Well, they said it looked like a tough start, and they weren’t kidding were they? Though it might well have been different if we had taken our chances last Saturday. Consett looked a solid side but we coped well overall, and were certainly always in the game. Tuesday night was more testing. Early days, but I am told by my travelling correspondent that Dunston looked the real deal, even if we competed throughout and the scoreline maybe flattered them a bit. There are a few sides who have started like a house on fire, and we seem to be engaged with most of them over the next few games! Never mind, we must hold our own, and hope to pick up a few results along the way. We wouldn’t want to be in this league if it was easy would we?
In the wider sporting world I see some doubts have been cast over the performances of athletes over recent years. You don’t say? Bent runners, whatever next? Cyclists? For my part I take very little notice of all performance based sports, athletics, swimming, etc, the temptation to cheat is too great, and frankly too easy, whatever old Seb Coe might say, and he was on the radio the other day talking a very great deal of old cobblers. Mind, I don’t like motor racing either, but that’s just personal...
On we go, romance of the Cup as we say every year around this time, but can we progress? We will soon know, be nice to make it to September one of these days. New sponsorship this year as well, from the sheiks at Emirates, although surprisingly there doesn’t appear to be a rise in prize money, although it was pretty good anyway. But will we be concerned? We will comment next week.