Del needs to put some weight on

Charlton Athletic U18 0 v Sheffield United U18 1
U18 Professional Development League
Saturday 9 March 2019

Played at Charlton's Training Ground on Sparrows Lane

SUFC 2018/19 Game 75
2018/19 Football Season Brewery Visits - 100

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Charlton's Training Ground, down there near New Eltham station, is the 216th different ground I've watched a Sheffield United XI play on. Define “ground” I hear you say. Here's my answer. Are you aware of Sheffield United Football Club? They play football games. By definition, the place they play must be a football ground. Or what the hell are we fucking doing.

And. Don't come back to me with - did it have a turnstile? Or, the classic, did it have dugouts? Mate, yes, it HAD dugouts - past tense. During the warm ups, there were two dugouts - one for each team. In the traditional manner. But, when United scored after just three minutes, our dugout had already blown over in the howling gale. This is where I'm #AgainstModernFootball. All the lithe & lean & diminutive young coaches like Del Geary. How is their 8 stone piss wet through frame going to hold a dugout in place in a gale? We need some 15 stone kitmen & analysts. And we need them now. Someone organised the Charlton Subs to nip over to the changing & office block & bring some chairs over for Del & the boys. Maybe the person who organised the chairs was Steve Avory. He's Academy Manager and has worked for Charlton these last 16 years. 42 of his graduates have played for Charlton's first team, 7 in the Premier League & 2 for England.

However, organising those chairs for the Young Blades bench was not the most important job Steve Avory did today. By the time I arrived at Sparrows Lane, I'd already ticked off my 97th Brewery of the season. In the Brewery Ticking game, knowing where an available toilet is - an absolute must. I hung around in reception for a minute or two. Some tracksuited & booted fella came past & enquired as to whether I was being helped. “Sorry, I've had a look around, but I just need pointing at a toilet”. The fella turned around, walked back through the corridor with kit rooms & gyms & rooms full of camera & computer kit, beckoning me to follow. “The nicest toilet is down here”. What. A. Gent(s). That was Steve Avory what did that. Good job. Now go out there & produce more graduates for the EFL & beyond.

I can say this. His current U Eight Teens were fully involved in a right old ding dong battle. I thoroughly enjoyed that game. On balance, I thought United were worth that. They dug in & concentrated & worked for the full 90 to hold on to that one goal advantage. We had a mad minute just after the hour. First Sam Ackroyd hit the bar. It pinged out & was cleared. United regained possession & built again. And Drew Matthews hit the bar. All within a minute.

The best Googling fingers of the Carrier Bag Firm have been trying to locate Drew Matthews. The best we've got is it looks like he's a trialist who has been in the Crystal Palace system. Might not be an’ all. He set up in midfield. Didn't look out of place. But didn't stand out either. He put himself about & did OK. He took a whack in the face on 74 & Reon Potts replaced him from the bench. Well, actually from the row of chairs. Because, as you'll have read, the bench was long fucking gone.

On 88 minutes, Jack Stainrod fed Sam Ackroyd in the channel. He took it on. It looked like he would/he should have scored. But, his shot across the keeper drifted just wide. And. It's not over. On 90+1, Sam Kelly pulled off a blinding save to keep out an equaliser. Strong wrists & hands to tip push one out of the top corner.

All in, that well crafted early goal by United had set the game up. The wind was ridic. Swirling. The lot. Zak Brunt's effort on 3 minutes was sort of into the wind. Maybe that helped hold it up and with the curl. But, it sailed in over the keeper. That wasn't my end. But, from outside the box, surely.

The Ref. What's he on? On 15 Charlton won a corner on their left. The young lad set up to take it right footed. But, the corner flag was at 45 degrees upright in the wind, right in his path. (Aside - that's another good test of whether it's a ground or not - fucking corner flags see - that counts). Firstly he's ditched the flag. The Ref is having none of that under UEFA Directive 649. The flag is replaced. The lad simply says - “it's still in my way”. The Ref suggests he just “kick it the other way”. Mate, you stick to whistling. Leave inswinging, hanging crosses to the man free on the back stick to this Young Addick.

I'll not bother with ratings & MoMs. Just ROs (Random Observations). Zak Brunt was very lively in parts. He grew a bit in confidence with that neat goal. Harrying. Robbing. Looking to play his mates in. Sam Ackroyd worked hard throughout. On another day he'd have got a deserved goal. Ky Gordon is a very well organised footballer. He seems to relish the Captaincy. He says his piece. But, it's not eyeballs exploding stuff. Firm & intelligent. We've had some right Man Boy CBs at this level over the years - Maguire, Semple, Graham. My word, Gomis is a big fella.

Great game. Charlton fully played their part.

So. I was able to push this season's Brewery visits to 100. Monkey, you are no longer on my back.

Brewdog Outpost Tower Hill. Look, we know Brewdog aren't the cup of tea that everyone sips from. But, there's a lot to like. Their bars now have dedicated slots for Local Taps. Beers from smaller breweries local to each Brewdog bar. The Tower Hill premises are a big modern sprawling gaff, with a lovely long bar frontage. The brewing kit is fully exposed over there in a corner.

Brewdog Outpost Tower Hill Pale on keg at 4.2% (maybe described as “London Pale” as well). That was a lovely, simple pale. Not too complicated. Set up to show off the Hop bitterness. It burst with lingering flavour.

Villages was just down the arches from Deptford station. Trestle tables & a bar in front of you. The visible brewing kit over the barman's right shoulder. Seven of their own on keg on the board.

Villages, 1st Wave IPA on keg at 5.9%. That's getting Outstanding Beer Of The Day. The hop bitterness comes in nice n rich. It tingles the roof of your mouth, and stays with you.

I loved the location & vibe of Southey Brewing. Down a side street, & down what I would call a wide alley. Small numbers of Palace & Brighton fans mingling happily after their game (BHAFC won 2-1). The kit was visible from the bar through a large glass window. Five of their own on keg. Plus two casks.

Southey Brewing, Sephina Pale Ale on keg at 4.2%. Gloriously hazy & full of flavour. Merest hint of orange marmalade, some of that sweetness survived before mouthfilling bitterness.

However. I'm going to give Outstanding Brewery Of The Day to The Brockley Brewery. Sure, the inside was nice. You are sat in & amongst the brew kit. Sure, the list wasn't bad. Sure, the beer was lovely.

Brockley Brewery, Session IPA on keg at 4.6%. That had a lot going for it. There was a slight metallic background to it. But, it was fresh & feisty. The bittering was nice, if a little gentle.

But, bizarrely, I'm going to give Brockley the award because of that lovely, understated, is there really a bar there, frontage. Is it a carpenters? Is it a motor spares? No, it's ALE. Loved it.

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I have now Blogged from 785 games in 1,663 days