It's the weekend - get in your armchair (23-26 October)

[Mr Beast]

Goal. I made that happen.

[Ray de Galles]

According to the incredibly detailed mail I received from Bishop's Stortford's yesterday with all their Covid precautions for tonight's Cup tie it is the first "properly televised* UK match with fans present this season" and post-coved too, I presume.

* as opposed to matches from earlier rounds broadcast on the BBC website/app etc, I presume.

[DCI Harry Batt]

What about that game I watched that I don't remember who it was, a while back? A six counties game, wasn't it?

[Patrick Thistle]

Match of the Day 2 last night was really scraping the barrel. Tim Cahill and Leon Osman aren't even second string summarisers. At least Cahill actually has some inflection in his voice these days and doesn't sound like a rebooting android trying to access it's human simulation speech patterns. But, God, they talked for ages. The sections in-between the match action seemed to be longer than the highlight reels. I get that the games weren't that exciting in terms of scorelines. A smash and grab 1-0 away for Leicester, 2 late goals at Molineux and a 0-0, But if there isn't much to show, do something else like show more of the games from the previous day or something.

[Ray de Galles]

Edit : to TonTon - Not sure, was it on a website/app? I did wonder if the club were correct.

[DCI Harry Batt]

Hmmm. I can't remember. It was the Irish FA Cup. Or the Sadler's Peaky Blinder Irish Cup, to give it its official name. I've a feeling it was on BBC NI.

[pebblethefish]

Match of the Day 2 last night was really scraping the barrel. Tim Cahill and Leon Osman aren't even second string summarisers. At least Cahill actually has some inflection in his voice these days and doesn't sound like a rebooting android trying to access it's human simulation speech patterns. But, God, they talked for ages. The sections in-between the match action seemed to be longer than the highlight reels. I get that the games weren't that exciting in terms of scorelines. A smash and grab 1-0 away for Leicester, 2 late goals at Molineux and a 0-0, But if there isn't much to show, do something else like show more of the games from the previous day or something.

Did they not bother with the Saints v Everton game then?

[Capybara]

Hmmm. I can't remember. It was the Irish FA Cup. Or the Sadler's Peaky Blinder Irish Cup, to give it its official name. I've a feeling it was on BBC NI.

Yep. Glentoran v Ballymena. Irish Cup Final. It was streamed on the BBC website. Glentoran won with a late goal in extra time if I remember correctly. It was also, technically, last season.

[DCI Harry Batt]

On the iPlayer, yeah, but also shown live on BBC NI, that's actual telly, right? I mean, the lines are more blurry than they used to be, but I reckon that counts as "properly televised". But "last season", hmmm, yeah, ok.

[Patrick Thistle]

Did they not bother with the Saints v Everton game then?

I knew there was one I'd forgotten. Yes, that was there. Again, perfunctory highlights and a lot of blather. Maybe it was just the sheer uncharismatic non-presence of Cahill and Osman. They seemed to suck the atmosphere out of proceedings. It's a wonder Mark Chapman didn't keel over with oxygen deprivation.

[Artificial Hipster]

Entertaining first half at Bishop's Stortford, no lack of quality either. The home side 2-up at the break, the first the result of hesitant goalkeeping, Bishop's no.9 blocking an attempted clearance, the ball richocheting straight into the back of the net. The second a raking cross field pass, controlled and slotted calmly past the keeper. St Albans aren't out of this though. My money's on pens.

[Capybara]

According to the incredibly detailed mail I received from Bishop's Stortford's yesterday with all their Covid precautions for tonight's Cup tie it is the first "properly televised* UK match with fans present this season" and post-coved too, I presume.

* as opposed to matches from earlier rounds broadcast on the BBC website/app etc, I presume.

I assumed from this that it was going to be on normal telly. It isn't, is it?

[Artificial Hipster]

BT. Finished 2-0.

[Ray de Galles]

A slightly peculiar opening goal, especially as my doubts in the ground that in the ground that it would have been deemed a back pass have been increased by the footage :

[URL="https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/status/1320815147460579329?s=21"]https://twitter.com/btsportfootball/...460579329?s=21[/URL]

[DCI Harry Batt]

You mean the keeper could have picked it up?

[Ray de Galles]

I thought so, yes.

[DCI Harry Batt]

Seems likely. Though it's a gamble. Terrible defending to get into that position.

[Third rate Leszno]

I'll extend this thread to the 27th rather than start a new one. It's Carlisle v Morecambe on ifollow tonight, one of those weird fixtures that the home side never seems to win - of 6 league fixtures we've drawn 4 and lost 2 at our place, and won 4 and drawn 2 at theirs.

Anyway, we're off to a good start with a Morecambe oggie after just 25 seconds. I've invested in some cableage to watch it on the telly... and we've just scored a second with a deflected cross looping in.

[Capybara]

Having a season ticket entitles me to 'free' streaming of most games though I've hardly used it this season. But it's half-term so I'm settling down to Boro v Coventry City. The two teams last played in 2012.

[RobW]

Paid ?10 to watch the Imps at Crewe. Dominating at half time, 9 shots on goal after 20 minutes. Montsma hit the bar from 30 yards in the first 30 seconds, Hopper somehow contrived to hit the post from 3 yards with a header and just when I thought Crewe were going to nick something, Harry Anderson's fizzed a low shot in from the edge of the area. Should be comfortably in front. Here's hoping Johnson wins another dodgy pen in the second half.

[Capybara]

Coventry have come for a point. They are pulling everyone back and Boro aren't dealing with it. So, a breakaway goal and 0-1, then.

[RobW]

Paid ?10 to watch the Imps at Crewe. Dominating at half time, 9 shots on goal after 20 minutes. Montsma hit the bar from 30 yards in the first 30 seconds, Hopper somehow contrived to hit the post from 3 yards with a header and just when I thought Crewe were going to nick something, Harry Anderson's fizzed a low shot in from the edge of the area. Should be comfortably in front. Here's hoping Johnson wins another dodgy pen in the second half.

Made hard work of that in the end. Came out all guns blazing again in the first 15 minutes of second half, and somehow Hopper contrived to miss a glorious chance again (credit to Crewe keeper probably). Last 15 minutes was just Crewe aiming diagonals and crosses from deep into our box, but though it was very nervy I don't recall Palmer having to make any serious saves. Montsma absolutely brilliant tonight. His passing has improved immensely over the last few weeks.

[Third rate Leszno]

Carlisle won 3-1. Made hard work of it though, gradually invited Morecambe onto us and conceded weakly from a corner. Felt like we would probably have conceded again if ex-Shrimper George Tanner hadn't come up from full back to take a neat pass and slot home from the edge of the box. We're up to 4th by the looks of it, despite not playing brilliantly these last two games and with the strikers failing to score again tonight.

[Capybara]

A different Coventry in the second half which allowed Middlesbrough, eventually, to open the scoring through Britt Assombalonga after 80 minutes. The breakaway goal came in injury time with Coventry pressing for an equaliser. Djed Spence made it 2-0.