Form is difficult to work out isn’t it? By all accounts a tremendous effort against Ashington a week gone Tuesday, leading early, defending stoutly and then getting beat by a couple of late goals, against what good judges tell me is starting to look like maybe the best Northern League side for a few seasons, and then up to Whickham on a Sunday lunchtime, and not so good. In fact a long way from so good. Whickham are very decent mind you, and their early season form shows that, but even so we really weren’t at the races. Shame, because a little FA Cup run can be very good for morale, and the result and the performance against Hebburn was tremendous. Before those games we had enjoyed a five goal romp over at Penrith, always a pleasure, although some people claim that the highlight of the Penrith trip was in fact the initiation singing in the beer garden of the Golden Lion at Barnard Castle on the way home. Stand out performances came from Captain Kieron, the returning Jordan L, and our overseas contingent in the shape of Robert and Thibaut, and young Luke did very well also. Actually the standard was very good from everybody, and we certainly entertained the locals; before they hurriedly left that is ...
Anyway we were always unlikely to win the FA Cup so let's put that behind us, two home games in less than forty eight hours to enjoy this weekend, what would Herr Klopp say? But a chance to get some more points on the board, although two tough games against well known rivals in Whitley Bay and Seaham. Bay are going well, Red Star not so good, but very early days and who can tell?
Talking points in the Northern League so far? Well, the aforementioned Ashington are attracting attention, as are the promoted/relegated clubs. Carlisle are flying, Heaton Stannington attracting spectators like a Royal Wedding, despite a few narrow defeats, and Pickering picking up after a sticky start. It might be a topsy turvy season.
Talking of Heaton Stannington, they are not the only club attracting good crowds, in their case 500 plus, certainly in the First Division. A few getting 250 plus for most games now, which is very decent. We are pleased if we get 150, although the gates are creeping up, let's hope it continues.
In the wider football world the Mags continue to delight their faithful, although some of you might think that with them disaster or scandal is always no more than a game or two away, hopefully. To be fair they look very decent nowadays.
More importantly SAFC are doing very well, playing attractively and looking dangerous when attacking. There will be ups and downs of course over a long season, but if the manager can manage to add two or three he might have a team. We shall see.
And the various Athletics championships, World, Commonwealth and European are finally over, never been a fan myself, too many junkies. Did I say that out loud? Sorry..