Tag: Bristol Rovers

On Monday night I had a brainwave of a great idea for an appropriate title for playing Bristol Rovers. Of course it was as I was going to sleep, and I’ve been racking my brain ever since to remember what the brainwave was (it will come back to me about five minutes after I click publish on this piece obviously). So instead I’ve gone with this. A number twenty-three hit in the late summer of 1988 when there was lots of one hit wonders having chart success with early House music tracks. The band was called Jolly Roger, which is appropriate as we are playing the pirates.

Quiz Time Answer, the question was – Shrewsbury Town are one of three English sides in League Two this season who have won the Welsh Cup, name the other two. Tranmere Rovers and Crewe Alexandra.

It was another tough defeat last weekend away at Shrewsbury, once again there were mumblings coming out from PGMOL about decisions made against us in the game shouldn’t have been made but saying it after the game does us no good whatsoever. Some of the officiating stinks more than methane does. The journey back was hellish, and it was Sunday before I got home. I’m too old for this shit and felt wiped out most of the week. Again, I’ve nothing but admiration for anyone who does the travel for every game.

In the football league paper on Sunday there was (to me anyway) an interesting article from Chris Dunleavy on the use of data by teams in the EFL.

This one paragraph particularly caught my eye.

During the week there was a Teams call which pretty much confirmed the Devil’s Advocates are no more. The FSA was involved and the outcome is that Crawley are going to have a Fan Advisory Board (FAB – so expect the appearance of Thunderbird 2 at the Broadfield in the near future) set up, made of eleven seats, five will be pre-filled (CTSA get a seat, the Community Foundation, and three others – my earwigging skills weren’t in full effect), and then six voted for places. It’ll be like a political election, people have to apply, get through an interview, and then campaign for votes from fans. There is also no guarantee of any diversity on it either, it’s whoever applies and gets voted on, so back to pale, male, and stale it will be then.

I was in the County Mall on Friday and there is a pop-up stand in the middle of the main aisle there which is selling frame prints of football grounds, and the history of football team’s kits over the years. Of course, despite them being in Crawley they had nothing for Crawley Town in the seventy odd teams they were selling (including some in non-league). The bloke on the stall said they didn’t know they were coming to Crawley until the Thursday night, so didn’t have time to get something sorted for Crawley Town, but I got the impression that even if they’d had a couple of months’ notice they still wouldn’t have had anything.

We have played Bristol Rovers fifteen times previously, eight in the league, four in the FA Cup (losing replays to them twice), twice in the league cup, a win at home and a loss away, including the first win for the club under Kevin Betsy two seasons ago, and we beat them in the first of the knockout stages in the Bristol Streets Motors Trophy, with to me what should have been our goal of the season that season from Harry Forster. In the league we have three wins against them, along with two draws, and three losses. At home in the league that record is three wins and a loss, in all games at home it is five wins, a draw, and two losses. The last game against them saw the return of Scott Lindsey as manager last March, a game we won 1-0.

We have Ryan Loft in our squad as someone who is a former Bristol Rovers player, whereas Bristol Rovers have no former Crawley players in their squad, having loaned out Isaac Hutchinson to Cheltenham Town for this season.

There are a few examples of old programmes from games against them, again including one from our first season in the EFL.

They are another of those club which have moved away from a matchday programme, they have gone to the monthly magazine instead.

For cards, I’ve gone to the seemingly standard set for this league this year and picking out ones from the Proset 1991-92 season, with these three players – Ian Hazel, Carl Saunders, and Tony Pounder.

We go into the game in the relegation places, and a win wouldn’t guarantee us getting out. Our opponents are seven places and eight points ahead of us going into the game, and have lost their last three games, so where better to come to try and stop that poor run?

It was bright sunshine in the morning when I left the house to go to writing group, which I ended up sitting out because there is a lack of oxygen to the brain where anything is concerned at the moment. I’m only doing things out of memory muscle and habit as there is a mix between no inspiration and can’t be arsed syndrome.

By the time I left the library it was raining, so instead of wandering down to the ground I got on a hydrogen powered bus to the Broadfield.

I had a look in the shop, and there was new merch in there, so as we all know that new merch is my kryptonite there was a purchase of the new red devils t-shirt.

The subs bench sees the now standard six subs only, and we’ve taken the usual no keeper on the bench, and raised it, as there are no defenders on it either.

Crawley are in their usual home kit of all red with white trim, and Bristol Rovers are in their traditional blue and white quartered shirt with blue shorts and socks. Knowing how teams usually roll over us like Jason and his Argonauts if they enforce the change of ends at the kick off, Bristol Rovers have done just that. Twats.

It also means that the photographers have to change ends as well, and as they can’t take the shortcut across the pitch, or in front of the benches, have to traipse round the outside of the pitch. Grant didn’t look impressed as he carted all his equipment with him.

It is a slow start to the game, the first action of any note is Geraldo Bajrami down getting treatment after a clash of heads in midfield. Both teams are taking a while to get going. Usually it is like there is a big neon sign flashing which says have a quick break down the wing, but you can tell Bristol Rovers are another team who are struggling as they weren’t seeing the signs. There are misplaced passes all over the place, needless throws given away and a general lackadaisical feel to things.

Which extends to the officials. There is a challenge in midfield and the ball spins out for a throw. The ref looks to the linesman on our side for some guidance on who to give the throw to, and the lino just comically shrugs, and the ref guesses and gives it to Bristol Rovers. There is no TAKFAL to shout out the standard phrase of ‘make a decision lino,’ although you could probably threaten to take an acetylene torch to the lino and he wouldn’t be prepared to make on.

We get a free kick in the Bristol Rovers half and it’s a weird routine. Scott Malone has the ball held up in one hand above his head like he is auditioning for a remake of the Statue of Liberty, when the whistle goes, he quickly places it on the ground and Kyle Scott whips it into the box and out for a goal kick.

The first shot of the match (well kind of) as Gavan Holohan has a pop from distance which takes a ricochet and loops into the keeper’s hands. At the other end a Dion Conroy attempted clearance hits Josh Flint and plays Bristol Rovers in, Flint gets back to deflect the cross and we manage to clear.

The weather can’t seem to make its mind up, there is the need for a woolly hat one moment and a cap the next, and then ideally to have both at the same time as the sun is in my eyes and it’s fucking freezing.

More than half the half has gone, and Bristol Rovers win a corner. It is a bit of a struggle for both sides. After a break for a Bristol Rovers injury we win a corner from a Malone cross. Scott takes it deep and there are appeals for handball. The ref gives the penalty, and sends the Bristol Rovers player off, which seems excessively harsh, but the way things are going this season we’ll take all the freebies we can get thank you very much. Ryan Loft steps up to take and smashes it off the left-hand post and it gets cleared. Apparently, the west stand were barracking Scott Lindsey about why Loft had taken it.

Meanwhile the cheating twat in the Bristol Rovers goal has gone down with an obvious fake injury as they whole of the rest of the team sprint to the dug out to get the instructions on how to reorganise now that they are down to ten men. Whilst they do the sprinkler in the far corner near the terrace comes to life, adding to poor old Grant’s woes as a pitch side photographer.

Bajrami gets a booking for wrestling in midfield. We get a free kick a couple of minutes later in the Bristol Rovers half, it goes into the box, and someone gets a head on the end of it, but it goes straight to the keeper. We play a long ball down the left wing to Malone, and he sends a deep cross over which Louie Watson picks up and plays back to Scott on the edge of the area, and he puts his shot just over.

Unsurprisingly there are ten added minutes at the end of the half. All through which the Bristol Rovers number seven has had the tactic of grappling with his marker but paying absolutely no attention to the ball at all, he’s not even looking the right way, and it’s all fine apparently. When he’s grappled back, they get a free kick. It goes into the box, and we concede a corner. It’s cleared, played back in and there is another corner. We struggle to get the ball out from the back and are tripping over our own feet, the Bristol Rovers’ striker gets the ball and a fierce drive sees JoJo Wollacott get fingertips to it, just enough so that when it smashes back down from the underside of the bar it can be cleared. (Somehow, the match stats say that Bristol Rovers didn’t hit the woodwork.)

The Bristol Rovers goalkeeper manages to get a yellow card for timewasting. Well justified.

A long ball down the left sees Malone and Scott link up and play the ball into the box, a Holohan shot is blocked, Max Anderson has a shot blocked and the ball comes back to Malone and his cross takes a deflection and loops into the top corner and we lead 1-0. It’s given as an own goal, but who cares, it’s a fucking goal.

The half time whistle goes and we lead 1-0. We come out for the second half a long time before Bristol Rovers show their faces, and we make a substitution with Harry Forster coming on for Bajrami, a sensible game management move there seeing as Bajrami was on a yellow.

Watson is down injured near halfway and a Bristol Rovers player picks up a yellow card. Even with, or perhaps especially because we have a man advantage, there are far too many times where we need a bit of a nitro generated boost in the speed of our attacks.

Back on his feet Watson does some great work down the left wing, beating a couple of men and then laying the ball back to Malone who puts a cross into the box, Forster nips in just in front of the defender in the middle of the six yad box and slots the ball home and we lead 2-0.

Another ball into the box and Watson gets to the ball but can’t (or possibly won’t) get a shot off, he plays it back to Forster, but he is barged off the ball. A ball from Flint finds Watson beating the offside trap to be through on the keeper, but he is being caught all the time by two chasing defenders and his shot from the edge of the box goes just right and over.

Holohan goes over from a shoulder barge in the box, and the Bristol Rovers fans are barracking him for doing so, so he signs to them 2-0. There is a lot going down the right and Forster keeps getting in behind his man and crossing the ball. This time Holohan’s shot gets deflected behind for a corner. He gets his head on the corner at the near post, but it’s caught by the keeper.

Who not long after goes down “injured” again, and again all the Bristol Rovers rush over to the dugout for fresh instructions. They probably didn’t include give a corner away, as another Forster cross is put behind. It is taken deep and there is a lot of head tennis going on in the box, Conroy, Barker, Flint, Bristol Rovers defenders all having a go, and then it drop to Malone six yards out and he rifles it in to make it 3-0, and this one will be credited to him.

And again, down the right to Forster, and another cross in, and another corner won. We make a substitution with Malone making way for Louis Flower. Again we attack down the right with Holohan and Forster linking up and the latter puts a cross in which comes to Holohan, but his shot is blocked, and Bristol Rovers break and a midfield lunge from Scott ends the break and wins himself a yellow card. At this stage it would surprise no one that the ball is fed to Forster and he crosses it, it gets to Watson, but he can’t find the space to get a shot off.

We make our final set of subs, with Watson, Loft, and Holohan coming off to be replaced by Kaheim Dixon, Kabby Tshimanga, and Reece Brown. A Barker clearance makes its way over the east marquee for the only ball loss of the game.

Flower breaks down the left and gets a cross into the box which is cleared, Bristol Rovers break and get into the box and have a shot which forces a decent save out of Wollacott.

Then there is a spell of good possession and build up, I think pretty much the whole team were involved in a move which sees the ball eventually worked to Flower near the left side just outside the penalty area, he cuts infield and curls a beauty of a shot into the top corner and we now lead 4-0.

There are seven added minutes. Bristol Rovers have a break, but it ends with a free kick to us, we work it back out to Forster, and he plays it into Brown in the box, and his shot is saved before the final whistle goes and we have won 4-0.

It’s one of the few times this season where I haven’t needed a blast of laughing gas to leave a game with a smile on my face. The crowd was announced as being 3,465 with 714 of them being fans making their way from Bristol. Scott Malone was named as the sponsor’s man of the match.

There wasn’t much fan acknowledgment from the players, with only really Forster getting near to the marquee, Scott Lindsay came out to midfield, but it was also hard to see a bloody thing by then with the low sun just over the west stand.

Even with the win we stay in the relegation places. Cheltenham Town won again, beating top of the table Walsall, and Shrewsbury Town drew, we are now level on points with Accrington and have made a decent dent in our goal difference. But Newport County also won, and so now only three points cover the bottom six (it’s as tight at the top as well, only three points cover the top seven).

Quiz Time – Bristol Rovers are one of six sides to have lost multiple EFL Trophy finals but have never won it. One of those other five is in League Two this season, name them.

Bonus quiz time, seeing as we were playing the gas, having many gases have I managed to sledgehammer into this piece (may be as the whole word, part of a word, or split across two)?

Next up is a week away from the woes of the league as we have FA Cup first round action to worry about instead, as we travel to Hertfordshire to play against a Boreham Wood side flying high in the National League (or in the theme of today’s piece – Boron Wood).

Come on you reds.

The lead single from The Wombat’s current album ‘Oh! The Ocean’. Partly due to the fact we went to see them in concert on Wednesday night, and also because it has felt a bit like that when sorting ourselves out to get motivation to get to recent games.

That kind of feeling was intensified by the poor 5-1 drubbing away last Saturday at the hands of Huddersfield Town. Sometimes I’m not sure how things are going to be for any given weekend. But it is harder and harder to just wing it and go to away games of football. Despite Crawley hardly ever selling out its allocation of tickets, a lot of clubs refuse to sell to the away fans on the day at the ground, which means you have to plan ahead by at least one day, if not two because you have to go to the club to get a ticket, and the cut off is usually 3pm on the Friday, sometimes the Thursday, which takes the last minute decision making off the table. Add the ridiculous on the day train fares, and it could be expensive. I was looking out of idle interest at what it would be to get to Huddersfield and for just me a return was £166, reduced to £119 via ticket splitter, but would have been another forty quid less if booked a week before. It is a lot for an impulse decision to go. It turned out it was probably a blessing not going.

But whilst at the gig on Wednesday night, between the opening act, Red Rum Club, and main support, Everything Everything, I glanced at my phone and saw the announcement that Rob Elliot was no longer our manager. And that his coach, Louis Storey was going to be interim manager. I was rubbing my hands together at the prospect of deliberately using a misspelling to make lots of ‘story’ related quips. But as it turns out, it wasn’t even a short story, even flash fiction might have been stretching it. Not even a drabble would have been short enough (one-hundred-word stories – for examples buy my book of them), more a #vss. As late on Thursday evening it was announced that Scott Lindsey was returning as manager and had a contract through to 2028.

Cue much rejoicing. I can see why, last season’s glorious playoff win is fresh in people’s memory. I’m going to hold my rejoicing. For a while at least. Most seem to have forgotten we were on a seven-game winless streak before he moved on earlier in the season. One nincompoop on the forum even seems to have forgotten he was managing us at the start of the season.

Besides the potential diabetes diagnosis and subsequent eye injections because of it, my last full medical showed that I was made up of eighty-seven percent cynicism. And it is certainly to the fore here. There has been a clammer from fans to bring Scott back since the MK Dons parted company with him last month. And as if by magic their wish has been granted. The deeply ingrained cynic in my feels that with the shitstorm of anti WAGMI sentiment that has been growing with the Carol Bates incident, the quiet January transfer window, Sam Jordan stepping down from the board, CTSA calling for them to sell up, Tobias Phoenix doing whatever happened (depending on which side you want to believe), and the almost certain relegation facing us, it seems a great time to have a ‘don’t look behind the curtain’ moment of misdirection. And that if the second coming doesn’t work out how we’d all like it to (perhaps promises aren’t kept), then WAGMI have the ready-made opportunity to throw it back in the fans faces of ‘you wanted this’. Plus there is the old adage of ‘Never Go Back’!

After the return of Scott we also announced the emergency loan signing of goalkeeper Thimothée Lo-Tutala from Hull City for seven days to cover for JoJo Wollacott who is away on international duty.

And to think, I’ve been trying to be overly optimistic all season. Anyway, the second coming (unfortunately a Stone Roses album title, not a song title) is in time for a game where Bristol Rovers are our visitors. There is a coincidence for me, as I went to the away game back in November, and that was just after going to a gig at the O2 as well. That game finished 0-0, where after an abysmal first half display, we were on top in the second half and had five decent penalty shouts waved away, including a stonewall one in added time. That was by the same muppet referee who waited until eleven minutes before kick-off on New Year’s Day before calling the game against Charlton Athletic off.

We have played Bristol Rovers fourteen times previously, seven in the league, four in the FA Cup (losing replays to them twice), twice in the league cup, both wins at home, including the first win for the club under Kevin Betsy two seasons ago, and we beat them in the first of the knockout stages in the Bristol Streets Motors Trophy, with to me what should have been our goal of the season last season from Harry Forster. In the league we only have one win against them, along with two draws and four losses.

They have Isaac Hutchinson, who was on loan with us back in 2022, in their squad and for some reason usually plays out of his skin when up against us.

Having had to dig to find any old football card for Bristol Rovers, eventually finding an A&BC from the 1964–65 season, I’ve moved forward and used the 1991-92 Proset and had six to choose from, but went for Devon White, a big old unit I remember from the time, and despite the fact he is now in his sixties, one I’m quite glad isn’t playing today given our issues with defending set pieces.

Going into the game we sit twenty-second in the league, with nine games left. We are twelve points from safety, the team occupying that holy grail of twentieth place being today’s opponents, who themselves were on the wrong end of a five-goal salvo last weekend. A decent win today would not only close that points gap but also help massively to close that additional point our terrible goal difference makes.

Pre-game this morning sees the second meeting of a now Sam Jordan-less Devils Advocates group. Having heard the agenda, it sounds quite busy, especially to cram into an hour and a half. I think the only things not being covered this morning were third world hunger and the potential shortage of Donald Trump’s spray tan.

It’s funny how much an appointment the fans clambered for happening makes a difference to the atmosphere. There is a real buzz in and around the ground. There are lots of fans inside and around the pitch before I get in.

I spoke to Grant before the game and he is doing his fan cam shots pregame, but he is actually going to be sat in the stands today for the first time in ages, well, since his shot of Charlie Barker took off and got him pitch side access and in the papers. He has kindly given me the use of some of his photos from today taken whilst (mainly) sat behind me. If you aren’t already, then you need to be following his Mansfield Media page on Facebook.

The banner is back.

Bristol Rovers have the blue and white quartered shirts, at least on the front, the back, their shorts, and socks are all blue. We are in our usual all red home kit.

It is a bit of a cagey start from two teams not in the best of form. It is mostly back and forth in the middle of the park, and it takes nine minutes before there is a shot in anger, which comes from Rovers and is over the bar from outside the box.

Which seems to inject some life into us, we attack down the right, Charlie Barker plays it to Armando Junior Quitirna, and then on to Kamari Doyle who’s cross along the floor of the box eludes Rushian Hepburn-Murphy and gets cleared. Then there is a break into the box, a nice one-two between AJQ and Louie Watson and AJQ is shoved over from behind. No penalty is the decision, and although it is a different ref from the one in the away game, it is the same level of not giving us a penalty. (As a side note, there was moaning on the forums about how we are worst in the league at winning penalties. As if that is our fault. It’s not, it’s the shocking standard of refereeing.)

But we aren’t overly perturbed, again there is a ball out from the back down the right, RHM slips his man on halfway brilliantly and he races forward, and cuts inside and goes across the field before feeding Doyle on the left, and he goes into the box and shoots and it is in and we lead 1-0.

Almost straight away we are down the right again, Barker to Watson to AJQ, and he is in on goal and shapes to shoot. Not sure if it was a poor shot, or an intended cross, but it finds Doyle on the left of the box again, only his shot hits the side netting, from what looked to be an easier chance than the one he scored.

In the middle of the park Watson dances his way through tackles in midfield, pirouetting like a ballerina before he feeds it through to AJQ, who goes into the box, and his shot takes a deflection which wrong foots the keeper, but it is saved. On a side note, it does seem unfair that Rovers have two people in goal, even if they are only those annoying Irish failed pop stars JedWard.

There are two fouls on our players at the same time in different parts of the field, but they are ignored, and Rovers play on and get in the box, but we clear it. This wakes TAFKAL up for his first contribution of the afternoon with the Lino on the receiving end. Josh Flint, in his first start back from injury, gives the ball away in our own half and Rovers are through on goal, but their shot is wide.

Barker picks up a booking in midfield for breaking up a break. A deserved booking, but it doesn’t work both ways. A Rovers player goes straight through AJQ after the ball is gone, there is a free kick but no booking. Then RHM is bundled over near the box as the last man, again a free kick, but no booking. The free kick is in a good position, but it comes into the box and is easily caught by the keeper.

We break down the left, RHM cuts into the box and shoots and his shot is well saved, it falls to the right of the box and Watson picks it up, he plays it to AJQ, and he lays it back to Liam Fraser whose shot is on target but lacks pace and is easily saved. There is a bizarre yellow card for a Rovers defender who picks up a booking for trying to take a free kick early and deliberately playing it against one of our players. Perhaps I’m surprised it isn’t us picking up the yellow card for preventing the kick being taken.

There is one added minute, and the free kick goes long and falls into the box and a Rovers shot is saved by emergency loan keeper Timothée Lo-Tutala. And then the half time whistle goes with us on the attack again and we go into the break with a 1-0 lead.

The second half starts nearly as slowly as the first half did. There are some bemusing refereeing decisions against both sides. An attack down the right sees AJQ and RHM and it is crossed but it eludes Doyle in the middle. There is more pressure, a Doyle shot from the edge of the area is blocked up and out for a corner. It is half cleared and AJQ shoots from the edge of the area and his shot is saved.

We make a couple of substitutions with Watson and Jeremy Kelly coming off to be replaced by Panutche Camara and Harry Forster. And almost immediately Forster is in action down the left and his cross finds AJQ, but the ball is smuggled away for a throw. We win a free kick on the edge of the area on the right, but the cross is too deep and goes out for a throw.

Forster and Doyle are linking up well, one cross gets cleared, and then Forster feeds Doyle, his cross goes through the six-yard box to AJQ who slots it in, but the offside flag is up against Doyle in the build up and it is ruled out.

A Rovers free kick in midfield is played long into the box and it is cleared for a corner. The ref is talking to the players before the kick is taken, and when the corner comes in the ref blows for a free kick for us.

It is time for more subs. RHM, AJQ, and Bradley Ibrahim are going off and being replaced by Tyreese John-Jules, Will Swan, and Max Anderson. And Rovers have made all their subs as well. One of the Rovers subs has the first name of Lino (it may be pronounced differently), so it is a difficulty for TAFKAL, as it is mixed messages shouting ‘get involved Lino’ now.

It is a bit disjointed now. The energy and verve of the first half seems to have dissipated, back to one of those old bromine in the tea half times we were used to last season. The Rovers number 24 is spending a lot of time diving trying to win free kicks and penalties. In fact more of the play is coming from Rovers now. They get a somewhat dubious free kick on the right-hand edge of the box, it is headed clear, put back in, headed clear, put back in as well, and TLT collects.

At the other end we are not getting any decisions in the attacking half going our way now. TLT picks up a booking for timewasting, another joke of a decision. I fluke managing to see the unannounced crowd on the scoreboard, and I think from the bottom of the numbers I saw it was 4,427, no idea how many away fans that included.

Forster and Doyle do keep trying to plug away down the left wing, getting crosses in but they are getting cleared. Meanwhile TAFKAL has adapted his usual shout of ‘get a move on xxx’ at the opposing full back. instead he is now shouting ‘take your time Hunt’.

Ball one goes over the Eden Utilities Stand as we block an attempted clearance in the corner. Liam Fraser picks up the sponsor’s man of the match, and the board goes up for seven added minutes. It is amazing how much more added time there is when Crawley are leading a game.

It is a nervy seven minutes. There is a free kick to Rovers thirty yards out dead centre, but they play it short and wide and cross it in and we head it clear. It seems a lot longer than seven minutes before the final whistle goes and we have won 1-0.

There is the old Scott Lindsey fist pump celebration post-game. It is a win, and the first half was good, but the second half wasn’t. The substitutions seemed to deflate us, although it is worth pointing out we did hold on for a change, but they were timed poorly, and were exactly the same kind of substitutions Rob Elliot had been getting dogs abuse for all season.

The win means we are now nine points from safety, having caught up three on today’s opponents and Northampton Town. Next up is another trip up to Yorkshire for an away game, this time it is Rotherham United. Let’s hope the new manager bounce can continue and that those above us can keep on failing to win.

Let’s see what this week brings, I’m sure it can’t be as crazy as last week. But who knows.

Come on you reds.

This is a day late and if I’m honest several dollars short. It’s been a hectic weekend, and I didn’t take my laptop with me. We were at the O2 Friday night to see Kasabian, who were supported by The Streets (which is where this early noughties title comes from – if we had lost, I was going to call it Club Foot after a Kasabian track). After staying near Heathrow, we drove to Bristol, parked up, went to the game, and then headed to Taunton to stay with Helen’s sister last night, getting a very nice Saturday night curry in whilst there. And then the drive back from there to Crawley this afternoon. I’m also distracted typing up all the random snippets of notes from the game because it’s after six pm on a Sunday night in autumn, and so NFL RedZone is on.

Since the entertaining 2-2 draw last Saturday against Huddersfield Town, we had what turned out to be out final game in this year’s Bristol Street Motors Trophy. It was our second away trip of the season to Wycombe Wanderers this season. A Tuesday night fixture at a stupid 7pm kick off time and in an unloved competition saw about fifty Crawley fans make the trip. As it was on FSS+, it was a watch it at home sat on the sofa game for me.

The excitement’s of Saturday’s game continued into this one. Probably a little bit too much for some. We gave away an early goal following a poor pass out from the back by Joy Mukena, straight to a Wycombe player who powered into the box and put it into the corner of the net. We equalised ten minutes later as Tola Showunmi followed in and scored after a Jack Roles shot was saved and spilled. There were other chances. Jeremy Kelly hit a first-time effort too close to the keeper after pressure had panicked the keeper to play a poor clearance straight to Kelly. The Roles corner following it had the keeper in all sorts of trouble, and he only just tipped it wide to prevent it going straight in. Another Roles shot took a deflection on the edge of the area and went just past the post. But against the run of play we gave away a free kick right on the edge of the area, which didn’t look like a free kick to me. But it was executed well and went straight in, and we trailed again. And we couldn’t quite get good enough chances to equalise, let alone claim the win we needed to get through to the knockout stages. It could have been worse, Benjamin Tanimu have away a penalty with a raised arm at a corner. The penalty was pushed onto the post by Connal Trueman to keep the score at 2-1. Our best chance came from Rushian Hepburn-Murphy who after dribbling into the box and beating a couple of players put his attempt to beat the keeper at the near post into the side netting.

Other notes from the game. I don’t think I’ve seen as may foul throws in one game since I used to play for my primary school team. Including two in quick succession from Tanimu (despite showing he was good with his hands later). Roles is like a kid who’s trying too hard. He shows plenty of effort, is always up to get the ball, will chase anything, and is the most likely to try and get a shot off from anywhere on the pitch. But his tackling is usually mistimed (at best). He eventually picked up a booking on totting up numerous fouls, and quite possibly because the ref was sick of him consistently overreacting / over acting / constantly chirping in his ear at every decision. Bradly Ibrahim on the other hand is a much more cultured footballer but seems to get the red mist and play from the school of ‘if you can’t get the ball, get the man’ my dad would advocate when I was a kid, much as Jay Williams seems to be. He was a late sub and got stuck in. There were two late, nasty challenges. He got away with the first as we’d already got a free kick and therefore the ball was dead. The second should have been a yellow card. At the final whistle it would appear he took umbrage at not getting booked and got one for starting a post-game melee at the supposed hand shaking phase. He needs to cut that shit out.

Today’s game is against Bristol Rovers, who start the game five points and five places above us in the league.

I really had to dig to find any old football card for Bristol Rovers, they are rarely in the top two divisions, but A&BC did included a couple of their players for the 1964-65 season, despite them being in Division 3 at the time.

We have played Bristol Rovers thirteen times previously, six in the league, four in the FA Cup (losing replays to them twice), twice in the league cup, both wins at home, including the first win for the club under Kevin Betsy two seasons ago, and we beat them in the first of the knockout stages in the Bristol Streets Motors Trophy, with to me what should have been our goal of the season last season from Harry Forster. In the league we only have one win against them, along with a draw and four losses. And away we have never beat them, two draws in our first two games there, and four losses since.

The run to Bristol was easy enough and we got a parking spot only a short walk away from the ground and being early as usual ventured into their club shop. Which again shows just what we are failing to do at shop level. I managed to satisfy obsessions with maps and fridge magnets in one purchase with one of the ground on a map of the locality in Bristol.

They don’t have a matchday programme anymore (not physical one anyway), but they do have a monthly magazine as we do now. It is very similarly put together as well. Their editor might need some help with proof reading, as they mention all our previous games, but seem to have forgotten about that League Cup one in August 2022. The staff in the shop also suggested looking at it when I asked about a programme. Something our own shop staff pointedly refused to do when the Huddersfield fans were asking after programmes the week before.

Bristol Rovers play at the Memorial ground, which they used to share with the rugby club after years playing over in Bath. The rugby club have moved on to a decent stadium. With it being a rugby stadium before and it’s a football stadium now, neither of which explain why they appear to have a cricket pavilion for one of their stands.

Crawley Town away fans stickers were on the water heater in the toilets well before the start of the game.

Hopefully, the match warm up isn’t an indication of how our shooting is going to be for the game. To say it is a bit wayward is a bit like saying most of the club’s communication isn’t too clear. They are a danger to us away fans sat behind the goal they are aiming for, with at least two taken out by attempted shots.

I know there is a stereotype of football fans being hairy arsed men, but surely advertising combs for those hairy arses is taking things a bit too far.

Bristol Rovers are in their traditional blue and white quartered shirts with blue shorts and blue socks, which means we are in our all-red kit.

We have an early attack down the left and Ronan Darcy’s cross is collected by the keeper. At the other end the ref gives a corner to Rovers, he is the only person in the stadium who thinks it is a corner, it blatantly wasn’t, and both sets of players were bemused that it wasn’t a goal kick. It leads to a spell of Rovers pressure and another corner from the other side which isn’t really dealt with, and former red Isaac Hutchinson’s shot hits the bar before we clear. At least he didn’t score against us this time.

A free kick thirty yards out is wasted as we manage to be offside from it. Rovers attack again down the left, get a cross in, and a header goes just wide. Another left-wing cross is met by another header, and it is tipped onto the bar and out for a corner by the still on emergency loan Connal Trueman.

A left-wing attack from us sees a cross into Will Swan and his shot is blocked, goes out to the right and that cross is cleared. At the other end Max Anderson gives away a free kick on the edge of the area and picks up a booking. It is cleared and Rushian Hepburn-Murphy is fouled on the attack, but nothing is given. Rovers break again and work it into the box and only a great save from Trueman keeps the scores level with a corner incoming, The shot from it only just fails to clear the stand we are sat in. It doesn’t take long for Rovers to get the ball back into our box and the outstretched leg of Trueman deflects the ball just over the bar and onto the top of the net.

The Rovers number 22 stands on RHM’s head, and he gets a talking to from the ref but somehow no booking is forthcoming. We get the ball in their area and RHM’s shot is saved and goes for a throw. Toby Mullarkey passes when it looked like a shot was on, he gets it back and drives into the box and attempts a pass again only for it to go straight out for a goal kick. Trueman gets a talking to from the ref for timewasting, and it’s not even half time yet.

There are two added minutes at the end of the half, and we win a corner from a tight wing attack. That is headed clear for another corner, which is taken a lot deeper and over everyone and is cleared and the half time whistle goes with the score at 0-0. Many will say mainly down to the heroics of Trueman, so much show people were calling it the Trueman Show on social media.

The second half starts, and there is a Trueman clearance. Rovers, obviously knowing what had been frustrating them in the first half, leave a boot in on the closing down and Trueman needs treatment. We don’t even get a free kick for it; let alone the booking it deserved.

We are creating the early pressure. We get crosses into the box from both wings, but both are cleared. Bradley Ibrahim is chopped down twenty-five yards out just off centre for a free kick. RHM curls the shot well high and wide and shows his frustration with his own effort.

Another left-wing attack wins a corner, it is punched clear for a throw, and we are keeping the pressure on. A ball to Anderson in the box sees a coming together and he goes down, and the ref has a long serious look before waving the claims for a penalty away. Rovers counterattack and win a corner.

Rovers finally pick up a booking after another late challenge on RHM. Another attack down the left sees RHM get the ball over to Panutche Camara and his shot is blocked on the edge of the area. Rovers attack and get a shot which manages to clear the stand at the other end of the pitch.

We are doing most of the pressing now. Jeremy Kelly breaks into the box on the right side on the byline and is brought down, and claims for a penalty are waved away again. Charlie Barker picks up a booking for a drag back in the middle of the Rovers half to prevent a breakaway after another promising attack fizzled out. Attacking down the left again and RHM has a shot which goes a yard wide.

On seventy minutes we make out first substitutions, with Swan and Alexander off to be replaced by Tola Showunmi ad Ade Adeyemo. Scott Sinclair, only just on as a sub for Bristol Rovers gets a booking for haranguing the lino over the award of a throw in. RHM has another shot which is wide. It is his last action as he goes off to be replaced by recent signing Tyreece John-Jules.

We have a couple of close shots on target in succession, a Kelly shot is blocked by the keeper, and Showunmi’s follow is pushed round the post for a corner. That is worked back to Kelly only for his shot to be high, wide, and not so handsome. There is a brief pause in the action being down in front of us as Rovers get a corner, but then it is back to us attacking.

A free kick thirty yards out is played quickly into TJJ in the box and his cross is deflected for a corner which is cleared. Kelly is subbed off to be replaced by Jack Roles, and he gets a chance for a shot nearly straight away after being set up by Darcy which goes just over the bar. We work another attack from left to right and Adeyemo has a shot which is saved for a corner. It is played short and then crossed in, but a free kick is given to Rovers. Another ball into the box sees Darcy down and rolling out over the byline, there are muted calls for a penalty from the fans for a penalty, the ref does signal for nothing given, and the Rovers defender has a few choice words whilst standing over Darcy off the pitch.

There are four added minutes.

A ball into the box is flicked goalwards by Showunmi, but there isn’t really any power on it. A Rovers break is ended by a great tackle from Joy Mukena. We attack again and the cross comes in and TJJ is bundled over in the box and penalty claims are waved away. Showunmi is then dragged down in the box and the ref properly bottles it as that one was a stonewall penalty (the other four were all dubious at best) and instead blows the final whistle and the game ends 0-0. And Bradley Ibrahim picks up another post final whistle yellow card, this one for dissent and not starting a melee, as he was arguing about the non-award of the penalty for the foul on Showunmi. Another unnecessary booking.

The crowd is announced as people start to leave, as 7,411 with 264 Crawley fans in attendance making more noise than the home fans.

A point is better than nothing, and after the first half where we could easily have been three down if not for the Trueman show, but with it being 0-0 at half time, we should really have got more than a point from the second half performance and chances, and should have had a penalty if there were a better ref. It was amusing that at one point in the game the Rovers fans were singing, ‘it happened again, it happened again, we’ve got a shit ref, it happened again.’ Can’t disagree with the sentiment, but at the end of the game they were the beneficiaries.

There were lots of chants from a very noisy away support of ‘is this a library?’ Which personally I find a bit presumptuous. What makes us think that their fans can read?

The point doesn’t move us in the table, we stay in twenty-first, now a point behind Leyton Orient and Wigan Athletic, but they have two games in hand on us, and in fact all the teams around us have games in hand. Clean sheets, improved performances, and not losing is better, but we need to be converting some of these draws into wins.

Got back this evening and saw Helen and I made it onto the club’s twitter feed from pictures from the crowd at yesterday’s game.

We have a full week before next Saturday’s home game against Rotherham United, a chance for some quality training time for the manager (something he bemoaned he was missing), and hopefully a chance for some of those players who are struggling through games despite not being fully fit, to get some recovery time in.

Come on you reds.

Many apologies to the Rolling Stones for that headline.

We have a pair of Bristols tonight. A home match against Bristol Rovers in the Bristol Street Motors Trophy. Bristol Rovers are in League One having gotten promotion at the end of the 2021-22 season. We still played them last season beating them in the first round of the Carabao Cup in the first win of Kevin Betsy’s reign. I was speaking to Paul at the weekend after writing and he was regaling me of an FA Cup game before my CTFC supporting days, when a replay got called off in the second half due to the constant torrential downpour.

Not sure what kind of team Rovers are going to put out, as they have a new manger having parted ways with the previous cigar stabbing psychopath, and therefore may be putting a full team out to try out before they have a league game. Or be at the other end of the spectrum and just want out of it as soon as possible. I suppose we’ll know when the shirt numbers are seen, though I doubt they are going to be starting in the mid forties as they did against the Villa kids.

It surprises me that Bristol Street Motors are sponsoring the competition. I heard of them as a kid, but assumed it was a Midlands thing, as I never heard of them in twenty years after leaving Leicester, either up north in Manchester, or down here. But they are suddenly popping up all over the place. TV adverts, radio adverts, national sponsorship, in papers, everywhere, celebrating one hundred years of business, even if it seems the last twenty were spent in hibernation.

Since the last home game victory against Harrogate Town, there has been one away league game against Notts County. The highlight of which for some fans was the pre- and post-match visits to Hooters. It was a disappointing 3-1 defeat which had the latest instalment of comedy defending and goalkeeping, and most of the match stats were in out favour. It was a shame that Notts County saved up all their own comedy defending for their FA Cup second round game on Friday night, as we would have preferred to be the beneficiary of them thank you very much.

Away from keeping an eye on various football scores, I’ve finally gotten round to reading Steve Leake’s second book “Noli Semper Cedere,” which has spent a year sat hidden on a bookshelf under the stairs, and his third book “Tinpot And Proud,” which I’ve had most of the season. Well worth reading for Crawley fans, especially if, like me, you don’t have sixty years’ worth of supporting history.

I’ve also seen the last two thirds of series two of Welcome to Wrexham. As I’ve said before, I hadn’t been interested in watching up, but once on, it is fascinating viewing. I had a mindset of it’s all OTT Hollywood FC, and although there is some acting up to that, there is so much more with what is being done there. They are really in the middle of their community. Some of the numbers are mind boggling. To me one of the most is that they are pretty much at full capacity of nearly eleven thousand for all home matches, so about three times our average home gate. Which may not sound massive, but the town’s population is forty-four thousand, about forty percent of Crawley’s population. If we could get the same percentage, we’d need a twenty-eight thousand capacity ground.

Getting to the ground with a ticket for the north end of the west stand saves at least five minutes from the schlep around the ground to our usual east marquee seats. Al appears to be supervising the section of the ground where there are no fans, so it should be an easy night’s stewarding for him.

I’m not sure if Bristol Rovers’ shirts and socks are light grey or beige, but they are bland.

But bland or not, they start the better of the two teams and have the best of the early exchanges. Crawley are terribly slow playing out from the back and seem to be riding their luck a bit, there are a lot of sharp intakes of breath as we just about manage to get away with clearing the ball a few times.

I wonder if the bland shirts are what is causing a lot of Crawley passes to end up with a Rovers player, they just can’t see the dullness of them as they just blend into the background. But I’m not sure a stray pass to the ref falls into the same category. The officials are dressed as Stabilo Boss yellow highlighter pens and can be seen from space.

It takes Crawley twenty-three minutes to have their first shot. An effort just wide from Harry Forster, but it was good to see some forward motion for a change, instead of the glut of sideways and backwards passes. Ray Wilkins had nothing on this lot. There is another shot soon after, but then up the other end Rovers smash a wayward shot over the Eden Utilities Stand and ball one has gone.

Corey Addai is in good form tonight. He needs to be. He saves a one on one after a wasted free kick and more slow play gifts the ball to a Rovers striker.

The first Crawley corner comes after thirty-five minutes, but nothing comes of it. And just before the one minute of added time is shown, we finally manage to shoot ourselves in the foot. Aaron Henry falls over on the edge of the area and a Rovers striker is on one on one with Addai again, but this time finds the net and we are down 0-1 as we head into half time.

The second half is a different kettle of fish. We are on it. Jack Roles lets a shot fly from about thirty yards, and it is just tipped over for a corner. There is confusion from the corner and Rovers just about manage to hack the ball away. They break and the ball is luckily deflected over the bar for a corner.

After an injury delay following the corner, the gobby Rovers number 11 is subbed off and we head straight up the other end. There is excellent work down the left wing and a couple of decent passes sees the ball end up at Roles’ feet and he smashes the ball in to equalise and make it 1-1.

This properly energises the team. A half decent penalty shout for Rovers is waved away after Addai slides out to collect the ball in the area, but it goes under him, and he collides with a Rovers player. We break and the ball ends up with a chance for Ronan Darcy, but his shot is wide. And then we follow up with another thunderbolt, this time from Henry which goes just over the bar.

Can I believe what I have just seen. Harry Forster gets the ball on the left wing on the halfway line and takes off, he skips past three players as if he is jet boosted, gets to the edge of the penalty area and lets fly with a shot which makes the net bulge, and we lead 2-1. Wow. Just wow. I think that’s the best Crawley goal I’ve seen (but I’m only on my third season).

Our substitutions don’t take anything away from our play, in fact it makes us seem better. There is some really excellent play all over the pitch, and the team seem to be oozing with confidence.

There are seven minutes of added time to survive though. Three minutes in Will Wright hoofs one over our heads and over the west stand to lose ball two of the evening. And then Forster is away again down the left-wing racing towards goal only to be cynically hacked down by a Rovers defender who gets a straight red for his troubles. Only for Forster to get a yellow for diving in the box a minute later.

The full-time whistle goes in the ninth added minute and we have won and are through to the last sixteen of the trophy. The draw for the next round is on Friday evening at half six.

The crowd was announced as being 896, with there being 116 away fans huddled together in the seats in the corner of the east marquee. The sponsors man of the match was named as Jack Roles (so the title to this piece could have been Jumping Jack Flash after all), he had a decent enough performance, but I’d have given it to Harry Forster (as the title might suggest).

It is back to league action on Saturday with an away trip to Colchester United who are struggling just above the relegation places, eight places and seven points behind us.

Before that the Crawley Town FC exhibition starts at Crawley Museum on Thursday. The museum is always worth a visit but has even more reasons to go there for the next couple of months.

Come on you reds.

We’re playing the gas, gas, gas. Well, that’s their nickname anyway. It’s a nice late summer’s evening and we are up to play in the Carabao Cup against Bristol Rovers. And after the way we’ve started the season so far, getting some dodgy far eastern energy drinks down us couldn’t possibly make things worse (perhaps they would give us some gas too).

This time last season, Bristol Rovers were in the same division as us, and they did the double over us, 1-0 at their place, and 2-1 against us at home in a rearranged fixture cancelled due to Covid over the Christmas holiday period. But on the plus side, no one got a cigar stubbed out in their eye. They secured their promotion very late on the last day of the season where a highly unlikely 7-0 win against already relegated Scunthorpe saw them sneak into the last of the automatic promotion slots on goal difference.

They lost their season opener against also promoted Forest Green Rovers but came back to win their last game 4-0. Away. So, after our two opening defeats with only a single shot on target in 180 minutes, things are looking promising for this cup tie. We go into the game as the strongest team in the Football League. As we are rock bottom of the table and holding all the others up.

We amble along to the ground passing kitted out fans outside the Downsman and joining a steady flow of fans heading to the ground. We’re there on time, and I get a programme, a little skinny effort, and no league table, so not appearing on the truncated table isn’t an issue. Al was walking around outside having missed the previous game, he was going to be ‘working’ on the Eden Utilities Stand.

Bristol Rovers were in a black kit with green trim, which meant they blended in perfectly against the west stand. At least the same can’t be said about the officials, who have come dressed by Boss. Just not Hugo, more Stabilo yellow highlighters. The sun is low and bright and there is a lot of squinting required before it disappears behind trees.

Crawley have some early pressure, winning a couple of early corners, and even get a shot away. The crowd, although obviously smaller than Saturday seems more up for it, and the drummer is getting involved early doors as well. There is a good flow to the game.

Twenty-one minutes in and the first ball of the season disappears out of the ground. A Bristol Rovers clearance goes out right alongside the west stand. The away team coach may well have a dent in it.

Just after that Bristol Rovers get a two on one breakaway but Francillette managed to get one of his great long Bambi-esque legs in to poke the ball out for a corner.

Then at the other end we put pressure on their keeper, who makes a poor clearance straight to Tom Nichols on the edge of the area, but he almost returns the favour with his shot being straight at the keeper. At least it is a shot on target.

The game is flowing well. We are a lot better than we were on Saturday. I wonder if it is only a coincidence that eight of the ten outfield starters today were regulars from last season. And we are still a bit hairy at the back when trying to play it out. Inviting pressure on and none of them look really comfortable doing it yet.

In three minutes of added time, we get a corner, it comes out to Francomb who plays it back in, and a headed touch on by Francillette goes just wide of the post. 0-0 at half time, but a much better performance.

The same can’t be said of the DJ at half time. Same songs, same order. And the same two-minute difference between the away team and Crawley coming back out from the half time break.

The second half has barely started, and Bristol Rovers have the ball in the net. But it was a blatant trip on Addai as the back line fannyed around with the ball again. It does seem at times that it is more luck than judgement that we don’t concede whilst doing this.

A few minutes later and ball two goes out, a wayward shot from Bristol Rovers flies over the top of the KRL Logistics stand, and not content with wanting to dent the team coach in the first half, they are now aiming for their supporters’ coach.

Just after the hour mark Bristol Rovers have the ball in the net again. And thankfully, yet again, this doesn’t count. Offside this time, and by a fair distance. The cries of ‘you’re shit, aaahhhhh!!!’ are going great guns in the second half, so much so Bristol Rovers join Crawley in playing goal kicks short in the area to reduce the instances.

Halfway through the second half and we break away, Nadesan is in the box and erm… not quite sure, it wasn’t really a shot, nor was it a pass to another player. It just ended up rolling out for a throw next to the corner flag.

But five minutes later a through ball to Nichols sees him in on the keeper. His first effort is saved, but it comes back to him, and he slots it into the empty net. It is our first goal of the season and Crawley lead 1-0.

This lifts the team even more and a few minutes later we are in on goal again. Oteh comes in from the left and has a shot which hits the post and goes out to the right. It is retrieved and put back over to Powell in the middle of the D of the penalty area, but his effort goes over the bar.

Bristol Rovers create a couple of chances, but Crawley keep playing well, and create another chance which falls to Balagizi in an identical place to the earlier Powell effort. This one misses as well, but by more and it becomes ball three out of the ground, over the Eden Utilities Stand.

The crowd is announced as 1,816 with 241 away fans, and the man of the match as chosen by the owners WAGMI is Tom Nichols.

Four minutes of injury time are shown on the board, and most of them are spent in the corners of the pitch holding the ball up and running out time, and the final whistle goes, and Crawley have won and will progress into the second round for the first time since 2019, and only the fourth time ever.

The draw is being held tonight live after the Sheffield Wednesday v Sunderland tie.

Anyway, let’s hope we can turn this kind of performance into a more permanent thing and get some league points on Saturday away at Harrogate.