Bishops weren’t good were they? And that is being charitable. No doubt a lot of injuries and other mishaps to deal with but even so, a sorry performance. Still, you must play the people in front of you. Great for Sparky of course, who looked twenty one again as he kept soaring above the Bishop defence to nod another one in. Been some servant the same lad. Never stops working and running, encouraging or bollocking his teammates, depending on how things are going, though often at the same time to be fair. Tremendous player, keeps himself fit as a fiddle running the streets around Sunderland. Quality.
That is as nice as I’ve been about anybody for a good while, I must be going soft. But it was a pleasure to watch the whole team, a non stop effort everywhere across the pitch. Very early days but reasonable grounds for some cautious optimism.
I never think it is good thing to play any of the promoted sides too soon in the season, everybody gets a lift from new opponents and visits to new grounds, the weather is quite nice and hopes are high. It sometimes takes until a bit of cold and rain and a few defeats kick in before you see who has the character and heart for it and who hasn’t. Doesn’t always apply of course, but anyway a guaranteed tough outing today against Northallerton. We should be up for it and we will need to be.
Anyway, looking at the wider world of sport as the big event comes to a close, who were your stars of the GB team at the Olympics? Leaving aside the old stagers, the Kennys, Adam Peaty and others, I was taken by a couple of the new faces, Tom Pidcock in the Cross Country Biking, especially when I heard him on the radio saying he didn’t do much of that cross country malarkey, that is a sideline, being as how he is mostly a road racer, who fancies himself in the Grand Tours in coming years. A prospect me thinks. And the second was the astonishing Lauren Price, World kickboxing champion, champion Taekwondo player, fifty two time capped for Wales at football, and now Women's Middle Weight Olympic Boxing Gold medalist. Some lass our Lauren.
Meanwhile over at the SoL all doubts are being cast aside after Sunderland strolled to two wins in a week, followed by finally signing a full back. All is well now it seems. Only a bit daft forty five league games to go, and two or three weeks before the transfer window closes. Well, let's us hope all goes well. You certainly can’t argue with 31,500 turning up for the first game, RCA were delighted with 168. Impressive.
Hopefully we can both do well, and also the other teams in and around the City, a rising tide lifts all boats.