Ashes to Ashton: weekend non-matchgoing thread

[Gangster Octopus]

Annoyingly Leeds pox one against the run of play.

[Gangster Octopus]

There's no way that the ref will allow us to keep Leeds from scoring a winner in the last twenty minutes

[Gangster Octopus]

Donkey spunk.

[Gangster Octopus]

Leeds will fit perfectly into the top division; they're a set of diving whining cunts

[Gangster Octopus]

And time wasting cunts.

[Gangster Octopus]

Bollocks. We so nearly did it right at the end.

[Paul S]

Hearts 2-0 St Johnstone

The 0845 from Euston arrived right time in Haymarket and this gave me just enough time to dump my rucksack in the Premier Inn and get to the ground for kick off. Queuing up for a ticket a bloke offered me a £32 ticket for £25 and said he would go in with me to prove it was genuine (his mate couldn't make it). This I did and I had a padded seat in the main stand.

It was a lively game and Hearts deserved the win although St Johnstone were unlucky not to get a consolation. It's rare for me to be in a big crowd as I am normally ground hopping, but 16,000 made a decent noise and I'm glad I went.

Off to Aberdeen tomorrow and the ferry to Lerwick. Fingers crossed for a calm crossing

[Billy Casper]

Barnsley 2-1 Rochdale

We were flat, but Rochdale played really well. A draw might have been a fairer result.

[The Awesome Berbaslug!!!]

Guy - I went to Curzon Ashton a couple of years back and visited The Witchwood nearby. I can't honestly claim it would make a list of Great Pubs What I Have Done, but it was pleasant enough for a pre-match snifter.

Not sure where I'll go on Saturday but both Parkgate and Maltby are at home so suspect it'll be one of them. Sunday I'm off to Chelsea v Sheffield Wednesday - many thanks to Nocturnal Submission for fixing me up with a ticket. As I'm in the home end I've removed the Wednesday wallpaper from my phone and learned all the words to The Liquidator. Right looking forward to it.

Clap, Clap-Clap

[NickSTFU]

Is Dave going to be playing, Nick?

Might be fit for the replay.

[Satchmo Distel]

A minute's silence for that poor bloke from Cardiff. Hmmm, not convinced it's owt to do with us.

By today's standards, where many remotely connected deaths get such silences, it seems to qualify but I wonder if it would have happened if the clubs had been reversed, i.e. he'd been some second tier French player signed by Rotherham.

It also seems premature given that many people seem not to have accepted that he's dead.

[Patrick Thistle]

Barry Town 3 v 2 Cefn Druids - Welsh Cup 4th round

Decent game. Scoreline probably fair. Three great goals, a deflected long range shot that foxed a goalie and a (well dispatched) penalty. Thoroughly enjoyable. Mrs Thistle's uncle came with me and was very complimentary. It was his first Welsh Premier League game and he's decided Barry are going to be his Welsh team.

[longeared]

Sheffield 3-1 Pickering Town

Decided to go to Sheffield v Carlton Town and on arrival found that was actually next week and I was going to get another sighting of Pickering - this is the fourth different ground I've seen them on as the away team in the last two years. Still it was a decent game where the action came in clumps. Sheffield ended my goal drought after seven minutes from a soft pelanty, then two minutes later Pickering got a similar spot kick which was saved. Sheffield doubled their lead midway through the half and had a further goal chalked off for offside. The rain arrived at half time and Pickering had much the better of the second period, they scored a powerful header from a corner a few minutes from the end which really should have come sooner. They really put the pressure on after that and the final goal came from Sheffield on the break. It's always nice when you're behind a shot and can see it going in before it hits the net. Decent crowd, probably helped by Sheffield's continuing good form and neither of the big clubs being at home.

Not really meant to be drinking after my recent "incident" but rolled into the Rutland after for a couple (including a right weird apple saison) and then briefly popped into a friend's birthday do where I got to show off my scars, and as that hasn't killed me that means I think I can safely have a jar or two in that there London tomorrow.

[Third rate Leszno]

Port Vale 0-1 Carlisle

Hard to find fault with this really, one of those days where all the stars align in your favour.

Found a side street parking spot less than 5" from the ground. Weather stayed dry the whole time we were in the beer garden at the Bull's Head. Started raining at kick off, stopped at the final whistle.

Game was scrappy as fuck, but Vale had Ricky Miller sent off just before half time for a wild lunge that sent Danny Grainger up into the air - I thought the ref was going to give him the benefit of the doubt as he seemed to slip as he went in, but after walking him halfway across the pitch he suddenly pulled out the red card. Vale fans decided Grainger was the villain of the peace and booed him relentlessly, as well as shouting OFF OFF OFF whenever they got a free kick. Or a throw in. Not sure they'd thought that one through to be honest. Felt like it was going to end in stalemate but we won it with a scruffy oggie (ignore what it says in your papers, Connor Simpson didn't touch it). 51 points, we are officially safe from relegation!

On the way out some bitter twat called us sheepshaggers. Don't knock it til you've tried it mate.

[Ray de Galles]

Covered the Wimbledon v West Ham game on the FA Cup thread. London Welsh managed a 31-7 win, which was a big step towards promotion, in front of a crowd of over 700 which was the best of the season.

I've bought a ticket for Barnet v Brentford Cup tie tomorrow night on a whim, just as long as I have the energy to get there. I was hoping to see Brentford's brown change kit but it's probably too close to Barnet's amber.

[longeared]

Chelsea 3-0 Sheffield Wednesday

On Saturday night I'd said to a friend we'd lose 3-0 with the first goal coming just before half time, the second on the hour and the third towards the end. Which turned out to be somewhat prophetic. The thing that gets you when you see the big Premier League teams up close is just the speed at which everything happens, there were loads of instances where the ball ran loose and you'd think possession would have been ours in the Championship, but they were just quicker to the ball and kept the pressure up. Impressed by Willian, that fellow who Bayern are trying to buy and Loftus Cheek who I've seen a few times now and I always like watching.

Haven't watched the highlights yet but thought it was a definite pen for us and I didn't see theirs. VAR is fucking shit anyway but the communication of it leaves much to be desired - the big screens said there was a check on ours but didn't say the same about theirs. I presume there was one but it's easy to see why our supporters were aggrieved. How Andre Marriner is one of our top refs is something that continually baffles me - I've seen him a few times over the years and he's always been thoroughly incompetent.

The day was very much a case of how the other half lives. People selling "match scarves" outside and shedloads of folk outside the pop up merchandise stall. The seat was padded and they have heaters blasting into the stand - Maltby it was not. Free wifi that actually worked. There were a load of Wednesday fans in the home section - indeed I spoke to some in the Anglesea Arms beforehand and there was another one loudly clapping near me. Towards the end the chap next to me said "that Bannan of yours is a good player" "Oh, you noticed" I replied. "I noticed after about ten minutes" came the response. Might have to rethink my plans to go incognito at the New York in a few weeks then. On the way out one fellow shook my hand and said how great the Wednesday fans had been.

Still, nice to see us on the big stage again although it does leave the nagging thought that if we ever get promoted back to the Premier League then every week will be like that. As ever I got to fall through the floor at London prices - £5.30 is a new record for a pint for me, stand up the Queens Arms in South Kensington - and I decided to restrict myself to four pints as I'm not meant to be drinking. I enjoyed myself so much I managed, erm, nine.

Again, many thanks to Nocturnal Submission for sorting the ticket.

[ad hoc]

Chelsea 3-0 Sheffield Wednesday

Haven't watched the highlights yet but thought it was a definite pen for us and I didn't see theirs. VAR is fucking shit anyway but the communication of it leaves much to be desired - the big screens said there was a check on ours but didn't say the same about theirs. I presume there was one but it's easy to see why our supporters were aggrieved. How Andre Marriner is one of our top refs is something that continually baffles me - I've seen him a few times over the years and he's always been thoroughly incompetent.
.

It seemed on TV that they were checking VAR for the Chelsea penalty, but to be honest if they did it can't have taken long. It was clear cut. So clear cut that they really didn't need to check it. Ours could have been given even with VAR but it seemed probably the right call in the end (but my issue with VAR in this instance is that in fact a mistake - and it was not clearly a mistake - didn't need to be rectified. The cup thrives on things like debatable decisions and especially ones that go in favour of the underdog. The day before apparently Millwall got the benefit of a dodgy call against Everton and as there wasn't VAR there*, and that is the kind of thing that helps keep the cup alive.)

*And what kind of fucking stupid system is it that some games are decided by VAR and others aren't, within the same competition? Scrap the thing, altogether.

[Nocturnal Submission]

Chelsea 3-0 Sheffield Wednesday

On Saturday night I'd said to a friend we'd lose 3-0 with the first goal coming just before half time, the second on the hour and the third towards the end. Which turned out to be somewhat prophetic. The thing that gets you when you see the big Premier League teams up close is just the speed at which everything happens, there were loads of instances where the ball ran loose and you'd think possession would have been ours in the Championship, but they were just quicker to the ball and kept the pressure up. Impressed by Willian, that fellow who Bayern are trying to buy and Loftus Cheek who I've seen a few times now and I always like watching.

Haven't watched the highlights yet but thought it was a definite pen for us and I didn't see theirs. VAR is fucking shit anyway but the communication of it leaves much to be desired - the big screens said there was a check on ours but didn't say the same about theirs. I presume there was one but it's easy to see why our supporters were aggrieved. How Andre Marriner is one of our top refs is something that continually baffles me - I've seen him a few times over the years and he's always been thoroughly incompetent.

The day was very much a case of how the other half lives. People selling "match scarves" outside and shedloads of folk outside the pop up merchandise stall. The seat was padded and they have heaters blasting into the stand - Maltby it was not. Free wifi that actually worked. There were a load of Wednesday fans in the home section - indeed I spoke to some in the Anglesea Arms beforehand and there was another one loudly clapping near me. Towards the end the chap next to me said "that Bannan of yours is a good player" "Oh, you noticed" I replied. "I noticed after about ten minutes" came the response. Might have to rethink my plans to go incognito at the New York in a few weeks then. On the way out one fellow shook my hand and said how great the Wednesday fans had been.

Still, nice to see us on the big stage again although it does leave the nagging thought that if we ever get promoted back to the Premier League then every week will be like that. As ever I got to fall through the floor at London prices - £5.30 is a new record for a pint for me, stand up the Queens Arms in South Kensington - and I decided to restrict myself to four pints as I'm not meant to be drinking. I enjoyed myself so much I managed, erm, nine.

Again, many thanks to Nocturnal Submission for sorting the ticket.

You're very welcome, matey. Glad that the day went well, other than the result.

It's funny that you went to the Anglesea Arms. That used to be my regular post-game pub until fairly recently, but it's a bit of a yomp from the ground and invariably rammed. Must be one of the poshest pubs in London - handy for South Ken Tube though.

[Ray de Galles]

*And what kind of fucking stupid system is it that some games are decided by VAR and others aren't, within the same competition? Scrap the thing, altogether.

I've been wondering the same thing, I presume it's only being used at PL grounds that are already set up for it in some way despite it not coming in to use in that competition until next season.

It's a bloody farce though, all the more reason to give the lower placed team home advantage automatically (no, I am not going to stop banging that drum).

I thought Millwall's second goal had a fair shout to be deemed accidental, mind - though I've only seen it through a bit of an alcoholic fug late Saturday night/early Sunday morning.