Opening Skirmishes

So, the season has already opened, with the first Love, the Blades, achieving one win and one draw (and one defeat in the League Cup). Third league game today, away at Colchester. Up the Blades!!

Around South Yorkshire, Wednesday have kept pace with the Blades (albeit, infuriatingly, one division higher) coming from 2-0 behind to earn an opening day last minute draw away at Derby, and then earning a good three points at home to Birmingham. Barnsley opened with a home win to Middlesborough, before going down 3-1 to a good Wolves side who ought to be challenging for promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Doncaster Rovers have got off to a great start, with two victories placing them second to Tranmere Rovers on goal difference only. A 2-1 home win against Bury was preceeded by a fantastic 3-0 away drubbing of Walsall. Donny are marking themselves out as one of the teams to watch!

Life back in Rotherham at the New York Stadium got off to a great start with a 3-0 win over Burton Albion for Rotherham United before a tricky away trip to Northampton saw the Millers succumb to a late winner from the home side.
Sheffield's non-league sides had a mixed bag, with Sheffield starting with a fantastic 6-2 away win at Lincoln United, before going down 2-1 at home to Loughborough Dynamo. Hallam seem to have their first four fixtures in the Northern Counties East League all away from home, and had a 2-1 defeat away at Emley and a 1-1 draw at Athersley Recreation sandwiching a 5-3 defeat in the FA Cup Extra preliminary round (in which Liam Morris scored a hat-trick) and a 4-2 defeat to Grimsby Borough in the NCEL League Cup First Round. Both ties were, again, away from home. The most goals would have been seen following Stocksbridge Park Steels, however, who have conceded five in each of their first two league games, losing 5-0 away Blyth Spartans, before putting four past Chorley at home. On that alone, I think a trip to the Look Local stadium on 8th September to see the Steels face Marine in the FA Cup is definitely on the cards for me!

Walk to Lille

Just a quick break from the usual to state that Andrew Gibney, Nick Crookes, Scott Jonston and I are walking to Lille via twelve football grounds:

England:Hillsborough (Sheffield Wednesday)
Bramall Lane (Sheffield United)
New York Stadium (Rotherham United)
Keepmoat (Doncaster Rovers)
Glandford Park (Scunthorpe United)
KC Stadium (Hull City)

(ferry to Zeebrugge)

Belgium:
Jan Breydelstadion (Club Brugge/Cercle Brugge)
De Velodroom (Torhout 1992 KM)
Schiervelde Stadion (KSV Roeselare)
Guldensporenstadion (KV Kortrijk)
Stade Le Canonnier (Royal Mouscron-Peruwelz)

France:
Grand Stade Lille Metropole (Lille OSC)

The announcement was made this morning at 9am on French Football Weekly

FRIENDLY: Hallam F.C - Manchester City U18's

Competition: Friendly

Level: N/A

Teams:  Hallam - Manchester City XI (U18's)

Venue: Sandygate Road, Crosspool, Sheffield

Beginning as all seasons do with a tough pre-season, Hallam F.C. is the first of a proposed two game pre-season for me, including Rotherham United - Sheffield United XI at the New York Stadium. This was my first trip to Sandygate, and I have to say I was impressed. At one end of the ground is a lovely covered terrace, and down the eastern edge was a rather larger stand with terracing and some seating. This game, in spite of being only a pre-season friendly against the Premier League side's kids was busy, with an attendance of around 300 friendly locals, and some good-natured banter in the clubhouse.  Everyone was really welcoming, and got got into a bit of a chat with the lady selling Hallam merchandise on the way into the clubhouse, and with the barman in the (surprising sparsely populated) bar, before taking a seat at the window for the beginning of the first half.

Dodgy Panorama. Blame Samsung

Whilst there was warm applause, we really wanted to be outside, so after finishing a rather nice (and well-kept ale), we headed out, although this was, unfortunately, not until after I spotted bottles of the 1860 beer (1860 is the year that Hallam were formed).  Next time, Skinner.  Next time.  With less singing than I'm used to at United games, one could hear everything that the coach was saying to the players - indeed, for much of the first half, the biggest talking points were the female official on the far side, the orange boot of one Renan Silva Gorne and sightings of Uriah Rennie.  However, on 25 minutes, orange boots himself struck the opener, rounding the 'keeper and passing across goal from the right into an empty net.  As we'd said, he better be good with those bloody boots!

The Countrymen were not to be rolled over, however, and struck back with a sweet shot from Ben Kistell following a lovely cross from the right.  Yet, there was still time for this to become the Silva Gorne Show, with him having one cleared off the line and setting up City's second, when a poor clearance from Hallam's third 'keeper of the night landed at his feet for him to cooly lay off to Sinan Bytqi.

With the Plough just over the road, the evening was rounded off well with a couple of swift beers shared with Aaron and Gibbers.  The experience of visiting what was, for three years, technically my local club, was certainly a good one.  Sandygate is a ground I will certain return to for a league game this season.

English: Sheffield Hallam F.C. The ground is 148 years old and football has been played there since their formation all those years ago. The oldest ever footballing derby was played at Sandygate on Boxing Day 1860 and won by Sheffield F.C. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)