Hucknall high and Low Farm low

Saturday 28th August - AFC Hucknall (away) Won 3-1

Monday 30th August - Hutton Cranswick United (home) Lost 0-2

  "Tell me why I don't like Mondays!"

Nothing should surprise me anymore when watching football.  Especially so when it involves Easington United.  But given the manner in which the lads dug deep to become the first CMFL side this season to beat new boys (and "pantomime villains") AFC Hucknall, even I wasn't prepared for the sorry capitulation to our East Riding rivals Hutton Cranswick two days later.  It was enough to make me wish I'd stayed in Fuller's garage!
Saturday's trip to Watnall Road, home of AFC Hucknall (or Hucknall Town Reserves as I believe almost everybody now knows them to be) was our first league away jaunt of the new season.  As such it was good to see that Pistol Pete was starting as he means to go on...by being late.

Are we at the right ground? Stop it!

Ten minutes past the 11am departure time, the trusty old "Riding School Express" turned up Hull Road and proceeded to trundle towards me with horn blaring and the "Old Gits" (Pistol Pete & Shotgun Burt) a picture of mischief in the front.

Given that I was accompanied by Mrs Slush whilst awaiting the arrival of the charabanc, perhaps, "Eh up, he'll be home by eleven!" wasn't Pete's wisest opening line; especially as the York pre-season trip had previously prompted the question from my beloved of, "Why does a ninety minute football match last nine hours?"

Once aboard the conversation soon plummeted to the depths we became used to last season, courtesy of Pistol Pete's recollections of a somewhat nasty incident involving his cess-pit, mongrel collie and a "bossy" German Shepherd.  Trust me, you don't need to know anymore.

I'll say one thing for our driver though.  We're rarely behind schedule for long and despite a trip to Hull that included late drop-outs, forgotten shinpads and a need to fill the tank, we were accompanying the Doncaster-bound Tiger Nation out of Hull along the A63 just after midday.

Opponents Hucknall have quickly become the most talked about "new" club in the CMFL.  This is probably due to the aforementioned reference to the fact that they are indeed anything but new.  Although the name is AFC Hucknall, the club is to all intents and purposes the reserve side of Evo-Stik (Northern Premier) League side Hucknall Town, a fact that isn't even denied on their club website.

Why this should create such a furore stems from the League rules regarding Reserve team membership i.e. they should compete in the designated Reserve Divisions (Supreme & Premier Reserve) and not alongside supposed "first" teams.

Hucknall's case hasn't been helped by a storming start to the season.  Three wins out of three and seventeen goals therein, including back to back victories of 7-2 against Thorne Colliery away and a fancied South Normanton Athletic side at home in midweek.  It had perhaps gone to some people's heads for in the programme Chairman Daniel Pheasant wrote: "15 points before September is an exciting prospect".  Hmm.

 Nice place

Therefore we travelled very much as underdogs; which is how we like it.  And on arrival at Watnall Road I was glad "The Yellows" are in our league - the chance to play against clubs like this on grounds like this was the main reason for joining the CMFL in the first place.  But I still had a sense of foreboding about the possible result!

Here they come, the next lambs for the slaughter...

This was only temporarily lifted when home keeper Rob Searcey inadvertently palmed Chav's 7th minute corner into his own net to gift us the lead.

And as wave after wave of yellow attacks came forward, my only enjoyment of the game came courtesy of the frustration voiced by a somewhat impatient home crowd as we managed to continually repel all boarders.

Chav informs the home dugout that they've no divine right to score!

That we did was down partly to a resolute defensive quartet (of which central duo Blounty and returning skip AG were prominent) and especially thanks to a superb display by keeper Chaz.

I can remember at least four top drawer saves, with my favourite being the reflex one that thwarted Danwell Francis's 32nd minute volley.

Alongside Chaz, I also thought Smalls did a sterling job in trying to snuff out the threat of highly-rated left winger Terry Hawkridge.  He didn't always succeed but he stuck to his task and it was the Hucknall lad who got frustrated the longer the game went on.
This frustration would've been doubled had Frosty put away a great chance that came his way as part of a rare foray into Hucknall territory.

  And Frost must score...

...but doesn't

The half-time interval allowed me further chance to peruse the (recently passed) plans for Hucknall's new ground - some hundred or so yards up from the current one!  And mighty impressive they are too.  We did ask if the old ground could be dismantled and shipped for use at Low Farm but...

Nice plans

I also enjoyed an informative chat with the new CMFL Chairman, John Edwards, during the break  and was relieved that I was able to do so from a position of some strength on the field (it's always nice to put on a decent show in front of League officialdom!). 
As I ventured out for the second half, one of the locals asked me how much was in the brown envelope we'd obviously passed to the referee.  I didn't bother answering but instead just smiled.  We had rode our luck a little in the first 45 minutes, that much was true, but to lay the blame at the hands of the referee, well...

 "The Thin Blue Line"

The pattern of the game hadn't changed much and soon Chaz was called into action again, making a couple of fine stops to deny Jimmy Pheasant and Sam Sims in quick succession.
But as the home "crowd" (43 head-count) began to get more and more impatient with their team's often patient approach play, the equaliser came just 14 minutes from time; Francis this time making no mistake from six yards out, albeit after our defenders felt Richie Holmes had crossed the ball from beyond the byeline.
While the sense of relief around the ground was palpable, I slumped back in my seat now fearing the worst.  But what's this...

 A nippy little Frost

From the restart JC hit a somwhat ambitious angled pass intended for Frosty to run on to but much too close to left back Terry Henshaw.  However the ex-Burton Albion man steered his intended backpass wide of the onrushing Searcey and Frosty was allowed to run the ball into an empty net.
There would be no stopping us now.  And a third came when Stumo's flick set Frosty free again and he showed great strength before rifling into the top corner.  Burt and I jigged down the touchline - not pretty but quite frankly I didn't give a damn.
Gav almost gave us a fourth to celebrate in injury time when picking up the ball on halfway and advancing Geoff Hurst '66 style down the inside left channel.  Unfortunately his shot was inches too high.
No worries; 3-1 would do nicely.

Oh dear...

As the home management sat their players down in the centre-circle for a mixture of warm-down and inquest, our dressing room echoed to the sounds of "Gimme an 'E' and an 'A' and an 'S' 'I' 'N'..."
We enjoyed the obligatory post-match pint with our genial hosts before stocking up at the local Co-op for a boozy, noisy drive home enriched by Pistol Pete's choice of a more scenic route back.
All-in-all it was a somewhat more pleasant experience than the first away day of the previous season (despite the lack of a decent real ale).  At any rate my thirst for a "proper pint" was sated on return to the Granby where a couple of Great Newsome Ploughman's Pride (4.2%) capped off a superb day.
That was Saturday...
I enjoyed Sunday.
Then came Monday...
If I'm honest my only foreboding on the morning of the Bank Holiday meeting with local rivals (and good friends) Hutton Cranswick United was that the strong winds would spoil a game of football.  It never entered my head that we would fail to build on Saturday's stunning result.

"Cranny" themselves arrived in good spirits following their 2-0 home win over another of this season's newcomers, Nottingham United.  But they were without influential skipper Daz Parker and the reliable Paul Taylor, who injured himself pre-match.  Surely, despite us being without the suspended duo of AG and Frosty, we would have too much for them?

Lights, camera, action

If this sounds a little disrespectful it's certainly not meant to be.  We've enjoyed some titanic struggles with the Rotsea Lane side over the past decade and no game against them is ever easy.  But, given the performance at Hucknall and the confidence and belief that it brought, no team should have been able to touch us on Monday, on our own patch and in front of a decent crowd (84 h/c).
But they did.  And what's more they thoroughly deserved to.

 We should really have scored from this position - we didn't

As Mack would point out to his players afterwards, "What really disappointed me is that a team has come here and wanted it more than we did".  That hurts.
On what became a gloriously sunny afternoon, the game was settled by a goal in each half, from Steve Chapman on 24mins and the outstanding Danny Rookes on 62mins - the latter being celebrated by a triple back-flip of the sort never seen before at The Farm!

 Close...

...Closer...

...and thrice close...

...but no cigar

We huffed and puffed and raised faint hopes of a comeback with a few bits of panic in and around their box but in truth we could still be playing now and Leon Sewell's goal would not be breached.
The disappointment of defeat was reflected in a few choice words among team "mates" afterwards; something I don't mind (as long as it stays within the changing room).  For me it shows that at least the lads care.  They now need to show it again by putting it right at Welbeck this weekend.

 You just know it's one of those days

The "elder statesmen" of the Hutton Cranswick club - Denis Cox and Jim Ezard - have become good friends of the Eastenders over the years and as such a very pleasant post-match session was enjoyed in their company (aided by the Granby's tremendous Pasties and the aforementioned Ploughman's Pride).  It was almost enough to make me forget the disappointment of what had gone before.  Then I got home to write the report, the result sheet...and this!
How quickly fortunes can change in football...

Thanks to Burt for the photos

Garage Music

A garage, some ale & some quality sounds = Bank Holiday Heaven!

Garage Music - two old twats, a beer and an 80s vinyl collection 

This August Bank Holiday weekend threw up plenty of alternatives for family entertainment on the Sunday.  Stay in the village and there was a morning event at the Youth Club followed in the afternoon by the annual Bogie Race; drive 6 miles inland and it was the Annual Patrington Cricket Club Fun Day; head up the coast to Withernsea and there was chance to enjoy live music in Valley Gardens.

Sod that.  I ended up sat in a garage with one of me old muckers drinking real ale and listening to some 80's and early 90's classics.

The ales came courtesy of the Fuller Fridge and comprised some surprisingly good "Specially Selected" offerings from Aldi's Finchley's Ales collection (Golden  Pale, India Pale and XB English) along with the reliable Badger First Gold and England's Gold.

The sounds came courtesy of our host's rather excellent collection of LP's, 12" and 7" singles from an era that people would rather have us forget.  Not a chance.
And the final component - the accompanying conversation - took us on another trip down memory lane; from Withernsea High School and Burton Pidsea Memorial Hall discos to Teddy's and Eldons Nightclubs; from Star Of The West and Masters Bar to Bass House and Hull Cheese; and from Dram Shop and Trogg Bar to Royal Oak (near Waterfront),  Reflections & Queens (en route to Spiders).  Ah, nostalgia's not what it used to be...

And among the sounds were those I'd long forgotten, from Talk Talk, Icicle Works, Japan, The Adventures, The Associates and Depeche Mode through to those I only came to appreciate much later in life (Simple Minds and Style Council etc) to some of my all time faves, with which I'll bid you good night...

There may well be better ways to spend your Bank Holiday but, to be honest, I'm struggling to think of one at the moment...

Frustration & Agitation

Saturday 21st August - FC 05 Bilsthorpe (home) Drew 1-1

 "One won't be enough today I'm telling you..."

When I was a nipper we used to play a game for four called "Frustration", which consisted of a pop-up dice in the middle and four counters per player; the object being to get all your counters around the board and into their "home" safely without those of any of your opponents landing on you.  Basically, it depended on the roll (or pop) of the dice.

We recently bought a variation of the game for the Slushettes.  It's now called Agitation but the formula remains the same; except '1' is the magic number, not '6' as was always the case when we were young.

I was reminded of both these games during the ninety minutes of football on show at Low Farm last Saturday.  Both titles sum up the overriding feelings among the home players, management and supporters perfectly.

For they had just squandered a great chance to make it two out of two for the start of the season.  And what's more, we didn't really start playing until the last fifteen minutes but should still have gone home with all 3pts.

That said, I'm not going to begrudge opponents FC 05 their share of the spoils.  As Manager Mack acknowledged afterwards, they came with a game plan and they saw it to fruition.

In fact, they were the more enterprising of the two teams early on as a hefty shower swept across Low Farm.  

But then from nowhere we were ahead.  On seventeen Mozzer drives into the box, gets entangled with goalkeeper Milnes and goes over. Penalty says referee Derek Brumpton and to be fair there are few protests.  Having said that, if the foul was clear-cut, given the position of Moz at the time it's perhaps surprising that no card was issued...a fact we would regret later on!

Up stepped Chav - he doesn't miss penalties - and didn't. 1-0.

 Chav doesn't miss penalties...

Thoughts that the goal might settle us down are misplaced.  Both Conroy and O'Rourke go close for the visitors.  We need a second...and nearly get it when JC puts Farny clear but his chip pings against the bar with Milnes beaten.  It's a narrow and perhaps fortuitous half-time lead.

The rain is in the air again at the interval but the Tea Hut still plays host to the assembled throng stood out front chatting over the events of the first 45 minutes, the past seven days and in some cases what seems like a whole lifetime!  I am quite rightly accosted for my inadvertent omission of a couple of Player Sponsors from the programme.  Thankfully they don't demand their money back and I assure them their names will be in for the Hutton Cranswick game on Bank Holiday Monday!

"I'd have had fower be noo if ah were playing"

I was busy flicking off the generator at the start of the second half when a groan from the crowd told me that we should have doubled our lead.  "Easier to score" was perhaps a cruel observation but Chav's miss would prove vital.

He wasn't the only one to pass up an opportunity; Frosty bursting through on the left but unable to find the target or even force a save.  I turned to Dooley Cousins (now thankfully without the rather fetching umbrella lent him by our Club Secretary) and say, "one one this".  I didn't mean to sound clever and in fact hoped to God I was wrong but you know when you just get that feeling...

It came on 67 minutes.  A foul just inside our half (which rather harshly also resulted in yellow for Blounty) and from the ensuing free-kick, the ball bounced back off the unfortunate Bezza just nicely for big centre-half Matt Peet to lash into the net.  1-1 and memories of last season's dropped points against the Notts outfit came scurrying back.

Mack rang the changes.  Stumo and Gav on for the tiring Hutch and the slightly off-key Farny, followed soon after by AG for Smalls.  And we at last began to force the pace.

A man for all seasons...nearly

Stumo was thwarted by Milnes as was Bezza as suddenly we looked like snatching a winner.  More fluent approach play, a ball whipped into the box, bounces up, hits an outstretched arm and most of the 56 spectators plus eleven lads in green & gold plead with Mr Brumpton for a second penalty.  Waved away.

Into injury time and - as Dooley points out - "we'll get one more chance".  We do.  A corner, not dealt with, drops to Chav about twelve yards out to the left of goal; he connects sweetly on the volley and the ball is top corner bound...only for Milnes to somehow get up and claw it away to safety.  The chance has gone.

Hope the Swedish Branch of the Ezzie SC were impressed!

Ironically the end of the game is accompanied by the best of the weather and it's gloriously sunny walk back to the Granby for Elder Slushette and me, my mood tempered only by the frustration of this result and news of The Tigers' drawing a blank at home to Watford.

Thankfully awaiting me in the pub is a fine pint of Great Newsome Harvest's Gold, with post-match burger and chips helping alleviate the slightly melancholy feel.  A couple of these and I'm already looking forward (or "forrad" as we say in these parts) to next week's first visit to Watnall Road, home of AFC Hucknall Town, a team that is already starting to attract much interest on the message boards - and a lot of it from before a ball had even been kicked.  Check back next week to find out why...

Thanks to Burt for the camera work

Quick off the blocks

Saturday 7th August - Hull City 2 Swansea City 0

Saturday 14th August - Bulwell Town (home) Won 3-1

"Eh up, here we go again..."

It's always nice to start the season with a home win.  And thanks to the conflicting start dates of the two competitions I take a particular interest in, I got to witness two of my favourite teams do just that.  I'd like to think that come the season's end both  will also be challenging at the top end of their respective divisions.  But I'm not altogether confident on that one.

I know it's easy for fans of teams relegated from the Premier League to say, "I'm quite relieved really, I didn't really like the Premier League" but, well, I'm quite relieved really, I didn't really like the Premier League!

However, in my case it's not so much to do with the fact that I could quite easily tire of "my" team having to endure season after season without a whiff of success (such as, say, perennial top-flight strugglers Wigan) but more to do with not being able to get into see "my" team on a match day.

  The Tiger Nation has a new hero

And that's perhaps why I really enjoyed the experience of taking the Elder Slushette to her first ever game in the NPower Championship.  Despite an excellent opening day crowd of over 21,000 there was a relaxed air about the whole experience.

Avid readers of this blog (if there is such a thing) will know that my eldest is already a fairly frequent attendee at Hull KR matches.  However, until this season her Tiger Trekking exploits had  been limited to just one game in the (supposedly) best league in the world.  Admittedly it was a good one - City's late comeback to gain a 2-1 win over Stoke on Remembrance Sunday 2009.

And so with one good luck omen by my side and another on my back (by virtue of the limited-edition 2003/04 Promotion Winners home shirt which, I'll have you know, has never witnessed a Hull City defeat) I entered the KC Stadium at just after 1.30pm ready to see the new look Tiggers cull some Swans.

A winning combination

 

After the Elder Slushette had chosen the latest addition to her baseball cap collection from the club shop and I'd seen the best part of a tenner disappear on a pint, bottle of coke and two bags of crisps, we made our way to our seats with just under an hour to go to kick-off.

Positioned on the penultimate row of the grandiosely-titled Forest Pines Hotel & Golf Resort West Stand Upper; just to the right of the gathered Press throng (which, thankfully, now does not include some patronising commentator from Match of the Day) it was a spectacular if slightly vertigo-inducing experience for a seven-year-old.

 The Something or Other West Stand at the home of football

  
For the Elder Slushette the recent trip to a different part of the same stand for Rovers' derby defeat by the Dullers had seen us about halfway as high and she'd found that daunting enough.  But this was in a different league; indeed a different ball game altogether.

And at least she'll have something to take from her first Saturday spent watching the Tigers.  Namely, an absolute belter of a debut goal from loan signing John Bostock that lit up an otherwise pretty uneventful first half.

"Captain Marvel" Ian Ashbee's return to the side after another career-threatening injury was capped by the killer second goal early in the second half and despite being far from spectacular, the 2-0 win constituted a solid start to proceedings "back where we belong" (as some would have you believe).

Having been impressed by what I'd seen and heard of new manager Nigel Pearson previously at Leicester, I must admit I have a good feeling about him as the man to help steady the ship in the historic port of Hull.  But then I think I had a similar feeling about Stan Ternent once upon a time!

As for the Elder Slushette she was soon asking "when can we come again?"  Always a good sign, even if the main reason is for the accompanying treats that such trips bring with them.

Build it and they will come

Two days after my daughter's Championship opener it was back to grassroots level (i.e. the day job) and our final pre-season friendly, against the County Juniors (see previous post).
That completed, it was time to put the finishing touches to the programme for the first league game of the season - at home to Bulwell Town.

Goalkeeper Charlie finds team photos soooo interesting!

 

In my last post I've already mentioned the potential baggage that could have accompanied our opening day fixture.  And I must admit to feeling a touch of trepidation in the final hours before kick-off, especially as the minibus bringing our opponents finally pulled into Low Farm. 
I needn't have.  From the onset, both sets of players and officials were determined that nothing would happen that would excite either the official "observers" from the League and the East Riding County FA or - and how surreal is this - the watching officers from the Ministry of Defence Police, normally employed to guard the nearby North Sea Gas Terminals from potential terrorist attack!
Somebody whose defences could have done with improved security on a baking hot day at The Farm was visiting keeper Alex Smith.  Twice in the first half he was beaten by speculative efforts; first on just 5mins by Frosty's left-wing cross that dropped in at the far post, then just before the break by Smalley's left foot swinger which somehow looped over the hapless netminder for 3-1.

Mozzer's free-kick (top) Farny's flick...that'll be 2-0 then!

In-between Smith may also feel he should have prevented Farny's deftest of touches that diverted Mozzer's 15th minute free-kick past him for 2-0.
At that stage we looked as if we may run amok.  However, to their credit, Bulwell hung in there and started to force the pace a little towards half-time.  Their reward came via James Duffy's 36th minute free-kick and they may well have fancied their chances of completing the comeback in the second half had Smalls' goal just two minutes before the break not knocked the stuffing out of them.

 Smalley's swinger comes good at last!

The second half proved less of a spectacle and despite plenty of huffing and puffing Bulwell rarely threatened a goal.
Meanwhile at the other end Smith partially redeemed himself with two fine saves from Jamie C while The Brettster sent a 30-yarder fizzing just wide of his right-hand upright.
The final whistle signalled a pleasing start to 'Life after Nige' for manager Mack (assistant Rutter having departed in midweek due to other commitments) and an encouraging introduction to the side for his new Number 2, Ian Taylor.
Off the field my day had been made enjoyable by a decent crowd (83 h/c) and some decent matchday takings, especially in player sponsorship, which is an area we've notoriously struggled in over the past few seasons.

With Bulwell unable to join us in The Granby afterwards, it was a generally satisfied throng who gathered round the telly for "Final Score" (and news of The Tigers' continuing travails on their travels).
I sank a couple of fine pints of Pricky Back Otchan before retiring to a friend's party up the road; happy in the knowledge that the day had gone about as well as I could have hoped and already looking forward to the following week's home game against FC 05 Bilsthorpe.
Meanwhile, some people are looking forward instead to their holidays.  Aren't they Brett...

"Am I glad I'm not flying with Kiss!"

Thanks as always to Burt Graham and Colin Brammer for the Easington United photographs used on this page.

The waiting is nearly over...again

CML football returns to the Farm tomorrow - the perfect antidote to a World Cup hangover!

Two men and a tent...or two

Tomorrow brings the visit of Bulwell Town to the Easington Rec & Sports Ground, or Low Farm as we all know it, for the first game of the 2010/11 season in the Black Dragon Premier Division of the Abacus Lighting Central Midlands Football League.

By coincidence the Nottingham side were our first visitors last year, for our inaugural game in the competition.  A repeat of that afternoon's 2-1 win would be nice.

One repeat we won't be looking for is of the events that happened in April's return fixture at the Goosedale Sports Ground.  The fallout from that day is still to be finally mopped up although the findings of the recent Disciplinary Hearing at the East Riding County FA has at least satisfied us that we shouldn't have much cause for further concern.

We come into tomorrow's game on the back of four pre-season matches and the best attendances at training that I can recall.  Off the field we appear to have forged a new spirit of togetherness throughout the three teams that, if I'm being totally honest, perhaps wasn't always there before.  

Plus our decision to relocate all teams to The Granby this term means that although I forsake a pint of Black Sheep every post-match Saturday, I've been given the opportunity to sample some of the local Great Newsome Brewery's seasonal affairs.  And if recent offerings Haymakers Tipple and Rouging Reward are a taste (literally) of what's to come then 2010/11 could be an exciting season!

Saturday 17th July - Friendly v Hamilton Panthers 
(away) Won 3-1

This year's first batch of hopefuls

The pain of England's abysmal World Cup showing was barely three weeks old when we boarded Pistol Pete's Riding School Express for the first pre-season game, away at York side Hamilton Panthers.  And while several other residents of the East Riding (described as Hull City fans but obviously nothing of the sort) took it upon themselves to trash a local hostelry on the same day, this particular football fan enjoyed seeing his side run out 3-1 against our York League opponents.  Farny with a brace before jetting off on hols and JC with the other.

The game took place on York College's impressive 3G surface but it was the post-match destination that had me most excited.  Our post-match sesh on last year's trip to York had seen us take up residence in The Ainsty to watch the Hull KR v Hull FC derby game.  And the pub had been an absolute gem with a selection of fine cask ales on offer.

Oh what a come-down this time.  Of the six pumps available, only John Smith's Cask was on (the Adnams Broadside having just gone off) and the immediate tasting notes from Assistant Nige weren't favourable!  So, it being summer and a pleasant enough day, I chose a cider and sat next to The Passionate One, DC, who'd hot-footed it over along with sidekick Pash, from the former KitKat Crescent where Daniel Cousin's late strike had put Conference side York to the sword.

Any disappointment at lack of real ale was more than atoned for by the quality and quantity of food brought out (although it wasn't until half-an-hour later that we realised it hadn't all been intended for us!).

En route home, Pistol Pete's requirement for a birthday card for 'The Gaffer' meant an unscheduled stop-off in Beverley where it would have been rude not to have a pint.  And so to The Beaver we adjourned, where a very nice pint of Deuchars IPA went some way to atoning for the Ainsty's shortcomings.

Beers in the Beaver

One cat-fight later (great entertainment when your friends/family etc aren't directly involved) and we were back on the bus and on the way home.

"Nine hours out for ninety minutes football", said Mrs Slush as I stumbled through the door.  "It's going to be a long season".  Aye, perhaps she's right I thought.

Since the York trip the First Team have had three friendlies, all at home.

Saturday, 24th July - Friendly v Barton Town Old Boys 
(home) Lost 3-4

This was  a game forged out of the good relations Manager Mack enjoys with new Barton boss (& former Westella manager) Dave Anderson.  For us it was an excellent one to host, bringing decent quality opponents to the Farm for the first home fixture of pre-season.

And a bloody good game ensued.  Mozzer fired us in front early only for Chaz to drop a clanger and allow Adam Crane to float home a 40-yard free-kick a minute later.

Gav then lashed us back in front but two in five minutes before the break swung things back the way of the NCEL side.

Twanged it!

Early in the second half we got back on level terms thanks to Owen's opportunism but another rush-of-blood by our usually faultless keeper allowed the visitors to return to the South Bank with a win.

Result aside, we took a lot of positives from the game and in terms of revenue a gate of 70 was very heartening.  As was the cask in The Granby which accompanied some cracking Cornish pasties.

Sunday, 25th July - 
Community Fun Day (including 'Raggy Game'): 
Casuals Select XI 1 Hull City Ex-Tigers 3)

 Two sets of old gits reminisce about the good times

The morning after the Barton game found us all back at the Farm getting things sorted for the first Fun Day, organised by the Eastenders Development Group as this season's main fundraising event of the summer.

It always promised to be something of a hit-and-miss affair as very few of us had been involved in anything similar before (and those who had by way of the once-legendary village Gala are scarred for life!).

Initial signs weren't good.  How many men does it take to put a gazebo up?!  But eventually things got underway, people turned up, the sun shone and fun was had...though not by perhaps as many as we'd hoped and not for as long as we'd hoped.

"Right lads, tactics: spread out and enjoy yourselves!"

Centrepiece of the day was the 'Raggy Game' - the fixture played in memory of former East Ender Mike "Raggy" Hudson who died tragically young back in 1997.  On nine occasions since the event, "Raggy" has been remembered in an annual fixture, originally played between members of his Saturday club (us) and his former Sunday side (Holderness Casuals) and, latterly, between Past v Present Casuals.  Unfortunately, in the last two years the fixture has not taken place.

So following the Ex-Tigers' successful visit to the Farm last summer, some bright spark (!) had the idea that perhaps the former City stars could be persuaded to partake in the Raggy game on an annual basis.  Secretary Dave Bond answered in the affirmative and - despite the last minute disappointment of losing Dean Windass to the Sky Masters tournament - Peter Skipper and co arrived on the Low Farm turf ready for action.

A legendary Skipper

The Casuals Select XI (or 15 to be precise) were all aged over 30 with the exception of Dane Hagan, the 16-yr-old nephew of the late Mike and a new signing for the club this term.

In goal was Steve Eldon, playing his first game since having vowed "Never again" after conceding fourteen at Heslington in last season's ER County Cup!  He was probably thinking, "Why did I agree to this?" when beaten twice inside the opening seven minutes.  And when the Ex-Tigers netted a third on 21mins, a rout seemed on the cards.

"I said I'd never put mesen through this again"

Thankfully, the locals - some of whom had only met for the first time in several years in the moments prior to kick-off - rallied and with Eldon in tremendous form behind them, embarrassment was averted. Indeed a stonking 25-yarder from Craig Foster even ended things on a high.

With the new trophy presented by Mike's sister Gail to City's Adam Lowthorpe, everyone was free to retire to the bar while other events proceeded to take centre-stage.  And by the time a plague of greenflies brought things to a halt around 4pm, most kids had enjoyed  plenty of exercise, while most mums and dads had had ample chance to satisfy their tastes - be it beer or BBQ.

The who day brought in about £550 for the Club and £260 for East End Cancer Relief.  Next year will be bigger...and better.  We promise.

Saturday, 31st July - Friendly v Hornsea Town 
(home)  Lost 3-4

Not a game I'll remember too fondly, due mainly to it being my recommendations to Mack to "try a few things out" in the last 20mins that ultimately saw a 3-0 lead turned into a 3-4 loss.  I'll stick to the paperwork in future!

The result notwithstanding this was another enjoyable affair and another highly competitive game.

For an hour we were irrepressible.  The returning Stumo headed us into a 3rd minute lead and young find of pre-season, Sam Mac, looked to have made it two a couple of minutes later only to be denied by the linesman.

One-Nil

So nearly two!

Hornsea were typically fit, fast and athletic but didn't cause too many problems early on and we were good value for the lead at the break.
Mack switched both strikers at the break and was rewarded when Gav linked with Tom Mac who swept home.
Three up and, if not coasting, comfortable enough if this was a league game I'm certain we'd have seen it out.  But it wasn't so we didn't.  A tinker here, another there and suddenly it was 3-2.  Then, in the 90th, we fail to defend a corner.  All square.  A minute later, free-kick, bundled in at the second attempt, 3-4.  FFS!
Even the cask in Granby was off.

Monday, 9th August - Friendly v ERCFA Juniors 

(home) Won 2-0

And so pre-season came to an end with the annual visit of the East Riding County FA's Juniors Rep squad.  Some of the best Under-18s in the area, which this year included our very own Karl Fitzgerald.

As always the game proved open and entertaining with a goal in each half settling it in our favour; Farny showing strength on the first and then playing sub Stumo for a cool finish in the second half.

A crowd of nearly a hundred helped make the evening an even bigger success and the night was capped off with a fine pint of Pricky Back Otchan in The Granby.

Respect your elders!

Of course pre-season isn't only about the First Team and the Stiffs and Casuals have both begun their preparations.  I'll bring you up to speed with that in due course.  But for now, Bulwell awaits...

Many thanks to Colin Brammer, Burt Graham, Dom Taylor and Dave Longhorn for the photographs used in this pieces 

Getting back in the swing

Normal service is about to be resumed...

Meet the gang cos the boys are here, the boys to entertain you...

It's taken a while I'll admit but, after some serious self-examination, I've come to the conclusion that England's hapless World Cup performance and the destruction of a childhood fascination with Dutch total football are not worth getting hung up about.  Life - or rather the beautiful game of association football - goes on.

And so it has proved.  I type this on the day that Hull City began life after the Premier League and with just over a week to go to the start of the Eastenders' second season in the Central Midlands League.  Stick with me dear reader, it promises to be another rollercoaster of a ride.

An account of the pre-season friendlies to follow in a couple of days.  Oh, and did I mention England are playing again next week...

 

 

On this day...

...I'm with the late, great Sir Bobby Robson when he wrote:

"First I am a patriot, in love with England, English football and the players; but, after that, Dutch soccer has always fascinated and thrilled me, going back to the days of Johan Cruyff and 'total football' in the 1974 and 1978 World Cup Finals.  Holland is only a short hop away..."

(From 'Against The Odds' - An Autobiography)

Guess I won't be supporting Spain tonight then!

Deano's Date At The Farm?

The appearance of a Tigers legend is the highlight of a busy pre-season...

Deano delighted at being selected for the Casuals game

Two weeks into pre-season and things would appear to be shaping up nicely.  There's been a decent turnout at training, with this week's beach session proving particuarly popular!
In addition there has been plenty of chat on Facebook suggesting that many lads are also getting a bit of extra work in-between to ensure they hit the ground running. 
Amusingly (but not surprisingly) there are certain players who have so far failed to make any training session.  No doubt the usual excuses will be trotted out...to be followed by the similarly usual mutterings of complaint when they're not selected for the opening games!  Ah, the joys of grassroots football.

Our build-up to the new season has been given added impetus with the news that Hull City legend Dean Windass is "99% certain" to be in the Ex-Tigers ranks when they face a Casuals Select XI at the forthcoming Community Fun Day on Sunday 25th July.

Before worrying just what "Deano" might do to the poor sod asked to mark him (!) the initial reaction to his impending arrival is one of sheer delight.  With all due respect to his team-mates (some of whom were my heroes during my regular Tiger-trekking days of the 80s & 90s) none quite has the pulling power of the man who scored the goal that propelled his home-town team into the top flight of English football for the first time in their history on that never-to-be-forgotten day in May 2008.

The sweetest strike I've ever witnessed!

In addition to the Fun Day, I've just about managed to complete the pre-season schedule for all three teams.

The senior squad begin on Saturday week (17th July) with a trip to Hamilton Panthers.  This is a reciprocal arrangement for the York League side's visit to us last year and will allow me to be reacquainted with The Ainsty pub where last year, following our pre-season draw at Poppleton, I settled down to enjoy Hull KR's tea-time Derby win while quaffing several pints of excellent ale. 
We follow the York trip with three successive home games.  On 24th July we entertain NCEL side Barton Town Old Boys (2pm) followed a week later by the visit of Pontefract Amateurs (3pm).  Our final visitors are the East Riding County FA Juniors Rep side, provisionally set for Monday 9th August at 6.30pm.

Those players not selected for the above games will get chance to have a run in the AnXI squads selected by Kev Appleyard and Iain McNaught for games at home to Thorngumbald Trinity (21st July), St Andrews FC (29th July) and Roos (still TBC).

All of which should bring us to Saturday, 14th August when the serious stuff begins... 

Going Dutch

In honour of Hull's Orange links (think King Billy, the Ferries and Phil Brown) I'm now supporting the Netherlands in the World Cup...

Tigers Tigers rah rah rah!

I was over it.  No, honestly, I was.  Things had moved on quickly since Sunday.  As my last post describes, the Easington lads are back in pre-season, we've confirmed a couple more friendlies and I've had a Committee Meeting to occupy my thoughts.

In addition, Hull City have appointed a new manager; a shrewd one in my humble opinion, in the form of former Leicester boss Nigel Pearson.  And Yorkshire's fine start to the season has continued with a draw in the Roses match that took them back to the top of the County Championship.  With a US-based server at work denying me access to live commentary from either South Africa or Wimbledon, this season's availability of all Tykes creekit matches streamed via Radio Leeds has been a godsend, especially given the gripping nature of this week's contest.

But then this morning, Victoria Derbyshire interviewed Lucas Radebe on Five Live about tonight's Ghana v Uruguay quarter-final...and the whole sorry episode that was England's 2010 FIFA World Cup campaign suddenly came crashing back into focus.

For had things turned out differently - I'm not saying by much, just a minute off the clock in the USA-Algeria match or, perhaps more decisively, a safer pair of hands by a certain England goalkeeper - and it could well have been us lining up against Diego Forlan and company this evening...

...But it's not.  And, given our struggle to get past Slovenia and the abject nature of the performance against Germany, it's fair to say that had we topped our group we may still have struggled to get past the Black Stars.  Anyway, we'll never know.

As it is, I'm now rooting for Holland, or should I say The Netherlands (what's all that about anyway?) for the remainder of the competition (which may be this tea-time given that they're playing Brazil).

The Great Deliverer...or Reliever?

Don't ask me why.  It's partly historical (Hull has strong links, well King Billy's Bogs in the Old Town and the fact that like many others I was mesmerised by Cruyff and co in West Germany 1974 and Arie Haan's shooting at Argentina '78); it's partly geographical (they're my local team out of those remaining); and partly - very - tenuous (the first Easington side I really followed played in "Brilliant Orange", which was then replaced by a version of the famous Dutch World Cup strip of the Seventies).  Oh, and their flag is red, white and blue.  Ahem.

 The Dutch - traditionally strong up top

Another reason stems from a Stag Trip to Amsterdam in June 1994.  Booked onto the Ferry from Hull as "eleven inspectors visiting Rotterdam Docks" (male-only parties were frowned upon then by the Ferry companies) we arrived in Amsterdam on the lunchtime of the memorable USA v Holland World Cup quarter-final of 1994.

Our intention was to support Brazil, given that the Dutch had eliminated England - aided, it must be said, by an awful refereeing display in the meeting of the two in Rotterdam the previous year (a game forever remembered thanks to Channel 4's brilliant  Do I Not Like That documentary).  However, buoyed by an afternoon spent enjoying the delights of the city's cafe culture (!) and finding ourselves surrounded by thousands of Oranje-clad beauties come kick-off time, we quickly changed allegiance.  Shallow I know but what the heck.

The game itself was a cracker, won 3-2 by Brazil after the Dutch had come from 0-2 down at one stage.

In the wake of the defeat there were scenes I've become all-too accustomed to over here when England exit tournaments - minus the glass throwing and aggro of course!

The two countries met again at the semi-final stage in France '98 with Holland this time everyone's favourite other team thanks to Bergkamp's goal that had disposed of the Argies in the quarters.  Again, though, the Brazilians prevailed.  
Perhaps it'll be third time lucky this afternoon...

Tomorrow, I'm at Beverley Races on a works freebie.  Had things turned out differently, I'd have alternated between the horses and an England-Argentina clash, for which there would surely have been screens provided.  It would have made for a cracking afternoon.  Instead, along with thousands, nay millions of others, I'm left to wonder what might've been...