Fri 15th January

A visit to Sixfields tomorrow and the chance to avenge last seasons miscarriage of justice. Marsh is in the paper tonight playing down the game but we all know that at about 2:45pm tomorrow he will be right up for this one. 

No scores to settle? My arse.

Mon 11th January

Mr Simpson returns to the graveyard of hope as his loan deal expires.  Apparently the neighbours are a bit short and need him back in the fold.  Well they can keep him for all I care.  Like Walter Otta, Simpson is probably better than our own current alternative but we should be able to find a better option from somewhere else.

Sun 10th January

I’ve just seen our goals on the telly and I have to say that Rammell’s goal was even better than I thought.  The defender just couldn’t believe that Sir Andy won the ball.  A fantastic goal.

Sat 9th January - Gillingham

A real tester today and the reverse fixture of the shock opening day win that truly got this season up & running. 

 

After taking the lead and extending it, we simply had to cross the winning line with this one. The confidence we would take from this would be huge and perhaps even the most sceptical and pessimistic of supporters (or me to be precise) would start to believe in us. 

 

Gillingham arrived at Bescot on the back of a seventeen game unbeaten run and had only lost twice since we ambushed them at their place on the opening day.  They are well organised, strong and as tight as a duck’s arse in defence. Basically the identikit Second Division promotion side. 

 

We however have a team spirit that is unbelievable and a manager that doesn’t need the money that Tony Pullis has frittered. Oh and we have Neil Pointon and Richard Green...usually. Suspended and injured respectively today, and they were big boots to fill.  

 

Surprisingly Ray handed a recall to the previously unavailable Mr Simpson and the expense of a very unlucky Jason Brissett.  Now I’m not one to question the great man on his decisions but this one really did baffle me.  Simpson is on his way out of here tonight and he still managed to get the nod over JB.  I didn't think Ray did short term-ism. Strange.

 

A dull first half ended with the Saddlers taking the lead when another fine passing move saw wolves legend and Chorley FC victim Vince Bartram pushing an Andy Rammell effort into the path of Darren Wrack who finished easily. Half time came and the questions being asked were;  Could we hold on?  and are we really a genuine promotion contending article?

 

Five minutes into the second period we had our answer.  Dean Keates ran through the Gills midfield, he could have gone down two or three times from heavy tackles but kept going and produced a wonderful reversed cross for Rammell to head home.  He had no right to win the header as he had to rise right over the defender’s shoulder but Rambo has no right to do most things he does. This was possibly the best goal we have scored at Bescot this season and Rambo, in front of his adoring people, loved it. His people, in front of Rambo,  also loved it. 

 

2-0 and three points? Not quite.

 

Gillingham hit back with John Hodge producing a fine cross for Patterson to pull one back and the last ten minutes were  utterly manic as the Gills continually piled forward whilst we were happy to sit deep and keep them out. 

 

Uncle Ray must have unbelievable faith in his back line to be willing to subject them to this much pressure but it worked again and we chalked up our first double of the season, put another three points between us and them and took a major confidence boost in the process.

 

A rather fine, rather tense but unbelievably enjoyable afternoon. Whisper it quietly, but we are on the march.

Thu 7th January

The ball with our number on has to be different to any other. 

Poxy Brentford away.

Perhaps we should enter all cup competitions under the name “are at home to Walsall”  as the chances of us ever getting a decent cup draw or even a home tie seem as remote as Robbie Keane being allowed to operate an all-in-one child friendly remote control box.

Tue 5th January - Luton Town

Now, had I been pushed to choose, I’d have probably wagered a fair penny on Auto Windscreen elimination tonight. 

 

I was convinced that both the Hatters and the law of averages would have been too much for us. A third consecutive away win at Kenilworth Road surely had to be asking too much? However the boys delivered again, returned to something like a bit of form and to be fair - once they got their noses in front - simply cruised it.

 

Granted Luton fielded a weakened side compared to our full strength outfit but to be honest they could have put both their sides out and we would still have won. Had the Hatters scored seven then I reckon we’d have got eight as we were always in command.

 

An early goal obviously helps though and it duly arrived via a fine run and cross from the recalled Jason Brissett and a tidy far post finish by cup specialist Andy Watson.  Had Walter Otta still been here then Watson probably wouldn’t have started but I guess when you get your chance you have to take it and Watson did precisely that. 

 

We then got a little bit sloppy and allowed Luton to get a foothold in the game for a while and although it was the only time all evening that they had the initiative they really should have made more of it.  Walker completely missed a cross and the centre back volleyed over from five yards out with an open goal at his mercy and Roper had to make two or three fantastic last ditch tackles to get us out of trouble.

 

However, as the half closed we regained our composure, nullified what Luton were doing and edged towards being comfortable again.

 

The second half began in exactly the same manner as the first did with the Saddlers finding the back of the net.  A neat one two between Wrack and Rambo ended with Dazzer volleying home at the near post, running around the back of the goal and high fiving with a childish idiot who takes this competition far too seriously.  Me,  and I got all too excited about it. 

 

I love wingers and if I had to pick my favourite current Walsall player then Dazzer would be fighting it out with the Ram. It’s a tight decision but Rammell probably just shades it.

 

Luton then managed to miss a penalty, which amazingly was the worst one seen this season - and remember we’ve seen some shockers - and essentially folded after that.

 

Wrack and Brissett ran amok down the flanks as we created and wasted a load of chances until the ever improving Keates lashed home a killer third with nine minutes left on the clock.

 

Game over and home and dry and happy and in the draw for the next round. We couldn’t ask for any more.

Mon 4th January

Mr Simpson forever endears himself to all Walsall fans by officially ruling himself out of tomorrow’s AWS fixture at Luton.  He's fully fit, however he doesn’t want to become cup tied as this may cause him a problem with finding & joining a new Club.

Given that after tomorrow night there will only 16 teams left in the competition, one of which will hopefully be us, I find this attitude both staggering and incredibly blinkered. Not least when he's already suggested he wasn't interested in dropping down a division.  

Perhaps he should save us all the bother, pack his boots, return to spiceworld and afford someone interested in the club with a chance that they might better appreciate. Indeed the sooner he goes, the sooner his agent can find him somwhere else.

Sat 2nd January - Burnley

As 1998 leaves us, so 1999 begins with a bit of a toughie. Turf Moor isn’t where I would have chosen to go after in iffy festive programme but given it’s the league computer who decides, then a trip to Burnley it was. 

In the end it ended in relatively dour stalemate as both sides generally cancelled each other out with the exception of the last ten minutes where both sides finally gave it a real go in search of maximum pointage. 

The recent record signing of Steve Davis (from Luton) and the acquisition of Graham Branch (from Stockport) clearly gave the home fans a lift and the atmosphere in their upgraded, rather smart but somewhat sterile ground was one of expectancy. 

I suspect that many of the locals assumed that we were there to make the numbers up and help usher in a new year for one of the divisions bigger boys. Fortunately, Ray and the boys clearly didn't see it that way however. 

Burnley dominated possession for long periods but defensively we remained strong and the sloppiness and mishaps from the previous two Christmas fixtures were forgotten in a well organised and disciplined performance.  Indeed Andy Watson almost won it with a volley following a Gary Porter flick-on but the assistant flagged for offside in a really tight decision. 

Burnley had chances to win the game late on but Walker rescued us a couple of times, particularly on one occasion with a brilliant double save from substitute Peter Swan. 

To be fair neither side deserved to lose. I’d have taken a point from here a fortnight ago but on reflection, it just felt like we needed to take the full three points from this one.  The wheels haven’t come off yet - far from it - but the confidence I had two weeks ago isn’t there at the moment.

Elsewhere, West Brom provide the shock of the FA Cup 3rd Round in managing to lose at Bournemouth by just a solitary goal.  To think I had expected three or four - nil.  A fine result for the Baggies considering their inexperience of any kind of cup football.  Extra shooting practice for the Cherries is a distinct possibility.