the second goal doesn't come. It's like Steyning all over again! Too many missed changes and an uncomfortably slim lead going into the break.

The Dockers carry on with much of the same but noting of note until Blunty plays a great cross to Lee, his shot is saved, he is first to the rebound but puts it wide on 71. We are not getting all our own way and Bussy is called on but makes a good save. Aflie gets a chance to finish the game off. Chooses to round the keeper who manages to get enough on it to save the goal. The changes start with Reedy on for Jon on 82 and Luke Donaldson for Alfie on 85. The Dockers are soaking up the pressure as the Bluebells lay siege to Bussy's goal. He keeps the ball out with a couple of great saves and one fantastic save. The hosts are also wasteful and put a couple of great changes over the bar so far that they hit the block of flats behind. Demas comes on for Robbo to bring in some fresh legs on 90. Injury time might be a bit tense. The Dockers ate throwing bodies in the way to keep the ball out of the net. Reedy gets the ball down the other end and runs it into the corner flag. He loses it but won't give in so hacks his opponent to prevent him getting away with the ball and gets a yellow card for taking one for the team on 93. Billy comes on for Bailey to freshen up legs at the back. The Dockers are clinging on somehow. The final whistle seems to take an age to go but there are huge celebrations when it does.

Can't believe that the Dockers have hung in there. Fingers nails may have been bitten slightly. That was some performance in the last 15. The Dockers are in the play-offs 🥳. We made it hard for ourselves in the first half by missing so many chances and not taking a few in the second. Best team won but not sure how. The Heath kit was nice though. Seem to recall thinking the same a few years ago when we last here. The heath have the strangest seating arrangement in their main stand. It's just wooden steps with some seat based screwed down on alternate rows. It was really good to see Ian 'Little' Robinson in the crowd although he was on crutches following his ACL reconstruction.

POTM: Could really have been any of the starting 11 and perhaps should be all of them but instead it goes to Reedy 🏅 for running the clock down and then fouling his opponent to make the ref get his book out and waste a bit more time. Top draw gamesmanship and commitment to the cause 👏.

The ref could have been worse but the line keeping was really inconsistent line keeping. Some very odd calls right in front of us where there were both miles on and miles off yet the wrong call was made.

The Scranometer is asking when we can come back as the hot chocolate with cream and marshmallows was lovely 9/10.

See you at Fort Road for the next installment.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Hanbury Park in the dark

The Home of the Bluebells

New Club badge

More Or Lessi

England Women host Sweden Women in the Euro 2025 Qualifier at Wembley Stadium

The Lionesses are back at Prenton Park South for the first competetive game of the year and the first on home soil since the win over Netherlands in December. They have been knocked out of the Olympics since then in a tense last minute disappoitment on goal difference after beating Scotland away in Glasgow. The last time these teams met was in the Euro's Semi-Final where England humiliated Sweden by beating them 4-0 and inventing the 'Russo' with her backheeled double nutmeg ⚽. There are a few Lionesses missing with Millie still out with a knee injury, Khaira Keating left camp with an injury and Leah, although back in the squad and on the bench, was injured in the Conti Cup Final last weekend. It's Mary Queen of Stops in goal, Alex and Lotte in the middle with Niamh left and Lucy right. It's the usual Kiera and Georgia midfield with a new face in the 10 as Grace Clinton starts ahead of Fran and Tooney. LJ is on the right and LH on the left although we know they will swap around and LJ will drift around all over the place anyway. Up front is Russo. The Yellows have a few familiar faces with Stina up front, Magdalena Erikson in defence and Zigiotti in midfield. Not going to be an easy night then. Not forgetting Chelsea's Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Barcelona's Fridolina Rolfö on the left wing, Kosovare Asllan up front with Stina. The Blues Zecira Musovic and the Seagulls Emma Kullberg are on the bench thankfully. There are wheelie bins of fire, Dancing Lions, big flags and National Anthems and then it's suddenly time for the pomp to stop and the competition to get serious.

We're off and Sweden are threatening from the first minute. JRK is causing problems with her pace driving forward with the ball. It's tense for a while but we keep them out until England start to get a grip. Five minutes in and we're looking more comfortable. Magdalena flattens Russo and she is down for a couple of minutes then moves off the pitch for some more treatment. No card for Magda though. Sweden get a good chance on 20 but Rolfö hits it wide. Russo recovers well from her injury and puts us in front as she dips low to head home from a fantastic LJ cross on 24⚽. The Lionesses are in front. The crowd go wild. Need another now. It's doesn't come before the break as the DJ is wheeled back out to entertain us.

The first decisive action of the second half is to replace Grace Clinton with Ella Toone on 57. Gives us a chance to make some noise with chants of Tooooooooneyyyy. Zigiotti is having an impact in the middle. She is fouling all over to try to stop us pressing forward. The Swedes make some changes on 62 and we are relieved to see Asllani leave the pitch. The Yellows gets a corner that is doubtful and disputed. It goes out for a Yellow throw, we win the ball back then fail to clear it and it goes out for another Yellow throw. The Whites switch off and allow a throw straight into the box, it's chipped to the far post where for Rolfö to head it home. Lucy shold have been marking better there but the whole team had switched off. Poor goal to concede. Meeeeeeadooo comes on for LJ and the volume of the welcome she gets shows how many Gooners there are in the crowd. Loads. At 80 minutes Serena makes some more changes with Jess on for Niamh and Chloe on for Lessi. Chloe goes on the right with LJ moving to the left and Hempo going up front. The change triggers a period of pressure from the Lionesses who dominate and camp out in the Swedish half. They keep pushing but can't get the ball in the net. The risk is pressing is reduced and we all breathe a sigh of relief when Stina is subbed off on 84. Phew!. The goal doesn't come and after just 3 minutes of injury time it's all over. A 1-1 draw and we make a sharp exit for the trains via wembley way and a bit of ABBA dancing Queen. Should have requested Buck Fizz.

Not the best of games but the Lionesses haven't recaptured their Euro's form. The last 10 minutes were all England and how they didn't get a winner we'll never know. They suddenly found the energy that they needed to have started with but it was too little too late. It was pretty lack lustre for the first 80 minutes. Are they tired as we are nearly at the end of a long season or just unsettled as there have been a lot of changes to the line up since their famous Euros stability. The result is not the one we wanted but we (the lionesses, not us personally) go on to the next game away in Dublin needing to up their game. We did miss parts of the game as the crowd in front were constantly on the move either in or out of their seats. They must have small bladders in North London. The attendance was surprisingly low at 63248. maybe the train strike in some parts of the country didn't help but the ticket prices have increased and it didn't sell out for the first time in a while.

The Scranometer was very pleased that the Pick'N'Mix 🍬had only gone up 50p since the FA Cup Final last year and very nice it was too.

Ref did well for most of the game. Shame about Lino awarding the corner to Sweden in the build up to goal that should have been a goal kick. See Alex Greenwood for details as she kicked the ball to Mary for said goal kick before decision for a corner was made.

See you somewhere back in Sussex soon.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Great View

Prenton Park South

Under the Arch

Flagtastic

Wheelie bins of fire

April Fool If You Think It's Over

Newhaven FC host Peacehaven & Telscombe FC in the SCFL Premire League at Fort Road

The Dockers face the Tye in the Havens Derby (🐣Easter Edition🐰). We look to retain bragging rights after winning 3-1 at the Sports Park on Boxing Day. Hope the double is completed today. The line up today is less of a surprise than Saturday. Jon gets a start at right back with Robbie and Josh in the middle and Bailey of the right. Blunty sits in front of the defence, Rob Malila as an 8, Ryan Warwick and Callum Edwards out wide with Alfie and Lee up front. Forgot the keeper, Captain Bussy is between the posts as ever🥅. There is a presentation before kick-off for Sean Breach "Breachy" and Andy Cook "Cooky" who have been managing the Dockers for 10 years. No time off for good behaviour. The Dockers have been inconsistent recently, missing opportunities they would normally be expected to make. Hope they can get it together today. We have the 24th minute goal in the draw🙏. Hope that's for the Dockers and it's the first of many.

There is disappointment just before the kick-off as the Ferry goes out⛴👋. Back to the football then. It's lively from the kick off with several big tackles flying-in in the first minute. Derby day has really arrived! There is lots of combative football without any clear chances. It's worrying for the Dockers when Ryan Warwick goes down with a hamstring injury and has to be subbed off for Jacob Thomson at just 14 minutes. He's a big loss it a tight battle like this. Jacob goes to the right. The first clear chance comes on 31 when Alfie takes a direct free kick. He misses the Skate park altogether and blasts into the wall of defenders. Ten minutes later he is put through by Lee, his shot is a well saved, he recovers the ball and his second shot is stopped by another fantastic save. No score at the break.

The second half sees the Dockers in control but not making it count. Alfie goes close on 57. Robbo hits it wide on 65. At 75 minutes it looks to most players and the crowd like the visitors have the lead. We all think it's in but the officials deemed it to be cleared off the line. Phew. The Dockers pressure ramps up with corner after corner and a few of Jon's long throws but there isn't the right contact and the defenders are keeping it out of the net. Cal runs through a crowd of players and gets a shot off but it's well saved. Demas replaces Jacob on 90, nice to see an attacking change, however late in the game it is. In the 6th and last minute of injury time, a long throw from Jon, evades Robbie but is headed home by Josh Tuck ⚽. The final whistle goes as soon as the game restarts.

I guess no-one had the 96th minute in the Golden Goal draw so no prizes this week. Nothing like leaving it until the last kick of the game. And that was the "easiest" game of the Dockers run in as the push for promotion. It wasn't a great watch but the result is all that matters as we have done the double over Peacehaven. Bragging rights retained. Dockers didn't do themselves any favours, so many chances in the second half from corners and throws but not getting on any of them or picking up the second ball. Everyone going under the ball and missing it every time. A good crowd at Fort Road today with 705 turning up despite the rain.

POTM: Goes to Josh Tuck 🏅for finally getting some contact on a ball. And a special mention to Jon for the weapon of a throw.

Ref did ok, letting a lot go to keep the game flowing. Always a fine line to tread and it can go wrong if it starts to get lively but it was a well-mannered derby for once.

See you at Prenton Park South on Friday.

Love Tranmerekat 🐾

Attacking the Skatepark End

In the skatepark

Today's teams