Well, let’s start with the bad news…
I ended up not going to Crossfire this year — for the first time in 11 years! That’s 1 out of 12 Crossfire events that I’ve missed. Or if you include the Crossfire Plus ones too, it’s 1 in about 18! The main reason I didn’t go was my ongoing gastritis which was particularly bad Friday and Saturday (although it did clear up Saturday evening and Sunday before coming back a bit yesterday). The secondary reason was transport — all trains out to Oakham were cancelled due to engineering works, and Rob’s car (in which he’d offered to give me a lift to Crossfire) broke down on Friday night and wasn’t fixed til Saturday afternoon.
It was a shame, but I spent the time relatively productively — praying for the camp and doing some sorting of stuff here… and that leads me on to one of the good bits of news…
I have finally dismantled the desk that was in my bedroom. I don’t know why I didn’t dismantle it earlier. I think it was because I expected the Arches to come pick it up sometime and thought they’d want it whole. But now I’ve found out they don’t take desks (only after about 6 months of trying to get them to collect it) I figured I should get rid of it. I was initially taking it apart just to take it to the tip, but it dismantled well and would go back together fine, so it’s stored in my shed now. If anyone needs a desk — just ask, although it is officially Nathan’s… do you want it back mate? “Why is this good news?” you may well ask – it now means that I can get in & out of both sides of my bed! Yes, I do get out of the newly–available side of the bed and grin, cos I haven’t been able to for many months.
And on with the other, and more important, good news… HUDDERSFIELD TOWN have gained promotion to the Second Division. In a nail-bitingly tense match against Mansfield Town at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Hudderfield finally got the upper hand when it went to penalties. It had been 0-0 after normal time, with good chances going each way but a controversial disallowing of a Mansfield goal in the closing stages of the 90 minutes. It was still 0-0 after extra time, again with chances going each way and a good save from each goalie. So it went to penalties, to be taken in front of the Mansfield fans, with Huddersfield going first….
Edwards stepped up for the Terriers, and placed the ball well into the bottom right, with a good amount of power. 1–0;
Corden for the Stags seemed to not know what he was doing as he placed the ball just to Rachubka’s left with nowhere near enough power, easily saved. 1–0 still.
Schofield took a good penalty with a decisive kick down the middle with plenty of power. 2–0.
Now Lawrence came to take his. During the match he’d been well aware he was seen as the best player on the pitch and had taken on plenty of people and tried plenty of long–range efforts. So we expected a good penalty from him. But no… he decided to be the big man, to look all clever and smart, and went for the chip down the middle. As he played the shot, Rachubka dived to his left, leaving the goal mouth wide open. The ball looped towards the goal as the keeper looked helplessly on. But then it struck the top of the bar and went over. The cocky Mansfield man, in what may turn out to be his last kick in a Mansfield shirt as he’s apparently destined for bigger things, put his team on the brink of losing. Still 2–0.
Carss placed his penalty bottom right too, another well–taken penalty. 3–0, and just one more needed for victory.
MacKenzie, under extreme pressure to score — a miss and they would have gone out at this point, finally put one away, with a good penalty in the bottom right. 3–1 but all in Huddersfield’s hands.
Fowler stepped up, the ex-Coventry City player, born in Cardiff, so playing in his home town. He just needed this penalty to secure Huddersfield’s future in the second. A quality penalty, put in the bottom left of the net and it was all over! Huddersfield are going up! YES!!!
Huddersfield win 4–1 on penalties.
Was a stressful 3.5–hour ordeal for me, and I was shaking most of the time with nerves. But I’m OK now, just happy we won.
Hrm, long entry – about time I got some clothes on and did something else productive…
