The Cobblers came away from the Withdean Stadium with their unbeaten away form still in tact...just!
An early start saw us catch the 9:30 train from Southampton. After changing at Beastley Eastleigh, we were joined by a tough looking Brighton fan who gave us a guide to where to go when we arrived and who to look out for from the home side.
Arriving at just gone 11am, we headed for the beach and the huge pier. I realised I needed to make the most of this trip as our next away games see us visit the not so exciting haunts of Scunthorpe, Huddersfield and Oldham!
We met up with Jamie's sister, Kat, after a quick walk around the pier and searched for the crazy golf course of dreams. The small "windmill" soon came onto the horizon and we collected our clubs. One problem arised when we realised we needed something to actually attempt to hit into the holes, prompting Kat to go back to the seller of golf equipment and ask the inevitable question..."Have you got any balls?"
After we had collected the balls, we got started but the waerlogged pitch made it difficult to get into full form. That was my excuse...and I'm sticking to it!
A quick bite to eat in Brighton city centre was required and we walked around trying to find a decent place before settling on a nice little restaurant in the middle of town. When asked "Have you eaten with us before" by the waitress, I somehow resisted the temptation to reply..."No...we've just met...silly woman".
I went for the steak (medium done please) and it lined the stomach for the drinkage that would follow later on.
We jumped back on the train for a 5 minute journey to Preston Park where the Withdean is situated and headed into the excellent Sportsman's bar just outside the ground to meet Dad and Chris for a swift drink.
We made it into the ground in good time and joined a healthy following of Cobblers fans (Around 800) in the open temporary stand set back behind the running track, making viewing very difficult! Mark Bunn retained his place in goal from Tuesday night and we soon heard that Lee Harper hadn't even made the journey after being told he was dropped. Another hissy fit from Harps and it's becoming all too familiar now every time he's replaced by Bunn.
Those Cobblers players that did turn up struggled to get going but Brighton didn't look a whole lot better in a slow, tame opening to the game. Eoin Jess had our first effort on goal mid way through the first half with a drive from outsde the area but it went harmlessly wide.
The half wore on in dire fashion. Every ball that we tried to play forward was read by the home side while Albion couldn't produce anything in reply until late in the half when they took the lead.
A corner from the right was hammered towards goal by Dean Cox (the Brighton fans like Cox) and it hit his own played before Jake Robinson followed up to slam the ball into the roof of the net. Balls. 1-0 down at half time with the Town not looking likely at all to get back into the game.
Mitchell Cole was brought off 10 minutes or so into the second half due to illness, replaced by Andy Holt but frustratingly the game showed no signs of changing and Brighton looked the more likely to score again. We had two penalty claims turned down, both handball claims, before Scott McGleish actually gave us a brief sight of us attacking as he came close to nipping the ball beyond Henderson in the Brighton goal.
It looked like our away form was coming to an end before a moment of quick thinking incredibly saved us. The ball was booted out of the ground by a Brighton defender and Scotty picked up another ball from the young ballboy. Everyone in the ground was still looking at the other ball sailing over the ground...everyone apart from Scotty and substitute James Quinn that is. McGleish launched the ball forward and Quinn was behind the defence. He brought it down and curled it right past Henderson to bring us level! Incredible piece of luck and good thinking!
We could even have stolen all three points late on when Quinn popped up in a similar position only to see the shot saved this time.
But 1-1 it finished and we'll take that. It's extraodinary that we played so well at Bournemouth yet didn't look in the game yesterday but come away with a point from each game. That's the sort of draw that will hopefully keep us in League One though and we'll take anything that goes towards reaching that goal.
The evening was spent back in Southampton at that old favourite the Frog and Frigate. Good times!
Goalkeeper Lee Harper has had a transfer request accepted by Cobblers boss John Gorman.
The Cobblers came away from the Withdean Stadium with their unbeaten away form still in tact...just!
We met up with Jamie's sister, Kat, after a quick walk around the pier and searched for the crazy golf course of dreams. The small "windmill" soon came onto the horizon and we collected our clubs. One problem arised when we realised we needed something to actually attempt to hit into the holes, prompting Kat to go back to the seller of golf equipment and ask the inevitable question..."Have you got any balls?"
Anyway, we did eventually get on a busy train to Pokesdown where we would be based for the night. The first of many taxi journeys took us to our hotel, the Urban Beach Hotel, a newly refurbushed hotel in Pokesdown that was superb value for our £35 a night (plus free breakfast). Another taxi ride was next and we arrived at Dean Court in good time to get a quick drink and burger in the ground.
The Cobblers had brought a good army of support as we looked to continue our unbeaten away start to the season. We'd already had entertainment by the time the game kicked off with more inflatable ball tennis between the Town fans. This game came to a dramatic point when the ball landed at the feet of a Bournemouth steward. He picked it up, gave it his best kick and whacked it right into the face of an elderly Cobblers fan! Sack him! The ASBO crew were out in force in the stand next to ours, stealing the ball and "chanting" throughout the game. They really were an embarressment to Bournemouth and if I was in the home ends I would be cringing at the chavs who only turned up to try to look hard in front of their mates!
The game got under way and we were dominating the early play without any real danger to the Bournemouth goal. The Cobblers were passing well but the final ball was lacking again, though Andy Kirk did have the ball in the net only for it to be ruled out for offside. The home side's best effort of the game came from Southampton loanee Leon Best. Set up on the edge of the area, Best missed kicked first time but then connected with his second effort but the recalled Lee Harper (in for the injured Bunn) saved low to his right.
