Stoke 1 Blackburn 0

After not having the opportunity earlier in the season to go to a Stoke game, when I was offered another chance, I wasn’t going to let this one pass. It took the best part of three hours to get there, and I was late. I had to meet up with a colleague and 4 guests, unfortunately 2 of these guys were very late due to the traffic on the M6. I was able to take my lad for the experience.

We were supposed to be in the Greenhoff suite, named after one of our best players of the 70’s-  Jimmy Greenhoff, but there had been some trouble with a few of our customers at the last home game against Newcastle, so we were moved to the Waddington suite – named after our legendary manager of the 60’s and 70’s. Terry Conroy was compere, and a thriving throng of helpers were on hand to make sure our every need was catered for. There was a programme, a new Stoke City magazine and free to enter competitions at the table with a commemorative badge of the game – the club crests of Stoke and Blackburn with the Premier League icon included. Food was out of the top draw, I skipped starters as my Big Mac breakfast was still sitting a little heavy, but this was soon obliterated by the stunning Plaice main course and Orangey Chocolate number for afters. We made our way to the seats just before kick off, to find ourselves right on the half way line, half way up the John Smiths stand – there could have only been a few better seats in the house.

27,500, a sell out, were in the ground ready for this “relegation” threatened encounter. Credit to the Blackburn fans who turned up in large numbers and were very loud. The last time I encountered a tingle down my spine like I did at this point, is when I last went to Wembley to watch Stoke beat Stockport in the Autoglass Trophy win, thanks to a fantastic Mark Stein strike.

The game was scrappy, Stoke had the upper edge throughout, apart from a 10 minute spell in the first half when Rovers tried to pass and muscle their way into our half. In reality they were poor and posed no threat to goal all game. We had numerous Rory Delap throw in’s, Liam Lawrence corners, created one or two opportunities, but Rovers (or big Sam Allardyce’s tactics) had us reasonably contained throughout. Sam should know our style, he sort of created the Stoke style when he was at Bolton for all those years. The first half disappeared in a flash – the 45 went in no time, probably because me and the lad were enjoying ourselves so much. The interval comes and goes, again in no time.

Second half is much the same, with the deadlock eventually broken by Liam Lawrence from a Danny Higginbotham cross, that was flicked on by James Beattie. It was only our second shot on target all game, but the crowd noise was deafening and the most amazing rendition of Delilah fills the ground.

We hold out for a win, local Brid lad Richard Cresswell comes on for the last finve minutes, but the poor lad receives some abuse from the home fans who don’t think he is up to the task – perhaps not, as far as I am concerned he has been an integral part of our squad in the last two years, and deserves more respect from my fellow fans. He does more than enough in the five minutes he is on for.

The win gives us a huge lift to Premiership survival, and the relief and feeling at the end, by people like Abdoulaye Faye, Lawrence, Beattie and 25,000 fans is amazing. A huge weight lifts off the Brittannia and Abdoulaye Faye does a virtual lap of honour kissing the badge and thanking the crowd. He was immense today.

Thanks to everyone for the time I had, brilliant, and if there are any tickets left for one of the two remaining fixtures, count me in.

Oh and no luck in the raffle – lol.

Brid lose 2-1 at Thackley, after taking the lead too. Thackley admitted they had received intel (from Hallam) to target our keeper as he “is” the weakest link of the team, and unfortunately for Tom he apparently, didn’t help his doubters. Two games left, we have hit a poor run of results, which is a shame, because with the others faultering as well, we could really be fighting for top spot right now.

Brid 1 Nostell Miners Welfare 1 (a)

The weather was just incredible, there had been a heavy cool mist over the town all day. I’d taken my lad up to Sewerby for cricket practice at 6.30 and you could barely see anything as the mist was getting thicker. We had to rush from there to get to the game for the lad to be ballboy.

This was our penultimate home game of the season, against Nostell Miners Welfare. They were going to have a busy couple of weeks as they have three league games and two cup final games against Scarborough. Nostell lost 7-2 at home to Thackley on Saturday and now lie 14th in the league. But given our form on Saturday, I wasn’t taking anything for granted.

We were still missing Chib, Palms wasn’t playing and Frank Belt was on the bench, Ash Allanson was back. It was a scrappy affair without a great deal happening. There were three memorial things that stood out:

1. Liverpool leading Chelsea 2-0 at half time to tie their Champions League tie, eventually drawing 4-4 in what was one of the best games ever – and i missed it.

2. with about 15mins to go, Phillo desperate to get the ball back from where we were behind the goal saying to me “we must score against these boring bastards”

3. Dom saying during a game we dominate, “I can see them nicking one you know, I can just sense it” – and yes, 5 minutes later they score to lead 1-0. Thankfully Mally Osiende spares Dom’s blushes by bundling one in just before full time.

Lincoln Moorlands beat Mickelover 1-0 at Mickelover – amazing !

Brid 7 Hallam 5 (aggregate H&A)

The week has been a hectic one since our first game at Hallam last week, with trips to Sheffield, Preston and Stoke and ironically back to Sheffield for the return encounter. I missed the midweek 1-0 drubbing of Winterton, but was able to smile with glee, as all the Manc U fans that i was eating with had their cheesy grins wiped off their faces with a Porto equaliser at the Theatre of Dreams, (much aligned to the Theatre of Wet Dreams in Bridlington – each having huge crowds, expansive football, an imposing stand, gourmet nosh and a warm welcome for the travelling armies).

The first game of this double entendre was at Chez Town, a monster 129 turned up to watch this duel of 3rd v 7th. The lads played tremendously well, and going 1 up in the first few minutes helped calm nerves, however, the visitors replied within a couple to level it up.  From then on it was cruise control for the home team who played really well and turned out 6-1 winners with Palms, Hotte, Fearne(x2) and Ash Allanson adding the others. By a queer co-incidence we were to meet 7 days later at their place (one of these must have been a re-arranged fixture due to the winter frosts).

We play well against a physical and well drilled Winterton in midweek, with Chib scoring within 3 minutes, another disappointing crowd of 132 (not bad for a midweek game i suppose).

This meant we had won 8 on the trot since losing to Mickelover, 31 goals for and 4 against – some very impressive stats – and still no one comes to see us.

I’d managed to talk the good lady and daughter to come with me and the lad to Sheffield, they could “do” Meadowhall (I suppose for the ladies, crossing off their shopping malls and complex’s is a bit like us ticking off the grounds we’ve been to – albeit a lot more expensive to the old plastic than a trip to a ground on the old Step 5 of non-league.

Hallam claim to have the oldest ground in the world, circa 1860 – and looking at the stte of it, its hardly been touched by a groundsman in that time, and why did they carve into the side of a hill ? The ground was the second smallest ive ever been to, the pitch at the local park having slightly less facilities.

We kicked down the mountain in the first half, we did have some decent opportunities, but the home team were 3-0 in front by the half hour mark. There was no Chib, Ash Allanson, Sam Sharman, Frank Belt, and Alex Rhodes. Quick word on Rhodesy, he came back on Tuesday night after an eternity out, only to suffer another dibillitating injury- such a shame for him, I hope he does get better soon, for his sanity more than anything else. We had a recogniseable 11 out, Mally Osiende on the bench, with little Palms and our Physio – our Physio ? We were that short of players our physio got a game. I told Warren that he may get a game next week if we are that short again.

Damien Fearn got an equaliser, missed a good opportunity and had a pen appeal turned down  – just on the officials, they were poor and seemed very bias, we had sod all go our way and when Captain Phillo told the ref accordingly, he got booked for his troubles and 5 other lads got booked by the tosser in black. Whilst he was poor, so were we, nobody could really hold their head up after the game. We eventually lost 4-1, there team didn’t resemble the one beaten 6-1 at Queensgate last week, and neither did ours.

For the first time in a very long time, I left the game with a few minutes to go, more to avoid the Sheffield Wednesday traffic than any more humiliation. And to top that the wife had a load of bags from the shopping expedition. Joy for the trip home, Stoke v Newcastle on Five Live, its all going to plan, until they equalise with 9 to go.

All in all a pretty depressing day  lol.