View from the Cemetery

Well, that was a week and a half wasn’t it? Great, but sad day last Saturday, and a fantastic turn out by the people of Ryhope and the friends, the many friends, of Richie to support his family in their grief. Understandably the game took second place on the day, and it was probably only right that it ended in a draw, it wasn’t a day for winners and losers. The replay took a while to catch light, and was another very tight affair, with RCA probably the better side for the first seventy minutes and the CW coming on strong at the end, and the last few minutes not for the faint hearted. I’m pleased RCA won, but you had to feel for the CW, who continue their steady improvement of the past couple of seasons and will feel they should have won it with that penalty. And we only have to do it a minimum of another three times this season. Can we stand the pressure? Only a fortnight since the start and it feels like a lifetime already.

The season always starts with a rush in August, today is our third game, with two more to come next week, and in total eight by the end of the month. A very early make or break time, particularly with the FA Cup, which carries good rewards nowadays, as well as excitement, publicity and sometimes a decent away trip or two into the strange lands of Yorkshire or Lancashire. And a repeat of last season’s FA Cup derby game today. How unlikely is that? The first of at least four RCA v CW derby matches this season.

A very good start last Saturday against a strong North Shields side despite missing a few lads with holidays etc, but that gave the chance for a couple of good debuts by Max Allen and Henry Dorward, fine footballers names, and promising performances. The North Shields Ultras were out in their usual throng, noisy and giving the officials a hard time, as well as enjoying lively discussions with the locals about the current and new laws; but largely behaved themselves, and certainly did their bit for takings in the clubhouse. They were a good deal quieter as they left mind. Canny lads really.

So that’s that for the season of minority sports, or summer as it is sometimes known. The annual two week tennis season produced an epic final between two of the old stagers in Djokovic and Federer, which unfortunately clashed with an equally epic cricket world cup final. I didn’t see either as I was on my travels, but it seemed a daft bit of scheduling to me. Still, at least England won the cricket, principally thanks to the New Zealand boy they had playing for them as it happens.

All done and dusted by five tonight, and you can all enjoy a few months of summer, while the groundstaff of Graham, Dave and George graft on the pitch. No doubt it will look a picture come August. They love it really, and where would we be without them? They can be a bit grumpy at times, but they are priceless. Anyway, been a cracking season, with a lot of ups and a few downs, so for this final View of 2018/19 I thought I would give you the benefit of my review of the highlights and lowlights of the year.

Best games for me? Well, the trips in the FA Cup and Vase to Clitheroe and Garstang will not be forgotten in a while, great fun and plenty of goals, not to mention a decent pub or two, and that last five minutes down at Clitheroe was something else. And the win in the mist at Shildon, which has been a long time coming, or so it seems it to me. It was fantastic to finally break our Shildon hoodoo with good wins in both the Vase and League, and both away as well. We continued our habit of often being better away from home than at Meadow Park, or it seemed that way to me. Just one of those things I think, but it is striking how often it has been the case over the past few years, and this season was no exception. Good wins as well against Consett, Bishops and Hebburn, with that first twenty minutes against Hebburn at Meadow Park maybe the best we played all year. All three clubs have had great seasons, which makes the wins special, and of course there was  the memorable win over Sunderland AFC in the County Cup, which always looks good on the CV.