Cod Almighty | Diary

Diary - Saturday 31 December 2005

31 December 2005

Hello from Cod Almighty's Leeds office. The room where the radio that receives Radio Humberside sits in a room that is currently being "flea bombed", and - in the absence of a gas mask - out of bounds. The club's official matchday commentary fails to connect, just for a change. So, an afternoon relying on the BBC videprinter, Five Live and the club's official SMS text message service. With the game in its dying moments time to rattle out a quick new year's eve diary. Talking of the SMS service there goes my phone... Oooo! Is it a late winner for Town or Wrexham? It's... It's... It's... Michael Reddy scoring the equaliser half an hour ago. So much for the action as it happens.

But wait! Five Live have just said that Town have scored! HOORAY! Paul Bolland's been sent off! GAH! A quick look at the OS shows that Town's hero is established goal machine Glen Downey, which takes his tally this season to a goal in every other apperance (or, even better, one goal in 85 minutes). Is it too late to get this man a new year's knighthood? Further reading explains that Paul Bolland hasn't actually been sent off: "After consulting the fourth official the referee realised his mistake - that he hadn't booked Bolland already - and so the sending off decision was wiped out by the match official." Phew. Right at the end of the game, Wrexham did have a player sent off and Stevie Mildenhall was "attacked by a Wrexham fan who had run on to the pitch." Excitement and drama in Wales, eh! If you saw it, let us know with your eyewitness accounts.

All of which means that's three wins on the bounce for Town during the Chrimbo hols, their best festive sequence since, oooo, a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. Resultantly this leaves affairs at the top of division four the same as 1:30 this afternoon, when Wycombe kicked off their eventual win over Brizzle Rovers. The Chairboys have 48 points, Town have 46, and Leyton Orient are a further three points adrift after a 1-0 victory over Notts County. Town's next opponents, Carlisle, ground out a 2-1 win over Rochdale.

Your diarist is rubbing his hands with glee at the prospect of entering 2006 with the Mariners flying so high. Well done to the lads for a cracking start to the season, and a big up to Russ for defying all his many knockers (one of which would have been me in the summer). Monday's game should be a belting cracker.

So, since my daughter seems to be screaming that she's stepped into her full potty, I'll leave the last words to the club's official pissy pithy SMS service: Glen Downey has scored; Paul Bolland has been sent off. Er, can I have my 10p back for that Bolland sending off please?

Up the Mariners!