AWAY DAYS-Part 1

Alfreton

I mentioned in my last away days that I was unsure about my attendance at Alfreton. The doubt was due to me HAVING to attend my nephews 21^st party in the evening, my regular lift being away, the train taking too long and the missus not wanting to go because of the party.

I had resigned myself to not going but after went top on Tuesday and Alfreton second you just had to go didn’t you. Luckily a chance e-mail to Steve Jackson lead to him fixing me up with a lift from someone who I didn’t really know other than by sight but who was going and had a spare seat so I was sorted. A big thank you is due to Steve Jackson for sorting it and Steve Arnold for the driving.

Setting off from Southport at 11 we seemed to get held up every way we turned, not sure what was causing it but there was an awful lot of traffic on the road but we arrived with plenty of time to spare.

It was when we were nearly there that I had another reminder why I watch football at this level. Seeing three coachloads of Bournemouth fans at the side of the motorway with the police motor cyclists getting in to position to escort them in to Sheffield makes you wonder is it all really worth it.

On to Alfreton, it was £7 to get in and the programme was £2, not a bad effort with plenty to read and some good stats.

I have to be honest I don’t really like Alfreton’s ground, the seats behind the goal, taken from Filbert Street, just don’t seem right and they are carried on around the far side of the ground were I am sure terracing would be much better. The one improvement since last season was the terraced area behind the goal which is now complete and looks much better.

As for the game, the early penalty, which I personally had no complaint about although I know others disagree, put us on the back foot and we never seemed to get going in the first half. The second half saw an improvement but Alfreton caught us on the break just after I commented that I felt we would score in a minute. My big mouth again. We did score just 5 minutes later through a trademark Terry Fearns goal and I really did think we would go on and get at least a point. Not to be, a very well organised Alfreton team who it looked like had done their homework on us held on for a well deserved victory. This was our 46^th 2-1 away defeat in our 1104^th league game.

A lovely touch on the way out was one of the Alfreton club officials wishing us all well and thanking us for coming and looking forward to our meeting at Haig Ave in January. I wonder if they did that at Hillsborough!

The crowd of 479 must have been a disappointment for Alfreton, there were 118 Southport fans in attendance that I recognised (the first half was a bit boring so I counted!) which leaves just 361 Alfreton supporters for a game against the leaders which saw their side go top. It is a lovely club who have come a long way in a short time and deserve much better support than that.

It was a much better journey home with no hold ups at all and I was in good books for getting back to Ormskirk for bang on 7.30 were after a quick change in the car, I hope there are no cameras in the bus station car park in Ormskirk,  I was able to attend the party with everyone oblivious to the fact that I hadn’t shaved, washed or anything but who cares! As for the disco, well I had a reminder that I am getting old. I love music but this was just dreadful, tuneless, loud garbage and I could not wait to get away and, as I type this on Sunday morning my eardrums are still banging. I wonder if you can sue “DJ’s” (doubtful description) for loss of hearing.

The next Away Days report will be from Ramsbottom United which will be a very special occasion for me as my boss at work supports Rammy and still talks with fondness about our last visit there (we won 5-0) when we broke the ground attendance record (829), a record that still stands and a photo from the game still appears on the front cover of their programme. He also tells me that the pies in Harry’s Tea Bar are excellent.

Let’s get as many as we can to this game and break that record again and make it a real away day special. It’s Thomas The Tank Engine Day on the East Lancs Steam Railway as well!!

Rob Urwin