In a shock revelation given the weather this winter we had a game postponed at Peterborough two weeks ago. The same day our youth team were supposed to be playing at home to Tranmere, but that hit the frozen dust as well. So that meant it was time for my first trip, accompanied by her indoors, to Annan Athletic, the game at Galabank against Stenhousemuir still on thanks to Queen of the South who, without a home match, had lent their pitch covers to Annan for the week. A friendly greeting from a young programme seller informed us of a little car park past the astroturf pitch where we parked up before wandering back to the ground and buying one of said programmes for £1.50. A quick peek was taken inside the busy social bar, serving jugs of vicious looking green liquid at £7.50, apparently a cocktail called Fat Frog. And for the hungry there was cumberland sausage, onion gravy and tatties for £3.00. The weight watchers points don't stretch as far as either of those though so it was into the ground for a choice of seating or terracing at a very reasonable £7, that being much better value, even though it is two divisions lower, than Queens at £15. We chose to sit down up at the far end of the side of the pitch, although we weren't allowed to go right to the end as the supporters were surprisingly segregated. Stenhousemuir bringing around 20 sitters on that side and 30 standers behind the goal, their territory being sternly guarded by the only over officious person we met on the day, that being the steward in the stand responsible for making sure that the fans didn't mix. The away supporters zone containing the delights of a miniature pie hut on the near side and two portaloos over on the far side. As for the pie hut, I didn't inhale, but then neither did one Annan fan as, while clambering over the seats, he went a cropper and ended up almost upside down, while still managing valiantly to cling on to a now crushed and empty polystyrene cup of tea. That to be fair being about the most action seen from a quiet home support during the game, despite the attendance being a healthy 805. The ground particularly quiet after the cheerleaders had been on the pitch and the teams had been announced. The silence though being broken as the teams entered the arena and the theme tune to The A-Team came blasting out of the speakers. Fortunately, just as I was about to consider going back to my youth to do the speech from the start (crack commando unit etc.), the music was abruptly chopped off and silence was restored. So onto the match, which was refereed by Mike Tumilty in a very fetching bright red satin number, and the home side kicked up the slope in the first-half. Although up is a bit of a misnomer given that the pitch was similar to one of those little plastic games where you have to get tiny ball bearings into holes. The playing surface sloping not just from end to end, but also side to side and then into each corner on the stand side. That didn't stop Annan from taking the lead just after the half-hour mark though when Michael Jack's free-kick on goal was only pushed out by Stenny goalkeeper Scott Bennett straight into the path of John Macbeth. The Scottish Play-er, a recent signing from Dalbeattie Star, slamming the ball into the roof of the net from close range. That being the only goal in the first period as we soon passed through a half-time interval of cheerleaders The Dazzling Diamonds, but no music again. We actually got more of The A-Team as the sides came out this time but it seemed to pump up the visitors more as they scored the second and final goal of the game just three minutes in. Bulky central defender Chris McLeod smacking a shot into the net through a ruck of players from the edge of the box following a part-cleared corner. The Stenny fans behind the goal going a bit too delirious before finally calming down enough to start signing something about fish. Michael Jack was the most impressive of the lads with Carlisle connections, although his influence in the middle of the park tailed away after the break as the promotion chasing Warriors stepped up the pace. The most recent connection being, from the start of this season, youth team trialist Phil Storey who remained an unused substitute. Those replacements emerging from their roomy concrete nuclear bunker-esque dugout as the final whistle signalled an end to a cold but enjoyable afternoon in Annan. |