[The Earl of Chesterfield]

I don't know if Harrogate are full or part time.

I don't know if they train more than a couple of evenings per week.

I don't know if they're run by a millionaire allowing a tiny outfit to punch well above it's weight.

And my ongoing indifference means I haven't a clue where they are in the league compared to Town.

But what I do know is they had qualities utterly beyond CFC today: tempo, enthusiasm, confidence and belief.

Their plastic pitched stadium reminded me of some local facility where many reading this have played five-a-side with their mates. I'm not gonna drone on about how far we've fallen but that's the simple truth. And it became clear pretty early on they were at home in that environment. Infact us taking the lead with such two-bites-of-the-cherry ease belied how well they'd started. As did us missing a couple of gilt-edged chances shortly afterwards.

Let's have no scapegoating of a ref that gave us at least two 'lives' - including what looked a nailed-on handball in our box - either.

Because their equaliser was all down to poor defending: our beardy centre back (Evans?) was outmuscled by Harrogate's version of Denton with whom he'd had a torrid afternoon, their other bloke then left Maguire for dead allowing him to lay off an unchallenged square ball to equalise.

Simple as that.

They obviously learned.

As the second half was one way traffic.

Their going in front had us sliced so comfortably open they were queuing up to finish it. Then d'y'remember when we'd take the pi** rolling an unchallenged goal in with our heads as kids? Well that was more or less their third.

Dunno what happened after that as me and my travelling mate walked out.

Heading towards the station this morning I noticed a poster advertising the 'Circus of Horrors' visiting Town. I chuckled wryly thinking how aptly that described the club I'd spent a lifetime following these days, perhaps with a hook-beaked Ashley Carson as ringmaster for a collection of clowns, illusionists and tricksters.

I passed the same poster walking home.

I could no longer raise a smile...

This post has been edited by The Earl of Chesterfield: 23 November 2019 - 09:15 PM

[Westbars Spireite]

Not that it matters, but they do have a millionaire bankrolling them (the manager's father) and they probably train as much, if not more than we do.

[Blue roan lily]

The Earl of Chesterfield, on 23 November 2019 - 09:11 PM, said:

I don't know if Harrogate are full or part time.

I don't know if they train more than a couple of evenings per week.

I don't know if they're run by a millionaire allowing a tiny outfit to punch well above it's weight.

And my ongoing indifference means I haven't a clue where they are in the league compared to Town.

But what I do know is they had qualities utterly beyond CFC today: tempo, enthusiasm, confidence and belief.

Their plastic pitched stadium reminded me of some local facility where many reading this have played five-a-side with their mates. I'm not gonna drone on about how far we've fallen but that's the simple truth. And it became clear pretty early on they were at home in that environment. Infact us taking the lead with such two-bites-of-the-cherry ease belied how well they'd started. As did us missing a couple of gilt-edged chances shortly afterwards.

Let's have no scapegoating of a ref that gave us at least two 'lives' - including what looked a nailed-on handball in our box - either.

Because their equaliser was all down to poor defending: our beardy centre back (Evans?) was outmuscled by Harrogate's version of Denton with whom he'd had a torrid afternoon, their other bloke then left Maguire for dead allowing him to lay off an unchallenged square ball to equalise.

Simple as that.

They obviously learned.

As the second half was one way traffic.

Their going in front had us sliced so comfortably open they were queuing up to finish it. Then d'y'remember when we'd take the pi** rolling an unchallenged goal in with our heads as kids? Well that was more or less their third.

Dunno what happened after that as me and my travelling mate walked out.

Heading towards the station this morning I noticed a poster advertising the 'Circus of Horrors' visiting Town. I chuckled wryly thinking how aptly that described the club I'd spent a lifetime following these days, perhaps with a hook-beaked Ashley Carson as ringmaster for a collection of clowns, illusionists and tricksters.

I passed the same poster walking home.

I could no longer raise a smile...

Cracking post.

[Mr Mercury]

Just as an aside, me and the missus saw the "Circus of Horrors" at a Blackpool pleasure beach theatre a few years ago..shall we say..its different, but good entertainment!

[HoneyTrippa]

and welcome to the Ring Master ...... John Sheridan !!!!!!