View from the Cemetery

So the double header against Shildon yielded no goals and no points. Disappointing, but not too surprising, given we are suffering a major injury crisis at present. It happens to everybody so no complaints, but it isn’t half frustrating. Having said that the general view was that over both games we did pretty well, except maybe in terms of taking the chances we had, and we did have a few in both games. It's funny how it works, but sometimes a bit of adversity can help in the long run. By all accounts nobody watching Luke Richardson hurling himself about with joyous abandon up front last Wednesday could have been less than impressed with this confirmed defender doing a turn as a striker. Apart from putting the ball in the net obviously. I jest, he did great. And on Saturday, among a lot of good performances, the cameo at left back from goalkeeper Jack Patton was a joy to watch, particular when he started telling his fellow defenders to get themselves out and sharpish! No, overall the spirit is great, but it looks like we might need some reinforcements, maybe including tonight. Will the boss have been on the case? Who knows.

So the romance of the Cup is over, at least until November when the Vase kicks in for us, and it was down to earth with a bang at Shildon on Wednesday night; always a tough trip, made harder by our injury and other problems I understand, and lo and behold we play them again today. I know the fixture secretary’s job is hard, but this is frankly ridiculous and worse, makes the league look ridiculous, in your humble correspondent's opinion. There is a very long way to go with this season, surely this return fixture could have waited, even if it meant a blank Saturday for us? This kind of thing much strengthens the move to reduce the size of leagues to 20 or even 18. Never mind we must crack on. I hear Mr Larkin put in his normal cracking effort at centre back on Wednesday, while more surprising was the performance of Luke Richardson up front for more than 80 minutes. Very good stuff, and a sign that the attitude around the squad remains top class. Versatility, a great quality in a player.

So does death count as a disability? More to the point will it count as a concession down at Scarborough next Saturday? I suppose not. I can't miss this one, even in my state, but have you seen the price of getting in? I can't be climbing over walls. Good job the club are putting on dead cheap transport to get there. If you see what I mean. Still we mustn't grumble, has football in Ryhope ever been in such good nick? Not for a long long time I guess. Both clubs going well in the League, the CW tonking Guisborough in the Vase the other day and our bold boys well on the way to Wembley in the big boys cup. Yes, this old cemetery is just about the centre of the football world right now. Can it last? It's only September after all. Enjoy it while it's there is my advice, you never know what's round the corner. He said optimistically.

I see we had a visit from the esteemed former league chairman Mike Amos the other day, popping in after his mission to find the famous listed pigeon cree of Ryhope. I understand he was successful, though why anyone would want to spend time in shooting range of pigeons beats me. No, I said 'shooting' madam. Still more stuff for his blog which remains a very good read, though the proofreading is clearly non existent. Hopefully he enjoyed the game more than the earlier game of ours he saw this season, the defeat down at Marske, which he generously described as niggly and nasty. Probably fair comment. Still two visits to RCA games before August is out, we must be doing something right to attract the glitterati of the Northern League world.