So, how was your day out at Everton? I suppose the main thing for many of us is that at least we got there, stories of people turning up late, trains being delayed, trains being cancelled, detours being taken all around the North West just to get to Goodison Park. Horrendous doesn't even sum it up and you can't even begin to imagine the annoyance and frustration of many United fans left with their travel plans in tatters, not to mention the expense of taxi fares for some. For me things started off a little more sedately with the long awaited, and much missed, return of the Saturday morning sausage sandwich. This time taken on board without a youth team home game on the horizon, but also washed down in The Griffin just after 9am with the first pint of the day. Just to be sociable of course, but I am sure that more than a few were having lager on their bran flakes before that. Like Tranmere a few days before the coach journey, with her indoors this time helping out Alli Ross (daughter of late great Alan) in a courier capacity, was pretty painless until we got to Preston. After that the traffic was stop start all the way down the M6 until we got to the M58 junction, where news of an accident had earlier come through from a car traveller further in front reporting back to someone on our coach. Quite how that DHL lorry had ended up where it was down that verge remains to be seen but it sure didn't look in a healthy state when we saw it sat on the hard shoulder on the way home after the game. We pretty much flew through after that to the coach parking spot on Priory Road where a quick pie count on bus number seven revealed that there were only six left, those soon went following the match though, mainly to one man sat behind me who shall remain nameless. A good few Blues fans had been wondering where to take in the pre-match pints before kick-off but a five minute wander up to The Arkles next to Anfield proved a reasonable choice for some further carbo-loading. Wandering back past the coach to the away end just before 2.30pm you could already feel it getting a little colder, particularly for those standing in what looked like a very lengthy pre-order ticket queue. Into the ground and well, the less said the better, I can't remember much about the Knowsley game back in 1993, although I do recall being in the top tier, and perhaps it was my (long gone) youth that meant I wasn't that bothered about the erm, facilities. Those of you who know me will know that I'm not exactly the tallest person going, but even my knees were buried into the seat in front of me. Sitting in the corner of the Paddock we did have a pillar free pitch to look at though and we also did have a fantastic view of the other end of the field. Mainly because, situated almost directly beneath the big screen, as soon as play went over the halfway line some of us turned round and watched the action on there, I did suggest at one point that the seats should face the other way round. The game itself ebbed and flowed in the first-half, and did at least contain one of the more bizarre refereeing decisions of the season, yes that throw-in given when it was a corner by about three yards. Tales of travelling woe came from many at half-time in the cave under the stand, but I overhead one fan still planning his day - he was contemplating taking his teeth out because they kept falling out every time he shouted. As for the second-half, well the replay, or even the win given Danny Livesey hitting the crossbar, looked all set for Brunton Park only for Everton to snatch two late goals and end our hopes. It had been a great performance from the lads though, which deserved more, and that was acknowledged by a hearty round of applause from Blues fans after the final whistle when the Carlisle players came over to the away seats, with some home supporters also joining in. Adam Clayton got the man of the match award on the bus trip home, and rightly so for me, given his fantastic display to erase some of his own disappointment at the mistake for Everton's first goal. It was an uneventful journey back that led to a few pints in town on return for the match post-mortem. Talk was also though about league games to come, as well as that big Johnstone's Paint Trophy tie looming on the horizon - so plenty to look forward to yet folks!! |