Cheltenham (a) - LDV Trophy - 2nd November 2004

[Andy]

By Exile (203.167.253.205) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 09:23 pm: Edit

1-0 down already. Aaaaaaaaaaaarghhh.

By Exile (203.167.253.205) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 10:10 pm: Edit

1-1 gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar n the lads!

By Magic Man Fan (81.155.26.10) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 10:38 pm: Edit

The dreaded Extra Time

By Pr Lees (84.65.45.255) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 10:56 pm: Edit

Too tired for Hull, another lethargic no-show beckons on Saturday. Get your excuses in early lads this is just what we need to justify Saturday's inevitable defeat.

By hullsaddler (83.100.141.217) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:03 pm: Edit

Oh dear

By WarsawPact (82.47.72.18) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:08 pm: Edit

Cheltenham 2 Walsall 1 - 111 mins

By WarsawPact (82.47.72.18) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:08 pm: Edit

JORGE!!!

2-2

By Exile (203.167.253.205) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:19 pm: Edit

Time to find out how good we are taking penalties, I suppose... Bet we've not covered that in training recently.

By Minty Williams (213.122.208.45) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:25 pm: Edit

Win 4-3 on pens!

By Exile (203.167.253.205) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:35 pm: Edit

Thank fluck for that. We can't even beat Cheltenham in open play - at least we can find the back of the net from the spot.

By Matt Edwards (80.225.197.177) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:45 pm: Edit

who scored the pens???

By WarsawPact (82.47.72.18) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:53 pm: Edit

Standing
Merson
Williams
Bazeley (missed)
Wrack

Morph saved two (ie, they weren't missed)

By belgian saddler (213.118.127.137) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:54 pm: Edit

wrack got the winner, beazely missed when we were ahead, leroy, standing and merse all scored, joe saved 2 of theirs, up the saddlers

By belgian saddler (213.118.127.137) on Tuesday, November 02, 2004 - 11:56 pm: Edit

beat me to it warsaw, you did a more chronologically accurate account than me anyhow!

By Shad (195.92.168.164) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 12:13 am: Edit

I took us till penalties but can we still count this as an away win?

By away win at last (195.92.168.167) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 12:24 am: Edit

Since we ain't won away for god knows how long we would take winning the toss as an away win, so I guess we can claim this as a proper away win, well almost.

By Bristol Fan (195.92.67.67) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 12:42 am: Edit

Just got back. Christ it was excruciating. I thought we were bad on Saturday, well I hadn't seen anything yet. We were very, very lucky to beat a team not exactly setting the world alight in the division below us.

Really frustrating because we had a lot of possession but couldn't do anything with it. Both times we went behind it was as if our players thought "oh well, better score then" and they stepped up a gear and scored with ease. If they'd played with that attitude throughout we'd have won by a hatful but then just seemed to think they could turn up and win. At least Merson player better today, but he was the only one who did.

Whatever I was thinking when I said after Saturday Bazeley should play instead of Wright, well, I don't know. Ignore that previous request. He was awful. Kris Taylor was pathetic, gave the ball away constantly and was lucky to last until half time before being taken off. Wrack was very poor. Aranalde was very poor. Birch was shocking. Leitao did well enough and scored two good goals but he missed two easy chances as well. Hopefully it'll do his confidence some good (but how often have we said that before).

If Hull sent any scouts they won't be able to contain their laughter. They'll murder us on Saturday if we're not careful, particularly considering we're going to have some very tired legs.

On the plus side, at least we've got a few people who can take penalties. Merson's was as perfect as a penalty could be and he should be our regular penalty taker.

At least the fans were in good spirits (aside from the usual Birch barracking, but in all honesty it was entirely warranted on this occasion).

By Andrew Curl (82.37.160.129) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 12:44 am: Edit

Relieving in one way that we're actually through and not humiliated, but it's somewhat humiliating that we needed to go into penalties against a team, we really should beat.
No doubt we'll get the rubbish that we got from Doncaster fans - "oh you think you have the god given right to beat us" etc, but come on, we have a team who only a couple of weeks ago beat top of the league Luton Town!

By Me2 (82.37.32.69) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 01:12 am: Edit

Andrew, we havent got a god given right to beat a team in a division below us.

Its not humiliating to have gone through to the next round, even if it was on penalties.

Luton was a totally different match. Even you must be able to realise this.

By Andrew Curl (82.37.160.129) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 01:21 am: Edit

We're better than them on paper, that's why we're a division above them!

Besides which, what's with the 'even you' comment? Is there something in particular about me?

By Banns (62.252.0.4) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 09:22 am: Edit

Cheltenham fan here! Very disappointed as thought our lads played well tonight. If only our players were a little more clinical with their finishing, we'd have wrapped the game up in normal time. Don't think any Walsall fan would deny that?! Merson was your best player on the pitch, brilliant ball through for the 2nd equaliser! Emblem? played well too. Your keeper made some excellent saves including the 2 penalties. Good support from you too, 500 on a wet, foggy Tuesday night. My 2 lads and I had the opportunity to meet Merson. He was more than happy to sign their programmes and have his photo taken with them. More than I can say for G8 as he's now known when he played against Cheltenham for Boston a few weeks ago. Anyway, hope you get a home draw for the next round and good luck for the rest of the season.

By cat3 (203.218.52.22) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 10:10 am: Edit

So grateful to get a win!!! Come on, wake up you lads, we need to play extremely better footies, this is unacceptable... Let's get back on track you all..

By BABELKO (194.128.85.65) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 10:10 am: Edit

Thanks alot Banns, well u played well just glad we won! Yep Merson his a sound chap thats why I really want him to succeed at Walsall! (Down to earth at that) Good luck to you for the rest of the season!

By Neil Ravenscroft (62.172.127.2) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 10:12 am: Edit

Me2, I agree with Andrew. "we havent got a god given right to beat a team in a division below us". No, we haven't, but we should do, as we have better players.

By SheffieldSaddler (82.38.184.69) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 10:15 am: Edit

Thanks for message Banns and the report Bristol.
I find it very worrying if what Bristol says is right. Once again Kris Taylor given a chance and does not take it. Once again Bazeley appalling.
Two players that should be shipped out immediately if you ask me.
Birch, what happened to his recent great form? Or does he not consider the LDV Vans Trophy up to his standard?
As Banns says, 500 to Cheltenham is a superb turnout. Thats a major positive.

By Stu (13.16.137.11) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 10:38 am: Edit

Strangely enough, Saddlers World said Baze had an okay game and Kearns actually complimented him as being one of the few people who was going forward and trying to make something happen, even though his final ball was poor.

Sheff, don't single Birch out as by the sounds of it 8 or 9 can be singled out as well.

Still say Birch & Leitao is a crap partnership anyway, no pace and no movement off the ball with those two.

By wfc_2uk (195.171.132.137) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 04:18 pm: Edit

been at work so havent had time to comment.
Went to the game last night we was shocking. OK we are through to the quarters of our section but we have struggled against two third division teams to get here. Good following last night lads especially on a foggy night sang till the end, i had to laugh when every walsall fan in the ground groand when bazeley walked up to take the penalty. How did we all know he was going to miss?

Onto the game,
Cheltenham had more chances on goal than us and if they had striker they would have beaten us easy.
Murphy made three cracking saves and won us the shootout. Bazeley wasnt too bad but still start with wright saturday. Emblen and Bennett solid as always. Zigor usual individual errors. Wracky and standing continued to pass the ball backwards and when we did get forward failed to get back for their counter attacks. Kris Taylor what a waste of time he was, continued to give the ball away. Merson was probably pick of the bunch but even he showed his idleness. Jorge ran around like an headless chicken until the two goals but thats what hes paid to do. Birch had one decent shot but thats all.
Daryl Taylor turned the match around with his pace against their tired right back. Also Leroy didnt do to bad when he came on.
Poor Ground, Poor performance lets hope saturday its good ground, good performance.#

We need to start producing the goods or this will be a very dissapointing season.

By Jorge14 (195.93.34.9) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 05:09 pm: Edit

Last time we were taking this competition seriously in 1998-99 we won virtually every round on penalties. For definate we beat Brizzle Rovers and Brentford on penalites that season. I have no problem with this result, at least we are through in the competition.

By Jorge14 (195.93.34.9) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 05:10 pm: Edit

Last time we were taking this competition seriously in 1998-99 we won virtually every round on penalties. For definate we beat Brizzle Rovers and Brentford on penalites that season. I have no problem with this result, at least we are through in the competition.

By Neil Ravenscroft (62.172.127.2) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 05:22 pm: Edit

Didn't we beat Bristol Rovers with a Golden Goal from Boli in the first minute of extra time?

By Shad (195.92.168.165) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 05:31 pm: Edit

I think it was peno's- I'm sure roberts missed one for them.... thats all I remember.

By Bristol Fan (195.92.67.78) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 06:11 pm: Edit

Jorge14, I have no problem with the result either, and would have taken it before the game, but you wouldn't be happy with the way we played. It was Milton Keynes all over again - against inferior opposition (though in all fairness they looked like they could probably climb out of that division) we didn't impose ourselves on the game and if it hadn't been for our centrebacks and goalkeeper being in outstanding form we'd have been beaten. We created a few more chances this time, but that was exclusively because Merson played better. The rest of the midfield was poor. Standing did OK but Wrack and K Taylor were both very poor. Birch was at his worst and aside from two powerful long range shots never looked like scoring, and our full backs were pretty hopeless (it's worth pointing out though that Bazeley's cross for our first goal was inch-perfect and far superior to anything we've seen from Wright). Aside from two moments of quality from Leitao, the only other forward-thinking player to come away with any credit was Merson. We badly need either Osborn or Kinsella (or both) to be fit for Saturday.

By Kevthesaddler (217.44.43.232) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 06:12 pm: Edit

Boli wasn't even with the club then ravenscroft u stupid fool

By Stu (195.92.67.75) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 07:33 pm: Edit

Kev, I think Neil was on about the season we reached the Area Final under BFJ and Boli was at the club...

Neither of you mentioned beating Cambridge on penalties though.

We took the lead after about 20 seconds, Andy Rammell's stunning 25/30 yard dipping volley before we won on penalties.

By Neil Ravenscroft (82.37.185.68) on Wednesday, November 03, 2004 - 11:18 pm: Edit

28/01/98 AutoW 1/4 Bristol Rovers A W 1-0 Boli 91

Auto Windscreens, 1998, Bristol Rovers, Boli. Now, if you meant the following season, fair enough, I had forgotten that one, when we drew 2 -2 and won on penalties (Lauresen and Otta scoring) but Kevthesaddler can start apologising anyway.

By willenhall red (82.37.193.173) on Thursday, November 04, 2004 - 04:38 am: Edit

i seem to recall a win at bescot v brighton with boli scoring golden goal in xtra time virtually from the kick off

By Neil Ravenscroft (62.172.127.2) on Thursday, November 04, 2004 - 09:37 am: Edit

Round 1, won at Barnet 2 - 1, then 5 - 0 at home vs Brighton, 1 - 0 at Brizzle in the area quarter final, 2 - 1 at Peterborough in the area semi, before losing to Bournemouth 4 - 3 on aggregate in the area final (lost 2 - 0 at home, won 3 - 2 away).
It was the Bristol City game where Boli got the Golden Goal in the first minute of extra time, straight from the kick off.

By Neil Ravenscroft (62.172.127.2) on Thursday, November 04, 2004 - 09:38 am: Edit

Round 1, won at Barnet 2 - 1, then 5 - 0 at home vs Brighton, 1 - 0 at Brizzle in the area quarter final, 2 - 1 at Peterborough in the area semi, before losing to Bournemouth 4 - 3 on aggregate in the area final (lost 2 - 0 at home, won 3 - 2 away).
It was the Bristol Rovers game where Boli got the Golden Goal in the first minute of extra time, straight from the kick off.

By Neil Ravenscroft (62.172.127.2) on Thursday, November 04, 2004 - 09:41 am: Edit

Now, what happened there? Did a typo (City for Rovers), corrected it and it posted both!

By Stu (13.16.137.11) on Thursday, November 04, 2004 - 10:12 am: Edit

I love Walker's comments about Boli and that match at Brizzle Rovers...

Walker went on about how he looked thoroughly dis-interested during the match. The Ref blew for full time and Boli started to walk off the pitch thinking it was over. A few players told him it wasn't over and explained what was happening, he then scored within a minute to put an end to the match. Walker's comment was along the lines of he was so desperate to get back into a warm dressing room, he just took it on himself to win it. Quite funny.

By WarsawPact (217.205.45.94) on Thursday, November 04, 2004 - 02:08 pm: Edit

Some pieces of radio commentary just stay with you:

"Roger Boli scores straight from the kick-off, and the Bristol Rovers players are standing around wondering what happens next -
What happens next, is that Bristol Rovers go out of the Leyland Daf Cup.

Richard Wilford - Radio WM commentary

By Magic Man Fan (81.155.26.10) on Thursday, November 04, 2004 - 06:39 pm: Edit

It was a great goal from Boli and it shows from what Wacka said that when he wanted to step up a gear he could. He should have scored 30+ goals that season.

We were lucky that night. Rovers had a perfectly good goal disallowed if I remember rightly. I remember it was bloody cold and the Cornish Pasties went down a treat!

By Kevthesaddler (217.44.43.232) on Thursday, November 04, 2004 - 08:32 pm: Edit

Sorry Neil

By Neil Ravenscroft (82.37.185.68) on Friday, November 05, 2004 - 08:18 am: Edit

No problem, old bean