...................that my walking stick would have been confiscated as a potential weapon so I sat at home and watched the match on the television. I was impressed with the way our players were not at all phased by the aggresive crowd and if I was a Pompey fan I might be a little embarrased by the TV images of their fans whenever a Saints player got near the crowd at a throw in. Fox and Richardson in particular showed great courage and no fear whatsoever. The lovely Mrs Godders insisted that I watch the game with the sound on the television turned down as she did not like to hear all that terrible swearing from the Portsmouth fans although she did say she found it rather amusing the way they became all agitated and jumped up and down waving their fists at the Saints players. "My word." she commented at one point "Oh my! They really are a barrel of monkeys aren't they." She was quite shocked that some of them were older than her! The referee had a good game and the players approached the whole thing in a restrained way without stupid and dangerous tackles flying in all over the place. I felt very disappointed that we let the lead slip and the game ended in a draw but that was propably the best result leading up to Christmas and all that goodwill stuff we are meant to wish one another. Nigel made a mistake in substituting Fox when he should have brought on De Ridder for Guly instead. His pace would have ensured that their players didn't play so far up the pitch.
st godders, sitting in an arm chair now there is a first you must have been watching a different game if you think the ref had a good game! He allowed fouls to be comitted that should have been pulled back.....and stopped the flow of the game more than often........... As for our fans giving your players stick.....you must be kidding the saint lads at the front near the beeb box were at it from start to finish.....its part of the rivalry.........the best bit was when the young lad lobbed the ball over your players head when he went to take his throw all part of the game. I guess st scarys will be a quite and polite venue for us on the return shift? BP
