BWFC VS LEEDS UNITED SATURDAY 30TH JANUARY 2016 1-2

"BWFC VS LEEDS UNITED SATURDAY 30TH JANUARY 2016 1-2"
FA CUP 4TH ROUND 

I went to this as I expected a good atmosphere with 6000 Leeds fans and having just beaten MK Dons 3-1 . The atmosphere would have been less one sided if we hadn't conceded 2 easy goals before half time one after 8 minutes and the other just before half time .I have not gone into any detail of wages not being paid , Sunday newspaper scandals but I was starting to hope we had a settled team who could come together with a never say die attitude and turn things around . Things like that happen in football , strikers can suddenly start scoring , luck changes .  This is the same  team that  started for the win against MK Dons .
 

Amos, Vela, Holding, Dervite, Moxey, Trotter, Davies , Feeney, Pratley, Wellington Silva , Madine

A good manager should be able to avoid relegation with this lot , plus those on the bench and players returning from injury . The games left could be the making of Neil Lennon , if he can pull it off. His ability is rightly being called into question , but its not been a job many would relish . I wish him the  best of luck .  Anyway we are out of the FA CUP . The first half performance was embarrassing. 2nd half was better and we could have got a draw as they were hanging on at the end . 

Verdict   

As least it wasn't a league game .

BWFC VS EASTLEIGH FC TUESDAY 19TH JANUARY 2016 3-2

"BWFC VS EASTLEIGH FC TUESDAY 19TH JANUARY 2016 3-2"
FA CUP 3RD ROUND REPLAY

Wow can't believe my last match was August 22nd 2015 . There has been so much pain since then . It always seems worse listening on the radio or following on the internet . I suppose because its lonely. When you go to the game you are not suffering alone , and you can see for yourself where things went wrong . This was a good game to watch . 5 goals and we won . The teams were evenly matched and  I kept wondering what our players must think about earning so much more money than the opposition and not being any better. If ever there was a wake up call this was it . Surely it crossed their minds they could be playing non -league football soon unless they get a grip . The upper tier was shut so the crowd was packed into the lower tiers and I found myself among a group of proper supporters . I am a supporter but not on that level . They use first name's for the players , give encouragement and forgive mistakes . They love the young home grown players . They don't swear or barrack their own players , but laugh off people who do as being part of the atmosphere . They love and  follow football, with all its ups and downs. The rumors, the personalities the gossip . Its a great game . 

                                                                VERDICT 
Good game we were lucky to get past Eastleigh FC , they are a team on the up . So glad it didn't go to extra time . It was a cold cold cold  Tuesday night .   

 

BWFC VS NOTTINGHAM FOREST SATURDAY AUGUST 22ND 1-1

"BWFC VS NOTTINGHAM FOREST SATURDAY AUGUST 22ND 1-1 "

This game was of interest for a number of reasons . First the ticket price . 15.00 quid , how good is that . Then it is the return of Dougie Freedman as the manager of Forest . We were also making history , the longest period without scoring a goal since 18 something . It is not a statistic I  care to look up . As with the Derby game the first half was very tame from both sides . The big screen has disappeared at the Macron so there are no replays and no countdown . I find this annoying as you are never to sure of how long is left. Anyway it was 3 minutes into the 2nd half when we were awarded a penalty . Now this was a big thing as so far we had not scored a goal this season . I don't really put much store by  premonitions , but myself and 16,000 other people simultaneously had one . Hey amazing the premonition was correct . The penalty was saved and we retained our goalless record , and then guess what . They became inspired and scored a unstoppable goal , we were 1-0 down with 10 minutes to go . Disaster looming and no clock to watch I could feel a depression coming on .The sign board came out . 5 minutes extra time . Forest seemed pretty good at running down the clock and the minutes passed . I always check the ref to see when he looks at his watch . Not long now .Then a miracle happened . WE SCORED . Wow , Yes. I am sure that used to happen to us when Dougie was in charge . Seconds later the whistle went .

Verdict.

The late goal was a BWFC highlight . The crowd went crazy and the players , you could feel the relief and joy . Thew, got out of jail this time .   

BWFC VS DERBY COUNTY SATURDAY AUGUST 8TH 2015 0-0

"BWFC VS DERBY COUNTY AUGUST 8TH 2015 0-0"

So here we are the very first game of the new season . A lovely sunny day and a good crowd (17,000). Some new faces , Gary Madine, Lawrie Wilson and Prince-Desir Gouano. It was difficult not to feel gloomy about the season ahead , with the departures of Matt Mills, Adam Bogden , and possibly Tim Ream all suggesting we needed to reduce our wage bill even further it would need a miracle worker and a huge slice of luck if we were to do anything this season . The prospect of youngsters getting a chance and setting the Macron on fire was a rather optimistic view but dreams do come true in football . The first half was rather dull , pretty even but Derby looked the more dangerous and I felt if they got a goal we would collapse . We made it to half time with the score level and what a cracker of a second half . It looked like BWFC of old , underdogs but full of spirit and we made Derby look pretty ordinary . With Heskey (super sub) replacing Clough for the last 20 minutes and having  already hit the cross bar I could see a win . The atmosphere was great . Still 0-0 with 5 minutes to go doubts crept in , surely we won't lose this 1-0 , please don't let us lose. Relief and optimism at the final whistle. Miracles do happen in football . 

Verdict  

A great afternoon out , a lot better than I thought , left happy with the point and looking forward to the next game .

Move forward  2 weeks and this isn't good . 

     

Double Header . BWFC V LIVERPOOL WED.4TH Feb 2015 1-2 , BWFC V WATFORD SAT. 14TH Feb 2015 3-4

"Double Header . BWFC V LIVERPOOL WED.4TH Feb 2015 1-2 , BWFC V WATFORD SAT. 14TH Feb 2015 3-4"

After the Watford game Neil Lennon stated an entertaining game was no compensation for a loss. Obviously for a fan  is it better to win a boring game than to lose an entertaining one. Is it ? Yes I think so . Do I ? . Obviously the ideal scenario is to win an entertaining game which both Liverpool and Watford did so their fans must be very happy . We could have won both these games , but we didn't , so I can't be happy , but I was entertained. An old cliche is to" take positives from a game" , but when both teams have played well and entertained  and you lose due to minor errors/inexperience , a bit of bad fortune or in need of a bit more luck , you can't even take positives."Well lads you played well but still lost " Bet Neil Lennon is right pissed off.
   You might have noticed I go to most games on my own , so am I a" Billy no Mates ". Not really over the years the people I have gone with have either moved away , lost interest or found something better to do . The last few seasons have been difficult and its a brave man who would say "lets go watch Bolton its great and fantastic value for money " So I am OK with going on my own . My son was up for the Liverpool game as were a lot of people, as its a while since we have had a "big" club at the Macron. We sat on the very front row of the East stand and its something I would recommend to everybody once in awhile . You are so close to the action . We saw both Liverpool goals from a perfect position and they were a delight to watch so close up . Especially Coutinho's. You get a chance to witness the ball skills and commitment from both sets of players close up .I know we have fantastic TV coverage with close ups and  slow motion etc , but its not the same.  I wouldn't sit there on a regular basis as I prefer the upper tiers for overall view.

                                                           Verdict 

      The Watford game was a cracker , 0-1 ,1-1, 2-1, 2-2, 2-3,3-3, 3-4 . It was great to see Zach Clough score 2 . Its about time we had a home grown star . Glad I kept going to the games .
        

BWFC VS LEEDS UNITED SATURDAY 10TH JANUARY 2015 1-1

"BWFC VS LEEDS UNITED SATURDAY 10TH JANUARY 2015 1-1 "

I normally sit in East Stand Upper end of a row but today was very cold and very windy so I went for North Stand Upper . A good decision as there were more than a couple of blizzards and hoods going up in the East stand proved me right . The view is good from the North Stand but goal mouth incidents at the far end are difficult to see and not being able to follow the play as closely as you would like makes it definitely more nerve racking when the ball is at that end . Leeds always fill their away end which adds to the atmosphere and with them getting a penalty in the first couple of minutes they were in fine voice. In my youth  Leeds United were THE team . Their decline has been painful but the support is good and their delight at being in front away from home was celebrated through out the first half with a sarcastic chant of "we are winning away , we are winning away ". I was very excited before this game as we had signed both  Eidur Gudjohnsen and Emile Hesky . They both started and were getting a lot of interest in the press ,if only for their combined ages! The dream of them both scoring never happened though Gudjohnsen looked classy . I think we were expecting to win but Leeds played well and deserved the draw . Its was odd that a  penalty was given right at the start of the 2nd half , luckily in our favour .

VERDICT 

It was very cold . I was sat at the right end for both penalties so had a great view for those . The Leeds fans contributed to the atmosphere . Bolton have come along way since Lennon took over and as I write this we have a home replay against Liverpool to come in the F.A . Cup . Leeds played well and in the end it was a hard fought point .

BWFC v's IPSWICH TOWN SATURDAY 13 TH DECEMBER 0-0

"BWFC v's IPSWICH TOWN SATURDAY 13 TH DECEMBER 0-0"

Two tickets . I managed to drag my son James along . We had  season ticket's for a number of years but once he turned 16 he found better things to do on a Saturday . We went to Cardiff for the Carling Cup final against Middlesbrough in 2004 and to the 2001 play off final against Preston . That was an epic day which I will cover later . I must commend BWFC on running a promotion for this game . Promotions are difficult as season ticket holders can easily be pissed off , this was £20.00 anywhere in the ground and £15.00 for under 23's . The ticket office saw the flaw in the under 23's idea . How does a 50+ year old guess the age of someone under 30. James was offered an under 23 ticket without having to ask , they had just given up . Saved me a fiver though . This could turn into a bit of a moan the tickets we were sold were restricted view due to the hand rails at the exits , surely this should have been mentioned after all it was a £28.00 ticket and I could have paid £56.00 . We could have and did move but that's not the point .At half time our kiosk ran out of hot drinks and we had to move to another kiosk and queue again . Minor I know but a business has to get the basics right after all we are one up from customers we are fans and need treating professionally . Something they do in abundance with the players and staff .

Verdict 

Very cold ! started well but fizzled out . Under pressure in the 2nd half but didn't buckle . Happy with the point .