Away trips donโt get much better than this! Itโs all good fun to drive for an hour up the road to Hyde and be home in time for Final Score, but thereโs something really special about just getting up on a Saturday morning and setting off before 8:30am.
Itโs fair to say that Trainspotter John wasnโt best pleased with the news that I had donated his place in the car to a more worthy cause. With the promise of a day out to Shirebrook Town next Saturday and the chance of a visit to another obscure Weatherspoonโs I think he eventually accepted the situation. Itโs sometimes more important to get those to the game who really care about the result rather than those who care more about the name of the pub next to it.
Watford Gap service station was our interim destination, famous for providing the opportunity for refreshments served by modern day highway men! ย Today was different, only 10 minutes after arriving and weโre all back in the car. ย Tesco Pete, sat in lucky Trainspotter Johnโs seat had just won ยฃ500 on the one-armed bandit. ย Not hanging around for the police to arrive in case heโd really asked for a McDonaldsโ burger in an assertive manner, we were off!
Over the Dartford Crossing, it was far too tempting not to take a short detour past Princes Park, scene of our first away win of the season. With full sun and a hot car driving through the slow lunchtime London traffic, it was only sensible to wind down the windows and play a little Tommy Degnan at high volume for the remain 5 miles to Welling. ย Apologies to the locals but Iโm sure they now know the words.
Park View Road is a wonderful football venue, kick a ball over the bar and thereโs a fair chance youโll hit a red London bus driving past up the busy high street. ย There are decaying concrete open terraces at both ends with one shielding the sun with the trees in the park. ย There is also plenty of seating in two stands down the sides of the pitches; the ground has seen better days but itโs full of character.
A good following of at least 100 travelling Shaymen made the trip and it was without doubt the best away result of the season. ย The game was settled by a penalty, awarded by a referee who was further away from the incident than many of the away support. Iโm not convinced the ref got it right but you win some and lose some and Iโm sure some stronger appeals will be turned down before the end of the season.
In the end it was a great day out and with the Bookmakerโs daughter Imogen making her first ever away trip with the Shaymen (and winning), itโs going to be very difficult for those Halifax Town fans who chose to watch Burnley yesterday to reclaim their seats for the next trip. ย You canโt beat a few rounds of eye spy stuck in traffic on the M1, Ole! Ole! Ole! Ole!
Next stop good old Nuneaton; Iโm sure weโve been there beforeโฆโฆ
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