second half at the Galpharm
I don’t know. London one day, Huddersfield the next. How blessed am I to be able to flit from one dynamic hub of English heritage to another with such ease?
Match tickets were easier to get for this game than last week at Elland Road, for some reason. It began well – for Gillingham. They scored within the first minute then decided to defend the goal for the next 90. This meant football at its most dire for half an hour with the goalie taking forever with his goalkicks and other deliberate delaying tactics guaranteeing a restless crowd. Luckily Lee Novak lost his marker and equalised on 40 minutes and Jordan Rhodes drilled in a close range header in injury time so we went in 2-1 up.
At half time we had the obligatory routines from the Huddersfield Town Cheerleaders. I have mixed feelings about cheerleading at football matches. For a start, its American. If we must have dancing at half time, bring on the Morris Men, I say. Second, some of the moves the young girls do (and they are only young, some of them – 7 or 8 years old) are too suggestive and that worries me. Third and following on from that point, what does this say about the role of girls at football matches? Half time entertainment and titillation? Aren’t we beyond that now? But on the other hand, I guess the girls participating are keeping fit – some of the routines are complex and worthy of any gymnast. They’re also competing as a team and all that. But I don’t know. I’m not convinced.
Huddersfield Town's Cheerleading Team
We also had the ‘Hit the Crossbar Challenge’ A home fan and an away fan, together with various dignitaries get three goes at hitting the crossbar. Exactly as it says on the tin. Not to be taken seriously.I think the prize is 10p or something.
The second half began as lacklustre as the first thirty minutes but eventually warmed up. Town play well when they keep the ball ‘on the deck’ as my husband calls it. It was the first anniversary of Lee Clarke, the Town Manager’s appointment. With Town 5th in the league, he must be celebrating it with head held high tonight.
Man of the Match (Lee Novak) was voted for by the crowd texting in their votes. I’ve never seen this happen before and it goes back to what Cally Poplak said on Thursday about the digital age ruling. Who’d ever have predicted fans using their mobiles to vote for man of the match. Not me, guv.