Back from the Game - Derby

[SLAMMED]

Snowball in 'coming to the rescue of his beloved Long' shocker.

[Snowball]

We all have our pet names for people like that. I call him Leggy, and Long is 'That useless oxf*rd'

I have a pet name for Shane, too. "Reading's Top Scorer"

along with, technically speaking, Ian Harte

[Badger Finger]

You have your wanktank, I have mine.


<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

[Big Foot]

Left my front door at 10 to get the 10.40 train which didn't leave until 11.30 Took an hour to get past Oxford, half 1 came and went before we'd passed Banbury. 2.15pm and just outside of Leamington Spa the train driver announces we're then going to have to wait for a platform at Birmingham New Street....left there at 3.30pm and got into Pride Park at 4.15pm

Stewards and police couldn't believe it when I knocked on the away end wanting to be let in only to see us concede 3 and a half minutes later

BUT it was worth it to see my first away league win for 2 years to the day

Shane Long displayed one of the best first touches of the ball I've ever seen - Harte played it up field to start a counter attack and it looked like the ball was going out of play miles ahead of Long only for him to cushion it down superbly and switch the play to Kebe

Can't believe Church missed an absolute sitter, for someone who's game revolves around getting beyond the last man he's really got to improve his finishing. Still got no idea as to what Howard was doing when the ball span out to him with the goal at mercy and he just stood there as if frozen on what to do

As for Leigertwood's nickname - he is The Wardrobe

[ZacNaloen]

You're going to have to explain that one mate

[Big Foot]

McAnuff played The Wardrobe in and the defender closed him down, as he went to win the ball back he just fell into him as if he was a Wardrobe being puhed from behind with all it's bottom drawers falling out.

At other times the Derby players just ran straight into him, making him an impassable object such as a wardrobe

[Badger Finger]

I thought I spotted you BF, a prime fleeting visit then...

I will admit, Long played well yesterday (Still think he's a terrible footballer ), and that touch you were talking about was first class... Long may it continue (Geddit)

[susieroyal]

Left my front door at 10 to get the 10.40 train which didn't leave until 11.30 Took an hour to get past Oxford, half 1 came and went before we'd passed Banbury. 2.15pm and just outside of Leamington Spa the train driver announces we're then going to have to wait for a platform at Birmingham New Street....left there at 3.30pm and got into Pride Park at 4.15pm

Stewards and police couldn't believe it when I knocked on the away end wanting to be let in only to see us concede 3 and a half minutes later

BUT it was worth it to see my first away league win for 2 years to the day

Shane Long displayed one of the best first touches of the ball I've ever seen - Harte played it up field to start a counter attack and it looked like the ball was going out of play miles ahead of Long only for him to cushion it down superbly and switch the play to Kebe

Can't believe Church missed an absolute sitter, for someone who's game revolves around getting beyond the last man he's really got to improve his finishing. Still got no idea as to what Howard was doing when the ball span out to him with the goal at mercy and he just stood there as if frozen on what to do

As for Leigertwood's nickname - he is The Wardrobe

10/10 for persistence!

[Big Foot]

I thought I spotted you BF, a prime fleeting visit then...

I will admit, Long played well yesterday (Still think he's a terrible footballer ), and that touch you were talking about was first class... Long may it continue (Geddit)

Were you up top with Susieroyal?

Long played well yesterday, however I think this was fueled by the amount of stick the Derby fans were giving him. Perhaps we should roundly boo him as it appears to be a good luck charm

Mills got skinned a fair few times yesterday even in just the 32 minutes that I did actually see. Once in particular led to Federici making a wonder save - he also conceded half dozen or so cheap throw ins. Wonder if he's playing with his head elsewhere.

My MoTM for the time I was there was Alex Pearce. Unrecognisable from his shambles of an appearance against Scunny on the opening day, I think he's come on leaps and bounds this season.

[Snowball]

[

Mills got skinned a fair few times yesterday even in just the 32 minutes that I did actually see. Once in particular led to Federici making a wonder save - he also conceded half dozen or so cheap throw ins. Wonder if he's playing with his head elsewhere.

I've been thinking that a while. Potentially a VG player but something not quite right.

My MoTM for the time I was there was Alex Pearce. Unrecognisable from his shambles of an appearance against Scunny on the opening day, I think he's come on leaps and bounds this season.

Good to hear. That's the point about youngsters (and I'd include Shane in that bracket) they need pitch time and can improve loads and also learn consistency

[RG30]

Left West Reading just after 9am with hanbags_harris and Compo's Hat and decided to go M4 then A34 route. Probably 45 minutes - an hour later later we hadn't reached Didcot so decided to catch the train. A train from Didcot to Oxford proved easy enough before we endured a 45 minute wait at Oxford which meant we didn't leave until 12:20. Train arrived into Birmingham New Street around 1:45pm, but more delays meant our Glasgow bound train didn't leave on time so we got a slower train which got us into Derby around 2:58. Fortunately for us, a guy (and a Derby fan) in the carriage heard about our day and said he would give us a lift straight to the ground so thanks Richard and in the end we only missed the first two or three minutes

Game itself was fairly even, we had our fair share of chances as did Derby. Feds was in outstanding form and clearly MOTM. Long led the line really well and his 2nd was was a welcome sight. As bad was Bywater was trying to go for a ball he wasn't going to make, Long done excellently to head home. Good displays from Harte, Legiertwood so delighted with the win after all the effort.

As for the journey back, there was a direct train from Derby to Reading about 17:50 which decided to stop running at Birmingham New Street which was all round as we had another hour wait before leaving around 8:30pm. Probably back in Oxford just before 10pm and back to pick up hanbags car about 10:15pm. Long old journey, commiserations to those who got stuck but we made the right call in the end.

[Snowball]

Thanks, RG


Good displays from Harte, Legiertwood so delighted with the win after all the effort.


See? I focused on two errors, (as if that defines the player) but a man who watched the whole 90 thinks he played well.

[bigshaka'away']

According to my friend at work, who is a massive QPR fan, his nickname was either....

the wooden donkey, or legs of wood...

[RoyalBlue]

According to my friend at work, who is a massive QPR fan, his nickname was either....

the wooden donkey, or legs of wood...

Indeed - with the latter often being abbreviated. My QPR supporting mate sent a text to me saying 'I see you've signed 'Legs' ' I had to text back asking him who the hell he meant!

[RoyalBlue]

Just watched the football league review.

Federici was insane. Deffinite MOTM performance from him. At least 4 top class saves.

I don't know what anyone else saw, but that was never a penalty. The only contact he made with Long was a light stroke of his chest. If that can bring a grown man down then fair enough.

Also that ball from McAnuff for the winner was incredible.

That arm across his chest was the reason for the penalty. Yes Long went down very easily, but any defender doing that in the box is just asking for trouble!

A very soft penalty but the professionals will say that they make up for those that aren't given.
Shane should have been booked for a dive out on the left but the ref gave us a free kick.

Watch it again and you might notice that the Barker was caught for pace, mistimed his challenge (partly from behind) catching Shane's left leg.

[Royalshow]

Who brought that 'cemetery junction' banner.Looked pretty good on the FLS.

[Mr Angry]

A soft penalty - to give away.

The Derby defender let Shane get goal side of him and tried to pull him back.

Clear pen.

[susieroyal]

The highlight was probably Susie getting clotheslined by Steward after going on a mad run after Longys 2nd...

LOL!!

[PEARCEY]

Left West Reading just after 9am with hanbags_harris and Compo's Hat and decided to go M4 then A34 route. Probably 45 minutes - an hour later later we hadn't reached Didcot so decided to catch the train. A train from Didcot to Oxford proved easy enough before we endured a 45 minute wait at Oxford which meant we didn't leave until 12:20. Train arrived into Birmingham New Street around 1:45pm, but more delays meant our Glasgow bound train didn't leave on time so we got a slower train which got us into Derby around 2:58. Fortunately for us, a guy (and a Derby fan) in the carriage heard about our day and said he would give us a lift straight to the ground so thanks Richard and in the end we only missed the first two or three minutes

Game itself was fairly even, we had our fair share of chances as did Derby. Feds was in outstanding form and clearly MOTM. Long led the line really well and his 2nd was was a welcome sight. As bad was Bywater was trying to go for a ball he wasn't going to make, Long done excellently to head home. Good displays from Harte, Legiertwood so delighted with the win after all the effort.

As for the journey back, there was a direct train from Derby to Reading about 17:50 which decided to stop running at Birmingham New Street which was all round as we had another hour wait before leaving around 8:30pm. Probably back in Oxford just before 10pm and back to pick up hanbags car about 10:15pm. Long old journey, commiserations to those who got stuck but we made the right call in the end.

^ Thats what you call a true supporter.

[Winnershroyal]

Anybody who made it, or tried to make it deserves credit.

Our away support is often slagged off for numbers but I salute up you all, in the end you have the memories of seeing a good result. I'd like to see the club acknowledge and help the away support more.

For a couple of seasons WBA have selected one away game and laid on all the transport as a thank you, SJM should do the same