Friday Night Lights. The glitz. The glamour. The hopes of a local community. No, this wasn’t US college football, but a Northern League second division derby between the former ironworks community of Tow Law and the former pit village of Esh Winning. The battle of former industries, if you like, all played out at Ironworks Road, the first ground in the country…or was it the Northern League?...to have hot baths. (I presume Roman amphitheatres didn’t have them, as their bath houses were separate.)
Yes, Friday Night football. An attempt to increase the crowd and inject a bit of pizzazz to Tow Law of an evening. Well, it worked to some extent, as the crowd was virtually double the Lawyers’ norm. And there were certainly away fans in existence, as I had a mini-row with one. As the Esh centre forward appealed for a record breaking 3rd handball in 5 minutes, I could bear it no longer. ‘Not everything is handball!’ ‘It’s not like you lot don’t appeal for owt!’ he retorted. ‘You lot’? I now officially have a Northern League team, as I stand, accused, of being a Tow Law fan. Come on you Lawyers! (I still have to get my head around supporting a side sporting black and white stripes.)
Actually, I was pleased Tow Law triumphed. The game had been dull dull dull, devoid of any chances whatsoever, and that spate of handball appeals ground on me. (It wasn’t just the centre forward either, other Esh players were in on the act.) So when the Lawyers forward ran clear we all held our breath…would the finish be in keeping with the rest of the game? No. The ball rolled past the keeper, victory secured. An edge had been taken off the undoubted chill.
The Damage:
£5 ent
£1 tea
60p Kitkat
= £6.60
The Tunes:
Kitchen Sink (Nadine Shah)
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