Match: v Bristol Rovers - Coca-Cola League Two

Date: Saturday, January 8th, 2005

Result: Bristol Rovers 1 Cambridge United 1

THE JOURNEY

Departure Time: 9am

Arrival at Ground: The gale-force winds that had rattled the windows overnight had yet to ease when we set off, but the journey down was nevertheless straightforward, as the conditions seemed to have encouraged some people to stay at home. After a leisurely stop on the way, we arrived at the ground just before 12.30pm.

AT THE GROUND

The Ground: At the top of a hill overlooking the City, the Memorial Stadium probably isn't a tropical paradise at the best of times, but with an icy blast howling in like a pack of Siberian wolves, it was certainly the day to bring your warmest hat.

The press area was towards the back of a massive stand that, rather like at Grimsby earlier in the week, filled the centre section along one side of the ground. Unlike Blundell Park though, there was terracing below and on either side - the left of which was allocated to U's fans. Seats in this stand enjoyed the best view over the city, but also experienced the full effects of the elements and some of the occupants were alarmed by the alarming way in which its roof rattled.

Taking up similar space along the other side was a three-tiered stand with a profile not unlike a 1930's cinema. The upper two tiers were seated, while terracing ran along the bottom and to one side; the latter being covered and designated a family enclosure.

Behind the goal to the right of this stand, an awning-covered small stand ran about two thirds of the length of the area that wouldn't have looked out of place for watching show jumping at Hickstead Park. Those United fans wishing to sit were allocated one end of this and would have enjoyed the bracing breeze blowing directly into their faces - at least until it eased off a little at half time.

The ground itself was set in amongst rows of terraced houses, and will become hemmed in even more soon as some of the car park had been sold off for a housing estate. Presumably, the developers will be using a large shoehorn to fit everything in, and won't be telling the prospective buyers about the Japanese Knotweed that we saw fenced off in the area & someone could be in for a surprise when it starts coming up through their carpets!

United Fans: Commendably vociferous, given that it turned colder than Greenland in the second half - although some were distracted for a while by an exchange of views with one of the Bristol Rovers substitutes.

View from Away End: The position of the away terrace meant that one corner was obscured, but otherwise the view wasn't too bad.

Home Fans: Decidedly unimpressed with some of the decisions made by their manager, this was the quietest I have known the Bristol Rovers fans. Even the one rendition of 'Goodnight Irene' was sung in an almost desultory way.

Stewards: Dealt with the contretemps between U's fans and the sub in an even-handed way. Otherwise they spent much of the match clumped together similar to the way penguins minimise loss of body heat in bitterly cold conditions.

Programme: The Bristol Rovers programme is always one of the best in whichever division they happen to be and, at £2.50 for 68 pages, they have surpassed themselves with this season's publication. A simple design, well illustrated and jam-packed with loads to read, it's an extraordinary feat to produce something of this quality with so few adverts.

One advert did grab as much attention as the articles though & and it wasn't the one for portable Georgian toilets. The kit manufacturers certainly generated some interest with their ad!

Food/Drink: Mixed reports here as the coffee was excellent but the hot chocolate would have been more accurately described as 'watery sludge'. Cornish pasties were predictably tasty while the hot dogs were lacking in the - err - sausage department!

State of Toilets: Clean enough, although no one wanted to tarry long given the icy blast that whistled in straight from the arctic.

THE NUMBERS GAME

Mileage: 322.1 miles

Total Distance for Season: 4,222.2 miles

Mark Johnson, with additional reporting by David Gray, Gordon McMillan and Doug Shulman