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Jan. 27th, 2007 09:50 pmSo after a whole month of football deprivation, today saw me back at Westleigh Park at last, for fourth placed Hawks' crucial match with second placed Bishop's Stortford. Arrived at 12.40 and waited in the main bar with a Magners watching Luton v Blackburn until, just after 1pm, the call came for me and the other four draw winners to go through to the hospitality lounge.
Dave and I went through first, and were bought drinks by one of the club directors. The others soon followed, then we all introduced ourselves to each other and stood around chatting about football for a while till we got the cue to sit down for dinner. It was a glorious three-course meal - mushroom soup, roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and veg, and jam-filled pancakes with ice cream and whipped cream. Even allowing for the amount of high-class food I've been treated to these last few months, this roast was up there with the best I've had.
As kick-off approached we were led into the boardroom, where we waited behind the door to the tunnel until we heard the players emerge from the changing rooms, then we followed the teams down the tunnel. Rocky Baptiste was just in front of us; Pete and I said 'good luck' to him. Halfway to the pitch we turned off down a side path behind the tea bar and were led up to seats in the VIP section.
The first half was dire; we went in 2-1 behind, with the Bishops supporters' chant of 'We are top of the league' ringing in our ears. At half-time we were taken to the boardroom where we shared a cup of tea or coffee and biscuits with the directors and watched the half-times coming in on Sky Sports.
When we emerged from the boardroom the second half had already kicked off, and just as I was walking along the front of the stand en route to the steps Bishops scored a third. Hawks looked dead and buried for the next 20 minutes, and the Bishops fans' incessant singing of 'We are top of the league' was starting to grate.
Then, from a breakaway attack, Rocky Baptiste pulled a goal back and transformed the match. Moments later Rocky had another shot blocked by the keeper...but sub Brett Poate was there to rocket home the rebound. 3-3. A Hawks fan near me looked across at the away fans and yelled "You're not top of the league any more!" Hawks laid siege to the Bishops goal, but all our shots were either stopped by the goalie or went hopelessly high or wide; Bishops had a very threatening shot clean on goal, but Phil Warner booted the ball out, then when the rebound was fired straight at goal, Phil lumped it clear.
With three minutes remaining, Tom Jordan headed home a high ball from Rocky to send the whole stand into a frenzy, then shortly after, Rocky made sure by netting number five. Bishops had us all on the edge of their seats when they pulled one back in injury time, but then the final whistle blew. We'd won 5-4.
We five lucky draw winners all shook hands with each other and with the Hawks director who thanked us for coming, we went down to the front and joined the crowd clapping the lads off the pitch, then I made for the clubhouse for a celebratory Magners and to watch Man Utd v Portsmouth. Just after the Man U game started, a director approached me and asked where the other four guys were. I said I hadn't seen them since the game ended; he wandered around the bar looking for them, but they'd gone home, so I had the honour of being asked into the boardroom to present man of the match Tony Taggart with his bottle of champers.
Dave and I went through first, and were bought drinks by one of the club directors. The others soon followed, then we all introduced ourselves to each other and stood around chatting about football for a while till we got the cue to sit down for dinner. It was a glorious three-course meal - mushroom soup, roast beef, Yorkshire pudding, roast potatoes and veg, and jam-filled pancakes with ice cream and whipped cream. Even allowing for the amount of high-class food I've been treated to these last few months, this roast was up there with the best I've had.
As kick-off approached we were led into the boardroom, where we waited behind the door to the tunnel until we heard the players emerge from the changing rooms, then we followed the teams down the tunnel. Rocky Baptiste was just in front of us; Pete and I said 'good luck' to him. Halfway to the pitch we turned off down a side path behind the tea bar and were led up to seats in the VIP section.
The first half was dire; we went in 2-1 behind, with the Bishops supporters' chant of 'We are top of the league' ringing in our ears. At half-time we were taken to the boardroom where we shared a cup of tea or coffee and biscuits with the directors and watched the half-times coming in on Sky Sports.
When we emerged from the boardroom the second half had already kicked off, and just as I was walking along the front of the stand en route to the steps Bishops scored a third. Hawks looked dead and buried for the next 20 minutes, and the Bishops fans' incessant singing of 'We are top of the league' was starting to grate.
Then, from a breakaway attack, Rocky Baptiste pulled a goal back and transformed the match. Moments later Rocky had another shot blocked by the keeper...but sub Brett Poate was there to rocket home the rebound. 3-3. A Hawks fan near me looked across at the away fans and yelled "You're not top of the league any more!" Hawks laid siege to the Bishops goal, but all our shots were either stopped by the goalie or went hopelessly high or wide; Bishops had a very threatening shot clean on goal, but Phil Warner booted the ball out, then when the rebound was fired straight at goal, Phil lumped it clear.
With three minutes remaining, Tom Jordan headed home a high ball from Rocky to send the whole stand into a frenzy, then shortly after, Rocky made sure by netting number five. Bishops had us all on the edge of their seats when they pulled one back in injury time, but then the final whistle blew. We'd won 5-4.
We five lucky draw winners all shook hands with each other and with the Hawks director who thanked us for coming, we went down to the front and joined the crowd clapping the lads off the pitch, then I made for the clubhouse for a celebratory Magners and to watch Man Utd v Portsmouth. Just after the Man U game started, a director approached me and asked where the other four guys were. I said I hadn't seen them since the game ended; he wandered around the bar looking for them, but they'd gone home, so I had the honour of being asked into the boardroom to present man of the match Tony Taggart with his bottle of champers.
