Woo hoo!
International football tonight.
Wembley tickets & travel all sorted and paid for and leave day(s) booked off from work ages in advance.
Plus my 'young' lady got the day off and is clocking up yet another trip to the national stadium with me, which is good, because she'll be getting some 'refreshments' and food ready for the journey for us both ... and err, I'll have the pleasure of her company too :-/ ... I s'pose!
Y'see, despite her being the Queen of Ceylon (requires clarification), she was actually born in this green and pleasant land and chooses to support England ... a very wise choice, especially if she doesn't want me to boot her out onto the street, regardless of her other attractions.
Some people think I'm a little bit unhinged, maybe they have good reason to assume that, but I'd never be crazy enough to spend the rest of my natural with a woman who didn't share my passion for my national football team.
BTW, the matching three lions tattoos are mandatory missus, I've booked you an appointment for Friday afternoon.
But I digress, Wembley here we come ...
What could possibly go wrong!?
Oh right!
Ah well, at least the FA had the decency to call all England Members yesterday and tell us that a full refund will be available imminently.
I know just the place ...
Wednesday 10th August, at Inkersall Road
Baris NCEL President's Cup, 1st Round
Staveley Miners Welfare (0) 2
Joe Thornton 70, Ryan Damms 84
Thackley (1) 1
Dean Walters 2
Admission £4/£2 conc. Programme £1 Free team sheet
Attendance 102
Mark their danger man closely lads
Hideous journey over the border into the wilds of North East Derbyshire tonight, stuck behind a slow convoy of trucks moving through the high winds and persistent rain as if they were filming a scene for Ice Road Truckers.
50+ minutes from North Notts to Inkersall Road!
That's probably the same time it would take to push my car there, but it was raining too heavily to try out that theory.
50+ minutes from North Notts to Inkersall Road!
That's probably the same time it would take to push my car there, but it was raining too heavily to try out that theory.
Rules of Engagement. When you give an opponent a crafty slap, have a quick look
around first and make sure nobody has got a camera aimed at you.
Both sides had started off their NCEL Premier Division campaigns with wins on Saturday. Staveley won 1-0 at Brighouse Town and Thackley beat Armthorpe Welfare 2-1.
Tonight's visitors have maintained their Premier Division status since the formation of the NCEL in 1982, whereas Staveley were promoted from Division 1 at the end of last season.
It will be interesting to see how the Inkersall Road outfit fair at an higher level ... will they still be able to compete against the likes of Parkgate, Retford United, Scarborough Athletic and Bridlington Town, playing their fast flowing passing game? Or will they have to adapt to a more dogged, direct and physical style of football when the occasion merits?
Thackley, tonight, would prove to be as big a test of the Blues tactics and resilience as anybody. So the scene was set for strength sapping and no punches pulled contest, on what was a completely miserable night weather wise.
Tonight's visitors have maintained their Premier Division status since the formation of the NCEL in 1982, whereas Staveley were promoted from Division 1 at the end of last season.
It will be interesting to see how the Inkersall Road outfit fair at an higher level ... will they still be able to compete against the likes of Parkgate, Retford United, Scarborough Athletic and Bridlington Town, playing their fast flowing passing game? Or will they have to adapt to a more dogged, direct and physical style of football when the occasion merits?
Thackley, tonight, would prove to be as big a test of the Blues tactics and resilience as anybody. So the scene was set for strength sapping and no punches pulled contest, on what was a completely miserable night weather wise.
Thackley were a goal to the good inside two minutes, when Dean Walters fired the 'Dennyboys' home from a direct free kick.
"Against the run of play" somebody suggested.
The Staveley players were queueing up for a while, trying to find an equaliser, but the pace of Thackley's Dean Walters gave the visitors the option of switching play from one end to the other very quickly, so Tom Jones and his defence had to stay alert to stamp out the counter attacking threat that Thackley posed.
With ten minutes gone, some patient build up play on the right saw Richard Patterson get on the end of the first goalscoring opportunity for the home side, but he headed wide from close range.
Minutes later, a neat passing build up, found Simon Barraclough on the edge of the box, but he chipped his shot over the bar.
Straight from the goal kick, Staveley regained possession and Ryan Damms launched a shot narrowly wide of the target.
But right at the end of the first half, with the rain really hammering down by now, Dean Walters and Tom Higman both had the chance to increase the visitors lead ... but both efforts were just wide of the goal.
Thackley had weathered the Staveley storm and went in at the break with their narrow lead still intact.
Ironically Staveley MW have just had another water tank installed at the ground to aid with watering the pitch ... cue a monsoon type downpour!
A dull, grey, wet and chilly night out in Derbyshire
Having absorbed a lot of pressure throughout the first half, Thackley came out after the break looking to take the game to Staveley.
And an up tempo second half ensued.
Ryan Damms went crashing to the floor under a challenge in the Thackley box on 65 minutes ... those around me said 'definite penalty' but the referee Dave Goodwin disagreed and gave Damms a yellow card for assimilation instead.
Five minutes later Staveley finally got their equaliser.
It was ironic that it came at a time when Thackley were starting to build up their own head of steam, rather than when they had been pinned back in their own had during the first half ... but substitute Joe Thornton rounded Matt Convey and stuck the ball into the open net anyway, he wasn't going to let the possession percentages since the restart bother him in the slightest.
And an up tempo second half ensued.
Ryan Damms went crashing to the floor under a challenge in the Thackley box on 65 minutes ... those around me said 'definite penalty' but the referee Dave Goodwin disagreed and gave Damms a yellow card for assimilation instead.
Five minutes later Staveley finally got their equaliser.
It was ironic that it came at a time when Thackley were starting to build up their own head of steam, rather than when they had been pinned back in their own had during the first half ... but substitute Joe Thornton rounded Matt Convey and stuck the ball into the open net anyway, he wasn't going to let the possession percentages since the restart bother him in the slightest.
The Thackley fans take shelter from the rain.
Ham Robinson, on as a sub for Thackley, was teaming up with Dean Walters now and matched the centre forward for pace. Staveley's defence were having to deal with more and more with their dual threat as the second half progressed.
Chris Fawcus the Staveley left back looked especially good during these exchanges.
Chris Fawcus the Staveley left back looked especially good during these exchanges.
Martin Foster came close for Staveley again, as did Ryan Damms, and Aymen Tahar was offering the Blues attack a bit more in attack too, coming forward from the midfield. A neat move between the three of them found Damms in space in front of the goal, but Convey got down well to smother the ball.
Thornton looked to have won the game with 8 minutes to go but his effort was hooked from beneath the bar and cleared from the danger zone.
Thornton looked to have won the game with 8 minutes to go but his effort was hooked from beneath the bar and cleared from the danger zone.
Left click to enlarge images
Extra time looked to be on the cards now, but with five minutes remaining, Jordan Eagers hit a cross into the Thackley box from out wide on the right and Terry Damms headed home the winning goal.
Having led for so long and still managing to hold on to go in ahead at the break, despite Staveley's first half dominance, Thackley must've been gutted to lose right at the end.
Ham Robinson almost forced the game into extra time, after a late surge into the Staveley box, but only almost.
On the whole, in my humble and unimportant opinion, Staveley had deserved the win on the balance of play ... but the West Yorkshire team look capable of doing well this season, very capable.
Bradley's Bashing Crew, keep a vigilant look out for any would be teenage
hoodlum looters ... Lord help any chav scum who get in here tonight!
The rain relented for a few minutes while I dashed to my car and I was home by 10pm :-)
I would still have been stuck in the traffic getting away from Wembley at that time, if I'd gone to London tonight instead.
I would still have been stuck in the traffic getting away from Wembley at that time, if I'd gone to London tonight instead.
