Results for Week 4

First of all I want to make a heartfelt apology to The Grambler.  I am so sorry I questioned his/her/its sanity when he/she/it predicted that Aston Villa would beat the blue mob from Manchester.  I did ask if he/she/it knew something I didn’t; well obviously he/she/it did.

 What The Grambler obviously took into account was that Manchester City, while taking all the points from their home games so far this season, have a poor record away from home and today’s loss means that they have won only three of their last eleven away games.

 It must have seemed that today was the day when they would get their first away win of the season (and compound Villa’s woes) because City dominated from the off.  Their goalkeeper, Joe Hart, had little to do other than apply hair gel.  However, it took until nearly half time before City actually scored.

 Okay, let’s not turn this into a match report; suffice to say Villa equalised, City scored a second, Villa equalised and then got a third.  Villa 3, blue mob from Manchester 2.  Yay!

 Match two as chosen by The Grambler was Bolton vs Yeovil and this turned out, as predicted, to be a draw.  Yeovil took the lead on 79 minutes and as 90 minutes approached Yeovil must have thought a second win was theirs.  But no.  The Trotters hit back on 90 minutes to salvage a draw.

 Last week I reported that this was Bolton’s worst start to a season for 50 years.  You might also be interested to know that they have not actually won a league game since the 20th of April.  One bit of good news for fans is that their team is no longer in last place in the table; the point takes them racing up the table to…second bottom.  And only on goal difference at that. 

 So, two correct predictions for The Grambler.  This is looking good.

 The Grambler’s next match prediction was a draw between Millwall and Leeds United.  Well, this is where the bet starts to go a bit awry.  Millwall gubbed Leeds 2-0.  Nuff said.

 Just a little point – Leeds United could have taken the lead on 48 minutes when ex-Motherwell man Ross MacCormack took Mowatt’s left wing cross – but basically cocked it up.  Twally!

 Right, so two correct predictions and one wrong – not looking quite so good now.

 The Grambler gave us a prediction of a home win for Wolves vs Sheffield United.  Wolves dutifully obliged and won this 2-0. Wolves are definitely on a roll at the moment but are still at number three in the table behind Peterborough on the same points with both only three points behind Leyton Orient who could only draw today.

 The Blades, on the other hand have slipped two places pop pickers to number 24 Oright? Right! (Come on, you must remember ‘Fluff’ Freeman).  What that means is they have dropped to the very bottom of the table.

 Three correct predictions out of four; looking better.  One game to go; okay the accumulator is kaput, but three doubles are up already, what about the last one?

 Chesterfield vs Mansfield Town was The Grambler’s last game and for this one a draw was predicted. Sadly, he/she/it got this one wrong.  A draw seemed a reasonable prediction with Chesterfield unbeaten at the top and Mansfield in third and unbeaten since the first game of the season.  However, a 37th minute goal was enough to give Mansfield all three points.  The Spireites (I can’t get over that for a nickname) are still in number one spot on 22 points but Mansfield, Oxford United and Fleetwood are all sitting not so far behind on 18 points.

 So, to summarise, three out of five correct predictions, and given that one of those games had odds of 6/1, The ‘cowardy’ bet actually paid quite handsomely this week.  See http://www.justgiving.com/Geraldine-Smith3 for actual winning amount.  What do you mean is that all you won?  If we all had a wee win like that, think how much could be donated to the fund.

 I have had a few questions asking how the ‘complicated’ betting system works.  Okay, Stewart always went for broke and would stick a quid on a five game (or occasionally seven) game accumulator – which did occasionally come off.  I, however, am far more cautious and have a five game accumulator plus ten ‘doubles’ - count them – 1 & 2, 1 & 3, 1 & 4, 1 & 5, 2 & 3, 2 & 4, 2 & 5, 3 & 4, 3 & 5 and 4 & 5.  Ten.  That means that I have eleven bets in all.  Now, there is no way I am going to ‘chance’ £11 by putting a quid on each (I am a cowardly gambler at heart) so I limit the bet to a measly 20p per bet – hence my total of £2.20.

 Clear?  It is quite simple really.  Isn’t it?

 Any road up, remember to go to http://www.justgiving.com/Geraldine-Smith3 and make a wee donation.  Doesn’t have to be much.  As my grannie used to say ‘mony a mickle maks a muckle’.  (but to be fair, she was crackers). Wise words.

 Look out for week five’s predictions some time soon.