The Match:Guiseley v FC Halifax Town, FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round.
The Date:Saturday 21st November 2009.
The Result:Guiseley 3-1 FC Halifax Town (Gray).
Yet again the train was our preferred mode of transport however as opposed to purchasing a standard £3.80 day return to Guiseley we opted for the £4.80 West Yorkshire bus / train day rover.
Having breakfasted in Spoons in Bradford we caught the 15 minute direct train from Forster Square into Guiseley where the Nethermoor ground is a three minute walk from the platform. However we were duty bound to follow Mr Hick's pub guide and did a mini tour of the Town calling at several hostelries including the quaintly named Martha's Ale House. Our last port of call was to the Station which was a (damp) five minute walk to the ground and was busy with Town fans as was the world famous Harry Ramsden's Fish Restaurant just up the road past the ground.
At the ground itself there was a tiny car park and limited street parking which caused problems for the latecomer's. After parting with £7.00 to enter the stadium and a further £1.50 for a basic but well laid out programme - too many adverts for my reviewer GB Buck's liking - with some decent stats and player information.
We frequented the compact social which overlooks the cricket pitch and offered swift, friendly service. The ground has uncovered viewing behind both goals with a neat covered seating area down one side whilst the opposite side had two separate covered standing areas, most welcome on a day of persistent rain.
The basic food bar was adjacent to the social club and again service was prompt and efficient but as with most grounds we have visited this season there was little or nothing left on offer by the start of the second half.
Despite the rain the pitch held up reasonably well and allowed both sides to play some attractive football with The Shaymen finally bowing out of the FA Trophy 3-1 much to the disappointment of the 600 or so Town fans in the total crowd of 919.
At full time we trudged back in the rain to The Station pub to plan our route home via Leeds, Dewsbury and Huddersfield finally arriving back in good old Halifax at around 10.15pm with me paying my customary - drunken - visit to Dixy's Chicken en route home to watch Match of the Day through beer goggles!!
Journey Distance:34 miles.
Total Distance for the Season:1,601.8 miles.
Terry "Chadders" Sunderland, looking forward to Tuesday's trip to the home of The Pink Panther..................... Durham, Durham, Durham, Durham, Durham, Durham.....
