In a mad dash to keep pace with my curling commitments, I've joined in on the first day in Lohja, Finland for these Championships.

There are only 11 countries entered from Brazil, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, Italy, Japan, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, and Switzerland. The three podium-finisher teams in Lohja qualify for the world championship, taking place in March 2024 in Gangneung, Korea.

Round-robin play starts on Sunday 5 November and continues until Thursday 9 November. The teams have been placed into one group and will play a round robin. At the end of the round robin, a ranking will be established and the first four teams will move onto the semi-finals. The semi-finals will take place at 9.30 on Friday 10 November, where the team ranked first will play the team ranked fourth, and the team ranked second will meet the team ranked third. The winners of the semi-finals advance to the gold medal game; the losers of the semi-finals will play for bronze medals. Both medal games will be held at 16.00 on Friday 10 November.

Representing England are Stewart Pemblett (Skip), Jason Kean (3rd), Karen Aspey (2nd), Julian Mattison (Lead, who will be Vice-skip) and George Potts (Alternate). They are coached by Tony and Rosemary Lenton, Rosemary being a Scottish medal-winning para bowler and English wheelchair curler.

In their first game England absolutely demolished Japan by 16-0, including 6 shots in the 4th end. It's very unusual for a team to be "grannied" (no score) in any game, never mind a World Championship game. In a turnaround in their second game, the English team were defeated 4-9 by Slovakia, mainly due to a loss of 4 shots in the 3rd end.

At 07.30 tomorrow England will play Denmark, then Spain at 16.30.

2 points for correct result
4 points for correct score
2 points for each correct scorer
Correct joker doubles your score   (correct score on a joker would give you 8 points)
Wrong joker result gives you minus 2
Correct Random Badger gives you 2 points

The random badger is used for any random prediction used once in each matchday sequence. For instance, a scorer at a particular match, the number of red cards in the matches or yellow cards or own goals or owt you want really within reason, I do need to be able to check whether it's correct or not. Please don't put stuff like....."Commentator says...."  
The joker   is played for one match in each sequence and if correct you get double points. So if you've predicted 1-0 and it finishes 2-0, you get 4 pts, but if you've predicted 2-0, that's 8 pts. But if you get it wrong, it's minus 2.
Jokers and badgers are optional. You don't have to play one if you don't want.

The prize for winning the league is one rep point.

Cup games: In the event of a draw, it's half the points if you've predicted a draw when it gets to 90 mins and the full points if it's still a draw after extra time. Half the points will be awarded for correctly predicting the winner of the match if it goes to penalties. Similarly with the badger, if your random prediction is affected by this, it'll be half the points.

Random score generator: I will be using the random score generator again for those who miss predicting, so we shouldn't get some people too far behind that after missing a couple of weeks they lose all interest, because I know it's not easy getting on here every week.
To be fair to everybody, this is going to be like, say if three people in one week miss their predictions, the first one in the table will be given all 0-0, the second one down the line will get 1-0 and the third will get 0-1 and so on, like if there's four missing the 4th will get 1-1, then 5th 2-1, 6th 1-2. and if there are so many missing, might as well pack in.
And if you miss two weeks on the trot, I'll stop until you come back on again. Not doing it for half a season like I did t'other year.  

End of season Play Offs: The one who finishes top of the league will still be champion, but after the season finishes there will be Play Offs between the top 4, with 1st v 4th and 2nd v 3rd. This will take in stuff like the EFL Play Offs, FA Cup Final, final day of Prima Donna League, European Finals etc. It will be one matchday for the semis and one for the Final. It will be the individual scores for each matchday against the allotted opponent, with some kind of tie breaker for a drawn match.

The prize for winning will be enormous. Another rep point.

1. St Charles Owl = 286 pts
   
2. Baggiebob(BBB) = 268 pts
   
3. neonfoxinthebox = 237 pts
   
4. jjamez = 235 pts
   
5. themaclad = 227 pts
   
6. theo_luddite = 218 pts
   

Friday 10th November:
Blackburn Rovers v Preston North End

Saturday 11th November:
Hull City v Town
Town scorers:
Hull scorers:

Queens Park Rangers v Bristol City
Sheffield Wednesday v Millwall
Southampton v West Bromwich Albion
Watford v Rotherham United

Bonus matches:
Premier League:
Saturday:
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Tottenham Hotspur (12:30)

Sunday:
West Ham United v Nottingham Forest (14:00)
Chelsea v Manchester City (16:30)

League One:
Saturday:
Peterborough United v Cambridge United (12:00)
Bolton Wanderers v Blackpool

League Two:
Bradford City v Barrow

*** scores for ***
*** scores for ***
*** scores for ***

1. Lord Snooty = 245 pts
   
2. ritchiebaby = 221 pts*
   
3. WakeyTerrier = 217 pts
   
4. Devongone = 210 pts
   
5. Amelia Chaffinch = 204 pts
   
6. SHEP_HTAFC = 166 pts
   

Saturday 11th November:
Hull City v Town
Town scorers:
Hull scorers:

Sunderland v Birmingham City (12:30)
Cardiff City v Norwich City
Coventry City v Stoke City
Ipswich Town v Swansea City
Leeds United v Plymouth Argyle
Middlesbrough v Leicester City

Bonus matches:
Premier League:
Saturday:
Arsenal v Burnley

Sunday:
Liverpool v Brentford (14:00)

Scottish Premiership:
Saturday:
Hibernian v Kilmarnock
St Johnstone v Ross County

National League:
Chesterfield v Barnet

*** scores for ***
*** scores for ***
*** scores for ***

Nothing much on unless you like watching Wrexham with a Welsh commentary so watched this game, Flumemese beat Boca Juniors 2-1 after AET played at the Maracana in Rio.
Slow burner of a game with the cynicism not kicking in until the second half, however that is the joy of South American football, outrageous dives, knee high tackles, but the winning goal summed up the game, it's a worldie lad who scored then races 100 yards to dive into the home support at the other end, promptly receives a yellow card, his second followed by a red.
On the stroke of ET bit of a melee, home player gets slapped in the face and it's ten a side.
Eventually ends players in tears all over the place, glorious stuff

Hibs and Aberdeen meet this evening at Hampdump for a place in the Final against either Sevco or Hearts.

Aberdeen seem to be getting their goal scoring form back with Myslovic and Duc being the danger men. However they still seem vulnerable at the back and need to tighten up.

Hibernian.................well we all know they can either be excellent or absolute sh*te depending on which team turns up. They have been this way for many years. A good point last Saturday against Celtic followed by a poor performance against Ross. Montgomery will go again with the 4 2 4 he prefers, I expect. He will learn that at times you have to change depending on the state of the game..............against Ross at 2.0 up it was crying out for removing a front man and putting an extra midfielder on

As both defenses are suspect it could be a high scoring game but think Aberdeen have slightly more coming from midfield so will go for a Dons victory 3 . 2 ( possibly after extra time.)

Both clubs are taking fairly healthy supports through to Glasgow so should lend to a good atmosphere.

Well, you've just got to hand it to RH haven't you?!
105 years old, still obviously got a real love for the game (..... wish I had), keeps marginally ahead of the pack with his tactical nous....... and is an all round thoroughly nice bloke.
Good on ya, Roy!!

Tranmere Rovers have appointed interim boss Nigel Adkins their permanent manager on a two-and-a-half-year deal.

The 58-year-old was made technical director in the summer before taking over first-team affairs in September after Ian Dawes was sacked.

The League Two strugglers have won two of his nine league games in charge.

"It's an honour to take the manager's role at a club I previously played for, and which is my home-town club," he told the club website.

"I have no illusions that we have work to do given our very poor start to the season, however I would not have accepted this role on a permanent basis if I was not confident that we can put it right.

"The infrastructure and support that is in place at Tranmere Rovers is top quality."

Adkins, who played in goal for Rovers between 1983 and 1986, has had spells in charge of Scunthorpe, Southampton, Reading, Sheffield United, Hull City and Charlton.

He twice led the Iron to promotion from League One and guided Southampton from the third tier to the Premier League.

Tranmere are second-bottom in League Two, three points adrift of safety after four successive defeats.

They visit League One Stevenage in the FA Cup first round on Saturday.

Premier League

B.B.B. 16
Dingle 14
Minizin 10
Derby 10
Lady J 8
Blue B 8
Zinman 7
Stairs 2

An ok week for the PL, well below the seasons best but well above the worst as well.  The Gamball and Bonus balls proved once again to be a problem for most, I can't really understand how so many got the Gamball wrong this week!!   BBB good form continues and this week he heads the table with 16 points.  He was one of only 2 players to score positive points on the Gamball but missed on his bonus but he did score on 7 of the 10 games.  Dingle had a good week finally with 14 points, he was the other one who got an easy Gamball result correct and backed this up with a max on the Bonus.  Minizin and Derby both got into double figures with 10 points each, Derby managed 2 CSs and Minizin was one of only 2 players to score positive points on the Bonus.

Lady Jane and BlueBaggie finished with 8 points.  LJ got there a very unusual way, she scored a season high 3 CSs but then missed on both balls and scored nothing on anything else!!  Blue scored on 5 games but also missed on both balls keeping his score down.  Zinman finished a point behind them with 7 points, like Blue he scored on 5 games but his inability to get any CSs and his misses on both balls keeps him near the bottom this week.

Stairs once again occupies the bottom spot, at least he scored 2 positive points this week but his last 5 weeks have seen him get just 9 points in total and he is now in freefall for the season!!

128 Minizin
127 Derby
123 Zinman
118 BBB
112 Lady Jane
110 Stairs
105 Blue Baggie
83 Dingle

Minizin and Derby matched each other this week so still hold the top two positions and are still separated by just one point.  Zinman in 3rd dropped a little but nothing he can't claw back.  BBB and Lady Jane both jump up the table and are now within striking distance of the top 3.  Stairs plummeted 2 more places to 6th place and Blue is not hot on his heels after passing the 100 point mark.  Dingle is rooted to the bottom but if he can continue with some decent form then maybe he too can close the gap to the rest.

Cheers
SCO


Championship

Snooty        15pts
Twerton        13
SCO            13
AAA              9
Sanjay          9
BaggieOne      4
Themaclad      2

An average week for the Championship, a total of 65 points scored and the usual issues with the gamball and bonuses. 

Snooty heads the table with 15 points with the week's best of 6 correct results including his gamball. Twerton and SCO share 2nd place just a couple of points behind but they achieved their score through very different methods - Twerton scored a maximum gamball (his 3rd of the season) but missed out on his bonus. SCO failed to guess - sorry, predict - a single correct score but did pick up points from the the gamball and bonus.

AAA was the only player with 2 correct scores -extending his run of getting at least 1 correct score to 6 weeks - but missed out on the main balls to share 4th place with a resurgent Sanjay who picked up his first correct score in 8 weeks! BaggieOne and Themaclad had a week to forget but they did at least add some scores to their total. Both failed to pick a correct score and also missed out on their balls.

Twerton 118
AAA          117
SCO          112
Snooty      105
BaggieOne    87
Themaclad    83
Sanjay          56     

Just one change this week and it comes at the top as Twerton leapfrogs AAA to reclaim top spot. No movements below them though SCO and Snooty crossed the 100 point mark.

Zin

THE MATCH

SATURDAY 4TH NOVEMBER KO 3:00PM

v

LAST MATCH



Well it only took us 14 games, a managerial change, players playing in there rightful position and someone to score goals as we bagged our first win of the season. We started on the front foot and and we were rewarded when Smith prodded in after Musaba had a shot parried. We were creating a few chances and we made it 2-0 when Musaba went clear and the ball was squared to Smith who slotted home. Musaba should have scored with a header but the score remained 2-0. Onto the 2nd half and it was a bit more  even, both teams had a few chances but the score-line didn't change.

DEJPHON CHANSIRI, GET OUT OF OUR CLUB    

THE MATCH



Next up and a trip to manager-less Bristol City. Bristol are lying in 15th place and although they have lost there last 2, it was a surprise to see that Nigel Pearson had been sacked at the weekend. Wonder if Warnock might be interested? I don't see them getting into a relegation battle or climbing the table and challenging for the playoffs, so a mid table finish is most likely. There leading scorer is Sam Bell who has 4 so far.

DEJPHON CHANSIRI, GET OUT OF OUR CLUB    

ALL TIME H2H

OWLS 30
BRIS 18
DRAWS 16

CURRENT FORM

OWLS              -                                                                                             

BRIS               -                                                                                 

EFL STOOGES

DOES IT MATTER THERE ALL CORRUPT  



THE TEAM

Dawson
Palmer Bernard Ihekwe James
Musaba Bannan Byers Johnson
Gregory Windass

SCORE & SCORER (HOME TEAM SCORE FIRST)

1-2 Smith

WEDNESDAYS FIRT GOAL TIME

60

ATTENDANCE

N/A

BML LEAGUE

Washington 6
Maddix 4
Imre 4
Owlkev 1
SCO 1

BMPL

Stateside 3
Wereham 2
Pei -11

OTHER GAMES OF MILD INTEREST

Newcastle v Arsenal
Rotherham v QPR
Marine v Harrogate
Scarborough v Forest Green
Mansfield v Wrexham

DHHAA

THE MUPPETT LEAGUE




KATE BECKINSALE TRIBUTE PIC