Down Tarn

Barnsley 1 v Sheffield United 1

Saturday 28 November 2015

Twitter @ball_sup

I did OK on the drinking front by coming at it sideways. The Old No. 7 is the main show in Tarn. But, it doesn’t open on Mondays, whenever I’m there for U21. And, the Division 3 games are invariably kicking off on Saturday dinner on Police advice. So, I found out that the pub would be open from 10am. I did an early one under the assumption it’d be easier to get in & be less packed in the morning.

They had A4 “Home Fans Only” signs in the window. And security. But, an old fella on his own. Time your run & you’ll breeze it. Just a few Blade fellow travellers in there. We exchanged knowing looks.

I went, Acorn Brewery, Archer IPA on cask at 5%. I’d been chasing that. It had actually gone off the pumps in The Swim Inn (after Shrewsbury) just as I ordered it. Great beer. Rich, full of flavour. I also had Acorn, Yorkshire Pride on cask ay 3.7%. Perfectly decent. But, got that Golden Ale thing going on. Not much by way of bitterness. Nice, just not to my taste.

Well. I was in Tarn before 0900. And so were the Police. That was one serious operation. I’m out of the loop. But, do they really expect serious trouble. I got a good taster of how Mad the world is. As I walked from the pub. Across the level crossing. Under the main road. Up the hill to the Coach Park. I noticed most of the Police were a) in groups of twos or threes 20 yards apart, b) in riot gear and c) speaking with North East accents.

I asked one lone Copper what was going on. The gist. We’re from Newcastle, we have all the riot gear ready & able, it’s cheaper for South Yorkshire Plod to hire us suited & booted than it is for them to source just their own riot gear to wear. He’s pulling part of my chain. But, crikey.

As you got down the hill, the Police deployed to hassle fellas getting off the coaches were sporting Humberside Police badges on their uniforms. There is nothing in this country that isn’t for Sale or Rent. And….. I counted 5 flares/smoke bombs before 20 minutes were up. The away stand concourse was like The Somme at HT. Failed operation.

And, I suppose that’s the way it goes. We need to hang on to games like that. There was a bit of disruption as he subbed & subbed. I don’t like that. If someone has a knock. Fine, get him off. But, that just looked like subs for subs sake. I’m not staying it’s cost them. But, they have conceded right at the Death. To be honest, Utd didn’t look any different from recent times. Although they weren’t as shocking as Shrewsbury at home. They could have gone on to win it.

246/494