|
|
|
STANDING ORDER FOR GOALDEN LOTTERY
|
AWAY DAYS-ALDERSHOT One of my colleagues at work said to me on Friday, Where are you this weekend, Aldershot, I replied, are you going he asked, yes I replied with a sound of not looking forward to it in my voice, why do you bother if you don't look forward to it he asked. Silence for a while, goodness only knows was the only response I could muster. I then sat thinking about it, why am I going to spend around £40 on a 500 mile round trip to a ground I've been to before with the team in poor form? I still await the answer but after an absence of nearly 26 years it was time to make the long journey down to Hampshire to visit the Recreation Ground once again, it hadn't changed a bit. I'm sure my apple core that I dropped on New Years Day 1978 was still there from that visit nearly 26 years ago! We had set off in plenty of time as we always do and Mark's attempts at breaking the land speed record at times meant we got there at 12.45. He has asked me not to mention his new toy so I won't but let's just say it does aid the journey time a bit!! We had plenty of time for a wander round the town and have a decent, and cheap meal in Yates's before making our way to the ground. We had thought we were being clever by parking right outside the away supporters end but it was closed and our walk through a very picturesque park to get to the away turnstiles was fruitless so it was a hike back to the front of the ground. It was £12 entry and the programme was £2.50. It contained a number of factual errors the worst of which was the opponents on the back page being shown as Forest Green Rovers. I would also like to know who Leigh Edwards is with his Dream Team, it has appeared in a lot of away programmes this season and is getting a bit repetitive now. I suppose the home fans only see it once but are they that interested in it? As I said earlier it really hasn't changed one bit. I got a few photos whilst it was still light and made my way to the away part of the ground. The Christmas Carols went on for a while and we finally got the team details which raised a few eyebrows at 2.50. It was the first time we have played Aldershot in NL football and they became the 164th team we have played. Whilst it is an old fashioned ground in need of modernisation it does have a certain something about it and what the ground lacks in mod cons the fans make up for in enthusiasm. I'd often heard about how the atmosphere was the best in the Conference, I think that was just about the case. We, the 51 travelling fans had the "pleasure" of standing alongside their fans in the first half and a noisy lot they were too generating a superb backing for their team. I must admit I am not a fan of drums at football matches but it did add to the noise levels today. I wish we could get that sort of atmosphere going at Haig Avenue but you can bet it would be frowned upon. The Southport 51 were subdued, it is hard to get any enthusiasm going when your team are not performing. Once again the fans were split 50/50 between those from Southport and the exiles. The gate of 2066 was Aldershot's lowest of the season but the highest we have played in front of. We seemed to be hanging on in there but the Aldershot goal after 27 minutes took the wind out of our sails. I'm not sure what happened. It was a low shot from 35 yards that seemed to swerve all over the place and completely bamboozled Dicko. No arguments with the pen, I just wish the ref, who despite some contra views amongst the travelling fans, I thought had a good game, would have given the goal and not the pen and left us with 11 players on the pitch. It was not to be and Chris Brass became the 4th player to see red this season. The second half saw us back to at least showing some battling qualities and for the first time in two games we had a serious attempt at goal from Steve Daly's pinpoint header which he really should have scored with but the keeper pulled off a tremendous save to deny him a birthday goal. 2-0 it ended with us equalling the Non League club record of 6 consecutive defeats. We haven't scored for 390 minutes and things look bleak. It was a long journey back North after another defeat but we made great time and even with a couple of stops we were back for 9.30. Reading the Aldershot forum they felt we were "dire" and "the worst team we have played since being in the Conference" well they didn't see us at Accrington, this was an improvement but once down to ten players yet again it was backs to the wall stuff. I will be asked on Monday, did you have a good trip? My reply will be I don't know why I bother or words to that effect! Where to from here? Squires Gate on Tuesday, why not! |
|
|
