Almost Famous

Monday we climbed the “incense burner” (557 metres above sea level) and at the top, first a solitary guy and later an excited group of students asked if they could have their photos taken with me. One of the males of the group commented that I looked like David Beckham (I don’t remember the glasses and earrings phase either).

Tuesday we headed in the same approximate direction to Yuanmingyuan to see the ruins of the Imperial Palace an Anglo-French force destroyed in 1860. Again I was invited to be in a couple of photos. Later, we met up with a friend from London, Maria, who planned this coincidental trip last year and we met her brother and a couple of her cousins, one of whom is David Lee, a Hong Kong movie and TV star. At the restaurant where we ate they got out the camera and took his picture and requested an autograph, then inexplicably asked me to sign too (later I wished I’d signed Tony Blair). At the bar of the five star hotel we went to later, people stopped talking and pointed (not for me anymore) and one awestruck girl came over just to say hello. Jun was pretty starstruck too.
A text from Joss indicated that Richard Lee is making a bit of a name for himself as a penalty saver, performing the feat again tonight as Watford squandered a 2-0 half-time lead to draw 2-2 at home to Cardiff. JJ and Hoskins scored but Priskin got himself sent off (again) and we were apparently under the cosh from then till the end.

Pause

Carling relief

Watford v Darlington (Carling Cup 2nd Round)
Tuesday 26th August

Realised at a Euston bike-stand that I’d left my keys at home; boarded a train 25 mins later that was cancelled after another 10; squeezed onto a second train which was also cancelled (lost my earphone plastic); had to sort out the fact that Joss’ season ticket hadn’t loaded the payment. We hadn’t missed much when we got in though. Watford were shooting towards us in the Rookery and Tamas Priskin did have a chance not long later. As against Bristol Rovers in the first round, the team was a combination of the young and the bloodied. Lewis Young started and showed potential but Tamas Priskin and Will Hoskins up front together only once produced a move that impressed: a touch and flick that came to nothing.
Young had a shot prevented from crossing the line by Hoskins but Damien Francis scored not long afterwards and we were more concerned with half-time breaks than our lack of domination against a League Two side with two points in three games (a mere 28 more than our erstwhile rivals). There were warning signs as the second half dragged, not least Scott Loach making a very good save low to his left. It was how the evening started, however, that means I could have predicted an injry-time equaliser and extra time. Penalties loomed until substitute John Joe O’Toole netted to relieved cheers with minutes left.

All around me are...

Watford v Bristol Rovers (Carling Cup 1^st Round)

Tuesday 12^th August

Joss met me in the shop having had to go back for his season ticket and we got him the new season’s shirt before queuing at our turnstiles, which will obviously be unable to cope when we get to the league games, and in just after kick-off to our slightly wet seats. Familiar faces behind but not in front: the ground was less than a third full and the glass felt the same way. We needed the programme to identify certain players: Theo Robinson (back from a long loan at Hereford), Ross Jenkins (namesake of one of the Taylor-era greats) and Jon Harley, while Scott Loach made his first start in a game we’ve seen.

It was clear that we were trying to keep the ball on the ground and equally so that we are not yet an accomplished passing side. Will Hoskins, replacing Tamas Priskin – who has a head injury – looked sharp and his low centre of gravity helped him make a few runs that were just a turn or two short of mazy. Robinson also looked dangerous at points but was unable to convert chances he created. At the back, Mat Sadler, Leigh Bromby, Adrian Mariappa and transfer-listed Lloyd Doyley dealt comfortably with the League One’s front men while the midfielders generally negated each other.

We took the opportunity of the break to get warm food and out of the cold and saw on the screens that Moses Ashikodi had put his loan side (Hereford again) ahead at Crystal Palace. “Typical,” I felt. Theo scored loads for them last season and now Moses may do the same. Meanwhile, we can’t score for the proverbial boiled sugar and butter. After half-time we moved back a few rows to avoid the latest shower and endured a half whose highlight was their keeper getting hit with a ball thrown back from the crowd and, five minutes later, retaliating when a kid tried the same thing from the row in front of where we’d been. Philips took some stick the rest of the match for that.

Watford substitutes included Ashley Young’s younger brother Lewis but it was another, Billy Gibson, who had the greater effect. I had not been looking forward to extra-time but fortunately was spared it when Hoskins latched on to a Gibson pass and coolly slotted home. Joss wants Luton at home (partly, I think, to taunt them over their thirty point deduction) but I am easy. This match was not.