To Broad Lane! …on Saturday afternoon for a hit and run first half of football. Wivenhoe Town were hosting Netherton United on what was possibly the last Estuary Wilds blue sky afternoon before we enter the winter doom and gloom months.
It’s a shame I couldn’t make the most of it. I had basketball duties up at the University an hour later. It made sense to stop off at Broad Lane for some random photo action during the first half, and then bugger off to the basketball.
I arrived ever so slightly fashionably late but timed my arrival to make sure I could capture the first goal for the Dragons.
GEDDIN.
I then celebrated the second goal with my building and construction guru P. Like a bunch of twats, we were jumping around as the ball hit the side netting. Oh well. The moment was there at least.
I made my way around the ground to do the photo walk. I was expecting the old perimeter wall to have been knocked down and replaced with something a little more player-friendly. Hopefully this is to come soon.
This was an afternoon for putting your hand to your eyes in order to view the action. I struggled slightly with my SLR lens, but not as much as many of the spectators around the ground who were straining to see the action.
I say many of the spectators - just to be clear, this wasn’t a capacity 3,000 or 4,000 sellout, but we are getting there slowly, slowly up at Broad Lane. This season so far has been one of positivity both on and off the pitch.
Netherton were turning out to be very competitive. They were a strong side that weren’t afraid to make a physical game out of it for what is still a very young Wivenhoe team.
The Dragons have pace. This was demonstrated superbly with the second goal. There was a beautiful setup as the ball was played out wide before [Gawd knows who] took aim and fired home.
BACK OF THE NET.
The photo walk was done. Basketball was calling. I had 10 minutes or so behind the goal with some of the Wivenhoe old boys.
They may be ageing but their humour is still there. I don’t think the Netherton keeper appreciated Monika Seles GRUNTS each time he set himself up for a goal kick.
A quick scroll at the Wivenhoe X feed at half-time during the basketball, and oh looky looky, here: the Dragons won 3-0.
I saw two goals, missed one, so that means I must have watched at least two thirds of the action, right?
