T'neets are drawing in.....

Or rather - the mornings are darker. That time of year when I get out of bed at 6 a.m. as usual, I now have to put the kitchen light on to make a cuppa. I hate that! Oh well - just hope next spring arrives as quickly as this autumn has appeared.

 

Been a bit(!) busy with Sheffield Junior League stuff this last week or more. The new season starts Sunday 2nd September and as ever, half the numpties out there haven't got their player registration forms in and the other half want to rearrange games because "My players are on holiday", "My manager is on holiday" "Our Club Secretary is on holiday" etc., etc., They've only had since 1st June to get organised so I suppose its understandable that on the eve of the season, they are not sorted. After all - 3 months isn't really that long is it?!?

 

Anyway - proper footy - and a bit to tell you.

 

The FA Cup "local derby" went smoothly - as far as Belper Town are concerned at least - as we eased through with a scoreline of Holbrook 1 - 6 Belper Town. The next round won't be half so comfortable - away at Matlock Town - Belper's fiercest rivals from a division higher so it will be a lot more difficult.   

 

Pictures from the Holbrook game are here:

http://nortoner09.jalbum.net/2012%2008%2025%20Holbrook%201%20-%206%20BTFC/

 

Snapper couldn't make it but another good mate (and good photographer too come to that) was there. See Mossley Smiffy's album here: (With his fancy new lens an all!)

http://mossleysmiffy.jalbum.net/HolbrookSportsBelperTown25Aug12/

Next up was Bank Holiday Monday and a visit from Sheffield FC. - The pseudo-Yorkshire team had started the league campaign with a 6-1 win and the a 1-2 defeat.

 

A good game ended in Belper's third league draw in a row. For the second time in a week the lads fought back from 0-2 down to take a point and in the end, could (perhaps should?) have won it. A very good match report is on the Belper Town web site and it's well worth a read - go to:

http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/belpertown/s/match-report-15523.html?official=1&fixture_id=535508

My photo album from the game is here:

http://nortoner09.jalbum.net/2012%2008%2027%20BTFC%202-2%20Sheff/

 

and Snapper Harrison decided to put in an appearance too:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timharrisonphotography/sets/72157631274069490/

 

So - draw number three and we're back to half empty or half full?

 

On Saturday - the Nailers travel to Market Drayton which the Duchess and I have decided is too long a trek so we're going to the RSPB Reserve at Blacktoft Sands (near Goole), for a spot of bird-watching and snapping instead. The forecast is for a nice, warm, late summer day so should be fun!

 

Tarra for now tho!

Half Full - or Half Empty?

Belper Town's League season got underway last Saturday with a 1-1 draw at home against Coalville Town.

 

We didn't wear the scarves by the way - and we sat in the stand 1st half and stood behind the goal 2nd half - a compromise if ever I heard (saw) one!

 

Didn't put the camera away tho and my pictures are here:

http://nortoner09.jalbum.net/2012%2008%2018%20BTFC%201-1%20Coalville/

 

And of course, Snapper has a better set:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timharrisonphotography/sets/72157631128989462/

 

Not a great performance to be honest. Belper played some good football in patches but really had to thank goalkeeper Aaron Chapman for a good penalty save and a bit of good fortune when Coalville hit the post a couple of times. Disappointing really and it almost felt like a defeat. Just goes to prove that when the real stuff starts, pre season counts for nothing.

 

Anyway - Tuesday night, Belper came back from 2 - 0 down to draw 2 - 2 at Brigg Town. We didn't go - it's an awful place and in any case, I went home from work early because of a very heavy cold so wouldn't have ventured up there in any case.

 

Snapper didn't go either which is a pity because young Aaron Pride scored what has been described as a brilliant goal to equalise. Sadly - no photos tho!

 

Two games = 2 draws and so do we consider the glass half full or half empty - unbeaten this season or haven't won this season? You choose! It hasn't helped that top scorer Jon Frogatt has a knee injury which he can't seem to shake off but he was also missing from the last couple of pre-season games so that might not be the sole reason why 2 games = 2 draws! 

 

(And of course - BTFC are still unbeaten in league games for about 17 or 18 games I think - continuing on from last season.)

Next up is near neighbours Holbrook Sports in the FA Cup on Saturday (we beat them quite easily pre-season but as I said - when the real stuff starts..) then on Bank Holiday Monday, at home to Sheffield FC - our old friends from Dronfield.

Things can only get better?

It's That Time of Year Again!

First day of the football season - and I'm full of anticipation, excitement and anxiety!

Yes - proper footy's back - Belper Town are at home to Coalville - apparently the last team to beat us in the league so we owe them one!

Understand the Premier League kicks off today too but ..... Meh!

Me and the Duchess have a decision to make. Do we wear the BTFC scarves or don't we? Haven't worn them all pre-season and Belper won every game (we missed the 0-1 at home to North Ferriby -we were coming back from hols)

Thinking about it - we sat in the stand last Saturday when the team played some of the best footy I've seen from them in a while and we beat Stocksbridge 2-0.

Then again - we stood behnd the goal when we beat Derby County 1-0 - and I put the camera away halfway through......

Oh 'eck!! What to do??!!

Isn't Photoshop Elements Brilliant?

Messing around with pictures taken at Old Moor RSPB Reserve last Friday... using one of the PSE "Sketch" Filters on a shot of a Lapwing .... (click on the pic to "biggerize" it)

Quite pleased with that!

Not A Bad Weekend At All, Thanks!

A summary:

Friday afternoon - Old Moor RSPB Reserve for 3 or 4 hours. Got some lovely shots of Green Sandpiper, Snipe (both never "shot" before), Lapwing and Greenshank. Home about 7:30 pm - bag o' chips and a cuppa. Photos follow when I get a minute.

Saturday afternoon - Belper Town 2-0 Stocksbridge in the last of the pre season friendly games. A well deserved win earned through some of the best footy I've seen the side play pre-season. My pics are here:

http://nortoner09.jalbum.net/2012%2008%2011%20BTFC%202-0%20SPS/

And Snapper Harrison's are here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timharrisonphotography/sets/72157631019657336/

As Snapper said - looks like we got that one covered between us!

Sunday - Archers omnibus, quick sandwich, then a couple of hours in the front garden, trying to make it look a little more respectable! Think I managed it! Then a couple of hours photo editing before settling down to learn how to enter the new season's Sheffield & District Junior Sunday League Under-10s fixtures onto the internet! What a task that is but my teacher is The Duchess so thats a massive help.

Now back at work. An enjoyable weekend as I said but don't they fly by fast?

Quick answer before Sunday dinner....

Yes there is....

Basketball!

Quick Question before Saturday Brunch....

Is there ANYTHING more boring as a "sport" than diving on the telly? Even Olympic diving?

This week's highlight so far

Tuesday evening Belper Town 1 - 0 Derby County XI.

What a good result and performance. Derby started with 5 or 6 with first team experience, including one of the best players I've ever seen in a Nailer's shirt - Tom Naylor.

The team sheets said Derby only had 3 subs, one of them a goalkeeper but the stadium announcer said Nigel Clough was on the bench and would make an appearance. That didn't happen - think he was maybe a bit wary when he saw the way the Belper players set about their exalted counterparts. (Nothing dirty mind - just  high tempo, pressing play which didn't allow the Derby side to settle.)

Mind you - I didn't like the disrespect Clough showed when, in the 2nd half, he changed goalkeepers then a few minutes later, sent the goalkeeper he had just subbed back onto the pitch as a striker, still wearing his green "goalie" shorts. I honestly thought "That's taking the p**s."

Still - we beat 'em fair and square considering that even if the majority of the Rams were not first team regulars, they still train every day and should be fitter and slicker than our lads.

OK - they missed a penalty (and what a miss - about 15ft over the angle of crossbar and post - now that is a difficult skill from 12 yards Ben Davies!), our keeper made at least three world class saves and they hit the crossbar. But Belper also had a couple of very near misses including a goalmouth scramble in the 1st minute and another attempt headed off the line late on.

Apparently, after the game, Clough left the ground in a huff (a Clough huff?) having had a pop at the ref because Belper were "all elbows." Sour loser!! No red or yellow cards were issued although I did notice that every time  a Derby player went down, it looked very serious with lots of "One hand on head whilst clutching seriously injured shin/ankle/knee/back" actions.

Also have to remember Belper were without 2 of our stars - Steve Warne and Jon Frogatt. Warney is on holiday and Jon is injured so we were really "understrength too Cloughy!"

Anyway - Tim Harrison's album is here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/timharrisonphotography/sets/72157630975738706/

I took the camera but only have a few shots. Too busy chatting to friends various - Darlo, Snapper, Steej, Alan, Ian etc, etc. Besides - knew I could rely on Maestro Harrison to get the action!

Stocksbridge Park Steels at home Saturday is the last pre-season friendly before the real stuff starts on August 18th. Can't wait!

Resurrection

OK - I know I said I'd had it with Google and their cash demands but in the last few weeks, I missed blogging and decided to try a new blog but this time in Wordpress.

The blog was entitled "Norton Other One" but to be truthful, I've found that Wordpress is very disappointing in comparison with Blogger.com

My beef with Google was that they allow 1 Gb of free space and Wordpress offers 3Gb. With 1Gb of Blogger space lasting four years or so, I figured Wordpress was the better option as I'd probably get about 12 years worth of "free blog!"

Technically, that is correct but after a few posts using Wordpress, I find it very restrictive compared to Blogger. Using a free Wordpress template (which doesn't look bad tbh) I then found that changes such as font size and text colour are very restricted, unless you pay extra! It seem that about the only thing that can be changed for free is the page backgound colour.

So - I am going to bite the bullet and pay my money for extra Blogger space. Norton Yer Life is therefore (hopefully) re-born!