Marking Time Football

West End 2 v Penrhiwceiber 12 

FAW Welsh Cup Round 3 

Saturday 14 August 2021 

Played at Llandarcy Park 

Ground Tick #373 

Swansea City 0 v Sheffield United 0 

The Championship 

Saturday 14 August 2021 

SUFC 2021/22 Game #3

The very well appointed Llandarcy Park, with West End as hosts today, is the 373rd different ground I've watched football on. The reason I say well appointed is that Llandarcy Park is on a large sports complex. There was lots of Osprey branding, the Welsh Rugby franchise team around these parts. The pitch my game was played on is used by Swansea City women's team. There was a small concrete stand. And a bar, with a beer garden overlooking the pitch. Just the usual branded industrials on in there. I didn't dive in. Partly because I was due elsewhere later on this double header day. Trestle pay table. No floodlights. Two Assistant Referees. Although this was a Welsh Cup game, both teams are in Tier 3.

(Just like their raucous fans, I'll be referring to Penrhiwceiber Rangers as Ceiber). An odd game. As told by the 12-2 scoreboard - cricket was last week lads. West End have clearly got recruitment & selection problems. They had to make a substitution after just 8 minutes. It certainly wasn't tactical. And, there hadn't been an incident to cause an injury. The way it unfolded looked like 35 year old Dale Griffiths had started with a niggle. And it just wasn't working out. 16 year old Keelan Maddick replacing him.

On 55 minutes, West End's Scott Jewell limped off. At which point, it became clear that West End had no more Subs. They had already exhausted resources on 8 minutes. Ceiber were already 7-2 up by the time West End went to a self inflicted ten men. Even at that point, West End looked absolutely knackered. Indeed, I'll credit them for staying at it, not dropping their heads completely and not getting ratty & niggly.

Both Warren Jones & Ricky Carter scored Hat Tricks for Ceiber to put them emphatically in the hat for the next round.

Boss Brewing, 176 Neath Rd, Plasmarl, Swansea SA1 2JT

That remains a plausible drinkers den more or less in sight of the turnstiles at Swansea City. But, now, after a good few previous visits, it also "remains the same". I suppose that's what's down for the Carrier Bag Firm as we return to The Championship haunts.

Boss maintain a core of IPA, Blonde, Stout and Craft Lager. None of them inspiring. None of them uninspiring. All of them available. On balance that's a positive.

Naturally, I'm hunting beer ticks. That was;

Boss Brewing, Bubble Trouble on Keg at 4.5%. Billed as a Bubble Gum Pale. Man, they weren't kidding. Very very (too much) Bubble Gum.

I also noticed they had a bottled beer which had been aged in Penderyn Distillery barrels. Described as a malty amber ale. The thing that really surprised me was they'd brought it in at just 4.4%. Who does that? And why? Going to all that Barrel hassle for a 4.4 percenter?

I met a really friendly Welsh guy sat next to me at Glamorgan Cricket a few days ago. Turned out him & his kid were Swansea Jacks. We exchanged details. And he messaged me the day after that nil niller

He loved Swansea's new probing all the time, possession football. But, having seen how well United played, he feared we would absolutely hammer them. He reassured me that we'll easily be Top Six!!!!

Frankly, what game was he at?

I fucking hate this stage of the season. You're trying to build, make things happen, and get somewhere. Yet the Transfer Window is still open & you've no real idea how it'll look in three weeks. Marking Time football. When it should be the start of something.

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