It has been over a week since I last blogged. At the time, I was facing a long journey home after witnessing my team, Bath City, lose  3-1 at the hands of Thurrock. Despite my blogging constipation, it did not actually take me 8 days to get back home to Somerset. I have just had busy week at work and various evening distractions.

You will remember I was rather disappointed with the football from both City and Leeds last week. Since then, there have been 3 games for my teams with mixed results.

Since beating Manchester United, Leeds have not won in the league. Despite having the football God, Saint Simon Grayson, in charge, I am getting slightly nervous about Leeds’ promotion prospects.

Down to second
The start of the fall or a minor blip?

It was back to cup action on Tuesday night, with Leeds facing Carlisle United in the Johnstone Paint Trophy Northern Area Final First Leg – a fixture players worldwide dream of being involved in. Seriously, despite a trip to Wembley Stadium for the winner of the two-legged tie, I do not rank the JPT highly in the list of priorities for Leeds this season. Therefore, I did not shed any tears when they lost 2-1. I was, however, a little concerned. Winning in any tournament breeds confidence and Leeds seem to be lacking the winning part of things.

Leeds play the second leg of the tie later in February. I am tempted to wish victory upon Carlisle. I don’t think the distraction of a trip to Wembley Stadium will benefit the Leeds players. Don’t be surprised to see Saint Grayson’s men walk out on Wembley turf, though. For some strange reason, Carlisle always seem to get a result at Elland Road, while Leeds have a reliable winning habit at their place, Brunton Park.

Forget The Champions League, Premiership and FA Cup…
The JPT is the king of tournaments

It was more fun this weekend, with Leeds travelling the nation’s capital city ‘Laandun’ to face Totting-ham Hotspur in the FA Cup. After beating Manchester United in the previous round, anything short of winning the cup would not come close to the ecstasy brought from the victory. Therefore the trip to White Hart Lane was a bit of an anti-climax.

Due to my feelings of cup games being a distraction to league form, before kick off I was unsure if I wanted Leeds to win the game or bow out gracefully. However, when Leeds keeper, ‘The Great Dane’ Casper Ankergren saved Jermain Duffo’s early penalty, I was once again infected with cup fever and cheering my team on. By the time Jermaine Beckford slotted home the injury time penalty to equalise, I was joyous. I just hope this cup run does not become a disturbance to the league.

Well done, Jermaine… now do the same in the league

Leeds are back to league action on Tuesday night, taking on a team local to me – Swindon Town. Victory against The Robins is essential for Leeds’ promotion push. If Jeff Stelling was to offer me 3 points on Tuesday and a 3-0 defeat against Spurs in the replay, I would gnaw his hand off with my own teeth.

Finally, Bath City. This weekend they took on Bishop’s Stortford at Twerton Park. In the same fixture last season, City found themselves 2-0 up and crusing. After a period of football suicide, the game ended in a 3-2 defeat

This Saturday, however, when City again took a 2-0 lead, I had no worries that there would be a repeat of such a debacle and we would romp home to victory. Therefore, when Stortford came back to draw 2-2, I was less than impressed.

I guess City improved this time as the game was not totally thrown away, but to lose a 2-0 lead, especially at home, is always a disappointment.