Going Up
I’m sitting on the train at Euston and we’re just underway, bound for Stockport and then Horwich Parkway for the Reebok. I am at this moment ticketless as my application to the SAFCSA London Branch appears to have fallen on stony ground but I’m confident that I’ll be able to pick one up when I get there. I see the verdict about today’s encounter in the Echo last night was ‘defeat’ and even with my customary sunny disposition I wouldn’t argue with that. Hopefully Boro and the Mags will draw on Monday and everyone else will lose this weekend. If we get another goal this season, it would be something of an achievement and a draw in any of the three remaining games would be a joy. The clouds are gathering for Cisse but who have we got to replace him with? Healy hardly touched it when he came on against Everton and putting our faith in Murphy for a full game is even less inspiring that putting it in Cisse. Unless I’m mistaken, Kenwyne’s great future is already behind him but don’t tell Spurs that.

The Match
The train was late getting into Stockport and so I had to take three more trains to get to Horwich Parkway but on the way I linked up with a number of our fans including London Branch legend Ian Todd. I also chatted with a Port Vale fan and three guys from Sweden who were all going to the match too. There was a lot of horse shit around the Reebok when I got there at 2 o’clock and I hoped this wasn’t an omen. Initial forays into trying to get a ticket proved fruitless but a fine man had a spare one going for only £20 and soon I was in the ground. Many thanks to the A Love Supreme saleslad for his efforts in facilitating this for me. Such was my excitement as I finalized the deal round the nearest corner that I forgot to thank him.

We were in a 4-5-1 formation and were clearly going for a draw while Tainio was in and Cisse was on the bench. Our lot filled nearly the whole of one end and I was pleased to see that the guy who’d sat in front of me on the train up was now sitting behind me. We had the better of the first half and I’m very happy to say that we displayed considerable tenacity and a lot of attack. We had numerous attempts on goal but I don’t think any of them were actually on target while Bolton never looked very dangerous. I had to put my hood up after half an hour or so as I was in the lower tier and it started really chucking it down. I can’t remember getting very wet at a covered stadium before. The guy on my right had a dog’s mask on his head and there were a number of people in superhero costume around. Despite the wet and cold weather a row of blokes across the aisle had their shirts off and were twirling them aloft in the approved manner. Our end was giving the side terrific support while the Bolton fans were pretty mute. Bolton had a mini spell of pressure with about five minutes to half-time and when Gavin McCann took the first of three corners in a row, he received some boos but a lot more applause from our end. It was 0-0 at the break and I was happy with that and with the much gutsier performance. I heard that Hull were losing and that did no harm.

The second half started in a similar vein to how it had left off and our best chance came before the hour-mark when a great move down our left produced a cross that went just behind Kenwyne’s head. Bolton put a lot of pressure on during the following ten minutes but our defence was looking unusually solid and Ferdinand was playing well. Kenwyne went off injured with twenty minutes left and was replaced by Cisse. Both of them received a lot of applause. Reid replaced Tainio with ten minutes to go and speaking of minutes, the Reebok has one of those bloody irritating clocks that counts backwards and does your head in. Four minutes later the sun came out and I knew it was going to be our day i.e. we’d get a point but there were the usual scares before the whistle finally blew aeons later. Fulop kept us in the game two minutes into stoppage-time with a great one-handed save and that was it. The whole team came over to applaud us and Bardo threw his shirt into the joyous crowd. I still don’t think we managed to get a shot on target but this was a marked improvement over the West Brom match and the news that Hull had lost put the icing on a very digestible cake. There were a number of good displays by our lads but for me local boy Leadbitter was outstanding with his battling performance and good distribution throughout. Quite why the police kept us penned up outside the station for ages while there was a very long empty platform waiting behind the barrier, I know not but it gave me the chance to listen to some new very rude but amusing chants for the first time.

Going Down?

I don’t think so

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