A timeline of the thrilling day of the ups and downs of the day, as Town stayed up.

By Owd Jim

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By Owd Jim.

Town’s opponents: Brighton & Hove Albion

The overall League record is:

Best and Worst Gates:

Town have not played the Seagulls many times; 2 blocks of 4 seasons, 2 blocks of 3 seasons and once each in the FA Cup and the League Cup. Town have won no ‘doubles’ but the Seagulls have done this on 4 occasions in 1960/61, 1972/73, 1983/84 and 1992/93. Town won in the FA Cup in Round 2 in 1921-22, 2-0 after a 0-0 away draw, when Town won the Cup for the only time. In the League Cup in 1981-82 Town played them in Round 2 and lost on aggregate, winning at Leeds Road 1-0 but losing away 0-2.

Overall Town has a poor record against BHA having come out on the short end 17 times to only 14 wins.

The first league meeting was in 1958-59 when 13.244 saw Town win at Leeds Road 3-2 thanks to McGarry, Burtenshaw(og) and Massie and I was there. The return fixture drew 18,828 and saw the Seagulls gain revenge 2-0. Strangely the scores were reversed next season with Town losing 2-3 away and winning 2-0 at home. Both fixtures drew the best ever league gates between the teams in that second season15,221 at home and 22,704 away.

Town has only scored 3 goals three times, in the first and last home games prior to this season and in the 3-4 away loss in 1985-86. BHA has scored 3 goals twice and 4 goals once.

In the previous meetings between the sides in 2001/2002 the Seagulls won the “double” for the fifth time beating Town 2-1 at the MacAlpine and 1-0 at Withdean. Town has yet to win both games in one season. The home match in 2006/07 Town played rubbish and a Robinson hat-trick condemned the Terriers to a 0-3 loss. To add insult to injury Adams was sent off late in the game. The return match ended 0-0 meaning that Town has yet to score at the Withdean. The game was notable mainly for all the bookings handed out to Town players. They showed no discipline even after seeing that Skarz got booked for being mouthy early on. They could not or would not control their tongues and three more mouthy players were booked with Sinclair later being sent off for a foul. GTF was booked for a heavy tackle.

The away game in 2007/08 produced three firsts. Town scored their first goal in 3 games at Withdean and also earned the first away draw of the season as Robbie Williams scored his first goal for Town direct from a free kick three minutes after Brighton had taken the lead. The home game went in Town’s favour as Holdsworth scored early on only for Brighton to level the scores from a penalty just after half time. Beckett then got the winner from another spot kick about 11 minutes from time.

In 2008/09 Town went down to the Withdean and Collins scored his third goal in three games then thanks to a great penalty save by Glennon Town ended up winners 1-0. Then in the final home game of the season Town led twice through Booth and Collins but the Seagulls pulled both back to end the match at 2-2. This was also Booth’s last home game of his career and he netted his 149th goal.

Early in 2009/10 the Seagulls came to Town and were well and truly mullered. Rhodes missed a penalty but 6 players scored in a 7-1 thrashing. Kay, Peter Clarke and Novak(P) in the first half. The penalty saw Brighton reduced to 10 men. Historically Town has not done well against depleted opposition but not so this time. Roberts and subs Drinkwater and Robinson(2) added 4 more in the second half. The return match was much different and ended up 0-0, both sides missed chances but it counted as 2 points lost for Town as Brighton had a lousy home record of 2-2-9 before kick-off and so Town missed a great chance to record its first “double”.

In 2010/11 Brighton came to Town after the Terriers had had a two week break because of bad weather, while the Seagulls had won a mid week FA Cup Round 2 replay. It was a close game, Brighton being dangerous on the break and Town struggling to find a way through. The Seagulls had a penalty brilliantly saved by Smithies, which led to a great 2-1 win. First, Murray who missed the penalty put the visitors ahead early in the second half but Rhodes equalised 2 minutes later then McCombe yet again scored late on but Town had to survive 5 minutes of added time. Town went to the Withdean for the penultimate game of the season when the Seagulls were already Champions. Afobe scored twice but the Seagulls replied twice. Bennett saved a penalty just after half time but the rebound was headed in by the penalty taker. They replied to Afobe’s second but then very late on Town notched a great winner thanks to loan player Danny Ward. This meant 24 games without defeat (a one season record) and 6 successive away wins (a club record!) but STILL only third place. This was Town’s first double against Brighton their five against Town.

2012/13 saw the sides meet again on 17th November at the renamed John Smith’s Stadium. Town was short several key players, Beckford, Vaughan and Scannell and on the day the Seagulls were the better side scoring twice in the first half and dealing with a Town attack which lacked punch in the second. Church, on his home loan debut, scored a consolation goal late on for a 1-2 loss.

The Seagulls have lost only 3 home games, Birmingham and Middlesbrough 0-1, and Watford 1-3. They have not lost at home this year. The only positive from town’s viewpoint is that Town has drawn 3 and won 2 including the last game played in Brighton. This will be the first visit to their new ground at Falmer Stadium. Town still has a problem scoring goals being second worst ahead of Ipswich (35 v 34). It will be a hard game and the Seagulls should prove tougher than did Burnley. If the lads have gained confidence from Tuesday town may be able to scrape another draw 0-0 or 1-1.

Town’s opponents: Brighton & Hove Albion

The overall League record is:

[IMG]http://i47.tinypic.com/29bzoea.jpg[/IMG]

This week saw quite a few points being scored, most of which was averaged between 2-3 points for people guessing the correct outcome and that Beckford would score, their was one person however who did manage to predict a correct 1-0 win, and that was lanster.

So what does it do to the table? Well bostonterrier remains top after scoring 3 points this week but still remains only 1 point ahead of Moz68 and BoltonTerrier who both also scored 3 points.

A couple of people scored zero points this week, but with so long still to go, that shouldn’t cause any concerns just yet.

First of all, let me apologise (and not for the first time  :P) about the delay in table, been a busy couple of weeks at work which has led to me doing some extra hours and not really wanting to get on the internet, the ‘honeymoon’ period is at an end now though so things will soon be back on track, and hopefully a much quicker updated table than I have been doing.

Now onto the table and what the three games have done, bostonterrier regains top spot with a total of 30 points, 1 point ahead of  Moz68 and boltonterrier.

Just to make everybody aware, davidpgowinghtafc has had 3 points added on to his score after he made me aware that I missed adding it on for the Millwall fixture.

So on that note, if anybody thinks I have missed off their score, then feel free to send me a PM, with the game I missed and the score and scorers you predicted etc and I will rectify the issue.

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Town has a long history of games against the Tykes beginning when the Terriers entered the League in 1910. Barnsley is a much older club than Town having started in 1887. The first ever game took place at Oakwell on 17th November 1910 when Town won 2-1 thanks to goals from Richardson and McCubbin but the game drew the poorest ever gate for a Town v Barnsley match, only 2,000 (estimate). The return fixture on18th February 1911 saw Town complete the double with a 2-0 win. Jee and Macaulay scored watched by an estimated crowd of 8,000. For the remainder of Town’s second division career, which lasted a total of 6 seasons, the Terriers won every home game but managed only 2 draws and 3 defeats in the next 5 seasons.

The next league meeting came in Town’s one season back in Division 2 in 1952-53. This time Town won the double again with a 6-0 thrashing of the Tykes at Leeds Road (Glazzard 2, Metcalfe 2(1p), Davie and Quested) watched by the best ever league gate of  33,157 which was the third best home gate of the season. Town won the return match at Oakwell 4-2 thanks to goals by Cavanagh 3, and Glazzard. This match drew the best ever away league gate, 28,728. The teams met again in 1956-57 when Town were relegated back to Division 2 and once again Town won the double with a 2-0 home win and a 5-0 triumph at Oakwell. The Tykes finally won at Leeds Road the following season handing Town their biggest home defeat by the same 5-0 score by which Town had won the previous year away. This match drew the best home gate of the season, 21,662. The return fixture saw Town win 3-2. Next season saw the Tykes drop into Division 3 and it was to be over 20 years before they made it back. Each team won at home Town 2-1 Barnsley 1-0. The day before I went into the army for National Service I was at Oakwell to see what was to be the last Division 2 game for many years. On the day the Tykes lost 3-1 to Leyton Orient.

The teams did not meet again until Town completed The Great Slide into Division 4. Four seasons saw Town win 3 at home against 1 loss with a 1-1-2 record away. Barnsley made back to Division 3 a year before Town and we met again in 1980-81 both teams winning 1-0 at home.

We next met for 5 seasons in Division 2 during which the Tykes did well at Leeds Road where Town could muster only 4 draws following on from a defeat in 1983-84. At the same time Town had their most successful period at Oakwell gaining a 2-1-2 return.

The next 5 meetings came in Division 1 with a one season break when the Tykes made it to the Premier League. Town had only modest success at home 2-2-1 and a disastrous 0-0-5 away record during which Town were outscored 5-20. We shall not likely forget the almighty thumping we received at Oakwell in 1998-99 when the Tykes won 7-1 and later earned their only double to date with a 1-0 victory at the Mac.

The last meetings prior to this season, came in the relegation season of 2002/03; surprisingly Town won both games 1-0.

Gates have been fairly good and only once has the home total been under 7,500. Only 6,864 watched the 1984-85 encounter which ended up 1-1. Three times the home gate has been the season’s best, twice second best and once third best. Strangely the gate of  11,659 in 1976-77 was beaten only by the game against Cambridge United which drew 11,829.

In the FA Cup Barnsley have been in complete control with wins 4-3 at Leeds Road in the 3rd Round in1946-47 (39,944) and 1-0 at Oakwell (29,149) after a 1-1 draw at Leeds Road (44,761) in the 4th Round in 1960-61. This gate, apart from being the highest ever to watch a game between the two teams was only about 400 less than the crowd for the 3rd Round replay against cup holders Wolves. Town won that game 2-1, the first ever under floodlights at Leeds Road. The last cup meeting took place in the 1st Round in 1977-78 at Oakwell when the Tykes won 1-0 (9,579).

In the League Cup Town won in the 1st Round in 1975-76 2-1 (4,200) at Leeds Road and 1-1 away (6,043). The Tykes got revenge in 1995-96 in the 2nd Round. Town won the home leg 2-0 (8,264) but got well beaten 0-4 in the return leg (8,192).

2004/05 saw the Tykes get a fairly easy double over the blue and whites, winning 2-0 at the Galpharm and 4-2 at Oakwell, but the next season Town scraped a point at Oakwell with a last gasp GTF equalizer in a 2-2 draw and then won the home fixture in front of the biggest crowd of the season (19,052) to that point 1-0 again thanks to GTF.

They met again in the play-off semi final and the first game of the play-offs was a great match. Barnsley played its part but was second best on the day and GTF did his usual thing and scored the only goal of the game and thus notched his second winner against the Tykes. In the home fixture Town was outplayed and outthought and lost 1-3 with Worthington scoring for Town in the losing cause.

In 2012/13 we meet again. So far the Tykes have not fared too well hovering in 20th place 3 points above the drop zone. They have a home record of 2-3-2 6-9. They started well with 1-0 wins against Middlesbrough and Bristol City but since then have gained only 3 points from 15 with the following results:-Blackpool 1-1, Ipswich 1-1, Peterborough 0-2, Palace 1-1 and Forest 1-4. They are smarting from 3 straight losses;after Forest they went to Hull 0-1 and Derby 0-2, so they will be out to get back in the win column on Saturday. Town of course has also lost its last 2 away games and has not played overly well in recent games. At Oakwell town has won only 9 of 29 games and has not scored more than 2 goals since 1985/86 (3-1) but as contrived to lose 1-7 and 2-4 twice since then. It will be tough and I doubt there will be many goals. The best I can see happening is 2-2.

The overall League record is:

Best and Worst Gates

Town has a long history of matches against Rovers. Starting in 1920/21 when the club was promoted to Division 1 there followed a period of 16 years unbroken until Rovers dropped into Division 2. After the war we met for 2 years when Rovers returned to Division 1-1946/47-1947/48. We next met when Town spent 1 season in Division 2 in 1952/53. Since then every game has come in Division 2 or its successor where we have met in 15 seasons. Blackburn has a distinct edge as shown above and has won 3 ‘doubles’ to 0 for Huddersfield.

The first ever match took place on 5th February 1921 when about 20,700 folk watched a 0-0 draw at Leeds Road. Five days later at Ewood Park, watched by about 25,000 fans, Town won 2-1 thanks to goals by Billy Smith and Islip. Rovers achieved the doubles in 1932/33 (0-3, 2-4), 1956/57 (0-2, 2-3) and 2000/01 (0-1, 0-2). The only game this century (which began on 1st January 2001 and not 2000 as some have suggested) came on 16th April 2001 at Ewood Park in front of 29,426 when Rovers won 2-0.

In the FA Cup we met in the 3rd Round in 1921/22 in our Cup winning season. A draw at Ewood Park (Mann scoring for Town) was followed by a 5-0 thrashing of Rovers at Leeds Road when Mann, Islip(2) and Billy Smith(2) were on the scoresheet. The most famous game was, of course the 1927/28 Cup Final at Wembley when Rovers gained ample revenge. That day, 21st April 1928, Rovers got a dream start with a first minute goal by Roscamp. McLean added a second on 22 minutes and thus Town trailed 0-2 at half-time. Alex Jackson got Town back into the game on 55 minutes but Roscamp ensured the Cup went to Lancashire scoring again on 85 minutes. Town won the final FA Cup tie in Round 6 in 1938/39. This time home draw on 4th March 1939 ended up 1-1 with Price scoring for Town. 5 days later the replay at Ewood Park ended 2-1 to Town with goals by Mahon and Beasley. It was all to no avail as Town fell in the Semi-Final to Portsmouth, Barclay scoring in a 1-2 loss at Highbury watched by 60,053.

In the League Cup we have met twice with Town losing both. In 1980/81, in Round 1, we had the bitter experience of not losing but going out on the away goal rule. The Ewood Park game ended 0-0 but Rovers managed a 1-1 draw at Leeds Road. The 90 minute score being the end of the tie. About a decade later, in 1992/93, in Round 2, Town earned a 1-1 draw at home and after 90 minutes 3-3 at Ewood Park. Under the old format Town would have progressed on away goals; unfortunately the format had been changed and extra time was played and Wegerle notched the winner for Rovers. The side met again in Round 2 in 2005/06 with Town in Division 3 while rovers were in the PL. Unfortunately class told on the day and Town lost 1-3 with Abbott scoring Town’s consolation goal.

Rovers came down and Town came up so we meet again as more or less equals with Rovers holding the edge on goal difference only at +3 to Town’s 0. Rovers have drawn 5 of their 7 away games, beating Bristol City 5-3 and losing to Palace last Saturday 2-0. The draw were against Ipswich 1-1, Leeds 3-3, Charlton 1-1, Forest 0-0 and Derby 1-1.

It must be odds on that Rhodes will score and I rather expect another draw 2-2 unless both Beckford and Vaughan are absent in which case I think the visitors will be too strong and will win 2-1

Town has a history of matches with City dating back to 1911-12 when we met in Division 2. We played them in 5 straight seasons until Town won promotion to Division 1 at the end of 1919-20. The teams met in their first cup encounter in 1919-20 when Town triumphed 2-1 at Stamford Bridge in the Semi Final, watched by 35,463 folk, only to lose on the same ground to Aston Villa 0-1 AET in the Final. The only other cup meeting came in 2000/01 in Round 3 and which Town fan will forget (though he may want to forget!) the pathetic effort when we were roundly beaten by City 0-2 Down At The Mac.

The next meetings were again in Division 2 in 1956-57 when Town fell back from the top flight. This time we met for 4 seasons until City fell down to Division 3. They bounced back for the 1965-66 season and once again we played them for 5 seasons until Town returned to the top flight for the last time so far. As Town began The Great Slide we met, again in Division 2 in 1972-73.

Next came matches in Division 3 in 1988/88 and 1989/90 as Town climbed up from the fourth for two further seasons. The results were not good for Town. City meted out the biggest thrashing so far when the Terriers lost 1-6 away in 1988/89. City won the double with a 1-0 win at Leeds Road.

We met again in 1998-99 in the new Division 1 when Town did fairly well earning a 2-2 draw at home and a 2-1 win away

Town has beaten City once 6-1 at home in 1959-60. The highest aggregate was when Town won 5-3 at Leeds Road in 1914-15. Town also won 5-0 twice at home, but, apart from the 1-6 thrashing meted out by City in 1988-89 City has not scored more than 3 goals before or since.

The last set of games came in Division 2 when Town was once again in a downward spiral. In 2001/02 we actually did quite well winning 4 points 1-0 and 1-1. In the relegation season following, however, City won its fifth ‘double’ 2-1 at the Mac and 1-0 in Bristol. Town has managed the double four times – 1914/15 5-3, 1-0; 1959/60 6-1, 3-2; 1968/69 4-1, 1-0; 1969/70 3-0, 2-1. City’s other doubles came in the first meetings in 1911/12 when Town lost 1-2 and 2-3, then again in 1913/14 1-2, 0-1 and 1958/59 0-1 and 1-2.

In 2004/05 both matches ended up as draws, 3-3 away and 2-2 at home. In both games Town either threw away a 2 goal lead, or City fought back from a 2 goal deficit, depending on your point of view. In both games the equalizers came almost on the stroke of full time; in the home game Nathan Clarke scored a spectacular ‘own goal’ to throw away 2 points.

Last season both games ended up in home wins. Town won 1-0 at home and was quite impressive. The Robins gained ample revenge at Ashton Gate with a 2-0 triumph.

This season Town earned a 2-1 win with our then top scorer Abbott notching a winner at the death. As is usual with such players he has now been sold off to our rivals Swansea. This win provided Town with its longest winning run of 2 games, matched but not beaten since!

In the return match Town dominated and GTF scored to put Town deserverdly ahead. The Robins keeper was then sent off for handling outside the area and Town’s penchant for letting leads slip showed up when City scored a late equalizer.

City has been in Division 2 since they won promotion back in 2006/07 but the club is struggling this season in 23rd place on 11 points and away from home it has been poor 1-1-4 10-24 the only success was at Peterborough 2-1 followed up with a 2-2 draw at Watford. The 4 losses have come at Forest 0-1, Barnsley 1-0, Leicester 0-2 and Bolton 2-3.

Since Town’s 5-0 win in 1980/81 neither side has scored more than 2 goals on Town turf so I do not expect many goals on Saturday. Jon Stead will probably score and as Town has been rather less than wonderful in the last 2 games I think it will end up 2-2.

Games between the sides have been few and far between. The first ever match came in Round 4 (QtrFnl) of the FA Cup in Town’s only cup winning season. A bumper gate of almost 46,000 turned up at Leeds Road to see Town win convincingly 3-0 (Stephenson(2) Islip). The very next season we met again in Round 2. This time the first game took place at the Den when almost 40,000 saw a 0-0 draw. The replay 4 days later saw Town win by the same end result as the first contest, 3-0, with Charlie Wilson(2) and Richardson scoring. Town fell to Bolton Wanderers in the next round 0-1 after a home draw 1-1. The sides met yet again in Round 3, again at the den where Millwall exacted revenge with a 3-1 victory. The only other cup tie was in 1991/92 again in Round 3 when the Lions thumped Town 4-0 at Leeds Road.

League meetings began in 1966/67 for 4 seasons, 1972/73 during the Great Slide, 3 seasons commencing 1980/81 as Town climbed back to respectability, 3 more times beginning in 1985/86 as decline set in once again and finally in 1995/96 as Millwall slid down a division at the end of the season in which Town had just regained Division 1 (old Div 2) status. The first meeting came on 22nd October 1966, watched by 12,205 folk Town won 2-0 (Dobson (Pen), Leighton). The return fixture resulted in Town’s first “double” when Clark(2) and Dobson helped the cause in the 3-1 win. Next season the games ended up 1-0 and 1-1 but the following season saw the Lions gain revenge most horrible. They won at Leeds Road 2-0 in November and thrashed Town at the Den in superior Millwall side. In fairness ‘Wall had beaten all other top 8 sides at home except for the Saints with whom they drew 1-1. Indeed their only home defeat was 0-2 to Wycombe, who beat them 1-0 at home as well only to end up relegated in 22nd position! Only two other sides scored more than 1 goal (both lost 2-3) and 11 failed to score at all with 9 of them losing. The Lions let in 15 goals at home and strangely enough only another relegated side, Gillingham, conceded February 5-1. That day Town failed to score only an own goal by Kitchener prevented a complete whitewash. The Lions won another double in 1980/81 with wins of 1-0 at Leeds Road and 2-1 at the Den. Town restored some pride next term, following a 0-3 loss at the Den we thumped them 5-1 at Leeds Road with goals from Lillis, Russell(2), Hanvey and Wilson finding the old onion bag. The next away win for Town came in 1981/82 when the lads triumphed 3-1 at the Den, but this followed a 1-2 home loss. An interesting piece of trivia to note is that on opening day in 1985/86 Town won at home by 4-3 with the goals coming from Tempest 3 (1pen) and Webster. The away fixture was lost 0-4 as was the same fixture next season, this time by 1-4, however, on the final day of 1986/87 Town again won the home fixture, this time 3-0 (Jones, Cork(2)).

The away fixture in 2006/07 was eminently forgettable; a boring 0-0 draw with Town treating the opposition, struggling though they were, as world beaters. It meant that at the time Town had scored just 2 goals in 540 minutes having leaked 11 in the same period. The return fixture, the penultimate home game, saw new manager Andy Ritchie get his first win. After giving up an early goal Town stormed back to lead 4-1 with Beckett scoring a penalty and a great goal, then the rubbish referee gave Collins a second yellow card after a multi player mix up near the finish; then followed a consolation goal for the Lions to end the game 4-2.

Early on in 2007/08 Town went to the Lions Den after a rubbish home effort. As usual they surprised many fans, played really well together and after Nat Clarke gave up his normal goal just before half time Boothy equalized immediately and Town followed up with Kamara’s first goal (a cracker) just after half time and came home 2-1 winners. The home fixture was played in fog, which was merciful to the fans who, for the most part, could not see the dross served up in a dour 1-0 settled by a Beckett penalty. Other than the result this game was best forgotten. At least Town was able to even up the “doubles” record at 2 each.

In 2008/09 the early away game ended up 1-2 with Town, as usual, failing up front. A last minute penalty miss by Unsworth sealed defeat for an uninspired Town, which fell away after leading with a Dickinson goal. The return game ended with the same score thanks to an injury time winner for the Lions. Town deserved nothing from the game, the performance was poor and for the third match on the trot a late goal cost points. This was the Lions’ third double and their first win in 8 on Town turf and the first ever at the Galpharm.

Early on in 2009/10 Town entered the Lions’ Den and were severely mauled, giving up 2 goals in the first 14 minutes. A 50th minute third goal ended the match as a contest and a Rhodes goal on 85 minutes was nothing more than a consolation goal and Town returned home well beaten 3-1. In a return match vital to both sides Peter Clarke scored late in the first half and with stout defending this goal held up to strengthen Town’s hold on 6th place and actually help Leeds Excited hold onto 2nd place.

Town ended up 6th and met the Lions in the Play-off SF and in the home first leg neither side looked likely to score in an uninspiring 0-0 draw. The return fixture saw a Town side lacking ideas resorting to “hoof-it” football; two mistakes saw Town lose out 0-2 to a as few as 15 goals at home.

So we meet again, this time in Division 2 (old money). The Lions have not been very good at home their six games resulting, Blackpool 0-2, Middlesbrough 3-1, Cardiff 0-2, Brighton 1-2, Bolton 2-1, Birmingham 3-3 but as you can see they are improving although they managed to throw away a 3-0 lead on Tuesday. From the top you can see that Town has a poor record at Millwall with 11 defeats from 17 games. Town has lost its last 3 away games at Millwall, including the play-off semi-final. Add to this the fact that the old inconsistency is rearing its ugly head again and I can see another loss looming. I fear that the lions will win 2-0.