I did not manage to see the England Under 21’s game against the German yoofs (or Jugend  as they would have it) which ended so disastrously from an English perspective.  With the final score at 4-0 I could not even bear to watch any television highlights of the spectacle. I am therefore unable to offer any opinion as to how the English youngsters played and whether the score flattered the German nation.  I did, however, see the semi-final against the Swedes  in which England amassed a mighty 3-0 lead at half time.  A good few years ago I would have regarded such a score as being almost incapable of being reversed by the losing side.  Time and experience has taught me otherwise.

I remember back in 2001 Southampton throwing away a three goal half-time advantage in a televised F.A. Cup 5 th round replay match at Tranmere, when the home side went on to win 4-3 inside normal time.  I watched the first half, but decided that the Rovers were out of it, so instead of watching  the second half I switched over and watched ‘Agatha’ a Vanessa Redgrave film about the disappearance of the whodunit scribbler,  Agatha Christie.
       


Agatha Christie, whose disappearance in 1926 caused RI to miss Tranmere’s recovery against the Saints!

I was upset that I had missed the second half, and resolved that the same thing should not happen again.  Two seasons later the same thing did happen again to the extent that Manchester City was playing a FA round replay at White Hart Lane and were 3-0 down at half time.  As the players were marching off, things got even worse for City in that Joey Barton got himself sent off for little more than being the cheeky, loveable Scouser that he undoubtedly is. City would have to start the second half 3-0 down and with 10 players.

I did switch over to watching something else, but kept an eye on what was happening at White Hart Lane by judicious switching of channels.  I returned full time to the football when City scored two of its four goals, and watched as Man City won the tie 4-3, again in normal time.  By the by, if anyone wants to know the true value of Joey Barton one has only to look at that game and its stark statistics; 45 minutes with Joey, score none and concede 3 goals; 45 minutes without Joey (and only 10 men), concede none and score 4.  I calculate that on the evidence of this particular game Joey Barton’s presence in the team over the full 90 minutes (if he should stay on the pitch that long) is equal to a handicap of (minus) 14 goals.

The most famous recovery from the 3-0 deficit at half time has to be that of Liverpool in the 2005 European Champions League Final against A.C. Milan.  I recall thinking that Liverpool might get a goal early in the second half, and if that happens then what happened at Tranmere and Spurs could happen in Istanbul.  History records that it did, although the Liverpool performance could have been improved upon had they run out winners by 4-3.  In the event the score line ended at a respectable 3-3 and the Spanish Scousers won on penalties.

I was therefore not surprised when Sweden wiped out the three goal deficit.  It would be disingenuous of me to say that I expected it.  If I had, then I would have laid a substantial amount against the in-play betting odds of 50-1 on of England winning in 90 minutes. But all the same I had that sinking feeling that England would not hold onto the lead.  In view of what was to happen against the Germans it might have been better if we had lost the penalty shoot out.

The above set me thinking as to whether Macc had recovered from, or thrown away, a three goal half-time score?  If Macc had, then it must have been in the dark and distant past, as I could not recall such an occasion.  In fact, I could only remember being at one game when Macc had a three goal lead at the interval, and that was an away game at Exeter in 1999, when the final score was still 3-0.




             
Macc threw away a three goal league in the Wycombe away game of 2005-6.  Macc were three goals ahead after 13 minutes, but Wycombe scored after 31 minutes, and the half time score was 3-1.  This possibly was Wycombe’s mistake, as although it allowed plenty of time for Wycombe to equalise and then go ahead, it also gave Macc time to also equalise and then go ahead.  Which is what happened and Macc won 5-4. The scorers for Macc that day were; Wijnhard (2), Whittaker and Parkin (2).  This was something of a purple patch for Brian Horton, as you will recall,  the week before hand Macc had slaughtered (metaphorically speaking) Stockport, 6-0, and between those two high scoring games had managed a 1-0 win over Chester.  At that time I would not have believed that people would be calling for Horton’s head by the following September.




         
On the Wraggs to Riches’ (formerly known by the extremely bland title, Macc Fans) messageboard there is a topic ‘Happy Clappy Site’ in which the absence of Arsehungrykeeper and his mentor, English Sam, is much lamented. Might I take this opportunity to join in these lamentations?  Watching the darts the other night was not nearly as enjoyable as watching the darts in years gone by after reading Arse’s  darts’ betting predictions.  The excitement generated by English’s controversial and revolutionary postings is also greatly missed.  One nagging thought at the back of my mind is that these two went AWOL at about the time of the departure of our pie-loving CEO (chief executive officer), Patrick Lord Nelson.  Is AHK or ES (or indeed, both of them) in fact, Patrick Lord Nelson?  That is the nagging thought.  We should be told!


Ron Ipstone

The above views are the views of Ron Ipstone and not necessarily the views of anyone else, quick or dead.

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