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Portsmouth 0 v 0 Everton
Match report by Mark Hill
I wake up about 10ish feeling confident
about the day ahead wonder downstairs and
start to cook some breakfast to help soak up
some for the alcohol I would be drinking
later, 12:30 the door bell rings its James
(only his second ESSCA outing) and his
brought his lunch a rustlers burger which
cooks in 70sec that can't be right. once his
finished were off for are long walk to the
brewers it takes us all of 10mins! its
already staring to look busy and I'm not
even inside the pub yet.
inside and straight to the bar and who do
I meet there.... grey Dave who else its not
long and we have already start talking about
are trip to Nurnberg and how fantastic those
two days really were shortly after the pub
has started to fill with ESSCA members, I'm
sure one day we will be able to fill the
pub! All the usual suspects are there
tom&Jody, skinny Dave, andy, john, Phil,
Dennis, Eddie and his family, Walshie and
his joke book, Fred and steve Robbo who tell
me that for two of are members it all
started the night before not going to
mention any names... tom and skinny! sharing
a hot tub surround by candles, all sounds
suspect to me.
the drink are flowing and everyone is
agreeing that we will get something from the
game be it a draw or win 2:30 and time for
one more quick pint before we head round the
corner to the stadium the confidence I had
earlier had now chanced and I was feeling
slightly nervous about the game we can't
lose are unbeaten run to Portsmouth also
kept thinking about Taylor's goal last year
and all the stick I got from various friends
and family, so was glad to see he wasn't in
the starting line up as you would expect we
were unchanged form the side thrashed
Sunderland the week before and Portsmouth
only chance was Mendes in for Davis.
So with two of the highest scoring teams
in the premiership I was hoping to see
plenty goals! but to be honest it was a game
with very little to talk about Portsmouth
had the better of the possession and seemed
to be trying to shot from outside the area
every chance they got but only really going
close after 34mins with a Diop header but
for Tim Towards boot then ten min later
Howard made a brilliant one handed save from
a Muntari free kick are only real chance in
the first half was from Neville from 25
yards. . . The second half wasn't much
different again Portsmouth had the better of
the possession and still seem to be shot for
outside the box Mendes and Kranjcar having
the better of there chance Moyes didn't wait
long after the break to chance things round
bringing off Pienaar and bringing on Johnson
hoping his pace would unsettle Portsmouth
defence but are best chance fell to Osman
from a Yakubu header but he failed control
ball and the chance had gone are only other
real chance was an Arteta free kick which
was well struck but right at James it was a
nervy last few mins when a Diop shot was
palmed away to Kanu who would have scored if
not for a brilliant Lescott tackle. not a
great game but a well earned point!
So back to the pub for some more well
earned drinking several hours and beers
later we move from the brewers down to
Fratton rd to John Jacques where after only
one beer they refuse to serve us anymore so
next door to the magpie where they are more
then happy to serve us but before we do
Eddie, Dennis and john all depart for their
journey home leaving me, James, grey Dave,
tom , Clint, Phil and Phil's mate whose name
I forget sorry about that, to carry on the
drinking this is the part of the evening
where I start forgetting things all i
remember is Clint talking to random people
in the pub then phoning a taxi (his
girlfriend) for a lift home. this leaves me
and James to get one more in and the next
thing i know I'm waking up Sunday morning
with a splitting headache and a half eaten
takeaway left on my couch.
So another ESSCA day over and already i
thinking about my next one, that's the great
thing about this supporters club is that you
are guaranteed a good day out with
Evertonians no matter the result! see you
all at the next one, roll on west ham.
regards
Mark
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