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.
