It had been a strenuous, tension filled set of weekdays, but at last, after all the travel and worry, I could relax a little. The people around me were out of hospital. Not out of the woods just yet, but still, that had to be good. The relief coursed through me. I wished I could have their illnesses for them, but failing that, knowing they're getting better was great.
The first half had over-run due to injury, and they'd also over-run the half time interval, ensuring the second half kicked off at ten past 4. Now with this delay, possibly permanent, the colder getting colder, my mind was made up. I was leaving just before 5 to get the bus home no matter what. I was too tired, too cold, too hungry to hang around and see the end of a foregone conclusion.
I slope off, absolutely frozen, not bothered in the slightest I've missed a fifth Rovers goal, as I'd probably have not noticed it anyway. Brentwood have won 4-0 away. Chelmsford have thumped Colchester in the FA Cup 3-1. Bloody hell, what an upset. I'm genuinely chuffed for them.
It left me with the unusual situation of a weekend of football but absolutely nothing planned. Both Southend sides, Canvey, East Thurrock and Billericay were all at home and in easy reach. But I was absolutely knackered. Rovers were at home, just up the road, and I had my season ticket. To Burroughs Park I ventured again.
No radio coverage as I didn't know if or when I might be off to another trip to a hospital. Instead it was going to have to be the twitter feed updates for the listeners this week. It's amazing these days what you can do from a phone in your pocket. You can't bastard well call someone, mind, because of the bloody awful signal, but still.
Another unusual thing for me. Able to leave home way after 2pm and be at the game easily in time for the 3pm kick-off. Sending out the good luck messages to Caroline Barker and everyone else at Chelmsford City.
After that momentous replay they have another potentially massive day ahead of them with the visit of Col Ewe. Even watched the F1 qualifying when it was being done rather than catching up in the wee small hours. Blimey, I could get used to this
With the sun out, the wander to the bus stop felt good. The trees were multi-coloured and the autumnal warmth was taking the chill out of the wind that was blowing. It was nice to be out and about, and wonderful without the worries of whether those close to you were okay. I was going to enjoy this.
By the time I was at Burroughs Park though, it had clouded over and the mildness had disappeared. It was now the look and feel of a typical winter afternoon and I could feel the coldness start to seep into my fingers and toes.
Bowers & Pitsea, today's opponents of the table topping Great Wakering Rovers, must have felt a chill in their bones for entirely different reasons. For a number of seasons, the club had suffered from players and coaching staff that shouted a lot more than they delivered. Four years on the trot, yapping online about every win or ground improvement belied the fact they'd had bottom half finishes.
They're not alone in that, mind. It seems to be a depressing trait in South Essex for players, managers, and coaching staff to boast about how great they are, no matter what. Perhaps I'm getting old, that it's the done thing to crow consistently, under that tedious guise of 'banter'.
How about letting your football on the pitch do the talking? It's the emptiest of vessels that make the most noise. And some in the ESL currently makes a lot of it. Anyway, I digress, there I was, in the space of a few minutes from feeling great to feeling cold, feeling grumpy. I'm definitely getting old. I certainly feel it as the sides kick off.
I should be relaxing and watching the game, taking it all in and letting the world pass by for a couple of hours. But I'm there on my todd and it feels, well, not right. I feel disconnected from the pitch as Rovers tear into Bowers from the off.
I revert to the welcoming arms of twitter and updating the Phoenix FM feeds from matches in the region and elsewhere. Brentwood go 2 up, East Thurrock go 2 down. Rovers are 2 up as well, but, of course, I miss both goals. I'm feeling more at home now.
There's a few visiting supporters, and they start to feel the same way I do. They start to chat amongst themselves and they, like me, miss the Rovers third. It's a bit too easy for the hosts. Easy is not the way to describe Colchester's visit to Chelmsford. Trailing to the Conference South outfit. Bloody hell.
The temperature drops further and I start to shiver. To try to take my mind off the cold, I thumb through the programme. I idly scan the Bowers club history. And there it is.
Len Salmon, inventor of CornSalmon, the world's leading corn based, salmon flavoured snack. I snuck that into the club history as a piss take years ago. I couldn't believe my eyes to see it still there. Chortle.
The second half wears on and, at long last I see a goal. Rovers go 4-0 up with a spectacular tap-in. Then, if the lights have gone out for Bowers already, it has done for the rest of us. The generator trips and the floodlights go out.
The first half had over-run due to injury, and they'd also over-run the half time interval, ensuring the second half kicked off at ten past 4. Now with this delay, possibly permanent, the colder getting colder, my mind was made up. I was leaving just before 5 to get the bus home no matter what. I was too tired, too cold, too hungry to hang around and see the end of a foregone conclusion.
Thankfully, for the rest of the punters, the electrician gadgie gets the lights back on and the show is back on the road. A little while later, I slowly make my way out of the ground, passing a couple that do very little talking but simply support their boy.
Dale Gladen's mum and dad are there at every game he plays, win, draw or - as today - lose. Thoroughly decent people and their lad is maturing into a very handy player. The league needs more people like these two around.
I slope off, absolutely frozen, not bothered in the slightest I've missed a fifth Rovers goal, as I'd probably have not noticed it anyway. Brentwood have won 4-0 away. Chelmsford have thumped Colchester in the FA Cup 3-1. Bloody hell, what an upset. I'm genuinely chuffed for them.
I get home and, for some reason, my entire body feels exhausted. Perhaps the week has caught up with me. I end the day as I spent last weekend though. Watching Ross County. Thank you BBC Alba. Finally, I'm warm. Finally, I have a game on that I can pause and rewind rather than miss. It's nothing like being there but, just for today, it's my preferred option.
No doubt about it. I'm already grumpy. But now I'm getting old.
Great Wakering Rovers 5, Bowers & Pitsea 0.
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