This week, The Incider launched a brand new feature.

A few weeks ago we were surprisingly contacted by a radio station in faraway America .

It transpired that PSTK 94.7 FM in Bristol SOUTH DAKOTA , wanted to share more than the name of our city. They've also adopted the Robins as their favourite football team since following “soccer” in England after the 1994 World Cup.

Could we highlight their show on our website? It's a done deal!

In association with F ermented A pple B everage – The Juice of Champions

Live from Bristol , South Dakota , on 94.7 FM PSTK Radio, heeeeeeeeres StateCider, with your hosts, Braxton Hicks and PG Trailer.

BH: A big hello from Bristol SD to all you guys in Bristol - Wales , where we'll be following the progress of the Robins in the NWL Soccer Division 2. We're kinda late with this edition due to the illness of my co-host, that affected his……. PG, where the hell are you?

PG: I'm in the bathroom Braxton.

BH: Well, kindly get your butt in this studio NOW. We've got a show to do.

PG: Sorry Braxton, but I gotta pee, DAMN these pills!

BH: Err, sorry listeners, we appear to have a technical problem. Normal service SHOULD resume after these words from our sponsors.

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PG: Thanks guys, yeah I'm okay. We're back live ? Aheeeeem, since we were last on air, the doodoo appears to have hit the fan for the Bristol Robins.

BH: Totally PG. In this edition of StateCider, we'll be reviewing the Robins last two matches on the road to the Tranmere Rovers and the Port Vale Valliants.

First off, last Wednesday's road-trip to Park Prenton, home of the Tranmere Rovers.

PG: The Robins were still missing defensive secondary Tommy “The DOCster” Doherty and offensive centre and top goal converter Lee Peacock. Second stringer Joe Burnell was unavailable with food poisoning, so rookie Clayton Fortune replaced the “DOCster”. Back-up offensive centre, Christian Roberts came in for the injured Peacock, alongside draft-pick Lee Miller. Mark Goodfellow started on the left offensive secondary wing.

BH: Rovers had NOT won a game since defeating the Plymouth Pilgrims three to zero in February. This meant that the Rovers had fallen to 17 th place in NWL Division 2 and in their previous match against the Peterborough POSH, Rovers Coach Little had described their performance as “useless!” Giant offensive centre Eugene Dai returned, but with regular defensive linemen Ryan Taylor, Sean Connelly Gareth Roberts banned for TWO matches and hours before the game Shane Nicholson missing through illness, he surely feared the worst.

Commentary comes from Rick Shaw.

RS: It's a chill wind that blows off the Wirral tonight. That's South of the Mersey, Liverpool and the Beatles to you folks back home.

6 minutes on the clock and Rovers have control of the football, deep in Robins territory. Rovers offensive centre Hume in right field, tearing up the turf towards the penalty block. Here's the scud overpass to Dadi, WIDE OPEN he makes the headshot aaaand NO! Prevented !! Robins goalminder Phillips with a beautiful full-length scramble. Boy! That sure was a lucky escape for the Robins.

8 minutes played and the Robins have possession of the football. Wilkshire, right-side, sprints infield, left-foot, SMACKBALL and straight into the breadbasket of Rovers goal-minder Achteburg. The Robins are starting to show.

Long-bomb from the Robins backfield and Miller charges towards the Rovers penalty-block. Out comes Achteberg and a FUMBLE, defensive lineman Goodison heads towards his own end zone with the Robins Roberts ready to score ANNNNNNND DENIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIED! Vital block from defensive centre Ian Sharps, that sends the football soaring over the crossbar.

Slide pass from Goodison and it's split the Robins rearguard and Rovers offensive centre Jones in great field position – in bounds right side near the penalty block. He cocks the gun and shoo, no! BLOCKED by Coles!

We're a quarter way through the first period and it's the ROVERS in control of the ball game. Bad field position for the Robins and Butler FUMBLES near the red zone. Hume with the shot, but it's an airball folks. High, wide and handsome.

34 minutes played and the Robins yet to make real headway. Overpass from the Robins right, across the Rovers red zone and Miller rushes in and heads towards goal, but it's another easy field from Achteberg, moving quickly to his right.

Final minute of the first period and Tranmere on the blitz and in the danger zone-period. Shovel pass airborne from Jones to Dadi and it's headerated, but comfortably blocked by Phillips. There goes the whistle - half-time and it's the Rovers calling all the shots.

PG: Relief for the Robins then as Rovers have continually pounded them throughout the first 45.

BH: PG, why were the Robins playing soft in such a crucial game?

PG: That's the $64,0000 question Braxton. Following that 11 game roll that yielded a phenomenal 33 unanswered points, the Robins game had imploded.

The Second period continued in the same fashion as the first. Tranmere making the crucial plays and striking wood twice in the Robins endzone.

BH: Would the Robins surrender yet another crucial game? Back to Rick Shaw.

“Drink for you la'”

RS: I've just been passed what appears to be a steaming plastic recepticle of stewed beef extract.

Thank you sir, what do you folks call this tasty looking beverage?

“Bovril, top scram tha' la!”

RS: Well, here goes. Ummmmmm delicio……. and *!$%^$$********!!! Aheeeeeem, back to the game…………..

RS: Remember the Alamo ? That's what must be going through Coach Wilson's head right now as his team are under siege. But will they buckle? 83 minutes played and it's a corner to the Rovers and the ball is in the apex. Offensive secondary Mellon strikes the football on the lateral and it's a doozer of an overpass, AAAAAAAAAAND DADI with the power smash heads home and it's one to zero. That could be game over for the Robins, in what has become a SLIDE. Overtime, but the Robins are still in the negative and………. THAT'S IT GAME OVER!

PG: So the Robins Lose AGAIN. Later Rick Shaw interviewed Robins Coach Wilson.

 

RS: Coach Wilson, sir, Robins fans everywhere are extremely worried that your offense aren't hurting the opposition in the red zone. Why is that?

CW: Nothing has changed in that we are working extremely hard to get someone in, but it's never as easy as some people think.

RS: Have you and Under Coach Barlow exhausted your play-book for ways to win games?

CW: We won't give up. There are a lot of things to try and we're hoping to get a positive response.

RS: That's extremely reassuring sir. But tell me, how are you going to frighten the hell out of the opposition defense in the big games to come.

CW: We have stopped getting men behind defenders and that's another area we need to look at.

RS: That sure is REAL concern and you must be looking to be more clinical in front of goal and more creative.

CW: Of course it is a concern. We need to be more clinical in front of goal and more creative.

RS: I just said that sir.

RS: Coach Wilson sir, is it true that although your Chairman Mr Lansdown stated today that a loan enquiry for your former offensive secondary Scott Murray was spurned by the Reading Royals, you had no personal knowledge of any such consultation?

CW: Listen son, I know you're American and all that, but you're not related to Garth Crooks by any chance, are ya'?

RS: I'm not familiar with that name sir.

CW: Sorry lad, in-joke. No, I wasn't aware of any approach.

RS : So by repeatedly denying any approach for Murray , can I assume that he'll be re-signing for the Robins tomorrow in a surprise permanent transfer?

CW: NO! I'm not aware of ANY approach.

RS: So it's a done deal.

CW: Lad, I'm not aware of any approach.

RS: Way to go sir.

CW: Honestly, I'm not aware of ANY approach.

RS: You hang on in there sir.

CW: What have I got to do to persuade you lad, I'm not aware of any approach for Scott Murray.

RS: ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!

CW: Sorry son.

RS: You're welcome sir.

PG Trailer: So Braxton, Rick's hard-ball tactics with Coach Wilson sure paid off.

Braxton Hicks: And how, that guy never ceases to amaze me.

PG : Of course, the next day the Robin's DID secure the return of last season's top goal converter Scott “Super Scotty” Murray to reclaim the offensive right secondary wing position he vacated 8 short months ago.

BH: PG, some Robins supporters have said that Coach Wilson's failure to replace Murray , was heinous in the extreme.

PG: Damn right. Since Murray 's departure, the Robins have singularly failed to find a replacement that can regularly beat the defense in-bounds on the penalty block and make those CRUCIAL overpasses to the Robins centres. Not to mention the 26 goals from last semester.

BH: Took the words right out of my mouth there Braxton. But it wasn't just Murray that City signed on Termination Thursday, March 25. In came 32 year-old veteran Tony Rougier, the journeyman who can play on the offense or secondary, on a free from the Brentford Bees. He was joined by another free agent, 29 year-old Darren Caskey, an offensive secondary, whose contract had been discontinued by the Notts Magpies. Caskey arrived in Bristol with baggage and not just the extra pounds on his person. He was unavailable for the next TWO Robins fixtures due to suspension.

PG: So next up on-the road for the Robins was the Port Vale Valliants, at Vale Park on March 27, at Vale Park .

BH: And back from injury came offensive centre Lee Peacock and toughguy Tommy “The DOCster” Doherty to the secondary. Miller, Goodfellow and Roberts were omitted from the team that had faced the Rovers 3 days previously. In their place came Rougier, paired with Peacock. Brian “The Tinman” Tinnion played left-side secondary, with the prodigal, Murray on the right. Luke Wilkshire reappeared in his natural role in the centre of the secondary.

PG: Could the Robins get back on track for furtherance? Commentary from Rick Shaw.

To be continued…………………………

 

Wilson admitted last night's display was "very disappointing" and added: "On the balance of efforts at goal, Tranmere outgunned us.

"They put a lot of balls into our box and we defended well up to a point. We also rode our luck a bit before getting caught by a sucker punch.

"I felt the commitment and endeavour were there, but we need to work on certain things offensively.

"You can put it down to inexperience but we can't keep blaming that."

"Of course it is a concern. We need to be more clinical in front of goal and more creative.

"We have stopped getting men behind defenders and that's another area we need to look at.

"That said, I thought the strikers (Christian Roberts and Lee Miller) worked extremely hard without success."

"We still have QPR, Plymouth and Swindon to play and we're still in a great position."

"We had hoped to have them available last night but we're looking at Saturday now with any luck," said Wilsond.

Tranmere's delighted boss Brian Little said: "I couldn't have wished for more from the team. We won because our attitude was spot-on."

Tyrone Loran and Ian Goodison did well in unfamiliar roles and Dadi bounced back after the disappointment of being left out of Tranmere's last two games.

Manager Brian Little fell back on the versatility of Loran and Goodison to solve the selection problem caused by the suspension of specialist left-backs Sean Connelly, Ryan Taylor and Gareth Roberts, together with the untimely illness of a fourth, Shane Nicholson.

Loran slotted in on the right, and Goodison on the left of a flat back four. However, it was the Bristol City defence who were busier at the start of the game as Tranmere threatened to seize an early advantage.

Tranmere made a positive start to the second half, and soon created chances to put their noses in front. Dadi just failed to reach a chip across the face of goal by Jones in the 48th minute and when Hume returned the ball into the six-yard box, Goodison put in a header that was spirited off the line by a red-shirted defender.

Two minutes later Phillips, under pressure from Jones' challenge, palmed the ball down towards Dadi who was unable to keep his hurried effort down, slicing it high into the kop stand from six yards.

There was more frustration for Tranmere on 57 minutes when Allen climbed above the pack in the box to power a right-wing corner from Mellon against the foot of a post.

Allen's luck was no better 19 minutes later when he headed another Mellon corner against the face of the crossbar.

Dadi and Hume then tested Phillips with well-struck efforts from distance, as Tranmere built up the pressure.

They finally forced the break-through their efforts so richly deserved in the 82nd minute.

Once again City struggled to defend a well-flighted right-wing corner from Mellon and this time Dadi rose to plant a header between Phillips and the right hand post.

Tranmere held on without serious alarm through a nervy last few minutes and the final whistle brought a mighty cheer of joy and relief from the Prenton Park faithful.