Liverpool (24-09-2016)

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

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

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

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

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

Kidderminster Harriers (17-09-2016)

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

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

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

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

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

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