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... in the Cheshire Senior Cup Semi-Final ...
Well - once I'd got the nod that the Mossley v Farsley game was off - only one other option ... and it's a good job me and some other bugger turned up - otherwise the attendance would have been 99. Even so ... 101 is pathetic - especially when everyone's (well a good proportion) favourites weren't on the telly. I guess there are obviously loads of closet Barca fans out there - either that or this idea of "gritty Northerners" is actually a myth. You have to remember that last night was tropical compared to 24 hours earlier as well (even I only needed one pair of gloves last night). OK so there's loads of "ructions" in the Stalybridge camp at the moment (check out the message board), but it's a cup semi-final for Frith's sake !!!
So what did the stayaways miss ??? A comfy 3-0 win for the home side allegedly in turmoil against a (for me) surprisingly sterile opposition (who'd won 6 of their last 8 games - including a 10-0 hammering of Hapless Hucknall Town). Two first half strikes from Tom Buckley and a third late on (after some serious penalty area ping-pong) took Celtic through to the final to play ... well we'll find out later this evening (Chester FC v Witton Albion tonight) at a venue of which I am not aware (might have been mentioned in last night's prog - but I can't afford such luxuries). Following on from last night's early pics ... the rest are here ...
Stalybridge Celtic 3 Northwich Victoria 0 (CSC Sem-Final)
Glad I went for it anyway - tonight's other midweek option (Ashton U v Matlock T) is frozen off.
Fairly warm today at work - livened up by some seriously childish rowing 'twixt certain posties (+ one manager) early doors today - comforting (in my mind) that I just can't be *rsed to get involved with office politics too much these days (I just went outside for a fag !!) - but if any of them want my opinion in the morning ... they'll ALL get some serious flak !!
Now ... to tellyland (i.e. "Lightfields") ...
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... at a cold - but not THAT cold (we're talking "Postie Relativity") - Stalybridge Celtic v Northwich Vics ...
1-0 - Tom Buckley
2-0 - Buckley again
3-0 - Corey Gregory
Promise more - and better - tomorrow (I'm quite pleased with the "rough-cut" of goal number two !!)
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... so it's off to Bower Fold we go - after cooking a Thai Pork Curry - so I'd better get on with it !!!
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... following an effing cold day at the mail-face ... bloody cold wind (oh yes that wind-chill factor is alive and sub-zero up our end), snow flurries (ironically when the sun was brightly shining at times !!!) - and loads of Door-to-Doors (you call it junk mail ?? RM call it "live mail" ... but on the other hand they say "Mail is down" - not convinced ... as are some of my 10+ years co-workers).
No ... tonight's title comes from me munching on some Y Fenni cheese (my absolute fave) whilst roasting a joint of beef won in the "Britannia Meat Draw" yesterday afternoon - to be used for cold meat butties all week, whilst also keeping an eye on the jambalaya bubbling away on the stove (OK I've took my eye off it while tapping this out but ...) - and yes I've got my cooking apron on - together with Be-Bop Deluxe on the music machine !!!
Weather is certainly going to be a damper on football this week - we've Mossley at home tomorrow (against Farsley FC) - if that fails there's Stalybridge Celtic at home tomorrow night (against Northwich Vics in the Cheshire Senior Cup) - if that fails there's Ashton United v Matlock Town on Wednesday night. If that fails ...
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... well ... who would have expected that ?? Certainly not me - and many others too I reckon. Half-time - Mossley 2-0 down playing against 10 men. I remarked in the club how I couldn't see Mossley scoring if they played all night. even following the dismissal of our old friend Melford Knight on the half-hour, Mossley huffed and puffed and were getting absolutely nowhere.
However there was obviously something added to the half-time cuppa as it became 2-1 before I'd even got out of the Social Club (curses - part 1 !!!). Chris Denham then brought the home team level before scoring the winner with 15 minutes left (again photographer absent due to call of nature - curses part 2 !!). Another bitterly cold afternoon (my excuses for a delayed Social Club departure --- and the call of nature !!) but a welcome win for the home team which may well re-ignite the play-off aspirations - especially when looking at some of yesterday's other results - OK, Curzon and Clitheroe both won, but ... Ramsbottom lose, New Mills lose, Trafford lose (!), Skelmersdale draw. I reckon there's now eight teams fighting for the top five places - down to and including Cammell Laird who yesterday won 1-0 in front of attendance of ... 31 (thirty one) allegedly (surely a misprunt) !!!!
Some pictures from yesterday (excluding some goals !!!) at
Mossley 3 Trafford 2
Meanwhile elsewhere - it's all doom and gloom in the Conference, with Hyde slipping back into the relegation zone, Droylsden still firmly anchored in the relegation zone and Stalybridge Celtic slipping further towards same (the knives are really out for Manager Jim Harvey on their Message Board as well !!). Ashton United got a useful point away at play-off chasing Marine ... oh and "daarn saaarth", Belper Town thumped secon-placed Stamford 4-0 to do their play-pff aspirations no harm at all.
Weather is looking very iffy over the next few days with snow and sub-zero evenings forecast (get the frost covers on !!!). Guess we'll have to wait and see ...
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...but not yet ...
food stuff first.
Friday night ... cooked by me for others ... Mackerel Fillets in a "citrus salad" ..
And tonight ... while the wife's away ... steak and chips (with wholegrain mustard mind !!!)
Football soonest - promise ....
Pictures from last night now up and running at
Mossley 1 Cammell Laird 3
Not much else to say about the game really ... bit of a bugger when you consider Skelmersdale lost, Clitheroe lost, Curzon Ashton lost and Trafford only drew - guess the real winners last night were Ramsbottom United (who beat Clitheroe 3-0) - now comfortably in 2nd place.
As predicted ... a crowd of just 75 at Mossley last night - 20 more than at Harrogate Railway though (who certainly sprung a suprise with their 3-2 defeat of Skelmersdale United). Not many more at Sta;ybridge Celtic (126) to see them progress into the Cheshire Senior Cup Semi-Final after a 2-1 defeat of Runcorn Linnets. The nightmare continued for Droylsden ... a 0-5 home defeat by Altrincham ... the trapdoor to the Evo-Stik opens still further.
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God I hate whinging Scousers ... OK Birkenhead/Tranmere ... but it obviously filters through ... and do you know what ?? They don't need to behave in that stupid way - a cracking good team - the number 11 (Joe Holt) was first class - well deserved win - but for Christs sake lose the whinging/diving/ A - A- A !! Live with the fact that you are actually "good" ... and you don't need all that cr*p. Weird innit - I remember the same from my "bust-up" with AFC Bloody Liverpool a few years back ...
Rant over - it's nearly midnight - pictures from the game tomorrow ... but can I ask one favour to you out there ... what can I do with this ????
There's one letter left - and I'm one point in front .... and if opposition has got an "S" ... I'm stuffed !
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Manchester United v Real Madrid
Caro José
Você acha que o mundo vai parar amanhã para assistir ao futebol o jogo do Real Madrid contra o Manchester United.
Você está errado
Você é arrogante - não muito diferente de sua oposição, Alex Ferguson, e também Rupert Murdoch que acredita que todos no mundo é viciado em TV Sky
Eu vou estar indo para assistir meu time de futebol local, em vez - eles merecem o meu dinheiro muito mais. Eu não tenho tempo para o futebol dos ricos ...
Por favor, desculpe o meu Português pobre - a culpa é do Google.
Smiffy
Oh dear me ...
Stalybridge Celtic 0 Solihull Moors 3
So ... a lovely sunny morning for wandering around Saddleworth - shame that the "shoving letters through doors" part interferes with a nice walk !! Still - home in good time (-ish) to ruh for the train down to Stalybridge and another bit of a walk with a heavy bag on my shoulder (i.e. up the Mottram Road). Quick pre-match bottle and out into the sun to see if Stalybridge could sort out their winless league streak ... began fairly well, looking comfy on the ball, playing it around a bit - but unfortunately no real "zip" once the penalty area was reached. However Solihull gave as good as they got - if anything a bit quicker, snappier - and looked a lot more dangerous in and around the Celtic box; and then, in the 39th minute the visitors took the lead with a sort of miscued overhead effort from Junior English that deceived everyone (including the scorer probably). A it of a blow ... in more ways than one ... my "Golden Goal" ticket ...
Now if he'd just taken a few more touches on the ball before scoring ...
Once that goal went in you could see the confidence visibly drain out of the home side - and straight into the visitors. The half-time break made little difference and within ten minutes of the restart it was 3-0 to the Moors. Substitutions were made by Celtic, and a bit more of a concerted effort was made on the visitors goal - but they held firm to record only their third away win of the season.
It was all a touch depressing for the home faithful ... the crowd was a very disappointing 308 - OK better than the 123 last Tuesday, but low considering it was a nice sunny afternoon - and yes we can guess where many of the "stay-aways" were ... in the pubs watching Man Utd v Norwich on the old "Sky Italia" - even in Mossley now, the "Britannia" has invested in one of these "EuroSatellite" systems - "If you can't beat 'em ... join 'em" was the official quote - and what with several other pubs in the town having the same - and of course several pubs that I know of in Stalybridge having the same ... it may help the ailing pub trade, but it's doing little to help the non-league trade ... this coming Tuesday, we have Celtic at home to Runcorn Linnets in the Cheshire Senior Cup, Droylsden at home to Altrincham in the Conference North, Mossley at home to Cammell Laird in the Evo-Stik One North .....
..... and Man Utd v Real Madrid on the telly ... hmmm .....
OK, there were a few smiles when the Hyde (lost 0-1 at home to Newport County) and Droylsden (lost 0-7 at home to Bradford PA) results came through - but it can't hide the fact that Celtic's season is going nowhere at the moment - and there'll certainly be more than 308 at Bower Fold this afternoon when FC United(3rd in Evo Prem) "move in again" to play their home game against top-of-the-table North Ferriby United.
In results elsewhere ... Ashton United recorded a good 2-0 away win at Nantwich Town, Curzon Ashton continued their surge towards the play-offs with a fine 3-0 win away at Trafford - conversely, Mossley slipped out of the play-off positions after a 0-0 up at Lancaster City.
No I won't be up at Bower Fold this afternoon - having a lazy "indoors day" ... by lazy I mean cleaning/cooking/tidying etc - next week I'm on the early (0645hrs) starts so ... and I definitely WON'T be sitting in a pub on Tuesday night ...
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OK so I lied on Wednesday ... such is life - and life isn't all blog ... not much occurring to be honest ... good to see Ashton United getting a 4-1 win in on Wednesday night mind (back in the top half of the table as well). Apart from that ...
... Got some new footwear from work - trialling some new trainers - why not ?? So far so good - but it'll only really kick in when we get a nice wet day on all those Yorkshire flagstones up Saddleworth way. P.S. the cat just "loved the box" (just like kids with Christmas wrapping etc) - and as if to prove it ...
Cat in a Box - 28Feb13
... Weather's improved last couple of days - down to just one coat now - and gloves come off occasionally ...
... Shame that Ray Hall (Beer Baccy and Crumpet Party) only got 235 votes yesterday at the Eastleigh by-election - reckon his BIG mistake was the inclusion of "... and Crumpet" in the Party name - probably lost him several thousand votes ... so - one of the usual cheats/liars/thieves got in - anyone ever seen this damning indictment of our glorious Government (and Opposition) ?? Says it all really ...
Oh and one last thing for now - I've bobbed a little something on EBay just for the hell of it - part of the "tidy up" of my drawers (ooo-err !) - hoping to raise several thousand pounds (ha !!) from this - check out ...
Anyone want a crap tie ?
(... and there's absolutely nothing libellous in the description - just telling it like it was ...).
Enough enough ... fingers crossed for some footy tomorrow - looks like Stalybridge v Solihull ...
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... now up and running at
Stalybridge Celtic 5 Macclesfield Town 2 (CSC)
Back later - cooking tea at the moment ...
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... in the Cheshire Senior Cup ... a quick one for now (it's late ... and I've been up since 0600hrs !)
1-0 - Jack Laird
2-0 - Corey Gregory penalty
3-0 - Gregory again
4-0 - Mitchell Austin
5-1 - Greg Wilkinson
... and it finished 5-2 in the end ... promise more - and better quality - tomorrow.
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... and I think I missed out the phrase "effing cold" - all bloomin' day and all bloomin' yesterday... so I bottled out of Curzon last night (although 85 hardy souls didn't !!) - and so the great question in life as we type is ...
Stalybridge v Macc tonight in the Cheshire Senior Cup Final ? ; or ...
Sod that (and watch Everton v Oldham on terry steel telly) and go for Ashton United v Kendal tomorrow night ?
Remember - only one allowed per midweek - and the weather forecast implies a "touch warmer" tomorrow ...
Now off to cook tea - and muse (as in think about it - although I may well stick "Absolution" on the CD player !!!).
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All sorted ... although New Mills are now just two points behind Mossley in 4th place ... with four games in hand ...
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... as Curzon Ashton players defect to New Mills ... check out the Evo-Stik website - well this is how it looked at 2145hrs tonight ...
I guess it's a gigantic misprunt ... but I'll check back later !!!
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So ... 1214hrs - walking the mean streets of Uppermill - and the phone bursts into life ("Into the Gutter" by the Answer ... the official SmiffyPhone Txt Msg Ring Tone). The message "Game is OFF" - referring to the Mossley game. A touch unexpected to be honest, but once I got home I found out it wasn't the only one - locally, the Ashton United game had similarly bitten the frozen dust amongst a fair few others in the Evo-Stik. However - Curzon Ashton v Warrington Town was still on - and a quick phone call confirmed this. Train to Ashton - lines had been cleaned at the "Prince of Orange" (see last Monday !!) and then a walk down to the Tameside Stadium - and it was BUSY !!! 'Twas another one of those Junior Team Presentation Days - official attendance 390. No problem with that - apart from having large numbers of youngsters running around the ground occasionally asking questions like "What's the score ??" and "Did someone just get a red card ?". There were also a large number of peeps in yellow hi-vis jackets - were they there to protect the people actually watching the game maybe ??
Look at the size of his ... the "Non League Paper" snapper with the £5,000 lens ...
Anyway - to football ... a strange first half with Warrington seeming to have the lion's share of possession yet going in at half-time 3-0 down. Job done for the home side it seemed - they certainly took their foot off the gas in the second half - Warrington pulled one back, and looked like they could score more. However the aforementioned red card (Lee Parle for all you youngsters running around !!) seemed to put the tin lid on it and Curzon grabbed a fourth before a 90th minute consolation for the away team.
Kris Dennis denied by outstretched boot entering picture stage right ...
So yes - in the end it WAS job done - and it moves Curzon up into 5th place and, as I said last Monday after their win over Mossley, the play-offs are starting to look a distinct possibility. Some pictures from the game at
Curzon Ashton 4 Warrington Town 2
Home to defrost - yes it was another bloomin' cold football afternoon - eat tea slob out in front of the box - enjoyed "The Men Who Stare at Goats" - cracking film. Sort pictures, scribble this ... and that's about it ...
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Fairly leisurely start to the day - well it's allowed !! Another bloomin' cold day with the odd flurry of snow - and in the end we decided against the cheap train - didn't fancy three changes each way and hanging around on cold platforms - shame on us ... got to Saltaire about 1030 and parked up in a pay-and-display close by - the machine refused to take our money so we (like everyone else in the car park !!) left a note on the windscreen - that was £3-50 saved anyway ...
Salts Mill and the surrounding area is an impressive set-up - and the Hockney exhibitions were pretty interesting too - I noted that now (at the age of 70+) he's embracing the iPhone/iPad technology with an ever-changing video-type exhibition of pictures. A wander round the shops - all reassuringly expensive stuff (so just bought a couple of greetings cards !!!), followed by a reassuringly expensive lunch in the "posher" of the eateries inside the mill (couldn't be bothered queuing up with the hoi polloi at the other place - well it was my day off !!). Suitably fed ... a wander round the outside bits - the park, the church, the housing etc before retiring to the car to warm up again and come home. A few odds and ends from the camera at
Saltaire - 22Feb13
Tonight - quiet night in (Italian-themed nosh), before back to the mail face in the morning (to see the damage left by whoever did my walk today !!), followed by some afternoon football.
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OK posh word (usually military-based but having worked with the MOD in a previous life ...)
Yep - a day off tomorrow (must admit my Manager was astonished when I told him earlier this week - but no problems/hassle !!). So ... me and Mrs Smiffy are off on a "day out" ... destination ... Saltaire ... never been before, so it'll be good to see the complete "Victorian Model Village" - there's a few knocking about (Port Sunlight etc) - such a great idea - apart from the lack of pubs !!! You'll not find any philantropists like that around these days.
Natch taking the camera - we'll see what we can snap - there's even the Leeds/Liverpool Canal there as well - so maybe a bit of a stroll (albeit that the weather is going to be cr*p again - hey ho)
Another point worth making - checked out the train fares from Mossley to Saltaire - an off-peak return is £17-90 - ergo £35-80 for two. However - being the person wot I am - I checked out further ... and found a "Northern Duo" ticket from Mossley to Marsden @ £9-00 ... and then two off-peak returns from Marsden to Saltaire @ £6-40 each - total ... £21-80 - ergo £14-00 saved - crazy innit - it'll pay for lunch and more !!!
Meanwhile ... nothing else really ....
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Yeah OK night game ... finished work hours before ... but due to unforeseen circumstances, it ended up as a mad dash to the Tameside Stadium arriving about 5 minutes in - fortunately no score ! Mossley were certainly the better team for the first half hour or so - just couldn't do it in the final quarter - and then, just like Saturday, it was sucker punch time as a dodgy free-kick for Curzon hit the bar and Kris Dennis gobbled up the rebound. You see it on TV - you see it in real time - these handball decisions that are given these days when someone whacks the ball at a defender 6 inches away who can do bugger all about getting out of the way .... it's becoming a bloody joke - check out the Ilkeston v Ashton game last Saturday - Chris Lynch got a bloody red card for exactly the same. This DEFINITELY needs looking at - at all levels .... anyway (initial) rant over - 1-0 to Curzon at half-time.
It was a pretty physical game I have to admit - but unfortunately the referee (in my humble opinion !) had an absolute stinker, letting some heavy stuff go unnoticed and picking up on the easy options (tick box culture ??) ... and so it was, not long after Curzon had gone 2-0 up, when Mark Haslam got a second yellow - thus red - for a very innocuous challenge. If it hadn't been going downhill for Mossley - it was now ... give 'em their dues - they tried to make a fist of it, but it was never going to be; and a 90th minute third goal for Curzon courtesy of Chris Rowney (ouch - he only left Mossley a week or so ago) put the icing on the cake for Curzon.
On the night - can't argue with the result (a touch flattering maybe but ...) - the chances to goals ratio for Mossley appears to be drying up - the killer instinct appears missing somewhere - and needs sorting out fast, otherwise the play-off chances might well disappear. Curzon meanwhile, having had an "iffy" few months appear to be coming good at the right time - they're certainly getting into the mix now. A few pictures from the evening at
Curzon Ashton 3 Mossley 0
A miserable walk back towards the station was compounded by the "Prince of Orange" having no real ale on ("he's cleaning the lines" !!) - so a quick dash to the Wetherspoons cheered me up a touch - Thornbridge "Jaipur" - an absolute classic at 5.9% abv - for only £2-25 - just wish I could have stayed for more (especially when I noticed the "contactless payment" option - I've got a debit card with the "contactless option", but never had a chance to play with it yet - hey ho - now I know ....
Home - late - sorted out pics - bed - up - work - cold start that turned into a lovely day (removed gloves and exchanged woolly hat for baseball cap just after 1200hrs !!) - have managed to get shut of nearly 80% of the junk mail in the first two days of the week (!!). Not decided on weekend football - yet - but I have to admit something now ... for the first time in many many many months, I WILL NOT be working my 'day off' this week. What with it being half-term (i.e. Mrs Smiffy off work) and my day off being Friday, we've decided to "do something" - as yet we don't know what ... having seen the weather forecast for later in the week (it's gonna get flippin' cold again), a Friday walk may not be the option - decisions to be made later. Don;t panic - I'm in work on Saturday - so there will be football - somewhere - in the afternoon. In the meanwhile, good luck to Hyde against Mansfield Town tonight - "beware Lee Stevenson" is my only caveat !!!
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A good morning's work saw me finish early enough to rest my aching legs for half-an-hour (just about recovered from the snowy mayhem of Wednesday !) before grabbing a quick pre-match pint at the "Britannia" - they'd got Sharps "Doom Bar" on for £2-25 ... the barrel had gone on Friday evening apparently - and I just managed to grab the penultimate pint - not to worry, there's another due on today hopefully !!).
Up the hill to watch Mossley take on Wakefield on a rather 'tropical' Saturday afternoon (well it's all relative to us outdoor worker-types !) - and despite it being one-way traffic for the first 45 minutes, the home side only went in 2-1 up thanks to a couple from Sam Madeley - the first being one his his now "trademark" overhead kicks - suitably obscured (see previous grumbly thread !!). The dominance continued after the break but Mossley were unable to capitalise on the possession and chances ... and ... sucker punch with less than 10 minutes to go. Some dogged defending and, I'm afraid some profligacy upfront saw two points dropped - a bit of a bugger what with Skelmersdale drawing at New Mills. Trafford's 3-1 win at Burscough means Mossley have now "plummeted" to 3rd place in the league (I guess if this was the "MoneyBags Premiership" they'd be calling for Steve Halford's head ... fortunately this AIN'T the "MoneyBags Premiership" !!!). Pics from the game at
Mossley 2 Wakefield 2
A quick post-match pint - and home to watch Oldham attempt the "Scouse Double" - not quite, but still hanging in there thanks to some last-minute heroics by former non-leaguer Matt Smith - let's see what the draw offers them today.
What will Sunday bring ?? Mrs Smiffy down at her Mum's this weekend so ... a quick trip to the tip to recycle all those empty tins of tomatoes (and the odd couple of beer cans as well !!), grab a "Non League Paper" and criticise the photographs - and bang a venison stew into the slo-cooker ... and maybe a small trip out to see if the "Doom Bar" has returned - might as well watch the Man City/Leeds game while I'm at it !!
Monday night sees a local derby down at the Tameside Stadium - as in Curzon Ashton v Mossley - next midweek's "Match of Choice" for me ...
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Mossley's first goal ...
Mossley's second goal ...
Spot the connection !!!!!!!! More later - I'm too busy watching Oldham Athletic at the moment ...
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... in "Royal Mail World" ... following the euphoria of Tuesday night at Mossley (OK maybe "euphoria" is a bit OTT - but it's a Cup Final - and it's at a half-decent ground as well - confirmed as Wednesday 27th March at Stockport County FC), it was a harsh harsh awakening on Wednesday !!!
It began with light snow as I got to work ... and it got heavier ... and heavier ... and started to stick - Wednesday's are usually a bugger of a day (all the internet orders from weekend kick in) - and as I plodded round with a shed load of parcels - with over a dozen being "sign-fors" as well ... the weather got progressively worse - snow, a biting wind, and more bloody snow. By 1430hrs I was struggling with hands/fingers that were refusing to work etc etc. Finished well over time (O/T booked mind !!) and went home to defrost - only to watch the heavy rain disperse all the bloody white stuff. Thursday morning - no snow - a bit of rain - less wind - and the temperature positively tropical (OK 4C - but you know what I mean !). Today was eerily quiet as regards mail and parcels (just hope this doesn't mean "aaargh" for Saturday though) - so a decent finish time and "gloves off".
Tonight sees me and Mrs Smiffy swanning of to Harvey Nichols in Manchester for their "Supper Club" offer - 3 course meal for around £20 if I remember rightly (did it back in October 2011) - let's call it a late Valentines Day do ...
Tomorrow - with it being quiet at work today - I'm a touch nervous (!!!). Also I'm in early doors (0630hrs) for a bit more overtime before heading home - and going up the road to watch Mossley v Wakefield - looking at Wakefield's position in the table, I'm tempted to plug in the 24-60mm lens and stand behind the goal for 90 minutes ... but that's probably tempting fate !! I'll take it anyway - just in case !!
Off to shower and change - s'pose I'd better put some clean rags on ...
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... in the Manchester Premier Cup Semi-Final. A hard-earned 1-0 win for the home side against a very good Maine Road side tonight (I knew it wouldn't be easy !!). Pics at
Mossley 1 Maine Road 0 (MPC Semi-Final)
Apologies for the paucity of prints - it's been sub-zero all day at work ... and then got colder as the evening went on, despite appropriate clothing (including "double-glazed" gloves !!). The Final (I'm led to believe) is to be played at Edgeley Park towards the end of March ... and Mossley's opponents will be Salford City who tonight beat Droylsden 1-0 in the other semi.
Now to a warm bed ...
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... before I get the tea on (we had a dobbing great chicken last night - so tonight it's chicken with chorizo, mushrooms, peppers and onion - with some curly kale and pasta on the side).
How about this - didn't mention this yesterday, but we bobbed off to some friends in Rochdale after I got home from the Stalybridge game on Saturday ... they're Southampton fans believe it or not ... and they DID NOT want to know the score - happy to wait until "Match of the Day" - they were well chuffed !! I just thought - in the week where "Match Fixing" hit the news ... some serious bad defending, a goalie cock-up and a comical own goal ... what WERE the odds on a Southampton win ???
However I digress - Mrs Smiffy had made a pudding to take round - - - and it looked like this ...
Smart eh ??? Orange- sultanas- sponge pud - all slo-cooked - and very nice too !!
... and today ??? How about the following :
Satis mihi est - ardebit camino - relinquendi - gratis perfrui pane tosto
Maybe we can get back to the "dream team" - we've had John - we've had John Paul - maybe it's time for John Paul George (c'mon - you work it out).
Won't be doing the Curzon/Burscough Doodson Cup game tonight - it's been postponed so many times, I've got bored !! And anyway tomorrow night we have a cup semi-final up at Mossley - the Manchester Premier Cup no less against the current North West Counties League leaders Maine Road - so it won't be simple. Winners to play the winners of the Salford City v Droylsden game to be played tomorrow as well. Would be interesting if this season's final is the same as last season - ho ho ho ho !!!
... and I can't finish with a small shout - "Go Super Eagles" - just wish I'd put a few pennies on them before the African Nations Cup began - hey ho ...
OK - off to sort out tea
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Bit busy for a Saturday work-wise, but managed to get up to Bower Fold in time for a quick pre-match snifter - until this new club is built I'm afraid I have to remain a "Peroni-lout" - sorry but the keg bitter does nothing for me !).
Strange game really - all Worcester for the first 45 one cleared off the line and one rebounding off the bar ... Celtic certainly improved somewhat in the second period (substitutions perchance ?? I think so), but following a period of sustained pressure by the home team - which helped to warm up a rather docile crowd - it was a case of "smash and grab" as Worcester grabbed two goals in the last 10 minutes ... which I guess in the overall scheme of things they probably deserved. Pictures from the game at
Stalybridge Celtic 0 Worcester City 2
Same old problems for Celtic I'm afraid - a touch too much reliance on the long ball up front - not the greatest plan when the solitary man is somewhat diminutive and surrounded by six-footers ! As I said the second half bucked up a bit with some more direct stuff on the floor but ... clear-cut chances were certainly at a premium. The play-offs are edging further and further away ...
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You may remember - or not (!!) ... a few weeks ago, when Mrs Smiffy went down to old London town for a few days of work (and I indulged in an orgy of football, rock DVDs and alcohol - if I remember rightly) ...
Well ... she went out herself on an orgy of Spanish food and (expensive London-priced) wine - and managed to lose an earring on the night. However - on the return to "oop North", a phone call was made to said restaurant - a promise to "have a look" was made - and - RESULT - earring found - and yesterday said ear piece finally arrived back in Mossley.
So - it's a big up to Tapas Brindisa London Bridge - tell 'em Mrs Smiffy sent you ... and make sure your butterflys are suitably secured ...
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Well the usual "in the pub" answer is "the low-life in our wonderful country" ...
I beg to differ ... how about:
The People who "run" the country ... e.g. Chris Huhne, the MPs "expenses scandal" ...
The People who "police" the country - e.g. Police Federation (the Austin Mitchell scandal) ...
The People who "bankroll" the country - e.g. Investment Bankers, the "Libor" scam ...
The People who "insure" the country - e.g. PPI, the "interest rate swap" scandal ...
Bet I've missed loads out - but I'm sure you get my drift ...
(Can't you tell I'm suffering from a bad attack of "non-football" ??? Yep - grumpy old man head on ...)
OK - a WEDNESDAY EVENING "ADDITION" ...
The People who "care" for the people of the country - e.g. NHS - see Stafford Hospital scandal (and I mean Management here - not those on the 'shop floor') ...
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... a slice of tomorrow's fixtures from the Evo-Stik website ...
Sounds oh so familiar .. eh what ?? Trust Carlton will get a bye through to the next round ...
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... slightly damp workie time (towards the end anyway) but home in time to make a super tea (leeks, brocolli, tomatoes and bacon in a cheese'n'mustard sauce with breadcrumbs and baby potatoes parboiled then bunged in the oven with some butter, rosemary and onion). Then - phone call from large boy - who's in the midst of moving house. The "old house" has been broken into and can someone come and rescue some of the left-overs (including telly !). Mrs Smiffy to the rescue whilst tea went "on hold".
Meanwhile ... it's still hammering it down with rain/hail etc in a howling gale and I'm thinking "Can I REALLY be *rsed to go to Curzon tonight ??" - everything ready to rock snapper-wise just in case ... Mrs S home at 1855hrs - tea on table at 1900hrs - still raining - all sorted/eaten/enjoyed by 1920hrs - phone call to Curzon ... "It's just this minute been called off !". So ...
Also .. when the "Help !" phone call came through, Mrs S was sorting some pix to go in a frame - in her enforced absence the cat perused one of said pix ...
Suffice to say - he's popular (it's not one of mine either - so no digital replacement available !!!).
When uploading that pic onto 'puter also found this one - a couple of Christmas pressies ...
To your left ... a mug (with lid) - to your right - a kitchen timer !!!
Football - well Droylsden are at home to Altrincham tomorrow night - but weather forecast is grim - apart from today's torrential rain, it's due to snow up here overnight so breath is not being held !!!
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... to finish the weekend ...
Hartlepool United beat Notts County 2-1 on Saturday ... goals were scored by:
Hartley and Poole ...
Nigeria's winner in the African Cup of Nations Quarter-Final against Cote D'Ivoire on Sunday was scored by:
Sunday Mba ...
Let the week begin ...
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Flippin' heck ... it was COLD !!! And that was 0730 in the morning - still, kept moving, kept pushing letters through freezing cold metal letterboxes (after opening freezing cold metal gates), and got finished in good time to get home for some "exotic lunch" (Mrs Smiffy had been into Ashton and brought back some a rather nice Spicy Lamb Arabic Wrap from CafeMozaic - so filling in fact that we didn't bother with tea later !!).
Anyway - up the road to Seel Park to see how rusty the footballers were after the weather-enforced break. Mossley gave a debut to new signings Chris Denham and Russ Saunders - t'other newbie Tyron Sealey was on the bench. The home team dominated the first 45 minutes but could only put the ball in the net twice whilst conceding a rather freaky equaliser. The second half was much more even - and Salford managed an equaliser. Despite a lot of pressure in the last quarter of the game however, Mossley were unable to fashion a winner ... probably a case of two points lost I'm afraid ! Some pictures at
Mossley 2 Salford City 2
Any hopes of a prolonged "Skelmersdale blip" (after their 1-4 trouncing at Burscough in midweek) were probably kyboshed at about 1505hrs when Curzon 'keeper Josh Ollerenshaw was shown the red card (wonder if Ben Richardson took over between the sticks - SUNDAY NIGHT EDIT - Yep - he's confirmed it on Facebook !!) - it finished 6-1 to Skem - eek !! However the other "contenders" - New Mills ended up on the wrong end of a 1-5 trouncing at home to Bamber Bridge - the Millers also ended up with 10 men after Leon Grandison was dismissed. Trafford and Clitheroe also contrived to lose ... so maybe in the end it was a point gained ?? Hyde slipped up 1-2 at Woking they've got to be careful not to slip back into the relegation mire after all their hard work before Christmas, especially with teams like Stockport and Barrow putting together results. Stalybridge travelled to that well-known northern team Bishops Stortford (!) and came back with a hard-earned 0-0 draw. Droylsden however slipped up at another one of those "northern teams" - i.e. Histon - going down 1-3. Finally Ashton United managed a late equaliser to draw 2-2 at Matlock Town.
Weather going cold again next week - also the "snow word" has been mentioned ... will probably head for Curzon Ashton tomorrow night for their League Cup game against Burscough who - fresh from their trouncing of Skelmersdale last midweek - managed to lose to a 90th minute goal yesterday at home to Harrogate RA.
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