... it's a long story (I won't bore you now - I may bore you later !) involving last-minutes changes of overtime and me subsequently not getting home until after 1530 hrs ... so the "new lens workout" will have to wait until Tuesday.
BUT THEN ... I thought about grabbing the second half up at Hurst Cross ...
BUT THEN ... I got onto t'internet to discover the game had been called off due to a frozen pitch !
AND THEN ... I further discovered that the Stalybridge Celtic v Boston United game had similarly bitten the (frozen) dust.
BUT WORST OF ALL (for others not me) ... the Mossley game away at Lancaster City was apparently called off at 1130hrs this morning ... the "awayday crew" were catching the 0955 train due to arrive in Lancaster at 1154hrs ... oh dear - oh dear ...
I'm off out to salvage something from today (yep - it's gonna be telly-pub-football !) - I wait to hear how the Mossley faithful have fared ... oh dear - oh dear ... .
... and "by-election bonus" suitably spent ... on this ...
Ordered today - should arrive tomorrow - and it's my day off, so fingers crossed (apparently they use Royal Mail or ParcelForce - wouldn't it be ironic if ... !!!!!). Hopefully should be able to play with it on Saturday afternoon (well second half anyway) of whatever game I end up at - early money's on a trip to Hurst Cross to watch Ashton United play Nantwich Town (yep Nantwich again - seen them against Mossley and Stalybridge so far this season - in fact Nantwich used one of my pix from the Stalybridge game on the front cover of one of their subsequent home game programmes - unlike the "Tameside Advertiser" (grr) they did ask nicely and credited accordingly) - but this is naturally subject to change ... we shall see !! Tomorrow will see me playing "catch up" on all those jobs that involve talking to people during the working day - already put postie fleece and postie stormproof outer jacket through the washing machine as well - they needed it ! Also need to tinker with a few piccies for M-I-L (she met the Queen you know !) - and no doubt Mrs Smiffy might have a few jobs up her sleeve ... such is the nature of the "day off" ! .
Part of the postie jobbie is delivering what are known as "Door to Doors" (D2Ds) or "Households" - you'll all know what these are - those flyers that come through your door, usually advertising broadband offers, cheap food (starring Ricky Tomlinson !!) or alternative gas/electricity options. As I said, it's part of the job and HAS to be done (I get the princely sum of £12-78 per week to deliver these 'things') on punishment of the sack - believe it or not, these things are considered as "live mail" - yes, as important as something with a first class stamp on it ...
Anyway - I lovingly prepared and delivered some on Monday (three all tucked inside each other) - and the following day I spotted this in one of my "customer's" recycling bag ...
Yep - unopened (can still see the other leaflets inside) ... good to know all my hard graft is appreciated ... !!!!!!! .
... by our local freebie paper - well I call it a freebie paper (being the "Tameside" Advertiser), but they DON'T deliver it in Mossley - you have to pay 38p for the privilege !! Anyhow - checking out their website like I do (have to keep on top of all things local !!) I found this story about one of the Mossley AFC youngsters. I'd known about the England call-up via the Mossley website but ... I recognised the picture - check out ...
... so yes I commented - at least they moderated and printed that - but it does hack me off. When same website prints a report about a Mossley game, mossleyweb gets a credit - so why the hell shouldn't I ??? Grrrr ... .
... and as a "kiddie-winkie part-time Wolves fan" (Stafford Rangers @ home one week - Wolves @ home the next week courtesy of a freebie with my Grandad and his job), I can safely say you were NEVER up to the standard of the mighty "Doog" (youngsters please Google "Derek Dougan").
... and having noticed a post of my mate Ken's blog (see here) - it came back to me - I was at the same game as well (Belper Town v Quorn on 23rd January 2010) - and I remember Ms Massey well - to put it bluntly, she took no sh*t from anyone - witness one of my piccies from said game - keeping the massed hordes of "vegetarians" (OK Quorn players) at bay ...
So - a pundit job (or two) available at Sky TV - no doubt some other ex-pro who doesn't need the dosh will kop for one of the the jobs - although if we stick with the Belper Town theme there's a couple of fans who might do well in the job - see and hear the "rapport" from last night's game against Harrogate RA in this little Youtube snippet (and try to avoid the 'choice lingo' at about 52 seconds !!) ...
Nearly tea time - it's been another heavy day "on the post" (bloody catalogues - the official RM line is that "everything is back to normal" - what that seems to mean to us @ Oldham is that Manchester Mail Centre has finally got their act together ... and finally tipped an absolute load of stuff out to us all at once - and we're not just talking flimsy catalogues - we're talking 1 to 2 inch thick stuff - and lots of 'em !!!).
Might be back later - I've another "Mail related thingy" up my sleeve (once I've downloaded the pic off my phone !!) - and I still need to check out the full SP on Mossley's defeat last night @ Wakefield (although 3 down after 27 minutes is a bit of a tall order to rectify ...) .
The "false dawn" for Celtic - Connor Jennings has just made it 2-1 ... "Nine men ... and you ****ed it up" was the cry from the Droylsden "kiddies" at 90 minutes ... but it strangely sums it up ! Two sendings off on the pitch, two sendings off out of the dugout, thrills, spills and a 2-2 draw in front of a p*ss poor crowd for a local derby ...
More words, more pictures tomorrow night - promise ! .
... all a bit of a rush today - had promised to do some overtime which saw me not getting home until nearly 1430 hrs. Quick change (leaving RM hat on mind !!) before dashing up to Seel Park. The frosty weather had made me doubt the games "existence", but thanks to some sterling work by the groundstaff the pitch was hard, flat and perfectly playable.
A "cagey" first half saw Mossley take the lead on the stroke of half-time when Matty Kay curled on into the top corner from just outside the box (he'd tried the same trick a couple of times earlier in the game as well !). Further goals from Kris Dennis and Kay again helped to exact some revenge for the last minute heartache at Station View back in November - and in the end Mossley were comfy winners. That's four wins in six for 2011 - 10th in the league and the momentum is certainly there to push on upwards towards those play-off places. An away trip to Wakefield on Tuesday is the next test - sadly I ain't gonna make it to that one (which means they'll probably score four !!). My midweek action will more than likely be down at the Butchers Arms on Monday night to see Droylsden entertain Stalybridge Celtic ...Later today (Sunday) - a trip to Lancaster (six days early for the Mossley "awayday" - which again I will not be able to attend - boo hoo ...) to see large boy and lady - hence the rush to get pictures up and running from game - oh yes pictures ...
Place to find a report should be here (when the Wizard fixes the link !!). Worked till late yesterday and by the time I got home, got changed, cooked tea, ate tea, tidied up ... it was after eight o'clock ... so I "made do" with a bit of Man City v Leicester City on the pub telly (whilst sampling Wychwood Brewery "January Sale" !!). Holidays and sickness have left us a touch short down the ol' Delivery Office so ... and yes I'm working my "day off" tomorrow - as well as a bit extra on Saturday as well - should still make it to the Mossley v Harrogate RA game though !!Not much else to wobble on about really ... so I won't ... .
... well that was some bloomin' week - especially as it WAS meant to be a week's holiday; the Oldham East & Saddleworth by-election put paid to that - still, in addition to working my "day off", I earned somewhere near £300 extra for delivering election stuff - bring on the new camera lens !! Any thoughts of an easy day on Friday (the day after "Cleggeron" got their bloody nose !) was soon dispelled when I emptied my packet bags - some of it is, admittedly STILL Christmas backlog (now there's a story !!!) but I ended up making a very pretty pyramid on top of my frame ...
... all that pyramid was to fit in my last two bags ... i.e. no chance !!! Agreements were reached - to the satisfaction of all - and that was Friday ! Today was ... WET !!! Got a good four-hour soaking this morning before getting home, drying off, getting changed and ... going out and getting soaked again - this time "for fun" rather than "money" !!! A strange game today - Warrington got off to a flyer while I was still "constructing" my camera in the (dry) Social Club, but Mossley, playing with the wind and rain sorted themselves out and fashioned a good equaliser through Chris Rowney. The second half however was decidedly "flat" with little to write home about - a few scares at the back for Mossley, but a point against Warrington is certainly not to be sniffed at - some rather damp pictures (OK I've dried them out a bit !) can be found at .. Mossley 1 Warrington Town 1
Weather is looking even grimmer for tomorrow (no walk then - ho ho) - so time to plan summer holidays ... managed to find a week on my leave chart that coincides with Mrs Smiffy's hols. However this does of course assume that we're both still in work come July - can't remember if I mentioned it, but my six-month contract at RM was extended for another 6 months up to June 27th (together with a 50p per hour pay rise !!) - and we're all aware of what might happen to council employees all over the country - Manchester have announced that 2,000 jobs will go in the next 12 months - so expecting some "fall out" locally as well - fingers crossed ! Anyway, planned destination = the Orkney Islands - just got to decide between Stromness and Kirkwall ... anyway, must be bedtime so ... zzzzzz .
... well I made it to a game - just ! This by-election kerfuffle on my "postie patch" is wreaking havoc with football, free time etc. By the time I got home today, got changed and grabbed a bacon butty, it was pretty much 1900 hrs - so Chorley v Mossley was completely out of the question (I was secretly hoping that Mossley would once again score four goals in my absence, but sadly not tonight - they lost 2-1 thanks to a 94th minute Chorley penalty - I await discussions of the validity of said peno !!).
So - nearest option was Stalybridge Celtic v Nuneaton Town - and for my second consecutive visit to the Fold, I'm afraid Celtic just didn't perform "up front", and and are still missing a calming influence at the back (despite Tim Ryan getting a game) - and the worrying thing now is that they're slowly slipping down towards the danger zone in the Blue Square North with a number of teams below them having games in hand as well - and the way Hyde are going (well, two straight wins), they could well be exchanging places soon. I'll try to rustle up some pictures tomorrow evening - but here's one for starters anyway ...
Craig Hobson ... "using his head" ...
Wednesday is "deadline day" at work for getting shot of all the official "electoral communications" - when I finished my walk today, I went back to the office and threw the remaining several hundred missives into my frame (saves a bit of time in the morning - and allows me breathing space if - and it could happen (!) - another large batch "appears from nowhere" ...) - hence the late late show as regards football. This time tomorrow, I'll be tallying up the final score - and working out just how close I'm going to be to getting that elusive lens !!
... but I will do the football pix first (alright - after I've cooked the bolognese !!!).
One last thing - the funeral for Woolly Wolstenholme (his sad death was mentioned on here a week or so ago) takes place at Saddleworth Church tomorrow week (Wednesday 19th) at 11-30 am) - I'll be thinking about it as I "trudge my trudge" that day ...
It's been quiet on here recently hasn't it ? Since the Mossley/Clitheroe game last Monday it's been work, work, work ... This Oldham by-election is piling on the work at the moment - "electoral communications" as noted previously. 10 (ten) candidates ... and up to now I've delivered stuff for 7 of them - still waiting on Monster Raving Loonies, Elvis Bus-Pass and Green ... still it'll all be over come Wednesday night for the posties !! So - after work (and yes we've had more bloody snow as well !), it's been a case of work/relax/sleep/repeat.
Anyway - Saturday arrived - up at 0530 - and work finished about 1330, leaving next to no time to get over to the Radcliffe Borough v Mossley game (although it seems every time I miss a Mossley game - they score 4 !!) - so ... for the second time this season it was time to check out the old home town team ...
... and for the second time this season I witnessed a dire performance from the "Boro" - the performance at Droylsden was bad, but yesterday - they were simply woeful. Not one shot on goal in the entire 90 minutes, no cohesion, no urgency towards the end - not pretty to watch at all. Did manage to get some half-decent pictures mind ...
Next week was to be my "holiday week" - but I've knocked it on the head because of this election kerfuffle - the reason being that every "electoral communication" I deliver is apparently worth 4.5p to me !! I've had to keep a tally of what's been delivered, which party, addressed or unaddressed etc etc, and up to now I've "got rid" of about 3,000 of the things - all proceeds will be going towards that elusive 85mm f1.8 lens that I've been coveting for ages - and I've still got a fair few English Democrat and Pirate Party UK leaflets to go tomorrow - without even thinking about what else might turn up tomorrow morning !!
Football next week - I DO have my eye on the Chorley v Mossley game on Tuesday night - honest (word for any train travellers to said game - DO NOT buy a return from Mossley to Chorley - it's £14.50 !! Buy a return from Mossley to Bolton (£3.60) and a return from Bolton to Chorley (£5.60) - result is a couple of "free pints" if my maths is right !!) - but we'll see. There are "closer" options available on Monday (the two Ashtons) and Tuesday (Woodley), but with Mossley "on fire" at the moment, it'll be good to see them pitting their wits against one of the top three clubs - and with a game at home to Warrington (7th) the following Saturday as well ... who knows how the rest of the season will pan out ... one game at a time mind ! .
... it was cold last night - and apparently the game WAS in doubt early doors - but a sprinkling of magic dust (or something like that !!) at the Park End and it was game on ! Certainly a game of two halves - Mossley bossed the first 45 minutes and looked comfy at 3-0 up. However - why make it easy ?? There must have been something in the respective team's half-time cuppas as Clitheroe came out with all guns blazing and Mossley just got deeper and deeper and deeper. When it got to 3-2 the alarm bells were ringing ... Mossley were restricted to the odd breakaway which could on a couple of occasions made the game safe - 4 minutes added time as well - but they held out to make it two wins out of two in 2011 (and 13 points out of the last 15 actually). Some pictures at ..
Lazy night tonight (what's left of it anyway) before heading back to the grindstone tomorrow - and it's going to be interesting to say the least. My walk is (for better for worse) part of the Oldham East and Saddleworth constituency - and on New Years Eve I was confronted with this "little lot" - yep a couple of "electoral communications" which need posting ...
... and there's more to come as well - aaarrgh !! .
... last time I went to Bower Fold it was Celtic causing the upset by beating Droylsden 4-0 - New Years Day saw the boot definitely on the other foot as apparent "underdogs" ("undertigers" ??) Hyde came to the Fold and went home with a 2-1 win ... I've said it quite often about Mossley - nice build-up football does not necessarily bring results - and despite Celtic having the lion's share of the possession, the final product was just not there. Hyde however took their chances, and subsequently the three points as well. Pictures from the game at Stalybridge Celtic 1 Hyde FC 2
Why was I not at Woodley Sports v Mossley I hear some ask ?? Well, public transport (or lack of) being public transport that's why ... Mrs Smiffy had first shout on the car for her annual root around IKEA with the Mother-in-Law ... and I'm not one of these "scrounger types" (!!!). Sounds like I missed a cracker down at Lambeth Grove mind - seven goals and a Matty Kay hat-trick (good to see Matty getting back on the goal trail - even if it included two penalties !!!). There were several other high-scoring games in the Evo-Stik yesterday, with Mossley's next opponents at home (yes I WILL be at Seel Park tomorrow !) Clitheroe going down 4-5 at home to Salford City (Rhodri Giggs must be doing something right there !); Bradford Park Avenue thumping six past Ossett Town with no reply; and Newcastle Town thrashing hapless Market Drayton Town 8(eight)-1. Some good crowds too, as people get back into the swing of things after the enforced break - over 4,000 at FC Halifax Town to see the home side beat FC United 4-1 - and over 1,000 at Prescot Cables to see Chester grab a last-gasp 1-0 away win ... And with Hyde winning, it was good to see Stafford Rangers snatch a point at high-flying AFC Telford United (every little helps !) ...
Today - return Mother-in-Law to Belper - and then home again (prepare for Monday ?) - maybe a walk as well ?? We'll see ... .
Public transport - huh ! Choose a game closer - pick a wrong 'un !! Such is New Years Day - more later - in the midst of posh "meal at home" with family (grabbing a crafty fag upstairs) - someone else is responsible for the pudding ...
A grand year for blogging - 29,439 visits to this humble abode - I thank you all !
New Years Eve was spent doing a bit of work (eek !) - and then the evening was spent at Bolton Octagon with Mrs Smiffy and M-I-L watching an excellent adaptation of "David Copperfield" (and I got my wrist slapped for taking a snap of the set before it started - hence no pic !!) before getting home about 2215 hrs (and tucking into my first beer of the day !!). Watched the New Year celebs out of the back window - a large number of sky lanterns this year which must play havoc with Air Traffic Control at Manchester Airport (!!) before retiring for the evening/morning ...
Today - no buses !! Therefore today's football may not be as expected ................ !!! .
Rainworth MWFC 1-2 Stapleford Town
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