Awash with excitement in downpour

second, first goal at the weekend.

Barlaser continues to impress more each week and I imagine is being sniffed at by bigger clubs for January. He’s so important for us in that midfield now that to lose him would be nothing short of a catastrophe.

Let’s hope Coley sparks up that scouse-Benitez relationship that probably helped us bag him in the first place: ‘Let’s talk about Daniel, John’

‘Oh yes, remember Istanbul 2005?’

‘Hmm, what was I saying before that?

‘Nothing Rafa, nothing at all…’

The only other thing of note on Saturday was the horrific mistake by Connor Ripley in goal. It was handball by all accounts, but I can’t excuse the shoddy play.

The referee was having an absolute nightmare and to even give him a decision like that to make was amateur.

We know Ripley has a tendency to dwell on the ball and it should have been gotten rid of a hell of a lot earlier than that.

He attempted to be cheeky and cut the ball across his opponent, which when he’s three yards away from you is a big ‘no no’.

These factors combined mean I have little sympathy for the young keeper in this situation.

My anger was more in his direction than the officials when the goal went in.

And, judging by the other Stanley players I get the feeling they felt similar.

He nearly undid their hard work and it would have marred the performance from the lads.

Maybe it was the goalkeeping gods throwing down the rain because their lad didn’t cover himself in glory for our equaliser.

None of it matters anyway now because it all doesn’t count, so I’ll shut up.

Onwards and upwards, up the Stanley.