Saturday morning and it was a luxury to have a nice late start for an away
game. It was a cooked breakfast followed by a nice short 25 minute walk to
Deepdale.
We took a short cut across Moor park and it was not a good decision. The ground looked green and lush, but was rather waterlogged! By the time we crossed the cricket pitch we had nice wet feet and mud half way up our jeans!
I was also suffering the side effects of a rather hot and spicy curry from the previous night, bought from a great curry house called 'Curry in a hurry'. I won't go into to much detail but I reckon I could have dried out the cricket square with the same effect as a low hovering helicopter (as witnessed at Worcestershire one season with Sussex!).
We got to the museum about 10.30 and there were plenty of Albion fans about.
Roy and his mob of 4, Drew, Callum, Judith, Emily (and yes I did see
Judith filling in Emily's museum quiz!) plus quite a few I didn't recognise.
The museum is superb and we spent nearly 2 hours in the place so even missed
opening time!
We caught a taxi outside the ground and headed for 'The Old Black Bull'.
The taxi driver was rather old and fragile and started badly by saying, now
Brighton, in my day they used to be called Brighton and Hove Albion! Mmm,
got us slightly puzzled.
Next it turned out he was not only driving the cab but acting as the office as well and using a Dictaphone to record bookings. One part of the conversation was a classic. A lady phoned up to make a regular booking for Tina from the royal legion back home every Tuesday and Saturday evening at 23.45, plus more if she was required to work. He got himself in a right muddle. A taxi for who? Right so starting Tuesday, and when else did you say again? Righto no problem , so we will pick her up tonight then? No Ok Tuesday, and when after that again? Who is it for? Righto, so where does she go them? That's not far, so when do you want it to start? Liz nearly took the phone of him to sort it all out!
He then pulled up outside a pub and said 'Rightto then this is the Old Black ball in Church street'. I looked out and said 'Errr no this is called The Old
Dog!!' He replied 'Oh righto but it's a good pub anyway and if you don't
like it there are plenty of others around'. We gave up and paid up and went
to get a well needed drink!
We bumped into Gary from Beverley and had a swift beer watching the Man Utd
game. The barman had us in stitches. The lad next to me gave him #5 and
got change for #4. The next lad got change for #2.50 instead of #3, he then
had no change for notes and you had to repeat your order several times and
they still forgot the hot nuts!!!!
The 'chef' who served us forgot to shut the till whilst serving me so the landlord keyed one his round in between and they had no idea who had to pay what and how much change to give!
We moved on to an Irish bar next door, and it was #4.32 for 2 pints and a house double of vodka!!!! We soon found out that the train lot were in the Old
Bull (not the Old Black Bull that was further away) and we soon met up.
Another mate was lost, close to the Old Blue Bell, and then he saw the Old
Black Bull and went in but couldn't find us. He soon worked out he was in
the wrong Bull pub and eventually found us!
We saw a great shop for the Fatty Taxman between pubs. It was selling 6XL sized Jeans. We had to go in and find out what size they did. Pete sadly they didn't quite go up to your size as only had 60 inch waist sizes!!!!!!!!!
We left about 2.40 and caught a taxi to the ground. It is very smart these
days and the three new stands look superb. They are named after Bill
Shankley, Tom Finney and ?????.
I would guess at around 800 Albion fans at the match. The first half was dire and we looked like a team bottom of the league, apart from BZ who was pure class. He turned the defence inside out with a clever turn, chipped in a great cross, but Sidwells header was palmed over.
A minute later and we were 1-0 down to a simple headed goal from a
corner. We struggled after that and it was no surprise when Richard 'almost
as good at diving as Webb' Cresswell made in 2-0 with another simple goal.
At half time in the bar the mood was subdued, Blackwell had gone off first
half and we had yet another defensive line up!!. Coppell must have said
something pretty profound in the changing rooms as it was a very different
Albion in the second half.
We dominated from start to finish. Cresswell had a great chance to score to make it 3-0 but decided to dive over Kuipers and into the Ref's note book. That turned the game and we suddenly looked the better side.
BZ put in a great cross, Hart nodded back and Rodgers struck the ball home sweetly. With just 20 minutes to go we were pushing for the equaliser.
A long ball out, great control by BZ, a deft side pass to Sidwell who was clean through. He powered on and smashed the ball home for 2-2.
It silenced the Preston fans, who only made noise when the sad git with a big drum at the other end started up! BZ had a half chance towards the end (created it himself), but blasted wide.
A great second half and it made me realise what a good manager Coppell is.
He plays a formation that works for the players he has, and he has installed
some self belief.
On Saturday BZ was brilliant, a class above every other player (other than possibly Ricardo Fuller for them). He didn't score, but set up 2 goals, held the ball up superbly. Lets hope we keep him when the January transfer window opens.
Roll on Wednesday!
Mark R
My player ratings would be
Michel Kuipers 6
Paul Watson 6
Kerry Mayo 6
Danny Cullip 7
Dean Blackwell 6
Gary Hart 6
Richard Carpenter 6
Robbie Pethick 6
Bobby Zamora 9
Simon Rodger 7
Steve Sidwell 8
Subs:
Jones 8