I am penning this the day after the rather suspicious Worksop postponement so by the time anybody reads it two more games will have passed. Worksop’s decision, in my opinion, was obviously influenced by the well publicised news that some of Fleetwood’s 'finest' were hiring an independent coach in order to grace Nottinghamshire with their presence. With the game off, three of us decided that we had to watch some live footy action with a spying mission to the Witton v Gateshead game. We were amazed to see the aforementioned coach, plus contents, had also decided to visit the game. While we didn’t witness any aggro, the fact that their coach driver wanted to leave town without his passengers spoke volumes. Anyway  the police got them all parcelled back onto the coach at half time to prevent any disturbances, so they only saw half a game anyway.

There were an unusual assortment of fans at the game. We thought that we had been hard done to, but the Northwich game next door was only called off at 2pm and their visitors had come all the way from Weymouth so they had to go somewhere, hence the relatively large gate of over 700. It was an excellent game and we were pleased that Witton dropped a point but the quality on show made me feel a little uneasy to be honest. We will just have to wait and see, but the Easter Monday game should be a cracker for all the right reasons.

Kieran Walmsley’s goal against Whitby Town was our fiftieth at Highbury this season and we have conceded exactly half that number. It’s pretty close, but the Percy Ronson end is just the favourite for goals both for and against. It will be great when we have a nice shiny new stand at the Park End too. I can’t wait to see the whole ground finished, hopefully by next year, and let’s hope that the unsavoury element won’t bother the club any more. 

I was sorry to read in the paper about Tadcaster Albion’s recent plight. Apparently they suffered a severe arson attack to the clubhouse just before Christmas and then the nearby

River Wharfe burst its banks completely flooding the ground. York City have agreed to play a fund raising friendly in the summer with all the receipts going to Tadcaster. I remember our FA Cup extra preliminary tie there four years ago and it was a nice little ground especially as it was joined on to a brewery! We won 5-2 on the day with goals from McGonnell,  Singleton, Catlow and Porter plus an own goal.

Going back exactly five years today with a full league programme in the NWCFL Division One on the 1st March 2003:

Squires Gate and Alsager had been promoted that season and while we were held to two draws by 'Gate, Alsager did the double over us on consecutive Saturdays. This was the second game after we had lost at home 3-0. During the game the 70 spectators had to endure a torrential hailstorm. I must have had a premonition as I didn’t travel to that game thank goodness! Prescot were eventual champions and we finished mid table. Our best home gate that season was 214 in the FA Cup against Workington which went to a replay that also produced the highest away gate of 341. The season’s lowest gate of 44 was at Flixton who were relegated along with Winsford. By the way our home gates total has now passed the13,000 mark for this season. A fair reflection of our current position.

So what is coming up next? Oh yes, Marine away on Tuesday night and Whitby away next Saturday.

Surely we can finally stamp on the Marine hoodoo can’t we? They are nothing special and have fallen to several lesser sides. It is time to show them who are the bosses although I cannot find the last time that we won a league game in Crosby, it must be over thirty years ago.

As for Whitby I feel a bit more confident  about that one as they will try to play less defensively at home and I think we should be able to get in behind them. We are staying over for that one anyway so the alcohol should ease the tension should it be really necessary! After that we have a third away game on the bounce at Matlock who have, surprisingly, slipped a bit this season. That is never an easy fixture, especially on a Tuesday night with all those miles of windy country roads.