Nevertheless, Claretjohn, we still blew it big time

Let's not "count our chickens" too quickly, ClaretRoss, remember what happened the season before last, when we were runaway leaders just before Xmas and then only just scraped into the play-offs. I suspect this season is going to be a lot tougher than the last two, as I see a more "level playing field" for many nore teams this season. I'm just gonna take one game at a time.

What a fabulous scintillating display last night from Chelmsford, who literally blew Woking away in the first half. Add to that our performance on Saturday, the signs bode well for an excellent season. C'mom you Clarets

"City Forever" Had you actually read everything I said, then you would have seen I also congratulated Bath City on their Success. however football has a knack at times of giving cruel luck to some teams and good luck to others, that's all part and parcel of football. Ask yourself this, how many times have you seen Bath City totally outplay teams, and then been cruelly denied the points by bad officiating decisions ? Probably quite a few over the years eh ? Now I hope you see the point i made in my earlier postings. Good luck to you in the BPS, oh and by the way, I shall enjoy Lewes away next season, Their Harvey's beer knocks the so called local real ale your clubhouse serves into a "cocked hat" And finally please try using a spell-check and some proper pronunciation in future, It does help when trying to understand what you are saying.

You obviously didn't go the the 1st leg at Bath then Claret John. We were mugged there, a somewhat dubious penalty and a goal just 5 minutes from the end in what was Baths only 2nd on target shot (other than the penalty) in the entire game, where as it was Us who had 2 much clearer penalty appeals turned down, plus a shot which was a good 2 foot over the line cleared, We totally dominated the 1st leg and were extremely unlucky, not only in losing, but, in not winning by a very convincing margin, Blimey even their manager stated we were the better team, and that they were fortunate to win.

City forever & ClaretJohn; did you go to the bath away game ? Somehow I doubt it ! I di so please excuse me for actually saying it as I saw t A game which we totally dominated, had far more goalscoring chances AND had far more attempts on target too. Yet bath were awarded a somewhat dubious penalty, and had only two other on target attempts during the entire evening. We also had two very good penalty claims rejected, a shot which was a good two foot over the line cleared, and even the Bath manager admitted we should have been easy winners of that game. In the return at Melbourne it was a totally different case where after the first 20 minutes or so we totally run out of ideas and Bath eventually ran out easy victors, however if it hadn't had been for the mugging (which it was) in the 1st leg the outcome of the 2nd leg could have been a totally different story. And please note I did congratulate Bath on their first leg victory, as to it being fully deserved because they played better tactics evening that's a totally different story. They whey scored and we didn't, and it happens many times that by far the better team "on the day" doesn't win, but that doesn't mean to say the winning teams played better tactics, what it means, in such situations, is that Lady luck shone on the winners. That's football, and no matter how good a team is, on the day, if they don't score they don't win. Bath scored, we didn't, they had the luck, we didn't, the crucial decisions went their way, not ours, that was the story of that evening. Other than that we played them off the park, all through the match. Bath may have "wanted" the tie more than we did in the 2nd leg, but there is no way you can hurl that accusation, or one of being negative at City in the 1st leg

I'd just like to say congratulations to both Bath city and Woking for getting through to the final of the BSS play-offs, and good luck to both teams, may the best team win.

Chelmsford City were "mugged" on Tuesday evening. How they lost beats me. Bath had 3 shots on target in the entire game, and one of them was from a somewhat dodgy penalty, when 2 clearer ones were not given to Chelmsford. There is still hope and if Chlemo continue to dominate in front of their own crowd there is no reason why they can't overturn the scoreline. However Well Done to Bath for taking their chances, even though they were totally outplayed it's goals that count, and it's the goals that Bath got and Chelmsford didn't that won the day. We look forward to seeing all You Bath Supporters on Saturday, and regardless of the 1st leg result, I hope we can give all your fans a warm and friendly welcome in the return leg

In answer to ClaretJohns question; FOUR players left,and another (Pavett) has gone on tria, with Charlton' Two of five players were basically signed as cover for the imjuries we had, Thomas never looked the part and we had sufficient cover for Micky Haswell. I'm sorry to see Haswell leave, but Cooper was really only temporary cover, and Smith didn't gve us anything extra. Pavett looked impressive but we only had himon Work experience anyway. Problem was just as teh injuries seemed to becoming resolved, no sooner had we released these players, than we got hit again with them, such is life really. However budget cuts had to be made, an approximate 25% drop in gates enforced that,and that's a situation we have to live within, which in my eyes is far better than putting the club in a potentially damaging financial situation. At the end of the day it was a sensible and prudent move.

Agood away win for St Albans tonight, which also aided Havants competitors for a play-off place. Newport as usual continued on their way to thei inevitable championship title, which should come their way with around 6 matches to spare. In the meantime the chasing 7 teams have it all to play for, though some, who have games in hand, with their heavy fixture congestion and having to play a number of fellow play off contenders, may end up rueing having these games in hand. Whatever it sure is turning out to be an exciting and nailbiting final run in, and I have a feeling that none of the play-off places will decided until the final day of the league season (24th April)where someof us will be cring in our beer whilst others will be raising a toast and keeping our fingers crossed for success in the play-offs

I wouldn't go so far as to say all teams are good, personally I don't think the standard in the league is as high as last season, but one things for sure it's a damn site more interesting and nailbiting for many more clubs and their fans, both near the top and down at the bottom. It's a just a shame the crowds aren't as high

Blimey, I'm almost speechless this evening. After watching dire display after dire display from Chelmsford st the Melbourne stadium this season, whilst at the same time seeing some truly magnificent away performances by them,like many City supporters I was looking forward to this afternoons match in an almost state of dread, wondering just how many goals we would get beaten by against the runaway leaders Newport County. For the first 20 minutes or so we were chasing shadows but still restricted County to not a single worthwhile goal effort, then........ We took the game to them and by half time could very easily have been 5-0 up, 3 easy misses in front of goal, some frantic defending and a shot which was clearly 3 feet over the line being cleared and play waved on. The 2nd half started off like the first, where Newport tried to impose themselves upon us, but we very quickly settled in our stride and again took the game to them, creating at least three great scoring opportunities. Apart from one tip round the post our goalie never had a shot to save for the entire game, so......... before the game started I would have been more than happy with a draw for the first time this season (at home matches) I came away very frustrated at seeing City being Victory. On another day this could almost have been a massacre, and it was the Newport fans (and their team) who ended the game thankful for avoiding defeat. All in all an excellent performance by Chelmsford, which shows that they can perform well at home. It's just a pity they only do so when playing against the very best. We played great, Newport weren't bad either in what was a very skillful and entertaining 0-0 draw. The best league match I've seen at the Melbourne this season, and certainly by a country Mile the best performance at home by City this season. Well done you Clarets.

Well we eventually won only our 2nd league home game since mid October.a very scrappy 1=0 victory over a determined Dorchester team, so well done you Clarets, sets us up nicely for the nice easy "stroll in the park" game against Newport this Saturday. lol Only joking you county boys,just take it easy on us guys as our home form is frail to say the least and our goal differential ain't nothing to write home about. By the way,our fans had a great welcome from the Newport fans on our visit there earlier this season, I do hope your away support can feel just as welcome on Saturday at the Melbourne Stadium.

Well done you Lewes team, what a result !and by all accounts fully deserved in the end too. Coming back from 2-0 down against the 2nd place team and to put SIX goals past them is a fantastic achievement and is likely to be the result of the season, It helps the chasing pack for the play off places too, as only a few weeks ago both Dover and Woking looked untouchable as far as gaining one of these positions were concerned. Now every team down to 8th position is in with an excellent chance of winning any of the play off places. We play Dover tomorrow, at "the Crablbe",which earlier in the season would have been seen as a daunting task, however with our recent excellent away record of 9 wins out of 10, coupled with Dover's recent dip in form, the travelling Claret army will have renewed optimism for a favourable result to Chelmsford. May I take this opportunity to wish the fans, players and officials of all the teams in the BSSouth a healthy prosperous and happy new year

Yayyyyyyyyyyy, yet another away win 1-0 in the FA Trophy replay against Truro. That's 9 out of the last ten away games we have won and an extremely unlucky 1-0 loss to Bath being the only "blip" in this away run. We've on;y let in FIVE goals in these ten games. Shame our defence can't play as well at home where they have conceded EIGHT goals in their last three home games (excluding the Essex Senior cup), all against inferior teams too. Roll on Dover away on 28th December.

By the end of the season I expect te1st 3 palces to be filled by Newport, Dover & Woking, with realistically only two positions to fight for. Pther than Thurrock I've seen all the other tams in the top ten ad outside teh 1st 3 I mentioned I see little difference. Basingstoke, Bishops Stortford, Thurrock, Btaintree and Staines have all got to visit the Melbourne stadium ad I don't see any pf them coming away with a win there. Dover hopes may blow up after the new year, as City's did last year after getting promotion. Thurrock ? can tehy really sustain a challenge to teh end of the season when they only missed relegation last season due to team Baths closure. Of teh teams I'v eseen so far this season, other than Newport, Woking & Dover, only Btaintree impressed in any way, and they were somewhat fortunate to take all 3 points of us. We payed Basingstoke off the park and gifted them 2 stupid goals, stupidly lost to Bromley (who seem to have a bit of a voodoo hold on us), and beat both Bishops Stortford and Staines away and deservedley so too. Problem with my lot is they gift to many silly goals and then start panicking, we have a lightweight attack, though two very speedy wingers, and far too many injuries to influential players this season. The most annoying thing abou this season is the poor quality refereeing, when will they learn they are not who the crowds come to see.

The problem with H&R is that it's a small club, small badly segreated ground, a small support base, and unles it does something drastic to teh stadium, it;s goingt ihave mjor problems if or when they ever get promoted to the Conference national. Unfortunately a lot of clubs are in a similar position withgod teams but with stadiums that let them down, and also in the case of H&R Poor quality and heavy handed stewards who are simply not qualified to do their job properly. It's no good getting "doormen" to steward a football ground, they have no idea how to handle a sports crowd, especially when another club brings far more fans to hampton than the home club can muster. The fans at Hampton (except in one or two cases) are great, it's their security officials who let the club down. By all accounts thee were considerable problems there in the play off game against Hayes. with lots off local Brentford & QPR fans backing the away club. If they can't handle that properly what hope would they have against the fans of clubs like Luton Town etc, if they had been promoted ?

Congratulations Wimbeldon, your turn this season, after our success last year. Fingers crossed that Chelmsford can follow you in a similar way you followed us last season. PS; The welcome the City fans had at Wimbledon in January was great, just a shame so many of both sets of supporters were locked out. Must have been a first for the Conference South.