Stalybridge Celtic v Bradford PA

... well we got some football in on Saturday !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There I was - wandering around Saddleworth in the pouring rain on Saturday morning - and I get a txt (thanks to Andy W !!) - Mossley game off (they were away @ Clitheroe so I knew etc etc) - Curzon Ashton game off (one of my options - bugger !) - but Stalybridge Celtic have had a 1030 pitch inspection (local ref) and it's on ! The way work was (i.e not a bad day) I thought ... we got a go-er here.  Anyway the rain contiued to belt down - I got wet - the mail got wet - and I thought ... surely not ??

Then it stopped ... and I hurried round, finishing at a sensible time this Saturday - unlike that bugger before Christmas when I saw 3 mins of the Mossley game !!) - got home at 1355 - checked on laptop - and match ref says GO !!!  However ... not as simple as turning up ... I'd promised  some framed piccies for the Stalybridge "Hail Ale" raffle which was to take place after the game - and just after Christmas I'd thought "Bugger - better get them printed" - and true to form Photobox came up with the goods - they were there when I got home from work !  Fortunately Mrs Smiffy offered me a lift up to Bower Fold - via Tesco to pick up three photo frames - so there I was at 1450 putting pics into frames and hoping that the ref didn't kick-off at 1455 (see Boxing Day thread).

He didn't - so pics in frames - and handed over to Tweedy - I got  ut and started to wander round - and then Celtic only went and scored in the 3rd minute !!!!!!  Fortunately I was "all plumbed in" and got it - albeit from the 'wrong end' ... but hey - result.  A very even first half after that - Bradford can certainly play football - but they're a pretty physical bunch as well - however the Celtic "young 'uns" stood up well to it - and Alex Cairns in the Celtic goal made a couple of cracking saves to keep it at 1-0 by half-time.  One bottle of Peroni later (my half-time treat !) and it was back out for more.  Bradford still looked good but the Celtic defence was holding firm (as they say on the Message Board ... "PLAY TIM RYAN !!" - and it DOES seem to make a difference having an older/wiser/balder head back there.  Celtic were playing downhill and just after the hour mark Tom Buckley made it 2-0 with a well-placed shot from outside the box.  A red card for Bradford's Richard Marshall - and that was it really.  Credit the opposition mind - they continued to play good football to the bitter end - and one save from Richard Lamb towards the end was first class (he'd spent the entire game being 'baited' about his 'chunky disposition'  - you can work out the chants - surely !)   The rain returned - big style - so it was just like being at work (!!) but - 2-0 final score - and a good end to 2012 for Stalybridge Celtic.  You've waited this long - some pictures at

Stalybridge Celtic 2 Bradford PA 0

Quick beer - and home (we had visitors) ... I did my best - good food from Mrs Smiffy (whole salmon with Mustard and Dill Sauce)  followed by an hour's natter/diarising (things to do in the next three months) and then a game of Trivial Pursuit on the Wii (forget boards - this is the future !) ... but still "zonked out" at about 2300hrs - all these early starts play havoc with my sleeping patterns.  Naturally wide awake this morning around 0600hrs (see previous) - but then zzz-ed until 0800 (whoo - a lie in !) before getting up and sorting the above pics out.  Next jobbie today was nipping out to buy stuff for the New Years Day starter - I'd promised a "Vegetarian Terrine" - but it took me FOUR supermarkets to find veggie gelatine !!  Meanwhile Mrs Smiffy is waiting at home for me to return with car, as she's off to Belper to Mums - coming back tomorrow afternoon (avec Mum - hence the posh starter option). A couple of hours in the kitchen making said terrine (it looks great - and I promise a picture of a slice on New Years Day !) before sloping off to the pub to watch football (!).

Home to an empty house - and now this ... going to get some food before settling down in front of the telly to watch a Christmas DVD pressie - "AC/DC Live at the River Plate 2009" - I did mention it on the blog a few weeks ago after seeing the "short" version on BBC4 - and thankfully some people actually read this cr*p (i.e.daughter !!!) ... and then it's up at 0600hrs tomorrow for another day at the mailface.
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