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#Post#: 107256--------------------------------------------------
Re: Back to my first love
DIR By: JCFC
Date: June 13, 2026, 3:38 pm
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For only the second time in his 77 years, (the first being just
twelve months ago), JCFC set foot in Drighlington. For the
benefit of those unfortunate souls unfamiliar with West
Yorkshire, Drighlington is pronounced as you would assume if the
h were not there. It is situated between Cleckheaton and Leeds,
though many might be uncertain as to the location of
Cleckheaton, while judging by recent answers on University
Challenge, some may be unable to find Leeds on a map.
It's an easy walk from the bus stop to the pitch, which is a few
hundred yards away from the clubhouse. The main pitch has gentle
slopes from end to end and side to side, and both sides (and
most of one end) are railed at a comfortable height for leaning.
Another pitch is set at right angles beyond the upper side.
There are no other facilities.
Having watched from the lower side last time, I was making my
way round to the top side when I received a "Hello" from the
referee, who was out well in advance of the teams. This gave an
opening to discover the first names of the officials, rather
than the posted initial. Mr Lancaster wondered if the plan was
to be able to abuse them. (Would I?) They probably regretted
this interlude and realised that they had clearly encountered
the village idiot, taking a quick leave, though not before the
referee had expressed his wish to see a flowing open game.
Having twice had to retrieve my cap, which had taken flight in
the blustery conditions, the rest of the afternoon was spent
bareheaded, but at least the cobwebs were blown away.
And so, at last, to the match...
Saturday 13th June 2026
Conference Yorkshire A
Drighlington 30 v 18 King Cross Park
Attendance roughly 130
Gaz Lancaster; Daniel Hood, Xander Helme.
King Cross, from Halifax, had a markedly more experienced look
(spot the euphemism!) The home side's shirts were yellow, with
prominent black hoops and chevrons, the visitors' black with
yellow details, but there was no problem distinguishing between
them. The officials were resplendent in bright fuchsia pink.
Drighlington took the lead after two minutes, with a converted
try, on the way to which the scorer bounced off several tackle
attempts. At this point the flood gates slammed shut. For the
rest of the half, Mr Lancaster's wish for a flowing game did not
materialise, with a greater than usual number of handling errors
and half time was reached with the score still 6-0.
Drighlington started the second half as they had the first,
going over for a converted try after two minutes, but thoughts
of a repeat of the first half were dispelled just two minutes
later, when a further try saw them take the score to 18-0.
Almost twenty minutes passed, but then Drighlington failed to
deal with a high kick, allowing the visitors to go over for a
try, with a repeat four minutes later, both converted, making
things interesting at 18-12. This did not last long, as on 71
minutes the home number 9 dummied his way over, try again
converted, and a further six points were added just three
minutes later. A last minute converted try for the visitors led
to the final whistle with the result 30-18.
Mr Lancaster is a bit more mature than a number of the officials
seen, though still far from geriatric. He did plenty of talking
and had a sympathetic approach to his refereeing, much
appreciated, one would think, by the players. He certainly
provided a good role model for his two young assistants. He had
certainly given no grounds for abuse from this quarter. Given
his excellent performance, I would even forgive him his tattoos
- well, almost!
On reaching the main road again, a bus was spotted approaching,
leading to a 50 yard "sprint" (ungainly waddle more like) which
did prove successful and home was reached at 16.47.
#Post#: 107685--------------------------------------------------
Re: Back to my first love
DIR By: Lanyardhater
Date: June 20, 2026, 10:00 am
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Suffering withdrawal symptoms during the temporary absence of
Pyramid Patrol, I am delighted to have come across this topic.
I know nothing about rugby, and care even less, (to borrow a
phrase from the excellent Victoria Coren Mitchell) but I think I
would read anything by JCFC for the sheer pleasure of the
writing.
I expect even his shopping lists would be entertaining!
#Post#: 107713--------------------------------------------------
Re: Back to my first love
DIR By: gooner
Date: June 20, 2026, 2:59 pm
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--- Quote from: Lanyardhater link ---
>
> I am delighted to have come across this topic. I know
nothing about rugby...I would read anything by JCFC for the
sheer pleasure of the writing.
>
--- End Quote ---
hi,
ditto this - i totally concur [emoji3] puts me in mind of
something by alan bennett [emoji57] perhaps there are more in
his archives he may care to share [emoji848]
regards,
gnr
#Post#: 107716--------------------------------------------------
Re: Back to my first love
DIR By: JCFC
Date: June 20, 2026, 3:56 pm
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From the three possible games to watch this weekend, I chose the
one with two listed touch judges. Thus it was that I made my way
to
Conference Yorkshire A
Keighley Albion v Bradford Dudley Hill
K.Robinson; Daniel Hood, J Ibbotson
In his splendid book, "The Farther Corner" the excellent Harry
Pearson muses "After all, what is Step 6 football for, if not to
offer a safe and soothing haven to the lost, the lonely and the
bewildered?" In Summer, that haven is provided by Amateur Rugby
League. I am too misanthropic to qualify as lonely, but fulfil
the criteria for the other two categories.
Albion's ground is a short walk from Crossflatts Station, but
instead used my bus pass, alighting from the 662 bus at the even
closer Micklethwaite Lane. A sign on the gate at the normal
entrance indicated that match day admission was via the cricket
club - a further hundred yards or so along the road. On
arriving, however, the Rugby ground was locked and deserted.
Neither club had a current X account to provide enlightenment. I
therefore took a seat on the boundary and watched a little
cricket until a visiting batsman reached his 50, at which point
parsimony won the day, lest someone should come round for a
collection. Curiously, even back on the bus, both the Rugby
League's fixture list and its referees appointments list were
still showing the match at 14.30 at Keighley Albion. Even more
curiously, the BBC shows the result as 58-16 in Albion's favour.
No indication of where or when the match was played, placing me
even more firmly in the category of the bewildered! And now a
whole week to wait for my next fix.😥
#Post#: 107718--------------------------------------------------
Re: Back to my first love
DIR By: Lanyardhater
Date: June 20, 2026, 4:06 pm
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Quod erat demonstrandum!
Even a non-report from JCFC is priceless.
#Post#: 107773--------------------------------------------------
Re: Back to my first love
DIR By: jad
Date: June 22, 2026, 9:08 am
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I see, JCFC, that you decided not to improve the shining hour by
taking a leisurely stroll up Micklethwaite Lane … where I would
like to think that you might have found the tear in the fabric
of the universe that would have transported you to the
alternative reality in which the rugby league match was indeed
being played.
#Post#: 107775--------------------------------------------------
Re: Back to my first love
DIR By: JCFC
Date: June 22, 2026, 10:10 am
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The words "leisurely stroll" and "up" are sadly no longer
compatible in my case.
#Post#: 108022--------------------------------------------------
Re: Back to my first love
DIR By: JCFC
Date: June 28, 2026, 2:21 am
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There was almost another fruitless trip. The plan had been to
watch Moldgreen v Keighley Albion, 1st v 2nd in Conference
Yorkshire A, but a chance check on the visitors' Facebook
revealed that the match was to be "behind closed doors" though I
am not sure how they could manage that. Something more mundane
would have to suffice. Incidentally, the visitors won, leaving
them two points behind with a game in hand, though both teams
could be overtaken by Midfield Spartans, should they win both of
their games in hand.
I was not wrong in referring above to "something more mundane,"
in the form of
National Conference Premier
West Bowling 82 v 14 Rochdale Mayfield
Josh Egan (Hull); Max Greenwood, Adrian Kindelan.
West Bowling have not performed as well so far this year as they
did at the end of the 2025 season, while Mayfield are rock
bottom, with just one point. It took just a minute for the home
side to establish a six point lead, following up with two more
converted tries in the next seven minutes. A WB handling error,
followed by a penalty for offside, finally gave Mayfield
possession in the home 22, but an ambitious long pass saw the
opportunity missed and they were soon under pressure again. WB
made it 24-0 on the quarter hour. Then, on 17 minutes, something
surprising happened - the home right winger got possession well
inside his own half and ran to score yet another try. Nothing,
by now, surprising about that - but this time the conversion
attempt failed. Two further six-pointers meant that Mr Egan was
able to make substantial inroads into the home team's drinks
cabinet, even before a drinks break was taken, coinciding with
attention to a head injury for the home number 12. West Bowling
took their score to 46, but on 39 minutes, Mayfield finally went
over for a try, the conversion attempt coming back off the post,
to leave the half time score at 46-4.
The teams were out early for the second half, but had quite a
wait for the officials to re-emerge. Almost immediately,
Mayfield scored a try, again unconverted, but WB added two
further six-point tries in the next eleven minutes. A Mayfield
try, converted this time, was quickly followed by one for the
home side, number 7 nipping over despite an instinctive head
tackle, which fortunately did not do the damage it might have
done, Mr Egan settling for a talking-to, making the score 64-14
by the drinks break. Sadly, Mayfield were not sufficiently
refreshed to prevent three more converted West Bowling tries. It
had obviously not been the most exciting of games, but pleasant
enough nonetheless.
Donning my (metaphorical) RatetheRef hat, I can reveal that Mr
Egan is a tall, slim, fair-haired young man. He responded
pleasantly to my request for the touch judges' first names.It
was clear at close quarters that Mr Greenwood, of whose gender I
had been uncertain last time, was male, even without learning
that he was Max. Mr Egan donned a black and white striped shirt
for the match, the two youthful touch judges staying in the
black Ronseal glorified T-shirt. Mr Egan put in a pleasing
afternoon's work. He is fit, has a loud enough voice, seemed to
communicate well, was good at penalising high tackles and had
little trouble - the one misplaced chunter led to an instant ten
yards lost. The only thing I would like to change is his walk,
which does not suggest the degree of authority and gravitas that
one would like, but that should come with age.
A gentle stroll down through Harold Park and the almost
immediate arrival of a bus, meant that home was reached at
16.46.
#Post#: 108031--------------------------------------------------
Re: Back to my first love
DIR By: JCFC
Date: June 28, 2026, 6:37 am
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"The plan had been to watch Moldgreen v Keighley Albion, 1st v
2nd in Conference Yorkshire A, ...Incidentally, the visitors
won, leaving them two points behind with a game in hand, though
both teams could be overtaken by Midfield Spartans, should they
win both of their games in hand."
And this coming Saturday sees Moldgreen away to Midfield
Spartans. Very close to home for me, but not the most convenient
of places to reach.
#Post#: 108108--------------------------------------------------
Re: Back to my first love
DIR By: JCFC
Date: June 30, 2026, 5:13 am
---------------------------------------------------------
--- Quote from: JCFC link ---
>
> "The plan had been to watch Moldgreen v Keighley Albion, 1st v
2nd in Conference Yorkshire A, ...Incidentally, the visitors
won, leaving them two points behind with a game in hand, though
both teams could be overtaken by Midfield Spartans, should they
win both of their games in hand."
>
> And this coming Saturday sees Moldgreen away to Midfield
Spartans. Very close to home for me, but not the most convenient
of places to reach.
>
--- End Quote ---
Never trust the BBC! That match does not feature in the official
lists. However, Yorkshire B seconds are due to entertain
league leaders. Hall Bower is also close and.convenient to
reach, though less so for the return, so who knows?
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