Church Trip proves a blessing

Saturday 19 September - Church Warsop Miners Welfare (away) Won 3-2
Troubled times at Reserves & Casuals
Hull Kingston Rovers' date with destiny...

I was very much looking forward to the trip to Church Warsop last Saturday. Not least because of the review by Sticky Palms which painted an inviting picture of the place (see link on my previous blog). In addition, despite the result at Parkhouse on our previous trip into Derbyshire, the prospect of another day out on the "Ezzie Fun Bus" was an enticing one.

In the event the day lived up to its billing - mainly because the 3-2 win gained was not only deserved and bloody hard-earned but it also allowed us to indulge in some welcome liquid-based celebration on the way home.

However, opponents Church Warsop Miners Welfare are a team I perhaps wouldn't want to play against too often; not if Saturday was anything to go by. Not that the Club itself is unappealing but the team's conduct on the pitch left a bit to be desired. The language and abuse hurled at opponents, match officials and even Club Secretary Judy ("Shurrup, gerrome and get dinner on duck!") lasted from almost the first minute to the last and was accompanied by an "attitude" that was different to anything experienced thus far.

Perhaps having put nine past Thorne Colliery the previous weekend served to convince the second-placed hosts that we were the next lambs to the slaughter. It was not to be as for the second week running we produced some scintillating football.

Similar to the Kinsley game, however, we infuriatingly let our opponents back into the game from a position of strength. Thankfully, and again similar to the league cup win, we had enough in reserve to pull through.

There has always been something about organised away trips that bring out the best in the team, whether it be 16 souls crammed together on a mini-bus as with last week or with slightly more rattling about on a 52-seater as in the old days of "Burt-on-Bus".

It's a given that such excursions increase the camaraderie amongst the members of the team. This is especially important with us at the moment given the several new faces finding their feet. The fact that the average age of the first team squad is so young is another reason why such trips work - there's only a few old gits like me on board concerned about whether we'll be home in time to see Alesha and Kristina on "Strictly".

Unfortunately, the Church Warsop Miners Welfare Club itself closed down some four months ago, prompting a jaunt into neighbouring Warsop for our post-match fare. Shamefully the name of the pub escapes me but this is probably down to the fact that the board outside advertised "Cask Ales" before offering no such additions to the "Slush Ales List 2009/10" inside. I suppose I could have had 'em under the Trades Description Act but the Strongbow alternative proved refreshing on another fine late-summer's day...and the scran on offer was again top drawer!

Our next such trip on Pete's "Riding School Express" takes us to Phoenix Sports - another team currently going well - in a fortnight's time. Before then we entertain South Normanton Athletic tomorrow afternoon.

Our visitors 'The Shiners' are a new club borne out of the remains of one that's already undertaken the Central Midlands route into the Northern Counties East League - only to bring about their own demise in 2007 due to lack of new blood as much as anything else.

They will arrive at Low Farm boasting a half-decent record on the road (including a point at Parkhouse) and faced by a United side once again forced into three changes due to absences.

These absences at First Team level obviously have an effect on the County League squads, which is a real shame this week as both are in need of a pick-me-up after poor starts to the season. The Reserves go to champions Howden Amateurs (unfortunately without Miss GB Gemma Garrett in their ranks as shown in this pic from their club web site ) looking to repair the damage inflicted on them by last week's 10-0 humiliation at Goole Goods Office. Fozzy has stepped up to help new manager Lee and assistant Dawsey try and restore a bit of belief but the thing the Stiffs need most is some extra quality through the ranks, following the loss of a batch of players who'd showed great promise in pre-season.

The Casuals are also on the road tomorrow. They're at Eastrington Village Reserves looking to atone for a 6-2 defeat at local rivals Withernsea last weekend, a result that saw former Ezzie Vinny O'Hara net against his ex-team mates (pictured above). The good thing about the Casuals, though, is that win, lose or draw, Maccer's men have a great approach to the game and are in it for the "craic" as much as anything else. Mind you, I don't suppose the Ginger one would want successive bottom placings in different divisions against his management CV come the end of the season??!

Elsewhere this weekend the Tigers go to Liverpool tomorrow with Sportstalk this week having been dominated by the "Brown Out" brigade. In typical Hull City fashion I now expect them to be celebrating victory at Anfield come 5pm tomorrow evening! Then at half-past five it's Rovers v Wigan for a place in the Super League Eliminator semi-finals. Manager Mack will therefore leave his post-match debrief at the Farm tomorrow to 'Nige' while he hot-tails it to Hull in an attempt to get to Craven Park some time before the half-time hooter sounds! I don't envy him. Neither do I really envy him having to endure the game live - it really is one of those "too close to call" affairs. At least by the time I've finished entertaining our visitors from South Normanton in the Neppy, the game will be well underway and my nerves will have been well lubricated...

See you in Phoenix!

Eclipsing the Clippers

Monday 31 August - Hutton Cranswick United (away) Drew 1-1
Saturday 5 September - FC 05 (home) Drew 0-0
Saturday 12 September - Kinsley Boys, League Cup Round 1 (home) Won 6-2

Last weekend saw thousands of people flock to Hull for the start of the Clipper Round-the-World Yacht Race and the “Freedom Festival”. Not surprisingly this resulted in traffic chaos on Saturday as diversions kicked in around the city centre at lunchtime and lasted until midnight.
As referred to by Bob L. Hat in his review on the Tony Kempster site, these diversions also impacted on our Quartet Catering League Challenge Cup first round tie at home to Wakefield side Kinsley Boys. So much so that our visitors didn’t arrive at Low Farm until ten to three with the referee – himself delayed, along with his assistants, by a “blow out” on the M18 – deciding to delay kick-off until a quarter past.

What followed was easily the best ninety minutes experienced thus far in our brief membership of the Central Midlands League. Glorious weather, a decent crowd (73 h/c bolstered by a sizeable travelling contingent) and an entertaining game which saw us upset the formbook and knock out the League’s “August Team of the Month”. It doesn’t get much better (although the “Ryedale Best” in The Neptune wasn’t the most accurate description for my post-match tipple. But hey you can’t have everything!).

The cup win certainly compensated for the rather disappointing result the previous week, at home to FC 05. That 0-0 draw had followed a spirited showing at Hutton Cranswick (1-1) on Bank Holiday Monday and both results mean we go to Church Warsop this Saturday looking for our first league win since the opening day.

Church Warsop Miners Welfare FC currently occupy second place in the table and put nine past Thorne Colliery last weekend. Ominously their squad includes a former Shirebrook Town forward – Simon Johnson; the last time we faced a team containing former Shirebrook players was Parkhouse! We will have to be on our guard.

The village of Church Warsop itself is located just north of Mansfield off the A60 and the ground is a tidy affair, reviewed recently by Ground Hopper “Sticky Palms”. The day will therefore again see us leaving Easington at eleven o’clock on Pete’s “Riding School Express” and involves a drive of just over two hours according to the (in)famous AA Route Finder. This means I should get home just as we're finding out who’s joined Hull KR in the Eliminator Semi-Final of the play-offs (!!!) and also in time to fall asleep in front of “Casualty” - much to the annoyance of the missus!
Despite our move to the CMFL and resignation from the Humber Premier League I still follow the HPL results and keep in touch with several members of clubs involved therein. And at first glance this season’s Premier Division looks wide-open. The likes of Hessle Rangers – strugglers last term – are up there among the early pacesetters while champions Chalk Lane have made a solid if unspectacular start (even at home on the 3G) and usual contenders Sculcoates have endured very mixed fortunes.Predictably, however, Reckitts name is up among the leaders and I’d be amazed if it doesn’t remain there for the duration. We get the chance to find out for ourselves how good the current side is on October 10 when we go there in the ERCFA Senior Cup. With the likes of ‘Nicho’ and Steve Harrod (below) currently plying their wares for Starty’s side there’ll no doubt be plenty of banter flying around as we aim to repeat last season’s victories against the five-times HPL champions.

Elsewhere our two County League sides are away again this Saturday. The Stiffs return to Parkside School to face Goole Goods Office while Maccer’s Casuals are just up the road at Withernsea Thirds. Both teams will be looking to bounce back from opening day defeats and kick-start their seasons.

This schedule leaves the Farm without a game on Saturday, which is not only disappointing for supporters but also for the ground given the current fair weather. Twice already this season, it has been left idle on a Saturday; I just hope we don’t pay for this later in the season when fixtures start to mount up.

Finally, following last week’s cup win it was a happy Lusmore clan that joined Assistant boss Nige and family on Sunday for a jaunt up to Dalby Forest. A good day’s yomping up hill and down dale (and around the gorgeous nearby village of Thornton le Dale) was followed by a sumptuous nosh-up in The Middleton Arms at North Grimston. This was the same watering-hole our party ha d retired to at the end of the “Million Metre Meander” back in May and really is worth a visit. Sadly there was no Timothy Taylor Landlord on offer but Wold Top’s Falling Stone provided a fine substitute as well as the perfect accompaniment to a cracking steak and mushroom pie.

If this weekend proves half as satisfying I’ll be one very happy blogger…

(PHOTOS (from top): Joni Purse scores the sixth goal against Kinsley; Neil Rutter heads home the second (courtesy of Colin Brammer); The Welcome sign at Church Warsop MW (from the club website); Steve Harrod in action for Reckitts at Hedon Rangers earlier this season (courtesy of Colin Brammer))

"Bloody Sky!"

Getting it off my chest about Murdoch's monopoly...

Wasn’t it great being able to watch England’s brilliant World Cup win on “proper telly”; especially so given that the last impressive victory over Croatia was virtually unwatchable thanks to satellite TV?
The now-defunct Setanta were seen as the “villains” on that occasion but usually when issues over lack of free-to-air coverage arise there’s only one culprit - “Bloody Sky!”
Of course the blame shouldn’t actually rest with the TV companies. The fact is that football, rugby and a whole host of sports have in effect “sold out” to the highest bidder with little or no thought to the impact on Joe Public.
Hence the reason why this year’s regaining of The Ashes never caught the mood of the nation in anything like the way its 2005 predecessor did - because most people never saw any of it live. Thanks ECB. And they wonder why kids don’t play cricket at school anymore. Grrrgh.

But although exempt from blame for being awarded the rights (and I’m all in favour of a market economy) it’s what the likes of Sky do with it that hacks me off. The rights to broadcast translates to rights to arrange matches and so football is no longer played exclusively on Saturdays, rugby league no longer provides a Sunday service and you can often have a weekend with no cricket whatsoever. Bloody Sky!
I’ve had many issues with Murdoch’s mob over the years but of late they’ve wound me up even more. In July their decision to switch a rugby match impacted on our planned Sporting Dinner at the KC Stadium; a month later they switched the “Derby” match and thus ruled out my attendance.

It’s not just me. Sky’s switch of Rovers’ Wakefield trip last Saturday, along with its scheduling of the play-offs, peeved Manager Mack whose hopes of seeing The Robins clinch third spot at Belle Vue had to prove subservient to overseeing our own clash against a Wakefield team at Low Farm. (Actually, given the respective results he's probably glad he missed it - and thanks to the defeat, Sky’s chosen scheduling now means he can actually get to the play-off at Leeds on Friday – if Rovers had won at Wakey he’d have had to miss the trip to St Helens due to being at Church Warsop!).
All this comes just a week after passholder Mack was forced to skip his post-match debrief against FC 05 in order to stand any chance of getting to Craven Park in time to see the win over Warrington - another game moved at the whim of Sky.
But while Mack, I and others are regularly inconvenienced by the constant Sky switches, spare a thought for the HKR-supporting bride & groom whose “big day” centred around a reception at the ground last Saturday week only for their best laid plans to be torpedoed by the aforementioned late switch of the Warrington game. Not only were they faced with having to miss their favourites in action but also having to hold their “Do” at the KC Stadium instead!!!
No, getting to watch the Ashes, Rovers’ revival and even City’s promotion to the Premier League hasn’t yet forced me to part with money in support of Murdoch. A fact I’m proud of…and besides, I usually get an invite round to Brim’s to watch anyway.

Bloody Sky!

Make me an offer I can't refuse

Does anybody come out of the Michael Turner episode with credit?

Since the conclusion of the latest transfer window Hull City supporters have been venting their spleen via various media outlets regarding the sale of their “star man” Michael Turner.
As someone whose interest in City is now very much secondary, I must be careful what I say but I must admit I find some of the comments I’ve read and/or heard a tad extreme.
Whilst I’m not the biggest Phil Brown fan, I do think some of the vitriol hurled his way over the move has been ridiculous. From the player’s own quotes it appears clear that he wanted out. Therefore the manager’s hands were tied; end of.
The biggest disappointment for me will come if it’s eventually proved that the deal is worth significantly less than the supposed £12M asking price; that and the fact that City left themselves no real scope to find a replacement.
However, where I appear to disagree with many of the internet posters and phone-in callers is in thinking that Turner comes out of this completely clean. He reportedly went to “further develop” his career at Sunderland. Really? They might be “bigger” in terms of history, crowds and money but they won’t win any silverware or trouble the top four this season. Call me a cynic but I reckon the wages on offer might have had more to do with the decision? Not knocking that as a reason but wouldn’t it be refreshing if a player came out and said so?
The nearest thing we have to the “transfer window” at our level is the annual pre-season scramble to sign players on before anyone else, followed by the messing about when a player then changes his mind before the league season kicks-off. Usually this results in the first club ripping up the original form without any need for a transfer. Not so this year however.
Having already signed Joni Purse and Brett Fisk on ERCFL forms before both then popped up at Low Farm, our neighbours Withernsea were understandably a little hacked-off when Mark Thompson and Owen Mountain both announced their intention to make the same move; even more so when Pasha Brown soon turned quartet into quintet.
As such ‘The Seasiders’ invoked the rules. Thus whereas Owen has since transferred, both Mark and Pasha will now have to wait, 28 days and 56 days respectively, before joining him. And the league season doesn’t kick off until next weekend.
While appreciating how peeved our rivals must have been to see five players wanting to move to the “East End”, all their actions have done is stop lads from playing football. Not to mention sowing seeds that will probably ensure those same players would think twice about returning in the future.
And let’s face it, at least Owen and co really have come to “further develop” their playing careers. Unlike a certain Michael Turner perhaps…