Hyde FC v Harrogate Town

... a long day indeed ... up at 0530 for work, knowing full well I wasn't going to make to Chester for the Mossley game (a real bugger - at the moment my "Saturdays off" are just not coinciding with the juicy away games), so I did a bit of "over-overtime" to follow the early doors o/t and normal time - getting home about 1350 - just time for quick change, grab bag and off out on the 1411 bus to Hyde - got there about 1457 to hear with ref's whistle (the early start was just the beginning of his "catalogue of cock-ups" !!).

Hyde have struggled this season - and were propping up the Blue Square North table at 1500 hrs - but they started brightly enough. However the ref soon made his mark by continually ignoring the foul challenges on Dale Johnson - which got Tigers' Manager Neil Tolson "a mite upset" - upset enough to eventually be given the red card and banished to the stands (terraces ?). Despite all the efforts of Johnson and (my MOM) Shaun Whalley, the only goal of the game came from midefielder Dean Stott who hammered home through a crowded box just after the half-hour. Many more chances were fashioned - but bad luck, bad finishing and "linesman interference" didn't help - personally I reckon a bit more width up front would take some of the pressure off Johnson and Whalley as well. Hyde were under the cosh for a good part of the second half, but seemed fairly comfortable at the back ... until the last couple of minutes when the ref "lost it" completely. There were shouts from the Harrogate players for a penalty - and it looked as though the ref had signalled same. However an over-long "discussion" with his assistant saw an offside decision given instead - much to the chagrin (good word !) of the visitors.

So Hyde climb off the bottom - a victory which I think they just about deserved - and here are some pictures from same ...

Hyde FC 1 Harrogate Town 0

A couple of Stalybridge "connections"- Harrogate had ex-Celt Lee Ellington up front - Kieran Gonzalez (young keeper who trialled @ Bower Fold at the start of this season) was on the Harrogate bench - and I reckoned their number 5 Jake Picton was the spitting image of a "young Paul Sykes" - see what you think ...



Home (via the "Sportsman" for a swift one) before out again to a 50th birthday party in Stalybridge (Christine and Adrian - old friends from the Buffet Bar) before catching the last "rail replacement bus" (some things NEVER change !) and fiddling about on the pc for an hour or two ... knackered and bed !

Sunday - a few jobbies to do after this - recycling, shopping, cooking etc etc (it's a wonderful life on your one day off - done 6 days out of 7 this last week - moneygrabber !!) - so I'd better get on with it ...
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