An Evolutionary Tale

After last week's trip to Hereford the football league fixture computer has produced another trip to almost Wales. Once again due to the distance and difficult train journey from London there is going to be another poor London Millers turn out. Liz has decided to support Non-League Day and go with Ted to Eastbourne to see their match against Darlington so once again the blog is coming from Little bro. I received an e mail from Jenny letting me know that Dave Finnis, our Australian branch, who was the only other person interested in going to Shrewsbury had now been called back to Australia due to work commitments so in the end the turnout was just me.

Shrewsbury's new ground The Greenhaus Meadow, as it is known this season, is another example of why I'm so relieved we are building the new stadium at Guest and Chrimes in Rotherham town centre Shrewsbury have taken the opposite approach and sited their stadium in open countryside right on the edge of the town. The location of the ground and that fact that I'm not meeting up with anyone else in the town means that I have decided to drive. The decision to drive has an added advantage in that it means I can leave home a lot later then if I'd been going on the train so it means I can be around for the blind man who is visiting us. This is a man who fits blinds not a man who can't see as we've just had a new conservatory roof fitted and we are now having it measured for some new roof blinds.

The drive is fairly easy the M5 being fairly quiet the main holiday season being over. One of the fun things of driving around on a Saturday during the football season is spotting which other supporters are on the road. As there are no premier or championship games this week the usual hoards of Man U fans heading from Cornwall to Old Trafford are missing but I do pass a minibus declaring its self to be the "Bridport Glovers" I'm actually surprised that a town as small as Bridport can actual find enough Yeovil fans to fill a minibus. The journey takes a turn for the worst when just past West Bromwich I join the end of the queue for the M5/M6 junction it takes a slow twenty-minute crawl to get on to the M6 where the traffic flows freely again. I spend most of the queue stuck behind a van from "Elliot's" van hire which I take to be a potential omen although as Tom Elliott wasn't fit to play against Hereford it might not. As it turns out later Elliott does play – well, for 48 minutes anyway.

The Charles Darwin - creationists welcome?

Based on advice from the Internet Football Ground Guide I've decided to park at The Charles Darwin, a pub about 15 minutes walk from the ground. When I get there the car park is remarkably quiet but as the parking is free I'm not complaining. The pub is a typical estate pub that serves an acceptable pint of Banks's. The pub is named after Charles Darwin who was born in Shrewsbury. The pub slowly fills up with Shrewsbury fans who seem remarkably friendly to the few Rotherham fans although I do keep hearing a Basil Fawlty style voice in my head saying "Don't mention the Auto Windscreens Trophy!"

After a couple of pints it's time for a stroll to the ground. The referee today is our old friend Trevor Kettle who will always be remembered for an infamous game at Barnsley when he sent off three Rotherham players and gave Barnsley a goal that never crossed the line. However he did give us a penalty when he refereed us at Crewe last season so I'm prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt unlike a number of Rotherham fans who, as I enter the ground, are telling him exactly what they think of him as he warms up with the other officials.

Former Rotherham captain Ian Sharps, who moved to Shrewsbury in the summer and is now their captain, on the other hand, is given a polite round of applause as the teams are read out.

Shrewsbury start the match the more lively, running at the Rotherham defence and making them look worried. I have the feeling that it's going to be a long afternoon! Mr Kettle then demonstrates that he really is a poor referee when, in the first couple of minutes, Tom Newey goes down in the box with an obvious head injury he just waves play on fortunately Shrewsbury don't score while his is down but in the next attack Rotherham aren't so lucky. Johnny Mullins, who is making his first start at right back because Holden, on loan from Shrewsbury, is ineligible to play, lets Craig Disley get a cross in and Lionel Ainsworth is standing on his own in the middle of the box with an open goal he can't miss. One-nil. It's definitely going to be a long afternoon. Shrewsbury dominate the first half, helped by an ability to fall down very easily which Mr Kettle as falls for every time. However, they are unable to make the possession count and so it's still only a one goal advantage they have at half time.

The match turns early in the second half. After a couple of minutes Elliott has to go off with an injury and is replaced by Paul Warne. Suddenly Rotherham are a different side. Warney's energy seems to be contagious. Shrewsbury are under constant pressure for forty minutes as Rotherham attack after attack batters their goal. Warney is in the faces of the defence and allows Alfie to play a bit more Rooneyesque, slipping back in to the hole in front of midfield, and their defence just can’t cope with that, unable to mark him out of the game as they had tried in the first half. Unfortunately for Rotherham, Shrewsbury could have another potential Joe Hart on their hands as Chris Neal pulls of a string of fine saves, and on the one occasion that he is beaten the whistle has already gone for a foul on him. He also resorts to some serious time-wasting which goes unpunished. On the final whistle Shrewsbury celebrate as if they've already won the league. Just be warned, boys; look where Rotherham were this time last season!

The walk back to the car is a disappointed but not downhearted one. If Rotherham continue to play as they did in the second half then it could be another promising season. I text Liz to let her know what's gone on and get a reply that makes me think the spirit of Mr Kettle has been with her, as she has seen two sendings off and that she has been trying to put the spec on John Terry.

The pub car park is rapidly emptying as I get there and I don't stay to drown any sorrows. One advantage of the pub is it is on the right side of the ground to get an easy escape back to the motorway with not much traffic.

On the way home I listen to Five Live who are also covering Non-League Day on 6-0-6 and happen to mention that John Terry was at Eastbourne. Too late, BBC, you've been beaten to the news once again.