Tuesday 14th August Town travel to the cow shed to face the MK Dons in the first round of the Carling Cup.

The following Tractor boys find the urge to point out the obvious 'Your grounds too big for you' wow full marks for observation skills.

The home team line up with Abbey, Stirling, Lewington, O'Hanlon, McGovern, Knight, Wright, Wilbraham, Murphey, Navarro and Howell. On the subs bench: Gueret, Gallen, Dyer, Edds and Carayol.

Town take an unchanged side from the weekend's successful match at home, the team is: Alexander, Wright, Brice, De Vos, Harding, Walters, Miller, Garvan, Roberts, Counago and Lee with Supple, Wilnis, Legwinski, Haynes and Clarke on the bench.

There is no score board inside the half built stadium, less than half filled with fans, that has the potential to be a half decent ground and the battery on my phone has just gone, so I have no means of knowing the minutes.

The game is under way and the first opportunity goes to the 'Dons' with a corner taken by McGovern, the sent ball is a good, strong one but there is no one there to get onto the end of it.

The ball is soon back with the home attack, but thankfully for Town they have Alexander, Bruce and Harding in the 18 yard box to defend, if only they would! The three of them stand in a kind of triangular shape around the ball looking at it, after what seemed an eternity I'm not sure who, Harding I think, sends the ball out for a corner. The kick is another decent one from McGovern, this time Wilbraham is the to head the ball towards the net but Alexander manages to tap it out for another corner, this one is less threatening and leads to a goal kick.

Wilbraham makes a blunder on the ball leaving it trailing behind him, as amusing as that was, it was no longer funny when he managed to turn, chase and recover the ball before any Town player even got close.

Isn't it annoying getting stuck behind a tractor, causing tailbacks, think how frustrated you feel sitting behind that tractor after a long hard day, then think of that motorbike that comes speeding past and out of sight within seconds, think of how satisfied that motorcyclist feels and how much more it winds you up stuck behind that tractor, the MK Dons are on that motorbike, the Town fans are sitting in that car following the tractor that carries each one of those Town players.

Town win a free kick against Lewington on Bruce, the free kick leads to a Town Corner, taken by Garvan the ball is headed out for an Abbey goal kick.

At some point after that, probably around the 15th minute Knight strikes and hit the cross bar, the rebound is met by McGovern's head forcing a diving saving from Alexander.

With the greatest of ease like the man on the flying trapeze the MK Dons run the pitch finding Knight in the middle of the attacking box with no marker to cause a worry, and just as easily Knight slams the ball past Alexander into the back of the net. The home team are a goal up.

This doesn't wake up Town but it certainly makes them stir as Counago gets closer to the home goal only to have his efforts headed out for a corner, and yes the corner is from Garvan, and yes it is an awful one as the home defence certainly out class the visitors.

The defence start an attack for the home team, to the other end the MK Dons win a corner, again taken by McGovern the ball flies into the box in slow motion as does Bruce's feet leaving he ground, I don't know about anyone else but I could see it before contact was made, the ball meets Bruce's head knocking over Alexander, but then suddenly it dips into the goal well done Bruce.

MK Dons 2-0 Ipswich Town.

Navarro finds his way into the yellow book, no not the yellow pages much to his dismay so he doesn't get to do a slow-mo funky commercial, nope this one is that little book, Mr. Taylor's yellow book after finding out that Counago's in flight coordinator isn't quite up to scratch leaving the poor old Spaniard tumbling to the ground. Town's free kick is little short of abysmal, and headed to the hands of Abbey.

Roberts fails to recognise the goal as what he is suppose to be aiming for so I try to count the floodlights before experiencing temporary blindness, wow that's the best thing I've seen all night!

2 minutes injury time are added on at the end of the 1st half and Town have a corner which once more is nothing but pathetic, come on Garvan, then just before time is up Walters wins a penalty from an incident that I could not see, of course Lee is the man to take it, he send the ball left as the keeper dives right, Town have pulled a goal back and the teams go in at half time with the score of MK Dons 2 - 1 Ipswich Town.

The 2nd half starts slowly but then we are reintroduced with a bang, Alexander has the ball then somehow Milton Keynes manage to get another shot in, De Vos is there to clear the ball off of the line, phew, so he is there then.

Walters comes alive running the ball up goal ward, spotting Counago on the wing he passes the ball out, Counago returns the ball into the attacking box, Murphey comes sliding in and blasts the ball into his own net before Abbey can even acknowledge the movement, thanks to Murphey Town are back even, it's 2-2.

McGovern is replaced by Dyer for the Home team and Haynes replaces Roberts for the visitors at some point around now.

Haynes makes a welcoming run on the right towards the attacking box, his shot is deflected just over the top corner by Stirling giving Town a corner, the corner is taken and Town comes close but Navarro is the to stop the ball off of the line.

Bruce doesn't seem to be quite as talented in the goal he is actually supposed to be shooting in and Garvan supplies a lovely ball to Counago, but with no support any attack from Town fizzles out.

Town make a couple of off the line saves after a free kick is given to the MK Dons before Haynes once again gets on the run, he find Counago but so does Navarro changing the run of play.

Miller is another one who fails to recognise the goal and Harding is booked for something or other.

Town have play with a corner but the corner is cut short as a free kick is given the other way when Walters jumps, you ejit Walters can't you see we are playing football not doing aerobics, how dare you jump! LOL

The Town defence remain immobile and continue causing pressure to mount on Alexander, and all decisions are falling against Town.

Legwinski and Clarke replace Counago and Lee, a change that less than impresses the Town fans who watching this display feel the need for a change at the back.

Clarke gets into play crossing the ball wide, very, very, wide then soon after finds himself joining Navarro and Harding in the book for a fantastic challenge in which he won the ball, but we are no longer surprised, I'm just waiting for a penalty to be awarded against Town.

Town have a frustrating attack that achieves nothing, Legwinski has his shot hit away by Abbey and Haynes on the rebound is offside.

Navarro is replaced by Edds just in time for a MK free kick, the kick is just outside the Town box, which the 7 man wall blocks but Milton Keynes regain possession with ease.

3 minutes are added as this match is heading for extra time due to the new rules of the game having to finish on that night.

Stirling has a free header going over the bar then Alexander send the ball up for Town, as Wilbraham falls, he decides he wont go down alone grabbing Legwinski's feet, Town are awarded a free kick but no card is shown, the kick is taken by Miller given straight to MK Dons.

The whistle is blown this match is going into extra time.

The teams regroup for a drink, so it's E.T phone home! tell them you will be late, and whilst the teams are preparing there is a bag on the pitch, but I hear no screams of 'Where are ya?' obviously it got the message from the previous 10 minutes of the Town fans singing 'We're the left side, we're the left side, we're the left over 'ere, we're the right side etc etc' or maybe that Tesco bag just isn't as drunk and stupid as a certain woman from Norfolk that I shall not name.

Getting back to it, Alexander does a little dance when he gets back into goal, and soon after extra time starts Wilbraham is offside but it's not flagged, but no danger comes from it then at the other end Clarke forces a save which sees Ipswich with a corner, the corner is crap and Walters running from behind Lewington is given offside.

With no Town defenders where they are supposed to be Dyer, Wilbraham and Knight are left to have some fun, but the fun doesn't last when Miller shows his defending abilities.

Gallen comes on for Howell who has shown little of himself, and as play continues at an u15's level I decide to start writing over my blue pen in red. Oh the achievement I feel looking back on it now, blah blah blah.

Oh whoops Garvan's just scored bringing Town a goal advantage, the question is, can we hold it?

De Vos has to clear a close call again and we discover Stirling seems to have the longest throw... ever, in fact one of his throws is caught by Alexander in front of goal.

Wilbraham hits the side netting leading the home fans to believe they have scored, nope, you haven't.

That's pretty much it of the 1st 15 of extra time, as the crowd were reminded about 12 times before extra time started 'There will now be 2 15 minute intervals of extra time' this was very annoying as we all knew this, or I thought we did, then I remembered MK Dons although skipping their way into the league the status themselves they are still amateurish.

The steward in front looks like he wants to go home, I don't blame him, he probably has a paper round to do in the morning.

not much really happens, De Vos has to do some defending, Town have a couple of uninspiring runs then conversation turns onto Town manager Jim's mafia 'situation' obviously I can't go into detail or he might 'Deal' with me.

Clarke makes a stupid tackle outside the Town box leaving a few Town fans worried, but Clarke is safe and the free kick goes out for a corner. Legwinski has a bit of a rough and tumble with Lewington, play continues leaving the home side less than happy.

Then the whistle we were all waiting for... but hoping we wouldn't hear as we see Mr. Taylor pointing to the penalty spot in the Town box, just seconds from being through it's all taken away from us, Well done De Vos, needless to say Gallen scores and it's now down to a penalty shoot out.

1. Dyer strikes, Alexander goes the right way but doesn't get the stretch 1 - 0
1. Clarke sends Abbey the wrong way 1 - 1
2. Wright, a repeat of the MK Dons 1st penalty 2 - 1
2. Walters, The same as Town's 1st penalty 2 - 2
3. Stirling sends Alexander the wrong way 3 - 2
3. Harding steps up and I can not believe it, already knowing it's over, Abbey saves
4. If O'Hanlon scores this the MK Dons are through, and he does.

The Tractor boys hang their heads and head towards the tunnel before Magilton explodes demanding them to acknowledge the travelling fans, or what's left of them, The Tractor boys come over doing as Jim says and I think Garvan was actually too scared to stop acknowledging us in case Mafia Jim didn't want him too, awww bless.

Well when was the last time both teams scored from the run of play, an own goal and a penalty?

27. Alexander: 2/10: Maybe he should be concentrating on his penalty saves rather than his Saturday night routine
20. Wright: N/A: do I have to? I get the impression that was his attitude too
5. Bruce: 2/10: one mark for the fantastic goal he scored the other for that minute when I think he might have moved a couple of ft
4. De Vos: 4/10: Although he gave away that stupid penalty if it wasn't for him we wouldn't have even got into extra time.
23. Harding: N/A: Sorry he was wasting space on the field.
19. Walters: 2/10: started to wake after Counago and Lee went off
10. Miller: 2/10: Done a bit of defending when no one else would
7. Garvan: 1/10: managed to make contact with the ball for each and every corner, congrats
22. Roberts: N/A: meaning Not Acceptable
9. Counago: 2/10: stressed out the opposing defence every now and then.
14. Lee: 2/10: nice penalty as usual
18. Haynes: 1/10: brought on a little bit of useless energy
8. Legwinski: 1/10: He seemed to enjoy his work out, good for him
24: Clarke: N/A: meaning language Not Appropriate. Subs not used: Supple, Wilnis.

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