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Mar. 1st, 2008 10:06 pm
My membership card at the Hawks clubhouse bar needed renewing, so I'd been told to arrive about noon today. I got my new card without a hitch, and was hoping to get a good lunch and spend the couple of hours before kick-off watching Hibs v Celtic.
No such luck on either count. Because there was a large crowd of people enjoying hospitality at today's game, the kitchen was devoted to cooking their complimentary dinners, so we ordinary punters in the bar had to make do with baguettes, rolls or bar snacks. I went for a sausage and English mustard baguette - not bad, but it was cold; would have been nicer warmed up - and, a bit later, a big bag of Worcester sauce crisps and a Peperami, while passing the two and a half hours sinking several Magners. This was to the accompaniment not of a football match, as I'd hoped, but of Sky Sports Soccer Saturday, as the barmaid explained to me that Setanta doesn't work properly on our screens. She did try just before the Hibs game started, but the screen just froze straight away and the sound was non-existent except for sporadic one-nanosecond bursts (Malc, a Rangers fan, shouted abuse at me for wanting a Celtic game on!) I did make a quick visit into the ground just after 1pm, where fortunately Tracey was in the club shop and was able to sell me a programme, so at least I had something to read.
And I did get to meet and shake hands with the legend that is Charlie Oatway :)
Went into the ground at 2.40. Malc greeted me with the news that the Bath away game has been moved from Easter Saturday to Good Friday; after a quick chat with him about that and one with Trevor, who updated me on the women's fixtures, it was 2.50 when I arrived at the tea hut - where there were half a dozen people in front of me in the queue. As a result the game was a few minutes old when I finally got served my burger and chips. I was at least in my seat, but still halfway through my burger, when Rocky Baptiste jinked past the last defender and the diving keeper to tap into an open goal. So I rose to my feet cheering with everyone else, but was unable to join in the clapping...
Not long after that - but after I'd finished my nosh - Charlie Henry made a brilliant run down the wing and crossed for Rocky to head home. 2-0.
Eastbourne are one of the teams in the two-horse race for the championship so I'd been expecting a tough game, but Hawks had as many chances as them and Kevin Scriven kept them at bay with some fine goalkeeping. Near the end, our new signing Gavin McCallum broke clear and ran all the way to the goalmouth, but tried to go on his own when he could have passed to Rocky, and the goalie smothered the ball at his feet.
As time added on dragged on, in the stand people shouted "It's five o'clock, ref, blow up", "We've got homes to go to even if you haven't, ref" and "They're selling Sunday papers outside". So I joined in with "Some of us want to get home for A Song For Europe". That got me a fair bit of stick from guys in the row in front.
Eastbourne got a consolation, and Trevor pointedly announced "Goal for Eastbourne, in the 95th minute..." Immediately after the kick-off the ref blew up, and the Radio Solent guy laughed and said "He'd have played on for an hour, he was going to let them score one." No matter, we have the three points.
Home for Harry Hill's TV Burp. Ear cataracts?
I've always been a fan of Michelle Gayle - both appreciating her musical talent and fancying her - so I was always going to give her my wholehearted support in the UK Eurovision selection tonight. She didn't disappoint; her performance was sexy and lots of fun (my mother likened the wing-flapping movements of the backup dancers to the Birdy Song dance) and I was sure she'd be a real hit if she got the ticket to Belgrade. I also really liked The Revelations - their song was a classic piece of Eurovision cheesy pop of the type loved by Ann, and would have got us a decent points tally. Liked Simona too. I'd liked Andy Abraham on X Factor 2, and he is a genuinely nice bloke, but I didn't think his song was right for the Eurovision.
I exchanged texts with Rob and Ann. Rob also liked Michelle and Simona; he voted for the latter but Sue chose Michelle. I tried to nudge Ann in Michelle's direction, but she really didn't like Michelle's entry and reckoned it was a nul-pointer. I cast two votes for Michelle; one each on the home phone and my mobile. When Andy and Michelle were announced as the final two, my father predicted Andy would win, not because his song was better for Eurovision but because he has a bigger fan base. Judges Carrie Grant and John Barrowman raised my hopes when they both announced Michelle as their choice, but, alas, my father's soothsaying was right on the button.
Ah well, another year near the bottom of the scoreboard.
Michelle, you were robbed.
No such luck on either count. Because there was a large crowd of people enjoying hospitality at today's game, the kitchen was devoted to cooking their complimentary dinners, so we ordinary punters in the bar had to make do with baguettes, rolls or bar snacks. I went for a sausage and English mustard baguette - not bad, but it was cold; would have been nicer warmed up - and, a bit later, a big bag of Worcester sauce crisps and a Peperami, while passing the two and a half hours sinking several Magners. This was to the accompaniment not of a football match, as I'd hoped, but of Sky Sports Soccer Saturday, as the barmaid explained to me that Setanta doesn't work properly on our screens. She did try just before the Hibs game started, but the screen just froze straight away and the sound was non-existent except for sporadic one-nanosecond bursts (Malc, a Rangers fan, shouted abuse at me for wanting a Celtic game on!) I did make a quick visit into the ground just after 1pm, where fortunately Tracey was in the club shop and was able to sell me a programme, so at least I had something to read.
And I did get to meet and shake hands with the legend that is Charlie Oatway :)
Went into the ground at 2.40. Malc greeted me with the news that the Bath away game has been moved from Easter Saturday to Good Friday; after a quick chat with him about that and one with Trevor, who updated me on the women's fixtures, it was 2.50 when I arrived at the tea hut - where there were half a dozen people in front of me in the queue. As a result the game was a few minutes old when I finally got served my burger and chips. I was at least in my seat, but still halfway through my burger, when Rocky Baptiste jinked past the last defender and the diving keeper to tap into an open goal. So I rose to my feet cheering with everyone else, but was unable to join in the clapping...
Not long after that - but after I'd finished my nosh - Charlie Henry made a brilliant run down the wing and crossed for Rocky to head home. 2-0.
Eastbourne are one of the teams in the two-horse race for the championship so I'd been expecting a tough game, but Hawks had as many chances as them and Kevin Scriven kept them at bay with some fine goalkeeping. Near the end, our new signing Gavin McCallum broke clear and ran all the way to the goalmouth, but tried to go on his own when he could have passed to Rocky, and the goalie smothered the ball at his feet.
As time added on dragged on, in the stand people shouted "It's five o'clock, ref, blow up", "We've got homes to go to even if you haven't, ref" and "They're selling Sunday papers outside". So I joined in with "Some of us want to get home for A Song For Europe". That got me a fair bit of stick from guys in the row in front.
Eastbourne got a consolation, and Trevor pointedly announced "Goal for Eastbourne, in the 95th minute..." Immediately after the kick-off the ref blew up, and the Radio Solent guy laughed and said "He'd have played on for an hour, he was going to let them score one." No matter, we have the three points.
Home for Harry Hill's TV Burp. Ear cataracts?
I've always been a fan of Michelle Gayle - both appreciating her musical talent and fancying her - so I was always going to give her my wholehearted support in the UK Eurovision selection tonight. She didn't disappoint; her performance was sexy and lots of fun (my mother likened the wing-flapping movements of the backup dancers to the Birdy Song dance) and I was sure she'd be a real hit if she got the ticket to Belgrade. I also really liked The Revelations - their song was a classic piece of Eurovision cheesy pop of the type loved by Ann, and would have got us a decent points tally. Liked Simona too. I'd liked Andy Abraham on X Factor 2, and he is a genuinely nice bloke, but I didn't think his song was right for the Eurovision.
I exchanged texts with Rob and Ann. Rob also liked Michelle and Simona; he voted for the latter but Sue chose Michelle. I tried to nudge Ann in Michelle's direction, but she really didn't like Michelle's entry and reckoned it was a nul-pointer. I cast two votes for Michelle; one each on the home phone and my mobile. When Andy and Michelle were announced as the final two, my father predicted Andy would win, not because his song was better for Eurovision but because he has a bigger fan base. Judges Carrie Grant and John Barrowman raised my hopes when they both announced Michelle as their choice, but, alas, my father's soothsaying was right on the button.
Ah well, another year near the bottom of the scoreboard.
Michelle, you were robbed.
