England v Mexico - International match at Wembley Stadium

Monday 25th May 2010. Friendly International Match
at Wembley Stadium

England (2) 3 (King, Crouch, Johnson)
Mexico (1) 1 (Franco)

Admission - All ticket, various prices, mine was £30, on the middle balcony nearly level with the halfway line.
Programme - £6 (not fuggin' likely!).
Free Lions fanzine was free and packed with all the information that the fans needed.
Attendance - 88,638

Free Lions - Free England fans fanzine

An end of season friendly and warm up game in preparation for the forthcoming World Cup.
I doubt if anybody really expected a full blooded, chase after everything, battling performance from England, pulling out all the stops to thwart the lively Mexicans or recklessly clattering in for the 50/50 challenges.

Young England fans posing with their mum in front of the Bobby Moore statue.
I can't believe that twat walked in front of my picture!

There is no such thing as a meaningless England game, that said the result of this one wasn't vitally important in the grand scheme of things ... and before kick off, to my way of thinking, the best outcome tonight would be for England to leave the field of play after 90 minutes having avoided picking up any injuries, combined with Wayne Rooney having had the opportunity to get a run out towards regaining his full fitness and competitive edge.

An added bonus would be one of the keepers stepping up to claim that number 1 jersey as his own, though Fabio Capello will no doubt have already made his mind up about that anyway.

A win would be nice of course too.

The first two of those 'best outcomes' were ticked off tonight, although there were a few worrying moments when Steven Gerrard required lengthy treatment.

The added bonus option required Mexico to put in an attacking display tonight and credit where it is due, they certainly took the game to their hosts ... and came to Wembley intent on playing a creative, up tempo, fluent and open style of play, thus both Robert Green in the first half and Joe Hart in the second got plenty of opportunity to show what they can do.

In my humble opinion, Rob Green should get the nod, not just based on tonight's performance, though he did pull off a couple of outstanding saves in the first half.

And in international tournaments you need experienced players to fall back on too, so I reckon David James will be on the plane to South Africa as well.

He's dropped some high profile clangers over the years, but all said he has a proven pedigree and bags of ability and has the presence of mind to bounce back ... he's needed to have had too!

'Lets all have a disco!' Mexican fans joined us for a drink
before the game in the Green Man beer garden.

Mexico were stiff opposition and gave England a good workout and provided Capello with plenty of questions to mull over ... and even this completely biased scribe, would have to say they were the better side and very unlucky to be on the receiving end of a 3-1 reversal tonight.
Not that you'll hear me complaining about it.

Prior to this game the visitors were unbeaten in ten straight matches, so they were never going to be pushovers.

Lily Allen's younger and much prettier sister travelled to Wembley with us

on the North Notts England Fans coach ... fancy dress was optional ;-)

I had heard a few disparaging comments about the standard of opposition in the build up to the game, but only from the sort of England 'fan' who's never actually been to an international game, but who always has a new shirt every time there is a tournament approaching on the horizon, to wear down the pub, where frankly the majority of them are just using the national football team as an excuse for a day 'on the piss' anyway.

They're usually the first ones to start with the 'Never watching them again, they're crap' anger fuelled outbursts the moment England get eliminated from a tournament ... likewise they'll be the first ones to sing 'England 'til I die' the moment the team win a couple of games.

Tsk, Rangers fans! I S'pose watching anything beats watching them.

I've got news for those sort of 'supporters', England are not the best team in the world, we probably won't win the World Cup, or get anywhere close - though I will be ecstatic to be proven wrong at this juncture - and wearing those 1966 t-shirts from the sale rail in Wilko's hardware store, or the ones emblazoned with "Two world wars and one world cup" type sentiments just makes you look like a twat.

Don't even get me started on those spastic car flags!!!
No, I didn't spell plastic wrong there.

The Wembley arch in the background

Sadly a lot of people outside England, in their ignorance, tar us all with this same brush.
Even more sadly, a lot of English people who can't differentiate between the piss heads who dress the part during tournaments (but who probaly can't even name half the teams England beat en route the the final) and proper England fans, have decreed that it's very trendy to jump on a bandwagon that portrays us all as political extremists.
What a crock of shit!

The Wembley arch in the foreground

Anyway, on with the game.
England took the lead, completely against the run of play, on 17 minutes, Peter Crouch got on the end of a Steve Gerrard corner and directed the ball into the path of Ledley King who headed home, completely unmarked, from six yards out.
Mexico kept probing and creating, while England looked off the pace at times, but on 34 minutes they scored again and once more it was from a Gerrard corner.
Rooney connected with the ball from Gerrard and got his powerful header on target forcing a great save out of Oscar Perez, the ball dropped to Peter Crouch who threw himself at it and bundled home a goal with at least one or two unconventional body parts.
It wasn't the most aesthetically lovely goal you'll ever see, but they all count.
Was there a possible use of the arm?
Was it deliberate?
Either way, it gave the score a quite flattering look and Mexico must've been bewildered as to how they were 2-0 behind after having the lions share of the play.

Time for the national anthem "Nah, nah, nah ... and we all like Vindaloo"

Rob Green had twice denied Carlos Vela, Carlos Salcido had hit the post, yet England would be going in to the break ahead.

Right on the stroke of half time Leighton Baines cleared an header off the line, but Guillermo Franco fired home the loose ball from close range to half the arrears.

Free t-shirts for all. ... XXL too, I'm pleased to say :-) But the little lad on the left
didn't want to put a red shirt on over his ROONEY 9 one though

Each and every seat had a free t shirt on it so we could all be part of massive pair of human St George's flags on either side of the stadium.

Above, 10 minutes prior to kick off. Eek! I'm glad he was in the wrong seat.
Below, his replacement had irritation potential, but it was OK once she sat down.
Contrary to appearances the guy in the checked jacket
wasn't actually the Bard of Salford, John Cooper Clarke.

Two minutes into the second half, Glen Johnson, surrounded by defenders, crashed home a third England goal from the edge of the box, restoring a two goal cushion and providing a safety net should Mexico come out all guns blazing again in the second half.
The game gradually petered out and the English midfield and defence tightened things up no end after the restart. Mexico were not going to run them ragged the way they had in the first half again and England held out to record a slightly lacklustre 3-1 win ... it was a friendly cum practice match and served it's purpose well, while the 88,638 had a party sending the national off in style from their final home game of a very successful 2008-10 campaign.
I've seen better games (and worse ones too) this season, but we all had a great time anyway.

I received a few text messages:
"I hope they don't play like this in South Africa or we're doomed"
Hmm ... it won't be a practice game with a few first choice players missing when the real stuff starts, but I doubt if any England fan really thinks we'll actually win it. Lets get that awkward opening game against the USA and the other group games out of the way before we start with all the OTT histrionics, either positive or negative.
"You didn't win the sweepstake for when the commentator would first mention 1966 tonight mate. You had 3 minutes but it didn't happen until after 9!!!"
Oh well, they mentioned it just before kick off last time.
"Rob, this is crap, it's like watching Hearts!"
Perleeze!!! It was unconvincing in spells but lets not get carried away. It wasn't that bad.

Jamie Carragher played, coming on as an half time substitute.
That is the same Jamie Carragher who had officially retired from international games, but who was talked out of that decision by Fabio Capello this week.
A few of the England fans have mixed feelings about this, in as much as Carragher wasn't around during the qualifying games, but is now suddenly available for the World Cup final stages.
I guess I can see to a certain extent why some people would feel that way, but it is Fabio Capello's decision who he picks and he's done more than OK thus far hasn't he?
In fact before Fabio took over at the helm, I wouldn't have been surprised if England hadn't qualified at all under the previous regime.
He has done great to turn things around with immediate effect.
As for Carragher, steady if unspectacular and possibly a good squad player. I hear he is retiring from international football again any time soon.

The Wembley arch in the dark of night

England never perform all that well in friendlies, but can still beat very useful sides whilst playing mediocre (at best) with a makeshift side, it hardly warrants being pessimistic.
But it is traditional when England go into a major tournament for the newspapers to start some kind of backlash against whoever the manager is.
Lord help Mr Capello if England don't win 10-0 against fellow finalists Japan in the last pre World Cup warm up game in Austria on Sunday then (I have an inkling that they won't by the way).
Hopefully Fabio will shove the doubters words down their throats, the way Bobby Robson silenced the same hacks in 1990, but I think that just maybe, dreaming of a semi final spot is being a tad too optimistic.
Was that really two whole decades ago? Bugger, I'm getting old, or should I say ... bugger I got old.
The World Cup is nearly upon us, the flights and ticket prices are out of my price range, but I'll be cheering my country on in front of the TV and I'm looking forward to the whole tournament. The best teams and best players in the world will all be there, except Ronaldinho, because the deadwood and also rans have all been eliminated now.
Here's to a great tournament and some entertaining games.
I think Spain or Argentina will win it, I REALLY want England to do well and you should all watch out for New Zealand ... they have a former Worksop Town player in their ranks.
Bring it on!
Football rocks!!!

Been there, done that, got the t-shirt

Thanks to North Notts England Fans for arranging the coach trips to Wembley so well.

It is just £15 return on the coach from the Retford, Worksop and Mansfield area.

They can sort out match tickets for you and have an arrangement with the Green Man pub very close to Wembley Stadium to park the coach there ... which is where we joined in a 'fans party' along with a good few Mexican supporters, until about half an hour before kick off.

For more details contact Stuart (see below) ... and if you are really lucky you might get to meet the lovely Joanne (phwoar).

Retford Town v Kinsley Boys - Doncaster Senior League Premier Division

Kinsley's 40th minute penalty is saved by Craig Holland.
It was a bit of a daisy cutter.

Saturday 22nd May 2010

Doncaster Senior League Premier Division
at Tiln Lane, Retford

Retford Town (2) 4
(Dan House 17, James Woodward 28, 65, Ian Woodward 73)
Kinsley Boys (3) 4
(S Oates 11, 22, 41, P Gill 50)

Admission Free, Programme £1,
Attendance varied between 23 and 27 over the afternoon, the previous highest attendance for a RTFC game at Tiln Lane was 22 ... you lot don't know what you are missing.

Martin 'Buster' Keaton gives out free refreshments on a scorching afternoon

Despite appearances the pitch had been mowed on Tuesday, but today the guy who usually does it was on holiday in Turkey.

One onlooker commented "Bleedin' hell, this'll be the first time I've seen a game called off because the pitch is dandelion hogged"

Right Said Fred take time out from rehearsals to watch the game

Kinsley have been storming up the league with purpose recently and took the game to Retford from the off.
But the home side will have been disappointed with the visitors first two goals, both free headers by the same player direct from corners, even though Dan House had scored Retford's first in between times.

James Woodward put Retford level again just before the half hour and Kinsley were going to need a few more corners to score from if they were to finish third in the table this afternoon.

Deeply dippy

Craig Holland got down really well to deny Oates an hat trick from the penalty spot, it was a blinding save from the keeper who was standing in for Jason Holberry today, I'm led to believe he usually turns out for Mattersey FC of the Gainsborough and District League, they have their own website and everything http://www.soccerweekend.com/team/index.asp?TeamID=18051

Alas, Oates claimed his hat trick two minutes later, direct from a corner again (inevitably), though from where I was stood it looked to have gone in straight off a Retford player at the back post, though nobody has stepped forward to claim it as of yet ;-)

Last man out take the goalposts with you

When Gill put the Boys club ahead five minutes into the second half the game was theirs to be won. But, for whatever reason, they didn't change their shape to contain Town from now on in and a goal apiece from 'Woodwards of Retford', James and Ian, saw the Tiln Road side pull the game back to four apiece.

Kinsley thought there was a shade of offside about Retford's third goal, but there was no disputing the quality of the fourth.

"REAL ALES ... & CAVORTING" Hmm, intriguing.

Retford Town very thoughtfully provided free cold drinks for everybody present at half time, which was greatly appreciated by us all on the hottest day of the year so far.

The secret of getting a good tan is out ... don't bother going to Florida and spending a load of money this summer, grab yourself a tent and head up to Bolham ... mind you, take a few anti histamine tablets along if you are allergic to wild flowers and long grass.
The Retford coaches on the bench threw cold drinks out to their players during a break in play, at which point a young man by the name of Woodward discovered he couldn't actually catch and his bottle hit him smack in the face and doused him in water ... of course this kind of thing is bound to happen straight in front of where everybody is stood watching and laughing at you.
The lad took his soaking with a remarkable amount of composure and dignity under the circumstances.
The draw meant Kinsley Boys finished the table in fourth whilst Retford Town finished fifth, both will be hoping to improve on that next season, but there are some really good sides at the top end of the DSL this season.An entertaining game on a very warm afternoon and a good time was had by all, including the usual band of local regulars, plus a small gathering made up of Worksop Town fans, Retford United supporters, the Frickley Athletic massive, Scotter United's finest, a guy who came all the way from Oldham to watch the game, a lad from Pontefract in serious need of a good haircut ;-) and the always charming and ultra knowledgeable Gordon Foster from Rainworth Miners Welfare - congratulations to them on their promotion to the UniBond/Evo-Stik League by the way.
We were going to be joined by a Lincoln City fan but his girlfriend (for now until I pinch her from him) wouldn't let him come out to play today.

It was good to see one of the Worksop contingent who doesn't bother with a programme still insisted on paying something to watch the game.
This blog paid a few quid to have the web address printed in an advert on the results page in Retford Town's excellent programme. It doesn't hurt to chip in towards the running costs of a local club grass roots club.
RTFC are always a very welcoming club and it's free to watch games at Tiln Lane, they went out of their way to make sure we all got some liquid on board and they fetched chairs out for those who didn't want to stand watching the game in that sort of heat for a whole ninety minute. Of course, being supremely fit and athletic, I managed a whole ninety minutes and even ran a couple of laps around the pitch after the game - it's a shame everyone else had gone home and missed that, it was a new personal best time as well.
Just one more game for me this season now, Monday's friendly international at Wembley between England and Mexico. I suspect there will be a few more at that game and the programmes won't cost a quid.

Today ... Saturday 22nd May 2010

Retford Town v Kinsley Boys

Doncaster Senior League Premier Division
At the Bolham Way Sports Ground
(Formerly known as the Electricity Board Club)
off Tiln Lane, Retford
Saturday May 22nd 2010
KICK OFF 2PM
Admission Free, Programme £1

After beating Edlington Rangers 10-2 away in midweek, Kinsley Boys are now pushing to finish the season in 3rd place, whilst Notts Intermediate Cup winners Retford Town will be looking for a win to leapfrog their Yorkshire visitors and finish the season in fourth.
There promises to be a few goals going on current form.
What a mouthwatering prospect, eh!?

Whoops!

Hemsworth Alpha 'A' v Edlington Rangers - Doncaster Senior League Premier Division

Thursday 13th May 2010
Doncaster Senior League Premier Division
at the Kirkby Road Sports Complex

Hemsworth Alpha 'A' (1) 1 (A Lowe pen)
Edlington Rangers (3) 4 (J Cheswick, C Dyson 2, P Walmsley)

"Right ref, we just need some footballs and a goalkeepers shirt an we can start"

The Kirkby Road Sports Complex has been sold off to build houses on (note the ever expanding new housing estate in the background of the above picture) and this Saturday's home fixture v FC Thorne Town will be the last ever game to be played at this venue.
I'm otherwise engaged at the weekend so this was the last chance I'd ever get to see a game being played at what is left of this ground.
Note the old weather beaten sign for Hemsworth Town FC is still stood by the main entrance, for now anyway.
I thought Alpha might be moving to share with Hemsworth MW, but apparently they're relocating to the pitch at the Hemsworth West End club next season instead.
A short list of small but significant facts about the Kirkby Road Sports Complex ...
In recent times the ground has been used by the Leeds United Youth Academy team, the ground entrance is opposite Hemsworth Hippodrome (the bestest Bingo Hall and cheapest beer for miles around by all accounts) and the excellent Kirkby Road chip shop is just a few yards further up the road.
Fascinating stuff or what?

Worksop fans who travelled to Hemsworth for a cup game a few years ago, will be impressed with how much work nearby Hemsworth Miners Welfare have done to their ground, which now has proper seating and a decent clubhouse, a far cry from the day they put up a marquee tent as a makeshift bar to cater for several hundred travelling Tigers fans.
How things change so quickly in football, eh!?
The now grandly named 'Fitzwilliam Stadium' is well worth a visit, but I can't vouch for the whereabouts of the majority of the travelling Tigers army who were there on that infamous day.

It's quite eerie standing on the side of a running track, in the middle of a building site, watching a game of football being played out on a dusty and heavily sanded pitch, where a perfectly good sports arena used to stand.
Even the fence that ran along the side of the track, that spectators used to be able to lean on, has been nicked for it's scrap value.

But a man's got to what a man's got to do.
I just wish the ball hadn't kept leaving the pitch and bouncing beyond the perimeter of the ground in the general vicinity of where we were stood.
Running about the place and climbing all over a building site, with the occasional foray under the referee's car to retrieve the ball, is probably great fun if you are energetic and 8 years old.
Alas, I am neither.
And I just know my poor old aching limbs will be reminding me about it in the morning too.
Thankfully one of Alpha's officials came around the track from the dug outs to share my ball boy duties ... eventually!
Apparently the two gentlemen I was stood with were enjoying the spectacle of me charging around too much to actually join in themselves.
Bastards!

It was a fairly absorbing contest with no quarter given, played on a 'difficult' pitch, that made the ball behave in a similar erratic kind of way you would expect from an unrestrained balloon on a windy day.
Lesser mortals would struggle to perform in such conditions, but here in the Doncaster Senior League, the show must go on!
The nearby sandpit where local athletes used to partake in long jump competitions, has been emptied of it's contents so the rabbit holes in the pitch could all be filled in ... seriously.
In fact, it was very similar to a certain UniBond League playing surface I've seen games played on this season, that is actually quite close to my house.
Alpha took the lead from the penalty spot on the half hour, but were told to retake it due to an encroachment into the box by one of their own players.
So Alpha took the lead again, legitimately, when Andy Lowe fired home the second attempt (see above), in spite of an encroachment into the box by several opposition players.
Hemsworth then took their foot off the gas and were made to regret it almost immediately when Edlo Rangers equalised just two minutes later. And went ahead three minutes after that. And then bagged themselves a third goal after a further five minutes had elapsed. A comeback that Lazarus himself would've been proud of (The Gospel of John, New Testament version).
Right on the stroke of half time, Hemsworth Alpha were awarded yet another penalty.
Andy Lowe's effort was saved, but yet again the referee wanted it retaken.
So Danny Burton took responsibility this time and ... whoops! That's one for the builders on the adjacent site to find tomorrow morning then.
Ten minutes into the second half Edlington Rangers were awarded a penalty.
It seems the SPL tradition that teams called Rangers must be given a penalty in each and every game they play has been imported to South Yorkshire.
The spot kick was saved.

Through the barricades

On sixty seven minutes, the visitors scored their fourth and final goal.
Late on they pushed on in pursuit of a fifth but Hemsworth's keeper nonchalantly flicked a couple of efforts over his cross bar one handed.
"Stop f***ing posing 'cos there's someone here with a camera" shouted one of his team mates.
Sorry goalie, I was taking a call on my camera/phone and missed your Pat Jenningsesque moments of glory anyway, but I can do you a print of the penalty save for a small fee ;-)

I've REALLY enjoyed the last few days, watching proper grass roots players in the company of some very knowledgeable good companions.
And I'll be back soon for more of the same too :-)

Yorkshire Main v South Kirkby Colliery - Doncaster Senior League Premier Division

Wednesday 12th May 2010
Doncaster Senior League Premier Division

Yorkshire Main (0) 0
South Kirkby Colliery (4) 5 (Williams 3, Studd, Wakefield)

Come off the A1 at the A630 and head away from Doncaster, towards Rotherham. Just past the Indian Restaurant on the left that used to be the Cecil pub (of no small repute) turn left at the lights down Edlington Road and Yorkshire Main's ground is on the left immediately after the fire station. For Edlington Town continue a bit further along Edlington Road, throw a right at Fulton Foods down Bungalow Road and at the end of that in the estate beyond Netto and the WMC, turn right into Auburn Road for the Rec.
You know you want to!

Edlington apparently has enough footballers to sustain three clubs in the Doncaster Senior League, Edlington Rangers, Edlington Town and Yorkshire Main plus the latter also have a team competing in the Central Midlands League.
A veritable hot bed of football then.
But tonight was all about the visitors South Kirkby Colliery and one of their players in particular, Ryan Williams.
This is not the same diminuitive Ryan Williams who won England Under 18 honours while at Mansfield Town who went on to play for Hull City before eventually returning home to Field Mill via a couple of less notable clubs (ahem), but this one has signed for Bradford once this season finishes.
I'm assuming my DSL 'scouting' sidekick for tonight's game meant Park Avenue rather than City, but you never know who is watching these games , eh!?

Williams could've had a hat trick inside the first 22 minutes.
9 minutes, Williams runs onto a flick on into the box and keeps his nerve in a one on one with the keeper to fire home the opening goal.
20 minutes, Williams surged into the box, ignoring the attentions of the trailing defenders and a blatant shoulder charge inside the box, takes the ball neatly round the keeper, 2-0
22 minutes, South Kirkby playing to their main strengths, i.e. getting the ball in Ryan Williams path when he's facing the goal, release their number ten yet again, but this time he hits his effort straight at the keeper.
Williams was then quiet for a short spell, in fact it wasn't until 29 minutes before he completed his hat trick, getting his own back on the keeper for thwarting his previous effort by firing the ball home off the unfortunate Yorkshire Main shot stoppers body.
Obviously this was a very one sided game and the visitors were peppering efforts on the Main goal from all angles, two minutes before half time Studd fired home a sublime shot from close range and if this was a cricket match South Kirkby could've declared right then.
A Yorkshire Main player launched a tirade of verbals at the referee, it was hardly his fault that the Edlington Road side were on the end of a rout, but the referee just bellowed back at him "Stop your talking or you'll be walking" much to everyone's amusement, apart from the whinger, who was suffering from advanced puffer fish syndrome by this point. They're small sea creatures who would be crap in fight, so they inflate themselves when approached by predators to look bigger and scarier than they really are.

The second half continued in much the same vein and it was more by accident than design that Yorkshire Main restricted the visitors to just one more goal before the end of the game.
It came six minutes into the second half ... South Kirkby crossed the ball to towards Ryan Williams and the defence, finally cottoning on that he was a threat around the goal mouth who they really ought to be marking, surrounded him, blocking his path in all directions, so having taken half of the home team out of the equation he simply pretended to be going for goal but left the ball for the visitors number 2, a chap called Wakefield, who was running in behind him and he scored instead.

Yorkshire Main mustered a couple of late efforts, but for the most part their goal led a charmed life as the South Kirkby continued to turn the screw.
Of course with there being adequate cover on both sides of the pitch and a nice warm tea bar to take shelter in, the rain held off tonight for a change.
More Edlington orientated action tomorrow night, when Edlington Rangers travel to Hemsworth Alpha 'A' (not to be mistaken for Hemsworth Alpha 'B' who play a division below the DSL Premier) in the last but one fixture that'll ever be played at the Kirk Road Complex.

"Young man! There's no need to feel down"

Edlington Town v Sutton Rovers - Doncaster Senior League Premier Division

Tuesday 11th May 2010.
Doncaster Senior League Premier Division
at Edlington Recreation Ground

Edlington Town (2) 4 (Bradshaw pen, Hayes, Caudwell, Sticklen)

Sutton Rovers (1) 2 (Chambers, Wain)

Hmm, that slate grey sky looks full of it

Congratulations to Edlington Town, Doncaster Senior League champions with four games still to play.

'Edlo' tore into their visitors from the off, clearly demonstrating both their intent and the kind of form that has won them the title. They had a blatant shout for a penalty waved away but were obviously on top in this game and a breakthrough was going come soon anyway, it was more a question of when as opposed to if.
So the inevitable happened ... Sutton Rovers scored!
With their very first move forward the ball found itself nestled in the bottom of the net after a speculative shot from the edge of the area.
Undeterred, the home side kept pushing forward and had created enough chances to have already had this game wrapped up by the time they drew level from the penalty spot on 37 minutes (see below).
And before half time the breakthrough finally came when Lee Hayes scored directly from a corner after a team mate ducked under his in swinger from the left wing.
As this photograph of Hayes party piece in mid flight shows, the lad is never going to get a part as a body double in Peter Andre the Movie (I'm pencilled in for that one ;-) ) because Lee isn't exactly the most finely honed athlete you are ever likely to see thundering around a football pitch. But his touch on the ball, vision, arsenal of tricks and ability to boss the game was a joy to watch.
By the time he went off for a breather on 80 minutes - a greatly deserved one, Edlington Town seemed to play each and every move through Hayes - the game was already won and the corpulent number 8 had been the architect of this well earned victory.
I'm told Lee Hayes as a youngster was on the books of Doncaster Rovers and his progress was being monitored by a number of other league clubs but he had problems keeping the weight off, there but for the grace of God!
Donny Rovers loss is certainly Edlo Town's gain.
When Hayes came off he stood booming out help and encouragement to his team mates from the side of the pitch, a born leader.
I'm reliably informed that he's scored directly from a few of these in swinging corners this season ... DSL goalkeepers beware.

ET (FC) COME HOME!
Yes, that really is a space ship parked on the far touch line.

The heavy rain that had been threatening to come all night arrived with a vengeance, but the light drizzle and 'fine stuff that wets you through' had seen to it that everyone present was soaked through to the skin already anyway.

Two minutes into the second half, Sutton Rovers forced a corner and Wain got on the end of it to equalise for the visitors.
Purveyors of football geography take note. This team hail from Sutton near Askern, up the A19 from Doncaster and not from the village 2 miles to the north of Retford, the Ashfield borough on the outskirts of Mansfield, or any of the other 40 plus towns and villages in England that have a variant of Sutton in their name. I didn't want you driving round in circles miles away from the ground with kick off looming the next time you fancy watching Rovers in action.

"Come on a pushbike! You must've come on a pushbike!"

Stunned into action by Sutton's second goal, Town now stepped up the tempo again and took the game to Rovers once more.
On 53 minutes Rovers goalkeeper spilled a catch into the path of Edlington's number 9 and he piled in to take advantage of the slip. 3-2.
With 15 minutes remaining Sutton conceded a free kick a few yards outside the box, it was a fairly reckless lunge and a stronger referee might have gone straight for his red card, but maybe the official gave the culprit the benefit of the doubt because the wet pitch had accelerated the impact of the foul ... I wouldn't have done though.
Perhaps the ref had thought, "We're all getting soaked so you're not getting out of it you dirty git" and that is why he kept the red in his pocket.
For the record, referee's at this level are paid £20 plus expenses per game, their assistants half that amount ... so they're not here to make a living out of it and without them there wouldn't be a game, there are bound to be a few genuine honest errors of judgement made.
Either way, Edlington Town's centre half got on the end of the free kick and headed home his teams fourth goal, so justice was done in the end.
In the end, the margin of victory definitely didn't flatter Edlington Town, far from it.
A great advert all round for the Doncaster Senior League, if not the South Yorkshire climate.

Heart of Midlothian v Glasgow Celtic - Scottish Premier League

Sunday 9th May 2010. Scottish Premier League.

At Tynecastle Stadium.

Heart of Midlothian (1) 1 (Zaliukas 36)
Glasgow Celtic (1) 2 (Keane 23, Zhi 61)

Admission various prices, my seat was £28. Programme £3. Attendance 14839

Media coverage of the last SPL game of 2009-10 at Tynecastle can be found by clicking on the following link:
http://sport.scotsman.com/heartofmidlothianfc/Hearts-12-Celtic-Hardworking-Hearts.6283048.jp

"Not tonight Darling!" Topical political satire arrives on THE66POW

Click below to see what my pal Mike Smith, author of one of my all time favourite books 'Follow The Hearts' (FTH), had to say about this afternoon's game.
http://ontheterracing.blogspot.com/2010/05/heart-of-midlothian-1-celtic-2.html

Attempts on target, Hearts 7 Celtic 3
Attempts off target, Hearts 6 Celtic 3
An open and flowing game between two sides who will win no silverware between them whatsoever this season and who's final league positions had been decided already in midweek, so fair play to both sides for making a game of it.
Corner kicks, Hearts 6 Celtic 1
Alas, the only statistic that counts in the end; Goals scored Hearts 1 Celtic 2

"Do you think we should do anything about all those sectarian flags and
terrorist songs Sarge?" "Nah, just ignore it like we always do"

You could tell Celtic were in town, it was just like when Rangers visit, except the Buckfast and Vodka swilling hordes blocking the pavements outside the local off licences, swilling litres of spirits from bottles in full view of the police are wearing different colours.
And inside the ground the flags of sectarian shame and songs of hate are pro Irish Republic Army instead of anti.
Both Old Firm clubs claim it is only a minority of their fans that still indulge in these dinosaur antics.
Bollocks!
Both Old Firm clubs perpetuate this filth, it is their life blood and if they really believe the whole away end standing in unison brandishing Tricolours and singing 'Hey, hey, up the 'RA!' this afternoon truly represents a minority voicing their opinions, then their world-view is obviously obscured by blind hatred.
Of course, they could possibly be telling lies too, because paying lip service to condoning such behaviour would open up an whole different can of words than merely pretending not to see and hear what is blatantly going on.
Both sides of the divide are as bad as each other, including the smaller numbers who partake in this blinkered stupidity amongst the Hearts and Hibs support.
"And if you know your history" boom out the Celtic fans ... well, if they know theirs ... Hibernian (as their name suggests) was the club formed by Irish footballers who had migrated to Scotland, Glasgow Celtic copied the idea when they formed and nicked all Hibs best players at a later date, like they still do on a regular basis, Derek Riordan being an exception to that rule ;-)
But the majority of Hibs fans don't go for all this 'rebel talk' and claim it is their 'traditional' birthright to buy into the same bile hook line and sinker. Though it pains me to say it, that is because the Easter Road faithful obviously aren't as stupid as a large proportion of Celtic and Rangers fans are. And as slights on the Glaswegians go, coming from me, that is a fairly low shot.
The stupidest ones of all, are the copy cat idiots who just go along with all the happy clapper sectarianism by numbers crap and don't actually having a clue what it is genuinely all about.

"Oh happiness, happiness, the greatest thing that I possess"

Oh, there was a football match too, a very good one actually.
Aiden McGeady sent a slide rule pass through for Roy Keane to open the scoring, Marius Zaliukas put out a foot to block the pass, but inadvertently only helped the ball into the path of the on loan Tottenham squad player who wasn't going to miss from there.
It's a shame about Aiden McGeady, he's obviously got an above average quota of skill, but he kept falling over and hitting the deck every time he came near a Hearts player.
Maybe it is a medical condition, possibly one of those wannabe UVF snipers in Section N really was taking things to the next level instead of just playing at it for a change, or most likely young Aiden knows Celtic (and Rangers) get the rub of the green (and blue) with referees whenever they play non Old Firm opposition and he was merely playing the tried and tested percentages game.

ESPN employ Transformers to cover their featured matches

This afternoon though, the referee booked three Celtic players but only two from Hearts.
A conspiracy theorist on the bus back into town (with a green and white scarf tucked inside his pocket) pointed out that the referee had the same name as one of the Hearts players and "that's way he gave the Hertz everything today" ... Yeah, the referee and Hearts man of the match were obviously both the same Craig Thomson weren't they!?
See what I meant about even Hibs fans not matching this lot for sheer stupidity!?
For the record the match official never "gave Hertz everything" today at all.
David Obua almost equalised but Zaluska in the Celtic goal tipped over his header at full stretch.
But on 36 minutes Zaliukas atoned for his earlier misdirected clearance and powered home a shot after being set up by Craig Thomson (the player not the referee).
Half time 1-1.

The 'lonely Hearts' column of seats

Both sides pushed forward a lot and the game continued at an almost frantic pace right up until the end.
Edson Braafhied, smashed the ball home direct from a free kick and his team, management and supporters all celebrated, demonstrating a complete lack of understanding of the rules of football ... One of which is, you can't score a goal directly from an indirect free kick.
Regardless, Neil Lennon, Celtic's gobby little manager still had an OTT rant at the referee.
Celtic's winner came from a moment of sublime skill and execution when Zheng Zhi volleyed home on the turn ... it was a goal worthy of winning any game (ouch!) and try as they may ... and they really did ... Hearts never came back from that hammer blow.
Must do better, but be written in big red letters across the top of Hearts end of season report. The signs of recovery under Jim Jefferies are already there, albeit in a slightly hit and miss kind of way at the moment.
So roll on 2010-11!

More detailed coverage of the match can be viewed by via the BBC at the following web address
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/football/scot_prem/8666273.stm