Church Trip proves a blessing

Saturday 19 September - Church Warsop Miners Welfare (away) Won 3-2
Troubled times at Reserves & Casuals
Hull Kingston Rovers' date with destiny...

I was very much looking forward to the trip to Church Warsop last Saturday. Not least because of the review by Sticky Palms which painted an inviting picture of the place (see link on my previous blog). In addition, despite the result at Parkhouse on our previous trip into Derbyshire, the prospect of another day out on the "Ezzie Fun Bus" was an enticing one.

In the event the day lived up to its billing - mainly because the 3-2 win gained was not only deserved and bloody hard-earned but it also allowed us to indulge in some welcome liquid-based celebration on the way home.

However, opponents Church Warsop Miners Welfare are a team I perhaps wouldn't want to play against too often; not if Saturday was anything to go by. Not that the Club itself is unappealing but the team's conduct on the pitch left a bit to be desired. The language and abuse hurled at opponents, match officials and even Club Secretary Judy ("Shurrup, gerrome and get dinner on duck!") lasted from almost the first minute to the last and was accompanied by an "attitude" that was different to anything experienced thus far.

Perhaps having put nine past Thorne Colliery the previous weekend served to convince the second-placed hosts that we were the next lambs to the slaughter. It was not to be as for the second week running we produced some scintillating football.

Similar to the Kinsley game, however, we infuriatingly let our opponents back into the game from a position of strength. Thankfully, and again similar to the league cup win, we had enough in reserve to pull through.

There has always been something about organised away trips that bring out the best in the team, whether it be 16 souls crammed together on a mini-bus as with last week or with slightly more rattling about on a 52-seater as in the old days of "Burt-on-Bus".

It's a given that such excursions increase the camaraderie amongst the members of the team. This is especially important with us at the moment given the several new faces finding their feet. The fact that the average age of the first team squad is so young is another reason why such trips work - there's only a few old gits like me on board concerned about whether we'll be home in time to see Alesha and Kristina on "Strictly".

Unfortunately, the Church Warsop Miners Welfare Club itself closed down some four months ago, prompting a jaunt into neighbouring Warsop for our post-match fare. Shamefully the name of the pub escapes me but this is probably down to the fact that the board outside advertised "Cask Ales" before offering no such additions to the "Slush Ales List 2009/10" inside. I suppose I could have had 'em under the Trades Description Act but the Strongbow alternative proved refreshing on another fine late-summer's day...and the scran on offer was again top drawer!

Our next such trip on Pete's "Riding School Express" takes us to Phoenix Sports - another team currently going well - in a fortnight's time. Before then we entertain South Normanton Athletic tomorrow afternoon.

Our visitors 'The Shiners' are a new club borne out of the remains of one that's already undertaken the Central Midlands route into the Northern Counties East League - only to bring about their own demise in 2007 due to lack of new blood as much as anything else.

They will arrive at Low Farm boasting a half-decent record on the road (including a point at Parkhouse) and faced by a United side once again forced into three changes due to absences.

These absences at First Team level obviously have an effect on the County League squads, which is a real shame this week as both are in need of a pick-me-up after poor starts to the season. The Reserves go to champions Howden Amateurs (unfortunately without Miss GB Gemma Garrett in their ranks as shown in this pic from their club web site ) looking to repair the damage inflicted on them by last week's 10-0 humiliation at Goole Goods Office. Fozzy has stepped up to help new manager Lee and assistant Dawsey try and restore a bit of belief but the thing the Stiffs need most is some extra quality through the ranks, following the loss of a batch of players who'd showed great promise in pre-season.

The Casuals are also on the road tomorrow. They're at Eastrington Village Reserves looking to atone for a 6-2 defeat at local rivals Withernsea last weekend, a result that saw former Ezzie Vinny O'Hara net against his ex-team mates (pictured above). The good thing about the Casuals, though, is that win, lose or draw, Maccer's men have a great approach to the game and are in it for the "craic" as much as anything else. Mind you, I don't suppose the Ginger one would want successive bottom placings in different divisions against his management CV come the end of the season??!

Elsewhere this weekend the Tigers go to Liverpool tomorrow with Sportstalk this week having been dominated by the "Brown Out" brigade. In typical Hull City fashion I now expect them to be celebrating victory at Anfield come 5pm tomorrow evening! Then at half-past five it's Rovers v Wigan for a place in the Super League Eliminator semi-finals. Manager Mack will therefore leave his post-match debrief at the Farm tomorrow to 'Nige' while he hot-tails it to Hull in an attempt to get to Craven Park some time before the half-time hooter sounds! I don't envy him. Neither do I really envy him having to endure the game live - it really is one of those "too close to call" affairs. At least by the time I've finished entertaining our visitors from South Normanton in the Neppy, the game will be well underway and my nerves will have been well lubricated...

See you in Phoenix!

Eclipsing the Clippers

Monday 31 August - Hutton Cranswick United (away) Drew 1-1
Saturday 5 September - FC 05 (home) Drew 0-0
Saturday 12 September - Kinsley Boys, League Cup Round 1 (home) Won 6-2

Last weekend saw thousands of people flock to Hull for the start of the Clipper Round-the-World Yacht Race and the “Freedom Festival”. Not surprisingly this resulted in traffic chaos on Saturday as diversions kicked in around the city centre at lunchtime and lasted until midnight.
As referred to by Bob L. Hat in his review on the Tony Kempster site, these diversions also impacted on our Quartet Catering League Challenge Cup first round tie at home to Wakefield side Kinsley Boys. So much so that our visitors didn’t arrive at Low Farm until ten to three with the referee – himself delayed, along with his assistants, by a “blow out” on the M18 – deciding to delay kick-off until a quarter past.

What followed was easily the best ninety minutes experienced thus far in our brief membership of the Central Midlands League. Glorious weather, a decent crowd (73 h/c bolstered by a sizeable travelling contingent) and an entertaining game which saw us upset the formbook and knock out the League’s “August Team of the Month”. It doesn’t get much better (although the “Ryedale Best” in The Neptune wasn’t the most accurate description for my post-match tipple. But hey you can’t have everything!).

The cup win certainly compensated for the rather disappointing result the previous week, at home to FC 05. That 0-0 draw had followed a spirited showing at Hutton Cranswick (1-1) on Bank Holiday Monday and both results mean we go to Church Warsop this Saturday looking for our first league win since the opening day.

Church Warsop Miners Welfare FC currently occupy second place in the table and put nine past Thorne Colliery last weekend. Ominously their squad includes a former Shirebrook Town forward – Simon Johnson; the last time we faced a team containing former Shirebrook players was Parkhouse! We will have to be on our guard.

The village of Church Warsop itself is located just north of Mansfield off the A60 and the ground is a tidy affair, reviewed recently by Ground Hopper “Sticky Palms”. The day will therefore again see us leaving Easington at eleven o’clock on Pete’s “Riding School Express” and involves a drive of just over two hours according to the (in)famous AA Route Finder. This means I should get home just as we're finding out who’s joined Hull KR in the Eliminator Semi-Final of the play-offs (!!!) and also in time to fall asleep in front of “Casualty” - much to the annoyance of the missus!
Despite our move to the CMFL and resignation from the Humber Premier League I still follow the HPL results and keep in touch with several members of clubs involved therein. And at first glance this season’s Premier Division looks wide-open. The likes of Hessle Rangers – strugglers last term – are up there among the early pacesetters while champions Chalk Lane have made a solid if unspectacular start (even at home on the 3G) and usual contenders Sculcoates have endured very mixed fortunes.Predictably, however, Reckitts name is up among the leaders and I’d be amazed if it doesn’t remain there for the duration. We get the chance to find out for ourselves how good the current side is on October 10 when we go there in the ERCFA Senior Cup. With the likes of ‘Nicho’ and Steve Harrod (below) currently plying their wares for Starty’s side there’ll no doubt be plenty of banter flying around as we aim to repeat last season’s victories against the five-times HPL champions.

Elsewhere our two County League sides are away again this Saturday. The Stiffs return to Parkside School to face Goole Goods Office while Maccer’s Casuals are just up the road at Withernsea Thirds. Both teams will be looking to bounce back from opening day defeats and kick-start their seasons.

This schedule leaves the Farm without a game on Saturday, which is not only disappointing for supporters but also for the ground given the current fair weather. Twice already this season, it has been left idle on a Saturday; I just hope we don’t pay for this later in the season when fixtures start to mount up.

Finally, following last week’s cup win it was a happy Lusmore clan that joined Assistant boss Nige and family on Sunday for a jaunt up to Dalby Forest. A good day’s yomping up hill and down dale (and around the gorgeous nearby village of Thornton le Dale) was followed by a sumptuous nosh-up in The Middleton Arms at North Grimston. This was the same watering-hole our party ha d retired to at the end of the “Million Metre Meander” back in May and really is worth a visit. Sadly there was no Timothy Taylor Landlord on offer but Wold Top’s Falling Stone provided a fine substitute as well as the perfect accompaniment to a cracking steak and mushroom pie.

If this weekend proves half as satisfying I’ll be one very happy blogger…

(PHOTOS (from top): Joni Purse scores the sixth goal against Kinsley; Neil Rutter heads home the second (courtesy of Colin Brammer); The Welcome sign at Church Warsop MW (from the club website); Steve Harrod in action for Reckitts at Hedon Rangers earlier this season (courtesy of Colin Brammer))

"Bloody Sky!"

Getting it off my chest about Murdoch's monopoly...

Wasn’t it great being able to watch England’s brilliant World Cup win on “proper telly”; especially so given that the last impressive victory over Croatia was virtually unwatchable thanks to satellite TV?
The now-defunct Setanta were seen as the “villains” on that occasion but usually when issues over lack of free-to-air coverage arise there’s only one culprit - “Bloody Sky!”
Of course the blame shouldn’t actually rest with the TV companies. The fact is that football, rugby and a whole host of sports have in effect “sold out” to the highest bidder with little or no thought to the impact on Joe Public.
Hence the reason why this year’s regaining of The Ashes never caught the mood of the nation in anything like the way its 2005 predecessor did - because most people never saw any of it live. Thanks ECB. And they wonder why kids don’t play cricket at school anymore. Grrrgh.

But although exempt from blame for being awarded the rights (and I’m all in favour of a market economy) it’s what the likes of Sky do with it that hacks me off. The rights to broadcast translates to rights to arrange matches and so football is no longer played exclusively on Saturdays, rugby league no longer provides a Sunday service and you can often have a weekend with no cricket whatsoever. Bloody Sky!
I’ve had many issues with Murdoch’s mob over the years but of late they’ve wound me up even more. In July their decision to switch a rugby match impacted on our planned Sporting Dinner at the KC Stadium; a month later they switched the “Derby” match and thus ruled out my attendance.

It’s not just me. Sky’s switch of Rovers’ Wakefield trip last Saturday, along with its scheduling of the play-offs, peeved Manager Mack whose hopes of seeing The Robins clinch third spot at Belle Vue had to prove subservient to overseeing our own clash against a Wakefield team at Low Farm. (Actually, given the respective results he's probably glad he missed it - and thanks to the defeat, Sky’s chosen scheduling now means he can actually get to the play-off at Leeds on Friday – if Rovers had won at Wakey he’d have had to miss the trip to St Helens due to being at Church Warsop!).
All this comes just a week after passholder Mack was forced to skip his post-match debrief against FC 05 in order to stand any chance of getting to Craven Park in time to see the win over Warrington - another game moved at the whim of Sky.
But while Mack, I and others are regularly inconvenienced by the constant Sky switches, spare a thought for the HKR-supporting bride & groom whose “big day” centred around a reception at the ground last Saturday week only for their best laid plans to be torpedoed by the aforementioned late switch of the Warrington game. Not only were they faced with having to miss their favourites in action but also having to hold their “Do” at the KC Stadium instead!!!
No, getting to watch the Ashes, Rovers’ revival and even City’s promotion to the Premier League hasn’t yet forced me to part with money in support of Murdoch. A fact I’m proud of…and besides, I usually get an invite round to Brim’s to watch anyway.

Bloody Sky!

Make me an offer I can't refuse

Does anybody come out of the Michael Turner episode with credit?

Since the conclusion of the latest transfer window Hull City supporters have been venting their spleen via various media outlets regarding the sale of their “star man” Michael Turner.
As someone whose interest in City is now very much secondary, I must be careful what I say but I must admit I find some of the comments I’ve read and/or heard a tad extreme.
Whilst I’m not the biggest Phil Brown fan, I do think some of the vitriol hurled his way over the move has been ridiculous. From the player’s own quotes it appears clear that he wanted out. Therefore the manager’s hands were tied; end of.
The biggest disappointment for me will come if it’s eventually proved that the deal is worth significantly less than the supposed £12M asking price; that and the fact that City left themselves no real scope to find a replacement.
However, where I appear to disagree with many of the internet posters and phone-in callers is in thinking that Turner comes out of this completely clean. He reportedly went to “further develop” his career at Sunderland. Really? They might be “bigger” in terms of history, crowds and money but they won’t win any silverware or trouble the top four this season. Call me a cynic but I reckon the wages on offer might have had more to do with the decision? Not knocking that as a reason but wouldn’t it be refreshing if a player came out and said so?
The nearest thing we have to the “transfer window” at our level is the annual pre-season scramble to sign players on before anyone else, followed by the messing about when a player then changes his mind before the league season kicks-off. Usually this results in the first club ripping up the original form without any need for a transfer. Not so this year however.
Having already signed Joni Purse and Brett Fisk on ERCFL forms before both then popped up at Low Farm, our neighbours Withernsea were understandably a little hacked-off when Mark Thompson and Owen Mountain both announced their intention to make the same move; even more so when Pasha Brown soon turned quartet into quintet.
As such ‘The Seasiders’ invoked the rules. Thus whereas Owen has since transferred, both Mark and Pasha will now have to wait, 28 days and 56 days respectively, before joining him. And the league season doesn’t kick off until next weekend.
While appreciating how peeved our rivals must have been to see five players wanting to move to the “East End”, all their actions have done is stop lads from playing football. Not to mention sowing seeds that will probably ensure those same players would think twice about returning in the future.
And let’s face it, at least Owen and co really have come to “further develop” their playing careers. Unlike a certain Michael Turner perhaps…

Ups and Downs

Saturday 15 August - Bulwell Town (home) Won 2-1
Saturday 22 August - Parkhouse FC (away) Lost 0-7
Sunday 16 August - Hull KR 26 St Helens 10

Talk about contrasting emotions! Two weeks into the Central Midlands League season and I've tasted the highs and lows of life in the new surrounds.

A fortnight ago, all the previous nine months' hard graft was made worth it when Meddy came off the bench to fire home a last minute winner against Bulwell Town in our very first game in the Black Dragon Premier Division. Okay so not everything ran smoothly - the crowd (55) was, if I'm honest, about half the figure I'd been hoping for and some gloss was taken off the victory by our opponents' decision not to come back for a pint and a sarny at The Neptune. Still, we managed to shift a good few programmes, the Tea Hut did a roaring trade and the referee & liners only popped across the Bridge from Grimsby and Scunny respectively so we even managed to make a small profit on the day. With no injuries to report and Farny - who missed the game - on the mend ahead of the trip to Parkhouse last Saturday, everything looked "tickety boo" in the words of a well-known former gaffer of the club... ...Then came the debacle that was our defensive performance at the Derbyshire based title favourites. A 7-0 defeat cannot be glossed up to sound like anything other than a good shafting. And so it was. We were well and truly mullahed by a side that totally lived up to its pre-season billing. However, we didn't 'arf contribute to our own downfall. At least three, if not four of the goals could be attributed to horrible mistakes in stupid areas - including the decisive third goal just past the hour mark that seemed to knock the stuffing out of us.

Still, it was nice to hear Parkhouse secretary Nobby Clark offer some words of comfort at the end without sounding patronising - words that were backed up in his report forwarded to Frank Harwood for Saturday evening's league round-up. And as we drove back up the M1 on Saturday night I think we all realised - similar to after our 8-1 stuffing at Chalk Lane last season - that these results do come along from time to time. It doesn't suddenly make us a bad side. And if we bounce back from this one as well as we did the aforementioned reversal on the hideous 3G surface at the University then it may well have done us a huge favour.

While the result was one to forget, everything else about Saturday's first away trip was hugely enjoyable. Not least the "crack" among the lads when travelling as "one unit" for two hours there and the same back.

The ground, Mill Lane, was a very neat affair with several features of the sort we'd like to aspire to at The Farm. Everybody connected with the club was keen to make us welcome, the hospitality was first-class and what an absolute gem of a place the nearby Woodthorpe Inn at Old Tupton proved to be. A super spread laid on (Paul take note - I'll be reporting back with details!!) and no less than four guest ales, of which I deemed it only polite to sample two in the time allowed - the Greene King St Edmunds and the Hyde's "Hit the Spot" - both very quaffable I've got to say (though I would live to regret my eagerness to go the extra pint as we neared the Humber Bridge on the way home with not a toilet in sight!). All in all, it was probably the most enjoyable 7-0 thumping I've ever experienced!

Frustration is the overriding emotion as I approach this Saturday given the postponement of the scheduled home game against Dronfield Town, due to their attendance at a wedding. With half a programme already written, it now means a total re-think ahead of the next home game - v FC 05 - on Sep 5th. Several articles will need to be re-written while some of the planned pieces will be rendered out-of-date. Still, at least we're not totally without a game this weekend. Monday sees us make the "short" trip to Hutton Cranswick - I don't think I've ever described it as that before! Always one of my favourite games in HPL days (but not in terms of results!) I'm looking forward to meeting up with the likes of Denis Cox, Jim Ezard and the rest of what is a very friendly crowd down at Rotsea Lane. Just hope their usually excellent hospitality spreads on to the pitch this time around??!!While the First Team is quite rightly hogging the limelight at the moment, I've been impressed with the initial signs coming from Lee's young Reserve squad. A side comprising only one player over the age of 20 emerged victorious from its latest friendly at Amateur League side Eddie Beedle last week and it's to be hoped the confidence gained from such results will stand them in good stead ahead of the forthcoming Premier Division season, which starts on Saturday Sep 12th.

In amongst all the local stuff going on, Emma and I managed to catch Rovers' highly impressive recent win over St Helens - a fact made all the more enjoyable by our tickets being slap bang in the middle of the travelling contingent i.e. right behind the posts at the end at which Rovers scored most of their 26pts (you can see us here, five rows down from the back, four or five seats in from the right - Emma's adhering to the old saying, "If you can't fight wear a big hat!")

Last Wednesday meanwhile saw me make my first trip of the new season to the KC to see City dismembered by Spurs in their opening Premier League home fixture. A strange one this really. Tottenham were good, very good in fact. But I'd have been disappointed if an Easington side had stood off their opponents the way City did in the first 20mins! Then, after Geo's introduction and Hunt's freakish goal, The Tigers really made a fist of it up to half-time...or rather, just before, when Defoe's "Geoff Hurst-like" finish effectively killed the game at 3-1. Anyway, good to see Browny's men bounce back on Saturday to beat Bolton. Now if we can only do the same at Hutton Cranswick...

(FOOTNOTE: For further info on the aforementioned ales see Greene King)

(PHOTOS from top: Both teams emerge from the changing rooms ahead of the historic opening CMFL fixture at home to Bulwell Town (Burt Graham); Today's Main Attraction (own); The lads prior to the Parkhouse game (own); the "Respect" handshake (Burt Graham); Lee Clay scores his and Parkhouse's fifth goal (Burt Graham); Mill Lane, home of Parkhouse FC (Burt Graham); The North Stand at Craven Park prior to the Hull KR v St Helens game (n/k))

Here We Go Again!

The start of "The CMFL Experience"...

And so after all the waiting, all the hard work and - let's be honest - all the "debate" over the rights and wrongs of the move, tomorrow afternoon will see us kick our first ball in the Central Midlands Football League. The culmination of a year long journey...for some.

For me, however, tomorrow is when the hard work begins. I've spent the last few days reading and re-reading the League handbook checking the specific rules applicable to the competition and hoping that come tomorrow evening not only am I celebrating an opening day win but also that I can relax knowing I've completed all the necessary admin tasks and in particular made all the necessary telephone calls with regards to the result!!

As with any Saturday, tomorrow's work will begin early in the morning - 6.30am to be precise - when the alarm clock will go off and prompt the short dash to BP to print off & collate the day's programmes. Even this task has been made more sizeable following our move of competition - some 22 issues having been pre-ordered via the League thanks to the "Ground Hoppers".

After this task is completed, it's down to Low Farm next via the laundry room at The Marquis of Granby to hang out the kit and ensure all the other match day items are in place - balls, warm-up equipment, bottles and first aid.

Vice Chairman Mickey Bo and Head Groundsman Brim will soon join me - marking and nets are their main tasks along with roping off the side of the ground not covered by permanent perimeter fencing.

Any necessary tidying-up work will also be carried out before it's time to grab a spot of lunch.

During the whole of this morning period I'll be praying the phone doesn't ring with news of some late cry-off among the players and come 12.45pm there'll be chance to catch the first half of Chelsea v City before it's back down to the ground to await the first arrivals.

I haven't got a clue what sort of crowd we'll attract tomorrow. We've been forewarned to expect a fair few "Hoppers" but my main hope is that we'll also pull in a large number of "curious parties" from across Holderness. Would it be too much to hope for something in excess of a hundred? Hope not and if only half buy programmes then that's the match officials sorted!

Match-wise, all I can hope is that the lads play to their full potential - something I know Dave and Neil feel they've not done during pre-season. A win, no injuries and no cautions would be nice ensuring a sweeter taste in the post-match pint and a satisfying twang to Saturday night's curry.

Come Sunday it's chance to wind down with another trip for me and my eldest to Craven Park for the Rovers v Saints game, probably to be followed by the legendary Haven Arms carvery for tea. Ensure the reports are all filed by Sunday night for the respective official bodies and local Press before retiring to bed.

Come Monday there'll be that feeling of relief if everything's gone well...that will last all of five minutes before the planning of Saturday week's trip to Chesterfield to face title favourites Parkhouse takes over!

So if you're in the area tomorrow, pop down to the Farm. You might just enjoy what you see. More importantly if you do, you might just come again!

Up The Ezzies!

Walking on sunshine

Walking the Wolds, Rovers Cup exit & Footy Presentation Night...
 

Summer is officially here.
I'm not saying that just because the last day of the month saw our family enjoying a succulent Sunday lunch out on the patio in glorious sunshine; but also because it was also the first Sunday since last June when I have not had a single word of football-related stuff to type up for either a match programme or the local Press. For one glorious summer's day football was definitely OFF the agenda...and there aren't many times that happens in a calendar year. At least the missus was pleased!

Not that sport was totally missing from the weekend. Saturday saw me skilfully combine some "quality family time" (i.e. a shopping trip into town) with Hull KR's Challenge Cup quarter-final against Warrington at Craven Park. I won't be alone in describing the game as one of the most exciting I've been to and ranking Jake Webster's try that seemingly put Rovers within touching distance of the last four at 22-12 as one of the best I can recall seeing in a long time.

Unfortunately this in no way compensates for the fact that it is "Wire" who progress to the sem-finals courtesy of Lee Briers' extra-time golden point. At least I didn't have to witness the coup de grace - a slight hitch on the logistics front having forced me and my eldest, Emma, to leave the ground at the final hooter in order to catch the bus home. It was somewhat surreal trying to follow the events in extra time by the noise of the crowd; culminating in a final cheer from one section, swiftly followed by a chant of "W*nky W*nky W*nky W*nky Warrington" from t'other. I knew we'd lost! And to compound my daughter's disappointment, she then missed out on the top deck of an EYMS bus due to some kind soul stopping to offer us a lift (in truth I she was more upset by this than the Challenge Cup exit. Bless her).

To further illustrate how such football-free weekends are becoming more and more of a rarity, the latest one was book-ended by Sundays dominated by activities directly relating to the Club. For example, the coming one (7th) will see a gang of us busy down at our Low Farm ground, carrying out a whole host of overdue maintenance tasks. And between now and the first pre-season game on 18th July we have a huge amount of work to do to get things ship-shape for whichever league competition the senior squad finds itself playing in.

Meanwhile, the preceding Bank Holiday weekend saw our annual fundraiser take place on the Sunday, which this year was the so-called "Million Metre Meander" - a 25-mile sponsored walk along a stretch of the Yorkshire Wolds Way. And "Tough" wasn't the word for it. In fact it proved one of the hardest things I've ever done. Suffice to say, never has a pint of Timothy Taylor Landlord tasted better than it did in The Middleton Arms at North Grimston that evening. Not only was the quality on a par with that I've become accustomed to in The Crown & Anchor at Kilnsea but it also provided the perfect finale to an absolutely exhilarating day.
Twenty-one of us, loosely connected in some way with Easington United, completed the route from Market Weighton to Wharram Le Street. Spectacular scenery accompanied virtually the whole length of the Walk as, more significantly, did several short sharp ascents (Rabbit Dale anyone?) and the hottest day of the year thus far. And in places like Horse Dale and Holm Dale, with the breeze blocked by the surrounding valley sides, it became a virtual "sun trap".
Not surprising therefore that after some eleven hours in my walking boots, Keighley's finest ale provided a rich source of comfort.
I'm not sure just how much our group has raised through our efforts. We're hopeful that the figure will be somewhere in the region of £3K, to be split between club funds and buying something for little Mia Silvey of Brough whose Fund was our 2009 choice of "worthy cause".
At the same time as we were completing one of the toughest stretches of our Walk, Hull City were enduring the most tense ninety minutes of their entire season. In the event, our pain at listening to what must have seemed like a never-ending second half was eased by lack of decent transmission signals around Thixendale. Thus Burnsy's commentary on BBC Radio Humberside appeared only in the briefest of fits and starts, while Fozzy's "£2 special" from Asda kept transferring him to a Teesside station's coverage of West Ham v Middlesbrough! It was in Thixendale village itself and via the support car's stereo that we could finally celebrate salvation, courtesy of Five Live's coverage of Newcastle's last two minutes of Premiership football!

Our season may have ended trophy-less but a fourth place finish for the First Team is their best since 2004/05 and inspires hopes of better things next time around. The Reserves and Casuals both face uncertain futures following bottom place finishes with the Stiffs' precarious hold on a Premier Division place of particular concern.

Similar to New Year's Eve the finale to the football season in May always prompts a feeling of nostalgia in me. This usually lends itself to prompting my shelling out for "must have" books and CD's which immediately transport me back to younger days. This year's choices were the re-issued versions of two albums I never bought in their original vinyl format but instead acquired via that favourite thrifty teenage method of taping off somebody else's copy, namely "George Best" by The Wedding Present and by The Pale Fountains "Pacific Street". Ah, the opening bars of "Everyone Thinks He Looks Daft" and Dave Gedge's vocals immediately had me back in Hull's Spiders Nightclub. Carefree days of cheap beer, excellent music and very little responsibility!

An interview with the aforementioned Mr Gedge was one of the first big muso pieces we did in the seminal Hull, Hell & Happiness fanzine during my days of Tiger Trekking back in the late Eighties. Although from Leeds, the Weddo's frontman provided an articulate view of the state of football in general and expressed a certain empathy with our plight at the time (how things have changed??!!).

I was reminded of my Hull City fanzine days when attending Alan Plater's excellent "Confessions of a City Supporter" at the new Hull Truck Theatre last night. Having seen the original version, launched to celebrate the Tigers' centenary in 2004, the updated version - celebrating a first ever season in the top-flight - proved just as enjoyable, if not more so. Not only was Roy "Get It Together" North as superb as he had been five years previous but the bit at the end recapturing Deano's Wembley winner still managed to raise the hairs on the back of my neck. And I'm sure the bloke who played one of the coppers in "Early Doors", who was sitting a few rows back from us, enjoyed it as much as the 150 or so City fans in attendance.

It was the first time I've attended the new Hull Truck since its move from Spring Street and I was very impressed. Despite its increased capacity it retains the homely feel of the original, a place where I'd spent many a great night over the past two decades or so seeing most of John Godber's hilarious comedies and live music acts as diverse as The Meteors and Jools Holland, Hue & Cry and Martin Stephenson (without the Daintees). Ah, nostalgia again.

The recent Presentation Evening also saw some of the more mature members of the squad gain some well-deserved recognition. The aforementioned McNaught brothers, John Clarke and Craig Foster all picked up special awards in recognition of fantasticx milestone appearances passed in 2008/09 (Maccer & JC having passed 650 apps while Fozzy and Biff have clocked up 600). At any level of football such feats are magnificent - and testament to the loyalty that Easington United AFC manages to inspire.
I can't leave the subject of "old players" without a word for veteran keeper Steve Eldon who yet again picked up a couple of player of the year awards. Will he ever retire??!!

Our own season ended with something of an unexpected bonus courtesy of the Second-string's appearance in the South Holderness Cup Final. And although well beaten - eventually - by Hedon therein, the chance for the likes of Maccer, Biff and Trev to be involved in such an occasion again was fantastic.

Still, the onset of blue skies and wall-to-wall sunshine herald in the start of a brand new era. By the time the next update appears, I will be fully involved in our gear-up for the new season. Looking forward, not back...

Some you win, some you lose...

County League lows, Holderness Cup highs & Grounds for concern...

Our season ended on something of a high at First Team level - thanks to an excellent win over outgoing champions Sculcoates Amateurs - but for our County League teams it was a disappointing finale; both finishing bottom of their respective divisions.

I went to watch the Reserves in their last game of the season at Howden Amateurs, a side that can go on to win the title should they continue the impressive run they're currently on. Since finally getting back on to their Ashes Park pitch after drainage problems had left them with over half their fixtures to play in the space of two months, Howden have won nine out of ten games and at kick-off time on Saturday required just three more victories to clinch a first Premier Division championship.

As it was their "dream" should have been over inside the opening quarter. Our Reserves belied their lowly positon to completely dominate the early stages and only the brilliance of the home keeper (plus the post and fortunate goal-line block) kept us out.

Sure enough our failure to convert this superiority into goals was duly punished at the other end - twice - before half-time and despite Jim Hollingsworth's second half strike the Stiffs were bound for defeat and with it a bottom place finish.

So both our County League squads will prepare for relegation over the summer. Although the Reserves may well be saved by the current shortage of clubs in the top-flight and possible promotion of the champions to the Humber Premier League.

As to who those champions might be, it's the best finish to a Premier Division campaign in years. Current leaders Beverley Town finished their campaign three weeks ago and can do nothing but wait and see whether their 38pts will be enough.

So far it has proved good enough to see off the challenge of Wawne Ferry - despite the Hull side going into their last three games requiring just 6pts from three matches. They managed just one. Therefore we are left with Howden and Goole side Viking Raiders, with the potential of a winner takes all clash this weekend.Of course neither Howden or Viking currently play on grounds that meet the entry criteria of the HPL. In Howden's case this is particularly sad as The Ashes Cricket Ground & Playing Fields - particularly on a gorgeouos Spring day like last Saturday - is one of the more aesthetically pleasing venues in the East Riding (pictured above). Unfortunately its facilities are among the most basic; we even had to send out to a nearby garage last weekend just to fill the water bottles!

 

According to the Howden Online web site: "Originally part of the grounds of the manor and known as The Ashes from the 17th century, the playing fields were given to the people of Howden in 1925." It would appear the changing rooms have not been upgraded since!

The subject of grounds and ground criteria is set to be a hot topic with us over the summer as we still deliberate over the direction our First Team take next season. With rumours circulating that the Humber Premier League is to be given Step 7 status from 2010/11, we are in something of a quandry with regards to our proposed move to the Central Midlands League (CML). With only the Supreme Division therein currently graded at Step 7, we could face the strange scenario of joining the CML and then having to gain promotion simply to compete at the same level as the competition we've left. Of course summing things up thus doesn't tell the full story. It has been one of the main gripes of those involved with our Club that there has been no real advance in ground improvements at HPL level since the first three seasons. And from the comments we've had back from the two East Riding clubs who joined the CML last season, the grounds therein are - overall - of a much higher standard. With a meeting of the relevant bodies in Yorkshire to discuss the Step 7 proposals set for 28th May, June promises to be a pivotal month in the history of our Club.
Having mentioned the two "local" clubs to have dipped their toe into the Central Midlands League this season, they've enjoyed somewhat contrasting fortunes. Westella & Willerby have had a fantastic debut, securing promotion at the first attempt and making it to the League Cup Final where they lost out to Supreme Division side Sutton Town. It's been a marvellous campaign for Dave Anderson and his side and we'll have chance to gauge just how strong their current squad is when they come to Low Farm for a pre-season game on 18th July. Not that everybody has been impressed with Westella - read Andy Gallon's review of the recent "six-pointer" against Louth Town at Brough from the Football Grounds In Focus site.
As for Hutton Cranswick, it pretty much depends on who you talk to as to whether they've had an okay kind of season both on and off the field or are looking to return home to the HPL having had their fingers well and truly burnt! No doubt my old mucker Denis will be in touch soon but a sixth place finish would appear creditable enough to me and good enough to inspire hopes of challenging for promotion themselves next time.

The climax of the league campaigns locally have been accompanied by the annual South Holderness Cup competition. One of the longest-running such competitions in the East Riding, it is one I've been closely involved with since 1997 and although not the draw it once was it still proves a competitive affair. For the second year running we tasted disappointment in it, losing to holders Hedon Rangers in the first round. Hedon must now be strong favourites to retain their crown alhough I know Iain McNaught is keen for our 'B' squad to have a real go this year.

Getting the reserves to the final would be another fine achievement for "Maccer" who on Saturday celebrated his 650th appearance for Easington United. He is the second player to reach such a milestone and is one of four who boast over 600 games - all of who are still members of the Club. Such loyalty can only be applauded.

And so another season draws to a close - earlier than I can remember for some years. Still, the absence of anything local gives me a chance to enjoy / endure Hull City's nail-biting end to their first season in the Premiership. Having witnessed another fruitless outing on Monday, via defeat at Aston Villa, I'm not sure the tickets in my possession for Saturday's visit of Stoke will be worth the health risk!

Trawling the various Message Board in recent weeks it's quite astounding how the attitude of fans of other teams towards City appear to have changed in recent weeks; particularly since the "Gobin Hood" / "Cesc Spit" incident at The Emirates. From everybody's second favourite team to the one most would like to see go down appears to be the shift - mainly due to what they see as Phil Brown's constant whinging at decisions that have gone against his team.

Now I'm not Browny's biggest fan but the way he's stood up for the unfashionable members of the "best league in the world" has really pleased me and I just hope he still has the chance to get up the likes of Arsene's not inconsiderable conk next season.

Here comes the summer...

(PHOTOS from top: Luke Smith scores the first against Sculcoates Amateurs (Colin Brammer); Howden Amateurs Ashes Park home (Howden Online); Chris Frost scores against Hedon Rangers in the South Holderness Cup (Colin Brammer))

Unhappy Easter

HPL title musings, not such Good refereeing, rivals across the River & testing times for The Tigers...

Easter is so often a defining time in the football season and it would appears to be so again as the Humber Premier League season reaches its climax.

Leaders Chalk Lane host Reckitts tomorrow with the visitors needing to win if they're to maintain a realistic chance of recording their sixth HPL title in nine seasons.

We've played both clubs in recent weeks, deservedly beating Reckitts 2-1 before being edged out by the only goal at home to Chalk. Unfortunately, that result prompted a current run of three defeats, the latest of which came at Barton on Wednesday and was "controversial" to say the least.

Having been on enough of these "grassroots" sites to see the type of "kickings" referees get from people inside and outside the game at this level - and also wary of the fact that my club and the leagues it is a member of have all signed up to the 'Respect' campaign - I'm loathe to be seen to do the same. But, oh dear, our man in the middle on Wednesday was awful. And when your opposition manager apologises for his performance at the end of the 90 minutes AND the referee's assessor struggles to explain some of the decisions, then you know it's not just your own "rose coloured" spectacles you've been watching through.

From my point of view, in addition to the sickener of losing a game in which we'd played really well and probably created the better chances, I've now got the ball-ache of completing an official report on the official concerned - a thankless task that usually serves no purpose other than to make me feel slightly better about things having got them off my chest!

The Barton defeat - which incidentally was accompanied (referee apart) by one of the most open, attacking games of football I've seen for some time - leaves us in desperate need of 3pts at Hessle tomorrow. Most people will wonder why we're so keen given that the Chalk Lane defeat extinguished what little hope we still had of mounting a realistic tilt at the title ourselves? Well, given the fact that we have operated with such a small squad all season, it would be nice to think that the effort put in could be rewarded with a league position that reflects this. Finishing behind the two easily most consistent teams in the league and the reigning champions would provide such a creditable position. Thus a win for us tomorrow and a Sculcoates victory over Beverley would almost confirm top four....and probably leave us thinking "what if" about missed opportunities to take third spot off Scully!

Player-wise, we recently held a meeting to gauge opinions about our course next season. It's no secret that we've had several issues this term with lads whose commitment proved less than full! But, it would at least appear to be the case now that those left on board are keen to take the club forward.

I can't leave the HPL scene without the usual beer mention - and the Neptune have come up trumps in recent weeks with its post-match offering of "Prickly Back Otchan" from the local Great Newsome Brewery. And very nice too!

Anyway, it's Good Friday - which to any self-respecting sports fan in Hull and the East Riding means one thin. Derby Day. In some five hours time I shall be sat among the red & white throng in the North Stand at the KC Stadium hoping to see Rovers put one over our close neighbours.

It's been quite amusing in recent weeks listening to the change in opinions from some of the more vociferous of our black & white brethren. Following their win at "Bratfut" last month it was going to be a "record score" against Rovers today. Three weeks later, and following their shock cup exit at the hands of Salford, they're all ringing Radio Humberside and/or logging onto the various message boards predicting a record score the other way. Priceless!

Personally, I think it'll be a real bum-squeaker but am just hoping to enjoy it more than my previous two derbies at the KC. Both ended in defeat - I missed the 42-6 drubbing dished out by Justin Morgan's men two years ago; one that will live long in the memory of those Rovers fans left alone in the stadium for much of the second half. Oh, for a repeat today!!

The memories of "away" derbies that immediately spring to my mind come from somewhat longer back and were in not such salubrious surroundings: standing in the rain and cold at the Boulevard one New Year (1990?) and barely seeing Clarkey go in at the other end to score Rovers' only try in a low-scoring win (8-4?) (it completed a great day as it came just an hour or so after two Andy Payton goals had helped City to a 3-1 win over Leeds at Boothferry Park); or seeing Mike Fletcher go in at the corner at the Grandways End of Boothferry Park in an end-of-season play-off game a few years later? I was in the West Stand seats at the time - towards Bunkers Hill - and the sight of our small group jumping for joy left a look on those around us that still lives with me to this day. A repeat of such looks from Hull fans this afternoon would be nice!!

It's a big weekend for City also. Win at Middlesbrough tomorrow and Brown's boys will be just about safe. Although, given recent performances and what the manager has already said in the lead-up to the game, it would appear the "Must not lose" mantra is already being adopted.

Since the last blog, City bowed out of the FA Cup in the "Cesc Spit" of the Emirates. Although not totally convinced by some of Browny's post-match arguments, I do like the way he continues to get up the noses of certain sections of the Top Four-loving media - and Arsene of course! Anybody who provokes a bitter reaction from the likes of Piers Morgan (the man who put the "Arse" in Arsenal) must be doing something right!

Anyway, must dash - my chariot awaits. Happy Easter!

Spouting

Continuing to live the dream with City; Cottaging memories; top tipples; rallying round the Robins & Saturday wasters...

I don't know what's more surprising as we enter March - Hull City in the draw for the FA Cup semi-finals (hurrah), Hull FC joint-top of Super League (boo) or Easington United in third place in the Humber Premier League (double hurrah)! I certainly wouldn't like to hazard a guess as to which of these facts will still ring true come the start of April.

I've managed a couple of City games since Christmas - both unfortunately ending in defeat (Aston Villa and Blackburn Rovers). And if I'm honest the latest of these did have me thinking that the Tigers' "Premier League Adventure" may well be set for an early finish. But, hey, along comes the "Angolan Goal Machine" (sic) at Craven Cottage and things start looking up again.


The aforementioned Cottage is my favourite ground in London and was one of my fave away trips during the days when I was a regular City watcher. Accompanied by one of the more pleasant walks to a ground it's possible to experience, I also recall it as one of the friendlier venues to visit at a time when trying get a drink anywhere near to an away ground came with a serious health warning. I still wince though when I remember City throwing away a three-goal lead at the ground in 1992!

For my sins I forsook the live experience of the KC for the cosier confines of The George & Dragon in Holmpton for City's recent games against Spurs and 'Sheff Unarted'. While the defeat by the former was made slightly more bearable by three very nice pints of Daleside "Old Leg Over", the hard-earned cup win over T'Blades compensated for it being my turn at the wheel and therefore allowing just the solitary pint of "Landlord" to pass my lips.


The George & Dragon also provides Tetley on cask - which is something the village of Easington failed to do for the first time in my lifetime last month. Following The White Horse's switch to John Smiths, The Neptune had been the sole provider of the ale on which I was brought up. But last month publican Paul decided to switch over to "Sleck Dust" from the local Great Newsome set-up and so Joshua's famous logo disappeared from view for the first time in my living memory.

Beer-wise, post-match at Easington away games has been slightly more interesting in recent weeks. Hornsea's Hollis Recreation Ground clubhouse now provides "Wold Top Bitter" on draught which tasted all the sweeter given our hard-earned 2-1 win; while the "Monkman's Slaughter" in the Gardeners Arms on Cottingham Road seemed an appropriate way to follow our 8-1 mauling by Chalk Lane back in January - it certainly dulled the pain of defeat for a short time anyway! The only disappointment during our recent run of away trips was the lack of Tom Wood's "Wagoner Ale" in the Lucarlys Clubhouse at Cleethorpes Town - it had sold out during lunchtime.

Of course this search for fine ale has been encouraged recently by the wonderful series "Oz & James Drink to Britain", just finished on BBC2. The first instalment, in which they undertook a "real ale pub crawl" by train through the West Riding particularly interested me. As a fellow afficianado acknowledged afterwards, however, had the series been on ITV we might have been given more details of the actual brands on offer! Still, if it means having to undertake a fact-finding mission of our own then...

Worrying about the quality of ale wasn't my first priority at Craven Park on Sunday just gone. Keeping warm and dry came some way above that given a horrendous build-up to the game that saw freezing temperatures, wind chill and showers of rain and sleet. Thankfully come kick-off the clouds peeled back to leave a sunny afternoon, topped off nicely by a 31-18 win for the Robins. It was eldest daughter Emma's first game of the season - not sure she'll want to rush back given that she spent the last fifteen minutes huddled as tightly as she could into my shoulder on the hopelessly exposed North Stand. Oh, and a nod to the Wakefield fans I spoke to beforehand as we sought shelter from the elements - a nicer set of people I couldn't have wished to meet (and they had some good tips on where to drink when over their neck of the woods!!).

Back to football and hopefully the weather will be in slightly more favourable mood this Saturday when we entertain leaders Reckitts at Low Farm. Back in January we claimed a real morale-boost when winning the away fixture 4-3. However, they're on a roll at the moment and we're in for a very tough game this weekend.

Saturday's a first for us inasmuch as the Reserves are also at home. Usually we have the Casuals for company on HPL match days, with changing facilities on the "Pitch Across The Ditch" not really appropriate for Premier Division football. But following a bit of a cock-up with the fixtures, the Stiffs will now "slum it" for a couple of Saturdays. In fairness they'll be chomping at the bit to play given a long-overdue second league win of the season last weekend. I was really pleased for Smalls and Dawsey as they've had a rough time of things this season, particularly when it comes to players letting them down. Even more frustrating is to learn that some of these "absentees" have since been spotted playing for other clubs. This really galls me. Yes, all clubs have at one time taken some one along to make up the numbers but to continually play somebody who you know is registered to another club, while that same club is struggling to field a full eleven, seems pretty deplorable. As for the individual, why not come clean and ask for a transfer? Doing it on the quiet is simply a coward's way out - and you should know that "The Holderness Bush Telegraph" picks up everything eventually!!

Finally, last month saw us kick off our new Eastenders Development Group fundraising events with "A Night at the Dogs" at Hull Greyhound Stadium ("Boolevard" to me and thee). A cracking night was had by all (the missus even backed a couple of winners) with my only complaint being, yep you guessed it, not a decent ale pump in sight!! Still, you can't have everything.

See you next month.