I turned up to the game just before the kick off, having heard that Sir Lee wasn't even in the 16. Shocked was one word, worried was another. Following a little bit of banter with the people around me about my appearances at Roots Hall getting in the way of my blossoming Rugby Career they told me on the grapevine that it was due to an injury he picked up in training.
The visitors Swindon turned up in their rather lovely FourFourTwo sponsored kit - it really is the UK's leading football magazine don't you know, with Billy Paynter leading the line and subject of boos from sections of the Blues fans. My feelings on this are why? You can't boo someone who wasn't given a chance at Roots Hall yet showed in the season we got relegated he would score goals as he did whilst on loan at Bradford. I was gutted when he was sold to Swindon in a similar way to I was when Hoops left but there are others who obviously think that any player returning to their old stomping ground should be given all sorts of stick.
Anyway to the game and a striker who I've given untold stick in the form of Mr Revell did what I never thought he'd do - he rose to a Betsy cross and scored. I was stunned to say the least - surely in the weeks absence he hadn't turned into a decent player - on his performance on Saturday it seems he has. Apart from the goal and a howler from Fed where he fumbled a Swindon shot on to the post for us to scramble away nothing else of any note really happened in the first half - perhaps everyone else was like me and slightly stunned by our goalscorer.
Then came the moment Billy momentarily stuck it to the boo boys when he bundled home following a Cox header to equalise. Sadly though he injured himself in the process and was substituted straight after.
Afterwards Swindon keeper tried his best to give the game to us when after his howler Mr Revell laid it on a plate for Walker to score from 18yards out however somehow with an open goal starring at him he managed to side foot the ball wide from 18 yds. Luckily perhaps it wasn't one of those misses which cost us, (unlike his effort that hit the bar at the Keepmoat), as 3 minutes into being brought on Laurent beautifully headed home a Peter Clarke cross giving the Czech keeper, (his nickname is Checky - see November's FourFourTwo), no chance.
It finished 2-1, happy days and roll on Tuesday night. I will lay money on Hoops doing some damage and most probably getting booed by fans for giving his all when he played for us but not being given more time. We'll see......
Federici - 8 Apart from the little fumble a very good performace
Sankofa - 6; Solid game at right back for the ex-Charlton man
Barrett - 7; Looked a bit shaky
Clarke - 7; Solid and cracking ball for the winner
Francis - 6; Better than previously, even on the left, still not performing to his best
Robson-Kanu - 6; Seemed to flit in and out
Sawyer - 7; Not his best game but did what was required
Christophe - 7; Some blinding tackles
Betsy - 9; Pacey as anything, only a matter of time before he breaks his scoring duck
Revell - 7.5; 2 weeks is a long time in Football obviously - winning me over
Walker - 7; Really needs to work on his finishing
Subs:
Laurent - 8; Words can't describe it - what an impact - why didn't he start?
Grant - 6; Did he touch the ball?
McCormack; 6 Same old Macca - got stuck in