Waterproofs On - Weekend Matchgoing (16th/17th November)

[RobW]

First visit to Gillingham for me tomorrow. Fortunately only light rain forecast in the afternoon, but would have preferred to be going to an away end with a roof. Having given away leads late on in the last two matches, the Imps desperately need a win against fellow strugglers Gillingham, and that cheating abusive c*nt Evans. The win against Rotherham midweek at least gives us some confidence, and will be interesting what changes if any will be made. Joe Morrell is on international duty, whether the Welsh fans like it or not, and Ellis Chapman has already been told that he's playing tomorrow. Ben Coker started his first game since joining on Tuesday, and Lee Frecklington also started for the first time this season, so might be competition for places on the bench.
I think Bolger is back from suspension, but with Callum Connolly doing well in his absence, he might struggle to get back into the back four. Tom Pett also played on Tuesday, so he might be in contention as well. Nice to have these options available, especially as O'Connor limped off against Ipswich.

[longeared]

Off to that there London for the weekend. Booked this some weeks back and annoyingly I've landed on a weekend with no Friday night football in the smoke (Woodford is too far and I've been to Scottish before)

Tomorrow I'm off to the top of the table clash in the Isthmian Premier, Enfield Town v Folkestone Invicta, or Haringey if that gets rained off. May do the women's game at Bromley on Sunday.

Tuesday night I went to Swallownest v Sheffield in the county Cup. Sheffield came from behind to win 3-1 as the home side couldn't defend crosses. Swallownest had publicised the match a lot and were rewarded with a record crowd of 303. After the second goal there was a smattering of applause then everyone got to hear the home bench bellow "WHERE WAS THE FUCKING MARKING?"

[Ray de Galles]

Not much grabs me for tomorrow so I think I'm going to see my local team Molesey for the first time this season. It will be a rare away trip with them though as they're playing Badshot Lea and that's the penultimate Combined Counties Premier ground I have to do. Imagine being a football team with Badshot in your name, the bantz must never end.

On Sunday afternoon/evening I'm taking my wife to the ATP Final at The O2. Hoping to see Nadal, though think he may struggle to make it.

[cantagalo]

On Saturday, Fluminense v Atlético-MG in a really important game in the battle to avoid the final relegation spot. Avaí and Chapecoense are as good as down with CSA almost certain to join them. Cruzeiro and Botafogo are also in the mire along with Ceará so it is very likely that a big club is in for the drop.

Vasco v Goiás on Monday in a mid-table battle. Vasco will get a great reception for their heroics against Flamengo on Wednesday.

[E10 Rifle]

Through a combo of holidays and family birthdays, I missed the entirety of Carl Fletcher's reign at Brisbane Road, so tomorrow it's back to the recent past and Interim Ross Embleton's Orient v Scunthorpe. Looking forward to gossip, and maybe football.

[Third rate Leszno]

Need to be home by early evening for a social event so staying local and paying a first visit of the season to Haig Ave for Southport v Kings Lynn Town.

[Southport Zeb]

Tomorrow I'm going up to Lancaster to recomplete the West Lancashire League - Storeys v Walney Island. On Sunday I'm off to Anfield for the women's Merseyside derby, which may well be the first time either side has actually played within Liverpool itself.

[longeared]

Enfield Town 1-3 Folkestone Invicta

Good game this between a pair of good sides, probably the best I've seen so far this season. Very open with both sides looking to attack and, as I've remarked on here before, non league in the south is all weird as players look to play football rather than just kicking each other. Folkestone scored twice in quick succession around the half hour, both including some rather static defending. Enfield pulled one back in the second half thanks to a very tidy finish from the striker who outpaced his marker, then they went looking for an equaliser which didn't come. Invicta broke away in injury time and took three attempts to actually put the ball in the net which led to scenes from away fans that I believe young people call "scenes".

Enfield are of course poster boys for fan ownership and after the week my club have had I did note that the centre pages of the programme had a bit about "at some clubs they chant "sack the board" when it goes wrong, so why not join our board". Assume a lot of people have been to the ground, most of it is making the best of an athletics stadium but the art deco clubhouse is fabulous.

It contrasted a bit with what I'd seen earlier in the day when I'd stopped off for a look at Tottenham's new spaceship, which is surprisingly unphotogenic from the outside. I also went in their fucking enormous club shop which, had I been so inclined, would have allowed me to buy Spurs wet wipes, plasters and Toblerone.

While in Tottenham I'd gone to tick off the Antwerp Arms, one of fourteen new Guide pubs I ticked through the course of the weekend along with various revisits, lucky dips and off piste moves. Friday saw me revise the programme owing to crap trains and it raining a lot and I took a random move into a bar in Wimbledon. There was a lot to unpack from here, I got heftily frisked by the bouncer on entry in a manner I would kind of prefer to have been conducted by certain select ladies. The beer was good and I was stood watching the darts while lots of people of various ages danced to some modern music. Yesterday I put myself in the wrong part of central London at the wrong time and decided to take a punt at the Red Lion down a passageway in Mayfair (not the Fullers one on Jermyn Street, I'd just been in there). This place saw me sat next to a pair of besuited elderly gentlemen who were trying to work out what "yam yams" are (square doughnuts, it seems) and then things took a weird turn as they invited me to join the Freemasons. I decided it best to keep my views on freemasonry to myself at this juncture and they seemed a little put out that I didn't know where the Sheffield lodge is. After this I moved on and walked down Pall Mall straight into a film set - there was something being filmed in the square next to the RAC club. Assume there were some famous folk involved in it as a lot of people were watching, though all I saw was a massive fuck off light, a Routemaster, some 1960s cars (because no-one ever makes films set in the 60s) and extras being handed blue blankets to go over their period gear. Scenes.

[Nocturnal Submission]

Enfield Town 1-3 Folkestone Invicta

Good game this between a pair of good sides, probably the best I've seen so far this season. Very open with both sides looking to attack and, as I've remarked on here before, non league in the south is all weird as players look to play football rather than just kicking each other. Folkestone scored twice in quick succession around the half hour, both including some rather static defending. Enfield pulled one back in the second half thanks to a very tidy finish from the striker who outpaced his marker, then they went looking for an equaliser which didn't come. Invicta broke away in injury time and took three attempts to actually put the ball in the net which led to scenes from away fans that I believe young people call "scenes".

Enfield are of course poster boys for fan ownership and after the week my club have had I did note that the centre pages of the programme had a bit about "at some clubs they chant "sack the board" when it goes wrong, so why not join our board". Assume a lot of people have been to the ground, most of it is making the best of an athletics stadium but the art deco clubhouse is fabulous.

It contrasted a bit with what I'd seen earlier in the day when I'd stopped off for a look at Tottenham's new spaceship, which is surprisingly unphotogenic from the outside. I also went in their fucking enormous club shop which, had I been so inclined, would have allowed me to buy Spurs wet wipes, plasters and Toblerone.

While in Tottenham I'd gone to tick off the Antwerp Arms, one of fourteen new Guide pubs I ticked through the course of the weekend along with various revisits, lucky dips and off piste moves. Friday saw me revise the programme owing to crap trains and it raining a lot and I took a random move into a bar in Wimbledon. There was a lot to unpack from here, I got heftily frisked by the bouncer on entry in a manner I would kind of prefer to have been conducted by certain select ladies. The beer was good and I was stood watching the darts while lots of people of various ages danced to some modern music. Yesterday I put myself in the wrong part of central London at the wrong time and decided to take a punt at the Red Lion down a passageway in Mayfair (not the Fullers one on Jermyn Street, I'd just been in there). This place saw me sat next to a pair of besuited elderly gentlemen who were trying to work out what "yam yams" are (square doughnuts, it seems) and then things took a weird turn as they invited me to join the Freemasons. I decided it best to keep my views on freemasonry to myself at this juncture and they seemed a little put out that I didn't know where the Sheffield lodge is. After this I moved on and walked down Pall Mall straight into a film set - there was something being filmed in the square next to the RAC club. Assume there were some famous folk involved in it as a lot of people were watching, though all I saw was a massive fuck off light, a Routemaster, some 1960s cars (because no-one ever makes films set in the 60s) and extras being handed blue blankets to go over their period gear. Scenes.

What was the Wimbledon bar, L.?

It's Yum Yums, incidentally. I've got a feeling that Yam Yams are Wolverhamptonians or Wolves hoolies or something.

[Third rate Leszno]

Southport 1-2 Kings Lynn Town

Decent game between two of the promotion hopefuls in Conference North. Port took the lead very early when Devarn Green went on a run from halfway which ended with a low, fairly weak shot that found its way into the bottom corner. They were well on top for the first 15 minutes, but once Lynn got a foothold in the game they began to get the upper hand. Adam Marriott thumped in an unstoppable shot from the corner of the box to equalise, and after the break Chris Henderson put Lynn ahead with a low shot in front of the 50 or so visiting fans. Both sides rattled the aluminium after that, but Port were fairly toothless in front of goal, Jack Sampson missing a great chance and generally not being much of a goal threat.

[Ray de Galles]

What was the Wimbledon bar, L.?

It's Yum Yums, incidentally. I've got a feeling that Yam Yams are Wolverhamptonians or Wolves hoolies or something.

Seconded on yum yums, the issue of their name actually came up in my office this week.

Isn't "yam yam" a nickname for people from West Bromwich (or perhaps the whole Black Country) used by other people in the region?

[Nocturnal Submission]

Seconded on yum yums, the issue of their name actually came up in my office this week.

Isn't "yam yam" a nickname for people from West Bromwich (or perhaps the whole Black Country) used by other people in the region?

Wiki has is that "Yam" is Black Country dialect for "You are" and that Yam Yams is a term designated by "Brummies" for the people from Wolverhampton who use this expression.

I thought that there was a Wolves firm called the "Yam Yam Army" or somesuch but I might have got that wrong.

[longeared]

What was the Wimbledon bar, L.?

Garratt & Gauge. I'd just been to the Prince of Wales, the massive barn like Taylor Walker pub opposite the station and after that it was either the G&G or their enormo-Wetherspoons. Then I finished in the Trafalgar who had a decent singer on.

[Nocturnal Submission]

Garratt & Gauge. I'd just been to the Prince of Wales, the massive barn like Taylor Walker pub opposite the station and after that it was either the G&G or their enormo-Wetherspoons. Then I finished in the Trafalgar who had a decent singer on.

Ah, OK. I think that the G & G used to be called the Ball & Racquet or something like that. Been there once or twice but not a favourite. Prefer the Alexandria or the Prince of Wales, which is handy to pop into for a swift one when I've got a few minutes before my connecting train when I'm returning home after a trip to the Bridge. The Spoons, the Wibbas Down Inn, used to be a Tesco supermarket!

Haven't been the Trafalgar, once perhaps, but you had The Sultan nearby which I have been to and which has a huge reputation amongst real ale enthusiasts.

Have you been to the pubs in Wimbledon Village and alongside the Common? There are some cracking ones up there.

[Southport Zeb]

Saturday - Storeys 1-3 Walney Island

Storeys started out as the works team for a company that made table clothes and wallpaper, although the company folded over a decade ago. The club has continued and moved up to the West Lancashire League this season, having previously played in the North Lancashire League. They have done okay since coming up, but a couple of weeks ago did lose 12-0 against today's visitors, and league leaders, Walney Island.

Storeys' ground is just to the south of Lancaster city centre and is surrounded by housing. There is a tea bar and a small cover to the front of the changing rooms, although it's quite a way back from the pitch. The cover wasn't needed today though, as the weather was dry, but cold.

Walney Island scored with their first attack and looked fairly comfortable after getting a second before the break. Storeys got themselves back into the game with a goal early in the second half but couldn't find an equaliser. The visitors got a third via an unfortunate bit of defending - a cross slipped through the hands of the Storeys keeper, with the ball falling to the feet of a defender who miskicked his attempted clearance into the top corner of the goal.

Sunday - Liverpool Women 0-1 Everton Women

Anfield is the fifth venue I have seen Liverpool play a home game at (Prescot, Skelmersdale, Widnes and Tranmere being the rest). I presume that the main camera position is in the Main Stand as it was empty, other than corporates, whilst the other three sides were fairly full.

Liverpool were much improved from when I saw them last month and were the better side for much of the first half, although they couldn't score. Everton struggled to create much; they missed the suspended Chloe Kelly. However it was Everton who got what turned out to be the only goal, when a fairly ordinary Lucy Graham shot was flapped into the net by the home keeper. Liverpool again played well in the second half, particularly after Rinsola Babjide came on, but were lacking on the final touch. There's worse sides than Everton in the league, so this performance should give some hope that Liverpool can avoid relegation.

[cantagalo]

Fluminense 1 Atlético-MG 1

Flu remain in real trouble with only Cruzeiro separating them from the final relegation spot but, as Cruzeiro play Avaí tomorrow, they will almost certainly end the weekend in the bottom four.

This game summed up their season. They were well on top in the first half against a shaky Atlético defence but had only the one goal to show for it (and an own goal at that). Atlético rallied in the second half and equalised in the 89th minute. Defeats for Botafogo and Ceará today will only emphasise that this was a big missed opportunity.

[Paul S]

Saturday - Storeys 1-3 Walney Island

started out as the works team for a company that made table clothes... though the company folded over a decade ago

Unintentional pun there Southport Zeb!

[Sporting]

Is Zeb short for zebra?

[RobW]

First visit to Gillingham for me tomorrow. Fortunately only light rain forecast in the afternoon, but would have preferred to be going to an away end with a roof. Having given away leads late on in the last two matches, the Imps desperately need a win against fellow strugglers Gillingham, and that cheating abusive c*nt Evans. The win against Rotherham midweek at least gives us some confidence, and will be interesting what changes if any will be made. Joe Morrell is on international duty, whether the Welsh fans like it or not, and Ellis Chapman has already been told that he's playing tomorrow. Ben Coker started his first game since joining on Tuesday, and Lee Frecklington also started for the first time this season, so might be competition for places on the bench.
I think Bolger is back from suspension, but with Callum Connolly doing well in his absence, he might struggle to get back into the back four. Tom Pett also played on Tuesday, so he might be in contention as well. Nice to have these options available, especially as O'Connor limped off against Ipswich.

Well, that was a fucking shit show. Utterly abysmal performance and think we can now say that we are in a relegation battle. All the optimism from the last couple of games evaporated pretty quickly. An absolutely dreadful game of football all round, and I missed the only goal of the game (which was naturally, a tap in from 2 yards after some shocking City defending) cos my mate and I decided the game was best watched from behind the temporary stand, with a cider in hand. Fair play to Gillingham, they closed us down quickly and made the game difficult, but no Lincoln player could come out with any credit. Connolly and Hesketh were dragged off at HT and replaced by Bolger and Akinde, as apparently we couldn't deal with the home side's physicality. Second half was marginally better, we managed a shot on target after 80 minutes and had a header just wide later.
One of those games where the game is so awful to watch you find other things to do. Few City fans thought having a go at a steward was the best approach (steward was just doing his job, asking for gangways to be kept clear), meanwhile some fans just fell out with others. Classic Lincoln. Fair play to the fan who thought he could smuggle in a bottle of jagermeister and get away with it.

[Snake Plissken]

Storeys started out as the works team for a company that made table clothes and wallpaper, although the company folded over a decade ago.

A quick Google confirms that I used to work for the company that took them over (and until fairly recently was using part of the name).

[ingoldale]

As Grimsby v Newport was off - I went to Skeg v Hall Road Rangers which ended 2-1 to the Lilywhites and they stayed top of NCEL Division One with Campion snapping at their heels. Skeg played well and hit both the bar and post in the second half. It would be real achievement to get out of this division at the second time of asking considering the Lincolnshire League, where they were promoted from (eventually) is a bit of a glorified pub league at this stage. Another 100+ attendance too proving both that there is absolutely naf all to do in Skeg in winter and people are buying into the project.

[ingoldale]

Can't see a midweek match going thread so will add in here. Tonight I am going to Newport v Grimsby in our FA Cup second round replay. Big game for Limbrick following the f-word every four seconds departure of Jolley.