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It's All In The Game
Aug. 13th, 2018 07:49 pmSaturday I moseyed down to the Smoke for Fisher v Horsham YMCA in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round. Finances mean it had to be a one off visit, but I just felt the need to reconnect with my actual favourite men's team. And for me there's something special about this very first round of the FA Cup, about remembering that the road to Wembley next May starts now, at the very beginning of the season, with the small clubs, not in November or January.
At the merchandise stall, treated myself to a Fisher FC mug, a gold plated Fisher FC badge and a Fisher FC woolly hat. As the friendly Scotsman on the stall said, "You won't want to wear that today but it'll come in handy in December."
Headed for the clubhouse, which, happily, on Fisher matchdays is called The Fisherman's Rest and does serve some beers and ciders along with the excellent hot dogs. Went for an Old Speckled Hen.
Sadly, I didn't spot any of the guys I used to hang out with at Fisher matches in my last season as a regular, 2011-12, but I went to stand near the small group of singers behind the goal, who were a good-natured lot, even if one or two of them made a hell of a racket banging on the metal back wall of the covered terrace. Fisher had the better of the first half but it was 0-0 at half time.
With Fisher kicking into the goal we were behind for the second half, the singers engaged the Horsham 'keeper in a fair amount of banter, including about his bright yellow jersey and about the Brighton & Hove Albion tattoo on his leg. After about an hour, Sam Pekun slid home a loose ball right in front of goal to give the Fish the lead and send us into wild celebrations - while Sam himself celebrated with an energetic triple somersault!
Alas, it wasn't too long before Horsham equalised, then in injury time they nicked a winner. We had to watch the Horsham 'keeper's own celebration, rushing out of his box and darting around doing an aeroplane impression. There'd been so much time added on that at the final whistle I had to leg it straight for the station.
Yesterday it was back to Boreham Wood for the England Women Legends charity match for Grenfell. Coming off the train I met Jane and Jules J from Lewes and their friend Sarah, and we walked along the high street chatting until we reached Caffe Nero where I was due to meet Jen, Jules and Alice. Jane and Co had to carry on to the ground as she was involved in setting up for the game.
I didn't see anyone in Caffe Nero so went for a quick browse in Entertainment Exchange. When I returned Jen was sitting by the front window. We had our hello hug and kiss, then I went up for a hot chocolate Milano before sitting with her. We chatted for a while, then Jules and Alice arrived and joined us. We all talked till Jen had to head for the ground, then the other two and I finished our drinks, walked along to the ground and hit the clubhouse. As we reached the ground Jules got a message from Rachel, whom we thought couldn't make it, to say she was coming.
I went for a mixed fruit Kopparberg. Tom, a fan of our acquaintance, came over for a quick chat. I'm always uneasy around Tom as he is an ex-Lincoln Ladies fan, bitterly resented the move to Nottingham, hated the Lady Pies, and relished our demise. Thankfully he avoided the subject of NCLFC today, and I guess his enquiry to me "Who are you supporting now?" was free of malice, since it wasn't long after the Lincoln move that he got on board the Lincoln Moorlands Railway Ladies bus. My reply of Leyton Orient Women drew a tacit acknowledgement.
It wasn't long before Rachel arrived, and it was she who caused me a sharp intake of breath, as she couldn't resist bringing up the old Arsenal-Notts animosity again. It really is time she knocked that on the head. Happily, we soon all fell into conversation about the upcoming England game away to Wales. Most of us acknowledged our nerves about the possibility of defeat and missing out on the World Cup, apart from Rachel, who regarded such talk as blasphemy. As the mood lightened with drink, Jules said "Let's go for a 10-0 win [in Wales]", I said "I'm hoping Jodie'll bag a couple" and Jules replied "A hat-trick."
We bagged a row of seats in the far side stand. With familiar old faces like Rachel Yankey, Kim Jerray-Silver, Katie Chapman and Jody Handley in the side, we spent much of the game reminiscing about times we'd seen them play for England. Kelly Smith still played with all her old skill, prompting Rachel to lament how she and fellow Arsenal fans no longer get to see her play. I said "I feel your pain, I can't see my heroine play any more" and Rachel just said "But Kelly's in a class of her own."
The WNL For Grenfell team took the lead midway through the first half. As the programme's squad lists didn't give the players' numbers, Jules sat identifying them from their photos on the pen-pictures pages. Just before half time, as often happens in these games, the England Legends were awarded a highly suspect penalty. Marieanne Spacey skied it 🙁
At half time we went for a walk round, for me to try and find Jane. We found her manning the silent auction stall. I had a long chat with her - and Jules J and Sarah whom she'd roped into helping her. Most of the lots were signed items from players from Arsenal's men or women, so Rachel put a couple of bids in.
Kelly Smith scored with a beautiful long shot into the top corner to equalise. As the 90 minutes neared their end, I said to the others that I'd be going down to the other side in search of a selfie with England and Lady Pies legend Rachel Unitt. Rachel pointed out that we were heading for a penalty shoot-out; at that very moment Ronnell Humes netted a worldie to put the WNL For Grenfell team back in front. I made my way round to the other side.
2-1 was how it ended. The officials and both teams were presented with medals, the Cup was awarded, the winning team had their photo taken - and then the crowd at the perimeter fence waited and waited as players milled around the pitch. Eventually they began trickling over. I got my photo with Rachel, and got Toni-Anne Wayne's autograph. Jen waved to me from the pitch, where she was doing interviews.
I went round to Jane's stall, where Jules, Alice and Rachel were waiting for the results of the auction. Jules J accused Sarah of fangirling Kelly Smith. Jane said she was waiting for word from Carol or Karen, two of the WNL bigwigs. After an eternity hanging around outside the door to the boardroom waiting for one of them to appear, I walked back round to Jane and asked if there was any news, and she said they were continuing the auction on Twitter.
I said my goodbyes to Jane, Jules J and Sarah. Jules, Alice, Rachel and I walked round to the car park and said our farewells. I headed for the nearby Turkish restaurant The Arch to try their house special Doner kebab. Very tasty. The big portion, plus basketful of pitta bread, was certainly filling.
At the merchandise stall, treated myself to a Fisher FC mug, a gold plated Fisher FC badge and a Fisher FC woolly hat. As the friendly Scotsman on the stall said, "You won't want to wear that today but it'll come in handy in December."
Headed for the clubhouse, which, happily, on Fisher matchdays is called The Fisherman's Rest and does serve some beers and ciders along with the excellent hot dogs. Went for an Old Speckled Hen.
Sadly, I didn't spot any of the guys I used to hang out with at Fisher matches in my last season as a regular, 2011-12, but I went to stand near the small group of singers behind the goal, who were a good-natured lot, even if one or two of them made a hell of a racket banging on the metal back wall of the covered terrace. Fisher had the better of the first half but it was 0-0 at half time.
With Fisher kicking into the goal we were behind for the second half, the singers engaged the Horsham 'keeper in a fair amount of banter, including about his bright yellow jersey and about the Brighton & Hove Albion tattoo on his leg. After about an hour, Sam Pekun slid home a loose ball right in front of goal to give the Fish the lead and send us into wild celebrations - while Sam himself celebrated with an energetic triple somersault!
Alas, it wasn't too long before Horsham equalised, then in injury time they nicked a winner. We had to watch the Horsham 'keeper's own celebration, rushing out of his box and darting around doing an aeroplane impression. There'd been so much time added on that at the final whistle I had to leg it straight for the station.
Yesterday it was back to Boreham Wood for the England Women Legends charity match for Grenfell. Coming off the train I met Jane and Jules J from Lewes and their friend Sarah, and we walked along the high street chatting until we reached Caffe Nero where I was due to meet Jen, Jules and Alice. Jane and Co had to carry on to the ground as she was involved in setting up for the game.
I didn't see anyone in Caffe Nero so went for a quick browse in Entertainment Exchange. When I returned Jen was sitting by the front window. We had our hello hug and kiss, then I went up for a hot chocolate Milano before sitting with her. We chatted for a while, then Jules and Alice arrived and joined us. We all talked till Jen had to head for the ground, then the other two and I finished our drinks, walked along to the ground and hit the clubhouse. As we reached the ground Jules got a message from Rachel, whom we thought couldn't make it, to say she was coming.
I went for a mixed fruit Kopparberg. Tom, a fan of our acquaintance, came over for a quick chat. I'm always uneasy around Tom as he is an ex-Lincoln Ladies fan, bitterly resented the move to Nottingham, hated the Lady Pies, and relished our demise. Thankfully he avoided the subject of NCLFC today, and I guess his enquiry to me "Who are you supporting now?" was free of malice, since it wasn't long after the Lincoln move that he got on board the Lincoln Moorlands Railway Ladies bus. My reply of Leyton Orient Women drew a tacit acknowledgement.
It wasn't long before Rachel arrived, and it was she who caused me a sharp intake of breath, as she couldn't resist bringing up the old Arsenal-Notts animosity again. It really is time she knocked that on the head. Happily, we soon all fell into conversation about the upcoming England game away to Wales. Most of us acknowledged our nerves about the possibility of defeat and missing out on the World Cup, apart from Rachel, who regarded such talk as blasphemy. As the mood lightened with drink, Jules said "Let's go for a 10-0 win [in Wales]", I said "I'm hoping Jodie'll bag a couple" and Jules replied "A hat-trick."
We bagged a row of seats in the far side stand. With familiar old faces like Rachel Yankey, Kim Jerray-Silver, Katie Chapman and Jody Handley in the side, we spent much of the game reminiscing about times we'd seen them play for England. Kelly Smith still played with all her old skill, prompting Rachel to lament how she and fellow Arsenal fans no longer get to see her play. I said "I feel your pain, I can't see my heroine play any more" and Rachel just said "But Kelly's in a class of her own."
The WNL For Grenfell team took the lead midway through the first half. As the programme's squad lists didn't give the players' numbers, Jules sat identifying them from their photos on the pen-pictures pages. Just before half time, as often happens in these games, the England Legends were awarded a highly suspect penalty. Marieanne Spacey skied it 🙁
At half time we went for a walk round, for me to try and find Jane. We found her manning the silent auction stall. I had a long chat with her - and Jules J and Sarah whom she'd roped into helping her. Most of the lots were signed items from players from Arsenal's men or women, so Rachel put a couple of bids in.
Kelly Smith scored with a beautiful long shot into the top corner to equalise. As the 90 minutes neared their end, I said to the others that I'd be going down to the other side in search of a selfie with England and Lady Pies legend Rachel Unitt. Rachel pointed out that we were heading for a penalty shoot-out; at that very moment Ronnell Humes netted a worldie to put the WNL For Grenfell team back in front. I made my way round to the other side.
2-1 was how it ended. The officials and both teams were presented with medals, the Cup was awarded, the winning team had their photo taken - and then the crowd at the perimeter fence waited and waited as players milled around the pitch. Eventually they began trickling over. I got my photo with Rachel, and got Toni-Anne Wayne's autograph. Jen waved to me from the pitch, where she was doing interviews.
I went round to Jane's stall, where Jules, Alice and Rachel were waiting for the results of the auction. Jules J accused Sarah of fangirling Kelly Smith. Jane said she was waiting for word from Carol or Karen, two of the WNL bigwigs. After an eternity hanging around outside the door to the boardroom waiting for one of them to appear, I walked back round to Jane and asked if there was any news, and she said they were continuing the auction on Twitter.
I said my goodbyes to Jane, Jules J and Sarah. Jules, Alice, Rachel and I walked round to the car park and said our farewells. I headed for the nearby Turkish restaurant The Arch to try their house special Doner kebab. Very tasty. The big portion, plus basketful of pitta bread, was certainly filling.
