I think when I look back on this trip to Boston I will know I had a decent day. However, it will also go down as one of my not so proud moments. Maybe I was just too pumped for this one. There have been a fair few home fixtures that I have attended since my last blog, but this was my first away day since Curzon Ashton back in mid-August.
I set off at 9.45am to get to Kings Cross. I was tooled up with my usual Stowfords etc. It was just over two hours to get to Boston with a change at Grantham. I thought it was cold in Grantham when I got there but I wasn’t prepared for just how cold it was on arrival at Boston. As a big fan of our canine friends, I was pleased to see so many dogs down the town centre. It meant I could be my ‘odd self’ and ‘have a chat’ with a few of them. Especially the Golden Retriever. I popped into a pub, not far from the ground called The New Inn for a few double vodka cokes, under the recommendation of a local. Decent shout in fairness and it did the job.
On walking up to the ground I checked the team news to find some of the new lads making their debuts. It was a big ask but I was optimistic we might get something from the game. I was looking forward to seeing O’Sullivan, Roberts and later Owen-Evans make their league debuts. It was also the first time I would see Yates, Wassall and Lloyd in action for the Bulls. The Jakemans Stadium, York Street is obviously a decent ground with segregation. I’m a big fan of these old skool stadiums. Let’s have it!
The good news is we created chances. Roberts had a few sniffs and Richards will feel he should have done better with a glorious chance in the first half. Lloyd looks really lively though, which after reports came as no surprise. O’Sullivan also looks like my kind of player. Roberts was also busy in fairness. We gave as good as we got in the first half and I was happy with 0-0 at half-time.
Credit to Boston, they not only let us out for a vape/smoke at half-time, but they also let us go to the Club bar. I was obviously more gone than I thought at this stage, as by the time I’d got stuck into a couple more vodka cokes we were told that we were one down. Shit! How? I saw for myself not long after as we defended another set piece appallingly. We pulled one back after good work between Greenslade and O’Sullivan ended with the new signing crossing for Lloyd to slide in. Game on. It wasn’t to be though, Greener got done in the air and a lad (Jordan Slew) that Blackburn paid 1.1 million for in 2011 was through on goal and finished any chance of the comeback. We never gave up though and still gave it a go. 3-1 was harsh, even though they did miss an open goal at 2-1. Owen-Evans might be another player I like I think, time will tell but he looks a tidy player. I thought the new lads all did well enough though.
On a side note, there was one thing that had been bugging me, particularly in the last few months. I wanted to ask several different Hereford fans what the general problem was with Jeno? Why did he get so much grief? I even got into a war of words in the Len Weston just over a month ago about it. I needed a decent sample size obviously, so asked around. I got my answers and they were all fair enough. Some thought he was lazy and others didn’t know why he took so much abuse. Everyone is entitled to their opinion of course. Personally, I thought he got the rough end for a few others performances.
In the Club bar after I went to drown my sorrows and had a few more. Tim Harris bought me a pint, he knew I was a Hereford fan and thanked me for coming and asked me what my thoughts on the performance were. Fair play. I was pretty smashed at this stage already but the Club was kind enough to let me charge my vape in the bar. My train wasn’t until 6.48pm so what else could I do? Stay and have another one of course.
Now, the next couple of hours were pretty sketchy. As a result, I woke up just outside Nottingham. FFS! Totally gone! The ticket inspector was absolutely buzzing about it (which actually probably helped me) but I was livid with myself. The language was poor. From there I navigated my way back to Grantham and then to Kings Cross. My missus didn’t bollock me for my late arrival but my Mum gave me an absolute pasting when I told her about it, for five minutes anyway. She also reminded me that I was well into my thirties. Cheers. It was like St Ives all over again. I must line the stomach more on these all dayers!!
Aside from that, I think things are looking up. The draw at Telford midweek was another decent performance. I am more optimistic now that we might be ok this season. We go again.
Al Davies
The Gubbage and the Glory! 