Home comforts

Saturday 11th September - Nottingham United (home) Won 6-1
Tuesday 14th September - Hull City 2 Derby County 0

Chav doesn't miss penalties...at home!

Frantic?  I'll give you frantic.  How does one fit in all one's sporting interests when one has a wife and two daughters to avoid upsetting? 
With great bloody difficulty I'll tell you.
As you will gather from the previous post, I wasn't particularly popular in the Slush Household on the Sunday following the Welbeck game.  Even though I'd done the decent thing in getting up early (6am) and ensured that both Slushettes were fed and watered before their mother deemed us worthy of her presence I was, well, in the doghouse.
How could I tell?  Ah it's those familiar signs.  Mrs Slush was like the telly when it's on the blink - I had vision but very little sound.  And what sound I did have was restricted to one-word answers given out with very little feeling.  Best keep my head down today, I thought, I've a busy week ahead...
The planned sport-fest had actually started the previous Friday when I'd politely enquired if Mrs Slush would like the computer to herself for a change once the kids were in bed...that way she wouldn't disturb my viewing of the England v Bulgaria Euro 2012 qualifier.  Mission accomplished.  While I enjoyed an England display for the first time since before the World Cup (and on free-to-air telly) Mrs Slush enjoyed an evening of "social networking".  Result.

Defoe's three - free - on ITV!

Sadly, my good start was well and truly blown by my late - and it must be said somewhat dishevelled - return from Welbeck.  My star was most certainly not in the ascendancy and the chances of getting "a pass out" to either (a) the pub to watch the Tuesday night Swiss game and/or (b) the KC Stadium for Saturday's rugby league "Do-or-Die Derby" against the Dullers looked pretty remote to say the least.
There was some serious creeping to be done.  As it was, getting out for the England game proved far too easy (indeed somewhat easier than actually seeing the game itself - see previous rant).  There had to be a catch?  There was and, with stunning timing, Mrs Slush delivered it...
"Err, tickets are on general sale tomorrow for the Derby.  Rovers aren't selling theirs until Thursday but I thought I'd get mine from the KC...it doesn't matter, West Stand will be full of Rovers anyway...I thought I could take Emma...I'd need the car but you..."
"When is it?"
"Sorry?"
"When is it? The rugby?"
"Saturday. Six o'clock. It'll mean leaving football early but..."
"I'm out"
"Sorry? Thought for a minute you said you were out?"
"I am"
"But you don't go out?"
"Exactly"
And that was that.  Turns out Mrs Slush had been storing up this particular invitation - for a curry night in honour of a friend's 40th birthday - for some time now just waiting for the perfect moment to hit me with it.  And as she did so it was with a "thwack" akin to the sort dished out by Union Jack Jackson to some square-jawed Hun in the Warlord comics I used to read as a nipper.
Alas, I therefore may be missing out on the "biggest Hull Derby in thirty years" but at least  Mrs Slush couldn't spoil my enjoyment of Yorkshire's excellent win at Nottinghamshire in cricket's LV County Championship.  Thankfully, neither could my gaffer who - I think - was quite impressed by the excitement emanating from my desk as leaders Notts crashed to 59 all out on the first day.

What about that Cally?

The availability of streamed commentary via BBC Radio Leeds this season has been a real godsend - as has Yorkshire's pursuit of their 32nd County Championship title.  The near-legendary Dave Callaghan, accompanied in the commentary box at Trent Bridge by Radio Nottingham's wonderfully named Dave Bracegirdle, helped the working week pass just that little bit quicker and Cally was duly ecstatic when Joni Bairstow (son of the late great "Bluey") eventually struck the winning runs on Thursday afternoon. So was I.

Farny's front attracts some Nottingham interest?!

Therefore I was back in good books and in good fettle by the time the weekend arrived.  And what a full one it promised to be.  The First Team at home to Nottingham United, with the Reserves set to commence ER County League action;  the Tigers  back following the international break and with an "international" fixture of their own - away at high-flying Cardiff;  Yorkshire at Scarborough in pursuit of success on a second front via the semi-finals of the CB 40 competition; and to cap it all off - that "Do-or-Die Derby"...which I would be listening to on local radio whilst getting the Slushettes ready for bed. Ah well, can't have everything!

"Did he honestly ask Slush whether we've got BBC out here?!"

Nottingham United arrived at Low Farm on a bright but blustery Saturday afternoon looking the part in collar and tie.  And an affable bunch of lads they appeared to be.  Perhaps manager Mark Hartill is wishing they wouldn't be as accommodating - their generosity had already seen them concede 22 goals in just four matches prior to their second visit of the season to the East Riding.
Like FC 05 Bilsthorpe, Nottingham joined the CMFL from the Midland Amateur Alliance.  In fact they actually started life in 2008 as a Sunday League side in the Notts Sunday Football League (NSFL) where they've tasted a fair amount of success.  
The Saturday section grew out of a merger with another local side, Monty Hind Old Boys and the club now operates four Sunday teams and two on Saturdays.  Somewhat bizarrely, they also boast contacts high up in the Bulgarian government following a recent pre-season tour that ensured they began life in their new surrounds a couple of weeks after everyone else.  You can find out more via their website.

Now over the years I've been accustomed to people asking a string of questions that directly relate to Easington's place in the "Back of Beyond".  Usually these queries involve  pointing out the location of the nearest petrol station, cash machine and even fish 'n' chip shop or bemoaning the lack of phone signal (only Orange currently guarantees you half-decent connectivity down the Awd East End!).  
However, prior to the visit of Nottingham United, I can honestly say I'd never been asked the following: "Have you got the BBC?"
Err, yeah, I think so...might only be the World Service though" was my only partially tongue-in-cheek reply!
Turns out the reason visiting Club Sec. Martin Mintov wanted to know was due to the Burnley-Preston game being shown live that tea-time.  It was a game that held particular interest for two members of the visiting team...from Nottingham.  I didn't ask!

Nottingham's charitable nature continues early at Low Farm

As for the game, Mack was looking for back-to-back wins for the first time this season and had duly got his wish by half-time, given the 4-0 interval scoreline.

We were helped by the continuing poor defensive record of the visitors.  Sloppy marking allowed young Fitzy a brace of headers, while goalkeeper Omar Murtaz should have done better with Gav's shot that made it 3-0.

JC's "in-off"!

 "I thowt 'e woz off ti catch it!"

Pick of the bunch was JC's strike on 19mins, a rifled effort in off the post following a fine, flowing move.

Despite their lowly league position, Nottingham possessed a couple of tricky players going forward and perhaps should have had something to show for it at the break.

Thomas misses...

But Fitzy doesn't. 3-0

And Gav gets a helping hand from keeper Omar

During the break I sat in on Dave's team-talk.  I should add that this was done on request - new asst-boss Ian Taylor being in Ibiza and Mack's hoped-for early exit in order to get to the KC Stadium prompting my return to a role I hadn't occupied for some time.
Mack's words probably surprised some of the lads.  Perhaps expecting glowing praise for their first half efforts, they were instead told it wasn't good enough and much improvement was needed!

How not to take a penalty

Instead it was the visitors who struck next, Neal Stevenson scoring from the rebound after Chaz had got down to block his penalty kick, awarded for a shove by Blounty.

The fall-out from the goal saw the aforementioned Easington pair engage in some rather unedifying "conversation" - which appeared particularly un-called for given the fact we were 4-1 up!

Thankfully, within minutes it was five; Fitzy being upended by full-back Thomas and Chav stepping forward to blast home the spot-kick.  He did it twice in fact, following referee Roger Evans' ordering of a retake for encroachment.

And how to take one

And that was just about that, save for a maiden goal for Andy Martin and a horrendous miss by Stu Campbell.

And Stumo must score...



...Oh 'eck!



A 6-1 win, 3pts to the good and everyone's happy - even the Notts lads who were heard to opine that we "weren't very good" before proceeding to enjoy every minute of the  all-Lancastrian thriller in the Championship, eventually pouring out of the Granby and onto their minibus at half-past seven!

Unfortunately neither Hull City nor Yorkshire could add to the day's success; nor could our Reserves who returned from Leconfield on the back of a 4-0 opening day loss to Beverley Town Reserves.  It was left to Hull Kingston Rovers to ensure the day finished on a high. 

Rovers celebrate at the only full part of the KC

On leaving the KC with the Elder Slushette in July, following the second of our two derby defeats in the regular season, I had quipped that, "We'll probably come back here in the Play-offs and win".  Hull fans had laughed then.  They weren't laughing when Scott Murrell's late drop goal capped a 21-4 Rovers win in front of a rapidly emptying KC Stadium.  Indeed, given all the hype, a recorded crowd of 17,000 was a real disappointment; especially given that over five thousand had travelled across the city. 

"Old Faithful"? Hmm.

Tuesday night found me at the KC Stadium in person for my second taste of Championship action.  And for the first time since the days of Boothferry Park I was attending the game alone.  Or to be more precise, I was travelling with some (season passholding) mates but my seat in the ground - Upper West, Row S, No.165 - was a single purchase.  I consoled myself with the thought that my Billy No Mates status had as much to do with City's stuttering start to the season rather than something more personal!
The visitors were Derby (or "Dorrbeh") County, now managed by Nigel Clough and a team who'd impressed me greatly during their televised opening day win over L**ds.  (Even more impressive was the story that Clough jnr had disembarked his players several hundred yards from Elland Road and walked to the ground - fans of "The Damned United" will know why I found that particularly amusing).
Since that win, the Rams' fortunes had run parallel to The Tigers, with just a solitary point being accrued from their next four games.
The talk in the days, hours and indeed minutes leading up to kick-off was the possible return of one James Richard Bullard to the City squad.  And en route to the KC it was confirmed via BBC Radio Humberside that the club's record signing was in and would indeed start.

 Jimmy who?

What's more, Bullard lined up in a very attack-minded starting eleven, with the midfield  quartet - Bostock, Bullard, Cairney and Koren - noticeably short of any sort of "enforcer".  It wouldn't matter.
It's a long time since I've actually enjoyed the football on show at 'The Circle' as much as I did this particular night. And from both sides that is, despite the presence of Robbie Savage in the Derby ranks!
In the event, goals from loanee defender Daniel Ayala and Slovenian skipper Koren sealed a deserved 2-0 win in front of a crowd a couple of thousand bigger than that which had attended the "biggest Hull derby in 30 years" just three nights earlier.  Hull's a Rugby City?
The stadium announcer revealed Ayala as the supporters' 'man of the match'.  Must have been watching a different game to me, for as good as the Liverpool man was there was only one player to look to if seeking a reason for such a positive performance...and he's on 45K a week.  Should he carry on inspiring the Tigers like that for the remainder of the season and it might just be said he's worth it.  Possibly.
I returned home feeling quite chippy about things.  City back to winning ways, Yorkshire still well-placed on day two of their final Championship match against Kent, Rovers looking forward to a trip to Wigan in the Play-offs and the Eastenders heading to Whatton in search of a "win hat-trick".  Ah...

Thanks to Burt for most of the photos used above

Out with the Pistol in with the Piston

Saturday 4th September - Welbeck Welfare (away) 
Won 4-3

The Piston's at the wheel!

"Llandudno, what the bloody hell are you doing in Llandudno?"

"Line Dancing"
"Eh? Bloody line dancing?"
"Yeah, line dancing"
"Well, what about Welbeck Welfare?"
"Don't worry, I've sorted it." 
Eh, and true to his word, he had.  So, while "Pistol Pete & The Riding School Express" were otherwise engaged dancing to shit-kicking music amid the Victorian & Edwardian splendour of Wales's largest resort, newly recruited driver "Piston Pete" took the wheel of a replacement White Van for the trip to north Notts.

 Home from Home

There was a time not many weeks ago when this fixture was in grave danger of disappearing from the schedule.  Following a turbulent end to 2009/10, during which Welbeck Welfare had conceded their last three games due to a shortage of players, a similarly chaotic summer had seen the club tender its resignation shortly after the Central Midlands League AGM.
However, a last-minute rescue plan, which saw former Grantham Rangers boss Geoff Green appointed manager, the recruitment of a brand new squad and a groundshare arrangment with neighbours Church Warsop helped ensure that Welbeck took their place in the Premier Division for 2010/11...albeit a couple of weeks late.

"You lookin' at me?"

And so, with 'The Piston' at the wheel of the newly acquired Renault 14-seater, courtesy of the very accommodating Charlie "Would you like to see some puppies girls?" Johnson (don't ask!) of Welwick, we headed off in search of a second successive away win.
Now it doesn't take a genius to work out that a driver, navigator (erm, that's me then), manager & asst-manager plus full squad does not go into a 14-seater.  Thankfully it didn't have to.  With JC now ensconced back at Sheffield Uni and The Stumo, Chav and Man Mountain electing to travel by car due to a requirement to be back in Holderness early doors, there were enough seats to go round.
With the memories of Monday's setback still fresh in the memory (and made even more frustrating by talk that Cranny would be losing the points due to an indiscretion on the team sheet) Mack and new right-hand man Mr. T were determined to rectify things quickly.

"Don't recognise you, don't recognise you, don't recognise you..." 

Their task hadn't been made easier by a glut of absentees.  AG & Frosty were rendered absent by suspensions carried over from the previous season, Sam Mac was still injured, while Hutchie, Jim, Luke J and The Tank were all on holiday.  With Chaz nursing a  knuckle injury also, you could say that we hadn't been dealt the strongest hand.
Still, spirits were high as we arrived in good time at 'The Alley', scene of perhaps our finest away performance the previous season (despite, it should be pointed out, the AA Route Planner sending us hopelessly off course thanks to a miscalculation on the roundabouts?!).
While the players checked out the pitch and I laid the kit out, the first of the home contingent arrived; most prominent among whom was goalkeeper Chris Bennett.  I smiled on hearing him ask a team-mate, "How are these lot doing?" to be answered, "Geoff says they're favourites for the title".  Yeah, right!

Explain that one then Paul...

On venturing out I came across the extremely affable Graham Hall, whose official titles appear to include Chairman, Secretary & Programme Editor.  In short, 'Mr Welbeck'.  He described the various recent turns of events, which appear to have seen a veritable merry-go-round of players and management within the tight football community of north Notts; far too confusing to recount here. 
With the Tea Hut fired up, followed closely by our lads, it was kick-off time and I'd already enjoyed my day (particularly the moment when 'The Piston' returned from a fruitless trip to what he thought was a burger bar but instead turned out to be a place selling garden furniture - I offered him one of my Family Bag of Quavers by way of consolation!).
My only disappointment thus far was the lack of programme ("the printer's broken - I'll get one sent up to you later if you like?").  Very kind of you (PS: I'm still waiting).

 Love on the terraces

I was sincerely hoping that this setback wasn't to be mirrored on the pitch.  Welbeck had taken a point off us last season at their traditional Elkelsley Road ground (currently the site of much-needed redevelopment) another result that factored prominently in our eventual failure to clinch promotion.
We started as if we would ensure there was to be no repeat this time.  And after Fitzy had already had a "goal" controversially chalked off inside the first five minutes, Gav put us one up moments later with a cleverly executed free-kick.
Soon afterwards it should have been two; Gav sent tumbling to the deck inside the box and a penalty duly given.  But Chav proved that it's only at home where he doesn't miss penalties, the very vocal Mr. Bennett getting down well to save (although Smalls should really have done better when the ball rebounded up to give him a free header which he couldn't keep down).

 "I like the cut of your jib Mr Porter"

Still, we were so dominant early on that it appeared only a matter of time before a second goal came.  And it did. To Welbeck on 23 minutes courtesy of their first attack.
We were caught out down our left and the ball was gleefully swept home by Asa Bartlett at the far post.
Two minutes later and it should have been 2-1 to the hosts.  Thankfully Smalls more than atoned for his earlier miss with a cracking last-ditch tackle.
Chav should then have restored our lead at the other end but half-time arrived with us all square.

A wealth of experience!

During the interval I phoned the Farm to find out how the Casuals were getting on in their latest (and final) pre-season friendly.  Previous results of 3-8 and 0-12 didn't inspire much hope so I was therefore heartened to hear from Vice Chairman Mickey Bo that not only were we "only" 4-2 down but that by rights we should be level.  Perhaps this season might carry more hope than usual from Maccer's Men.
Also during the break I managed to catch a snap of the  Pete Barnett Branch of the "Green Arrrrmmy", newly kitted-out in their fetching little Newton Heath scarves ("three for fifteen quid off the net, bargain").  Indeed, given the presence in the ground also of the Mountain Family, plus Dooley, 'The Piston' and me, it's fair to say we almost had the bulk of the support at the game.  We certainly had the loudest!
And our vocal chords were to be extended in a blistering twenty-minute spell at the start of the second half.  

Two-one

Three minutes in Gav rattled the Welbeck bar.  
Four minutes later Farny met Chav's corner at the near post, 2-1.
Four minutes later Man Mountain couldn't find the finish to match his mazy run.
A minute later JC's shot was well saved by Bennett with  Blounty heading the resulting corner too high.
Two minutes later, just past the hour, it's 3-1.  A free-kick on halfway, quick thinking by The Stumo who angles a lovely low ball into the left side of the box where Gav provides the deftest of flicks to divert it into the path of Fitzy six or seven yards out.  He doesn't miss.

 Three

Within two more minutes the game is surely won.  Excellent approach play again culminates in Chav's pinpoint cross and Fitzy's powerful header from ten yards, which arcs over the powerless (and by now not-so-vocal) Bennett and into the roof of the net.  A corker. 4-1.

 And that'll be four

Andy Martin made his entrance in-between goals three and four and on this evidence would look to be a very astute signing.  And with him holding the ball up well before bringing others into play, we should really have gone on to score more.
As it was, an urge on the part of some to race "forrad" in an attempt to join the list of scorers saw us caught on the counter and Steve Rudge made it 2-4.
Cue panic.  Josh Murphy blasts over when he should really have scored.  How long left?  Not long...but possibly long enough as Charlie inexplicably picks up Fitzy's backpass in injury time.  The ball is driven across and Rudge slams home for 3-4. 
Thankfully, Farny puts his brawn and brains to use in equal measure near the opposition corner flag to run down the final anxious moments and the points are safe.  Just.

 Job done...just

Perhaps not surprisingly there's an air of disappointment in the changing room afterwards, which continues in the nearby Sports & Social Club (formerly the Miners Welfare).
Thankfully some excellent post-match fare (if not a decent cask ale!) helped revive spirits...although news of yet another defeat on the road for The Tigers did little for my overall demeanour.
The Piston had taken to the day like a duck to water and  was more than pleased to take on board the usual supply of ale for the return journey.  Our trip back north  was accompanied by Radio Humberside's commentary on defeats for both the Dullers and Rovers, the former meaning that both sides would now meet in a Play-Off Eliminator next weekend.

 "Whoever smelt it dealt it!"

With the bus safely returned to its Welwick home and the kit & equipment back at The Granby it would have been rude (but perhaps better for the state of my marriage) not to have taken the chance to sample a pint of Great Newsome Frothingham Best before returning home.  It was so nice I had to have two.
As I made my way home some ten hours since departing the house that morning, I thought to myself, I'm going to pay for this tomorrow.  And I did.  But that's not for public consumption and anyway, I can console myself that it's all in the very best of causes...isn't it?
Nottingham at home next - a real chance to put back-to-back wins together for the first time this season...

So 'This is England'...

Shane Meadows' televised follow-up to his acclaimed film harks back to an era when sport wasn't controlled by "bloody Sky"!

Great goal Adam - shame most back home won't have seen it!

For many people, Channel 4's This Is England '86  (which began on Tuesday) evokes memories of all that was wrong with Thatcher's Britain; depicting as it does life among those much less fortunate than the wealth-flaunting City "yuppies" whose image tends to be the enduring one of the period. 

By contrast, to others it simply provides a chance to reflect on some of the sights and sounds of an era which holds particularly fond memories.

And for me the programme provided something worthwhile to watch on free-to-air telly given that the Beeb, ITV et al couldn't be arsed to obtain highlights rights for the England Euro 2012 qualifier taking place in Switzerland that same night.

I've aired my contempt for "Bloody Sky" on here before.  Whether that be with regards to this same argument about preventing people from being able to watch their national football team on the box without having to pay for the "privilege" and/or for dictating schedules and moving dates/times etc at a whim without having to worry about the consequences.

Yes, despite being in favour of private enterprise, I don't mind admitting I f_____g hate Sky.  But when it comes to sport on the box I also resent the apparent lack of will on the part of our free-to-air services to fight for us.

As with our performances on the pitch, we can learn a lot from the Germans.  Germany has resisted the advances of pay TV, both for its internationals and the Bundesliga which is still shown on terrestrial television.

So, having already decided against swallowing my principles and investing following Hull City's promotion to the Premier League, I now try to ensure I no longer get worked up by Sky's interference with my attempts to watch top-class sport on the box.

But then they do something else that really p____s me off - like their recent stance over Yorkshire's CB40 cricket semi-final, which the broadcaster initially maintained could not be played at Scarborough due to a lack of production facilities.  Thus, with Headingley not an option because of the following day's England-Pakistan clash there, for a time the Tykes were faced with the ridiculous prospect of moving their "home" semi-final (earned by virtue of convincingly topping their group) outside the county boundary.  Bloody Sky!

Still, it would appear that I'm not alone in my growing resentment.  The landlord of the Holderness Inn at Patrington (provider of four choice cask ales and my first choice of venue for Tuesday's England game) explained why his telly was showing Twenty20 cricket on our arrival at kick-off time: "I can't afford the full package anymore so I've cut back to just having Sky Sports 1".  He also went on to quote some quite staggering figures when outlining the number of pints he needs to sell to cover the cost of a month's subscription to "Murdoch's Mob". 

As it was, the one pint he sold to me (I was driving) was a corker, courtesy of Woodforde's Wherry Bitter (3.8%). 

Still, having enjoyed this to the accompaniment of 5 Live's audio coverage of Rooney's early goal and England's first half dominance, we (that is the Garage Rocker Fuller and I) eventually tore ourselves away from the pub and drove through to the almost cask ale-free zone that is Withernsea, where we managed to watch the second half in "Butts" (The Butterfly).  To my knowledge it was one of only two pubs in the town that was showing the game - another example of Sky's ridiculous pricing structure dissuading pubs from subscribing perhaps?

Whilst I can appreciate that England's woeful showing in Sith Ifrika meant that the public outcry was never likely to be as great as it was over the Croatia and Ukraine World Cup qualifiers, it is still a scandalous state of affairs when the only free-to-air coverage of the national team on Tuesday came via a report at the end of the late news bulletins.

Still, this is England 2010. 

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