Time For A Celebratory Pint

L's looking and feeling a lot better this morning, well she doesn't reject my advances anyway. I'm still in the car partly because of my cough that just won't take the hint and go away but also because of the logistics of having the big match tonight.

At least I should get some sport in later this week, its squash tomorrow and then hopefully I should be able to bike on Friday. I'm desperate to get something in, some activity of some sort.

Just as I'm leaving work L texts to say that Doggo has a poorly eye and she's rushing home to tend to him. I'd planned on staying in Derby and going straight to tonight's big semi-final but now I'm all primed to head home for a vets trip. Thankfully, L reports back that's its not too bad now that she's bathed it for him. I begin to wonder whether MD has slotted him one.

So to the match, where our new manager is watching from the stands, the Academy coach is in charge tonight, Nigel officially takes over tomorrow.

Derby try and treat the fans to a free programme and a scarf tonight but as usual mess up the execution of it. They dispense with the usual programme sellers and instead have two places outside the stadium where they are being dispensed, cue massive queues and disappointment as they run out of scarves. I had to queue for twenty minutes just for a programme, I would happily have paid for one and not had to queue! Why didn't they give them out at the turnstiles or simply put them on the seats? Thankfully tonight the team aren't as disorganised.

Manchester United turn up as expected with half a team of youngsters but they still put out more first teamers than I thought they would. Their passing is impressive at first but gets them nowhere and then even their passing falls apart as Derby take charge.

Kris Commons scores a belter on 30 minutes and Derby come close to getting a second on several occasions. With an hour gone, enter the United cavalry - Rooney and Ronaldo. Ronaldo goes very close with a free kick, if he hadn't been blinded by the floodlights reflecting off his own green boots her might have got it in. As for Rooney you wouldn't have known he was on the pitch.



Derby are good value for their 1-0 win, it should have been more. It's just a shame we have to have a second leg in two weeks. Lots of credit is due to David Lowe, the Academy coach and to the departed Chris Hutchings, who devised the strategy and the team for tonight. For once, they looked organised and played with purpose.

Time for a celebratory pint me thinks and to check on the patient at home.