BFC 2-1 Peterborough United, Tuesday 17th February 2026

’Shepherd! DEFEND!’

We live to fight another day. Huddersfield have lost and we’re 8 points from a play-off place, 4 games in hand. Why can’t we just lay down and die, instead of giving false hope for another week? Where would we be if we hadn’t chucked away leads at home to Mansfield (2-0), Wimbledon (2-0) and Northampton (2-1)? And that’s just in the last couple of months. Chuck in losing at home to Port Vale (set adrift on memory bliss) and the worst Rovrum team in years and I’m at a loss to see how we’re still in with a minute chance. And with the kitchen fitter still in the team.

Yes, Conor addresses the defensive sitch by...dropping Roberts for O’Connell. Well, it’s a start. And look! A left footed player at left back. Unfortunately, it’s Gent, who is absolutely awful throughout. Did he really cost 200k? I’ve never seen him have a good game. And then there’s Shepherd. I’m tempted to regurgitate the old line about Odejayi after his winner against Chelsea, ‘he’s finally found his level...it’s the Premiership!’ Cos Shepherd was outstanding against Liverpoo, garbage against everybody else. Tonite, he’s left for dead by a forward before Goodman palms the resultant shot into the path of another Posh player. Nil-one, 21 mins in, and we’re on the rack.

O’Keeffe is also beaten down their left and the ball across is miskicked by their player, who’s lost his marker...the kitchen fitter. Goodman saves a one-on-one, while Posh find the Ponty End from a simple chance 10 yards out. Honestly, P’boro should have been out of sight by half-time.

In reply, we’ve had 2 chances. McGoldrick heads over from 6 yards out. Another inch taller and...actually, having seen it on TV, he should have done better. Great cross by O’Keeffe. And we equalize with a quality finish, as Luca cuts inside to curl one into the far corner. Or b) 2 Posh defenders force Luca inside onto the only foot he has. Appalling defending. Don’t Peterboro have scouts? (Maybe they do: ‘You can just let that Connell bloke have a shot, he never does anything.’)

Second half, the game is open, yet chances are at a premium. Neither side has their creative hat on, and Cleary settles it early with a fabulous right footed finish into the far corner. Otherwise, the only entertainment is seeing how bad O’Keeffe and Connell can be at deadballs. And they excel themselves with one, as they take a short one TOGETHER before the inevitable chip to the first defender. Do we still have that set-piece coach who was given all the glory early doors when the likes of DKD was scoring cheeky goals from corners? Cos our deadballs have been crap for about 3 months (and the rest). The best free kick delivery was by some bloke called ‘Banks’...so he wasn’t allowed to have another go.

Gent was dragged after the hour, for a right back (Watson) before the ‘closers’ were sent on, MdG and the GOAT for Phillips and Banks. And as much as I want MdG to do well, first thing he does is let a ball bounce in front of him and put himself in trouble.

Annoyingly, Leyton Orient concede 3 tonite, so although our goals against column has now equalled the previous most-againsters (Donny), we’ve been overtaken (undertaken?) by the eastenders. Come on Shepherd et al – pull yer fingers out!!!!

Onwards and upwards!

*** Connell. I only had to shout at him a couple of times.
** McGoldrick. Class. (Why’ve I got Pulp’s ‘Help the Aged’ earworming me right now?)
* O’Keeffe. Can’t defend (see the Posh chance 1st half) but gets up the field. I’m hard-pushed to say he set up 2 goals, but I think he had the last touch pre-shot.

Official MOTM: Connell

Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. McGoldrick 2. Connell 3. O’Keeffe

Despatches:
Stu came up from Retford. And what better break from your doctoral studies (as in ‘studying to be a doctor’) than a trip to Oakwell for daughter Isabelle? We treated ourselves to the Main Stand, cosier…and virtually empty. Where is everyone tonite? Well, Jonesy is skiing in America and Molly is not skiing in Wombwell, so there’s 2 ST-holders missing. Diane won’t drive from Newcastle in the dark (bless) while 1,000+ others probably have similar excuses. (‘The ice skating is on.’) At least Nozzer turned out. (Well, he turned out to the pub. Where did he disappear to afterwards?)

I thought the atmosphere, dead as it was, was a bit better than normal. Little Drummer Boy was tubthumping, and 50 or so of the Ponty joined in intermittently. Perhaps this is every game, I just can’t hear them above the East Stand chunter? Well, I said it was dead...

Drink du jour: Bini Chairman Miaow NEPA at Heaven and Ale. Beer of the season (so far).

Away: 512 (9,257).

The Damage:
c.£7 petrol
= c.£7

BFC 3-3 Wimbledon, Saturday 14th February 2026

’14 minutes without a goal. I’m getting bored now.’

I read yesterday that one of Coach Conor’s comments after the match on Satdy was that we ST holders are getting value for our money, what with all the goals going in. ‘ARE YOU NOT ENTERTAINED!!??’ Well, actually, not really. At least not for the last 80 or so minutes, as we chuck away a 2-0 lead in our own inevitable, excruciating, way. Does he have a point though? We are 4th top scorers (with 3 or 4 games in hand on the others – nearly typed ‘otters’ there...tho I bet they’d bag the odd one as well). And only one team has conceded more – Doncaster Rovers, no less (and we’ve 2 games in hand to overtake (undertake?) them.

Yes, it’s thrill a minute. Ride the back 4 rollercoaster! Which one though? Is it ‘Nemesis’ you fancy (any opposing forward)? Or ‘Oblivion’ (where we’re headed)? Or ‘The Big One’ (which defensive error tops the rest)? It’s getting ridiculous now. We’re beyond experimentation, though here’s a thought, Conor: play MdG centre half instead of ANY of the clowns you keep picking. At least he can control a ball, read a game, look up, bring it into space. Admittedly, he’s not perfect either (not dominating enough, but neither are the 2 centre backs he loves picking). You cannot, you simply CANNOT keep picking Shepherd. Or Roberts. Or Shepherd and Roberts. Individually, they are the worst centre halves in the division, collectively they are the worst partnership I have ever seen for the Super Reds. (Admittedly, this is only 46 years, but I have it on good terms that even in division 4 our centre halves weren’t this bad. We had Eric Winstanley and Pat Howard FFS.)

It’s just not funny anymore. And anyone who says ‘well, it’s not Conor’s fault, it’s what he’s been lumbered with’...he’s still picking Shepherd over others, and one (alleged) centre half he brought in – Jake Rooney – was so bad he couldn’t get a game and is now on loan at National League North Boston United (conceding 3 at Scunthorpe on Satdy, though he did score 2 himself). Last time we scored and conceded at will was under Bassett. Long ball, defences stretched, 4 on 4 everytime either side got the ball, Chettle centre half. Seems like halcyon days now, a mere 67 conceded in the league (80 odd scored – we had Hignett). I know he’s now brought another bloke in, O’Connell (not to be mixed up with Brendan, or that crap midfielder Conor persists with). He looks the best centre half we’ve got, so he’s on the bench today. Brilliant.

Back to the plot. We’re 2-0 up against a middling 3rd division side. A harmless looking cross comes in. Roberts GAWPS at it while some pesky forward STANDS MOTIONLESS and still gets in front of Roberts, backpeddling like the clumsy oaf he is. WHY DOES HE GET PICKED? Apart from a month last season he has continually been embarrassed and embarrassing. He should be put out to grass with Shanks’ pony. (And nobody can say I haven’t been consistent in my opinion about him. He is absolute rubbish. Part of the problem – apart from HIM – is that teams don’t simply hoof balls up to the centre forward anymore, so he’s redundant apart from when he’s needed.) Mind, it’s not his fault Coach Conor has him trying to control balls and passing it out. That’s on the coach, not his donkey.

The equalizer is a good old fashioned team effort. Tennai Watson (right back at left back...who’s to blame for THAT!?) backs off and backs off, allowing their attacker to skew a shot across face of goal for the centre forward to head in from 6 yards IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GOAL. Say what you like about how the ball went there, it’s INBETWEEN Shepherd and Roberts, the worst centre back pairing of all-time. The WOAT. The absolute WOAT. We’re not even half an hour in and we’ve relinquished a two goal lead. That’s pretty exceptional, even for us. (We’d gone two up with tap-ins for 38 year old McG and and the young stripling of 33, Bradshaw, making his latest home debut.) Two bits of magic from Cleary before he went AWOL*.

*I realised the other day that whether you have permission or not to go somewhere, they’re both ‘AWOL’ (with/without). Fancy!

Coach Conor rings the changes at half time on the hour, game going nowhere. What it needs is the GOAT bringing on, for Bradshaw. How comes the GOAT can’t get a game? (I can tell you. Cos he doesn’t do anything.) Oh, he gets booked. And he did again, for the 9th time in the league this season. Does he get games out for 10? Hope so! An unnamed Londontyke claims Bland’s yellow is unlucky. What? Unlucky the ref knows the rules? He ran in front of the ball as their guy was taking a free kick. (Bland is now the 4th most ill-disciplined player in the 3rd division – Connell and Shepherd are also in the Top 10) and it doesn’t even take in to account his red card in a cup game.

Phillips is also on, for Cleary. How can Phillips not get a game for a side this average? I’ll be generous and put it down to Coach Conor going all out attack, 2 centre forwards and 2 wingers. (It’ll never catch on.) The changes have an effect too. Wimbledon go 3-2 up, another bit of comical defending from Shepherd. I’ve seen this before this season too (Mansfield home?) The ball is clipped forward and their player knocks it past Shepherd, who is still moving forward as the ball is past him. He is simply unable to turn. At least this time said attacker doesn’t score, instead squaring it for the open goal (as Yoganathan didn’t do the other week when drilling it wide.)

We’re now staring down the barrel at defeat. Fans are heading for the exits. One final gamble. Take Roberts off, put O’Connell on. At least he can carry a ball 20 or 30 yards forward without tripping over. And it works. I think by now we’ve gone to a flat back 2 (O’Connell, Shepherd) and everyone else is up the pitch. O’Keeffe drives in, lays it to McG (I’m still not having any of that ’Didzy’, he’s not my mate) who shoots. The keeper saves, but here he comes...here he comes...loanee Banks follows up to score. That’s one decent signing Conor / the board has made. But do we get him for keeps? (Not if his agent is worth his salt.)
Happy Valentine’s Day! Love you!

Onwards and upwards!

*** McGoldrick. A 38 year old showing others how to run around.
** Banks. Made some great moves, got crosses in, and scored.
* O’Keeffe. As long as he’s not being asked to defend (and he obviously isn’t) he’s not bad. Lots of energy, wants to drive forward.

Official MOTM: McGoldrick

Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. McGoldrick 2. Banks 3. O’Keeffe

Despatches:
I thought POTY Kelly had a quiet game, though he made one lung busting run late on, 40 yards, and STILL had the wherewithawal to lay it off to McG. (Note: I think he was held back by Coach Conor. Someone had to stand next to Connell on the halfway line, with the GOAT benched.)

Keeper Goodman didn’t make any mistakes, while simultaneously not getting anywhere near their goals. I didn’t notice Watson beyond their opener, but (here we go again) right back IS not the same as left back. Who are these managers who think otherwise?

Shepherd this week admitted to being ‘embarrassed’ at being part of a Reds defence conceding so many goals. It didn’t help though, did it? Listen, Jack, no need to be embarrassed. The embarrassment is on the coach. It’s not your fault he picks you. You’re simply not up to the level and no amount of coaching can change that. Fair enough. It baffles the hell out of me that Coach Conor thinks you’re a better addition to the defence than MdG, but I have to think he believes it. His job depends on it. And who’s to argue? I am. We’re about to have the highest number of goals against in the division, and he’s picked you 27 games in 28. It is axiomatic that we will concede goals while Shepherd is one of the centre halves. (And, yes, I’ve learnt a new word this week, while watching the Winter Olympics of all things. I think it was one of that mad pair who commentate on the snowboarding. They’re great.) We’ve conceded 96 goals in Coach Conor’s 48 matches. (Credit to the pair of Twitter accounts I read these 2 facts.) They look and sound right, but I’ve got better things to do than double check. Like breathe. Roberts? We didn’t even get one of his long throws to the opposition.

Connell’s main contribution appeared to be in rivalling O’Keeffe for who could take a worse deadball. You’d think Coach Conor, who COULD deliver a ball, must be tearing his hair out, but no, he keeps going with these 2. If it’s on the right, let Connell take it, and vice versa. There MUST be someone on the pitch who can kick a football from still? Must be. Still, nice catching practice for whoever’s in goal.

Cleary and Bradshaw both disappeared after 10 minutes (though I’m not sure Bradshaw ever appeared). Still, at least the latter knows where the goal is. I know it was only a tap-in, but with a supply, he’ll score. As for Cleary, sets up two but otherwise looked like he needed a break. Give him a week off (at least) and play that ex-Darlo and Boro winger we’ve just signed.

The atmosphere? 2 nil up and all I could hear was the dull thud of a drum. We used to have nobody chanting. Now we have no-one chanting while a drum beats. Progress. (It didn’t last, the little drummer boy going missing between about the 10th and 80th minutes. Where did he go? What did he do?)

That was the worst three-all draw I’ve ever seen.

Drink du jour: Beartown Inception in Spiral City.

Away: 472 (9,640).

The Damage:
c.£7 petrol
= c.£7

BFC 2-2 Northampton Town, Tuesday 3rd February 2026

‘Ee ent eevin bin born yet.’

In the deep midwinter...frosty and forlorn. Well, that’s how I felt tonite, sat in a cold and misty Oakwell and driving through fog and driving snow afterwards up the Pennines. So this evening’s match is sponsored by whatever Gluhwein I’m drinking as I write this, fresh in.

Same old, same old. Tonite was our season in microcosm. Played great going forwards, totally in control, scored goals...and conceded with ease. The search for a goalless draw goes on. When WAS our last one? Cos we ain’t got one this season. This evening it takes us two minutes to concede. Cleary loses it outside of our box, Shepherd is waltzed around (I’m tired of using this adjective when describing a player taking on Pontefract Collieries star export), the keeper palms it pathetically and a player comes from behind O’Keeffe to score. So, it’s only 4 players fault that goal (at least). A proper team effort, one might say.

We then amble around for 15-20 minutes, getting nowhere and the nite looking increasingly long. The atmosphere, or lack thereof, doesn’t help. We’re being taunted by 3 men and their dog in the away end and it’s all so...meh. O’Keeffe has a couple of goes at corners, one chipped to the keeper, one clearing everyone to the back post. The GOAT (replacing Connell in centre mid) hits the same 30 yard pass straight to their player, inconveniently stood inbetween the ball and the player Bland is apparently trying to find. Kelly has had a 20 yard bobbler reach the keeper. It’s not looking good, though Banks has been excellent on the right wing.

We get a free kick, left of the area. Another chance for O’Keeffe to return possession? No! Banks swings it waist-high to the front post where McG continues his fine streak in front of goal by diverting it midair past the keeper. The kind of goal that looked as if it has actually been PRACTICED. Imagine. From then to half-time we run the game. Yoganathan wins the ball on the halfway line and is somehow clean through, and even with his (lack of) pace, he jogs 40 yards and has a free shot. I blame McGoldrick, daring to run alongside Yoga for the tap-in wot never came. Vimal, completely bewildered at having a choice of one-on-one or square it, drags it wide. Poor.

Half-time sees our crew having shrunk to me, Reedy and Mrs Reedy. Where is everybody? Nozzer has cried off, despite me telling him his ST means he’s contractually obliged. Rumours abound of him sat on a nice, warm couch sipping whiskey watching the same s*** I am, but warmer. I should’ve gone round his.

No subs at half-time. There’s no-one to bring on. Leo Farrell is apparently our reserve centre forward option, post-DKD (and McGoldrick forced to slog himself into the ground during what he thought would be his years of dotage). Good job we sacked off Jalo to Oldham on loan, eh Conor?

But we DO have a supersub. Farnham called it at half-time, get Phillips on for Yoga. Or ‘Yonga’ as he calls him. He’s right an’ all. Phillips comes on and scores with his 1st touch, another midair tap-in from a cross (dunno who). 2-1. Here we go!

Except we didn’t. We looked comfortable, were the better team...but it means nowt with this defence. Was it a bird? Was it a place? Was it a corner? I think it was a corner. Or a cross after a corner. The ball is in the air 10 minutes, and our latest crap loan keeper does the same as the rest of us, watches it come down, and a couple of headers later it’s in our net. Why do we even play with a keeper? They’re allowed to use their hands aren’t they? And what’s the point of being 9 feet tall as a keeper if you’re not going to use these things to your ADVANTAGE? Can we sack this one off now. Especially as we’ve given up this season. Save a wage, and stick someone cheap and OURS in t’net. Like last season. Flavell.

There’s still 20 minutes left, but we’ve shot our load. McG hasn’t the legs to beat a player, Banks is dead on his feet and Phillips has disappeared. We are where we are. A below average 3td division team at least playing vaguely entertaining football but going nowhere fast due to defensive frailties. (Frailties!? Must be several rungs below ‘frailties’. Disabilities? Or is that ‘ableist’? Inertia? I dunno. Find me a word for our defence that doesn’t rhyme with rap or clit.)

Onwards and upwards!

*** O’Keeffe. Great link-up play with Banks, and continued high energy throughout.
** Kelly. Some excellent runs and usually finds his man too.
* Banks. Great 1st half, terrible 2nd.

Official MOTM: McGoldrick

Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. Kelly 2. McGoldrick 3. Banks

Despatches:
Goodman. Did he make a save? I’ll rephrase that. Did he make a save a one armed blind toddler wouldn’t have managed? Watson. Right back at left back, again. Solid. Later replaced by a left back at left back (Ogbeta). It’ll never catch on. Shepherd headed a couple clear, if by ‘clear’ you mean to the edge of our box, ripe for a volley, though by far his best moment was in trying to dribble round an opposition player on the edge of our box. (He failed.) I was impressed by O’Connell. It helps that he doesn’t look like he’s sh*tting himself when in possession. Very cool, though took it backwards too often in the 2nd half. Bland improved in the 2nd half, while Yonga didn’t. McG ran himself into the ground and scored. Who’ve I missed? Who was so anonymous, I can’t even remember him being out there on the pitch? Who cares? GOT IT! Cleary. Blimey, I nearly forgot our star man. As is the way with wingers, some nites it’s not your nite. The Cobblers had him in their back pocket second half, though he could do with not listening to his own hype and crossing rather than shooting sometimes.

Anyway, I still wonder if we’d have beaten Northampton way back when, instead of running scared cos a couple of Welsh under 19s couldn’t make it. Cos you know who we DID have then? DKD. Thanks BFC, thanks.

Right, I'm off for another gluhwein. Who wants one?

Drink du jour: Leffe in Bramahs.

Away: 247 (8,806). You know it’s bad when the opposition (4 defeats in 4) chant ‘we’ve scored a goal, we’ve scored a goal...’

The Damage:
c.£7 petrol
= c.£7

BFC 3-1 Stevenage, Saturday 31st January 2026

‘She’s no spring chicken. She’s nearly 62!’

It’s the age old (25-26) conundrum: will our forward players outscore what the defensive players concede? Cos we’ll never keep a clean sheet. This week, we’re two goals in front, playing some of our best football of the season, when Captain Fantastic plays a loose pass straight to their bloke in front of goal. And to compound the error, while said player’s run is blocked by a covering defender, Luca is too busy holding his head in his hands to track back and an opponent runs past him to finish his mate’s pass. Still, no worries. We haven’t lost at home from two goals up since...well, since last month (Mansfield, Boxing Day). And that comeback began with a self-imposed error too. A pity, as Connell had been fantastic till then, including playing a couple of super balls through for Kelly and a 40 yard crossfield pass to Cleary.

Half-time, 2-1. Someone, possibly Woody, points out that’s 4 goals Luca has created in 2 games, a record. And there’s me the other week bleating he never sets up owt. We’ve been superb, save for the (usual) aberration. Coach Conor has gone 4-4-2, DKD and McG up top, 2 wingers (Cleary and new loanee Banks) with Connell and Kelly centre mid. No place for the GOAT. Must be saving him for his move to Barca….cos anyone who can’t get in the team ahead of Connell...etc

And we are great going forward. The understanding between our forward-thinking players is the best we’ve had in years. And we only have to make it till midnite tonite for the January transfer deadline to shut. Oh. I knew there was a rabbit off, playing Cleary, DKD and Kelly. Are we losing one, two or all 3 come Monday?

We go ahead around 15 mins in. Kelly has already missed a sitter when McG outpaces a defender (I still can’t believe I’m writing this) to wrap his leg around the ball to score. Their centre half had a slower turning circle than the Ark Royal, though he was on the verge of recovering when McG realized he couldn’t take the extra touch so went for goal instead. Quality.

DKD makes it 2 on the half hour, picking the ball up, waltzing past a defender, then side-footing it in off the far post. Finisher supreme. His 2nd, after half-time, is another peach. Banks plays a ball behind the defender, but DKD’s movement is top notch, ghosting in to round the keeper and put it in the corner. I read that he’s scored more than anybody in the EFL in the past year. We’ll miss him when he’s gone.

Thereafter, we simply see the game out. The subs don’t help, as he takes off DKD, Cleary and Kelly. Our 3 most sellable assets. Saving them for Tues? A wonderful coincidence? Or selling them for a knockdown fee? Time will tell. About 2 hours time, to be precise. And thanks for taking the obligatory short corner to waste time yet instantly lose the ball that we had on 87. Just tell me I needn’t bother watching the rest of the game if we’re not interested in scoring and I can jump in my car early.

Onwards and upwards!

*** DKD. Another couple of quality finishes.
** Kelly. Up and down like a bride’s nightie. (Haven’t heard that one in years.)
* McGoldrick. Effort, class, and a first class finish.

Official MOTM: DKD

Londontykes’ MOTM: 1. Kelly 2. DKD 3. McGoldrick

Despatches:
Last time I looked, we were 7 pts behind play-off Hudds, 5 games in hand. Now it’s 12, yet performances (and results) like Satdy retain the illusion of hope. Beat Northampton tomorrow (a foregone conclusion, surely – they’ve lost 4 in a row) and it’s 9 pts and 4 games in hand. And if we keep Cleary, DKD and Kelly...well, even if we do, all these Satdy-Tuesday-Satdy-Tuesday games will take their toll. We should have played Northampton when we had chance. Even without Yoga, Russell, the GOAT and all of our other internationals, we’d have stood a decent chance. Now we’ll just be running our superstars into the ground. You’ll see.

And talking of keeping the 3 musketeers…I thought it was odd when they played Satdy. OF COURSE the ‘January window’ doesn’t close at the end of January. It closes today, the 2nd of February. (Forgive me, I’m not glued to Sky Sports.) The big news as I write is that Luton are after Luca Connell. Fingers crossed. They must be getting the gang back together…they signed Devante Cole last week. Good luck to ‘em, that’s what I say.

The players? Keeper Goodman had nowt to do. Watson was immense at left back (though I detest that coaches think right back and left back are interchangeable). O’Keeffe, O’Connell and Shepherd failed to make any howlers, though disappointingly there was no Shep Flop. Stevenage were a poor team. How did they score!?

Banks made a promising debut, a solid 7/10, while Connell had a good game. Subs Yoga, GOAT and Cleary’s replacement from Wolves (Chirewa – remember his name, cos I won’t) made no impression whatsoever.

And the ref. I can handle refs making incorrect decisions, but when you've just seen their centre forward try to slam dunk the ball into our net, and you've given the free kick, surely a yellow card follows? (A 2nd yellow, as it would've happened). I presume the assessor had something to say about that one.

Drink du jour: Beartown Inception and Beavertown Satellite (2.8%) at Spiral City. I thought I’d give the 2.8% a chance (driving). I’ll not make that mistake again. Tasted like slightly creamy water. (Reedy wasn’t impressed either.) Left most of it.

Away: 205 (9,823). 2nd bunch this season I never heard a peep out of. Worrying home attendance (again)…considering we could all bring a mate for a tenner. Problem is, we’ve no mates who wish to come. It could be free and it wouldn’t make a difference. But at least the club are trying.

The Damage:
£38.50 away shirt
£31 home shirt
c.£7 petrol
= c.£76.50