After completing my A Levels and before embarking on University life, I visited some elderly relatives in Poole. They were a cantankerous couple and my great uncle ruined my enjoyment of Top of The Pops one evening with some deeply inappropriate comments.
Such glorious memories are evoked whenever Menston Rangers play Pool, as they did today, at a rain soaked St Mary's. Poole in Dorset may be some 281 miles from Pool in West Yorkshire but as Forrest Gump said as he embarked on that famous run between the two locations, 'there’s an awful lot you can tell about a person by their shoes.'
After nine consecutive victories, Menston were in no mood to ease up and when Miller opened the scoring early on with a great header from a pinpoint Boughan free kick, it looked as though the afternoon might be a comfortable one. Pool, however, were not easily potted and were dangerous with the long ball throughout the opening half. But the Menston defence stayed strong and man of the match Casey put in a faultless performance as he marshalled things at the back.
Things remained tight in the second half and while the score stayed at 1-0 there was always the possibility that Pool would get back into the match. A nerveless Texel was called into action on a couple of occasions but Machell settled things down with a second for the home team. The last 15 minutes were relatively comfortable, with Fleming, full of energy and control, standing out.
With over half of the season still to play, Rangers find themselves in a great position in the league.