Tranmere - Bournemouth 1-0 (1-0)

Prenton Park, 28.10.06
Att: 6 076

Finally three points after we'd gone six games without a league-win! The game was not very exiting in the starting-minutes. The only thing that it was sufficient of, was bookings...! Anyway, Rovers seemed a bit more comfertable since the last home-game against Port Vale and had a oppurtunity on 20 mins, as Taylor hit the bar with a header. Chris McCready had an exellent chance later on as he headed the ball goalbounds after a corner. However, their goalie produced an even better save to deny Rovers. On 41 minutes Rovers did manage to break the deadlock as Kevin Ellison hit the back of the net. Shane Sherriff was the provider as he curled the ball in from the left and found Taylor who headed the ball back into Ellisons path. Just moments later Ellison could have made it two as he also headed the ball onto the bar.
After half-time Rovers continued to have the better chances as Taylor, Greenacre and Goodison all should have found the net. Taylors effort came after a good freekick manouver, but their keeper saved. Greenacre was very unlucky not to score as his brilliant overheadkick was brilliantly saved. And how Goodisons header from a corner did not cross the goalline is still beyond me. Bournemouth didn't have to many chances as Rovres looked quiet comfortable. It has to be said that the Cherriers probably is the weakest team that has vivited Prenton Park this season...
MOM: Paul McLaren, did ever so well in the middle of the park.

Chester City - Hartlepool 2-1 (1-1)

Saunders Honda Stadium, 20.10.06
Att: 2 580

Two mates of mine and I travelled down to Chester to see this game at the more known Deva Stadium. After finding our way into the ground, it started off in a perfect way for a neutral fan. Just after ten minutes, the a Chester defender backpassed the ball to his goalkeeper, which hitthe ball straight into a Hartlepool-player, and in the end, the ball was in the back of the net... Then, five mins later, Hartlepool was down to ten men after Jon Daly elbowed a Chester player. They did not however take advantage of the extra player, and played very poorly. They did manage to score straight before the interval though through Ashley Westwood, after a rebound-scramble...
After the break, the home-side were very much on top and deservedly got their reward when Jon Walters replied quickly after a very good save from the Hartlepool goalie. The visitors goalkeeper had a very good game, and Hartlepool can thank him for not conceding more goals...
MOM: Konstantopoulos, the Hartlepool goalkeeper.

Bury - Tranmere 0-2 (0-1)

Gigg Lane, 17.10.06
Att: 1 093

Johnstone's Paint Trophy, first round. Probably more known as LDV Vans Trophy... This cup has got a new sponsor, and hence, a new name... The format has changed a bit as well to try and get some more interest round the cup. If it's a draw after 90 minutes, the game goes straight to penalties, and every team has to field a minimum of six first-team regulars.
Tranmere travelled the short way to Bury to try and get the first win in six games. No doubt the confidence was boosted before out league-game away to Carlisle this Saturday after this win.
The first half was very dull. Bury had some half-chances, but never threatened John Achterberg, which played his first first-team game in nearly a year. Chris Shuker finally broke his duck, as he curled a freekick in from 20 yards out. Former Rovers-defender Dave Challinor handled the ball, and the free-kick resulted in 1-0 to the Rovers.
2nd half was better and more open as Bury searched for an equalizer. A couple of more half-chances and a very good shot, which Achto reacted well to was their threats. Rovers also produced many half-chances, and got a penalty-claim turned down, as one of their defenders clearly handled the ball. Substitute John Mullin should also have done better when he had the time to place the ball, however, he miskicked it.
Just before the final whistle, Kevin Ellison broke down the left, skipped past the last defender, and passed the ball to another sub, Steven Jennings. Himself and the ball slided over the goalline to make it 2-0! We will now meet Darlington at home in the next round.
MOM: Chris Greenacre. Worked his socks off with all the running, and creating chances for both himself and others.

Tranmere - Port Vale 1-2 (0-2)

Prenton Park, 13.10.06
Att: 7 866

Tranmere started the match on top, but soon the little quality they had shown dropped dramatically! Both Chris Shuker and Kevin Ellison should have scored, but instead, Port Vale took advantage of a disgraceful free-kick from Ellison, went up the pitch and scored... After that Tranmere weren't to recognise... They couldn't do anything in the first half as Port Vale dominated. And straight before half-time they got a free kick, which never should have been given, and scored from the rebound... 2-0 down by halftime. I really couldn't see us coming back, but as we came out in the second half and put them under pressure, I slightly realized we could come back, specially when Greenacre rounded their goalie and made it 1-2. But after that we were awful again. I have to give credit to Goodlad in Vales goal. Ha made some fantastic saves from Mullin and Ellison... It was not our day, as time went by and we deservedly lost 2-1, unfortunatley! We will never get promoted with this kind of play!!!
Oh, and the referee didn't help us...
MOM: I don't care!

England - Macedonia 0-0 (0-0)

Old Trafford, 07.10.06
Att: 72 062

A game that most of us thought would be a walk-over for England. It never was... Macedonia impressed me a lot with some brilliant defencive play and with more luck, they could have got all three points!
England started off brightly and put pressure on little Macedonia from the start, however they couldn't find a way through their visitors defence, and Macedonia's confidence grew as the match progressed. A splended volley-attempt from Macedonia, which would have been a great goal, went just over the bar. Lampard and Carrick in the centre and Downing on the left did not impress, and the stats told by half-time that they only had managed one shot on goal...
The second half was better than the first, a few more chances to both teams. England had two very good chances, but the Macedonia-goalie pulled off some brilliant saves.
If Macedonia had deared to send more players in attack, they might have shocked the home-team. They had a couple of good chances, but Ledley King impressed when he twice avoided the Macedonia strikers to run clean through on goal. Shaun Wright-Phillips could have scored on his first run after he replaced Downing, but his shot was to weak. Five minutes from time, Gerrard hit the ball towards the goal. It rattled against the crossbar, and that summed up Englands day.
MOM: Jane Nikolovski; The Macedonien goalkeeper.

Ground hopper :-)

In the absence of me going to Rovers-games lately, I have to write about some other football-topic. Rovers travelled to Bradford last Saturday, glad I didn't went as they got battered 2-0. Tomorrow they'll travel to Swansea, hopefully this time around they will come back with a result...

Anyway, the other day I was looking through all the games I've been to here in England. I found out that I had been to 20 different grounds and 29 games before I moved here in August.

So here are all the grounds and matches I've seen there;

25.10.97 Tranmere-Charlton 2-2 Prenton Park
26.10.97 Arsenal-Aston Villa 1-1 Highbury
26.02.00 Norwich-Huddersfield 1-1 Carrow Road
27.02.00 Leiceister-Tranmere 2-1 Wembley Stadium
28.02.00 QPR-Fulham 0-0 Loftus Road
24.02.01 Tottenham-Leeds 1-2 White Hart Lane
03.03.01 Crewe-Tranmere 3-1 Gresty Road
04.03.01 Fulham-Bolton 1-1 Craven Cottage
21.10.01 Newcastle-Totenham 0-2 St. James' Park
20.11.01 Reading-Tranmere 4-1 Madejski Stadium
23.02.02 West Ham-Middlesbrough 1-0 Boleyn Ground
24.08.02 Oldham-Tranmere 2-0 Boundery Park
27.08.02 Charlton-Tottenham 0-1 The Valley
01.03.03 Brentford-Tranmere 1-2 Griffin Park
19.10.03 Everton-Southampton 0-0 Goodison Park
03.04.04 Wrexham-Tranmere 0-1 Racecourse Ground
04.04.04 Liverpool-Blackburn 4-0 Anfield Road
05.11.04 Millwall-Sunderland 2-0 The New Den
09.11.04 Bristol City-Tranmere 4-0 Ashton Gate
16.12.05 Preston NE-Sheffield U 0-0 Deepdale

This season I've visited KC Stadium (Hull), Millmoor (Rotherham) and Sixfield Stadium (Northampton).

On top of this I have been to a total of 10 times at Prenton Park before this season.

How many grounds do you guys have?