England (30-05-2014)

England 3 – 0 Peru (International Friendly), 30^th May 2014

Tea (at services) = £2-40

Tea (at Wembley) = £2

Programme = £6

Coach = £35

Match ticket = £32-50

Pasty (at services) = £2-75

Total = £80-65

This was my final game of the 2013/14, and an appropriate one to finish on before the England side set off to Brazil. There was a bit of a gap between the previous live match I’ve been to (Liverpool-Newcastle), mainly due to my desire to chill and watch the UCL and FA Cup finals from the comfort of home.

I’d opted for the coach again as it’s simply a no-brainer - £35 return from Sheffield to Wembley stadium.  Even a dirt cheap train/coach ticket down to central London would involve an overnight stay, so this was again well worth it. The only slight down side of today’s coach was the lack of a toilet, but a stop at the iconic Watford Gap services sorted that out!

On the coach, and around Wembley, there was a real family atmosphere building. Kids with face paint and flags walked past, and I realised this was the end of half-term, so an ideal one for taking families to. As I made my way into turnstile K (for block 546), it seemed busier than at the previous games I’d been to against Ukraine and Montenegro, even though those were pretty crucial qualifiers. After a tea (at £2 this was cheaper than many coffee chains!) I took up my seat in the upper tier, and had my sandwiches as kick-off approached. During the national anthem, we held up white cards to form a St George’s cross in the stadium, and these cards doubled up as ‘clackers’ for cheering on the team. For once I felt relaxed as the game kicked off – we were safely in Brazil, the season had pretty much ended and there was a strange sense of optimism around the ground.

The first half an hour was slow to be honest. Peru seemed capable of playing a neat passing game in triangles across midfield, but never looked threatening or like they would impose themselves. The thing I noticed most early on was how deep Henderson and Gerrard were sitting – one or two early attacks caused some confusion when they seemed to be stood directly in front of the two central defenders. Central defence is a weak point in this side, and at a major tournament, lapses of concentration can cost you dear. We didn’t look poor in the first 30 minutes, just lacking in purpose sometimes. Danny Wellbeck and Adam Lallana were keen to run with the ball, but couldn’t seem to attack with real purpose or vision, frequently running into a Peruvian brick wall. At the back, Joe Hart looked solid and confident in foiling a couple of rare away attacks, which is nice to see going into a World Cup. Then, almost completely out of nowhere, Sturridge controlled Johnson’s throw-in, turned his man, and found the tiniest space to curl a superb strike into the top corner. This was the kind of quality we know that Sturridge has, and I hope he can deliver this consistently on the big stage. After going behind, Peru looked jaded, and England’s strategy of going ‘slow, slow, quick, quick’ seemed to be paying dividends, with fast passing from the flanks enabling the attack to get in behind the away defence.

The second half opened up far more, and was full of neat interchanges in the England midfield, who seemed calm and confident. Against the run of play, Devez tried an audacious long-range effort which dipped just over the bar. It was that kind of freak attack which could undo England in a split second. Then the ever-reliable Gary Cahill calmed any vague nerves with a header from a corner. It’s strange how centre-backs score at such key moments – a la Sergio Ramos in the UCL final. On 69 minutes, Jagielka made it 3-0 when he tapped in after a mistake from Fernandez in the Peru goal. After that, it was a procession of substitutions, as younger players like Wilshere, Stones and Sterling came on. The main entertainment of the final 20 minutes was when numerous paper aeroplanes (forged from the cards we held up earlier) were launched around the ground, and a couple landed on the pitch. One actually hit the Peruvian right-back before landing! While I’ve since heard grumbles about this and how all these ‘tourists’ are ruining the game, I can’t see a problem with it. The atmosphere inside Wembley was exactly as it should be for a World Cup send-off – relaxed, optimistic, and noisy. Let’s hope they do something special over in South America.

Liverpool (11-05-2014)

Liverpool 2 – 1 Newcastle United (Premier League), 11^th May 2014

Train = £34

Bus to Anfield = £4

Match ticket = £49

Tea = £2-40

Programme = £3

Parking (£14 divided by 2) = £7

Total = £99-40

The theme song for this day has to be ‘Anthem for a Lost Cause’ by the Manic Street Preachers. After the results against Chelsea and Palace, the title was all but on its way to the Etihad. Going into today’s game, Liverpool sat two points behind City, who also had a far superior goal difference. So, West Ham (another London club) had to do Liverpool a massive and unlikely favour today. I didn’t put it past them, but I did think that it was unlikely that a team like City would miss a second opportunity to win the league.

Looking at the costs above, it looks like one of the more expensive games of the season, and I suspect it probably came to more when we threw food into the equation. Like Fylde, for some reason today was expensive, but I figured this was worth it given the context of the title race. Today, we were again sat to the right of the main stand, about 5 rows back from where we were for Chelsea. Despite its rather cramped seats and crowded concourse, this is perhaps one of the nicer stands at Anfield for atmosphere and ease of access.

Liverpool had surpassed expectations this year, and to be going into the final day still challenging for the title was remarkable. Clearly, the disappointment was beginning to show as they had let that 5-point lead slip, but I think most Liverpool fans would have taken this position at the start of the season. Like the Chelsea game, and for the last 15 minutes of the Palace game, Liverpool looked devoid of ideas and short on confidence. Suarez looked tired, while Sturridge seemed to lack concentration on the ball – a consequence, I believe, of relying too heavily on one or two front-men all season. Newcastle were out to spoil any end-of-season party, and took the lead on 20 minutes when a bending cross was stumped into his own net by Skrtel. This was typical of their luck in the last few games – plenty of possession, but getting caught with a sucker punch at the other end.

Losing 1-0 at half-time, and the nerves were clear around Anfield. Perhaps if they had gone in ahead, it would have put some pressure on City at the Etihad. In the second-half, Liverpool continued in the same manner, but started to forge more opportunities against a tired-looking Newcastle. Two quick-fire goals from Agger and Sturridge (both from set pieces) took Liverpool ahead, and back into something nearing contention. From here-on in, Newcastle imploded, with Shola Ameobi and Dummet red-carded for a combination of time-wasting and bad tackles. There was something of an anti-climax as the final whistle approached, and as the players did a rather weary lap of honour round the stadium with kids in tow. No title back at Anfield, but Liverpool were back near the top of the English game. What a massive contrast to the dead rubber last year against an already-relegated QPR! The test now will be to sustain this challenge next season, push on in the Champions League, and perhaps grab a domestic cup next year.

Liverpool (27-04-2014)

Liverpool 0 – 2 Chelsea (Premier League), 27^th April 2014

Match ticket = £49

Train = £34

Programme = £3

Tea x2 = £3-55

Bus to Anfield = £4

Total = £93-55

It is fair to say that Mourinho had us all fooled, myself included. In the build-up to this game, he’d created a myth that his team were weak, beset by injuries and struggling with a fixture pile-up (er, just two matches in the UCL semi-final). On the way to Liverpool, I felt that Liverpool could finally nail the title with a win today, whereas previously I’d believed Chelsea to be an unsurpassable obstacle. It was certainly a tough run-in for Liverpool, but they could go into this one full of confidence after victories over City and a key away win at Carrow Road.

There was a sense of anticipation and tension around Anfield as kick-off grew closer. From our spot in the Kop end of the Main Stand, we were in the thick of a wired atmosphere. Mrs Groundhopper assured me that this was very different to the atmosphere against City, which had resembled the UCL semi-final from 2005. The tension bordered on anxiety as the game kicked off.

Liverpool, staying true to their principles, attacked without remorse for the first half an hour, only to meet a stubborn Chelsea defence which was not giving anything away. Every time Suarez received the ball, he was surrounded by 3-4 blue shirts, and every time Liverpool flew down the wings, Chelsea managed to get something on it. They were deliberately breaking up play with fouls, lingered-over goal kicks and hardly subtle time-wasting. This was what we should have expected from them, but the frustration of the home crowd grew as half-time approached. Chelsea clearly had no intention of playing football or allowing Liverpool to do so. Then came the moment of anguish and despair as a unfortunate slip from Gerrard put Demba Ba clean through on goal, right in front of us. This couldn’t have been a worse time or a worse way to concede a goal, against Chelsea of all teams.

We wondered what Brendan Rodgers’ half-time strategy would be, now that Liverpool had to score, and couldn’t settle for a point. Disappointingly nothing changed after half-time. Liverpool attacked in the same way, and Chelsea nullified pretty much everything that was thrown at them. They rode their luck at times, but Mourinho’s men were effective in what they were doing. I can barely recall a single clear-cut chance for Liverpool as Chelsea seemed to grow in confidence. As Liverpool launched one final desperate attack, Torres broke away onto the halfway line, and, with all the Liverpool players out of the picture, ran into the box before squaring to Willian for an easy goal to make it 2-0. This was perhaps the moment that title hopes genuinely died. Chelsea’s blue tank had come to Anfield, weathered a battering and smashed and grabbed a key win.

AFC Fylde (26-04-2014)

AFC Fylde 1 – 0 King’s Lynn (Evostik Premier), 26^th April 2014

Bus ticket (in Sheffield) = £3-80

Train (Manchester-Preston) = £11-60

i-Paper = 40p

Bus (Preston-Warton) = £8

Entrance = £9

Programme = £2

Tea = £1

Chips = £1-40

Chewing gum = 59p

Tea at Preston station = £1-75

Total = £39-54

The end of a long non-league season for me, and I’d opted to see King’s Lynn’s final game of the season at Kellamergh Park on the Fylde peninsula. I feel slightly guilty this year as I’ve only done 3 KL games (this one included), which is the lowest tally for a season for some time.

AFC Fylde’s ground is located a short walk from Warton, which is about half an hour’s bus ride from Preston. I’d long seen this one as a tricky one to do, but to be honest it proved more expensive than inconvenient (as the cost breakdown demonstrates!). I took a bus from Preston bus station (never visit, it is awful – worse than Northampton!) and arrived at Warton in plenty of time. The ground sits behind a pub on a country lane, and like a couple I’ve seen before (Leamington springs to mind) seems to sit in the middle of the countryside with not much around it. I’d cycled out this way back in 2006 to photograph grounds in and around Blackpool, and for some reason missed this one out. In fact back then, they had been known as Kirkham and Wesham and played in the NWCFL – today they were heading for a place in the Evostik Premier play-offs.

As I approached the turnstile with a tenner in hand, a confused looking man asked me to take a ticket from him, and walk through the other turnstile at the far end. A woman said thanks as I entered the ground; it looked like she hadn’t used a ticket as planned – either way, the entrance still set me back £9, which was fairly steep for this level. Kellamergh Park was a nice enough ground, with covered terracing behind one goal and a couple of long stands of seating. It felt a bit bare, but the bustling bar and tea hut made up for this (hut probably does it an unjustice, as it was a rather impressive affair compared to some I’d seen). The great thing about the tea was that it was served in a cardboard ‘AFC Fylde’ holder, which was a nice touch, and probably quite an effective marketing ploy too.

When I’d settled down near the corner flag of the goal King’s Lynn were attacking, I had a look to see if I could recognise any players. Those two games earlier in the season (Witton and Worksop) were an age away, and I think I only managed to accurately remember 4-5 players’ names! Fylde were in the play-offs, and were gunning for a win today to keep them as high as possible in the league. King’s Lynn, in contrast, were a solid mid-table outfit who hadn’t flirted with relegation or promotion this year – this must be the first stable season in quite some time!

Fylde threatened early, when a shot flashed wide. King’s Lynn’s Andrew Hall looked lively, but it was definitely the home side who looked stronger. First Fylde’s Sean Cooke had a header saved, before Richie Allen’s snap shot hit the side netting. KL’s George Thomson forced a save after a comical fumble by the home keeper, before Fylde’s Blinkhorn curled over just before the break. We’d not done badly overall, and I was quietly optimistic that we could maybe nick a point here.

In the second half, the gap between the teams was evident, as Fylde took real control of the match. Danny Lloyd hit over before Harry Winter forced a terrific save from a diving Alex Street. Still 0-0, and King’s Lynn sent a warning shot when Hall hit wide on his right foot. Fylde responded by taking the lead with a header from Blinkhorn on 73 minutes, and suddenly King’s Lynn came alive again for the last 15 minutes of the season. Fylde’s Hinchcliffe saved superbly from Ewan Clarke on 87 minutes, before Thomson cut inside only to fire wide. In the last couple of minutes, Jake Jones had another shot saved after more superb crossing from Andrew Hall. It just wasn’t quite enough, and Fylde marched on into the play-offs. (As I’m writing this in retrospect, I can now tell you they’ve been promoted to the Blue Square North, where I wish them the best of luck). King’s Lynn had made a good fist of today’s game, and despite the loss, had shown they could hold their own at this level once more. There was generous applause all round the ground for both teams.

I trudged back to Warton for the bus, and reflected on another long trip to the North West. This was a key ground, and it was another of the trickier trips under my belt. My mixed fortunes this season were summed up when I somehow managed to lose both the cardboard mug holder and the glossy programme from the match!

Washington (19-04-2014)

Washington 1 – 1 Seaham Red Star (Northern League Division 2), 19^th April 2014

I’d thought that today’s hop was based around Newcastle, but game 2 today exposed my lack of geographical knowledge of the North East. Washington play at the Nissan plant in Sunderland, which was a 30-40 minute walk from Jarrow’s ground in Boldon. Sunderland is of course a separate city to Newcastle, so I felt a sense of trepidation as I crossed the boundary into the Wearside area. I had visions of not being able to find the ground in the huge Nissan plant, but need not have worried as the path I followed (alongside a transport museum) took me directly out onto a massive car-park, where there were plenty of sign-posts to the sports complex at the back.

Entrance £5 again, but this time the programme was thrown in for free, and it was a pretty impressive publication too, printed on card, and with plenty of detailed information about today’s game. As I expected, the ground was modern and neat, with a large upstairs bar in the clubhouse building, and a decent stand of seating on the right-hand side. I liked the stand, as it had 5-6 rows of terracing at the front, with a few rows of seats running back from there.

Looking at the league table, I expected Seaham to easily overcome Washington today, as they were sitting near the top of the table. It started off that way, with Seaham (actually playing in blue) having a couple of warning shots wide from Palmer and Johnston, before Nicholson’s side foot forced a terrific save from the home keeper. Washington started to hold their own in midfield, and opened the scoring after a swift move of one and two-touch football which ended with a great volley from David Southern. The Seaham keeper prevented them doubling their lead when he tipped a deflected shot around the post. It was clearly a good day for the goalies with home keeper saving a downward header from Seaham’s Darryll Donnelly, and then a free-kick from Washington tipped around almost bang on half-time.

The weather during the first half had been bizarre in the extreme. I’d ended up wearing a warm black hat to cope with the strong wind running across the ground, and sunglasses to cope with the bright sunny weather. I must have looked a sight to an impartial observer, but nobody seemed to mind. For the second half I opted for the terraces in front of the main stand, resting my tired legs before the walk back to the metro.

The second half was as evenly contested as the first, and Washington continued to belie their league position. Seaham’s Lewis Wing threatened with a curling shot flying wide early on, before Washington’s Coughlan was dismissed for a second yellow card. It looked like a soft one to me – either way, the impressive-looking home side were down to 10 men for this half. Seaham had a spell of possession and chances, and converted when Nicholson volleyed in to make it 1-1. Strangely from this point on, the chances all seemed to fall to Washington, who were utterly resolute in their attacking and desire to score another.  James Farley volleyed over, before his flicked header over an onrushing keeper didn’t quite reach the net.  Southern’s free kick flew over, before a tame right foot shot from Michael Roberts went wide. It finished 1-1, and the game was again a credit to this league. I headed for the exit, and off to the metro to make it back to Sheffield as early as possible. As I left the ground I heard a kid (presumably on the full ground-hop) say to a friend – ‘I think this is my second favourite ground this weekend’. I wonder what the first was!

Jarrow Roofing (19-04-2014)

Jarrow Roofing 1 – 0 Heaton Stannington (Northern League Division 2), 19^th April 2014

Train ticket (Sheffield-Brockley Whins) = £62-50

Jarrow tea = £1

Washington tea = 80p

Washington Oxo = 50p

Greggs snacks = £3

Jarrow entrance = £5

Washington entrance = £5 (programme included!)

Magazine at Jarrow = £2-50

Total hop costs = £80-30

Sloping towards the end of the season, I opted to do a couple of the Saturday games on the NL Easter hop. I’d briefly flirted with the idea of doing the whole weekend or at least a couple of days, but eventually decided that I’d go for the option which enabled me to be back home for the evening. Jarrow’s ground is actually in the Boldon area of Newcastle, and a short walk from Brockley Whins metro station. As I made my way to the ground, I found myself giving directions to fellow football tourists to a ground I’d never been to before – I must look like I know where I’m going!

The ground was situated at the end of a short track off the road, adjacent to a council pitch with muddy goal-mouths, and Boldon CA FC (who play in the Wearside League). There seemed to be a progression in the standard of grounds as you walked further down the track. A fiver for entry in a narrow gate at the side, and this immediately reminded me of Marske United. Either side of the entrance gate were narrow sections of covered terraces, shielded by robust corrugated iron sheets, painted blue. Directly opposite the entrance was a neat blue and yellow stand, and to my left were a few plastic seats at the front of the terraces. This was another memorable ground in the North-East.

After getting a cup of tea, I attempted to get a programme, but to no avail as they had all sold out. Fortunately I noticed a whiteboard near the entrance with the line-ups listed, so out came the iPod for a photo. I was also able to pick up a copy of the 3^rd issue of ‘The Football Pink’ for £2-50, which was full of interesting articles by bloggers and fans. The home side started strongest, with Shaun Heads forcing a clearance off the line early on, and taking the lead when Andy Appleby latched onto a slide-rule pass to give them the advantage. Heaton did have periods of possession, but couldn’t forge any meaningful opportunities, with the closest chance coming when a long-ranger from Paul Blakey drifted wide. Jarrow asserted themselves again when McBryde hit the post with a first time shot, and then had a volley saved soon after. They were well-organised, and seemed to be playing with Jamie Marshall as a deep-lying ‘sweeping’ midfielder which was very effective. Heaton had a couple of half-chances before the break, with a dragged shot from McBryde saved before he fired a free kick at the keeper on 43 minutes.

The second half wasn’t great to be honest, though the game did start to open up. An innocuous volley from Jarrow’s Myers was saved almost straight after half-time, and then Heaton’s Johnson fired massively wide, followed by a proverbial drop-goal by Kieran Weekes (over and out). Jarrow’s Stephen Young opened up Heaton when he cut in from the right and forced a save from Shaun Backhouse, while Gardiner hit another chance wide from the resulting corner. Heaton had a couple of golden opportunities towards the end, and perhaps could have nicked a point here. McKenna’s shot was well-saved by a nerveless Andy Hunter, before Jonathan Wright couldn’t connect with a dipping cross across the penalty box. Jarrow wrapped up the win, and the hoppers started to stream for the exits on the way to the next ground at Washington FC.

West Didsbury (14-04-2014)

West Didsbury & Chorlton Reserves 1 – 3 Cheadle Reserves (NWCFL Reserve Trophy – Group B), 14th April 2014

Baked potato & tango! £3-10
Tea = £1-20
Chewing gum & apples = £1-19
Tea = £1
Bus (Chorlton-Manchester) = £3
Total = £9-49

As the nights really draw out, I wanted to get to one of the accessible grounds in Manchester after work. My motivation has really increased now the weather has improved and the end of the season is in sight. This is a great time of year to do evening games, so West Didsbury was an ideal one to aim for this evening. I ambled down Oxford Road from work, and had time for a baked potato and cup of tea on the way, before I wandered into the suburb of Chorlton and into the local supermarket. This is only 4 miles or so from the centre of Manchester so I’d decided to walk the route there, and get a bus/metro on the way back in. On the way I passed Whalley Range FC, who play in the Lancashire & Cheshire league, and Maine Road (who I’d visited some time ago, possibly in 2011). And in fact, West Didsbury’s Brookburn Road ground is not actually that far from Old Trafford.

Tonight’s game was a match in the NWCFL Reserve Trophy, which probably wouldn’t exist next year as the Reserve league had been disbanded. This is unfortunate because the NWCFL has for a long time been one of the few leagues at this level to have a reserve league. For this cup competition, there were 2 groups of 4, and West Didsbury were bottom of their group, which had been won by Glossop NE. I gleaned this from a detailed conversation behind me in the main stand! The ground was decent enough, given they had only recently reached the NWCFL level. From Brookburn Road itself is a short track into the ground, where a few cars had parked on the grass verge on the left. To my right was a small covered terraced area, and on behind the far goal there were a few seats in the black and white of the home club, next to the clubhouse.

Despite the fact that this evening’s game was a dead rubber, it was a really entertaining game, demonstrating the competitiveness of the NWCFL set-up. Cheadle started more strongly, and took the lead when their number 7 flicked it to number 10, who couldn’t miss his header from close range. At this point, a woman with a Macclesfield Town puffer jacket asked me what the score was and who had scored – it turned out that number 10 was her son! After some kamikaze defending from West Didsbury, Cheadle’s number 7 doubled their lead with a fierce shot on 20 minutes – he reminded me of Rooney, carrying the ball from midfield, and brushing aside players with ease. The defending was shocking, and it was all the stuff you are taught not to do from school to Sunday league level. West Didsbury barely threatened in the first half with the only real chances (half-chances at that) falling to Shackeel Depeiaza and Nduoma Chilaka. Cheadle were in command, and could easily have doubled their lead when a superb left foot drive from number 9 was tipped over by Betton in the home goal.

The second half (which I saw up to about 85 minutes) was amongst the most entertaining of the season. On 57 minutes, Cheadle’s number 10 had a penalty well-saved by the home keeper, before Chilaka hit a drive which cannoned across the box and just out of reach of a home striker. The away keeper repeatedly shouted ‘No bounce’ to his players when another ball was launched forward, but this didn’t seem to have any effect on the play, as it bounced several times before it was won. This was becoming open now, and on 69 minutes West Didsbury’s substitute attacker rattled the cross-bar. The home side deserved a goal, and it arrived shortly after when their centre-back headed into his own net after a rebound off the keeper. It looked like game on but West Didsbury were looking increasingly tired compared to their opponents. It was Cheadle’s turn to hit the woodwork, with the wiry 10 hitting the outside of the post from an acute angle, before a swift counterattack saw the away number 7 round the keeper, only to fire onto the cross-bar. I was a bit gutted that I had to leave on 85 minutes to make my train back to Sheffield, as this had been one of the most entertaining periods of play this year. Once again, the NWCFL fails to disappoint!

Padiham (05-04-2014)

Padiham 1 – 3 Cammel Laird (Evostik Division 1 North), 5th April 2014

Bus = £9
iPaper = 40p
Entrance = £7
Programme = £1
Tea = £1
Food and tea at Piccadilly = £5-49
Total = £21-99

For the second weekend running, I made the trek up to Burnley on the X43 from Manchester. The grounds around here are amongst the trickiest to get to from Sheffield, so I figured I’d make the most of the better time of year. I say ‘better’ cautiously – today was blustery and grey as I made my way across to Manchester and up into East Lancs.

Padiham is a couple of miles North of Burnley, so I’d opted to alight at Burnley bus station today, and walk the remaining distance. Padiham play at the Arbories ground on Well Street, which sits at the top of a steep hill, accessible through some narrow streets with terraced houses. This was going to be another impressive view today, and it didn’t let me down – from the terrace behind the near goal, you could see down into Burnley to the right, and straight on you could see what must be Nelson. Padiham are in their inaugural season in the Evostik league, having progressed from the NWCFL in 2012-13. According to a sign outside the ground, they’d actually won ‘The Treble’ in that season. To be fair, they were not doing badly in their first season at this level, and sat 17th before today’s game. The visitors from the Wirral – Cammel Laird – were in 9th place, but there was something of a cloud over their club as rumours were circulating that they would be resigning from the league this year. I’d visited Kirklands in around 2006-7, when they’d lost a narrow play-off final in extra time. Something of an intriguing clash awaited.

Cammel Laird started strongly, with John Couch firing wide in the early stages, before Joe Evans hit a dipping free-kick over. They took the lead with a bizarre goal on 18 minutes. Evans was running through on the right, and when he saw no options in the middle, decided to chip the keeper. The ball flew into the goal and over the unfortunate Sean Davis in the home goal. Padiham briefly threatened when Kieron Pickup hit a long-range drive straight at the keeper, and curled another shot wide shortly after. Cammel Laird looked in charge, but Padiham somehow equalised when a low cross was headed into his own net by Dysart. 1-1 at half-time, and it was proving unpredictable so far.

The home side looked eager to build on their strong finish to the first half, and Spencer Jordan headed over to send a warning to the away side. Cammel Laird duly responded when Gibiluru curled a right-footer in to make it 2-1. It still looked open, but the game was put to bed shortly after a hand-ball in the Padiham box resulted in a penalty which was calmly converted by Joe Evans. Who says Englishmen are rubbish at taking penalties?! The home side had a smattering of opportunities, like when Craig fired over on 68 minutes, but did not seriously threaten Mike Langley in the away goal. Not the best game in the world, but another distinctive Lancashire ground, and a brilliant view from the ‘top of the world’.

Colne (29-03-2014)

Colne 3 – 2 Stockport Sports (NWCFL Premier), 29th March 2014

Bus (Manchester-Nelson) = £9
iPaper = 40p
Raffle = £1
Programme = £1
Entrance = £5
Tea = 60p
Total = £17

Located just North of Burnley, Colne is one of the trickiest grounds I planned to visit this year. There is a train station, but even direct from Manchester this would involve a couple of changes, According to a friend in the rail industry, the absence of a direct Manchester-Burnley train line is frequently a point of debate, particularly as Burnley itself has two rail stations. So, today I opted to catch the wonderfully named ‘Witchway’ X43 to Nelson, which at £9 was considerably cheaper and quicker than braving the branch line to Colne. On the hour and a half’s ride from Manchester to Nelson, I got a real sense of reaching the furthest reaches of Lancashire as we rode through Rawstenall and Rossendale. I’d picked a sunny and clear day to make this trek so it proved to be a scenic ride through a string of Lancashire towns with stone houses and cobbled yards. I arrived at Nelson at about 1.30, which gave me plenty of time to make the 3-4 mile walk to Colne, which was even further up the road. The two towns seem to merge together, though I’m sure the locals would argue there is a clear dividing line!

Colne’s stadium is located on Harrison Drive, at the end of a cul-de-sac and up a hill, and set against some impressive scenery with a view across the town and nearby moors. Technically the ground was called the XLCR stadium for sponsorship reasons but I prefer to refer to it as Harrison Drive. After all, the road name is unlikely to change for years to come, whereas sponsorship deals come and go. As expected, entry was £5, and I wandered around the ground taking photos, before settling down in the main stand for a well-deserved sit-down. The ground had covered terraces behind the near goal, and a long sweeping stand to the right, with the rest uncovered and open to the elements. The nicest feature was what looked like a huge stone bench on the far side, where one man and his dog sat surveying the players as they warmed up.

Today’s teams were separated by 5 points in mid-table, with Colne just above Stockport in the NWCFL Premier Division. Neither team had anything to play for, but you wouldn’t have known that from the game. Colne opened the scoring inside 7 minutes, with a scuffed shot from Barski. Shortly after, the Colne goalkeeper put himself under pressure when he tried to dummy and shimmy a back-pass round an oncoming striker – he just got it away on time!  Stockport edged back into the game, with Halfacre having a side footed shot saved, before the home keeper pawed away a free-kick heading for the top corner. Barski could and perhaps should have made it 2-0 when he rounded the away keeper and could only slide it agonisingly wide from close range. Half-time arrived, and I wandered around for some more pictures, and enjoyed the music on the PA system – ‘Hey Baby’, ‘Rock DJ’ and ‘Mambo Number 5’.

The game re-started fiercely, and some contentious tackles went flying in. A rough two-footed tackle from Stockport’s Tom Bane brought a furious reaction from the Colne right-winger, who literally stamped his feet on the ground like a toddler having a tantrum. The referee hadn’t looked like he would react to the incident until this, but when he spoke to his linesman, he handed the unfortunate full-back a straight red. While he had gone in high and with two feet, I don’t think it was a straight red. I think the decision was reached because of an earlier incident when he had been warned in the first half. An even game now turned in Colne’s favour, and they doubled the lead on 53 minutes with a curling free-kick from Chris Anderson. The vocal home crowd (the Red Army) were relaxing now, and some hilarious chants came from the terraces – in reference to their right-winger, and to the tune of ‘He’s Got the Whole World’, they sang ‘He’s got a pineapple on his head’. I had to crack a smile as I still struggle to understand why current haircuts leave so much hair uncut!

Stockport looked dead and buried, but got a lifeline on 66 minutes, when Crowe rifled in a superb free-kick hit with pace. This set the game alight again, and Stockport had a spell of unlikely pressure. Incredibly, they levelled when Walley headed in after a cross from Crowe caused chaos in the home penalty area. It was anyone’s game now. Just as Stockport looked like they had got back into it, they were reduced to 9 men when Jordan Young was red-carded on 82 minutes. He’d shoulder-barged a player in what looked like an innocuous challenge, but some mouthing off at the referee resulted in a punishment for dissent. Colne took charge, and were rewarded with a penalty in the last minute of the game, which was coolly converted by Berwick to make it 3-2. My long journey had been rewarded with a great ground and an open and unpredictable game of football. A sprint to Nelson bus station, and I made the 17.27 back to Manchester. I even discovered that the ‘Witchway’ bus service has free wifi on board – a sign read ‘Free wifi on this bus…you won’t get that on a broomstick’!

Bamber Bridge (22-03-2014)

Bamber Bridge 2 - 1 New Mills (Evostik Division 1 North), 22nd March 2014

Train ticket (Manchester-Preston): £11-60
Entry: £7
Programme: £1-50
Raffle: £1
Tea: 80p
Oxo: £1
Hot chocolate: £2-25
Total: £25-15

Irongate is a magnificient name for a football ground, so I was looking forward to today's visit to Bamber Bridge on the outskirts of Preston. With the help of a newly-purchased Lancashire A-Z, I discovered that there was a cycle track which ran almost all the way between Preston station and the ground. I set off on the 3-mile walk with plenty of time to spare, and thought this could be a pleasant stroll with spring on the way. How wrong I was! Crossing over the River Ribble heading south, I was enveloped in icy rain and a vicious wind. I was glad I'd brought my hoodie and waterproof to cope with these type of conditions. After a while the wild weather calmed down, and I was able to enjoy the chilly walk a bit more.

I arrived at the ground at about 2.40ish, and joined a short queue to part with the £7 entry fee. Almost immediately as I went through the turnstile and down a couple of terraces, I was accosted by a man selling raffle tickets. I saw no harm in parting with a £1, and had change from the turnstile, so thought it worth a punt. I've never won a raffle so maybe my luck would change today.

I settled down with a cup of tea in the main stand, which ran along the right-hand side of the pitch as you entered the ground. The ground was a curious mix of modern and what I might call 'classic' features. I'm no architect and I guess there are more correct technical terms but there you go! The main stand seemed relatively modern, with the front row of seats elevated about 6 foot from the floor. This gave the feeling of this being a bigger stand than it actually was I suspect. A couple of older terraces round around the corner of the far goal, while the rest of the ground was pretty much uncovered (apart from the small area near the turnstiles). As I sipped my tea, I heard a group of blokes behind me chatting about various North-West non-league clubs. I wasn't sure whether they were home/away fans, or fellow ground-hoppers, and was even more confused when I heard an Australian accent in the mix!

Today's game was a crucial one for Bamber Bridge who were pushing for a top-5 finish and a play-off place. New Mills lay in 19th position, so this should theoretically be a straightforward win for the home side. Bamber Bridge started brightly, and after an excellent move on the right, Curtis Thompson rattled the post inside 10 minutes. They continued to attack and command possession, with New Mills content to sit and counterattack. As so often happens in these situations, the away side scored against the run of play when Raducio King slotted home after a swift piece of counter-attacking. The response from the home team was to attack even more, wih Tom Williams forcing a tipped save from Collinge in the away goal. Shortly after, the lively Thompson was brought down in the New Mills area, and the referee pointed to the spot. It looked like a certain equaliser - and so, of course, Collinge managed to block Waddecar's penalty with his feet. This was turning out to be a very strange game indeed. The day got even stranger when I queued up for a half-time oxo, and noticed ice cream on the menu at the tea bar! You'd have to be a real masochist to want ice cream on a chilly day like today.

Bamber Bridge came out looking strong, and like they really wanted (and needed) this win. There was a sense of urgency all over the pitch, and this was rewarded when Alex Taylor nicked a goal to make it 1-1 on 50 minutes. Marlow forced another save from Collinge, and it looked like this was going to be a one-sided second half. Things were shaken up again when Phil Doughty was sent off (apparently for preventing a goal-scoring opportunity). For a spell, New Mills looked like they could nick a goal, and get something from the game. Michael Smith missed a sitter when clean through, and had a free-kick saved shortly after. This seemed to galvanise the play-off chasers into action, and Matty Kay's drilled shot was saved again by Collinge (he'd had a busy day!). The game was starting to turn ugly, and New Mills' Melford Knight was booked for a late tackle as Bamber Bridge started to turn the screw. It looked like they could end up being frustrated until Alex Taylor planted a header into the net on 82 minutes. This was a huge win for the home side, who were now serious contenders for a play-off spot. Maybe next year, they'll be playing Evostik Premier football here? And maybe one day somebody will actually order ice cream from the tea bar?!

Congleton (15-03-2014)

Congleton 3 - 0 Winsford United (NCWFL Premier Division), 15th March 2014

Entrance: £6
Programme: £1-50
Raffle: £1
Train ticket (Stockport-Congleton): £8-60
Tea: 70p
Total: £18-10

Congleton in Cheshire was on my list as one of the cheaper and closer grounds to do. At 1 hour 14 mins journey time (according to National Rail) this looked like a comfortable one to get under the belt. Again utilising my Sheffield-Manchester season ticket, I changed at Stockport for the service bound for Crewe. After a pleasant ride through rolling hills (and with some sunshine threatening to break through), I reached Congleton. The Booth Street ground was located in the centre of the town, which was a brisk 20 minute walk from the station.

Nestled at the back of a cul-de-sac (and up a gentle slope), Congleton's ground was a fairly decent one. After attracting the attention of some locals when I took a photo of the sign outside, I made my way through the turnstiles (£6 entry!), and got my bearings. You have to walk up a couple of steps from the turnstile, and this brings you onto the corner of the pitch. To the left of me were two levels of terracing behind one goal - to the right was a hut for matchday programmes. As I walked further down past the hut, I noticed the club bar behind the main stand, and this was aptly titled the 'Bear's Den' (after the nickname of the club). The classic feel of the place was enhanced with the cage-like gate which was closed as the players entered the pitch. Behind the goal at the far end was an earth embankment, which was used as an impromptu terrace by a cluster of home fans.

The first quarter of an hour was abysmal, and I was pretty appalled by the standard to be honest. The main thing I noticed in this period was the impressive hills in the distance, which made this quite a picturesque ground! Plus there was the solitary bloke behind the goal with a football rattle! The game picked up, and Congleton began to dominate this Cheshire derby. First their number 11 cut inside to fizz a shot wide, before number 10 forced a save from Winsford's Nathan Beckett. They then won a penalty when their 11 was scythed down in the box, and this was converted by Andrew Langford (only just though as the keeper dived the right way and it just evaded his grasp). Winsford barely threatened, and the closest they came was when their right-back hit over from some distance.

At half-time, I made my way inside the Bear's Den 'to see a man about a dog'. Alongside their trophy cabinet (which looked a bit bare - no pun intended), stood a huge plastic bear, sporting the club's home kit. I'd not seen anything of the kind before, and chuckled as I made my way outside for the second half. Congleton again dominated possession, and just seemed to have that inch more fight. They doubled their lead on 49 minutes when a thunderbolt shot from Matthew Worrall nestled in the net before anyone knew what had happened. The unfortunate away side didn't have much luck in front of goal, and it said a lot that the main event at that end of the pitch was when the corner flag was blown away in the wind. They had half-chances fired high and wide, but just couldn't create or capitalise on anything clear-cut. Congleton continued to control midfield, and made it 3-0 when Koral was slipped through in the 90th minute. They'd overcome local rivals Winsford with relative ease, and made the 4-point gap (7 points after this) look even greater than it was. Winsford just had to grin and bear it!

Dronfield Town (08-03-2014)

Dronfield Town 4 - 0 Grimsby Borough (NCEL Division 1), 8th March 2014

Entrance £3-50
Programme £1
Petrol (18 miles round trip) £3 (estimate)
Total £7-50



After the long journey for last week's groundhop, I fancied a local game for once. I guess there is some irony in the fact that I travel all across the country when there are non-league games just up the road. Today I was revisiting Dronfield Town, who I'd seen back in October for their first floodlit game. The ground was within a 25-minute drive of home, and the NCEL is among my favourite leagues, so this ideal for today.

Having spent quite some time looking for a space to park on the road (car park full!), I wandered across the cricket pitch to the entrance to the Stonelow Road ground. They'd kept the entrance low again (£3-50) and this time, there were programmes available. Despite the lack of spaces in the car park, the ground seemed fairly quiet, with barely 20 minutes to go until kick-off. This was shaping up to be a low-key affair, with Grimsby in 17th and Dronfield in 16th in the league. Safe from relegation, and miles off the unfortunate Appleby Frodingham (with a goal difference of -81).

  

In the game I'd seen in October, Dronfield had overcome a tough Shaw Lane Aquaforce side in the league cup. They performed equally well in today's game, proving that they can hold their own against more established NCEL sides. Grimsby had a glut of early chances, with George Newby firing across the box on 12 minutes, and then Matty Hall forcing a superb save from long-range. Dronfield slowly began to control the game and dominate proceedings. Lew Naylor headed wide from a tricky angle, before John Doran had a fine left foot shot smothered by the away keeper, and Danny Wood fired wide after some superb build-up play. Against the run of play, Grimsby's Luke Fanthorpe put the ball in the net, only for it to be ruled out as it was offside. Dronfield deservedly took the lead when they poked in from close range on 44 minutes.

Half-time, and I reached for my flask of bovril. Spring hasn't quite sprung yet, so anything to help warm up was appreciated. Dronfield came out looking hungry for more goals, and doubled their lead when Doran flew into the box to plant a diving header low into the net. Grimsby's sole clear-cut chance in the second half came when Steve Davis (not the snooker player!) smashed the ball over on 75 minutes. Then a superb move between Wood and Gange produced Dronfield's number 3. Wood then made it 4 when he took advantage of some calamitous defending by James Petronzio. Grimsby's game descended into frustration and late tackles began flying in. The team from Cleethorpes had been well and truly outclassed today by a well-organised and well-drilled Dronfield Town, who continue to establish themselves in this league. Back to the car, and I had the pleasure of a short drive back home in the light!

Darlington RA (01-03-2014)

Darlington Railway Athletic 2 – 3 Thornaby (Northern League Division 2), 1^st March 2014

As we approached Darlington’s Brinkburn Road ground at about 5.30pm, there was still some light just about visible, which made a nice change from the dark afternoons of the past winter. I took a decent snap of the stand behind the near goal, which seemed to have had a couple of rows of seats rolled into it. Like many in this league, Darlington RA is a club which started as a works social club, before emerging as a community football club as local industry declined. I wonder if any of the current team actually work for the local railway these days? As it was dinner-time, I opted to try out the club cuisine, and settled down with a minced beef pie and a pork pie to keep me going. It seemed to be pretty much the only food on offer at the bar, but at £2 it was tasty and well worth the investment. A pint of Guinness washed it down very nicely, and I was able to sit and enjoy the Southampton-Liverpool game in the bustling bar. For once, I wasn’t complaining at the 5.30 kick off!

It was with trepidation that I left the bar and stepped out into the cold in time for kick off here. The temperature had dropped considerably since leaving the ground at Stokesley, and it was shaping up to be a cold evening. Maybe spring had not arrived just yet. No under-armour again, so I was relying on my Quechua jacket and hat and gloves to keep me warm. The game was well worth the wait in the cold. Thornaby (15^th in the league) started strongly, taking the lead with a header by Lee Blythway on 10 minutes, doubling it on 20 minutes, with a goal from Richard Walker. This was a turn-up for the books, as Darlington RA were 10^th in the league, and were probably marginal favourites for this one. The pace of the game was astonishing, and made this a really entertaining affair. Slowly, Darlington forced their way back into the game, and got a goal back on 38 minutes via their number 9 Steve Allison. David Webster then swivelled and shot, forcing a diving save from the away keeper. 2-1 at half-time and this was anyone’s game.

Darlington started the second-half as they had begun the first, and Webster fired an early free-kick just wide, before Adam Sakr hit straight at the keeper when it looked easier to score. Impressively, both teams maintained the pace and aggression of the first-half. For all their efforts, Darlington couldn’t find an equaliser against a bullish Thornaby side, and Liam Woodhouse made it 3-1 to the away side with a neatly slotted in goal on 83 minutes. Game over? Not quite – on 84 minutes, Allison grabbed his second of the game to set up an open finish to the match. Thornaby’s Joseph Melvin missed a great chance to make it 4-2 when he was completely unmarked inside the area. After that, the away keeper (Michael Duff) received a yellow card for time-wasting in his over-elaborate preparations for a free-kick. It finished 3-2 to Thornaby, in what had been a hard-fought and open encounter. Anyone can beat anyone in this league.

I note that the ground-hoppers had brought bad fortune to all the home sides today, as they had all lost! Hopefully that will be compensated for by the extra revenue brought by clubs’ participation in the ‘hop’. I trudged back to the coach back to Darlington station (improbably parked behind the stand I’d photographed earlier), and then walked a couple of miles to the local Travelodge. On a bright Sunday morning (the day of the League Cup final as it happens) I made my way back to the station, where I had breakfast and then made my way back to Sheffield in time for lunch. This had been another terrific hop – well done to the organisers, who must spend ages on planning and preparation. I may consider doing a part of the Easter 2014 hop when it comes around.

Stokesley (01-03-2014)

Stokesley 1 – 2 Tow Law Town (Northern League Division 2), 1^st March 2014

The second game of the October ground-hop (at West Allotment Celtic) was the highlight of that day, so I was optimistic that today’s game 2 would be equally as good. It didn’t let me down at all! After a coach ride from Marske, we arrived in plenty of time at Stokesley’s Broughton Road ground for the 2.30 kick off. After a cup of tea from a china mug – 50p! – I wandered around for some pictures before all the other hoppers arrived. The clubhouse actually adjoined the headquarters of the North Yorkshire County FA, so I took a photo for posterity. Was this the North-East or Yorkshire? Darlington and Middlesbrough were fairly close, but equally the ground was nestled close to the Yorkshire dales. This made it probably the most scenic ground I’d seen in the 2013-14 season thus far. The ground itself was neat and well-maintained, bounded by a wooden fence and with a solid walkway around the edge. The sun was shining, and despite the chilly breeze, it felt that spring was somewhere on the horizon.

 The game was eventful and competitive, and I’ve come to expect no less from the Northern League. Both teams looked evenly matched from the start, with Stokesley’s Reece Kelly firing over on 8 minutes, before Greg Peel hit wide shortly after.  Tow Law looked well-organised and unrattled by the early chances, and took the lead on 20 minutes. Stokesley continued to forge chances, with Connor Hood firing another shot over. They just couldn’t quite capitalise on their possession in the final third. This came back to bite them when Tow Law doubled their lead after Dean Thexton slotted in from a corner, and very nearly made it 3-0 when they hit the post with a header. 2-0 at half-time, and I was hoping this wasn’t going to turn into a rout like the game at Mount Pleasant.

The second half was superb, and both teams continued to play neat and organised football. Stokesley’s Matthew Robinson had a shot saved shortly after the break, before Simon Ord missed a chance to extend their lead on 60 minutes. Greg Upton, who seemed to be at the centre of action in the second half, then missed a half-chance to reduce the deficit. Tow Law were still strong in defence, but Stokesley now looked like they were capable of scoring. After some great passing through midfield, Upton made it 2-1 when he placed a terrific header past a stranded Joseph Longstaff. There was a game on now, and I was willing Stokesley to score as they had worked so hard for the whole game. Half-chance after half-chance was missed, and they couldn’t quite break down a stubborn Tow Law defence. Usually in these situations it comes down to one clear-cut chance, and this time it fell to Connor Hood in the 90^th minute. It was a free header, and he should have at least forced a save, but instead managed to head over the bar. That was the chance, and almost immediately as the goal kick was taken the final whistle was blown. Unlucky Stokesley, who had fought and played well for the whole game. Still I’d seen another decent game, and discovered another little gem of a ground. Onwards to Darlington!

Marske United (01-03-2014)

Marske United 0 – 4 Guisborough (Northern League Division 1), 1^st March 2014

Total costs for ground-hop = £126-04

Transport & match ticket = £25

Train ticket (Sheffield-Darlington) = £47-50

Travelodge = £39

Breakfast = £6-84

Tea at Marske = £1

Tea at Stokesley = 50p

Bovril at Stokesley = 70p

Hot chocolate at RA = £1

Pies at RA = £2

Guinness at RA = £2-50

After the 4-game Tyneside hop back in October, I was looking forward to this hop around Darlington & Cleveland, particularly getting to grounds which were off the beaten track. The day started at 5.50am in Sheffield to ensure I arrive for the 9.30 coach from Darlington. Bleary-eyed and blinking, I made it to the coach with ticket in hand, and was looking forward to the day with great anticipation.

Game 1 was at Marske-by-the-Sea, which sits between Redcar and Saltburn, and is just under an hour’s drive from Darlington. The ‘hopper’ coach arrived at the ground around 10.30, after a neat bit of reversing by the coach driver – how he managed to swing the coach past parked cars and into a narrow lane is still beyond me. Marske’s GEC Stadium (or Mount Pleasant if you disregard the sponsor’s name) was a somewhat ramshackle ground with plenty of character – it reminded me of Radford FC’s ground I’d visited back in December. There were a couple of levels of terracing as you walked round past the main stand, and on the far side the terracing consisted of an earth bank, just above the two dug-outs. The most distinctive feature was a blue sign near the entrance with painted gold lettering – asking spectators to mind their language, and to enjoy their day. It was like something out of a different era.

Today’s game was a local derby between Marske (MUFC!) and their neighbours Guisborough, so should be a tasty affair. The away side started more brightly, with Daniel Johnson hitting just wide early on, before a loose back-pass nearly put Marske ahead against the run of play. There was a palpable sense of frustration as both sides started to squander possession, and seemed hesitant to make the killer pass. ‘Hit the bloody thing’ yelled an old bloke next to me as more possession was wasted. Johnson deservedly made it 1-0 to Guisborough when he rounded the keeper, and the game really turned their way when Markse’s Liam O’Sullivan was sent off after tangling with an away striker. So far, Marske had held their own, but the goal and the sending off turned the game completely. The away side had further chances before half-time when Johnson was foiled by the Robert Dean in the home goal, and when Leon Carling (great name!) headed over just before the break.

The second half definitely tipped the way of Guisborough, and it was inevitable when they doubled their lead on 63 minutes with a goal direct from a corner. No way back for Marske now, and the game started to get increasingly broken up by poor fouls and late challenges. Daniel Johnson was a constant thorn in the side of the home defence, and the frustration showed when his namesake Johnson was booked for clattering him. Adam Gell fired two efforts wide shortly after, before Michael Roberts made it 3-0 and confirm a resounding victory. Johnson, who had been a constant threat throughout, then took a superb goal when clean through, curling it beautifully round the keeper. 4-0 and it had turned into a lunchtime trouncing for the unfortunate Marske. Back to the coach and on to game 2 at Stokesley.

Bolton Wanderers (22-02-2014)

Bolton Wanderers 3 – 0 Watford (Championship), 22^nd February 2014

Ticket = £26

Train (Manchester-Horwich Parkway) = £4-20

Tea = £1-80

Hot chocolate = £1

Total = £33

I have barely done any grounds in Lancashire, so figured that this easier trip was worth making on another grey day. Again, utilising the trans-Pennine season ticket meant that the trip was relatively inexpensive, and even the match ticket at £26 was decent for a Championship game. Bolton’s ground is a short walk from Horwich Parkway station, so made a nice change from some I’ve been to this year. On a chilly day, I’d decided to risk leaving the ‘under-armour’ at home, though I came to regret this in the second half! I sat in the front row of the stand which was right next to the Watford end, and looking round, it became obvious how sparsely populated the stadium was. I’d seen an article in When Saturday Comes about Bolton’s recent decline, and today they sat near the lower rungs of the Championship – a far cry from the glory days of Allardyce, and the two Kevins (Nolan and Davies).

The game was better than I expected, with Bolton clearly determined to play passing football in midfield, rather than hoofing it ‘up top’. The pacey Joe Mason was influential throughout the match, and made two surging runs which split open the Watford defence (can we call it the Watford gap?). The away side did force a decent save from Bogdan on 15 minutes, but Bolton took a deserved lead when Jutkiewicz poked in from close range ten minutes before the break. Then Mason made it 2-0 almost bang on half-time, slotting in perfectly when clean through. They’d done well against a side on the fringes of the play-off chasing pack.

At half-time it was easy enough to get a hot drink, but I have to say it was possibly the worst cup of tea I’d had for some time – watery, weak and tasteless. It was more like drinking boiled water with a bit of milk thrown in. In the concourse, as people gathered to check other scores, a group of kids were playing a ferocious game of football with a plastic bottle, with the fire exit door as a goal. The pace was faster than some games I’d seen this year!

I wondered if Watford would improve in the second half, but nothing substantial materialised. Bolton continued to forge chance after chance, hitting a free-kick over on 60 minutes, before an acrobatic overhead kick was saved. Watford’s Murray hit a good shot shortly after, but it was well-held by a Bogdan – a keeper who is solid and reliable in most games. On 75 minutes, Joe Mason was foiled by the away keeper (Almunia) after another fine run, and couldn’t quite add to the Bolton tally. 6 minutes of injury time beckoned as the temperature dropped like a stone. Still no real threat from Watford, and it was no surprise that Bolton wrapped up a 2-0 win. The highlight of the second half was when Watford’s Tözsér lined up to take a throw-in, only to receive calls of ‘tosser’ from the Bolton fans! Back to Horwich Parkway, and after a long half hour standing in the cold, I was glad to get on the warm train back to Manchester.