Northern Counties East League Premier Division (Step 5)
Tuesday 10 October 2023
Ground Tick #452
Partly, that visit to Goole's Victoria Pleasure Grounds, for my 452nd ground tick, was suboptimal. "My" Step 5 team (Hallam) were also playing out that way at Bottesford Town. But partly, that trip to Goole was optimal. Because there is a direct train from Goole to Sheffield. Whereas Bottesford to Sheffield on public transport is ball_ache.
The crowd was announced as 293. My guess would have been waaaaay more than that. The Goole Shed Army certainly made enough noise for many more. Three dozen of them. With a drum. And all the abusive songs.
"We are the Handsworth ….. haters"
Swearing? Fuck me. Potty mouthed. Kids having fun at football basically. Good on 'em.
Goole Station is about ten minutes walk from the Vic Pleasure. My train was a bit late. But, as it pulled out at 22:02, the Shed Army were walking past the station. Still belting out all the songs as they paraded through town. Varmints.
The Sheffield United Organiser, upon hearing a few days ago that I was planning Goole, had insisted I go to that pub near the railway. Of course, he can't remember the fucking name. Unless it's really called the - You Know, That One Arms.
Tom Pudding
20 Pasture Rd, Goole DN14 6EZ
Single room shopfront micropub. A good few in. Including four (regulars I'd wager) sat or standing at the small bar. The barman knew exactly how to handle that though. He made sure I knew that he knew that I'd walked in and would need a beer. I chose from the four that were on.
Bingley Brewery, Dr Rudi, NZ Pale on Cask at 4.1%
That was lovely. Best beer I've had in a while. NZ Hops. Clear as a bell in the glass. Dandelion and salad leaf route one bitterness. Nothing complicated. The bitterness lasted on my palate all the way to the ground. Lovely.
Maybe Handsworth will be a bit disappointed with that result on the night. I felt they'd had the best of the opening shenanigans. They looked good on setpieces. With balls whipped in at pace and accurately. They had two or three good headers in the first half. And hit the bar just before half time.
But, Goole grew into it. They had a great shot on 56. Which The Ambers keeper beat out well. On 62, the Goole striker moved strongly into the box with the ball at his feet. He seemed to dribble it around the Handsworth keeper, but somehow the ball was bundled away from him.
On 68 minutes, Goole scored. A simple move down the right, the ball was played across and swept in nicely at the far post. They made it 2-0 on 74. The Goole crowd around me (not to mention the Shed Army) were getting rattier at some of the Ref & Lino decisions. That went up a whole fucking level on 90 minutes. When a ball came out of the box and a Handsworthanian blasted it back. It hit a Goole-er. Has the Ref really seen what it's hit? Anyway. Handball. Penalty. Converted. Two One.
To set up a frantic last few minutes. Before the Shed Army went singing into the Goole Gloom.
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