Friday 10th April
Unibond League Division One North
Giant Axe, Attendance: 249
I was a bit worried that I’ll miss kick off, as I was running late to catch the train. I needn’t have worried though, as the good old trains were running late! I managed to squeeze on a train for the 25 minute journey to Lancaster. Sadly I was stood with a large number of people, who were doing their best to create themselves some space! I’ve never been on a train in India but I suppose this was the U.K equivalent!
I arrived in good time and after a walk around the castle (which is actually a prison that opened in 1196!) I caught strains of some drunken songs. After investigating I found a number of Bamber Bridge fans in Hawaiian shirts! Whether this is something they do on bank holiday games, I don’t know. It was amusing though!
I ended up following them to The Giant Axe and the club’s ‘Dolly Blue Tavern’ social club. The place has a nice set up and is a credit to the club, I drank a pint in record time to take my place on the terraces. The Giant Axe is a good ‘old school’ football ground. It has some covered seating on one side of the ground, with covered terracing all around, apart from the side I was stood on! I cowered beneath the roof of a portacabin -type building for the match.
The game, as mentioned, wasn’t great. Bamber Bridge were easily the better side in the first half, with the home keeper making three brilliant saves. Apart from having a shot cleared off the line, Lancaster huffed and puffed but couldn’t get anywhere near the visitor’s goal. After an uneventful half-time, the second half was much better. The singing Lancaster supporters moved to near where I was for this half and I was impressed as they kept on singing throughout the half. Apparently this was their manager, Tony Hesketh’s, first game back in charge. Apparently he is some kind of legend at the club and he was certainly lapping the attention up!
The home fans continued to back their side with great noise and that noise grew even louder when a shot from 30 yards out was directed into the net via the head of Mark Jackson. The Lancaster defence held out, despite Bamber Bridge looking dangerous at every set piece. There was even was time for a pair of streakers to entertain the crowd! They ran around the pitch before jumping back into the away end! Superb stuff but sadly - they were both men!
The game finished and the majority of the crowd went home happy but for me it was time to hunt for a chippy, what with it being Good Friday and all. A tray of chips later and I went on a pub crawl around the area. I quite enjoyed it and a special mention must go to the ‘Ring O’ Bells’ pub for having an open fire, great beer and fine looking barmaids! I ended my Lancaster visit in some kind of underground bar that described itself as ‘historic’. Sat near me were two student types that were discussing the in-and-outs of the film ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ and how ‘Morgan Freeman is one of the best actors in Hollywood’. I had to get out of there quickly - as soon as I drank up though! It was back to the train station and home.
I had felt a little tired earlier but I brought myself to having another mini pub crawl, ending the night in the Tudor, where I won a fiver on the quiz machine! Not bad considering I only spent a quid! I used my winnings to buy myself some food at the kebab shop (it was now about 1am, so it wasn’t Good Friday anymore!) and made my way home.
A cracking day out was marred as I somehow managed to slip over and smash my face into the road, just 100 yards away from my home! I look like I’ve been in a fight and I’m going to try and book a dental appointment soon – as I chipped one of my teeth! Alcohol may have played a part – but my trainers aren’t the grippiest! So that’s my excuse!
It was still a good day out though – I had a good laugh anyway! Here’s hoping I get my tooth fixed at a price that won’t break the bank!Cheers to codofthenorth of the Lancaster City Fans' Forum for the match photos!
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