Sunny Scunny

Scunthorpe v Rotherham, Glandford Park, Sat 10th Feb, 1-2

The games were coming thick and fast as we got to the ‘business end’ of the season, and in order to preserve our unbeaten run we had to beat the team above us, Scunny. It would be a real test. 

We woke to find that the British Winter Olympic teams big medal hopes had mostly crashed and burned overnight. Nothing new there. Never mind, our good friends, Charles and Marianne of speed skating superstardom would bring the medals home to Canada. Alas, they crashed and burned also. 

Due to the close proximity of Scunny to Rotherham we didn’t need a munch box, leaving at around 1.15. We arrived at 2pm. Better to be safe than sorry. Glandford Park is what is kindly known as an old fashioned type of ground. Or unkindly known as a dump. 

We were given a good sniffing by a police dog on the way in, clearly Rotherham people are awash in drugs, before finding our prime seat. Right behind a pillar. 

Scunny had sent 2100 tickets, all of which were snapped up, and the mood was jolly. Warne had made only one change, bringing back Richie Towell in place of the Ginger Palmer. 

That’s us behind the post to the left!

Just before kick off there was a kerfuffle as more people entered our full row. It turns out the old man beside me was sat in their seat. He would not have that however, insisting he was correctly ensconced on row E, despite all around him telling him it was row F. Eventually everyone found a spot. I could see really well, as long as the ball was to the right of the pillar! Anything the other side I had to stand up for. Luckily I discovered a little step towards the back of my seat which meant I could see the top corner of the net. Happy days. 

We kicked off and Will Vaulkes very kindly managed to conspire with his team mates to keep the ball in the viewable section. Good man. Very little standing or bobbing was required. Indeed, we pressed so hard from that area of the pitch that a Vaulkes long throw from that side was pounced on by Joe Newell. A sweet volley with his wrong foot took a slight deflection before nestling in the top corner. 1-0. And I saw everything.

The goal roused Scunny, And they started to press our goal more. Rodak spilled a shot before a ‘coming together’ between him and a Scunny player saw a big penalty appeal, which the ref thankfully waved away. We were hanging on a bit as half time arrived with the score still 1-0.

The second half was trickier for me to see. I was up and down like a Yo-yo. Scunny started the better but we began to impose ourselves more winning a succession of corners. It was coming. And it duly came. Some Vaulkes trickery in the box saw the ball loop into the air and drop onto Semi Ayajis head. He headed it goalward, and the place erupted. I never saw the ball hit the net, but we definitely scored. Here’s photo evidence.

The strains of ‘e-i-e-i-e-i-o’ rang out from the Millers fans, only to be cut off almost immediately when Scunny promptly went down the seeable end and scored. A nerve wracking final 20mins ensued. Williams and Keelan replaced Newell And DaBall. We had a couple more chances, as did Scunny. One of their players needed treatment for a cut head. He was down for two or three minutes. As the 90 mins ran down, all eyes were on the fourth official to see the amount of added time. Four, maybe five minutes? That would seem a lifetime. Incredulously the board showed 8 (EIGHT) added minutes. What the hell! Every clearance or blocked pass was greeted with huge cheers from the Millers fans. As the eight minutes drew to a close the promotion song began to ring out again. The whistles began and rose to a crescendo. The ref, clearly horologically challenged, decided to add another two minutes. After TEN minutes of added time he finally brought the game to a close. 2-1 to the Millers and a famous victory. Fans and players alike were in ecstasy. Eleven games unbeaten, four wins in a row, scoring in 24 consecutive games, we were now just a point behind Scunny. We were stuck in the car park for nearly an hour afterwards, but it was well worth it. Next up Oxford at home.

Man of the match

Ian - Towell ‘immense’

Jackie - Smi ith ‘unplayable’

Vicky - The whole lot ‘no I in team’

Toilet watch

Flooded from the moment we arrived. Only two cubicles. No hot water. Dank and gloomy. Very poor. 2/10