We've only got ten men

This is what away games are about. Today is the reason we travel the length and breadth of the country. They don't work out like this very often, but when they do they are memorable.

We set off at about 11.00. Toby and his Basildon boys were already on the road. Jane - the trusty sat-nav suggested two hour delays on the M3. Radio reports confirmed the motorway had indeed been closed. Fortunately we were able to take the A3, and head for the park and ride, just off junction 8 of the M27. I don't know how others got on, but it didn't really affect our journey.

Overall the Park and Ride was a good experience, but somehow I wasn't expecting it to cost a fiver. The woman taking the money on the gate said other people had complained about that. Maybe it's because it doesn't say anything on the ticket! But we paid and parked up and got one of several buses waiting. We were droppped off at the ground fifteen minutes later. Half past one. Plenty of time for a couple of beers. We followed signs to the city centre and came across the Plume of Feathers. They had a little portable telly showing the live game and free food so we stayed a while. There were a reasonable number of Addicks already there, but as the pub filled up the atmosphere seemed to change. A glance outside showed there were large groups outside the pub. It's no fun being ambushed in a pub, so we made our way outside. There was a considerable police presence outside using video cameras. Nothing happened while we were there, but there was definitely potential for it.

The threat of trouble seemed to carry into the ground, and there was a commotion at the top of our stand. Typically heavy handed, the stewards made a meal of it and it took four of them to get a young teenager out. There's no way of knowing the justification of their actions, but you can't help there's other ways to defuse the situation rather than inflame it.

After the game the coaches and buses were lined up waiting and as soon as the first Park and Ride bus was full, it left. No hanging around for the coaches. We were escorted away and back to the cars within fifteen minutes. Five minutes later we were back on the motorway - indoors before half past seven. My first experience of such a scheme, and one I'll certainly repeat.

But it was the bit in between that made it special.

We were bright enough and certainly equal to Southampton. But yet again a refereeing performance overshadowed the football. It was always on the cards that someone would be sent off and Semedo was the one to go. With over half the game still to play with only ten men, the prospects looked bleak. But our formation meant that we coped well and definitely gave as good as we got. And we were rewarded for our adventurous play with an injury time goal. If you are going to win 1-0, that's the way to do it. Players and supporters were ecstatic. But even when scoring a goal the ref found something to book Mootoo for. Idiot.

It's a good weekend. A very good weekend!

Up The Addicks!

Robin