One Day In May

Saturday 17th May

FA Cup Final

Arsenal 3 Hull City 2 

The sight of more than 25,000 Hull fans, turning huge swathes of Wembley into a rippling blanket of amber and black, sent out a powerful message to any potential signings tuning in.  The pictures of Bruce urging his players on, of Hull rattling Arsenal for so long, created an enticing advertisement for the club.  “I hope so,” said Bruce.  “That’s always the challenge.  We landed two or three really big ones last summer, Huddlestone and Jake Livermore, and we’ve got to try and secure Jake, if we can.  We’re spending a lot on the academy and its job is to produce some young players.  But that’s for the future.  I’ll probably get the sack when it’s all in place!”  Henry Winter (The Daily Telegraph)

What a day!

Setting the alarm for 5.45am but actually waking up just after 5 o’clock...

Helping Mrs Slush get an excitable younger daughter ready for her own big day – the Brownies 100th Birthday Bash at Wetherby Racecourse - while trying to keep a tab on ‘Social Media’ goings on...

7.29am - the final of fifteen pocket checks – phone, money, tickets...

At 7.30am we’re off – the best trip we’ve ever been on – picking up at Patrington and Hedon – passing 'early start' Rovers fans with flags also out en route to ‘Magic Weekend’ – through Hull and out on to the M62 among countless other vehicles turning the carriageway into “a sea of black and amber”...

9am-ish - First mishap! Too busy talking and reminiscing about midweek trips to Carlisle means we miss the A1 turn-off...

Turn off the M1 near Worksop and soon back on track...

10.15am: second mishap! Miss Grantham Services due it not being sign-posted on the approach to the Grantham turn-off (honest!); arrange to pull-up at the “next available lay-by” and meet up with the Campbell Clan

10.20am - stood supping San Miguel in a lay-by, while acknowledging the honks and cheers of the passing Tiger Nation...

12.15pm – parked up at Rickmansworth

12.20pm – encamped in The Pennsylvanian (Wetherspoons); few pints of Ruddles County £1.99; pub well populated with City...and the odd Arse...

1.30pm – the Campbells depart for the station; we decamp to The Feathers beer garden; decent pint of Castle Rock Pale Ale; sun, smiles and best wishes from the locals, none of whom it seems want Arsene to end his recent trophy drought!

2.30pm – On the ‘over-ground’ from Rickmansworh to Wembley Park, joining in with the singing of a dozen or so east Hull lads in the next carriage; ‘We’re All Going On A European Tour’, ‘Silverware We Don’t Care’ interspersed with ‘When the Red, Red Robin...’

3.10pm – Wembley Park: what a sight!

3.20pm – after an aborted attempt to get in The Premier Inn, decide to sample the sights and sounds of Wembley (sorry, Olympic) Way – great to see City fans have tagged it; wander past Hull CC’s impressive ‘City of Culture’ display..

3.35pm – amazing how many “old school” faces you can bump into on a ten-minute stroll; accosted by a worse-for-wear City fan who tells one of our party: “The only way to win today is to hit the Southern b@stards early, get into ‘em, they won’t like it...” – er, 'Stereotype Alert’ and ironically, the bloke in question had a southern accent ;-)

3.45pm – On Wembley concourse supping a pint of p!ss in a plastic glass, the privilege for which I paid a fiver; ah well, I’d been spoilt up to now...

4.15pm – Take our seats in Block 120. What. A. Sight.
4.30pm – Steve Jordan whips up a storm, helped by plastic rattles, free flags and Elvis’ “Wise Men Say” booming from the speakers...

4.45pm – Leon Lewis leads “Abide With Me”.  I’m a blubbering wreck.  I knew I would be. Love you Mum!

4.50pm – Here they come; F#ck me, Hull City’s players are coming out on the pitch in an FA Cup Final; the hairs literally ARE standing up on the back of my neck; “God Save The Queen”

5pm – We’re off...

5.03pm – Chester. Ecstasy...

5.09pm – Davies. Oh. My. God!

5.16pm – Cazorla. Reality check.

5.48pm – Job half done

Hull’s players, especially Curtis Davies, were magnificent, until tiring.  Bruce demonstrated he is a significant managerial force.  Arsenal were in a battle.  Henry Winter (The Daily Telegraph)

6.17pm - Respect to the Valley Parade 56

6.30pm – Koscielny. B@stard! 

6.54pm – ninety up. Can we really can take anymore of this?...

7.21pm – Ramsey. Didn’t we just know it?

7.30pm – A-l-u-u-u-k-o...aaaargh

7.33pm – Dream over...

For the next few minutes I stood numb.  I wasn’t going to cry, even as Jake Livermore approached the City end looking totally and utterly lost.  Then that overwhelming sense of pride, as the rest of the players came over and moments later as they trudged wearily up the steps to receive their runner-up medals.  Losers?  Never.  Then the Arsenal players went up to receive the main prize.  I applauded.  Not sure they’d have done the same had the positions been reversed.  Let’s get out of here...

7.55pm – back along Wembley Way; songs of defiance fill the air...

8.05pm – Still waiting for our train inside Wembley Park...

8.50pm – back at Rickmansworth...

9.05pm – On the way home...
11-midnight-ish - Ferking roadworks (M1)

1.55am – Journey’s End

The following day I posted something of a rant on a popular Social Media site trying to express the sheer PRIDE I’d felt the day before.  Looking at it now, it still holds true and as such I’ve repeated it here... 

The morning after the evening before and having watched much of the day/game back on the box, my overriding feeling remains one of immense pride at my local team - something that those of you born and bred in these parts who purport to follow the so-called "big" clubs will never truly appreciate. From the "comfort" lay-by stops on the A1 with honks and cheers from fellow City fans to the best wishes of the locals in Rickmansworth and the camaraderie of meeting friends old and new from Hull and East Yorkshire to the full Wembley experience - crying through Abide With Me (as I knew I would), THAT start (!), the Arsenal fightback which has to be admired, the sheer bloody-mindedness of City to the end and the reception at the close for our heroes (which included staying to see Arsenal lift the cup - would they have done the same? Hmm). You can preach all you like about lifelong "support" for your Liverpools, Man Utds, Arsenals - you simply cannot relate to a club in the same way that you connect with that which is LOCAL to you. One decent piece of ITV's coverage yesterday was that with Mark Herman, Garreth Roberts etc showing where Hull City (not Tigers) have come from and what they've been through - you would-be Scousers, Mancs, Gooners from Holderness can never appreciate the experience I felt yesterday of watching MY team representing MY part of the country when taking part in what is still one of the finest showpiece occasions in World Sport. You go on about "plastic" Hull City fans - I don't care whether they've supported City for 5 mins, 5 years or 5 decades - those there yesterday were there to back their local team. And we came so close to really putting the place on the global footballing map. Now to Europe and beyond. Rant over. "Hull, Hell & Happiness".

As expected much of the national media coverage last Saturday focused on Arsene and his nine-year wait for a trophy.  This was evident in the match reports of esteemed writers such as Patrick Collins of the Daily Mail (“yellow and black” FFS!). 

But there were some who were willing to give City more than a passing nod.  Henry Winter in the Daily Telegraph and JacobSteinberg in The Guardian.

Locally the Hull Daily Mail’s coverage was extensive as was to be expected.  Their man Phil Buckingham captured the mood perfectly with his blog post for ESPN. 

Then there were also excellent accounts from Matthew Rudd in City Fanzine Amber Nectar and Rick Skelton for The Metro.

But perhaps the piece that resonated most with those of black and amber persuasion was this from Cole Moreton in The Daily Telegraph.  Simply brilliant.

In conclusion I must concede that to some reading this my actual attendance at the FA Cup Final will sit uneasily.  My days of regular City attendance were curtailed in the early 1990s when I opted to return to the grassroots game.  That said, I’ve still got to Boothferry Park, the KC and the odd away trip when I can and have never lost my desire to see my local team arrive on the big stage.  Being there on Saturday made all those days spent watching poor City sides being systematically taken apart in front of the eyes of me and a few other hardy like-minded souls all the sweeter.  

Next stop the Europa League...

Some of the pictures courtesy of The Daily Mail's "LIVE" report.

Jake Livermore picture courtesy of The Guardian.
Steve Jordan pre-match photo courtesy of BBC Radio Humberside's James Hoggarth via Twitter

May 2014 (First Half)

And so another season ends...well almost.

With Hull City's appearance in their first ever FA Cup Final obviously meriting its own post, this first half of the final month of the season covers everything up to Saturday, 17th May - a date forever etched in the memory of some of us.

Unfortunately, it also turns into a fairly depressing list results-wise but scorelines don’t always tell the full story...

Sunday 4th May

Super League

Hull KR 29 Widnes Vikings 34

The Younger Slushette maintained her one hundred per cent failure record at Rovers matches as the Robins somehow contrived to throw away a 7pt lead inside the final 10mins against the Vikings.

It was a pretty depressing end to an afternoon that had begun so well - despite being overshadowed (almost literally) by a huge pall of black smoke that was emanating from a fire at a recycling plant near Saltend.

The fallout from the blaze prompted the closure of Hedon Road, meaning a detour via Bilton on the way home. Still, at least this allowed me the pleasure of listening to dozens of Dullers calling up Humberside after Hull's even more spectacular implosion at home to Agar's Wakey.

As for the game itself, here's a report. 

Tuesday 6th May

South Holderness Cup Semi-Final

Easington United Reserves 0 Hedon Rangers 10

Hmm, for half an hour this threatened to be a tight-ish affair.  Then Hedon scored.  Still, at least the sun shone and it was a nice night.  Hedon through to the Final.  Further pics can be found accompanying the report of sorts, which is here.

Thursday 8th May

CML North Division

Easington United 4 Westella Hanson 5

One of the best games this season at Low Farm and far from a meaningless end-of-season affair. Unfortunately, it ended in another defeat but once again manager AG was left feeling encouraged by the way his squad is shaping up...for 2014/15!

A full report with pictures can be found here.  The Facebook pics can be found here.

Saturday 10th May

CML North Division

Easington United 3 Thorne Colliery 7

Four seasons in one day at Low Farm - but only one outcome as AG's squad shortages were exposed by a ruthless Thorne side that has enjoyed its highest league finish in years (3rd) and a run to the final of the League Cup wherein they were edged out by the all-conquering Bulls of AFC Mansfield.  The player/manager's dismissal was our fourth in the last five games!  Report here, pictures here and here.

Tuesday 13th May

South Holderness Cup Round 1

Hedon Rangers Reserves 3 Easington United 9

Following the Reserves' defeat in the semi-finals, it suddenly became imperative that the First Team avoided any slip-ups against Hedon's second string.  Thankfully they never looked in danger of doing so.  Four up by the time I got there, they went on to seal a place in the semi-final with some ease.  Therein they were set to be at home to Skirlaugh in three days time...

A report of the evening's main cut and thrust can be found here.  Pictures are here and here.

Friday 16th May

South Holderness Cup Semi-Final

Easington United w/o Skirlaugh

Ah, a gorgeous spring evening on the Humber Riviera, the Low Farm pitch glistening in the sunlight and a setting that simply demands a game of football.  But sadly, none will take place.  Skirlaugh cannot make tonight's date due to "FA Cup and Magic Weekend" commitments.  They also turn down the alternative offer of Monday.  There is nothing else for it but for the Cup Committee to "disqualify" them under Rule 4(c).  The Eastenders will meet Hedon Rangers in next Friday's final...

April 2014

What a mixed bag!  April 2014 saw Hull City playing only their second ever FA Cup semi-final, winning an eight-goal thriller to reach their first ever FA Cup Final.  The day before we’d finally ended our own eight-match losing run by winning at fifth-placedNewark Town in a real “old school” Easington performance.  And the night before that (Friday – do keep up) Rovers had bounced back from their Challenge Cup exit to win atWarrington...which they rarely do.  It was a fantastic sporting weekend – and I missed all of it thanks to a pre-planned weekend in London and at Harry Potter World for the Elder Slushette’s 11th birthday treat. 

Whilst I could at least listen to the Robins’ win on the radio, news of the 1-0 win at Newark was learnt via mobile updates while being dragged round Hamleys Toys and the M & M Store!  As for City’s rollercoaster ride against the Blades, well that was followed by Twitter on the coach, with a fast fading battery...agonising is not the word.  Still, it provides me with yet another item for my father-of-the-bride wedding day speech...

The rest of the month brough an aforementioned cup exit for Rovers, a magnificent first Hull derby of the season and some decent local football...

Saturday 5th April

CML North Division

Easington United 2 Harworth Colliery 3

This was most certainly one that got away, but simply by virtue of this fact it probably helps explain why we are where we are in the table.

The match report can be read here.

Facebook pics can be found here (Burt) and here (Craig).

Sunday 6th April

Rugby League Challenge Cup Round 1

Hull KR 24 Warrington Wolves 28

Hopes of a decent cup run – and chance to really gloat over the Dullers’ exit the preceding Thursday – were dashed by Warrington’s second half comeback at The KC Lightstream.

It was the Younger Slushette’s first visit to the ground (her previous taste of Rovers having come courtesy of a derby defeat at the KC) and my first taste of the new North Stand.

In truth that was the most impressive part of the day, the superb new structure being home to some excellent pre-match entertainment from Half Deaf Clatch (even if I’d have preferred that on offer for the Wakefield and Bradford games – The Happy Endings, complete with the sumptuous vocal talents of Emma Fee).  Free face painting for the kids, plenty of photo opportunities with Rufus The Robin and the improved catering areas added to a real feel-good factor about the place.  Rovers can certainly be proud of it.

Just a shame about result, which according to many comments I heard on the way out, signalled the end of the Robins’ season...in April!

At least the Elder Slushette's birthday tea in the Crown at Kilnsea (complete with Timothy Taylor Landlord) helped offset any immediate post-match disappointment :-)
The official BBC report is here.
Action shot courtesy of The Warrington Guardian.

Wednesday 16th April

CML North Division

Bentley Colliery 1 Easington United 2

A weekend excursion to London and Harry Potter World to mark the Elder Slushette’s 11th birthday had not only scuppered my hopes of seeing Hull City reach the FA Cup Final for the first time ever but also meant I missed a first ever trip to Newark Town’s Station Road ground and, more importantly, a rare Easington away win!

As such I was determined not to pass up the opportunity of catching the lads next time out, which involved tying in the weekly visit to our Hessle office with a dash down the M18 to The Avenue.

Throw in the prospect of the League’s best meat pies, one of the funniest PA announcers in the country and a meet-up with a former Hull City skipper afterwards and it was too good to miss...and that’s before you throw in a second successive away win!

In the event the pie more than lived up to expectation.  Pete on the mic also kept me entertained: “Welcome to Bentley Colliery versus Easington You-narted. Easington’s colours are bot...bottle and go...er, green and yella!”  As for the former Tiger, that came in the form of Stuart Croft, scorer of City’s winner at the very first “away” match I saw back in 1980.  More of this can be found in my other blog in due course.

All in all it was one of the best trips this season – and that’s despite having The Pistol and the PPE nowhere to be seen!

My match report can be read here.
Photos of the game can also be found on our Facebook page. 

My other blog is A Hull Of A Time.

Thursday 17th April

Super League

Hull KR 21 Hull FC 20

Although disappointed when first learning that the switch of the Easter derby from the traditional Good Friday date to the preceding night, in the event the move proved a good one as the teams served up a thriller in front of an atmosphere that – if my own behaviour is anything to go by – was helped enormously by the quaffing of much tea-time ale!

A late afternoon trip down Hull’s real ale quarter - taking in decent ales at Lion & Key, The Manchester Arms and Hawkes Bar (complete with dimpled glass (it doesn't take much!) - was followed by the introduction of three “Smoggies” (one works colleague from ‘the Boro and two of his mates) to the world of “Hulking Stan Rovers” and the game “rrrrrrrrrragby leeeague”. 

I think they enjoyed it.  I know I did.

For a match report read here.

Saturday 19th April

CML North Division

Easington United 2 Clay Cross Town 1

And the run goes on!  The first of the Easter Double-Egger saw opening day opponents Clay Cross travel north and return empty-handed following another solid showing.

It was one of those performances reminiscent of the first season in the CML – passages of excellent football, flashes of individual brilliance and plenty of good old fashioned backs-to-the-wall defending.  Hopefully, it bodes well for next season...

My match report can be read here.

The Clay Cross report can be found here

Facebook pictures can be found here (Burt) and here (Craig).

Saturday 26th April

CML North Division

Ollerton Town 3 Easington United 2

Ollerton is one of those places that for some reason I always know for certain before going that we’re not going to come away with anything.  And this time was no different, mainly because of the early dismissal of Anthony Barnett for denying a goal-scoring opportunity...even though the ball ended up in the net anyway!

That said we put up a really good scrap and to hear the “elder statesmen” of the home support turn on their side after Jamie’s first goal was not only very, very funny but also testament to the effort the lads put in.

A decent pint of Mansfield Cask Ale afterwards was a bonus...lack of any food was not ;-)

Our report can be found here.
The Ollerton report can be read here.
Facebook page pics can be found here.

Tuesday 30th April

South Holderness Cup Round 1

Easington United Reserves 7 Bilton Athletic 1

Ah, the South Holderness Cup – that traditional end-of-season competition in which games are played in front of big crowds on gorgeous spring evenings.  Hmm, this one took place in conditions normally akin to those experienced in November and was watched by just enough people to form two touchline five-a-side teams.

Still, at least those present managed to catch the Reserves’ first win in 28 games; and that after falling behind inside five minutes!
A brief report can be read here, while Facebook page pics can be viewed here.

March 2014

The good news was that March proved a full month of fixtures with no interruptions from the weather; the bad news was that we failed to pick up a solitary win from any of them!

Still, a month that began with a heavy home defeat at the hands of Bentley Colliery at least ended on something of a high – the return of a couple of old favourites in time to help secure a point at Phoenix...

Saturday 1st March

CML North Division

Easington United 1 Bentley Colliery 4

The previous season’s meeting with Bentley had seen us come out on the right end of an amazing 8-5 scoreline.  Unfortunately, it would be our visitors who returned to the home of the best pies in the league with the points, as we failed to build on the promise of the previous Saturday’s hard-earned point at Sherwood.

Making the afternoon even more disappointing was that the game marked Andy G’s first game in charge following The Sumo’s midweek resignation due to increased work and other commitments.

The official match report can be found here.

The Facebook pictures can be found here (Burt) and here (Craig).

Saturday 8th March

CML North Division

Easington United 3 Askern 3

To my disappointment, I’d missed the away game – and new ground tick - at Askern just prior to Christmas.  I’m glad I didn’t miss this one as both teams served up a very entertaining six-goal thriller...and a decent case of handbags as well!  Unfortunately, failure to kill the game off meant our winless run went on...

The official match report can be found here.

The Facebook pictures can be found here (Burt) and here (Craig).

Sunday 9th March

FA Cup Round 6

Hull City 3 Sunderland 0

An FA Cup quarter-final in Hull and only 16,000 home fans bothering to see it – just how bad is that? As my brother-in-law said to me beforehand, have City fans really become so blasé about success; surely not?

As it was, the large Mackems travelling support helped contribute to a decent atmosphere and by the end of the game the Younger Slushette had extended her winning run with the Tigers to three games in which City have score 13 goals and conceded none!

A fan's view of the game comes from City Independent's Ian Waterson as part of a decent piece run in the Hull Daily Mail prior to the Final.

In addition, Amber Nectar carried it's own fine report, while a national perspective was given by Louise Taylor in The Guardian.

As for me, I decided to buy a little reminder of a magic moment...

 Saturday 15th March

CML North Division

AFC Mansfield 4 Easington United 0

Hmm, perhaps not the first choice of match with which to tie-in my birthday (two days earlier) but for 40 minutes it promised to be one of those proper “I was there...” moments.  That’s because one of the youngest line-ups ever fielded at First Team level had more than held their title-chasing hosts.  Indeed we’d actually enjoyed the better chances.  Then the Bulls scored.  After the break they soon added a second and that was about that.

The official match report can be found here.

AFC Mansfield’s report (with pictures) can be found here.

The Facebook pictures can be found here.

Saturday 22nd March

CML North Division

Easington United 2 Newark Town 5

Newark were another team whose first visit to the ‘Humber Riviera’ attracted a decent away following but was also marked by one of the most miserable days of the season weather-wise!  Still, the visitors returned to Nottinghamshire buoyed by a victory that was all-too-easy for Andy Graham’s liking.

The official match report can be found here.

Newark’s report (with pictures) can be found here.

The Facebook pictures can be found here.

Saturday 29th March

CML North Division

Phoenix 2 Easington United 2

The return of a couple of familiar faces (as part of six deadline day signings completed by AG) helped inspire us to a fine away point at Brinsworth, especially given that the lads were forced to come from two down to do it.

The noise from the nearby New York Stadium, where Rotherham United were edging nearer to a League One play-off place, made for a slightly surreal pitch-side atmosphere.  Meanwhile, the choice of three hand-pulled ales in the clubhouse helped maintain this venue as one of my favourite on the calendar (I opted for Barnsley Bitter and Pheasantry PA).  

The official match report can be found here.

The Facebook pictures can be found here.

February 2014

February was another month in which the weather played a major part, the only action at Low Farm coming on the last Saturday!  With City's home game against Southampton providing my only other source of live sport, at least February saw me go full steam ahead on 'A Hull Of A Time' book and blog...

Saturday 1st February

CML North Division

Easington United v Kinsley Boys - match postponed

Although this picture doesn't perhaps show the pitch in its worst light, rest assured that those areas that are brown were, shall we say, very soft underfoot.  In particular the far end penalty area was very wet with small areas of standing water, as was the far touchline.  We'd wait another week...

Saturday 8th February

CML North Division

Ollerton Town v Easington United - match postponed

Saturday 15th February

CML North Division

Easington United v Westella Hanson - match postponed

...Or three as it turned out!  Suddenly the late start to the season and the fact we'd not yet been given one of the Yorkshire floodlit grounds midweek meant our backlog problems were beginning to look a tad serious.

Tuesday 11th February

FA Premier League

Hull City 0 Southampton 1

Hmm, not quite as enjoyable as my most recent visit to the KC Stadium.  Still, fair play to the Saints who looked an excellent side and to their support, who travelled in numbers and were superb throughout.

The Daily Telegraph match report can be read here.  Amber Nectar's account of the night can be read here.

Sunday 16th February
Rugby League Superleague
Hull Kingston Rovers 6 Leeds Rhinos 34

Rovers' big day fell somewhat flat!  The first day of the new season brought a near capacity crowd of over 11,500 to the re-branded KC Lightstream Stadium (Craven Park) but Leeds blew their hosts away with a scintillating second half performance.  Former Hull FC winger added insult to injury with a hat-trick of tries.

At least a certain East Stand cockerel managed to keep me entertained - especially when putting Rhinos skipper Kevin Sinfield off during his normally reliable goal-kicking routine.  In fairness the Leeds man took it all in good heart, casting a smile in his barracker's direction after finally nailing one late on.

The BBC match report can be read here.  Hull KR's own report can be read here.

Saturday 22nd February

ER County League Premier Division

Easington United Reserves 1 Beverley Town Reserves 2

Ah, football at Low Farm at last.  While the First Team were eking out a valuable point on the road at Sherwood Colliery, I contented myself with the Stiffs against current league leaders Beverley Town Reserves.  Perhaps wisely I ventured only briefly across the ditch to where the Casuals were receiving something of a tonking at the hands of Withernsea.

Reserves match report here.  Photos on Facebook here.

First Team report at Sherwood here and Facebook photos from that game here.