The One About Scarves And Gloves

She wasn't there

A game! That wasn't called off.!! All my christmases have surely come at once.

As I sat in the BoneShaker, passing time before heading in to The Welfare Ground, I got a text from the Fats Domino of groundhopping, who's 66POW blog serves to show us all what a hollow pursuit this is how it should be done. With Worksop's game against Boston being called off, he had opted for Scunthorpe v Watford in the Fizzy Pop League. Lord knows why, although I am sure his relentlessly embellished report will tell you it was a wise decision. Quite whether the £15 admission gave him a game that was thee times better than Armthorpe Welfare v Scarborough in the NCEL, featuring 5 goals, three red cards, two penalties and a vocal crowd, I'll let him decide.

Blackpool of the North

At the start of the season, Scarborough were many peope's tips for promotion out of the NCEL. They certainly have the fan base for  ahigher level of football. However, as the season has progressed, they have flattered to deceive, and indeed have been overshadowed by their landlords, Bridlington. Armthorpe meanwhile seem, to me at least, to have far outstripped realistic expectations. Although the general worksite-ness of the ground would indicate that there is financial backing to support their promotion push. Although one suspects they come a little short this time round.

It's fair to say that Armthorpe is not the most enticing of areas. But then, as a suburb of Doncaster, can it be expected to be? I remember a few visits to Church Road with Retford, back in the day. What fans they could muster were always a fairly volitile bunch. One of those in and out operations. Decent chippy opposite tho.

One of the better games I've watched in recent times, this. Wellie, as no-one calls them despite their best efforts, were happy to soak up pressure, and hit Boro on the break, whilst the visitors themselves were capable of some good football when it suited them. On this showing, neither time would disgrace themselves at the next level.

The home team took the lead after about 10 minutes, following a prolonged spell of pessure from Scarborough. It was a scrappy goal, but they deserved it. The Seadogs were making great inroads by going down the right, with the Wellie left back having a torrid day. Not helped by his mate in goal berating his every move. He was booked, and things just got worse for him. Eventually, a free kick on the Scarborough left wasn't dealt with, and it fell to the right winger who, having been hopelessly ignored by the aforementioned left back calmly leveled the scores. With the last kick of the half, Armthorpe hit the bar.


The second half was even more manic. Boro went two one up after more poorly executed set piece defending, only for Armthorpe to go straight down the other end and earn a penalty. Two all. This didn't go down too well with the visiting fans, who prior to this had been enjoying themselves by baiting the home keeper, not only for his continuing admonishments of the left back, for other, less clear but no doubt no less deserving, crimes. I don't think either party will be in a hurry to exchange Facebook accounts.

 

An utterly pointless clip, if I'm honest

Shortly after they were reduced to 10 men as a "6 of one" kerfuffle broke out down by the dugouts. Inexplicably, the home combatant was only booked, whilst his nemisis walked. Needless to say the travelling Seadog army were now incandescent with rage. And it was going to get worse.

But not before Armthorpe attempted to shoot themselves in the foot with a reckless two footed lunge that served only to even the sides up at ten-apiece.

Armthorpe headed off down the exact same route, with the standout number 7 again tormenting the left back (not the rubbish Armthorpe one), and the outcome was the same. A penalty, this time with added red card for even greater punishment. Upstepped the Liam Hardy again, and Armthorpe were 3-2 up against 9 men.

And that was pretty much that.