Bristol C v Scunthorpe United

Saturday, August 5, 2006

Football League One

Bristol C :
Basso, Orr, Carey, Fontaine, Woodman, Cotterill (Brown 89), Skuse, Noble, Murray (Showunmi 60), Brooker, Jevons (McCombe 72)
Subs not used:
Russell, Reed.

Scunthorpe United :
Murphy, Hinds, Foster, Crosby, Ridley, Mulligan (Torpey 71), Baraclough (MacKenzie 89), Goodwin (Taylor 45), Sparrow, Keogh, Sharp
Subs not used:
Byrne, Lillis.

SULSESC REPORT

by Keith Solomon at Ashton Gate

HAVING brought the previous season to a close watching journeymen such as Zidane and Co. over-complicating football in Germany, it was back to the proper stuff, as the Iron somewhat unexpectedly began a second consecutive season in ‘No Nonsense’ Division Three.

A small but select gathering made its way out of Paddington, Black Maria ensuring I did not imitate Scunny, managing instead to amass more than 100 points.

Talk over a flagon or two was based around optimism for the current season, well, that covered the first 10 seconds, until common sense prevailed and such comment was banished into the bin marked ‘surreal nonsense’.

The efforts of a local cabbie ensured the stragglers made it out of the pub in time to lash out upwards of 20 quid for the waiting fiesta of football and so, after a blissful summer of reflection, the new campaign began.

Seventy minutes of August ping pong was finally broken as City's colossus, Showunmi, got the game's decisive goal (doing so whilst clearly thriving on his three Shredded Wheat, the box it comes in and probably the warehouse used to keep it in as well. He's a big 'un!).

Somewhat surprisingly, Steve Torpey miscalculated at the back of last season, thereby missing out on the chance to spend the first three matches of this one suspended. Ten minutes is more than enough time for a seasoned pro to put matters right, however and so a straight red for the latest chapter in the indiscipline files ensured ST can see out at least some of August in his customary role.

With a solitary chance to salvage matters spurned, United went away with nothing, whilst the homebound contingent of SULSESC returned to the metropolis to contemplate the next 45 episodes that await before next May.

Perhaps the only respite from the drudgery of watching the Iron's bold bid to remain unbeaten into the second game of the season was trying to work out what possible use it is to have a third strip. Cynics, of course, could throw in a well known phrase about fools and their money, but as soon as any of us set foot outside the door on a Saturday between August and May, we are all guilty of that!

A long hard season ahead? Yes, that certainly looks likely and presumably the small squad decision took into account the fact that sitting in the naughty boy corner is a career pastime for certain players...of course it did.

Having got rid of the millstone of an unbeaten record from around our necks and at the earliest opportunity, the rest of the season should be plain sailing. At least that's what my invisible friend says and he is never wrong, is he, doctor?