Man of the Match Kayde Coppin plays "Hunt the Contact Lens" - not really though !!!
... excellent performance - and a fully deserved win (which could have been by a much wider margin to be honest !) ...A shame that it was probably all in vain - apparently a slight "registration problem" with one of the Mossley players - and that sort of thing is far more important to League Management Committees than foul and abusive language; foul and abusive players; and foul and abusive ... errr ... tree monkeys. So no doubt Mossley will be removed from the Doodson Cup, banned from any form of football for 7 years - and Mossley secretary will be placed in the stocks on the Market Place for 12 hours (bring your own rotten veg !).I jest - well most of it - the cup place will obviously disappear - but as someone has already pointed out - better a ... ... than three points lost in the league ... and the performance still stands - and certainly is starting to bode well for the future.Last night's pix can be found at ... Mossley 2 Curzon Ashton 0 (Doodson Cup)
... and my tomato plants are starting to "go over" - so there is some rotten veg (OK fruit !!) available if required !!!!!!!!!! .
... OK Mossley have beaten Curzon Ashton 2-0 tonight - and an excellent performance it was as well - but it's nearly midnight .. and it's been a FULL day off (and I've made the most of it !!!) - but I will leave you with a couple of pics to be going on with - as I was walking up to Seel Park at about 1920hrs tonight - this is what I saw ...
... well I liked 'em ... football pics tomorrow - sometime ...
OK - here's Cavell Coo scoring goal number two (promise better tomorrow !!)
.
Late "half-twelve" edit ... just done the evo-stik website to check out other scores etc from tonight ... in the Cheshire Senior Cup Woodley Sports have beaten Runcorn Town 4-1 ... after extra time ... in front of a crowd of ... 22 - I kid you not ! More to the point Stafford Rangers have gone to (top of the table) Northwich Vics in the Prem Div and won 1-0 - huzzah !! .
1) Haircut - Ashton 2) New trainers - Denton 3) New Watch (broke old one whilst "on duty") - Ashton 4) New Bus Travelcard (lost old one whilst "on duty") - Ashton 5) New CD (what the hell - 'twas only £3 in HMV Ashton ... "Pet Sounds" by the Beach Boys - one of those that I couldn't afford on vinyl when I was little - a truly groundbreaking recording it was as well) 6) Birthday card ... for "someone" - Ashton 7) A few beers - Stalybridge & Greenfield (I had an all-day train/bus ticket !!)
... and just for a change - I'm taking it - feel like I deserve it after yesterday's "workday" - once again not getting out until late and then taking nearly two hours (!!!) over one bag of mail - all controlled entry flats (and a right rabbit warren it was as well) - and no key fob for me - so it was a case of ring bells until you find someone in - takes forever !!
Few bits and bobs to do today (haircut, new trainers etc) then it's Mossley tonight for their League Cup game (or should I say Doodson Cup - they've paid their sponsorship so ...) against Curzon Ashton - Mossley obviously looking for an improvement on the August Bank Holiday 0-4 drubbing. Plus - I'm thinking of just taking the 85mm f1.8 lens tonight rather than the big'un - haven't really given it a full 90 minutes anywhere to test out angles/positions etc - why not tonight (less weight to carry as well - it IS my day off after all !!)
One bright spot on the horizon (pun intended) is the weather for the reast of the week - see BBC screen dump:
... that'll do for me - might even break out the RM shorts (last worn in April believe it or not - that's how cr*p the summer has been to be honest !). .
Friday night saw a trip to Oldham Coliseum to see Ira Levin's "Deathtrap" - very enjoyable play, treading that fine line between horror and farce - obviously no camera so ... a stock pic from Coliseum website ...
Saturday - work (natch !) - the words "Saturday off" and "floater" just don't go together !! Still finished in good time to get home etc etc and get up the Mottram Road to watch Stalybridge Celtic take on Gloucester City ... "error-strewn" was probably the phrase of the day - too many misplaced passes; too much reliance on the long ball over the top to striker Phil Marsh (he's worth more than that !); too much dilly-dally on the ball; and trying stuff that just wasn't working, but continuing in the same vein rather than "Hey - let's try this instead". Still - for an apparently "bad day" there was still some excellent football on show from both sides - I can't say 2-2 was a fair result (Celtic should have scored several in the last 10 minutes - but heroic defending and goalkeeping kept 'em out), but ... anyway the pictures at
Sunday saw a walk (turned out to be 11 mile in the end - postie's day off as they say !!) over the Bleaklow area of the Pennine Way - one of those areas where the phrase "Be Prepared" does come into its own (i.e. DO NOT go up there without map and compass) - especially today as the mist dropped as we got towards the top !! Overshot the Pennine Way slightly - probably a matter of 300-400 metres - but soon got back on track, and when you get to Bleaklow Head ... it's plain sailing from there . Today's misty pics at
Home - cook tea (Chicken and Chorizo with mucho veg) - and then this. Next week at work - a veritable "Tour of Royton" - 6 days - 6 different walks (covering everyone's "day off") - fun ?? not so sure ... next week at football - I've not even opened the "Non League Paper" yet ... .
... in the way of decent photographs from tonight's FA Youth Cup game 'twixt Mossley and Stalybridge Celtic Youth teams (FA Youth Cup - geddit ?!?).
Just flicked through the pix from tonight - and it looks like I had a 'mare - which pretty much ties up with my day at work as well. If you've not already received ... the NHS are sending out letters - not just to every household, but to every individual within said household - they're trying to set up some kind of Summary Care Record database (which will probably turn into yet another compuer system b*lls-up that goes over budget !). So today - to every house - to every individual within that house - it was heavy, and I went the best part of two hours over my time (which WILL be booked as O/T tomorrow).
Anyway - pix from tonight need working on (severely !!!) ... watch this space ... OK here's one scratchy effort, just for the hell of it ...
Midweek football is an interesting conundrum - the only two options both involve Stalybridge Celtic ... either "big team" (at home to Blyth Spartans) - or "little team" (Celtic Youth away to ... Mossley Youth in the FA Youth Cup). Reckon I'll go for the "youth" option, purely because next Saturday every SixTameSide is away from home - bar one (yep - Stalybridge Celtic). .
... but I HAVE now done the pictures from Mossley's victory yesterday !!
It's been quite a long day already - this was the scene at 0630 this morning - yes there IS an 0630 on a Sunday y'know !!!
It might be a Millstone glass - but it contained "Two Hoots" (Holts Brewery)
They don't half make heavy weather of stuff England - strange when the commentator said they were ranked number 4 in the world - i.e. just like our 'glorious' football team - I feared the worst from then on !! Still, 41-10 sounds good (not as good as 84-6 like last time but ... good !).
Home - and then out to buy a new bed - job done (eventually !), followed by supermarket, some DIY "tips" (and loan tools !) to daughter and then home to do the pix from yesterday - which can be found at ... Mossley 2 Salford City 1
A fairly tight game as well - in fact it could have been about 5-4 at half-time ! Mossley really must stop playing with 10 men as well (not red cards but injuries - and no subs left - that's two Saturdays in a row now) - still another three points with Mossley now 13th ... seven days ago they were bottom .
Now off to cook some food - as in Pan-Fried Salmon with Herb Risotto - it's 1815 - and I've been up for 12 hours already - eek ! .
... are truly abunant at the moment - reckon one plant is now "on its way out" (first pic) - but hey, for a £2.99 packet of seeds - we have done well - plenty picked already but here's how we stand at the moment ...
... but we have other plants as well - here's just one of the other four ...
... and you came on here looking for football !!! Mossley have beaten Salford City 2-1 - and you'll get some pix later - promise !! Tomorrow morning - I'm going for a "Beer and Breakfast" option (0630 start) to watch some World Cup Rugby ... .
... well Mrs Smiffy still away - back later this evening (so I haven't even started cooking yet !) - so a trip up the hill to watch the young 'uns.
Some similarities to yesterday - Mossley take the lead via the penalty spot - Mossley player gets hat-trick - Mossley score between 5 and 6 goals - it stayed (fairly) dry ... a good win for the Youth team then. It's virtually a new squad from last season (probably something to do with age etc !!), but starting to gel and starting to look tasty. Thirteen goals in two days (another similarity ... I missed the fifth one yesterday and the fifth one today but ... !!) - pix from today at
Time to think about getting that tea sorted - and for you gourmets out there it's bacon-wrapped chicken with a cheese, basil and oregano stuffing, wedgie potatoes with brocolli and red pepper accompanied by beer (me) and wine (Mrs S). Smells good already (in my mind !) .
Bottom plays bottom-but-one ... finished work in good time, quick change and a walk up the hill - bumping into SJNR from the Mossley80 site - his words to me at 1445 hrs were "We might see a high-scoring game today" - and how right he was !!!Mossley took the lead as early as 4 minutes - and this seemed to send an electric "confidence" shock through the entire team - 4-1 at half-time and 6-2 at 90 minutes ... some pix at
... and apologies for missing the fifth goal - not only was I coming out of the club, I was also discussing the "did it go over the line goal" with Darren who was probably the best placed fan to see (he was "dubious" !). Never mind - a first win under the belt, but remember the first three words of this post - there's still a long way to go yet - but as a confidence booster it must have done a helluva lot of good. Hopefully it will continue on Tuesday night against Brazil - sorry Garforth Town.
Meanwhile ... Hyde win again (eight out of eight) and Stalybridge win again (seven and one draw out of eight) - and Droylsden keep playing catch-up with a win as well. Ashton United had a cracking idea for today's game - a "Snappers Day", inviting peeps with cameras to take pix of their game against 'Ensfud Town and submit one for a competition. Sadly they got beat 2-1 thanks to 2 goals from a "Stafford Rangers reject" - Wellecome to Hurst Cross !! Finally Curzon Ashton scored two goals against Salford City - unfortunately one was an "oggie" so it finished 1-1.Might go out for a couple of shandies now, with Mrs Smiffy being away (!)
Midweek looks like a possible trip to Woodley Sports on Tuesday to see them take on Lancaster City - we'll see ... oh and Mossley Youth are at home tomorrow afternoon (have to make sure all the chores are done first mind - and that includes prepping Sunday tea !).
Thirsty now ...
LATE "2330 hrs NOT THIRSTY NOW"" EDIT - it might have been 6-2 .. but I ought to give some credit to the away team today - apparently they have a glut of injuries - including "Dick" Tracey - their top goalscorer (who I DO remember from his Belper Town days) - but they NEVER stopped trying to play football. I did see them against Curzon Ashton back in August ... and they certainly gave them a run for their money as well. So respect to Ossett Albion - they are giving it their best shot - and you can ask for no more .... .
... fairly dry today (a bit of rain in the morning but ...) - and I did that bit of O/T as well (a 'wander' round Uppermill) - home to say "Farewell" to Mrs Smiffy (away on a weekend conference in Bath) - a bite to eat - this - and then off to TV to watch a DVD (tonight's offering will be "A Bridge Too Far" (nowt to do with Stalybridge Celtic - the "Arnhem War type thingy).
Hoping to see Mossley kick-start their season at home to fellow strugglers Ossett Albion tomorrow - assuming work gets finished in time - this week has been Diggle - next week it's Greenfield - one bonus with these "rural country walks" is that the cost of getting to work is actually cheaper !). .
... and was I right about the weather - just before kick-off it was absolutely lashing it down, so naturally I "weatherproofed" the camera in the usual way (punch hole in plastic carrier bag, secure to lens hood with RM elastic band) - whilst doing this Chester managed to score in the first thirty seconds or so ... missed it. They added a second about 10 minutes before half-time from the penalty spot ... but other than that there wasn't that much between the two teams I thought. OK the appalling weather was probably a bit of a leveller, but Ashton never gave up the chase against a well-marshalled Chester defence. Some wet pictures at
Home to dry stuff out (room littered with wet RM gear and wet DSLR gear !!) before giving up and sleeping. Out this morning - yep even more rain (!) - stopped now mind, while I'm inside - d'oh. Fingers crossed for a bit of an improvement tomorrow (poss doing some overtime as well) and Saturday (for some dry football).Oh and this morning Mrs Smiffy could find no tomatoes in the fridge for her salad lunch - she had to have four off my tomato plants instead !!! Loads on there now - just ripening in their own sweet time ... .
Yep ... a pretty grim week weather-wise "out and about" (this week the country atmosphere of Diggle !) - and some serious papier mache at times ... here's the official way of making it (I say "official" - this lady is great - and the music is OK too !!)
... the other option is to wait and see what comes through your door from postie (and our stuff is flour-free !!)
So - wet through again (OK drying out now) - and home to find out tonight's "game of choice" (Ashton United v Chester FC) has been called ON ... so it can't be all bad !
By the way - for those who remember my "grammar police" antics vis-a-vis a certain estate agent in the Mossley area during my "dolescum days" - here's a new one from the same. Can this REALLY be the price (click for big - and NO I have not tweaked/photoshopped) ??
I wonder ... never mind, tea soon and then off to Hurst Cross by frog - sorry bus (it's the Andes you cross by frog - check out/Google "Ripping Yarns")
... makes me laugh anyway - sums up the laughable state this country is in - and the way sooooo many people are being duped ...
Apparently "mid-market retailers reported a year-on-year sales drop of 2.2%" last month ... so the headlines say that it's ALL because of the riots ... hmmmm ... recession, what recession ??
Top three adverts on the TV at the moment are promoting ... price comparison websites ... now that WILL get us all out of the "recession what recession" .... and don't forget those handy companies/websites that have words like "APR 1737%" ...
Police cuts ?? The Metropolitan police have managed to find 1,000 officers to basically "child mind" kiddies to and from school - something to do with mobile phone and MP3 theft ... hmm, no recession here ...
The bonuses of top company directors have risen by 187% in the past decade ... no recession here either ...
In an attempt to encourage use of public transport, plans are afoot to get rid of 675 railway station ticket offices ...
66% of rioters have been remanded in custody for various offences ... as opposed to the "normal" 10% ...
A former (Labour) MP has been charged with expenses fraud totalling £66,000 - apparently the case has been delayed because she was suffering from "ill health" ...
... just a few stories from the last 48 hours
(Football tomorrow - don't panic - but if you can't wait ... Mossley are 2-0 down at half-time and this article is worth a read) .
... as mentioned earlier, with having a Saturday off work, it would be just plain criminal not to make the most of it ... which was why I was at Stalybridge Bus Station at 0945 on Saturday morning, returning to the same spot some 11 hours later ! In between time, a jolly day out - comfy coach, comfy company, DVDs, "lunch/tachograph stop" in Hampton-in-Arden (near Solihull), lots of "flatlands", a few alcoholic beverages - and a game of football as well.
I don't think I saw Stalybridge Celtic at their best - too much long ball stuff to be honest - but at the end of the day, three points is three points and the unbeaten start to the season continues (although Hyde FC still hold the local "bragging rights" with seven wins out of seven). Some pix from the day out in Cambridgeshire ...
... still on holiday - still remembering NOT to go into work - upstairs bathroom has had a "paint job" this week (something for the unemployed/students to do !!) - so before either of same had got up this morning I put some new floor covering down (OK not "exactly" new - leftovers from downstairs but ... hey !!).
Job done - so I went for a walk - last October I did a bit of a walk from Oldham to Grotton along the "old" railway line: OldhamGrottonRailwayOctober2010
- and I promised myself I'd one day check out the Oldham to Ashton "old" railway line. Today was the day ...
Not as straightforward/obvious this one - certainly a bit trickier to follow up at the Oldham end - but we got there in the end - I think !
Tomorrow - no work - so am going for BIG football trip (with apologies to "5 mins up the road Mossley" - the road to Wembley may start tomorrow (v Runcorn Linnets) - however Saturdays off are so few and far between - you've just got to go for something ... big !
Histon here I come ... . Saturday Morning Edit - you won't know this but - when you're getting closer to Ashton, the old railway line actually goes past the back of Joe's house ?? Fascinating ... .
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