Kerrtring!
A trip to Kettering to do a course presented me with an "opportunity" to go and see Kettering Town versus Barrow at the Elgood's Brewery Arena. A little research on the internet before I departed told me that it would cost me an Ayrton (£10) and that the opposition would be Barrow in the Blue Square Premier League. A teatime stroll to the ground and I bought my ticket from the gift shop. I stumbled a little as I had no idea where I wanted a ticket in the ground. Covered, I thought, and with a seat. I also managed to explain that I wasn't an away fan in the strictest sense. Ticket purchased, I returned to my hotel and then a curry at the nearby curry house. Red Rose, Kettering. Yum.
Afterwards the pre-match nerves built as I strolled once more to the ground, pushing through the throngs to try and find a way into the towering stadium. There was a decent queue at the ticket office by 7:35, so I was glad of my earlier recconoitre. Trick now was to find the right turnstile in. Tickets had no seat numbers and I was told I could sit anywhere, but some seats had stickers on to indicate that they were reserved for season ticket holders. A glance in my £3 programme informed me that a season ticket would set you back £300 in the main stand and £266 on the terrace. My Bramall Lane season ticket for the kop is under £300. I also found that this match was designated category "C", the lowest category of game. I have to say I wasn't filled with confidence that the forthcoming encounter would be a classic. I was (obviously) going to cheer for Kettering, though.
The stadium had three sides filled with fans. The away fans (I'd guess around a hundred or so) were sat at the end of the main stand. One end of the ground probably housed spectators at some point, but now was empty, save for a couple of large advertising hoardings. I was opposite the Sid Champan Terrace and a fine old terrace it looked too. A few of the advertisements on its roof stood out: Carrington Bearings, Boughton Loam (sporting an advert whose phone number was still using the old 0536 prefix which has long since been 01536) and DRC Locums. DRC Locums try out two variations of spelling their name in the programme as it lists their prolific sponsorship of match, matchball and programme. Sadly I couldn't see a number for them, so next time I need a stand in doctor, I'll use my regular supplier.
Suddenly "Do The Hustle" bursts from the PA system and the teams are led out by a short ref with a long ponytail. A female ref! At least I have something to talk about now. As the teams are read out, one name jumps out: Sheridan. The programme identifies him as Darren Sheridan, joint-player-manager and former Barnsley player. "That included playing in the premiership" the programme reads. I thought I'd heard of him and not just confused him with the John Sheridan of Sheff Wendy and the now Chesterfield manager (I thing). I'll have to do some more research to find out if they're related.
The game gets underway with Kettering kicking off in something of an NFL-style "flood left" formation. I know where this ball is going! Sadly the centre-back's right peg doesn't, and he hoofs it straight down the middle. Oh dear! Should I go now? It's the first couple of minutes and Kettering manage to jostle and get the ball into the corner. Or so I have to imagine. The ball (and the entire corner of the pitch) is obscured from the view of all in the main stand by a semi-temporary looking single-story building. I hadn't noticed that when I took my seat. The minutes tick by and the game's first incident seems to be occuring out of the view of myself and my high price paying neighbouring supporters. We can only speculate as to what's happening as the ref stands watching something we can not see. After what must have been five minutes, the mystery is solved as a replacement corner flag and pole is delivered the length of the pitch. The game can get back underway!
Sadly for Kettering, they seem to still be mourning the loss of the corner flag (perhaps it comes out of their wages) and they appear to be struggling to defend a determined Barrow side. The Poppies are playing as if they are the away team and Barrow soon have a couple of chances. The first of many suspect decisions by the ref (completely hindered my her unhelpful linesman) gives Barrow a free kick which they then manage to convert to a corner. Maybe one of the classy ads has distracted the Kettering players, but they seem to have forgotten to mark any Barrow players and two or three of them pass the ball around unmarked in the Kettering box and score.
Scorer for Barrow is John Shaw. Noteworthy as this is the name of our insurance broker at work. Well done, John!
Kettering fans are grumbling now. The two regulation pack horse defenders at the back are mopping up most long ball headers, but the midfield is being bossed by Sheridan. A persistent cry of "Get stuck in" behind me seems not to get through to the Kettering midfield. The game begins to even out a little and Kettering get a decent break, probably their first real chance. Striker gets poorly tackled in the box. Penalty. The Barrow keeper stands well to the right of his goal, but a cool Moses Ashikodi (bless you!) steps up and slots the ball home.
We're back in it and the goal seems to lift Kettering, who keep battling and seem to have a bit of pace about them. A corner comes over and is eventually headed home by one the pack horses: John Dempster, I think. Kettering finish the stronger of the sides and Sheridan picks up a yellow card, but I have to say I'm not sure what for.
At half time, the reds are 2-1 up and it's over the stadium announcer. Sadly we're told there's no mascot tonight and some "celebrity" comes off the stand to make the draw. Nobody else in the crowd seems to know who the guy is, so I don't feel so ignorant. Probably the announcers brother-in-law. With mascot packages at £40 for this and other category C games (£70 for the category A games) I'm not too surprised that parents aren't too bothered to get their kids a mascot package. I'd be tempted by it if only to see what the "access to the VIP lounge" involves. Nobody seems to win the have time draw. Nobody round me even seems to have entered.
The half time scores draw a cheer from the crowd as Peterbrough are 2-0 up against Newcastle. Also a sound I could neither identify as a groan nor a cheer when news of Oxford being 2-0 up at Mansfield is announced. The crowd behind the goal appears to have thinned as the fans have moved to the other end of the Sid Chapman Terrace. They fire up a chant to the beat of "Oh to, Oh to be, Oh to be a, Bladesman!". Theirs is a clapping rendition with "Kerrtring!" at the end. A couple of old-timers are shouting "Come on, Kerrtring!".
The second half pans out without any more goals. The lino on this side is clearly taking halucinagenics. One bright spark pipes up that he must have a shoulder injury and that's why his flag isn't going up. Some shocking decisions from him. Poor ref, she doesn't stand a chance, but does a reasonable job, to be fair. Kettering throw on a few subs including a mammoth, Zulu king of a number 9. Sheridan (all 4 foot 10 of him) decides he'll keep having a pop at this giant. Unfazed though, Kerrtring keep plugging away and keep Barrow out. A few minutes from the end, Sheridan gets subbed to a few jeers and a great cry of "Pull your shorts up!". Some more banter from the Poppies faithful sees Sheridan give the old two finger salute cleverly disguised as a scratch of the head. Love it!
The stadium announcer reads out a decent crowd, I thought, of 1150, but it's the lowest of the season. Man of the match is Dempster who'll get his hooves on a bottle of champers, no doubt. The ref blows her whistle and we're treated to another blast of "Do The Hustle". A decent evening's entertainment. I'm outta here!
Kettering Town 2 - Barrow 1
Afterwards the pre-match nerves built as I strolled once more to the ground, pushing through the throngs to try and find a way into the towering stadium. There was a decent queue at the ticket office by 7:35, so I was glad of my earlier recconoitre. Trick now was to find the right turnstile in. Tickets had no seat numbers and I was told I could sit anywhere, but some seats had stickers on to indicate that they were reserved for season ticket holders. A glance in my £3 programme informed me that a season ticket would set you back £300 in the main stand and £266 on the terrace. My Bramall Lane season ticket for the kop is under £300. I also found that this match was designated category "C", the lowest category of game. I have to say I wasn't filled with confidence that the forthcoming encounter would be a classic. I was (obviously) going to cheer for Kettering, though.
The stadium had three sides filled with fans. The away fans (I'd guess around a hundred or so) were sat at the end of the main stand. One end of the ground probably housed spectators at some point, but now was empty, save for a couple of large advertising hoardings. I was opposite the Sid Champan Terrace and a fine old terrace it looked too. A few of the advertisements on its roof stood out: Carrington Bearings, Boughton Loam (sporting an advert whose phone number was still using the old 0536 prefix which has long since been 01536) and DRC Locums. DRC Locums try out two variations of spelling their name in the programme as it lists their prolific sponsorship of match, matchball and programme. Sadly I couldn't see a number for them, so next time I need a stand in doctor, I'll use my regular supplier.
Suddenly "Do The Hustle" bursts from the PA system and the teams are led out by a short ref with a long ponytail. A female ref! At least I have something to talk about now. As the teams are read out, one name jumps out: Sheridan. The programme identifies him as Darren Sheridan, joint-player-manager and former Barnsley player. "That included playing in the premiership" the programme reads. I thought I'd heard of him and not just confused him with the John Sheridan of Sheff Wendy and the now Chesterfield manager (I thing). I'll have to do some more research to find out if they're related.
The game gets underway with Kettering kicking off in something of an NFL-style "flood left" formation. I know where this ball is going! Sadly the centre-back's right peg doesn't, and he hoofs it straight down the middle. Oh dear! Should I go now? It's the first couple of minutes and Kettering manage to jostle and get the ball into the corner. Or so I have to imagine. The ball (and the entire corner of the pitch) is obscured from the view of all in the main stand by a semi-temporary looking single-story building. I hadn't noticed that when I took my seat. The minutes tick by and the game's first incident seems to be occuring out of the view of myself and my high price paying neighbouring supporters. We can only speculate as to what's happening as the ref stands watching something we can not see. After what must have been five minutes, the mystery is solved as a replacement corner flag and pole is delivered the length of the pitch. The game can get back underway!
Sadly for Kettering, they seem to still be mourning the loss of the corner flag (perhaps it comes out of their wages) and they appear to be struggling to defend a determined Barrow side. The Poppies are playing as if they are the away team and Barrow soon have a couple of chances. The first of many suspect decisions by the ref (completely hindered my her unhelpful linesman) gives Barrow a free kick which they then manage to convert to a corner. Maybe one of the classy ads has distracted the Kettering players, but they seem to have forgotten to mark any Barrow players and two or three of them pass the ball around unmarked in the Kettering box and score.
Scorer for Barrow is John Shaw. Noteworthy as this is the name of our insurance broker at work. Well done, John!
Kettering fans are grumbling now. The two regulation pack horse defenders at the back are mopping up most long ball headers, but the midfield is being bossed by Sheridan. A persistent cry of "Get stuck in" behind me seems not to get through to the Kettering midfield. The game begins to even out a little and Kettering get a decent break, probably their first real chance. Striker gets poorly tackled in the box. Penalty. The Barrow keeper stands well to the right of his goal, but a cool Moses Ashikodi (bless you!) steps up and slots the ball home.
We're back in it and the goal seems to lift Kettering, who keep battling and seem to have a bit of pace about them. A corner comes over and is eventually headed home by one the pack horses: John Dempster, I think. Kettering finish the stronger of the sides and Sheridan picks up a yellow card, but I have to say I'm not sure what for.
At half time, the reds are 2-1 up and it's over the stadium announcer. Sadly we're told there's no mascot tonight and some "celebrity" comes off the stand to make the draw. Nobody else in the crowd seems to know who the guy is, so I don't feel so ignorant. Probably the announcers brother-in-law. With mascot packages at £40 for this and other category C games (£70 for the category A games) I'm not too surprised that parents aren't too bothered to get their kids a mascot package. I'd be tempted by it if only to see what the "access to the VIP lounge" involves. Nobody seems to win the have time draw. Nobody round me even seems to have entered.
The half time scores draw a cheer from the crowd as Peterbrough are 2-0 up against Newcastle. Also a sound I could neither identify as a groan nor a cheer when news of Oxford being 2-0 up at Mansfield is announced. The crowd behind the goal appears to have thinned as the fans have moved to the other end of the Sid Chapman Terrace. They fire up a chant to the beat of "Oh to, Oh to be, Oh to be a, Bladesman!". Theirs is a clapping rendition with "Kerrtring!" at the end. A couple of old-timers are shouting "Come on, Kerrtring!".
The second half pans out without any more goals. The lino on this side is clearly taking halucinagenics. One bright spark pipes up that he must have a shoulder injury and that's why his flag isn't going up. Some shocking decisions from him. Poor ref, she doesn't stand a chance, but does a reasonable job, to be fair. Kettering throw on a few subs including a mammoth, Zulu king of a number 9. Sheridan (all 4 foot 10 of him) decides he'll keep having a pop at this giant. Unfazed though, Kerrtring keep plugging away and keep Barrow out. A few minutes from the end, Sheridan gets subbed to a few jeers and a great cry of "Pull your shorts up!". Some more banter from the Poppies faithful sees Sheridan give the old two finger salute cleverly disguised as a scratch of the head. Love it!
The stadium announcer reads out a decent crowd, I thought, of 1150, but it's the lowest of the season. Man of the match is Dempster who'll get his hooves on a bottle of champers, no doubt. The ref blows her whistle and we're treated to another blast of "Do The Hustle". A decent evening's entertainment. I'm outta here!
Kettering Town 2 - Barrow 1
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