Bantams 2 Magpies 1

Sorry about the delay, but I had the hangover from Hell yesterday. On to the day out. Unlike last year, the day started grey and wet, as we all met up in the Beehive to shake off our hangovers and have a few pints. This year we had two new comers, Meatball and Tony H joined us. It wasn't only the weather however that was poor. I love the Beehive, it has bags of character, and is the perfect setting to set off to watch lower league footie, but the service was abysmal. It took Shouty ages to get served, and Helmet was left speechless at the way the bird behind the bar pulled a pint, refusing to pay for it, and asking for a different brand. So we headed down Lumb Lane to the old Barracks bar, or what ever itis called now. It was a lot livelier, and everyone was optimistic for the season. Except Aki, who looked a pale imitation of himself, as he nursed a Lucozade. After the seats fiasco, Crespo took off with Tony to one end of the stand, as me, meatball and Shouty took off for the other. The first half was pretty much all City, and Omar was playing up a storm down the flanks. He broke free first, and had a shot smartly saved by the County keeper, before playing in big Baz, who managed to foul himself, when he would have been clean through on goal. It was a poachers goal, scored with a bit of luck that broke the deadlock, as Thorne managed to divert a cross shot into the net. They all count. There were more chances, including a goal mouth scramble, when half the City line up took turns at missing an open goal. The second half started out the same, once again Daley was tormenting the Magpies, at one point he skinned three players as he ran the length of the pitch, to have a low shot diverted wide by the keeper. This led to a corner, which was poorly cleared by a County defender, leaving Thorne to notch up his second with a wonderfully executed scissor kick. Things were going along nicely, but this being the Bantams, we had to give our opponents a sniff of a result, after allowing them to sneak in a goal with fifteen minutes left, to set up the usual tense finish. It still annoys me though to listen to people slag off Daley. He is a genuine threat at this level, and when he play like he did on Saturday, scares the shit out of opponents. So he doesn't track back all the time, and he can run into blind alleys, but he carries four times more threat and penetration, than the strangely lauded Colbeck. Go figure. Good performances as well from the new signings, in particular Lee, who looked excellent at the back, and the central midfield pairing of Bullock and McLaren looked formidable. Boulding had a lively run out for the last ten or so minutes. Happy days indeed, lets hope they last.

Baz Watch-Not his finest game by a margin. Looked mean and lean at kick off, but apart from one salmon like leap, was not up to much. He was one of a host of players who contived to miss an open goal in a scramble, but when he tripped over his own feet, when put through on goal summed up his outing. Should have won a penalty after a blatant barge in the area. Ikey reckoned his poor performance was down to the fact he was wearing black boots, not his customary white one's. If Boulding's cameo is anything to go by, Bazza will be gathering plenty of splinters in his keister this season. 4/10

Pie Rating- A new season, a new range of succulent pies! I wish... Same choice, same maker. Served at a nuclear meltdown temperature, stuffed with bland filling. I think it was supposed to be meat and potato. Saving grace was the lovely Chop Sauce, that you only seem to be able to get at Valley Parade. This earned it an extra point. 6/10

Guest Rating- This year, in the interests of balance and fairness, I will be presenting a guest concession critic every week. It will probably be mostly Shouty, as Crespo isn't stupid enough to eat at the stadium, and nobody else really goes. Anyway, after Ike gave the Hot Dogs a massive 100/10, Shouty figured it was time for somebody older than eight to pass judgement. Bun was too dry, ketchup to runny, and he prefers his pork attached to a pair of testicles. 6/10

Hopefully Crespo will provide us with a pie rating when he visits Huddersfield Town on Tuesday. If he doesn't, I am sure JB will. After the match we hit town, apart from from Shouty who was called off on Daddy duty. I last saw Helmet at around 00:30. I think. It was my last memory, until the Elster woke me up, while I was pissing into a waste paper bin at home. As you can imagine, I was not the most popular fella in Clayton on Sunday. More worrying for me is the amount of people in West Yorkshire, who think Fadge is a universally accepted term for pussy. Every where I went I was told I was an idiot and it was Fadge. I just hope none of these people ever go to Ireland, where they are bound to be seriously disappointed.