Connah's Quay (14-05-2016)

Connahs Quay 1 - 0 Airbus UK (Welsh Premier League Europa League play-off), Saturday 14 May 2016

Train (Manchester-Shotton) £22-30
Tea £1
Programme £2
Tea at ground £1
Total £26-30

So it has come to this. Way back in August 2016 when I saw South Melbourne in action I could not have imagined the highs and lows and adventures of this epic season. Today my season concluded with a trip to North Wales for a play off to get into Europe. The kick off time of 5:15 suited me perfectly as I had been banished from the house with Mrs Hopper having a friend to stay.

Connahs Quay is a small town on the Dee Estuary, just across from Chester and accessible by rail from Shotton. There is a direct service from Piccadilly so I was able to utilise my Trans Pennine pass again.

I made it to Shotton just after 4, where the River Dee was bathed in warm sunshine. I walked across a footbridge for some photos then headed along the shoreline up towards the ground. The stadium is located behind a college, and today was free entry so fans were streaming through the turnstiles. After a few introductory shots I surveyed the ground. On the far side was a TV tower while the main structure on this side was a large stand with floodlights attached to the roof. Like Litherland this was also an athletics ground so had racing tracks around the pitch.

There was a buzz around the ground, and kids dressed in red and blue were milling about the tunnel. Inside there was a small black cat wandering around looking at the club officials and players with some bemusement. On the pitch this was a big game with £150k at least at stake. It is crazy to think that the winner could end up going all the way to the final of the Europa League.

The game wasn't exactly flat but it never really sparked into life. An early Airbus cross from 31 found the head of 4, who could only fire wide. At the other end the Nomads had a succession of half chances. 20s drifted free kick was punched aa way by the keeper and then the same player blasted a mile over (it would have been an excellent drop goal had this been rugby). A nudged headed by c19 was saved and then 11s volley was again foiled by the busy Airbus keeper. The highlight of the first half was chatting with the pitch side photographer, who talked about the Women's FA Cup final, the North Wales dominance of this league and their likely progress in Europe (should either side make it there).

The second half was marginally better but still really cagey. C10 opened the chances when shooting wide from close range, before a16 hit the side netting after a surge in from the left. In between these opportunities Airbus picked up a couple of bookings in the middle of the park. Another rare chance for Airbus came when 17s effort was easily caught by the Nomads keeper. This was heading for extra time and I was praying for a goal as I needed to catch a train at 7:37. And lo and behold Connahs Quay took the lead when a scramble and ping pong in the box resulted in a driven goal by 20. Not the prettiest of goals but one of the most crucial. The away side could only respond with a header over from a16, who had done well today. So Connahs Quay will be heading into Europe and will kick off on June 30th.

Upon arrival at Shotton I discovered the train was terminating at Chester, meaning I had to get on board a rattling Northern Train which stopped  everywhere. The train was full of revellers and people coming back from Chester races, so there was a buzz on board (and plenty of songs!).

The sun set as we trundled through the Cheshire countryside and this felt like a natural end to the season. I had the foresight to get off at Stockport as I would have missed the connecting train at Piccadilly. Stockport seems like a second home this season but fortunately I made the train without any bother today. I made it by 10:45 to close out what has been a wild, kaleidoscopic and unrepeatable season.

Haway the Euros!

Liverpool (08-05-2016)

Liverpool 2 - 0 Watford (Premiership), Sunday 8th May 2016

Tea £1-90

Baguette £3-99

Bus to Anfield £2

Match ticket £47

Programme £3-50

Burger King £5-98

Train £11-90

Parking at Sheffield £7-50

Total £83-77

Just when we thought it was safe to go back in the shower… Our bad luck in travelling resurfaced today, with the train across the Pennines terminating at Manchester Piccadilly. Chaos ensued and none of the station staff knew how we could get to Liverpool (as the line was blocked for some reason). We jumped on a train to Crewe, back through Stockport, and eventually reached Liverpool with about an hour to spare. It was far from ideal, but our saving grace was that we had allowed extra time for the journey today. 

This was to be our last match at Anfield before the Main Stand was fully open – appropriately we took in the action from the far side of the Main Stand, in full view of the Kop (and with only a pillar obstructing our view!).

This was not the most exciting match ever (and something of an anti-climax after the Europa League semi-final win in the week), but Liverpool again edged it out comfortably over their less illustrious opponents. Joe Allen and Roberto Firmino scored a goal apiece to grab a 2-0 win. By this time, it was clear that Liverpool were just going to miss out on the top 4 and would have to rely on the Europa League as their route back into the Champions League. Eventually they finished a distant 8th, and lost the Europa League final to Sevilla, so this season – for all its promise, guts and glory – delivered nothing to Anfield. While waiting for the train back home, our treat was a magnificent burger and chips in a deserted Burger King in the city centre. Let’s hope that 2016/17 delivers a bit more for Klopp’s hungry Liverpool side.

Notts County (07-05-2016)

Notts County 0 - 5 Carlisle United (League Two), Saturday 7 May 2016

Petrol £10
Tram £4
Ticket £22
Tea £1-80
Programme £3
Tea number 2 £1-80
Drink £1-25
Total £43-85

As we were heading to Anfield on Sunday I wanted a near-ish ground for Saturday. Notts County fit the bill perfectly - I did their counterparts Forest back in 2013 but have never made it to Meadow Lane.

Nottingham is apparently a tricky city to drive into so I opted for the Phoenix Park and Ride, which took about 40 minutes from our house. Half an hour later on the tram and I was in the centre of the city, which was abuzz with the sunshine out for once. In the market square kids were taking dips in the fountains and several stalls dotted around. Has summer arrived? On this evidence yes.

I alighted at Nottingham station - which it had to be said has massively improved in recent years - and made the short walk to the ground. Despite the fact that nothing much was hinging on this game there was still a healthy crowd of people around the ground. I headed to the ticket office to pick up my ticket, only to be barked at by a steward explaining I was in the wrong queue.

Once I had my ticket I sauntered around to the Spion Kop end, and made it in to the ground. Meadow Lane was bordering on 20,000 capacity, with all seated stands on each side. The away fans in their blue shirts were slowly gathering in the long side on my left, while the rest of the ground was fairly quiet. In the relatively sparsely populated Kop I then managed to completely spill a cup of tea! The brown liquid oozed down onto the next couple of rows, probably making a mark on the concrete for years to come.

After a replacement tea the ground began to fill up and the game kicked off. The atmosphere was interesting to say the least. Notts County have had a pretty poor season, lying around 17th-18th for most of it, with 3 managers in 2015-16. Their supporters - who to be fair had turned out in numbers today - voiced their frustrations early on.

It hardly helped when Carlisle took an early lead when 24 slid the ball to the unmarked 17, who slotted in calmly from inside the box. After c14couldn't quite reach a far post header and n29 forced a double save, c3 made it 2-0. Appallingly he was again unmarked with the defence in disarray. Notts had the odd shot (eg when 26's long ranger was well saved), but were a poorly organised side. So it was no surprise when 14 made it 3-0 just before half time. Boos rang out across the stadium.

Despite the sunshine the mood hardly improved in the second period. N3 scrambled an early effort off the line and then c13 bundled in a cross from the right. 4-0 and this was not even 60 minutes!

County had a few bright spots. 11 looked good in some sparky runs from midfield, and 39 had a rare County shot saved. Across the ground rang out the chant 'were shit and we know we are'. That was emphasised when Carlisle made it 5-0 thanks to an awful clearance from the goalkeeper, who fed it to the alert away striker. Still the chants rose across the seats of this grand stadium - 'you're not fit to wear the shirt'. There was time for a couple of final efforts - n24 firing just wide with a long ranger and n39 forcing another save - but this had been an unmitigated disaster for the home side. It could even have been 6 when 25 hit the post for the Cumbrians late on. There was a blue and white party in full swing at the far end, Carlisle finishing a respectable upper mid table on 67 points. The contrast in the home sections was palpable. On the final whistle boos streamed down from the Kop, and some fans walked out without any applause. Lets hope things improve next season as this is a grand old club and the fans deserve a lot better.

I strolled back to the tram stop, and got back to Phoenix Park for just after 5:30. The journey up the M1 was smooth and I made it in at about 6:15, which has to be one of my quickest return journeys.

Litherland (30-04-2016)

Litherland REMYCA 2 - 0 Holker Old Boys (NWCFL), Saturday 30 April 2016

Train £12-40
Tea at Piccadilly £1
Entry £4
Tea at ground £1
Programme £1-50
Bovril £1
Total £20-90

As I write this blog on Tuesday 3rd May, Leicester have just won the league. Words can't do justice to this achievement but no doubt journalists will do their best over the coming days and weeks. Unbelievable, ridiculous, incredible.

For me this past weekend has also been significant. On Saturday my visit to Litherland REMYCA marked the final North West ground I needed to see (down to step 6 of the pyramid). The air was chilly but the sky was bright as I set off from South Yorkshire.

Appropriately I changed trains at Liverpool South Parkway - not only near my old stomping ground as a student but also formerly home to South Liverpool FC. From there it was a half hour ride through the city to Seaforth and Litherland. This was a bit of a trip down memory lane, as I had cycled through here on visits to Burscough, Formby and Crosby all those years ago. And I discovered that Litherland's ground is very close to Bootle's Delta Taxis stadium.

Litherland joined the NWCFL only last season, and are based at a sports centre in the area. It all seemed quite quiet for a Saturday afternoon, as I located the entrance and parted with £4 for entry. The set up reminded me of Wigan Robin Park, who I'd seen in the sunshine of July 2014. The chap on the entrance to the ground gave a friendly scouse welcome, and pointed out the seating area in the distance. 'You might need your binoculars.. ' he chuckled. The pitch was surrounded by an athletics track and a grassy embankment on the far side, and the seats were indeed a bit of a walk. Although the sun was shining an icy wind was cutting through the exposed ground.

For all my nostalgia, there was something hinging on today. Litherland lay a point behind the visitors Holker, and needed a win to nudge them into the play off zone. Several teams had games in hand but 3 points today would give them a chance.

Remy took the lead early on when 9 headed in with the keeper only able to claw desperately at the ball as it went in. Very soon after KO, I noticed a plan go overhead carrying a sign reading 'Time to go Roberto', presumably heading to Goodison. On the pitch, 11 went clean through, having his effort saved by the keeper's legs. He then drew the same response from a corner. Holker showed some tenacity to create something, h7 foiled by a great tackle and 3 deflected wide. But then the home side (who I was secretly supporting today!) doubled their lead when 10 slotted in from 9s pass. 10 then forced the Holker keeper into another save with his legs - maybe he was a specialist at this.

In the second half the teams cancelled each other out for long periods. A rare chance for Holker fell to 9 who could only fire over when clean through. There was then a bizarre incident when the away physio asked for ice from the home side and received a bag of frozen onions! Litherland were less active in the forward areas, with 4s free kick flying over. Then after a clash in midfield and a short pause in play, Holkers 17 was handed a straight red. He must have done something off the ball as I couldn't see a reason for it (and the away bench were incredulous to say the least).  They also berated the linesman - one player pointed at him and said 'shouldn't you be in the West Lancs or summat?' The period after the red card was actually Holker's best of the game. Their 4 had two pile drivers fly inches over, and they had plenty of possession in the final third. But Litherland stayed strong and hung on for a crucial win. Whether they make the playoffs remains to be seen but they have done well to finish so high after only 2 seasons at this level.

The train connections back worked out perfectly, with my train from Seaforth synchronising with the South Parkway service to Sheffield. All was calm until we reached Stockport where the Red Army of Doncaster boarded - they had been relegated from League One along with Crewe today.  A beery eyed Rovers fan started to chat with me on the way back, and it caused some confusion when I explained what I'd done today. It wasn't quite the time or place to explain the significance of the ground today. That as they say is for another day.

Wrexham (23-04-2016)

Wrexham 2 – 3 Braintree (National League), Saturday 23 April 2016

Train £17-30
Tea £1-70
Entry £15
Provisions £3-29
Total £37-29

Wrexham is one of those places in the Hinterland in between regions. It's not really in the North West, nor is it in the Midlands, and although it is in Wales it is closer to many English towns and cities. So it was an intriguing one to get to today. The game would also represent my third game in Wales - after Merthyr in 2008 and Caernarfon in 2013.

The journey from Sheffield took me through other 'in between' places like Stockport, Crewe and Chester. Apart from Chester these are the kinds of towns you pass through but rarely visit (and as I discovered recently you'd actively avoid visiting Crewe!) It took 4 trains across although each one was relatively quick.

I arrived in Wrexham General just before 2pm and had a time for a wander around the ground before heading into the town. Visitors to this town shouldn't be put off by the line of cheap shops which greet them from the station - once I got towards the other side of town I found a couple of impressive churches and some more historic buildings.

I headed back to the Racecourse at about 2:30 in time to take up my place in the Glyndwr University  stand for £15. This was directly behind the goal and had a few steep rows of seats. There were a few rows towards the front closed off to spectators today. To the left and right were two seated stands, and at the far end was the magnificent Kop end terrace. This is closed off completely which is a pity as the steep sweeping terraces and crush barriers dotted around gave it a classic feel.

There was a small cluster of away fans from Braintree (79 in total), looking to see their team secure an unlikely play off place. The home side were 6 points off Braintree with 2 to play so needed to win to stand a chance of the play offs.

The first half was an open and entertaining affair. Braintree opened the scoring on 3 minutes when Cheek (great name!) scored from close range. Wrexham meanwhile looked reasonable, Fyfield firing a raking shot wide, before their own 23 (Heslop) equalised with a header. Wrexham continued to create chances with Miles only managing to hit the side netting with a first time effort from a long ball. In the middle, Braintree's Cheek and Woodyard looked pacey and tricky to contain. Their Brundle shot just wide, and then Wrexham took what should be a crucial 2-1 lead with a free kick from Fowler which eluded everyone. But Braintree responded well and by half time they were at parity thanks to another goal by Cheek.

Before the second half began the announcer said something rousing in Welsh, and the crowd responded. But the game closed up a lot, largely thanks to some tenacious Braintree defending and ineffective attacks from the Welsh side. I barely recorded an effort until Wrexham’s Briscoe drove a half volley over around the 80 minute mark. Then Braintree finished the job when a clever counterattack left Brundle to stab in from close range. Wrexham's season was over, and with this being their last home game a few fans stayed behind to applaud them off.  They could well be in the play-off hunt next year.

Hartlepool (16-04-2016)

Hartlepool 2 - 1 York City (League Two), Saturday 16 April 2016

Train (Sheffield-York) £20-20
Train (York-Hartlepool) £13-60
Tea at Thornaby £1-50
Entry £18
Tea at ground £2
Pasty £4-95
Total £60-25

Some days are weirder and crazier than dreams and today was one of them. I set off to York with two intentions - to meet a friend for lunch and then head off to Pickering for a match. But as soon as I set off on the 10:47, I checked Twitter and the games at Northallerton, Thornaby and Pickering were all off.

This could be it - at this stage I'd need to head to Leeds in the vague hope that I could find a match on. Then a thought crossed my mind - Hartlepool. I checked the BBC website and discovered they were playing York at home today. And upon my arrival at York it became clear that my friend would not be around for lunch. So off I headed on a train to Thornaby, packed with Thirsk race goers. When they left the train, one group of well dressed men left a Panini sticker book on Euro 2016 (free from a national newspaper) so I bagged that.

Thornaby is a bizarre station but in these parts is a key interchange. There are a couple of platforms separated by a road. In the ensuing 40-minute wait I went for a brief walk in squally rain and huddled inside the waiting room with a cup of tea. I'd been here 5 years before when Kings Lynn had beaten Norton and Stockton Ancients in the FA Vase.

But I've never been to Hartlepool before. I found the town quite interesting as it had a fairly sizeable marina and lots of impressive stone and red brick buildings. It is apparently famous because the inhabitants hung a monkey in the 19th Century!

At the end of this long and winding journey there was a football match. Victoria Park was a brilliant Football League ground, with terraces behind one goal and seats flanking the long sides of the pitch (with terracing at the base of the stand to the left). There was a fair crowd for this, probably because this was one of the few local derbies these sides have in League Two. This league seems dominated by clubs from further South.

York were almost relegated so needed anything to survive. As the sun finally began to break through the football got underway. Hartlepool had the early sniffs of goal, with James miscuing to fire over and Thomas attacking with a real verve. The main action from the Minstermen was when Winfield clattered into James. The Monkey Hangers - if I can say that - took the lead through the excellent Thomas. Things just got worse for hapless York, who had Winfield sent off for a second yellow. Hartlepool's Duckworth nearly doubled the lead when his drive was saved by the keeper’s legs. But like the dreamlike day this was, York equalised not long before the break through Cameron, to just about stay in the game.

The second half brought an increasingly open game. York’s Summerfield volleyed an early effort which was caught by the home keeper, and the Pool had shots from Woods (a first time drive) and James (a low header wide). They took the lead when Woods slotted in cleverly from inside the box after the defence failed to clear. York to their credit didn't give in and Hendrie had a decent run and shot. Their number 3 (Ilesanmi) was particularly energetic in his surging runs forward. The teams were trading blows at either end though Hartlepool never looked like surrendering their lead. Their drove a cracker over the bar, and McEvoy - at the centre of much activity - forced a tip from the keeper. York’s Alessandra - who had been superb in his running - then saw a half decent shot whistle just wide of the upright.

So York were now virtually down, despite a reasonable performance. Hartlepool's nearest League Two rivals next season could now be Blackpool or possibly Grimsby. After the game I headed for a walk out onto the Headland with some magnificent views of the sea and town in the bright evening sunshine. This place is really worth a visit.

Then I had to sprint back to the station for the 17:54 train to York, and had a chat with a couple of away fans en route. They had been enjoying whisky and beer since the morning. They were phlegmatic about their team’s performance and seemed resigned to relegation. One was a pig farmer and the other was a driving instructor (I had to guess this via some interesting miming).

It caused great confusion when I explained I was from East Anglia, lived in Sheffield, didn't support either York or Hartlepool, and was heading to somewhere like Boston next week! This has undoubtedly been the craziest hopping day of the 2015-16 season, with another of the 92 ticked off.

Liverpool (10-04-2016)

Liverpool 4 - 1 Stoke City (Premier League), Sunday 10th April

Parking at Sheffield £7-50
Food estimate £5
Drink estimate £2
Train £23-30
Bus £4
Programme £3-50
Match ticket £43
Total £88-30

‘Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop’. As I write this blog entry almost 18 months after the match, I thought it apt to put a reminder of where to start with this one. The truth be told I am ambivalent about trips to Liverpool and cannot remember much about this home game against Stoke. Thankfully there were no travel hold-ups and the end result meant that we went home happy for once.

Moreno’s early long-range strike put Liverpool ahead, before Bojan equalised for the Potters. Sturridge – who at this time was in a decent run of form – made it 2-1, before a brace from Origi saw Liverpool comfortably take 3 points. Stoke have been a thorn in Liverpool’s side at times, so this was a welcome win.

The table after this game showed where Liverpool were in this packed season; the 3 points only just edged them a point ahead of Stoke, but still left them 9 points adrift of the Champions League places. Their next game would be the epic second leg against Borrussia Dortmund, so it was good to see minds and bodies focused today. Looking back at this from the start of 2017/18 shows just how far Liverpool have come since Klopp arrived on Merseyside.

Harrogate Railway (09-04-2016)

Harrogate Railway 4 – 1 New Mills (Evostik Division 1 North), Saturday 9 April 2016

Sheffield-Starbeck train £22-70
Buses in Sheffield £3
Entry £7
Programme £2
Tea £1
Tea at Leeds £1-99
Total £37-69

Today I was off to see one of the worst teams in England. New Mills, visitors to Harrogate's Station View, had picked up 2 points all year, and conceded over 100 goals in the process. So I'd either see a historic win or a cricket score for the home side!

Railways Station View is well named, being located a short walk from Starbeck station. When I arrived I had bags of time so wandered across to Harrogate Towns Wetherby Road for some photos (I had been to a match there back in October 2012). The towns grounds are surprisingly close. Harrogate is a nice place for a wander - even the outskirts were full of impressive stone houses and some intricate church buildings.

Upon heading back to the ground, I parted with £7 entry and £2 for a programme (enticingly placed on a display stand near the turnstile). The ground was a cross between Redditch United's Valley and Whitchurch Alport. Two sides of uncovered hard standing contrasted with a couple of rows of terracing and a block of red seats behind one goal. In line with the centre circle was a small but modern stand, directly behind dugouts which had plastic beige shelters. As I walked round I noticed cracks in the walkway in places, and that the pitch actually slanted from side to side.

After a couple of early attacks for both sides, the first goal of the game fell to New Mills! Their number 6 (Jones) somehow poked the ball in from a cross. Could I be seeing one of their few wins of the season? That hope was soon snuffed out when Railway made it 1-1 when Ovington fired in a low effort in the box after a ricochet away. The away sides defending was chaotic to say the least. The Derbyshire side continued to create chances, and Hibbert's effort bobbled frustratingly wide before Williams fired over after going clean through.

After wandering around for some more comprehensive photos - and noticing that some of the red paint on the metal pitch perimeter had come off in my hands - the second half commenced. Harrogate took the lead when Harry Coates headed in, drawing a wry comment from one fan 'Sorry I missed that - can you do it again?'. This probably referred to the home side’s relatively poor season to date.

From here onwards the Yorkshire side put daylight between them and New Mills. Ovington made it 3-1 after finishing an excellent run by Bromley on the left, and then the latter latched onto a loose ball to make it 4. New Mills had made a decent effort today but they are clearly out of their depth in this league. I hope that they come back stronger next season whichever league they end up in. I was tempted by the announcer’s invitation to 'join Terry and the team for a glass of your favourite tipple' but instead headed straight back to Starbeck station, with the train back to Leeds timed well for once.

Liverpool (02-04-2016)

Liverpool 1 – 1 Tottenham (Premier League), Saturday 2 April 2016

Train to Liverpool £23-30
Tea £2
Bus to Anfield £4
Programme £3-50
Parking at Sheffield station £7-50
Match ticket £55
Total £97-50

Unbelievably, I bought tickets for this game way back in November, the day after the France game. Even more strange was the fact that this was only the second Saturday game we've seen at Anfield this season. So many games have been shunted to Sundays due to the demands of TV, and the Europa League.

For today's late kick off we headed across just after lunch, with Liverpool looking to have some say in the extraordinary title race between Spurs and Leicester. Outside the ground on the way into the right hand side of the Main Stand, I was handed a leaflet proposing that Israel be thrown out of UEFA. While I'm not going to offer a comment on the issue, it just shows how closely sport and politics are linked.

On the pitch this was an intriguing clash. Liverpool initially took the game to Spurs but the North London side were extremely difficult to contain. The way that both teams pressed high at every opportunity made the first half pretty energetic, but a fairly equal affair nonetheless. I was particularly impressed by the formation and organisation of a hard-working and extremely fit Spurs side. Sometimes they kept the ball with consummate ease, though their work rate was matched by Klopp's Liverpool.

Barely 8 minutes had passed in the second half and Liverpool were ahead. Sturridge's quick pass to Coutinho set up the Brazilian to slide the ball into the bottom corner. It was a classic Coutinho goal and reminded me of many Scholes and Lampard strikes in the past (quick thinking and arriving late in the box). That could be crucial. But Spurs are made of tough stuff this year, and equalised when Kane turned at a tight angle inside the box, spinning the defence and leaving Mignolet with no chance.

The game could then have gone either way, with the Reds carving out a couple of half chances and Spurs forcing Mignolet into some brilliant saves (he can't catch but he can tip the ball away!) In the end the home side were probably happier with the point, and Tottenham may regard this as 2 points dropped. As we swiftly exited the ground and pretty much straight onto the bus, you got a sense that this title race is entering a decisive final strait.

Tadcaster (26-03-2016)

Tadcaster 0 – 0 Cleethorpes (Northern Counties East Premier), Saturday 26 March 2016

Entry £5
Tea £1-50
Tea £1-50
Programme £1-50
Raffle £1
Petrol 108 miles £11-61
Total £22-11

So I've hit the wall. After something like 33 games this season I'm starting to feel jaded and tired of this hopping lark.

After a late night return from Copenhagen I opted to drive to Tadcaster, which is only actually a 50 minute ride away. The town is right next to the A1 but I would have had to bus it from Leeds so the car seemed the better choice.

There was free parking in the town and I had a brief wander before the game. The main road bridge across the river is still being rebuilt after the winter floods, and the town felt very quiet (not sure whether the two are connected). The i2i stadium is right next to the river so it is a wonder that the club managed to recover their ground after it was submerged in December/January.

The main distinctive feature of the ground was a unique seated stand at the car park end of the ground. This resembled the kind of seats you see at the circus! The roof appeared to be some kind of stretched out canvas, whilst the seating consisted of long wooden benches in the home side's blue and yellow.

The sky was cloudy and a bit grey, but this should on paper be a decent game (2nd against 3rd). Cleethorpes came out stronger, and played much better football than 'Tad'. The home side seemed content - whether by accident or design - to sit back and counterattack. The Lincolnshire side created most of the first half chances, with Cooper heading just wide after a cross from the right, while Mascall fired a long ranger just past the keepers left hand post. Oglesby, who was strong on the ball and pacey in attack, was a real handful and had an angled volley well saved. The home sides main 'chance' came when the burly Beadle blasted a wild effort miles over the bar.

After a cagey first half the game began to open up. Cooper’s clever turn and shot was turned around the post by the alert home keeper, then from a corner the keeper looked like he'd dropped it into his own net. Time stood still until it was cleared away at the last second. The home side responded with a hatful of their own chances – Josh Greening’s dipping free kick missed everyone and was tipped around by the away keeper. Then the same player could only plant a close range effort about a foot wide, while Corner ended up nearly scoring with a similar effort. This now felt like a park game where the next goal would win. A mazy run by the one of the Cleethorpe’s subs resulted in a left foot effort which went over, and then Cooper was left banging the turf when he headed over the bar. It had been a bit of a frustrating afternoon for both sides though perhaps Cleethorpes should have shaded it. The only winners today were Handsworth Parramore who had seen two title rivals drop valuable points.

I headed back to the car, past the impressive exterior of John Smith's Brewery, and set the sat nav to 'home'. There was no final score on the radio, which was instead dominated by the cricket commentary. I drove past Ferrybridge and back onto the A1 before hitting torrential rain. It had been that kind of day.

Preston NE (19-03-2016)

Preston North End 1 – 1 Queen’s Park Rangers (Championship), Saturday 19 March 2016

Train £12
Subway £5
Ticket £24
Programme £3
Sainsbury's snacks £1-75
Tea at Preston £1-90
Total £47-65

Today's trip to Preston marked something of a milestone, being the last Football League ground I had to visit in the North West. I have found that Preston is one of those places which you often pass by on the way to somewhere else so it made a change to be travelling to the town itself. I had in fact been to the outside of Deepdale in 2006, when I had attempted to cycle from Preston and up the Fylde peninsula.

Arriving in the town by 2, and ragged from some recent hops, I treated myself to a Subway before heading to the ground. Deepdale is a mile or two from the centre, next to an impressive park. After some external photos, including the impressive Tom Finney statue sliding into a tackle, I headed into the ground. I was in the home end behind the goal, and surveyed my surroundings. The stadium is fully enclosed, with distinctive floodlights on each corner each one resembling a mecano tower. The stand names tipped to past glories - the Bill Shankly Kop, the Invincibles stand.

In today's world, Preston are doing incredibly well in their first season back in the Championship (mid table with no signs of a relegation dog fight). QPR came here on almost level points today so this should be an intriguing one. Like most Championship games this didn't disappoint. The Hoops started most strongly, easily pressing high up inside the Preston half. They took a deserved lead through the muscular Polter, who had been excellent so far. The goal seemed to bring a response from Preston, with Hugill heading over and Cunningham’s effort tipped over. Johnson was a tenacious terrier, proving a handful for the away defence.

The second period was more evenly balanced. Preston’s Robinson produced some superb runs but couldn't create anything clear cut. QPR threatened to double their lead when Junior Hoilett’s shot was caught, and then they had a free kick fired wide. Chery then went clean through for the London side, only for the effort to be well saved by the home keeper. Then much to the consternation (it was more outrage!) of the home crowd, Jermain Beckford had a 50:50 penalty shout which was waved away by the referee.

Just when it seemed as though it wouldn't be Preston’s day, 6 minutes of injury time went up on the board. Volume levels in the stadium shot up. The team responded and Doyle nailed a superb header to make it 1-1. They had fought hard for this point, but it was well deserved. On this evidence they'll be in this league for a while yet.

I headed back to the station with a sense of satisfaction. There is now 1 North West ground left to see, and only actually 3 Football League grounds in the North. (For the moment I am ignoring Fylde's new ground and the likely rise of Charnock Richard, Prestwich Heys to the NWCFL). There's now 1 match left before the clocks change, so this was a day for optimism.

Morecambe (12-03-2016)

Morecambe 2 - 1 AFC Wimbledon (League Two), Saturday 12 March 2016

Entry £17
Programme £3
Tea £1-70
Petrol £28
Parking £4
Total £53-70

Just when I think everything will be smooth... This weekend I planned to visit Morecambe. Like Chesterfield this is one of a few places where I'll have visited both the old and new grounds. I'd managed to get to Christie Park in its final season in 2010, and was heading back there today for the Globe Arena.

Bike at the ready, season ticket primed and I checked National Rail. There were long delays through Sheffield until 1:30, and the previous train to Manchester had been completely cancelled. It sounded like it would be chaos at the station. So I decided to drive it for once, which actually meant I could set off later than planned. I then had a wild idea of heading to Glasson Dock and Heysham but with traffic and the 2 and a half hour drive that was scuppered. I made it as far as the edge of Heysham Port but with a white mist descending, I could barely see a thing. So I headed to the Globe Arena, where I paid £4 for the privilege of parking in a nearby school.

According to the club website there are no cash turnstiles but I managed to find one, parting with £17 for terracing behind the goal. The smaller terraced section at the far end was closed with the Wimbledon fans congregated in the main stand.

The ground was nice enough, with the modern sweeping stand on my right and spacious terraces on the other sides. To be honest it all felt a bit flat. There was hardly any atmosphere as the teams kicked off, and with the cloudy day and my general tiredness I wondered why I was here today.

Wimbledon, who were 7th in the league, should be sweeping the Shrimps aside today, but the home side kept them in check for long periods. Wimbledon had barely a handful of first half opportunities, including a free kick which went over, and a couple of efforts wide by 39. Morecambe's 9 had an effort saved after running in from the right wing, and I was particularly impressed with the reliable and strong 2, who got forward at every opportunity, but could also defend effectively. The most eventful off-pitch occurence was when a senior steward reprimanded some junior staff for standing too close together. They were stood behind the goal having a good natter and looked hardly aware of anything around them!

The second half picked up both in terms of atmosphere and on-pitch action. There were more chants, and the crowd seemed to respond to the announcer's demand for them to get behind the team. Morecambe's ever active 9 fired over after a cross from the right, and then Wimbledon had an effort well-saved by the home keeper from the right side. The home side were dominating possession now, and Morecambe's 4 headed over from 7's corner. Then on 76 minutes they took a deserved lead through 17 who slotted in after a loose ball outside the 6 yard box.

They gained a further advantage when Wimbledon's 20 was handed a straight red for denying a goal-scoring opportunity, with 7 coolly converting from 12 yards. They looked like they would close out the win, until the Dons suddenly came to life for the last 10 minutes. Their 7 made it 2-1 to set up a nervy finish, and despite attack after attack, they could not muster an equaliser. In truth, Morecambe deserved this win today. They had played with great tenacity and organisation throughout, and had earnt some degree of safety in the League Two table. I headed back to the car and after a brief drive down to Heysham Village, headed back to the M6 and across the Pennines back to Sheffield. I nearly managed to run out of petrol but just made it back to South Yorkshire with some left in the tank! This summed up a tiring but worthwhile trip up to West Lancashire.

Crewe (27-02-2016)

Crewe 1 - 2 Barnsley (League One), Saturday 27 February 2016

Bus £1-80
Train £13-10
Tea £1
Ticket £22
Programme £3
Bus £1-80
Gum 50p
Tea £1-95
Total £45-15

Crewe is one of three League grounds I still have to see in the North West, so it seemed ideal for a closer hop on a nippy February day. The journey across was smooth, with a change at Stockport, so I arrived in the Cheshire town at just after 1:30. Today I'd decided to buy an away ticket, as the away side were Barnsley and I thought it would look dodgy if I gave a Sheffield address for a home ticket! I sorted a ticket for £22 and, after some external photos, headed off into town.

I have only been to Crewe itself once before, for a Chumbawamba gig at a distinctive venue called the Limelight Club. I wanted to see if it was still there, and also to explore the town a bit. After finding the club I stopped for a superb cup of tea to regroup. The town sadly was not worth seeing, and some parts felt more tatty than Walsall, which is saying something.

Wrapping myself up in layer after layer, I headed to Gresty Road. The away stand was directly opposite Crewe's impressive main stand, so I was well placed to take some decent photos. Although I had some trepidation about sitting in the away section, these were allayed by some friendly stewards and a relaxed atmosphere among the Barnsley fans. The stand I was in was a nice relic of an older age - as you entered through the back you could barely see the pitch for the low roof. This slowly came into view as you headed to the front.

Crewe were in the relegation zone, while the Tykes were chasing a play off spot, so there was plenty at stake today. Barnsley predictably started stronger, playing a high pressing game with 8 and 11 particularly pacey and aggressive. Their first clear cut chance came with a header from 26 which drifted over. Crewe rather surprisingly put up a stubborn resistance in midfield, and created their first effort when 10's long ranger was saved. Crewe's 11 was the dynamo of the whole team, driving them from box to box. Barnsley took the lead when 3 slid it in fr close range after ping pong in the penalty area. At the back Crewe still looked determined, particularly the impressive 6, who resembled Ryan Shawcross.

At half time it was pointless to try and get a drink as the queue was so long - only one booth for all these hungry away fans! Back on the pitch, and Crewe quickly made it 1-1 when 9 banged it in from inside the box. Game on. Slowly but perceptibly Barnsley gained the upper hand, winning key midfield battles and driving forward with purpose. They took the lead again when 26 bent a lovely free kick into the net. Late on they rattled the cross bar, and to their credit Crewe kept attacking. The 11 hardly stopped running all game - if they put in this kind of effort, they will hopefully avoid the drop to League Two.

The usual uneventful change at Stockport suddenly became interesting when the entire Man City squad strolled down the platform for a Euston train (off to the League Cup final). I actually queued up behind Kolarov in the Starbucks, where they had pre ordered a bunch of skinny lattes! You really couldn't make it up.

Like Walsall last week, I was shocked at how quick the journey was. I made it back to Sheffield at 6:40, home in time for The Voice!

Walsall (20-02-2016)

Walsall 1 - 2 Wigan Athletic (League One), Saturday 20 February 2016

Train £28
Ticket £22-25
Programme £3
Tea £2-20
Bus £2
Bus £1-80
Total £59-25

As I'm nearing the completion of grounds in Yorkshire and the North West, my attentions are starting to turn towards the Midlands. Wolves, Walsall and Notts County were 3 League grounds I'd not done, so I headed down to the Black Country today.

This was a bonus weekend, as I had partly expected to be at a Liverpool FA Cup game. That was kicked into touch with the draw away at Blackburn, and the subsequent loss to West Ham in the replay.

Walsall is a short ride out of Birmingham and the Bescot Stadium has its own station. I decided to go all the way into the town as I'd never been there before. Now I suspect I'll never do so again! The bits I saw were distinctly shabby and run down, with boarded up windows, hooded youths on street corners, and generally a feeling of deprivation.

The Bescot Stadium - or Banks Stadium to be more precise - was buried at the back of a big shopping estate. I found the ticket collection point easily, and headed into the ground. The layout and style was similar to Glanford Park, with 3 sides the same height with maybe 20 rows in each. The main difference was the impressive Topps Tiles stand to my right, which had two tiers. This seemed to be where the more vocal home fans were sat.

I'd picked a humdinger today, with both teams in the hunt for the playoffs or even automatic promotion. The game was fast and aggressive from the word go, though there were relatively few chances. At the centre of many Wigan attacks was the excellent Max Power,  who had scored that thunderbolt at the JJB back in January. Wigan took the lead when 24 scored with an absolute rocket of a shot, into the top corner. He then nearly stretched their lead with a free kick flying just over.

This was nicely set up for the second period. After a couple of half chances at either end, Walsall grabbed a superb equaliser when 8 rifled in a brilliant long ranger to rival the first goal. The Saddlers then had a good patch, with 15 forcing a double save from Jaaskaliwnin, and 12 firing wide. They both then forced the away keeper into further saves. It just seemed inevitable that Walsall would score again.

But this is the crazy game of football and Wigan weathered the storm. They began to pour forward with confidence and made it 2-1 on about 90 minutes, via 31s well placed effort into the bottom corner. The away fans - who'd travelled in numbers today - were jubilant and it took a couple of minutes for the pitch to be cleared of celebrating Latics! This had been a cracking game with 2 particularly excellent goals - and as it happens, these were the first on the Football League highlights on Channel 5 that evening.

I was in no rush, but somehow managed to make the 17:04 from the Bescot Stadium station, meaning I made it back to Sheffield by 7. It was a bit of a bonus to get back so early, particularly on a cold February day like today.

Stocksbridge (06-02-2016)

Stocksbridge 2 - 0 Chasetown (Evostik Division 1 South), Saturday 6 February 2016

Petrol £5 (estimate)
Entry £7
Programme £1-50
Tea x2 £2
Total £15-50

It was way back in October 2008 that I last visited Bracken Moor for a match, so I felt it was high time for a return visit. On a wet and cold day, I was glad to find at least one game on locally. Stocksbridge is about a half an hour drive from us and is one of only a few Step 3/4 non-league clubs around Sheffield.

From what I remembered, Bracken Moor is up a steep hill overlooking the town, not dissimilar to Mossleys Seel Park. I remembered right and after heading up the hill, I managed to nab one of the final parking spaces opposite the ground. The turnstiles are almost carved into an old stone wall on the outside of the ground, and entering brought back fond memories of my first visit here.

This is another 3-sided ground, with one covered terraced end and the impressive Jamie Vardy Stand. I found the latter, with its blue and yellow seats, well sheltered on a day like this.

On the pitch it was the away side Chasetown who saw most of the chances in the first period. 8 shot wide before 10s flicked header went just over and then 11 could only muster a tame volley from the edge of the box. Steels took the lead when their tenacious 10 rifled in a low effort from inside the box. It was a somewhat fortuitous lead but at least they had made the most of their chances.

The second half was box to box stuff. Chasetown started stronger, with 11 forcing a great save and then 9 having his effort tipped around the post. Stocksbridge responded with chances of their own, rattling the cross bar with 8s free kick and 9 firing over after great work by 10 on the right. Then came the killer moment, when 9 rolled in the ball to make it 2-0. Chase town to their credit didn't fold, and poured forward like before. C10 was a real menace on the left, and then 12 and 9 fired over in quick succession. Their final effort - which probably summed up a frustrating afternoon - came when 12 stretched for a low cross but couldn't quite reach it. They had been a little unlucky, but such is life in football some days.

After admiring the distinctive caged 'tunnel' (on steps) to the changing rooms, I headed back to the car. Leicester had beaten Man City earlier, and there was now serious talk on the radio of them winning the league. Could one of Stocksbridge's former players end up with a Premier League medal this year? Stranger things have happened.

Liverpool (30-01-2016)

Liverpool 0 - 0 West Ham (FA Cup 4th Round), Saturday 30 January 2016

Bus Sheffield £1-80
Lunch & tea £6-35
Bus to Anfield £4
Programme £3-50
Pie and tea £5-60
Match ticket £27
Tea and snack £5
Lunch on Sunday £5
Taxi (£10/2) £5
Train £23 each
Dinner c£11 each
Hotel c£50 each
Total £147-25

What is it about West Ham? In the space of about 6 weeks I've now seen them play 3 times (admittedly one was a Ladies game). Liverpool are probably sick of the sight of them too, having lost at Upton Park a couple of times recently and at Anfield back in August.

After Liverpool's replay win over Exeter, this seemed like it could be a decent match. So we headed across on the Saturday, treating ourselves to a hotel in the city centre. These 5:30 kick offs are not great fun in winter, particularly when you're travelling some distance, so I was glad we'd taken the easier option. To be fair this was one of the more reasonably priced games at £27 apiece.

Despite arriving in the city nice and early it turned into a bit of a rush to the ground, where we arrived just after 5. There was no time to have food so we headed straight up to our Kop seats. These were closer to the middle than previously and gave a good view of the action as well as letting us soak up the atmosphere.

I decided not to bother taking notes, instead just to enjoy the match. For these blog reports I often write a match summary but I have found they can become quite repetitive.

This was overall a reasonable cup tie. Liverpool could have won it a few times over, if not for some excellent goalkeeping by Darren Randolph. Benteke, as usual, looked low on confidence and out of place, miscuing a couple of clear cut chances, and generally looking pretty useless.

Liverpool's line up, it has to be said, was a mixture of youth and experience. Brad Smith at left back did incredibly well, while Kevin Stewart and Teixeira put in a good shift in midfield. So West Ham will have been a bit disappointed they couldn't really capitalise on this. The away side did have the odd chance and a half hearted penalty appeal, but nothing more threatening than that. On 90 minutes we came away from Anfield pretty deflated. Again the Red Men had put in a decent performance, but like the Palace game in November, they had nothing to show for it. The pendulum in this tie had perhaps swung towards the Hammers, who would have the advantage of a home match at Upton Park under the lights. Liverpool's fixture list is piling up now.

Port Vale (23-01-2016)

Port Vale 1 - 1 Bradford City (League One), Saturday 23 January 2016

Train (Stockport-Stoke) £13-20
Match ticket £22
Pie and tea £4
Programme £3
Tea £1-95
Pasty £2-69

Like Burnley, Stoke seems to have occupied much of my attention in recent years. Market Drayton, Stoke City, Hanley, Eccleshall and now Port Vale. Vale Park would be the last ground I needed to see in the city. The ground is quite a distance from the station, and it took me about 50 minutes to get there. I was also going particularly slow as I was feeling the effects of recent travelling.

I arrived at the ground very late - 2:58 - and just had time to have my e-ticket scanned and grab refreshments as the game kicked off. I was in the Bycar Road stand behind the goal, which has two sets of seat rows separated by a long concrete walkway. At either end was an obligatory cage feature, and at the back of the stand were mini exits which (rather like Bramall Lane) were used as smoking dens. To my left was the main stand, which was split into seating on the left and all across the top, and some terracing along the bottom. Overall the ground was a beauty, an odd mixture of old and new, and was probably my 2nd favourite of the season (after Leek).

I was glad I'd made it inside in time - Vale scored within a minute or so, when 20 went clean through and finished neatly. The away team Bradford could only manage a succession of tame efforts from 17 and 4, and in a half of few chances, Vale dominated.

Before the second half began I noticed a curious phrase across the away end seats reading Tvale Allclu. Maybe it was Welsh? Or maybe it was the name of the club which was partially covered by the away fans?!

The second period began with a bang, when the Bantams' 4 saw red for a scything challenge. Vale should have capitalised at this point, and shots from 6 and 42 were deflected wide as they began to dominate possession. Then against the run of play Bradford equalised when 19 ran clear to much jubilation at the Hamil Road End. Vale were starting to look a little frustrated, and 3s long range effort flew over the bar soon after. One of Bradford's few chances came when 16s effort from the edge of the box was tipped over by the alert home keeper. Still Vale tried, but to no avail! 5s left footer went wide and 18 came close when his strike went about a foot past the post.

On the final whistle boos rang out across the ground. They had struggled to break down a resilient Bradford side, and were still locked in a mid-table stalemate with them. I was glad to get moving and warm up a bit as there was something of a chill in the breeze. This leaves with me with 3 league grounds left in the North West (Crewe, Preston, Morecambe) and 1 non league (Litherland). I was back in the house at 8, in plenty of time for Casualty and to see some ridiculous MoTD scores (Norwich 4 - 5 Liverpool!)

Wigan Athletic (16-01-2016)

Wigan Athletic 3 – 1 Chesterfield (League One), Saturday 16th January 2016

Train (Manchester-Wigan) £4-40
Entry £20
Tea at ground £2
Piccadilly toilets 30p
Total £26-70

'In the bleak mid-winter...' So after 2 relatively trouble free weekends of football, the snow has arrived. Sheffield escaped unscathed on Saturday morning but the North West was expected to be hit through the day - and I was off to Wigan!

I was on Twitter watch as games began to fall left, right and centre, and nonleague fixtures were littered with the dreaded P. Thankfully Wigan remained on, largely (I suspect) due to their undersoil heating. The journey across was fine, but I then had to walk to Victoria to catch a slow Northern train up. There were no direct trains from Piccadilly today.

As the train pulled into Wigan, the snow began to fall, and I wondered whether I'd made the right call here.  There was no problem and I arrived in the ground at about 2:40, after finding one of the cash turnstiles. This has been a real positive over recent weeks as it gives me the flexibility to change destination of required.

Wigan's DW has been described as a bit soulless and it wasn't exactly full today. Nonetheless I rather liked the 4 almost identical stands, and the fact that the floodlights were embedded on the roof. Directly opposite was a reasonable cluster of Chesterfield fans, who had decided to brave the cold for today's game.

Wigan are on the fringes of the League One playoffs, and initially they looked the better side. They were easily shifting the ball in midfield, away from the attention of the Spirerites. They took the lead when an absolute rocket of a shot flew into the top corner. The scorer? The aptly named Max Power.
After that Chesterfield had a half-decent spell, particularly through the front trio of Ebanks-Blake, O’Shea and Lee Novak (who once played for Gateshead). O’Shea had a couple of decent efforts saved by Jääskeläinen, and Novak was causing Wigan all sorts of problems on their right flank. Unluckily for Chesterfield they then fell further behind when Reece James curled a superb left footer in the top corner on 40 minutes. It only got worse for the away side, when Jacobs ran clear and dinked over the keeper to make it 3. For all Chesterfield's industry they were now well out of the game.

The second half was fairly evenly matched. First Jacobs registered an early shot on target, and then Power narrowly missed after a setup from Vuckic. Chesterfield's Simons then came close after a well worked one-two around the box. Wigan's Davies was at the focal point of most of their attacks, and their passing began to slacken off a bit. The away side, showing great spirit, grabbed a late consolation through Ollie Banks, while Talbot could only snatch at another late chance.

The BBC report after the game said Chesterfield were well beaten - in fact the game had been in the balance until those 2 goals just before half time. I headed back to Wigan North Western with snow falling and underfoot, and just managed to make the 17:08. I was in the house by 19:50, ready for a hot shower, a cup of tea, and some dinner.

Macclesfield (09-01-2016)

Macclesfield 0 - 1 Halifax (Conference National), Saturday 9 January 2016

Train £6-80
Entry £15
Programme £3
Teas x2 £3-40
Total £28-20

The jewel in the crown? Moss Rose certainly sounds like it so I was looking forward to today. I often say this but Macclesfield has genuinely been on my list for a while. It is one of the few grounds I've not done where I could get back from after an evening match. So for today to be a Saturday was a bonus as it meant a shorter trip in the January gloom.

Macclesfield is another nice Cheshire town, so before heading to the ground, I wandered to the market place in the centre. I found an impressive building with almost classical pillars imposing itself on the town.

The ground was a short 20-minute walk south of the town, and before sorting a ticket I did my usual circamambulation around the perimeter. One corner backs onto the railway line, so the ground is just visible from the West Coast Mainline. Bizarrely Macclesfield don't have cash turnstiles so I had to buy a ticket at the office before walking through the turnstile about 3 yards away!

The ground is a decent Conference stadium. Both ends have terraced sections, with the away section exposed to the elements (much like Accrington). The stand opposite me was completely seated, whilst the stand on my side was a hybrid of terrace and seating. The floodlights were on already at it was only just coming up to 3pm!

'Macc' as they are affectionately known, were doing reasonably well this year, pushing for a playoff place. Halifax were less successful, having spent much of the season at the wrong end of the table. It was an evenly matched and tight contest, and the first half was littered with chances.

Halifax's 18 ran through but couldn't convert, while M23 had a long shot saved. M11 fired over, while h4 did the same at the other end with his left ft. I was particularly impressed with m23, who played passes with plenty of vision and forethought. On 30 minutes, m5 headed wide and then m11s effort was well saved by the away keeper. Halifax had a purple patch just before the break, rattling the post with 35's effort (via the keepers fingertips). H11 blazed over from close range, and h2 fired massively wide.

The second half was a fierce territorial battle in the middle, with less chances registered than before. A couple of half chances resulted in m6 scoring a drop goal (high and over!) and a mixup in the Halifax defence nearly resulting in a goal. Then came the breakthrough. A slick move from the Yorkshire side - instigated by h4 - resulted in a lovely team goal by 18. The combination between 4, 19. 35 and 9 was outstanding. The remaining effort - much to the home fans frustration - came when h15s shot was well saved.

There were boos around the ground at the final whistle as Macclesfield could perhaps have done better given their league position. It had been a tight match though and Halifax had only just managed to find the winner. As I headed away from the floodlit Moss Rose, I saw no less than 5 police cars flying past. I'm not sure whether something had happened back at the ground but on a day like this I only really cared about getting on the train. Thanks to the late FA Cup KO between Man Utd and Sheffield Utd, the train from Stockport was relatively quiet for once.

Scunthorpe (02-01-2016)

Scunthorpe 1 - 1 Wigan Athletic (League One), Saturday 2 January 2016

Entry £18
Petrol £10 (estimate)
Parking £3
Tea £1-20
Total £32-20

So Christmas has passed like a flash and we are now a day or so from starting work again. I hadn't banked on a game today given possible weather disruption, and not knowing where I'd be. After a quiet New Year's Day, I picked this one as a decent 'local' bet. The appeal was that I could apparently drive to Glanford Park in 40 mins, and park right outside the ground.

So I jumped in the car just before 2, heading across the M18 and into North Lincs. The roads were mainly quiet for a change. After parting with £3 for parking at the ground, I did my customary walk around for photos before heading into the terraced end for cash. Cash turnstiles at League grounds make my life much easier, particularly when I'm not 100% on which ground I'll be at this time of year.

Glanford Park is not the most glamorous ground, but does have historic significance, being the first UK ground built after the end of World War Two (in 1988 I believe). Essentially it has four stands of the same height, which enclose the ground completely. The three other sides were all seated, so it was nice to be able to experience the full throttle of the terraces.

So to the game. Scunny were floating around mid table in League One, while Wigan were comfortably in the playoff positions, looking to consolidate today. The home side started strongly, with 10 firing wide with his left foot and then heading over from 9's cross. Wigan's two bright spark were 31 and 7, who caused plenty of trouble down the flanks and in the middle. The Lincolnshire side deservedly took the lead when 7 slotted in after a cross from the left wing. Wigan's first real effort came when 6 blasted over from range. Bizarrely they then equalised when 17 ran clear after what looked suspiciously like hand ball.

The half time entertainment was hilarious - the 'challenge' was for 3 home fans to spin around a stick for a couple of minutes before trying to slot in a penalty! Needless to say some looked a shade of green after this.

The Latics seemed buoyed by their goal before the break. 9 curled over and 7 blasted wide after excellent work by 31. Scunthorpe's passing was suddenly looking wayward and it seemed they'd lost focus. The only real threat was 15 who looked like he might have some pace about him. Wigan kept forging chances, and the impressive 31 hit wide after a mazy run, while Scunthorpe scrambled another effort off the line. The home side responded for the last few minutes, s29 just failing to connect with a cross and s15 firing straight at the away keeper. The final chance fell to s9 who could only head over. Either team could have won this game in the end, but it ended in near-stalemate. I headed back to the car and after waiting for 10 minutes of so for traffic to clear, edged my way out of the ground and back to Sheffield. I was in just after 6pm, ideal on a January evening.