Metros A vs. Sheffield Bears

Manchester A can't find late goal at home versus Sheffield, drops first game of 2014 5-3.

The story was similar for the Manchester Metros who start 2014 with a loss at home. The inability to capitalise on several scoring chances found the team in a familiar spot chasing the game.

Manchester A found offense through the usual suspects of Allen Gunn (De Paioli) and Topi Jylha (unassisted), but were also joined by Callum Notman (Gunn, Valentine). The one man missing from the list? Matt Lowry. This would be his first game of the year where he didn't walk out of the rink with a goal although he did have many chances come his way. His line-mates Jylha and Gunn kept finding him in the hopes of sparking his offensive prowess, but it was not to be had on the night.

Lowry did gut out two periods of the game after falling ill on the bench after his first shift to begin the second period.

Gunn's goal came off a rebound shot from the point as he battled for the rebound to goalie's glove side. Notman's goal was scored via a 2-on-1 with Gunn who slipped the puck through the defender's legs. Notman powered home the puck past the Sheffield goalie. Jylha had a moment of singular brilliance as he danced around two defenders, losing the puck twice in the process. He found the puck in his skates before wristing it over the goalie's shoulder.

In goal, Phil Pearson kept the game close with the help of his defence who allowed him to see the puck easily. The game turned when Sheffield scored on a breakaway following a Metros power play. Sheffield would lead 4-2 following the play.

After battling the game back to 4-3 following Jylha's goal from the slot, Manchester had a full 5 minutes to bring it back level. But their fortunes soured when goalie Phil Pearson stepped out to the hash marks to make a play. The puck was lost to a Bear who easily slotted it into the empty net. The goal extended the lead to 5-3 with 2:45 left. Pearson drops to a 1-3 record on the season, his lone victory this season coming before Christmas in Solihull.

A look ahead: Letting the game slip away late leaves a bitter taste in the mouth for Metros A (2-4). The team now looks towards the final day of January hoping to close the month out with a victory against a strong Nottingham side that will test the up-and-down team. Face off is 2230 from Deeside.

Southampton FC vs. Sunderland

Not much to be said about this one. I still remain 0-1- through my time at live games for Southampton. And giving up a 2-0 lead to a team that played as dire as Sunderland did was a sour ending to the journey that started early Saturday morning only on a wee amount of sleep.

And let's be honest, I've tired everything. I put my shorts on differently today. I didn't put my Lallana top on, wore my scarf a bit different -- anything really, like those Bud Light, "Very Superstitious", adverts, heh. But nothing has worked, yet. Hopefully I can redeem myself as I joked after with Mackinnon and his dad that I'm carrying this draw on my shoulders, taking full accountability.

As for the day itself, I needed all the layers I put on today! It was dreary out and windy inside the grounds. The Stadium of Light acted like a wind tunnel up on the second level.

Onto the goals...

Jay Rodriguez scored a stunner in the 4th minute. He kicked up the ball and hit it smoothly on the volley. Dejan Lovren flicked in from a corner kick in the 31st minute, which I actually thought he had miss-hit the ball, but it cooly glided into the corner. But those goals were cancelled out in the 31st and 71st minute by Fabio Borini and Adam Johnson, respectively. It was tough to watch three points fall away like that as Saints dominated with confidence, grabbing 63% of the possession.

Most importantly, coming from a game like this are the status of Lovren and Gaston who both suffered injuries right at the death. Both went to hospital but were able to leave with the team, so that is good news! Also, Boruc came up a bit gimpy after a save and it looked like he was going to have to make way for Kelvin, but luckily he was able to continue. Can't lose him again in his second game back coming off a broken wrist.

Southampton FC 2: Sunderland AFC 2

Southampton FC Starting XI: Artur Boruc, Calum Chambers, Dejan Lovren (→ Maya Yoshida), Jose Fonte, Luke Shaw, Morgan Schneiderlin, Jack Cork, Steven Davis, Adam Lallana (→ Gaston Ramirez → James Ward-Prowse), Jay Rodriguez, Rickie Lambert.

Subs: Kelvin Davis, Nathaniel Clyne, Maya Yoshida, James Ward-Prowse, Guly Do Prado, Gaston Ramirez.

Sunderland AFC Starting XI: Vito Mannone, Phil Bardsley, John O'Shea, Wes Brown, Marcos Alonso, Lee Cattermole (→ Craig Gardner), Adam Johnson, Sebastian Larsson (→ Jack Colback), Ki Sung-Yeung, Fabio Borini, Jozy Altidore (→ Steven Fletcher).

Subs: Craig Gardner, Steven Fletcher, Ondrej Celustka, Jordan Pickford, Jack Colback, Emanuele Giaccherini, Valentine Roberge.

Christmas Into New Year

Hello Blogger Family!

My sincere apologies for the long absence of any post whatsoever. A lot has been going on since that Southampton-City match way back on December 7, 2013. I had to, first-and-foremost, complete an essay for my Shakespeare module before the holiday and much time was dedicated to that! -- something my parents should be pleased to know, that I only completed two seasons of my NCAA Football 11 dynasty mode instead of a potential three or four.

Jokes aside! The No. 41 house had a lovely Christmas meal before we all departed our separate ways. I think we went our own ways for a bit... I know I did! The condition in place for my return to England was that I had to spend Christmas at home unlike 2011 when I spent the holidays in Woking with my cousin, his wife, and her family. And to be frank, I'm glad I made the trip home, even if it meant sitting in an unbearable airport in New Jersey for four and half hours.

Several things were apparent whilst I was there:

1) How incredibly much I miss seeing my family at the drop of a dime. It was a great laugh right from the get go as I told them how I had hoped to bring Christmas crackers (tradition) back with me. I had them with me up until the point the lady at the airport said they were a "weapon". Turns out she told the entire flight the same thing -- evident when they wheeled out a giant rubbish bin filled to the brim with them. The airlines playing Grinch, tisk, tisk. Another thing that eased me right back in to life in America: my mother clenching her daggum phone following our North Carolina Tar Heels go into overtime against Davidson. There were "hellos" and hugs, but there was Carolina ball to attend to. Priorities.

2) The Routine. Waking up at 9AM, (not like I couldn't do that here if I tried), then flipping on the tele to watch Sportscenter in my favourite recliner with a cup of hot chocolate. And I mean watch Sportscenter from 9 till 3. ESPN via BT Sport is great, we get college basketball and football, and major college championships, but we don't get Sportscenter. We don't Around the Horn, Pardon the Interruption, and most importantly, we don't get Dan Le Batard is Highly Questionable. But for all those shows I can get the podcast, but it rolls in two nights later when the stories are no longer fresh. And all games were at their appropriate hour. Tough for me to complain about a game that starts at 9PM EST when that is going to be 2AM GMT. So if there is anything petty about my life, its The Routine I've for as long as I can remember, well before high school even.

3) The amount of money thrown into football, go on, "socccer", is incredible. Every game live, whether it be on NBCSN or online. That without having to search for some dodgy feed that buffers at all the wrong moments. I guess I can kind of lump a bit more of my previous rant into this one... The amount of live sport is tremendous, its all accessible even if you'd don't have the grandest of cable packages. NFL goes to Sky Sports, don't get that. ESPN even will show the most random game possible at times. Nothing like a bit of Big South b-ball, a showdown of Radford-High Point to get your blood flowing at midnight. But to feel it, really feel it, I find myself yelling at the TV regardless because as an American, its in my nature -- or so I'm told by every Brit. And I agree, I get well into sports and I'm 100% okay with that.

4) Brief moment to talk about food choices. Its never "Bo Time" here, KFC yes, but not a bit of Bo. And at the most inopportune times, like 4,000 mile away inopportune times I crave Steak N Shake. It has a bit of history over here though -- not eating wise. But one of the guys I live with, Rohani. Its his favourite restaurant that he's never eaten at. He foams at the mouth thinking about it and I don't blame him. Britain misses out! And Sonic. Can never go wrong with a late night trip to Sonic smack dab in the middle of Monday Night RAW.

Petty. Its all petty. And I knew giving up minute things was the price to chase my dreams and I won't stop till I get there. That is a passion that is unyielding.

Now Christmas. It was grand. You can get Christmas crackers for a price. A high $14.99.

But it was all capped off perfectly when I was presented with the panoramic photo of Williams-Brice Stadium from my grandma's bedroom. It was a special photo I always showed friends and I'm glad to see it hanging above my bed.

Here's to 2014.
And a decent mark on the two essays I've handed in.
And to Sunderland away on Saturday.
Come on you Saints!