Thanks to Ian Jardine, from the London Branch, for supplying our latest Fan opinion.

To find out what the London Branch could mean to you, especially if you are an exiled supporter, then click HERE.

I admit it; it was all my fault.

I should never have agreed to go to Bristol Rovers, I should have learnt from history. Yes, I was there 20 years ago, having spent the weekend in Bath, when the snow began to fall at 2 p.m. and the game was called off at 2.15 as we were walking to the ground. I was there for an end of season game that saw us taken apart 4-0 and the coffin lid nailed down on relegation. I was there the day it was announced that not only had we lost Paul Murray but Wadsworth had resigned too. And it was to a Bristol Rovers game that I had my worst match trip spending 12 hours driving a packed minibus there and back to see them lose yet again.

How else can you explain it. The game was effectively over after 15 minutes when the home team had scored their second from another goalmouth scramble. We had shown nothing by then giving little hope that we could claw it back. Having said that the next 20 minutes proved to be the highlight of a dire match. Carlisle took over the game despite the score and the home side were struggling to keep out the visitors.

Hackney was causing problems down the left requiring two home players to police him but even so he provided many chances. One shot from outside the box bounced in front of the keeper who could only block it but the rebound fell unkindly. Graham, unmarked, was then given the ball on the right of the box but his shot from a tight angle went into the side netting. If it had been on target the rebound could have been picked up by on-rushing colleagues. Other chances came but were put wide. The keeper, who had started shakily, was not really tested by shots or crosses.

The team lost it again in the final 10 minutes. Aimless clearances, poor passing, a lack of options allowed the home team to get back in the game.

Half time did not change anything and the second half was dismal. Very few chances were created and the home goal was not really under any threat. Bristol were little better. The strong cross wind created problems for both teams as any high ball was blown off target. The boggy pitch also saw a number of players lose their footing. The light rain simply added to the gloom.

Half way through the half a Bristol forward collects the ball in the Carlisle box and Livesey allows him space to step away from him, turn and pick the top corner with his finish.

The real problem was not individuals playing badly but some players were not playing at all. Danny Graham seemed to disappear in the second half. Thirlwell seemed equally anonymous in midfield; nothing wrong with what he did but he never seemed to be involved. This was in marked contrast to Bridge -Wilkinson who seemed to be everywhere and always involved in setting up the few attacks we had. Gall started quietly and disappeared. The longer it went, the more mistakes he made and his frustration grew, leading to a late booking for a rash challenge just after he had sprinted back 50 metres and executed a text book challenge to win the ball.

Keogh played well but there were a number of times when he and the rest of the defence were operating on different hymn sheets and at one point this led to heated discussion with Zigor who had a solid game at the back. Garner never stopped but was never given the ball in areas where it mattered.

No substitutes were put on. Murph, Arnie and Howarth were unlikely to change the game for the better. Carlton was on the bench but perhaps being protected after his injury before the Tranmere game. This left Smith as the only option. Hackney looked the most likely threat to the home team so this would have meant taking off Gall and putting Hackney on the right. It might have worked.

Basically the bench did not offer options to change the game once it had gone belly up after 15 minutes.