I meant to jot a few notes down last night, after I had got some info from HRRs site. I was really looking forward to this one, as several of Brid’s recent stars now played for them – Martin Thacker, Paul Palmer, Shaun Baker and Jamie Barnwell. obviously from my own experience, losing these guys when we did (at varying times I hasten to add) was a blow, as they were all great assets to have.
Take Shaun Baker, he realised half way through last year that Unibond pace was fast catching up with him (injuries had slowly taken their toll) he left Brid after umpteen years of service to play at a slightly lower level. Today he was in the HRR team and was absolutely immense in the middle of the defence, reading the play and giving the Brid players very little space.
Today was bizarrely my first away game as a Brid fan and what a contrast to the last two games – combined crowds of over 1,000 for the last two, there must have been about 50 at most for todays game, quite a few of these were Brid peeps. If truth be known, there was probably more players on show today than spectators. HRRs clubhouse was large and pretty smart, with pool tables, snooker tables, 2 dartboards and a couple of function rooms.
£4 for me and £2 for the lad wasn’t going to break the bank and the ground took me back to my childhood when one of my uncles played lower league football at grounds like this (late 70’s).
The game itself started well for Brid with a strong team out, but found chances quite few and far between, especially as they dominated possession and territory. One or two salvos from Palmer/Barnwell and Thacks were all HRR could muster in the first half. James Dean for us took a well deserved goal with a shot from outside the box that hit the post and across the goal and in. one sour note in the first half saw Wayne Wallace hobble off early on with an injury – hope its only a slight knock.
Second half saw the inevitable substitutions, but for me the game started to get a bit stale – not that i didn’t enjoy it, it was just each team were canceling the other out. HRR did equalize from one of those dubious challenges on Paul Palmer (he does make the most of those situations) and palms scored the penalty – Clarkey going the right way, but unable to stop a well taken strike. The ref did seem to have his “non-bridlington” hat on today, amazing how many refs come across that way !!
All in all, the lads are getting fitter, starting to gel a lot better, and by the time we play Frickley and Chesterfield, could be in a position to give them a good run for their money.
Roll on Monday night at home to a Hull City team.
