The Blue Kipper boys were struggling today after a mega-sesh (hence the late report). After beating the Bar Stewards 7-1 we went on to celebrate in true style then after putting Jogger to bed and then waking him up later we went off to the Alan Ball Memorial Dinner where we were in the illustrious company of Waggy, Big Nev, Diamond Geezer Graeme Stuart and Joe Parkinson for a fund raising night for the Walking With Giants Foundation (thanks again to Jim Buckley) - what a day, what a night!

So the usual chaos ensued in the Blue Kipper Lounge where we were joined by Mike Newall and then Paul Wharton told everyone about the forthcoming Dixie
Dean play, we just about got through it then trudged up to Goodison in the deluge. Now when we deluge we mean it, even Sausage's quiff was flattened, we
were pissed soaked through, hungover and up for real six pointer. Up for grabs was a European place in the longest standing first class fixture in football history, up against Villa for the 186th time - shove that up yer hoop New Chelski!

We were still puzzling on the team announcement, why was Our Tater on the bench? Surely if he's fit he must be in the team? It was the usual back four,
Peanuts, Harry Hill, Ossy and Manny in the middle with The Yak and AJ up front, but what about Arteta?! Then we saw the officials! It had been rumoured that Clattenburg was to make an appearance, after the final whistle maybe we wished he had, instead we got the three stoogies, Curly, Larry and Mo, Phil very Dowd and his two blindsmen, the one with the pink crash helmet and the Kenneth Williams look-a-like - they were shocking for both sides, six bookings and a penalty turned down, we could now go all season without a pen!

We started quite well and in the first fifteen minutes we were on top, then Villa took charge and probably had the better of the first half having said that, Tim never had a save to make. Villa did hit the bar from a free kick from just outside the area on the stroke of half time. It was the Toffeemen who had the better chances, The Yak went close early on, another half chance dummied by Peanuts fell just behind the Yak, but the move of the match came down the left in front of the Bullens - The Yak raced for the ball with Reo-Coker, he shoulder charged him twice, shrugged him off the ball, cut in and hit a blistering shot which the redshite palmed away, it fell to Manny inexplicably screwed the chance well wide. Harry Hill and The Yak were both booked in the first 45, both were harsh
decisions. we went in at half time all square.

HALF TIME 0-0

If it was a deluge before the game it had now become a downpour of biblical proportions, mistakes were about to be made. We had gone into the break to get a bollocking from Moyesy because things weren't looking good and it seemed to do the trick, again we started brightly. Then just 10 mins into the half we got the break through, Captain Nev latched on to one on the right side of the pitch just outside the box, he hit it sweetly, it took a deflection and left redshite Carson helpless, one-up, Nev ran the length of the Bullens arms aloft milking the adulation and the place went bonkers. Our Tater came on for Manny after 65 mins but somehow he did not look right?

Now we held this lead fairly comfortably although they are a pacy side with a big galoot up front but we were coping, even though very Dowd was giving us
rock all. That was until with just 10 mins to go they got a corner, Ossy lost his man and Ibonkedawhore rammed it into the roof of the net. Game on. It didn't take long for us to get back in front, just four minutes in fact. Our Tater found Harry Hill on the right and his looping cross went to the back post where Joey Yobo smashed, and I mean smashed, a volley high into the roof of the Gwladys Street net, the roof nearly came off the place while Joey strutted a cool celebration. We thought we'd done it, 2-1 up with just six minutes to go, we were wrong.

Our Tater failed to close down Barry who had acres of time and space and delivered a cross on to the galoot's head and it was all square. There was still time for Our Tater to waste a free kick in a dangerous position and for Joey to head against the post but it wasn't to be. Big Vic who had come on for AJ was booked for a scuffle with Harewood, a real heavyweight contest but his arrival did not have the desired effect, when did a forward last score for us? So the race for 5th continues but we are stumbling across the line, there may still be a twist yet. Blue Kipper Star Man goes to Joey Yobo, stalwart in defence, hit the post, great goal and an even better celebration. COYB FTRS

FULL TIME 2-2

The Skipper Celebrates 1-0
Tricks From Pienaar	Moyesy Watches On
Joe Celebrates His Goal	Yobo Hits The Post In The Last Minute

Sausage Reports from Goodison Park

Today's Blue Kipper Star Man

Star Man

Stats

Goals

Bad Boys

Prem Table

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gareth Barry says: "A few weeks ago we looked like we had no chance of doing anything with our season. Now a win will see us leapfrog our biggest European rivals so we're in a good situation. We need to continue the momentum that we have built up over the past few games. It will be a battle. It will be tough because they always keep it tight at home. They always seem to win by the odd goal because they have goalscorers in Andy Johnson and Yakubu."