Take yesterday for example when I just missed the bus on my way to Mossley's match with Bridlington. Quietly muttering to myself about why they even bother having timetables when they don't stick to them, I bumped into former kit man Charlie who was making his way back from Seel Park. If I'd caught that bus I would have missed the news he imparted to me that the game had just been postponed and instead of being annoyed close to home, I'd have been stood outside the ground grumbling away.
Given that the pitch has remained frozen on warmer days than Saturday, it was always unlikely that the match would go ahead; especially as the bird bath in the back garden (which like Park End of the pitch is always in the shade) was still one stick short of being an ice lolly at 2:00pm. So even as I set off I did so not really expecting to see a full 90 minutes of football, so I can't say that I was shocked. Slightly miffed maybe but not surprised. And at least I only had a five minute walk to get back home, unlike those coming from Bridlington whose annoyance at the match being called of so late must have been palpable.
Following a few phone calls arrangements were made to take in another match. The late postponement meant that what was the fall back game of Radcliffe vs Curzon was now a non-starter due to the travelling time (coupled with the fact that it had also fallen victim to the weather), so with the lack of local games it was off to Bower Fold we set, the need to take in a game, any game, far outweighing my principles on not giving money to Stalybridge Celtic.
The lack of cars parked along Mottram Road set the 'uh-oh' alert going and the fears that we'd just travelled to another postponed game were confirmed by the small number of people making their way away from the ground.
With fingers crossed for third time lucky, we continued up Mottram Road towards Glossop in the hope of seeing their match against Silsden. After parking up in front of the KFC that now resides at one end of the Surrey Street ground we were met with complete silence, which could only mean one thing - yes, the match was on. If it wasn't you'd be able to here the twittering of the birds on the pitch.
As games go it wasn't a bad one and once Glossop had taken the lead just before the interval there appeared to be only one outcome; the home side proving to be vastly superior to their opponents at things such as creating chances, passing, positioning... well, football basically. The second half continued in much the same way until the magic phrase, "The referee is having a good game" was heard to be uttered and immediately the man in the middle lost the plot.
After awarding Silsden a penalty that the word 'harsh' doesn't do justice to (the successful spot kick being their only shot of the match), the referee reduced the home side to ten men with a straight red card for a challenge that was a yellow at worst. All whilst letting Silsden's small number 8 get away with nothing more than a booking for a series of tackles that were even poorer than his monumentally awful passing. In all honesty he was one of the worst players I've seen for a good while. How bad? Not fit to lace Fraser Robinson's boots bad.
Given Silsden's attacking prowess (or lack of it) the safest place to stand as a spectator should have been next to Glossop's goal. It should have been but...
Even with ten men, and after substituting two of their better players, Glossop continued to be the side most likely to win and that they didn't was disappointing as Silsden deserved to head back home with nothing, rather than with a point from a 1 - 1 draw.
Still, it wasn't bad for the £5 we were relieved of by the man on the turnstiles, and if Mr Quinn is still on the look out for a right back and a centre half to boost Mossley's ranks, he could do a lot worse than to check out a couple of North End's starting XI.
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