‘Change at
Crewe? No, I’d like my change now
please.’
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| Welcome to ... |
Woo
hoo! We’re in the 4th round
draw for the first time since…well, since whenever that year was when we were gubbed
at Man City. And didn’t we do it in
style, scoring three and winning handsomely?
Well, not quite. Brown cracked
one in on the half volley after 2 minutes from 20 yards and it looked like we’d
run riot. So we sat back, took it easy,
never looked like wanting another goal (though Crewe were there for the taking)
and got our rewards 3 mins into the second half when our defence wasted half a
dozen chances to clear before they prod in.
Why don’t we play with centre halves?
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| Alexandra Stadium, from the nearby railway bridge. |
Mind, it wasn’t like Crewe hadn’t had their chances. Half an hour in or so, they blazed one over from
close range while two Reds players lay injured in their half. Course, our fans moaned it was unsporting,
but I had no qualms about it. The
players lived. Earlier, and I don’t say
this lightly, we’d been saved TWICE with unbelievable last ditch interceptions
from Diaby, including one where he got the faintest of touches to the ball, which meant they didn’t. (Before I get
carried away, check out where he is for their goal. He’s funny.)
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| Teams don't do this enough anymore (tho it's out of date). |
Thankfully, their goal was the kick up the proverbial we needed, and they never
threatened again. Odour fooled everyone
by crashing a free kick off the bar instead of crossing before we enjoyed a
lucky break; the linesman didn’t spot Thomas coming back from an offside position
to collect the ball and switch it the left.
A foul, a free kick won, and the resultant cross was headed back across by
Diaby (him again) for Chaplin to nip in with the header. ‘He’s just a goal machine’ sang Girls Aloud.
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| Charlton Athletic? Pride of Cheshire? Really? |
Then, in the last minute, with their keeper Jasskelainen (sound familiar?) up
the pitch for a corner, we score one of the strangest goals I’ve ever
seen. Dougall hoofs up a clearance and
it’s a straight race between Thomas and their bloke. Thomas wins a 70 yard sprint (I knew there
was a reason Strudel hadn’t subbed him off) and taps home. I dunno if TV shows this, but if you see a
bloke in a red coat behind the goal, chuntering on to a steward having
collected the Londontykes flag, that’s me. So I had a unique view of Thomas bearing down
on goal, with the rest of our collective side-on to the pitch.
Keep Saturday 23rd May free!
Onwards and upwards!
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| The flag had a stand to itself. |
***
Brown. Why not? Led the line well, got about 4 shots off
(needs to hit the target more often tho) and bagged a cracker.
**
Diaby. Go on then, just to make
myself laugh. Saved two certain goals.
* Chaplin. Ran about and did notch.
Londontykes' MOTM: 1. Brown 2. Oduor 3. Diaby
Despatches:
To be truthful, there was barely a decent individual performance on show,
which makes me very positive about our chances next season when we’re playing
Crewe in division 3. Finally, we play
BADLY and WIN.
I enjoyed a lively chat at half-time, as, having seen off one of Kempy’s
crew(e), I find myself debating with an idiot a longstanding supporter
with a different opinion to me, who was explaining that what we need is an
experienced player to partner Diaby. Once
I’d stopped laughing, I told him otherwise, but who’s this to settle the
argument? Reedy rocks up and I ask him
who’d he’d rather see partnered up with a decent centre half, Mads or
Diaby? ‘Neither’ he says, and walks
off. I like that man’s style. And opinion.
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| The Reds hordes. |
Drink du jour: Leffe on the 3 hour train jouney there, one measly pint
of Krombacher Weizen in a craft beer place we walked past 5 pubs to get to in
Crewe, and Stella bought from the station bar for the journey back.
Away: 1,141
The Damage:
£11.50 train
£15 ent
= £26.50
Programme? Never saw any on sale. Another club unwilling to make money out of
me.
The Tunes:
Ghosteen (Nick Cave)
She Hangs Brightly (Mazzy Star)
So Tonight That I Might See (Mazzy
Star)
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| Crewe Alex panorama |
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| Outside the stadium, pre-match. |
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| A less than roaring trade at the box office. |
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| The away turnstiles. |
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| Entering the arena. |
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| The teams line up. |
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| What's a monkey doing there? Bring cheeky? |
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| The Londontykes' Flag Stand. |
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| Crewe flags out in force. |
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| Looking towards the home end at half-time. |
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| That is an impressive stand. |
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| Reds Reds Reds!!! |
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| Inside the away stand. |
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| Alexandra Stadium. |
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