AWAY DAYS

Gainsborough Trinity

 A brief write up for the Gainsborough Trinity match by a member of the Southport Supporters Football Club.

Gainsborough - a 150-mile midweek long slog across the country - and for the
second time in 6 months! We, the Southport Supporters team had decided to
hire a mini bus from on the back of the successful trip to Barrow, on the
basis that we had too many interested in the trip yet not enough cars and
there was no viable return from Gainsborough via the train network that
evening. This was to be our second ever "Funbus" journey.
We arranged to meet at the Plough pub in Crossens, at 4 o'clock, so as to
attain a swift exit from Southport via the M61. We promptly set off, briefly
stopping at Chorley to pick up our last traveller and allow some of the boys
a quick toilet break, who had "downed their pints" prior to departure.
We stopped again roughly halfway through the journey at Hartshead Moor
Service station near Huddersfield at 5.30. Apparently the players had
visited the same stop an hour earlier. We enquired whether the players had
been buying a plethora of sweets and cakes but we were told that they had
bought only coffee!
On entering the A1 we were confronted by huge traffic tailbacks, we
consulted with Derek Hitchcock who was also stuck in the traffic. Derek
astutely informed us of an alternative route via the M18.
We faced a race against time, arriving at the ground at 7.50pm. The masses
of balloons which were inflated, accompanied by the ritualistic yellow pages
prepared for the players as they ran on to the pitch went with a whimper
because having finally got into the ground we were encountered with worst
news - Gainsborough had just scored. We soon assembled ourselves amongst the
other hardy souls who had made the journey, and got our singing voices on in
what was a quiet ground.
A quick note should also be made about the splendid catering, the best
encountered in this league so far. Offering excellent variety at reasonable
prices.
The 'Port failed to make an impact on the game, having gone behind early
they never really recovered and despite plenty of possession lacked that
decisive final ball to unlock the Gainsborough defence. The team received a
decent ovation from the travelling supporters for their endeavours come the
final whistle, before we embarked on the long journey home.