It's been a long season....

We started our second season of local hopping on July 19th 2008, and so far we have taken in 80 games with probably another 15 to go!

This season has been terrific -- visited 24 venues, seen 80 games with 289 goals at an average of about 3.66 per game. The last three games though, have yielded only three goals !!! I know compared to some of the "serial hoppers" we are just playing at it, but what the hell -- it's been quite a ride so far!!

With the Cup finals coming up and seasons ending late due to the poor winter (!), we will be watching games right up until the 16th May....it's been a long season so far, and to be quite honest I feel ready for a break....but I'm sure I can manage another 4 weeks or so!! We've seen tight games, real classic games, right 'ammerings, high scoring games, a few 0-0's, sendings off galore and more than our share of on and off the field incidents.

But up until the Ilkeston / Eastwood game on Good Friday, we have never felt uneasy at a game...we weren't scared or fearful, just uneasy. We were standing in the bottom corner of the ground, just away from all the goings on, but it was a night for watching your back and hoping the gates would be open in case we needed to make a quick exit.

The crowd figure of 2288 is fantastic for a non-league game and, as was obvious from the lack of organisation at the NMG, totally unexpected. With a police helicopter, police dog teams, dozens of squad cars, police vans, police motorcycles and countless officers eventually on hand - just how much did this cost the Derbyshire Constabulary?

Putting this behind us, it should be a bit more sedate over the next couple of days. We are planning to visit Rainworth, Sutton and Calverton... and not only will the atmosphere be different at these games, but we are hoping to rack up a few goals as well........

So onwards and upwards, as they say -- Kirlington Road here we come.

Oh, and this is just for my friend Gordon Foster at Rainworth :-

7 visits to Kirlington Road this season

Record in league games P5 W3 D2 L0

v Scarbro 1-0

v Appleby Frod 1-0

v Brighouse 1-1

v Ponte Colls 1-1

v Bottesford 3-0

Record in other games P2 W0 D0 L2

v Stourbridge 1-3 FA Cup

v Dunkirk 1-3 FA Vase