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.
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.
(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))
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))
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