The Rovers Return

Sunday 3rd March

Super League

Hull Kingston Rovers 26 Warrington Wolves 12

I know, I know, it's been too long.  Nothing I can say can atone for my absence.  I deserted you in your hour(s) of need (i.e. most of last season) and for that I deserve to be horse-whipped and/or force-fed the upcoming DVD of Hull FC's all-conquering 2013 season...ah, perhaps a suspended sentence then?!

Anyway, the main thing dear old East Stand is that I'm back.  In person. Unaccompanied (fickle kids) and ready to celebrate with the boys again.  I can't promise this will suddenly become a regular thing again (just in case Mrs Slush is reading) but I do promise to enjoy it while it lasts.

And this particular Sunday afternoon in East Hull was very, very enjoyable!
Official reports of the game can be found here and here.  As for my personal thoughts on the day - great performance, good atmosphere, excellent company but where was the cockerel?!

 

 

Someone hasn't read the script

Saturday 2nd March

CML North Division

Easington United 2 Phoenix FC 3

With writing as good as this, why watch the game anyway?

A week on from the battling draw against in-form Brodsworth and with the pitch freshly rolled and looking as good as it had in yonks, hopes were high that we could build up a head of steam through March; beginning by picking up 3pts from the visit of Rotherham side Phoenix.  Hmm...
A report of how things went wrong can be found here, along with pictures.
Oh, and for those of you who like these things, here's the programme cover...

And I'll throw in a few action shots as well, courtesy of the "Caught on Camera" feature in the next match programme...

Could this be the last time JC leads us out?

Wilks heads home; 1-0

O'Brien levels from the spot...



...before AG restores our lead

Cue celebrations

2-2 but how did that go in?

 

 

 

Late, late drama! Frosty & Robbie denied



Thanks to The Ryvita Man and Shotgun Burt for the photos.

 

Anyone for a cuppa?

Saturday 23rd February

CML North Division

Easington United 2 Brodsworth Welfare 2

"One or two lumps?"

Low Farm's first CML game since 24th November was always likely to throw up several challenges.  The ravages of the winter, which had seen the main pitch stage just two games of any type in the intervening period, meant this was never going to be a surface for "total football".  The visit of Brodsworth - one of the form teams in the league - presented its own difficulties for a home side still reeling from a collapse at Ollerton Town seven days previous.  And finally, with Club Secretary (and regular char lady) Judy away in Spain for a month, Tea Hut duties were going to fall to someone else.

Now it's well known that Chairman Doug and Vice Chair Mickey Bo' are willing to turn their hands to most things but even they would be sorely tested this particular afternoon - and that was with only 27 spectators in attendance.
They weren't the only ones.  Without thinking things through, I'd offered to do the first stint from half-twelve, which would cover the arrival of the match officials and the visiting club.  With Brodsworth having already informed me they would have no accompanying committee members save for manager and assistant, I foresaw no problems.  How wrong could I be?

Usually Judy prepares a decent buffet for match officials and visiting entourage alike.  today they had to make do with a few biscuits and cake offerings, bought as almost an after-thought that morning.  Thankfully, the lack of numbers meant we got away with this.
What I wasn't prepared for was the onslaught at the serving hatch the moment the Brodsworth minibus pulled into Low Farm.  Poor old Shotgum Burt and me were made to feel like Stanley Baker and Michael Caine with our visitors from South UYorkshire playing the part of the Zulu hordes.
It's fair to say, the arrival - later than anticipated of Messrs Clubley and Wilson - was akin to the Relief of Mafeking as far as I was concerned.
The way our season has been going it would be tempting to point to this pre-match entertainment as being more interesting than the game itself.  However, this was a home performance that the lads could take plenty of positives from, as can be seen - along with pics - in the "official" match report.
Obviously, our visitors' take on proceedings was slightly different, although remaining pretty fair on the whole.

Sharp Frost on a cold afternoon

The return of Frosty from self-imposed First Team exile played a huge part in our picking up a moral-boosting point.  His pace and quality of finishing have been assets sadly lacking from our line-up since September.
But it wasn't just the returning frontman.  There was a steely resolve about the side, the type of which has also been absent far too often this season - not least at Ollerton last time out.  The question now was would it last to the end of the season?