Friday, 8 August 2025

HERE GOES, SON... (My poem inspired by Leigh Lambert's painting about St James' Park soccer stadium, Newcastle...)

 Here Goes, Son…

(My poem inspired by Leigh Lambert’s painting…)



The father leans down to his son, likely hesitant

About this day of days and his first Toon match.

A moment. An assurance. An anointment.

The allowing of a footballing religion to pervade

His young life, to excite, to emote, to feel depressed,

To weep for, to forgive, to thrill at and yet to feel a camaraderie…


There are flat caps and bobble hats, even a top hat upon one vibrant

Male head, one of a mischief of magpies lured to watch

An encounter. A tussle. An entertainment.

The cheering of players, a life’s commitment made.

Here goes the son, to savour, to believe, to be impressed,

To grieve for, to urge, to yell at and yet to feel like a real Geordie…  


Pete Ray

8th August 2025…

   

Newcastle United’s original St James’ Park features on the painting, a shrine for supporters and no doubt once a Mecca for coal-mine workers to make a fortnightly pilgrimage to. 


An escape, a relief, a joy…


I don’t recall my first ever soccer game because I was a very young child, held at Villa Park by my father one Saturday afternoon in the early 1950s.


It was a reserve team match, Aston Villa v Blackpool, for whom Stanley Matthews was playing…

EMERGING VICTORIOUS... (My poem inspired by Leigh Lambert's painting...)

 Emerging Victorious…

(Inspired by Leigh Lambert’s painting…)



Cloned housing, repetition chimneys and a cobbled stone

Road, like a bland, silver-grey mosaic

Forms a lifeless stage beneath a troubled sky,

Its dark ash scored by trails above a placid sea.


Enthralled civilians hear the fighters’ disturbing drone,

The diligent ARP wardens watch, motionless, static,

As boys skit about with arms raised as wings to fly

Like the Spitfires and Hurricanes they hurry to see.


And victorious they emerge after deeds well done,

Glorious predators soaring, bold and heroic,

Offering crumbs of comfort for the Home Front awry,

 With the promise of peace and the hope to remain free…


Pete Ray

7th August 2025…   

Wednesday, 6 August 2025

CAN WE BUY IT? (My new poem about Leigh Lambert's painting...)

 Can We Buy It?

(My poem inspired by Leigh Lambert’s painting…)



There is order. A street where memories are stored.

Litter is absent. A reminder of quieter days.

Hats for the older folks. Fashions restrained still,

Following austerity and the wartime rationing phase…


There’s a tea-room. A toasted teacake springs to mind.

A busy newsagent’s. An incongruous French boutique…

But there’s a shop for toys and games too, where a lad’s 

Gaze has fallen upon a pedal racing car, strangely unique…


There is a moment. A pause. A pointing finger.

Flames on a black shell. Wheels painted red and bright.

The father then leans to hear his son’s meek request,

“Can we buy it?” he asks, his entreaty polite…   


My pedal-racer was red. It bore the number six in white.

It was acquired by my father from someone he knew.

It was splendid really, though in truth I preferred a ball,

As my joy in playing soccer and cricket inexorably grew… 


Pete Ray

5th August 2025…


The painting so reminded me of my pedal-car, which was acquired by my dad from a family he called upon for their insurance payments.



Interestingly, the boy who had owned the car was Bob Carolgees, TV personality and famous for his puppet, Spit the Dog…


Bob’s real name was Robert Johnson…



COVENTRY COLLIERY 5-0 CASTLE VALE TOWN... THE INDEPENDENT GAME REPORT + SCREENSHOTS...

 Spitfires Left Grounded At Hawkesmill….


Coventry Colliery 5-0 Castle Vale Town…


The Mowdog’s thoughts…


Despite beginning this game in a lively manner, Vale struggled on offence and the home defence was offered little real threat to deal with. Indeed, the only save home goalie Nathan Pearce made was from a shot struck after an offside flag had waved.


However, whilst still 3-0 behind during the second period, replacements Rayarn Henry and the tricky Emad Suliman added some fizz to their team’s performance, although skipper and striker Jordan McKenzie and winger Idris Oyeniyi were unable to cause awkward problems for the dominant hosts.


A fine hat-trick by Bryan Badu Wa badu spearheaded Colliery’s performance, added to by rather unusual late efforts by central striker Ty Wilson and replacement Liam Kennedy, leaving Vale wondering how cruel football can be, no doubt.


This was a 6.35 kick-off and the encounter would start on time and subsequently finish in daylight, so credit to the officials and to the players for getting to Hawksmill promptly, where the pitch was dry and very hard…  


The Colliers’ close calls…


The insistent home winger Will Burns drove into the side-netting early on, then Wilson forced a low save from Vale’s Joel Chadwick with an angled shot, before Sununur Bah Bah headed over the target. Badu Wa badu couldn’t quite control the ball in front of goal but then struck three times before the break with an unstoppable display of clinical finishing.


WILSON CAN'T GET OVER A HEADER BUT THE REFEREE HAD SPOTTED AN INFRINGEMENT ANYWAY...

Burns nearly added goal four before half-time but Chadwick did well to deflect the winger’s effort with an outstretched leg.


CHADWICK SAVES FROM BURNS WITH A LEG...

After the interval, a low Burns drive from an angle again was saved by Chadwick, then both Will Hawkins and Kennedy headed just over the crossbar, with the latter’s effort very close, before Wilson curled a shot wide.


CHADWICK WOULD SAVE THIS ANGLED EFFORT FROM BURNS...

HAWKINS HEADS TOO HIGH...

KENNEDY'S GLANCING HEADER NEARLY GRAZED THE CROSSBAR...


Two more goals followed to deflate the Spitfires and finally, Chadwick saved low from Wilson’s measured shot as time ebbed away.

CHADWICK SAVES LATE ON FROM WILSON...



The five goals…


A smart lifted pass from deep was chested down in front of goal by the poorly covered Badu Wa badu and he drilled an easy goal past the helpless Chadwick to open the scoring.


1-0 FROM CLOSE RANGE BY WA BADU...

Burns scorched along the left flank and centred low, with several Spitfires watching, which left Badu Wa badu free in front of goal to rap home goal two.


BURNS' CROSS...

...& WA BADU'S FINISH FOR 2-0...


The third goal stemmed from a clever lifted pass along the right-wing by Hawkins, the ball was taken forward by lively wingback Brad Taylor and he got the better of Vale full-back Tamjir Malik, before driving a low cross from the byeline towards the 18 yard line. Although Wilson and a defender failed to connect with it, Badu Wa badu did and smacked a fine rising drive past Chadwick from the 18 yard line. 


TAYLOR'S LOW CENTRE...

...& WA BADU FIRES IN A SHOT...

...WHICH FLIES PAST CHADWICK FOR 3-0...


Well into the second period, the Colliers eased in two more goals, the first by Wilson, whose low shot was nearly stopped by Chadwick but the ball deflected really slowly off the goalminder’s right glove and rolled into the left corner of the net before the gloveman could recover.


WILSON'S LOW SHOT...

...IS SLOWED BY CHADWICK'S HAND BUT GOES INTO THE NET FOR
4-0...


The final strike was typical of how things worked out for Vale during the evening, for a simple centre from the right was punched by Chadwick straight at Kennedy, 12 yards out and he simply hooked his right foot out as the ball approached him. The ball struck his raised boot, bounced goalwards and although Dan Wyatt tried desperately to keep the ball out of goal, frustratingly it trickled inside the right stick… 

AN INSTINCTIVE FLICK OF THE BOOT BY KENNEDY...

...& THE BALL ROLLS INTO THE NET FOR 5-0...



The final words…


Home skipper Conor Halton was the go-to person in midfield and although a few passes went a little astray, he kept at it and made such a valuable contribution for his team. 


Bah Bah and Badu Wa badu were both effective for their team and when Prince Amankwaah was introduced, he executed some cool moments… 


Burns was a danger, Wilson a handful, Taylor dealt with Spitfire Oyeniyi well enough and also added spice to his team’s attacking whenever he ventured forward.


Liam Cawley at left-wingback made good supporting runs for Burns throughout the match and Pearce, although untroubled, displayed good handling when called upon.


RARE ACTION FOR PEARCE...

Vale found the going tough but as a team, they fought unflinchingly throughout the evening but were unrewarded, although late on, Suliman caused the occasional scare for Colliery but most of his better work happened from downtown…


DUNLEVY WOULD BE CAUTIONED FOR THIS FOUL BUT THE VALE MIDFIELDER WAS INDUSTRIOUS THROUGHOUT FOR HIS TEAM...

A fine win for the Colliers and they currently have two wins and eleven goals from a pair of early home contests in the MFL’s Division 3…