Cracking game last week, or at least a good battle. Whickham had a few old RCA boys on show, notably Clayton Davis, who served us well for a good few seasons. Clayton's more of a golfer these days mind, but he did OK. Made me think we rarely seem to play anybody nowadays without coming up against some former inmates of Sunderland LGV Park. Seaham had half a team. Unlikely to be the case against Carlisle City of course, it would have to be a very good offer indeed to get lads from the North East over to Cumbria on a regular basis. It has happened though, or even further afield when Gretna were in their heyday. A regular minibus I seem to remember. It never ends well.
It feels to me that football at our level has yet to really get going under full steam after the Christmas and New Year break, the loss of our trip to Benfield the other night being an example. Hopefully today will see a full programme of games and the same in weeks ahead. Nothing worse than a disjointed season of stops and starts. Its not good for maintaining form for anybody.
Anyway, good to see Carlisle City making the trip over today, it was a real good game over at their place back in August, Carlisle were well on top in the first half but a couple of changes turned things round for us as we dominated the second, finally notching with not long to go but then needed a cracking save from Keaton at the death to keep us the point.
Anyway what's happening in the wider football world? Pretty quiet transfer window so far, but no doubt in the next 2/3 weeks it will hot up. Chelsea are clearly shopping, and possibly for a new manager not just players. Pochettino been mentioned. Need new players more though. Man Utd looking to replace Ronaldo with Weghorst. Sounds unlikely to be fair.
And Sunderland? Nowt yet, although gossip continues about Stewart, the loss of Simms and or alternatives. I’d be looking for a midfield leader myself, but what do I know?
The FA Cup was entertaining last week, particularly the Mags coming unstuck just as Sunderland pulled it our of the fire. Oh dear, oh dear.
They weren’t the only Premier League losers though, and the draw for the Fourth Round has given the Championship and below a chance to get quite a few through to another round at least, if not a good bit further. Fifty years since our happy day against Leeds, could it happen again for somebody else, or maybe even the lads from the SoL.
Maybe Harry, maybe…