Saturday Morning
The sun is streaming in my window, bringing on a positive mood and bolstering my earlier belief that we’ll get a win this afternoon. The cup is very much a sideshow for me but of course a victory would be great. I’m hoping to see Chopra in the squad, if he’s fit, and I’d always have him there as I reckon he’s been seriously underused. Ferdinand and Reid should play and we badly missed them during last Sunday’s debacle. I’d be very happy to see Evans parachuting in again to give us a second-half of the season boost as I think he and Ferdinand would be a great combination. Bolton are well-known to be a mystery package but I can’t see them winning 4-1 again or anything like it.

The Game
Perhaps the only surprises in a strong squad were Diouf, who started in midfield against his former club and Chimbonda, who replaced Bardsley. Edwards got another chance to shine but those chances are probably running out now. As I got Century Radio and Five Live on the go I was pleased to see Hartlepool 2-0 up against Stoke and took heart from this. The crowd was probably less than twenty thousand and there wasn’t much to shout about with the first corner not coming till the twelfth minute and Bolton got it. Kenwyne shot wide after a good opening and five minutes later a poor pass from Edwards spoilt another promising attack. Half way through the half a flicked-on corner was cleared off the line by Gardner and we sparked up at last. Chopra got a good reception when he warmed up on the half-hour mark. With five minutes or so remaining Cisse shot just wide with his left foot after good work by Diouf and that was our best effort so far as we’d barely troubled Jaaskelainen in goal. Cisse was back again shortly afterwards but shot straight at the goalie. It was 0-0 at the break and we’d have to up the stakes a lot in the second-half if we wanted to win this, and nobody wanted a replay. Kenwyne had hardly got a mention all half and I hoped to see Chops on in his place as well as Reid to provide some quality service.

There weren’t any changes as we kicked off again but I was hoping that we’d perform a lot better. Bolton started strongly and went close through Elmander and Steinsson while we were hardly getting a kick. Ten minutes in Gardner again saved it on the line, from Kenwyne, after a rare corner but a few minutes later Kenwyne broke the deadlock with a great header from a retaken free-kick. I was glad that my half-time suggestion hadn’t been taken up, maybe later. Bolton were playing it rough and soon got their fourth yellow card so they’d have to be careful but the ref seemed to favour them when Steinsson felled Rico but the latter was judged to have dived. The goal injected us with confidence and Edwards hit the post and five minutes later Rico tried a forty-yarder that went close. There was more dancing a few minutes later when Edwards did very well to cross for Cisse who volleyed a great second. Bolton were hardly getting a kick now. With around fifteen minutes left Rico was replaced by Tainio after being injured and he got a great ovation. My afternoon had definitely been enhanced by Forest going three up against City but the jitters began to rise when Bolton pulled one back when what sounded like a cross by Smolarek deceived Fulop and went over his head into the net.

Edwards was subbed by Reid as we entered the final nail-biting ten minutes and he immediately made a great block to prevent a good Bolton chance. Barrow pulled one back against Boro and no doubt they were feeling more nervous than us. It was going end to end as Bolton pressed and we were finding more space. I started pacing up and down the room with frequent glances at the clock as the final minutes ticked slowly away and then four added minutes were announced. Shite! As I desperately killed time by changing my jeans and shoes the commentator said there were fifty seconds to go but ages later he realized he’d made a mistake and said there was still another minute left. Anyway, that whistle eventually went and we were into the strange territory of the Fourth Round draw.

The second-half certainly made up for the deficiencies of the first and it’s always great to get revenge against a side who’ve recently handed out a drubbing. Edwards sounded very good in patches while Rico seemed to have been our best player; I hope his injury isn’t too bad as we lost it a bit after he went off.

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