Paper Cups I Declare

Yorkshire 517 all out 

v Leicestershire 415 all out 

Yorkshire 220 for 4 

County Championship Division Two

Thursday 6 April 2023 (Day 1) and 

Saturday 8 April 2023 (Day 3) 

Played at Headingley 

Sheffield United 1 v Wigan Athletic 0 

The Championship 

Friday 7 April 2023 

SUFC 2022/23 Game #58 

Albion Sports 2 v Thackley 2 

Northern Counties East Premier Division 

Wednesday 5 April 2023 

Played at Ground Share with Farsley Celtic 

Sheffield United U18 3 v Sheffield Wednesday U18 3 

U18 Professional Development League 

Wednesday 5 April 2023 

Played at Shirecliffe 

SUFC 2022/23 Game #57 

Three games of football, two days of County Cricket, and some beer. This could either be a long Blog. Or basically a diary entry. (We're aiming for the latter).

Let's begin with the important cricket issue of the new season. The Yorkshire County Cricket Club Long Room Bar remains the most fucking soulless and joyless bar at any sporting event. My instinct says the bacon and/or sausage breakfast sandwiches look half decent. The braised beef and potato pie, with mushy peas floating around it, looked a useful handful. But, the beer set up has declared and won't bat again this season.

The whole sorry mess is lead by PAPER CUPS again. Who? Why? How? It's an indoor bar. Glasses are there, behind the bar. Beer in glasses is routinely served in pavilions, members and other bars at County Cricket up, down and around the circuit. But, not here at revived and rejuvenated YCCC. On Day 3, there was an explanation.

Oh. Do. Fuck. Off.

Plus. 12pm to 5pm? Where are we? Nineteen fucking seventy six. Game starts at 11. Finishes a minimum of 96 overs later. Call it 7 o'clock on a bad day. Fucking Joyless.

Arcadia Ale House

Headingley Central, Otley Rd, Headingley, Leeds LS6 2UE

Is, handily enough, an absolutely superb pub. So, the working assumption is that's where the Carrier Bag Firm will drink all season. Let's not mention the Headingley Long Room again. Assume it's fucked unless I update you otherwise.

Seven on Cask. Four or five, depending on your counting method, on pukka craft keg.

Wylam (Newcastle upon Tyne), Fleek on Cask at 4.2%

Fresh crop Citra & Amarillo. Very nice beer. The Citra doesn't come through too much though. But there was still a lot of hoppy flavour.

Horsforth Brewery, Mosaic Pale Ale on Cask at 5.1%

Unfined that one. And was absolutely glorious. There was a Neptune Mosaic on as well. In a previous life, we'd have bought a pint of each and had a gladiatorial Mosaic Off.

It's Yorkshire's to decide what to do with that one. Lead of 322. The County Championship points have been changed (again) this season to reward a win more and a draw less. Bat Leics out of it? And have less time at them? Or get at it? Gibball.

Lyth, Bean and Malan all went cheaply. I'm not sure that makes a heap of difference. The run rate was still 4.7.

Wigan

A good win I thought. Always very nervy at just one nil. But, we had loads of chances and could/should have been out of sight. I couldn't understand how Billy doesn't score his chance. But, on the tele, the keeper just makes a ridic instinctive save. And, maybe Iliman should do better after he's rounded everyone.

Billy Sharp Scores Goals. But, also provides leadership. We'll need that. I thought McBurnie was better with the ball at his feet than he's been for a bit. Facing goal. Coming inside with the ball at his feet. Looking to shoot. We'll need that.

Albion Sports

That Ground Share at Farsley Celtic's The Citadel ground was my 423rd Ground Tick. The goals came in batches. Thackley's opener on 13, equalised on 18. And Thackley's go ahead on 71, equalised on 74.

U18 Name Calling Derby

A bit of a scrappy three all at Shirecliffe. With the Young Blades only equalising on 88, Brandon Ly. But, it was the Kurtis Havenhand show really. Fouled in the box on 9 minutes, for George Dickinson to score the opener. By the time we'd reached 60, Sheffield Wednesday were 2-1 up. Kurtis hit a post on 61, hit the bar on 65, and equalised with a great header on 69.

Wednesday went 3-2 on 76. Before that last gasp equaliser. Simplest thing to say about Kurtis is - he plays like a striker. Ball at his feet, head down, get moving towards goal. Ball in the air, don't worry about defenders, worry about where the ball is, get into position, attack it. Free kicks, I'll have a shot. Greedy For Goals.

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This Is Moorends

Club Thorne CIC 2 v Yorkshire Main 2 

Central Midlands Football League, Premier Division North (Step 7) 

Wednesday 29 March 2023 

Played at Welfare Ground Moorends 

Hallam 1 v Albion Sports 2 

Northern Counties East Premier Division (Step 5) 

Tuesday 28 March 2023 

England 2 v Ukraine 0 

UEFA EURO 2024 Qualifiers Group C 

Sunday 26 March 2023 

Played at Wembley Stadium 

Bedfont 6 v Cove 2 

Combined Counties League Division One (Step 6) 

Saturday 25 March 2023 

Played at The Orchard 

Four games in five days leads to Bloggage Blockage. Apologies. Bedfont's The Orchard and Club Thorne's Welfare Ground pushed my ground ticks up to #422.

Bedfont

My flight from Naples was slightly delayed. I tried to get a photo out of the plane window as we flew over The Orchard, out near the airport. The ground is alongside the Bedfont Sports Recreation Ground. Where Deportivo Galicia were also at home. But, I fucked the money shot up. And the photos weren't worth publishing.

Non League Day. But, I'm afraid Bedfont hadn't pushed any boats out. The main claim was that they'd knocked a quid off the admission. I know it's hard. Clubs struggling for cash. Relying on volunteers. I know. But, for fuck sake, tidy up a bit. There was the remnants of a recent bonfire behind one goal. Deliberate or otherwise - tidy it up. The seats in the stand were in a right state. One bucket of soapy water sorts that. And, those bits that have simply fallen off. Nail 'em back. Or they'll be on the next impromptu bonfire.

Finally, all I'll say about the PA is - I could hear who was playing for Deportivo Galicia over the fence perfectly. The best I got for the Bedfont XI was - static.

That said. A thoroughly enjoyable game. Still two each at 70 minutes, Bedfont ran away with it in the last 20. Cove missed two penalties. Although the first of those on 7 minutes resulted in a goal "on the rebound" after a bit of pinball.

Bedfont themselves equalised from a penalty on just 13, after a hand in the box. Bedfont went two one up on 19. With a low left wing corner, struck weakly and bouncing twice before beating the flapping keeper. A lady over my right shoulder asked me to relate what the hell had happened. I gave her the full analytics of the direct from the corner fiasco.

"Thanks, I didn't see it, that was my son who scored. I can now tell him what a great goal it was."

You're welcome.

Cove equalised with a lovely, powerful glancing header from a left wing corner on 30 minutes. Before they missed their second penalty on 42. Goals on 70, 78, 80 and 84 provided a roar ripping finish for the home team. My notes for two of those effectively blame Keeper Cove. Fluffed shot bouncing over not really stretched out hand. And, one bobbling one way as he flounced the other way.

Wembley

A routine win for England. That is what you're going to get in international qualifying groups. It wasn't a particularly flat performance. But, the circumstances made the atmosphere a bit flat. Loads of Ukraine in the opposite corner to me. Creating and bang at it. But much of the rest of the stadium relying on paper aeroplanes and mexican waves. The two lads next to me never came up for the second half. And they weren't the only ones.

Harry The Kane had gone past Rooney's record in Naples. And the arrangement was he'd be presented with a Golden Boot before the anthems. Only puts him one boot behind Edwards Of Nazareth.

The Queen's Head

66 Acton St, London WC1X 8DU

I never know how to describe The Queen's Head. Chaotic comes to mind. But, it isn't. It's busy, noisy, raucous and sweary. The bar staff are too helpful and friendly for it to be truly chaotic. But, they'll be happily advising you on a Hazy Pale, while shouting at a dog and telling a regular at the end of the bar to Fuck Off. You know what, I quite like that.

The Kernel Brewery, Pale Ale Summit on Keg at 5.4%

My main issue was that felt a bit warm. Gentle hop flavours. And a nice and simple beer to show that hop stuff.

Hallam

A committed and feisty game up at Sandygate. Hallam were unbeaten in eleven coming into that one. Stretching back to early February. But, The Lions got the better of them on the night. Hallam clawed it back to 2-1 on 63. And there was a lot of - ooohhh me leg - shithousery after that for the visitors to get it over the (rather wet underfoot) line.

Thorne

I was introduced to one of the Doncaster Rovers/Club Thorne Carrier Bag Firm before kick off.

"Nice to meet you mate. Are you from here? Are you from Thorne?"

"This is Moorends…"

Folks. Ladies and Gentlemen. South Yorkshire. Right there. I wouldn't change a thing.

Lots of lads n lasses taking advantage of the Can Bar. Watching their teams get at it. One nil to Yorkshire Main - that's in NEW Edlington - on 15. Equaliser on 23. Followed by a Main go ahead penalty on 35. A second Thorne equaliser on 60. Before a battling last half hour saw the points shared.

You can find ALL my previous Blogs at

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Would you please consider subscribing (free) to have my Blog delivered to your email inbox (via Substack). Thank you.

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I have now Blogged from 1,228 games in 3,144 days