York Road Saturday, February 10th, 2018   National League Attendance: 1,433         Maidenhead United 1-2 Torquay United
2017 /18

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A nine train day (Wrenbury-Shrewsbury-Wolverhampton-Birmingham-Reading-Maidenhead-Reading-Birmingham-Crewe-Wrenbury) including the Wolverhampton to Reading train that broke down and had to be replaced at Birmingham. But it all worked well although a long day. I left home at 09:15 and didn't get back (walking from Wrenbury station) until just before 22:00. Sue away down south seeing Peter and Rosemary. The York Road ground is real 'old school' like something out of a 1960's Roy of the Rovers comic book. Yes, there is a new stand on one side but the rest is cottages and cow sheds. And the pitch?!? Mud. But - to be fair - the recent weather has been awful with frosts and heavy rain. The game was pretty awful too - a lot the fault of the playing surface but the players had to take some of the blame although I felt the home manager's tactics were the big problem. No obvious game plan and when it became clear it wasn't working he didn't change it. They could have (and probably should have) lost by a lot more than 2-1. However, the Torquay first goal was utterly spectacular from outside the box curled into the top right corner. Funny funny - the nice Torquay supporter sat next to me went for a wee-wee at that precise moment and missed it. We pulled his leg mercilessly when he came back. Big humour moment. After about 20 minutes the man sat enxt to me with his (approx) 7 year old son got up and left. The bloke behind - in a little boy voice - said I'm not putting up with this for the next 50 years We laughed. I had an hour to wait for my train after and it was cold and drizzling so I had a walk around and made the monumental mistake of ducking into The Anchor pub for a swift medicinal warming whiskey . It was the horriblest pub I have ever been in. Super nasty. They still had Halloween decorations hanging around. And it was cold and miserable and unfriendly. I was out of there very fast and wandered around town for a bit before heading to the station. Then the long (5 hours) multiple train journey home but all on time and cozy warm. Yes!! Another very enjoyable adventure.