Groundhopping journeys

 Back to the West Yorkshire league for a Wednesday evening fixture vs Bramhope. There is even a food hut at the ground, although we ate pre match at the excellent village bakery just up the road in Rawdon, as well as a drink in the sun outside The Emmott Arms. The game started a couple of minutes late from 630pm, most of the players seemed very late arriving. Horsforth were sluggish in possession and Bramhope were sharp and incisive. Bramhope took the lead from a floated free kick in, everyone seemed to leave it and it was headed into an empty net. They double their advantage with a fine low finish to the bottom corner. They then rattled the crossbar as shots reigned in on the Horsforth goal. Horsforth had a good five minute spell and got one back from a corner, headed back across goal and tapped in.  After a quick half time break Bramhope picked up where they left off, a low cross in and stooped over came in at the back post with a flying header. A fourth was added late on as...

 This was a game that we had much anticipated, with the home of Linfield being Windsor Park, the recently developed national stadium of Northern Ireland. We arrived at the ground in good time as is the norm for me, however even the car park area outside is shuttered off to the public until about an hour before kick off. Given the surrounding area I can maybe see why this is, it's not the best. As we jumped out of the taxi we were greeted by PSNI and the armoured jeep, I think he was enquiring as to who we were but I'm not sure he was any wiser after our conversation! He did however advise we could enter from the gate we were stood at which was good. I spent the next half hour walking along the path towards the railway Bridge where there are various interesting historical posters attached, telling you about past big moments at Windsor, including when current Linfield manager David Healy netter the winner in a 1.0 victory over England in (I think) 2015. Into the ground and there ...