retired_manpk1

23. The Falkirk Stadium, Falkirk (Attendance: 1837)
14 September 2004 – Scottish League Challenge Cup, Third Round: Falkirk vs St. Mirren

Officially this was the Third Round of this rather meaningless competition, but why don’t they call it the Quarter Final – that’s what it is at the end of the day? I suppose it’s the same as the Sixth Round of the FA Cup – but two wrongs don’t make a right!

Falkirk got off to an excellent start, with Davie Nicholls firing in a 30-yard free kick after just seven minutes. St. Mirren were disappointing in the early exchanges, and Andy Thomson’s second on 20 minutes was no less than Falkirk deserved. But cup-ties can change in a flash, and on the half hour St. Mirren were handed a lifeline when Falkirk conceded a penalty. David Martin stepped up to take it, but the goalkeeper got down to parry his shot, and a defender whacked the ball out for a corner.

The miss seemed to be even more costly when Paul Tosh made it 3-0 with ten minutes still to play before half time, and that was the score at the break. But football is one of those strange sports, and within ten minutes of the restart Brian McGinty had scored twice to reduce the deficit for St. Mirren down to one.

But all that hard work was undone just six minutes later when Tosh scored Falkirk’s fourth. St. Mirren though were showing a lot more heart, and pulled another goal back with still sixteen minutes to play through Simon Lappin. Both sides could have scored a few more by the end of the game, but seven goals was as it finished, with Falkirk clinging on to make the semi finals.

Games watched: 23
Total mileage: 8403
Total number of goals witnessed: 68 [+19] (2.96 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 7 (0.30 per game)

retired_manpk1

24. Stamford Bridge, London (Attendance: 27239)
15 September 2004 – European Champions Cup, Group Stage: Chelsea vs Rangers

Not surprisingly, this match was billed as the “Battle of Britain,” but neither side had won their divisions last season, and it seemed to me that the media were over-egging the match too much. Perhaps that’s why the crowd was well below what would have been expected for an opening Champions League game.

To say that Rangers were poor would be a major understatement. Yes, Chelsea have bags of money, but every game is still just eleven versus eleven, and I would have expected Rangers to make a better fist of the tie.

And it’s not as if Chelsea played all that well either. They did what they had to; prodding at the Rangers defence until they found a way through. Frank Lampard did shine from midfield, and he scored both goals. The first came midway through the first half when Kezman centred the ball for Lampard to pummel the ball into the back of the net. The second came from the penalty spot just before half time.

Dado Prso did hit the post for Rangers in the second half, but that apart from that, the game was a disappointment, and Chelsea eased to three points.

Games watched: 24
Total mileage: 8435
Total number of goals witnessed: 70 [+19] (2.92 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 7 (0.29 per game)

retired_manpk1

25. The Den, London (Attendance: 19722)
16 September 2004 – UEFA Cup, First Round, First Leg: Millwall vs Djurgården (Sweden)

When Millwall beat Sunderland in last season’s FA Cup semi-final, they knew that they would be embarking on their first-ever European adventure. The draw could have been kinder for them though; Djurgården are a decent side, and the Swedes should provide The Lions with a few problems.

As if to prove my point, Djurgården started well, and with twelve minutes gone Peter Lundgren rose to head home a corner and silence the partisan Millwall crowd. It wasn’t a pretty match by any stretch of the imagination, and for long periods, Millwall looked out of their depths at this level.

To make matters worse, midfielder Jody Morris was sent off after 64 minutes, and Millwall were looking like going out at the first hurdle. But on came the exciting Kevin Braniff, and twelve minutes after coming on, the striker received a quickly-taken free kick and proceeded to knock the ball into the back of the net to level up the scores.

Braniff looked lively in the final stages of the game, but Djurgården used their numerical advantage well to close the game out and take a useful 1-1 draw back to Sweden with them. Millwall will have to score to have any chance of making it through to the group stages, and they’ll also have to play much better than they did tonight.

Games watched: 25
Total mileage: 8467
Total number of goals witnessed: 72 [+19] (2.88 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 8 (0.32 per game)

retired_manpk1

26. Horsfall Stadium, Bradford (Attendance: 341)
18 September 2004 – English Conference North: Bradford Park Avenue vs Vauxhall Motors

Both sides were struggling in the early part of the season, and this game was already being seen as a crucial one for both sides as they bid to maintain their position in the Conference North.

The first half wasn’t a great spectacle, although Park Avenue did show the better form from the little action that there was. They took the lead after 15 minutes as Danny Smart followed up to pounce on a loose ball following a free kick.

Things were much improved in the second period, although it was still Park Avenue who dominated. Just after the hour Smart doubled his personal tally, and the lead for the home side, but with thirteen minutes to go they conceded a seemingly harsh penalty. Anthony Wright just about scored it, and Vauxhall were back in the game.

All that hard work though was immediately undone with the sending off of Mike Tomlinson, and Craig Smith powered in a header for Park Avenue to wrap up a well-deserved win.

Games watched: 26
Total mileage: 8655
Total number of goals witnessed: 76 [+19] (2.92 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 9 (0.35 per game)

retired_manpk1

27. Celtic Park, Glasgow (Attendance: 60789)
19 September 2004 – Scottish Premier League: Celtic vs Rangers

Scottish football is often derided for it’s relatively poor quality, but nowhere in the world can the intensity of the Old Firm derby be matched. Not in Manchester, Liverpool, North London, Milan, Madrid does the rivalry between the two main clubs in the area mean so much. Not even the Real Madrid-Barcelona games generate as much intensity. This was a fixture that I vowed not to miss.

Unfortunately, the two sides are really not that well matched – and haven’t been for a few years now. Rangers just don’t seem to have the edge over Celtic, and with seven minutes gone John Hartson beat the Rangers offside trap to notch up his 50th league goal for Celtic. Rangers were struggling to get any sort of grip on the match, and midway through the first half Chris Sutton doubled the Celtic lead.

For a few minutes at the start of second half Rangers showed signs that they just might get back into the game, but twelve minutes in Celtic broke swiftly, and Chris Sutton scored a third to put the result beyond doubt. Hartson added a fourth on 81 as Celtic kept up their 100% record at the start of the SPL season. Rangers fans saw their side end the day in 6th place.

Games watched: 27
Total mileage: 9238
Total number of goals witnessed: 80 [+19] (2.96 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 9 (0.33 per game)

retired_manpk1

28. Vale Park, Stoke-on-Trent (Attendance: 14334)
21 September 2004 – English League Cup, Second Round: Port Vale vs Everton

We’re back at League Cup action, and this is where the Premiership clubs come in – except for those involved in European competition. Today, I decided to visit League One side Port Vale, who I felt would have a decent chance of getting a good result against Everton.

One thing Port Vale would have been told before they came out was not to concede an early goal, so quite why James McFadden was given so much room to put The Toffees ahead after just three minutes, I do not know. It got worse for Vale after ten minutes when Steve Watson powered in a header from a corner, and Gary Naysmith made it 3-0 on 21.

Everton seemed quite content to sit back on their sizeable lead, and they kept Vale at arm’s length for large periods of the match. It was only in the last 15-20 minutes that Vale realised that they had to attack to have any hope of getting back into the match, but they just didn’t have the quality to break down the Everton defence, and the Merseysiders progressed with ease.

Games watched: 28
Total mileage: 9379
Total number of goals witnessed: 83 [+19] (2.96 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 9 (0.32 per game)

retired_manpk1

29. The Circle, Hull (Attendance: 21978)
22 September 2004 – English League Cup, Second Round: Hull vs Tottenham

I hoped for a better, tighter game today in the televised tie of the round but I did fear for Hull as Tottenham have some very decent attacking players.

It would seem that Hull hadn’t seen the Port Vale game the previous day, as they committed the exact same sin – conceding two early goals. Frédéric Kanouté scored a lovely chip after just two minutes, and left-winger Johnnie Jackson doubled the lead twelve minutes later.

The Tigers though didn’t crumble though, and within seven minutes they had a goal back; Leon Cort powering home a header from a corner. Spurs were still creating the better chances, but Hull held on and it was still only 2-1 at the break.

The second half continued in similar fashion, but Hull held firm at the back and tried to counter effectively. It was another corner kick that led to their equaliser on 63. Again it was defender Leon Cort who got on the scoresheet – but this time he cracked the ball in from outside the box.

Things were to take an ever bigger twist when Andy Dawson powered home a 25-yard free kick to put Hull into the lead, but England defender Ledley King equalised for Spurs with six minutes left, firing in from outside the box after a long corner.

Hull, somewhat surprisingly, looked the more likely to score in extra time, but there were no further goals and the tie went to a penalty shootout. The first seven were all expertly converted, but then Paul Robinson easily kept out Joseph’s weak effort. Simon Davies confidently converted the next penalty as Spurs squeezed through 5-3 in the shootout.

Games watched: 29
Total mileage: 9672
Total number of goals witnessed: 89 [+27] (3.07 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 9 (0.31 per game)

retired_manpk1

30. The Stadium, Upminster (Attendance: 1395)
25 September 2004 – English Conference South: Hornchurch vs Grays

Hornchurch have the reputation of being the “Chelsea of non-league football” due to their wealthy backer. As a result, fans will be expecting the side to at least push for promotion to the Conference National. They’ve made a good start as well, going into today’s match in second place.

There was some good football on view in the first half, with Horchurch having the greater number of chances – but finding the target less often than Grays.

Things were much the same after the break, and the incessant pressure from the home side finally told when Kirk Jackson somehow squeezed the ball into the net. A minute later it got worse for Grays when Ricky DeFreitas pulled down a Hornchurch player in the box. He was sent off, and Danny Shipp blasted home the penalty.

It was very easy for Hornchurch after that as Grays just couldn’t get back into the game. Results elsewhere were also good news for the home side; they now topped the division.

Games watched: 30
Total mileage: 9700
Total number of goals witnessed: 91 [+27] (3.03 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 10 (0.33 per game)

retired_manpk1

31. Priestfield, Gillingham (Attendance: 11561)
26 September 2004 – English Championship: Gillingham vs Watford

I think even the most die-hard Gillingham fans would have been surprised to see their side right up there at the top of the Championship, even if it is still very early on in the season. Watford are moving along comfortably in mid-table, and that’s probably where they’ll finish the season.

There wasn’t much action early on, and it required Ian Cox’s powerful header from a corner to liven things up. Five minutes later Chris Hope blasted in through a crowded box to double the lead for the Gills, and it was all one-way traffic as the Hornets struggled to hold on.

Watford did show a few signs of recovering early in the second half, but Gillingham scored a third through Paul Smith’s free kick on 62, and that was effectively it. Watford struggled to make any impression on the Gillingham defence, and the result pushed Gillingham up to second; a fantastic achievement for the club.

Games watched: 31
Total mileage: 9730
Total number of goals witnessed: 94 [+27] (3.03 per game)
Sending offs witnessed: 10 (0.32 per game)

shannon2007

Congratulations on whatever it is you've achieved with your 'from', show off :p