Swindon Town - 2nd August 2015
Well here we are the football season is upon us again, I'm
trying hard to forget the season just gone especially the 6-1 abomination at
the hands of Stoke on the final day, on Sunday at least we have the chance to
make amends on the opening day. Much has changed in the 11 weeks since, a new coaching
staff, a new club captain, a new 32.5 million striker among 9 new players. first
it was the final pre-season friendly away to Swindon Town.
I had to catch Murphy's Magical Mystery bus from outside the
Arkles pub on Utting Avenue at 11:00 instead of Anfield Road due to the
construction of the new Main Stand, on
arrival to the stadium I inspected its progress it really is starting to take shape like a giant steel climbing frame
and its huge roof truss which took two cranes to lift into position dominating
the north Liverpool skyline, this time next year it should be ready for its grand
opening.
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| The new Main Stand taking shape |
I necked a swift bottle of Peroni with Margi in Arkles and had
a quick catch up having not seen her since the 6-1 hammering, we crossed the road and bordered the coach.
Dave Murphy the steward on board was standing in the doorway checking our
tickets while occasionally checking his watch, apparently we weren't the last
ones on for a change.
The coach was full surprisingly but with a lot of new faces,
most of the usual suspects had decided on giving the trip a miss due to the
fact most of the squad had been over in Helsinki playing HJK the night before,
so it could well be a reserve side Brendan was testing out today.
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| On route to sunny Swindon |
The drive down took just over 3 hours without a piss stop
which Margi wasn't happy about, it wasn't the most enjoyable for her someone on
a previous trip had decided to rip the air-con blower above her seat out so it
was gushing cold air on her, Murph's survival skills kicked in when he plugged
it with bin bag, he must of learnt that on his trip to Russia in 1995 when we
took on Spartak Vladikavkaz, Bear Grylls must be shitting himself.
After circle-navigating the stadium twice looking for the
car park while the driver spoke in foreign language to the Swindon stewards who
seemed they didn't know their arses from their elbows we were sent back across The Magic Roundabout a quarter of mile to park at St Joseph's college, after a little
stroll through the park we finally arrived back at The County Ground, next stop
a piss and bevy in The County Ground Hotel.
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| Back across The Magic Roundabout... Again |
On arrival at the beer garden at the back of the stadium we were met by a bouncer in his luminous hi-vis vest, "are you home or away"? "home mate" trying my best to make my accent sound farmer like... well we past a shitload of sheep on the way down. "Sorry mate no Liverpool fans", looks like my farming days are numbered. after explaining to the big fella that we hadn't stopped in three hours and was bursting for a slash he finally backed down and let us in.
Standing at the round mahogany bar waiting to be served while
the bar staff tried their best to ignore us for about 15 minutes, now we were
gonna have to double up. after finally getting her attention with the shout of "Two
double Bacardi's and a bottle of Coke". Top tip for ya always start with the short it gets their attention then
follow it up with the "two pints of Carling, a bottle of Peroni, a ploughman's
lunch and a partridge in a pear tree ".
The sun was cracking the flags so we sat in the garden
overlook the ground with its giant floodlights it was the sight that we had
been waiting for, the football season was upon us with the early starts, planes,
trains and automobiles, the twists and turns, the happiness and heartache that
comes with it, I couldn't wait for it to start.
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| The beer garden at The County Ground Hotel |
We made our way round the back to the open ended Stratton Bank behind the goal, on route we heard we would be getting our first glimpse of new signings Christian Benteke and Roberto Firmino who were both starting the game. once through the turnstiles we were hit with the sun in our eyes, I knew I should of brought my Ray Bans, fucking British weather... oh well match programme at the ready.
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| Our POV on The Stratton Bank |
Now to the match, Rodgers handed a start to 16-year-old
Scouse youngster Trent Alexander-Arnold, skipper of the under-18s side. There was
three Liverpool players lining up against the Reds, with young loaned trio
goalkeeper Lawrence Vigouroux, defender Jordan Williams and attacker Kevin
Stewart in the Swindon starting line-up.
Lucas Leiva released Firmino over the top but a strong first
touch allowed Vigouroux to come out and clear out the ball and the player,
leaving the Brazilian lying on the deck, welcome to English football, Roberto.
However, it was Joe Allen who would be limping off after a knock forced him off
after only 13 minutes, replaced by Joao Carlos Teixiera.
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| No Pyro, No Party |
Benteke could have scored on 18 minutes. Firmino showed
fleet of foot to dance down the right before playing square to Benteke, whose
shot allowed Vigouroux to parry before Teixeira was seemingly bundled over as
he raced to meet the rebound. the first half ended 0-0 with Emre Can enjoying
himself in a central midfield role.
Three minutes into the second half, Benteke truly announced
his arrival in a Liverpool shirt. With the ball dropping on the edge of the
area, the Belgian controlled on his chest before swivelling and firing a
thunderous right-foot volley into the top corner that left Vigouroux no chance.
Moments later, Benteke spurned a far easier chance when
turning the ball over from six yards after good work from Markovic down the
right. The Belgian then had the ball in the net again but was flagged offside
from a Firmino pass.
Sloppy defending allowed Anton Rodgers, son of Brendan to find the unmarked Jonathan Obika, who
curled home an equaliser on 63 from the right-hand edge of the area. That was
the cue for Benteke and Firmino to depart, allowing youngster Ryan Kent to
enliven proceedings with some clever touches, not least when releasing Moreno
in the area for a chance Vigouroux somehow kept out.
The goalkeeper was at fault three minutes from time when
substitute Sheyi Ojo brought a long pass
down on his chest and smashed a shot that Vigouroux seemingly had saved only
for the ball to loop over him and drop into the net. It was a bizarre end to an
entertaining game. Benteke's, though, was the only goal anybody was talking
about.
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| Glady Libs - European Beer Connoisseurs |
Swindon Town: Vigoroux, Thompson (Eckersley 55),
Ormonde-Ottewill (Whittingham 80), Williams (Barry 88), Turnbull (Branco 62),
Traore (Robert 34), Kasim (Balmy 84), Byrne (Brophy 80), Stewart (Rodgers 55),
Obika (Marshall 84), Hylton (Dayton 72). Subs: Belford, Randall, Cooke.
Liverpool (4-2-3-1): Bogdan (Fulton 67); Arnold (Cleary 58),
Toure, Sakho, Moreno; Lucas, Can (Chirivella 76); Markovic, Allen (Teixeira
13), Firmino (Ojo 67); Benteke (Kent 67). Subs: Cleary, Maguire.
Att: 14,591
