Giant Killing? With Budweiser

Well it's that time of the year again, my personal favourite time of the football calendar. The FA cup, the great competition that it is, providing upset after upset and home to some of the best matches known to man. But we were hoping not to be one of them, with the visiting team being Blue Square North side Corby Town. Home town of current Bristol Rovers legend Stuart Campbell.

With Corby rumouring to be bringing a lot this game had all the ingredients for a good cup tie. Buckle needing a win because a raising number of Gasheads calling for his head, there was grave importance on this game.

I for one, was actually quite optimistic, whereas most seemed very pessimistic and was thinking 'typical' rovers would fluff it up. Well, the game started brightly with what seemed to be a team looking to prove the doubters wrong. Zebsroksi was back in the XI for the game, which I wasn't best pleased about, but now he was playing at his level, I guess. Mustapha Carayol started off brightly, and in the 26th minute he was brought down in the box to win a penalty. Which McGleish converted calmly down to the keepers left. The rest of the half was all Rovers, and really should of been two up before the break but Corby were to thank for some great saves from their keeper. But nonethless rovers went into the half time break with a 1-0 lead.

Second half and Rovers came out with the intention to get a cushion. But being the FA cup these things don't happen, if anybody looked like scoring, it was going to be Corby. This proved the case with their first shot on target forcing a great reaction save from Bevan. Only for it to be followed up by a 2 yard tap in. The Corby support were ecstatic, and although I was gutted my team just conceded. Just watching them celebrate how wildly they did just reminded me why I love the FA cup. Soon after the Gas fans were on their teams backs, screaming Buckle out until Mustapha Carayol picked up the ball from our half skipped past one and nailed a 25 yarder into the bottom corner to shut the Rovers fans up. 

After that Rovers dominance showed and players were queuing up, Craig Stanley hitting the post and Zebroksi putting home a Stanley free kick to make the score 3-1 Bristol Rovers.

The game was over, Rovers were handed a away draw to AFC Totton in the second round, but all I have is praise for Corby. Their fans were brilliant, best at the Mem all season. Also defended really well in the first half, great advert for Blue Square North football. Well done Corby, all the best.

Liam Ridgewell

These back to back wins, not so easy to come by as Bristol Rovers are proving. Rovers once again fall short because of a defeat to Accrington Stanley, Buckle must go is that call from a increasing number of Rovers fans. I myself am not a huge Buckle fan, but I'm not calling for his head just yet, we just need a Mark Robins moment, Man Utd fans will know what I mean.

Anyway, Rovers aren't at the forefront of this blog post, Birmingham City are. Yes, you read that right Birmingham City. Why? Well there isn't a huge reason as I have no sort of affiliation with them. The only reason is because I went to the Madejski to watch Reading v Birmingham to tick the ground off the 92 as Rovers won't be going there any time soon.

So we got to the ground around 1:30/2 ish only to notice that the price brackets were really kind, only £12 to watch what I was suspecting to be a decent Championship game? Result. Had something to eat after nearly falling over a mud slide we made it into the ground, just.

I was in the Birmingham end, and to be fair to the Brummies they didn't shut up all game, granted not the loudest bunch, but good nonetheless. Couple were chanting "Judas" when McGleish come up on SkySports only to be followed by "The ginger is yours, the gingers is yours, we got Chris Hughton, the ginger is yours." Which to be fair, had me laughing.

Anyway the game was going on and it's fair to say Birmingham didn't come out of the blocks very well, some goal mouth scrambles and great commanding from Boaz Myhill kept Reading at bay. Birmingham never really looked like much of a threat, but a snapshot from Chris Wood half way through the first half which forced a good save from Federici kept Reading on their toes.

The second half came and both teams were hoping for the breakthrough but it didn't look like coming. Because Steven Cadwell seemed wider than than the Great wall of China every time a Reading player tried to dance around him. But unfortunately Birmingham kept on resulting to lump ball at times, which wasn't proving successful. There wasn't one huge clear cut chance throughout the whole game until Liam Ridgwell lost the ball in a stupid position that sent what I think was Robson-Kanu through on goal only for Brum to be thankful of a great save by Myhill.

Soon after Reading bolstered their attacking options by bringing on Noel Hunt, and with his first touch of the ball 1-0 Reading. Hard to see the goal as it was a front post run, but once again Ridgewell was at fault for the chance even arising. After Birmingham never really looked like doing anything, and the Paul Trollope affect was rubbing off by not knowing when to make a substitute, they finally came in the 80th minute. Zigic on for the not so great Marlon King and hyped about Nathan Redmond on for Wade Elliott. Birmingahm were pressing but nothing really came of it. But in the 90th minute the opportunity arises for Redmond to thread either Wood or Zigic through only to fire the shot at the Reading defender. To be fair to the kid he's only young, and will learn, he does seem a good asset and I myself will be shocked not to see him in the Prem in a few years.

Overall it was a good game, but none that either side deserved to win, the difference really was Liam Ridgewell.