St. Crispins Day

Bury FC 1 - 1 Rochdale AFC

Journey:

The shortest away trip of the season.

Mr. Keane pitched up outside my house at 12:30 with Messers Turner, Mitchell, Jones and Keane jr already installed in the HMS Zafira. A quick trip through the de-militarised zone (Heywood - in which both Rochdale and Bury are a small town: depending upon you allegiances) and we arrived at the Village Hotel for a refreshment stop.

Due to a minor encounter between a pub team from Salford and some southern dandies the bar was packed. We were relegated to the great outdoors.

Suitably refreshed we re-boarded the HMS Zafira and pressed onward to Gigg Lane. As we did so we noted from a roadside sign that Bury is Britains best large town in the prestigious 'Britain in Bloom' competition. So, not a small town in Heywood afterall then. Having said that, chanting 'you're just a large town in bloom' would probably not work.

Weather:

A perfect English spring day. Warm and sunny with occasional cloud.

Food:

No meat and potato pies. However, the chicken balti alternative was pretty acceptable. However. £2.40!

Ground:

Gigg Lane. What can I say? It is not the worst ground I have been to. That just about covers it.

For this visit to Gigg Lane the authorities had elected to locate the Dale fans in the the opposite end to normal. As I strolled in at 2:15, I understood why.

There were already approaching 1000 Dale fans in Gigg Lane.

I looked over my shoulder to see a solid wall of Dale making their way in behind me. I took my seat and watched as the flood of Dale continued unabated. Our allocated end filled up rapidly and Dale fans began to fill up part of an adjacent stand. Just before 3pm it was announced that kick-off would be delayed by 15 minutes. Aparrently, upwards of 500 Dale fans were still trying to get into the ground.

My guess would be that there were more than 3000 Rochdale fans in Gigg Lane today. Phil Spector would have been impressed by the wall of sound.

Action:

So it comes to this. Rochdale vs. Bury. A win today for Dale would keep the dream of automatic promotion alive. Reading various message boards revealed that Bury would like nothing better than to stall Rochdale's plans - afterall, according to one informed Bury fan 'Rochdale should know their place'.

Whatever that means.

At 3:15, procedings finally got underway. In a boiling cauldron of noise Dale and the Shakers charged.

This was proper derby football. Energy, passion, commitment. Every ball contested, no cause lost. For all the effort expended it was (as these encounters often are) a very even contest. Dale had a couple of good chances - Bury had two excellent chances which were only denied by the athletic reactions of Lee in the Rochdale goal.

Then on 30 minutes the whole complexion of the contest changed.

A strong challenged by Stanton on the gazelle like Bennett saw Mr. Jones of Cheshire produce a straight red card. Baffling. It was a foul, it probably merited a yellow card - but, a red card, I don't think so.

The effect of the dismissal was curious. Bury seemed to back off and with the extra space Dale were able to hold the ball more effectively. As can be the case, 10 men can play more efficiently than 11. The half wound down without further major incident (aside of the incomprehensible booking of Gary Jones) and as Mr. Jones indicated the interval - 0-0 was all we had to show for an entertaining and action packed first period.

Half time was spent in a desperate search for information on Hereford and Stockport's results. Stockport were losing, Hereford were winning. Dale had to get something from this game to maintain any hope of making the final automatic spot and hope Hereford slipped up and Stockport could not recover.

Seconds away - round two...

The second half began cautiously for both teams. Bury never fully committing to their attacks, Dale containing and breaking where an oppotunity presented itself. However, on 56 minutes Bury finally made their man advantage pay.

In what seems like a rare trip away from Spotland these days, Bury's Nicky Adams pounced on Bishop's flick on and fired past Lee. 1-0 Bury. Not quite the try-before-you-buy we had in mind - we look forward to seeing more of Mr. Adams next season. Even he couldn't resist a smile moments later as the Dale faithful sang 'Bury, you're Rochdale's feeder club'.

With the goal advantage Bury attempted to reinforce their lead in a semingly endless stream of attacks. Dales ten men were stretched almost to breaking point over and over again - but managed to hold out.

On 78 minutes Mr. Jones intervened again. A second yellow card saw Bury's Futcher heading for the dressing room after apparrently head butting McArdle.

With the sides now even again, Dale were able to venture forward more frequently. A few decent chances followed but Bury stood firm. It seemed it would be Bury's day.

On 90 minutes Mr Jones once again intervened. Gary Jones was chopped down inside the penalty area and he had no hesitation in indicating the penalty spot. St. Adam stepped up and confidently converted the spot kick. 1-1. A riot almost ensued in the Dale end as Bury fans charged the fences. Honours even. Probably fair - but there was more...

With just seconds remaining a high ball forward caused a mix up between Provett and Sodje as USS Howe challenged for the ball. Sodje headbutted Provett in the confusion - both ended up prone on the grass. USS Howe had the simple task of rounding Sodje and Provett and slotting the ball into the empty net. Mass Hysteria descended on the Dale fans! Until they saw the linesman's flag waving - that is. In spite of the obvious facts of the matter - he was indicating a push by Howe. Wrong - but there you are.

Summary:

A keenly contested game full of incident with both teams contributing fully. A proper local derby - great to watch.

And just for those who couldn't come to Bury today:

Be in their flowing cups freshly rememb'red. This story shall the good man teach his son; And Crispin Crispian shall ne'er go by, From this day to the ending of the world, But we in it shall be remembered- We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition; And gentlemen in England now-a-bed Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

William Shakespeare

Possibly a little more eloquent than Mr. Hill's 'alleged' pre-match comments on Facebook. Perhaps...

Stockport lost, Hereford won - the play-off's it is then.

Turner Watch:

Didn't get chased by men with swords this time. Result!

26/04/08