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Four more? Weekend matchgoing

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    #26
    Four more? Weekend matchgoing

    Preston 4 Brentford 2

    Well, that didn't go according to plan. McGeady was inspired, though untroubled by any Brentford defender. Preston played very well, catching Brentford on the break when they chased the game rather too enthusiastically after going 2-1 down.

    Just the one point north of Birmingham this year. Southern softies.

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      #27
      Four more? Weekend matchgoing

      Day started on the outskirts of Bamber Bridge with Cuerden Valley Parkrun (22:15, nice but challenging mix of up and down, killer climb for the run into the finish). Over breakfast I got the unsurprising news that Waddington (near Clitheroe) was off and so headed to Manchester. Went for a walk around Daisy Nook Park in Failsworth and then headed to football.

      Failsworth Dynamos are having an excellent season, with a defeat to Old Boltonians a few weeks ago the only time they've dropped points this season. As a result they have opened up a lead at the top of the Lancashire Amateur League despite having played several games less than their rivals. They play at Failsworth Sports Centre which is an artificial pitch around the back of a school.

      Kickoff was a bit later than advertised, as they had to wait for the kids team that had the earlier booking to finish. Once things got going Failsworth played some good passing football but couldn't finish. Visitors Whitworth Valley took a surprise lead which led to some raised voices in the Dynamos' half time team talk. Failsworth eventually equalised and soon followed this up with what turned out to be the winner. However a much more difficult afternoon than they would have expected.

      From Failsworth I headed up the motorway to Bury for the second part of my rotationally named teams double. This was at the Castle Leisure Centre where Lancashire Spinners where taking on Loughborough Student Riders in Division One of the National Basketball League (the second tier of basketball in England). Pretty much just a sports hall with a few rows of bench seating pulled out from the wall, which was more than enough for the eighty or so watching.

      Not a bad game which the Riders always looked like winning but the Spinners pushed them, particularly in the third quarter when the home side kept drawing level but couldn't take a lead. Riders drew away in the final quarter and eventually won 77-63. Unlike higher levels there were few unnecessary pauses in the game, which gave the real impression that everyone involved knew that they only ha d a couple of hours booked to use the hall.

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        #28
        Four more? Weekend matchgoing

        W-League Grand Final: Perth Glory 0 - Melbourne City 2

        Moneybags City become the first club to retain the title. They should have taken the lead after only 40 seconds, and whilst Glory looked dangerous throughout the 1st half, it was City who took the lead in 1st half stoppage time. Glory huffed & puffed and should have equalised mid-way through the 2nd half with a header from star player Samantha Kerr, but she put it wide. And they were punished minutes later when City doubled their lead with a cross/shot from the left, which the Glory keeper made a right arse of.

        At that point, Boaby Jnr wanted to know when we could leave, and seeing no way back for Glory decided that if we left now, we'd easily catch the 6.30pm train and be back in the door for 7pm. So off we headed.

        Weather in Perth lovely, around 27C, unlike the extreme heatwave the Eastern States are currently suffering. The grandstand that was open to us was unfortunately directly facing the late afternoon sun, so was happy to move further up the back and into the shade as the game progessed. This grandstand is only a couple of years old and is so much better than the previous effort, which was basically just a huge temporary scaffolding that was just waiting to crumple whenever a goal was scored.
        [IMG]/converted_files/media/kunena/attachments/7157/DSC_4850.jpg[/IMG]

        Attached files [IMG]/converted_files/media/kunena/attachments/7157/DSC_4853_2017-02-12.jpg[/IMG]

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          #29
          Four more? Weekend matchgoing

          A couple of convenient games in Torhout.

          First of all a lunchtime kick off for SK v Eemdragt Brugge, at a stadium that isn't named the velodrome but is one.



          Then an afternoon game for 1992 KM v Royal Knokke, at a stadium that is called the velodrome but isn't one.



          Now off to one of the evening games in the first division, either Lokerun or Weervek.

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            #30
            Four more? Weekend matchgoing

            Decided on Lokeren but on arrival it is sold out, so here is a view of the stadium from a pallet recyclers.



            I am not to upset about this, as the Belgian first division is by far and away the least enjoyable football watching experience I can think of.

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              #31
              Four more? Weekend matchgoing

              Excellent game at t'Turf. Burnley showed Chelsea far too much respect in the opening 15 and looked on for a thrashing. Brady was having an awful game before hitting an exquisite free kick into the top corner.

              Then followed a compelling game where both sides were looking for a second but wary of the opposition.

              I totally get the fuss about Kante. What a great player. As for David Luiz, he's comedy. All smooth as silk and effortless and then doing something really stupid.

              Amazingly, Pedros goal on six minutes was Chelseas last shot in target in the match. Keane and Lowton brilliant all game. Ben Mee did his thing where everyone goes "he was superb today... apart from his mistakes "

              Many home fans amused at the sight of the visitors subs sat with blankets on. Rumours abound that someone from Chelsea was sent to Homebase for some heaters for the away dressing room.

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                #32
                Four more? Weekend matchgoing

                Reading 0-0 Barnsley

                Freezing cold.

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                  #33
                  Four more? Weekend matchgoing

                  Arenas Club 0-0 Bilbao Athletic

                  Arenas dominated the game but the best chances fellow to the visitors resulting in Txemi, the Arenas goalkeeper, in being an odd man of the match. The gate was visibly affected by Athletic Club being at home on the same day - kick off times didn't collide but the end of the Arenas match was close to the beginning of the Athletic game. Only 15€ to get in too - Arenas regularly charge 20€.

                  Deusto 0-0 Santutxu

                  Santutxu's 11th draw of the season was not the result they deserved. Having had 4 or 5 good chances - largely through their own creative play - Los Rojillos couldn't get the break through they deserved. Ibai saved a penalty from Deusto too. Santutxu slip back into the relegation zone making next week's match v Basconia even more important. On the positive side Sestao River won yesterday and they are finally showing signs of life. If Sestao and Amorebieta could stay up Santutxu won't need to climb to 14th.

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                    #34
                    Four more? Weekend matchgoing

                    I was on a bell ringing tour of East London. I rang at the following towers, the number of bells is in brackets:

                    West Ham (10)
                    St Mary, Bow (8)
                    St Dunstan, Stepney (10)
                    St George-in-the-East, Stepney (8)

                    I had my lunch in The Blind Beggar in Whitechapel.

                    St Mary, Bow is a remarkable church, not least because it sits in the middle of the A11 Bow Road. However, above the choir stalls was a plaque to Samuel Henshall 1764 - 1807 rector of the church and was granted the World's first corkscrew patent in August 1795. The plaque was placed there by the International Correspondence of Corkscrew Addicts



                    St Dunstan's, Stepney is the home of the British merchant Navy hence the reason the red ensign fly's from the flagpole on the roof. St George in the East was bombed during the war but the outside of the church still exists, so they built a new one inside it. The ring of 8 are very light but have very big wheels so are quite easy to ring. St George in the East is next to Cable Street where the Battle of Cable Street took place in 1936. There's a really good mural to the battle:



                    St George in the East. Strange to think that it was hollowed out by a bomb and a new structure built inside it:

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                      #35
                      Four more? Weekend matchgoing

                      Interesting stuff, Paul, never knew that about St. George's.

                      St Mary-le-Bow is a remarkable church, not least because it sits in the middle of the A11 Commercial Road
                      Don't you mean Bow Church? St Mary-le-Bow is in the city, isn't it? Checking Google, Bow Church is formally called St Mary's. Both me and Sra. Stev9e are big fans of it, the way it struts out before the flyover is quite surreal., like someone plonking a bit of ye olde England in the middle of industrial East London. St. John's church in Stratford is a little bit like this too, but nowhere near as impressively quaint as Bow Church.

                      Also, Commercial Road is A13, not A11, isn't it?

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                        #36
                        Four more? Weekend matchgoing

                        Yes you're right Steveee I'm getting my names mixed up a bit, it's Bow Road not Commerical Road (which I used to get to the other two Towers). Doves Guide to Church Bell Ringing gives it as Bow, St Mary whereas as St Mary's le Bow is on Cheapside and has 12 bells.

                        St Mary Bow on the A11 is quite difficult to ring at as the bells are rung from the entrance as you come in. We had to put someone outside to stop people from coming in when we were ringing. Not a nice job on a cold, wet day like Saturday!

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                          #37
                          Four more? Weekend matchgoing

                          @ CY_Boaby

                          Wow, I'm in that pic somewhere, down in front of the grandstand in a radio bib! City very good. Jess Fishlock was excellent.

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                            #38
                            Four more? Weekend matchgoing

                            BAA 1-1 Young Men's Social Club

                            The Saturday night game saw YMSC maintain their unbeaten record in the First Division (just), with a 97th minute equalizer after BAA had taken the lead with a penalty midway through the second half. YMSC remain on course for their long-awaited promotion to the Premier Division.

                            Devonshire Colts 1-2 PHC Zebras

                            My Sunday afternoon match was a hard-fought affair, with the bottom side Colts just lacking a bit of quality up front to get anything from still-unbeaten PHC, who were not at their best but the win keeps them in second place, a point behind top team North Village Rams. The Premier Division title now appears to be a 3 horse race between North Village, PHC and Robin Hood.

                            Weather - warm and windy.

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                              #39
                              Four more? Weekend matchgoing

                              The first match report from last weekend, the Friday night at Wuppertal.

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                                #40
                                Four more? Weekend matchgoing

                                And Saturday's report from Luxembourg and Belgium

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                                  #41
                                  Four more? Weekend matchgoing

                                  Finally up to date, with a report from some Belgian games from last Sunday.

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