retired_manpk1

194. Jaguar Arena, Coventry (Attendance: 29015)
7 January 2006 – English FA Cup, Third Round: Coventry vs Bolton

FA Cup Third Round weekend is always an exciting time, and this week should prove no different. Coventry may be struggling in the Championship, but they will still be hopeful of getting a result against a Bolton side who are stuck in mid-table of the Premiership.

Bolton rested a few of their stars, but they still had a decent side out, and created a number of chances for themselves; mostly on the break. Coventry probably had the lions share of the possession in the first half, but their build-up play was a little laboured at time, and when required, Bolton did what they had to at the back.

It was an exciting cup-tie that just lacked a goal, and as the game wore on the prospect of one looked increasingly less likely. Coventry waned in the second half, and Bolton had enough chances to nick a win with their swift counter-attacking.

But there were no goals this afternoon, and the two sides will have another go in a week and a half.

Games watched: 194
Total mileage: 56798
Total number of goals witnessed: 581 [+52] (2.99 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 44 (0.23 per game)

retired_manpk1

195. Marston Stadium, Hinckley (Attendance: 320)
10 January 2006 – English Conference North: Hinckley vs Gateshead

Hinckley are having a very good season, and they seem set on a playoff place come the end of the season. Gateshead are also faring well in their first season back up, and they know that a late surge might see them sneak into the top-five.

It wasn’t a great start to the game, but sixteen minutes in a neat free kick move from Hinckley culminated with Stuart Storer firing the home side ahead. Another free kick eight minutes later saw Nick Gray head home his 5th goal of the season, and Hinckley were in control.

Gateshead though didn’t lie down, and for most of the rest of the first half they pushed forward in search of pulling a goal back. Hinckley though did well to keep them out, and just before half time they broke to score a killer third through Chris O’Grady.

The second half was a closer affair in terms of chances created, but there didn’t really seem to be much in way of real goalscoring opportunities. In fact, there were no further goals, and Hinckley tightened their grasp on their playoff berth.

Games watched: 195
Total mileage: 56884
Total number of goals witnessed: 584 [+52] (2.99 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 44 (0.23 per game)

retired_manpk1

196. The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham (Attendance: 3024)
11 January 2006 – English League Two: Wrexham vs Stevenage

This is a very important match in the context of the relegation battle from the Football League. Wrexham are only one place above the current drop-zone, and Stevenage, last season’s Conference Champions, are only six places above.

Wrexham created a few early chances that never really looked like hitting the back of the net, but on 16 minutes Stevenage broke swiftly, and took the lead through Jon Nurse. Stevenage had a few more goes after that, but soon the North-Wales side came back at their visitors, and on the half hour Gary Cahill equalised with a header.

There was some good endeavour from both sides, but both lacked much in the finishing department, and it showed as chances went begging at both ends. Twenty minutes from time though Anthony Elding hit his 50th goal for Stevenage to earn the visitors a crucial three points in their bid to retain their League status.

Games watched: 196
Total mileage: 57162
Total number of goals witnessed: 587 [+52] (2.99 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 44 (0.22 per game)

retired_manpk1

197. Stark’s Park, Kirkcaldy (Attendance: 9291)
14 January 2006 – Scottish Cup, Third Round: Raith Rovers vs Hearts

Raith are having a good season in the First Division, and will feel that they have a good chance of promotion. They will be hopeful of causing Hearts some problems today, but the visitors are currently in second place in the SPL, and they should be too strong for Rovers.

Raith looked determined early on, but Hearts were content to take what was thrown at them and push forward on the break. The visitors had already had a few decent chances by the time Graham Weir notched up his tenth goal of the season to give the Edinburgh side the lead after twelve minutes.

Raith did have the ball in the back of the net five minutes later only for the effort to be ruled out for a dodgy offside, but apart from them, they struggled to get past a very organised Hearts defence. Ten minutes before the break Hearts got a second as a cracking shot from Robert Sloan flew in, and the SPL side seemed to be heading through.

Raith did try their hardest in the second half, but their inferior quality was clear to all, and it was no surprise that Hearts dealt with everything very comfortably. Hearts couldn’t be bothered about getting a third, and they eased through to round four by two goals to nil.

Games watched: 197
Total mileage: 57948
Total number of goals witnessed: 589 [+52] (2.99 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 44 (0.22 per game)

retired_Pantora

are you leaving the best till last with Luton

retired_manpk1

Almost mallen102000 - but not quite the very last


198. St. George’s Lane, Worcester (Attendance: 640)
18 January 2006 – English Conference South: Worcester vs Dorchester

Both Worcester and Dorchester are in mid-table, but it’s far from safe for either side as the bottom of the division is very congested. The result here today could be very important to helping the winners stay up.

The first half wasn’t a great spectacle, but Worcester did create a number of chances that they missed in the opening half hour. Dorchester were doing next to nothing in an attacking sense, and on the half hour Worcester took the lead through Chris Giles.

It was only in the penultimate minute of the first half that Dorchester had their first chance of the game, but even that went wide.

Worcester were fantastic in the second half, and they absolutely laid siege to the Dorchester goal. They twice hit the woodwork inside the first seven minutes of the second half, and were also denied by some fantastic goalkeeping from the Dorchester stopper.

But despite all their chances, failure to score a second always meant that Dorchester might still nick a point, and they tried to prove that on the odd moment during the second period that they could get forward themselves. Worcester though breathed a sigh of relief every time they missed a chance, and then proceeded to push forward once more.

The second goal though just didn’t come, but it didn’t matter in the end as all three points went the way of the home side come the final whistle.

Games watched: 198
Total mileage: 58172
Total number of goals witnessed: 590 [+52] (2.98 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 44 (0.22 per game)

retired_manpk1

199. Walkers Stadium, Leicester (Attendance: 31370)
21 January 2006 – English FA Cup, Fourth Round: Leicester vs Tottenham

Leicester are pushing for an automatic promotion spot from the Championship, but they have to put that out of their mind today as they look to take advantage of Spurs’ indifferent form and make the Fifth Round.

Leicester battled well in the early part of the game without creating too much, and Spurs looked more likely to score as they used their pace to counterattack well. The Foxes though defended well for the most part, but just before half time Jermain Defoe got in to put the Londoners ahead.

Within the first minute of the second half it got worse for the home side as Robbie Keane wrapped up a lovely move to double Spurs’ lead. Leicester battled well, but Spurs were clearly the better side technically, and the home side really weren’t capable of breaking them down.

It wasn’t a pretty second period, and Spurs saw the game out to full time to wrap up victory and progressed through to the Fifth Round.

Games watched: 199
Total mileage: 58350
Total number of goals witnessed: 592 [+52] (2.97 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 44 (0.22 per game)