Liverpool (24-09-2016)

Liverpool 5 - 1 Hull City (Premier League), Saturday 24th September 2016

Bus Sheffield £3
Bus Liverpool £4
Tea £2-10
Train £16-85
Pasta £2-80
Water 80p
Match ticket £42
Total £71-55

My description of Liverpool’s previous home match against Leicester could apply here too, where Hull were left battered and bruised by the home side’s excellence. For the first time in what felt like ages, this was a 3PM kick-off at Anfield, where for today we were in the Kop. It is quite rare to be in this stand for league games, so it made a nice change to be at the centre of the atmosphere as it spread through the ground.

Within 30 minutes, Liverpool were 2 goals up and Hull a man down. Lallana opened the scoring on 17 minutes, and then Hull’s Elmohamady was sent off for a handball in the box. Milner converted the resulting penalty (he is reliable as ever!). Before Hull had a chance to respond, Mane (who has started his Liverpool career in brilliant form) made it 3-0 in the 36th minute.

At half-time, I genuinely wondered if the Reds could wrack up 6 or 7 today given they dominance. On 51 minutes, David Meyler smashed in a consolation for Hull, which dampened the atmosphere somewhat, before Coutinho restored the euphoria with a superb long-range strike. 4-1 and Liverpool were tearing Hull apart. To cap it off, Milner coolly converted a second penalty to make it 5-1. Hull were left clutching at straws and focusing on damage limitation. Liverpool are now eagerly looking up the table, and lie in 4th place after 6 games - within a point of Spurs (2nd) and 5 away from Manchester City (1st).

Kidderminster Harriers (17-09-2016)

Kidderminster Harriers 4 - 0 Tamworth (FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round), Saturday 17 September 2016

Train (Sheffield-Derby) £11-30
Train (Derby-Kidderminster) £17-20
Entry £13
Tea £1-50
Total £43

Kidderminster Harriers was always one of those teams which intrigued me on Final Score. When I first started watching football, they were always in and around the Conference. The name intrigued me – where was this place? Well today I would find out. The town is in Worcestershire and is just South of the edge of Birmingham (not far from Stourbridge and Halesowen). Some years ago, I stumbled on a defunct ground for Halesowen Harriers so the appended nickname must have some local significance. Anyway, for today’s game, Kidderminster welcomed Tamworth, from the other side of the M6, almost on the opposite side of Birmingham. On a brief exploration of the centre of Kidderminster (which is worth a visit by the way) I was careful as I was aware this was a potentially fiery derby match.

In reality, this was a bit flat for a derby. Kidderminster still regard themselves as a bigger club than Tamworth, who have flitted between the National League and its regional equivalents in recent seasons. On entering the terracing at the near end, I found a spot right at the back. This was a nice neat ground, with terracing behind both goals, and plenty of seating bedecked in red and white on either side. The far end was closed off to spectators so a cluster of noisy away fans were located at the far end of one of the seated stands to my left.

As I mentioned, this FA Cup tie fell flat quite early on. Kidderminster, who should be just about favourites today, took an early 2-0 lead, thanks to 10 sliding in from a corner and then 9 tapping in after excellent work on the wings. Tamworth had a slither of an opportunity through number 10, before the home side banged in a 3rd when 9 grabbed his second. Tamworth were trying in vain to match their opponents but to no avail.

The second half was dreadful. On 52 minutes, Kidderminster’s 11 made it 4-0 when he converted after going through. After that there were hardly any chances for either side, and the action was limited to a midfield kick-about. There was a decent attendance for this one (1050), which included 98 travelling supporters, so while this wasn’t the best game ever, some fans had a good day out. I headed back to the station, where the train to Birmingham and the next one onto Sheffield ran without delays.

Liverpool (10-09-2016)

Liverpool 4 - 1 Leicester City (Premier League), Saturday 10 September 2016

Ticket = £53
Programme = £3-50
Parking (Sheffield station) = £7-50
Bus to and from Anfield = £4
Water = £1
Tea at ground = £2-50
Train = £15-45
Total = £86-95

‘Crash, bang, wallop…’. Today’s match against Leicester reminded me of the old Batman series, where painful parts of fight scenes were covered up with cartoon descriptions. Leicester – the reigning Premier League champions – were thumped at Anfield.

If I rewind a little then… The backdrop to today’s match was the impressive sight of the completed Main Stand, which has uplifted Anfield’s capacity to 54,000. Today’s 5:30PM kick-off was the first home match since the renovation work had been completed and we were lucky enough to be able to get tickets for this one. If Gerrard’s last home game against Palace in May 2015 was the end of an era, this one was the start of something.

Liverpool did not disappoint. Within 13 minutes they were ahead through Firmino, and then doubled their lead when Sturridge back-heeled to set up Sadio Mane. They seemed to have a stranglehold on the game for almost all of the first half. Then bizarrely, Lucas laid on a peach of a back-pass for Jamie Vardy to latch onto and plant the ball in. This kid is a poacher and will take advantage of any weakness in the back-line. Lallana re-established Liverpool’s two goal advantage with a 56^th minute rocket, and then Firmino grabbed a brace after a set-up from Mane. 

There were so many positives in midfield and attack, and after this match Liverpool have 7 points from 4 games (3 of which have been away from home). They have hit the ground running – let’s hope this continues through 2016/17.

Basford United (03-09-2016)

Basford United 2 - 2 Northwich Victoria (Evostik Division 1 South), Saturday 3 September 2016

Petrol (estimated) = £10
Entry = £6
Tea = £1
Total = £17

Another Midlands ground (this time in Nottingham) awaited today. Although Basford was not quite on my shortlist for the season, it was probably the easiest journey from Sheffield, with a short drive down the M1 to Phoenix Park and then a 15-minute walk to the ground. The club have only recently entered Step 4, having played a season apiece in the NCEL and the East Midlands Counties League.  The catchily titled Mill Street Playing Field housed a modern ground, with a 3G pitch, and relatively newly installed stands/terracing on three sides. There is a further pitch adjacent to the new ground and I understand that the club’s first team may well have used this in the past.

Today’s clash with Northwich Victoria was exactly what I’ve come to expect from the Evostik League. Again I shall rely on squad numbers where names are unknown! Inside 2 minutes, Basford were ahead through Ben Hutchinson, and then doubled their lead when Ricketts poked in a cross. 2-0 is apparently the most dangerous scoreline, and it proved today, as Northwich’s 8 began pulling the strings in midfield and their central defender (6) kept a stranglehold on the home attack. By the end of the first half, the Cheshire side were in the ascendancy, and had a late claim for a penalty turned down (a dubious looking handball).

They came out looking hungry for the second half, with Northwich’s 11 forcing a terrific point-blank save from the home keeper and then 10 driving a left-footer into his arms. Between them, Basford’s 7, 10 and 6 had a cluster of chances and half-chances, with defensive blocks, solid goalkeeping and bad luck denying them. It was almost inevitable when Northwich made it 2-1. Like Basford in the first half, Northwich scored soon after their first when 10’s diving header flew into the net. The game turned into a crazy ‘next goal wins’ competition, with the players dashing furiously from end to end. Northwich’s 12 so nearly grabbed the glory, but his effort was cleared onto the post and away by a fortunate home defender. In the last couple of minutes, Basford made a final push into the away half and could have sealed all three points if they had been more incisive and accurate with their passing. 2-2 was probably a fair result. I strolled away from the ground and back towards the car, and was through the door by about 6pm – it was then that I realised again why I had chosen this ground today!