Hamdon Mart

It's week commencing the 27th. Guess the website has to pin the date somewhere so it does it on the first possible day.

Scotty Murray's phone has already blown up!!

Part of the reason that the attendances have gone up and you can now attract a decent crowd to the Gate is that the players are incredibly accessible to the fans. Last night's crowd contained the usual high amount of youngsters and women and the players still came over to see the fans despite the thumping. At the HPC, quite often the most popular players are still out with the fans half an hour after the game having selfies, signing merchandise etc... it's brilliant to see but then the crowd is a slightly different demographic for the Women's games. Point taken though.

Was inside the restaurant today @shahanshahan (not the first time I've said that!) as was a few from Coventry's media team there in my usual place. Saw you walk past and later met one of your friends handing out the newsletters... Great to see Paul Wheeler today, one of the Championship's biggest advocates of women's football too.

Just got back.... Wow, as games go, wasn't expecting that finish. Last time I saw Coventry was the most sensational ending I've seen at a football match; they scored an absolute worldie on 90+7 to retain their Championship status last season and relegate their opposition that day, Watford. And although they are bottom of the league without a point, they've brought in four or five players this week and they made a difference today for sure. If they play like that for the rest of the campaign, they will pick up points and wins! City started well but spurned chances and, well, we've all been at games where you're one up and worried because you need a second to kill the game off. Coventry have an awful habit of conceding early goals - a stat I've read says that they have been a goal behind after ten minutes in more than two thirds of their matches this season. City added to that stat but couldn't get the second or third to kill them off. Cov equalised then that goal boosted their confidence and they went 2-1 up on 82 minutes. They then made four subs (one of which must have been a concussion sub as they made six in total) and that allowed City to regroup for one final push. Clinton, who was superb when she came on the field on 63, grabbed the equaliser before Abi Harrison scored a fantastic winner deep into stoppage time. We even had the spectacle of a false final whistle too, not sure what happened there, ref? But the scenes of joy at the end, haven't seen at a City Women's game for a while and who better to score the winner than Abi who has never stopped working hard for the team despite not reaching the prolific heights of last season. Other highlights for me was seeing Max, Tommy and Andy King there watching; Elyssia Boddy looked lively coming on, the two teenage wing backs show the academy is working on this side of the club too and it's clear that the club IMO are going for it this season, the signings of Clinton and Pearce suggest that. Can they do it? They can, but will they?

Messaged someone a few minutes ago that played for him and with him, said he was a top, top fella. Lovely guy, generous with his time and a genuinely decent human being. RIP Luca. 58 is way too young.

Thanks for the warning, Robbo, will be sure to turn off when that happens (if it's on!). From what I've seen in the post-match stuff, Part is head and shoulders above Mardle who seems a bit excitable for his role.

As I said, this is the first day I've watched it, just offering my thoughts on it. Don't recall it being this bad before.

First day I've sat down to watch the darts in these championships and 100% agree, pathetic. "Boring, boring tables". "Stand up if you love the darts", "Kolo/Yaya Toure song", "Chase The Sun" after every set and that's about it. Oh, and "Don't take me home".... And some of the announcers think they are celebrities with the way they shout the scores, Russ Bray being the worst. Almost unwatchable now with the sound up.

Sorry, have only just spotted this Dave. It's probably the wrong time of the year to ask such a question as everyone in the office is flat out over Christmas but a couple of points... firstly, a shot on target doesn't have to be saved by the keeper; it can be blocked by a defender (or indeed, a team mate!). Secondly, the in-ground analyst will call it "off target" or "on target" and this will be reviewed by two analysts in the office almost immediately. It will then be reviewed later on too by someone else so AFAIAA, four people. I obviously didn't see the game you are referring to but the fact that four people would have reviewed all the attempts on goal during the match and then calculated whether they were on or off target tends to suggest that the published stats are pretty safe to use.

I'd happily give you a lift but (a) I obviously have to stay till the bitter end and (b) it will cost me £9 to get my jalopy into town.

Can you get there before your work do?

This fixture has now been reversed due to the frozen pitch at Lewes.(Must have been that blooming dripping pan all this time!). Presumably a 7pm kickoff.

That is a very, very, VERY good result. Watched the reverse fixture last Monday & City did well holding Palace despite playing 30 minutes a man light after Joe Low's dismissal. This is even more impressive.

Yep, spot on. Not sure why I said Low's goal was a header, it was a shot but there you go. I did know that, honestly.

Cracking game, Gromit! Nowt much happened early on and with 39 minutes on the clock, it was still goalless. Somehow by half time, it was City 1 Palace 2 with Killian Phillips powering home a header for the Eagles and Seb Palmer-Houlden's excellent headed equaliser. Within two minutes though, David Omilabu tucked home for 2-1. joe Low then scored the third header of the game on 58 before a bizarre incident that saw him see red on 63 (ref cleared it up for me on the final whistle - red was for handball and not DOGSO as initially suggested). Will Buse saved the spot kick superbly from the much sought after Gordon. Game calmed down a tad after that although both sides had chances to grab a winner, Palace moreso than City. Incidentally for you geeky folk out there, there were five yellows and a red in the game. As mentioned, the red was for handball but the five yellows were for four different offences; timewasting, dissent, foul & entering field without permission). Palmer-Houlden impressed as did Zac Bell too.

Saw PSB twice last month on successive nights at Oxford and then Bournemouth. Absolutely superb show on both nights, well supported by a trio called Pale Blue Eyes whose best song sounds eerily like "She Sells Sanctuary" from the Cult. PSB supported the Manics last December & knocked me off my feet, thought they were so unusual but clever. Bought tickets to Bath Forum in May where they were fantastic again and have since bought their four main albums.

Ah, is that what happened? I only saw the last bit where he went down. Was just by the away dugout?

I've not seen it mentioned anywhere in the aftermath of the game but I'm fairly sure Alex Scott was caught by a stray arm from McBurnie last night. I only saw the last bit before Scott went down but I'm almost certain that McBurnie was sent on with instructions to clobber Scott as he was playing so well. And to answer someone's question further up the thread. I sat next to a former league ref at the last Rovers game and the assessors have special software that they use during the match to record KMI's (I think they're called, Key Major Incidents?). Assessor makes notes, he then gets sent footage of the game post match and they have a debrief with the referee the day after.

I'm not sure how they fund it, LR, as my team are Div One and therefore don't play any of them. Our longest trip each season is Bishop's Lydeard (46 miles) unless we are unlucky & get a long trip in the Vase or FA Cup. I think someone further up suggested Mousehole are funded with some connection to the holiday camp nearby, I'm not sure. From next season, the travelling will be cut right down which will help everyone really, maybe about time too. To be fair, the Cornish clubs grumble less about coming up here than the Bristol clubs do about going down there, that's been all too obvious. I guess Sherborne will be one of the beneficiaries of the new structure as they'll be almost certainly in the more Northern of the two Step 5 divisions so far less travelling.

The last match he officiated on UK soil was a charity match at Huish Park in aid of the Adam Stansfield Foundation back in the summer. Turned up, was exemplary on the day and joined in with the humorous side of things eg, Adam Stansfield's middle son was "allowed" to score but the keeper saved it in and Kettle gave a penalty & booked the keeper!! Allowed himself to be sent off by one of the players when he dropped his whistle near the end of the match. He was bad at times but Stroud is on a different planet IMO.

That's pretty much spot on, Bill. The fine minutiae of the restructure will come later on, I think, depending on who finishes where and how. We've had meetings over past few months on this (I'm secretary of a TWL club) and it received widespread support with some hoping it might have been introduced in time for this current season which would have proved nigh on impossible to implement at such short notice. I think the ultimate plan is to have the two Premier Divisions + the three feeder divisions with 18 teams each, totalling 90 clubs. That may not happen in time for season 23/24 due to ground grading issues etc but it is the stated aim. I think the two TWL divisions + the two SWPL divisions currently have 78 teams between them so quite a few extra clubs to come in from below.

I've reported that Weimann was cautioned for dissent as it was Klose that fouled the Preston player, Weimann's protest was right under Stroud's nose, ill advised when he's "on one". I'd also add that the Hernandez challenge on Scott was at least a yellow, maybe even a red but to not even give a FK was bizarre. One of the City bench queried this with Stroud and he just made the shape of a ball with his hands, indicating Hernandez got the ball. But as most of us know, getting the ball is not a free hit to tackle however you like! Although Robbie Brady did eventually get booked late on, he committed three or four fouls early on and should have been cautioned for persistent misconduct long before he did actually see a card. As someone else has said, the assistant on the Lansdown Stand side seemed petrified at times to wave his flag one way or another to make a decision. That wouldn't have helped Stroud to make the right call either as it's his call at the end of the day! And based on last night's showing, he needs all the help he can get.

Keith Stroud was woeful tonight. In fact, on reflection, he was even worse than that. I can't even muster up the energy to type out just how bad he was.

And also Director of Football at Yate Town until recently! Busy chap.