January 24th saw us making the trip to the Victoria Pleasure Ground – not our favourite away ground due to the coldness and the running track around the pitch, a la Grantham. If ever there was a football ground less aptly named I don’t think I’d like to see it. There is nothing ‘pleasurable’ about Goole in January (except in hindsight todays result, but more of that later). On the two trips I’ve made there it’s been like that line in the Smiths song ‘Everyday is like Sunday’ which goes ‘this is a seaside town, they forgot to shut down’ although of course is not really a seaside town, but has it’s own docks. It was sunny when we left Belper but overcast when we got to Goole. Just as the kick off time arrived the sun decided to make a first half appearance which was very welcome (except for the players kicking towards it ie Belper)
Ian Robinson joined us for this trip as he was making his own way up there which seemed a bit daft. Off we set along the A38, M1, M18, M62 on the 66 mile trip – a nice clear run saw us there even before the famous Goole pie was ready for serving. Eventually we got the nod from the catering ladies and we all endulged in Pie & Peas (some people also had gravy – oh the lavishness of some peoples lives !)
A fair contingent decided to sample to pleasures of the Victoria, as familiar face after familiar face entered the gate (and headed to the food bar). Darloss & Young Winson somehow made it all the way there on the train, and before kick off too !
When the team sheets came out we saw that Ant Wilson had returned to the starting line up after his latest suspension and was to be marked by none other than Mick Norbury. Anyone who knows Mick will understand how we all thought this was a lethal combination. As it turned out Ant played the perfect game and it was Norbs that was substituted in the 2nd half to avoid another red card.
The first half was memorable for a two-footed challenge on Barney which bizarrely saw both the Goole full-back (who committed the atrocity) and Barney himself being sent off after 21 minutes. The ref decided they BOTH went in two-footed. One interesting fact was that the linesman on the main stand side and the referee were father and son.
A tetchy half concluded with the Goole keeper failing to hold a vicious shot on 45 minutes, leaving Stevo to knock in his 20th of the season. Before the match we would have settled for a point from the game but we went into the directors portacabin for a warming cup of tea with the scent of victory was in our nostrils.
The second half started with a flourish as first Ben Walker lashed in a 30 yarder and then Ant Wilson scored with a spectacular overhead kick for 3-0 with just 52 minutes on the clock. That was the end for Goole who imploded, Norbs and Stuart Copnell were shouting and swearing at the Goole fans in the far side stand. When Copnell went in like a madman on Kots the Goole management did the sensible thing and subbed him. We all watched in amazement as he mounted the perimeter wall and made for the main stand to confront a fan who was giving him some lip. Someone intervened and it all calmed down eventually.
On the field Belper were running the show, playing decent football on a terrible pitch and only the skill of the Goole keeper kept the score down. Substitute Dean Oliver came on and scored two late breakaway
goals in the 89th and 90th minute to give us a more reflective scoreline than the 3-0 would have suggested.
So lots of smiling faces wearing the yellow and black on the way home. The table shows that we are now up to 4th with enough games in hand to go above Retford should we win them all – a tough ask but on this type of performance not many teams are going to stop Belper taking all three points.
And yes it was cold at Goole !
Next up – Lincoln United UniBond Division 1 South
Ian Robinson joined us for this trip as he was making his own way up there which seemed a bit daft. Off we set along the A38, M1, M18, M62 on the 66 mile trip – a nice clear run saw us there even before the famous Goole pie was ready for serving. Eventually we got the nod from the catering ladies and we all endulged in Pie & Peas (some people also had gravy – oh the lavishness of some peoples lives !)
A fair contingent decided to sample to pleasures of the Victoria, as familiar face after familiar face entered the gate (and headed to the food bar). Darloss & Young Winson somehow made it all the way there on the train, and before kick off too !
When the team sheets came out we saw that Ant Wilson had returned to the starting line up after his latest suspension and was to be marked by none other than Mick Norbury. Anyone who knows Mick will understand how we all thought this was a lethal combination. As it turned out Ant played the perfect game and it was Norbs that was substituted in the 2nd half to avoid another red card.
The first half was memorable for a two-footed challenge on Barney which bizarrely saw both the Goole full-back (who committed the atrocity) and Barney himself being sent off after 21 minutes. The ref decided they BOTH went in two-footed. One interesting fact was that the linesman on the main stand side and the referee were father and son.
A tetchy half concluded with the Goole keeper failing to hold a vicious shot on 45 minutes, leaving Stevo to knock in his 20th of the season. Before the match we would have settled for a point from the game but we went into the directors portacabin for a warming cup of tea with the scent of victory was in our nostrils.
The second half started with a flourish as first Ben Walker lashed in a 30 yarder and then Ant Wilson scored with a spectacular overhead kick for 3-0 with just 52 minutes on the clock. That was the end for Goole who imploded, Norbs and Stuart Copnell were shouting and swearing at the Goole fans in the far side stand. When Copnell went in like a madman on Kots the Goole management did the sensible thing and subbed him. We all watched in amazement as he mounted the perimeter wall and made for the main stand to confront a fan who was giving him some lip. Someone intervened and it all calmed down eventually.On the field Belper were running the show, playing decent football on a terrible pitch and only the skill of the Goole keeper kept the score down. Substitute Dean Oliver came on and scored two late breakaway
goals in the 89th and 90th minute to give us a more reflective scoreline than the 3-0 would have suggested.So lots of smiling faces wearing the yellow and black on the way home. The table shows that we are now up to 4th with enough games in hand to go above Retford should we win them all – a tough ask but on this type of performance not many teams are going to stop Belper taking all three points.
And yes it was cold at Goole !
Next up – Lincoln United UniBond Division 1 South
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