GAME DAY 144 - SUNDAY 6th FEBRUARY 2022 - NEVER TOO OLD!

 Game 144 - NEVER TOO OLD!

Raith Rovers 35s 7 Vs 4 Livingston 35s

STADIUM - Starks Park, Kirkcaldy

COMPETITION - Friendly

DATE - Sunday 6th February 2022

KICK OFF - 16:00

PITCH - Artificial

PROGRAMME - No

COST - N/A

SCORE BOARD - No

CLOCK - No

ATTENDANCE - 2

PENALTY - Yes a few (I scored one)

RED CARD - No

GOALS - Livi - Kilpatrick (Pen), Stevenson (Pen), Laing, Mohadeb
MILES TRAVELLED - 71 approx

Things were going to be very different for GAME DAY 144 of the Groundhopping, It would be Raith Rovers 35s Vs Livingston 35s who I recently started training with. So whereas usually I just come to watch the football, today I would be playing, making my debut with long time buddy Dave Charleston, also donning the Livingston shirt for the first time.

We arrived nice and early, grabbing the grub of champions from a local takeaway. Bacon cheeseburgers, chips and fizzy drinks would be the fuel of today. All consumed in a car on the seafront in the pissing rain, kinda how I always imagined Messi and the rest do it 😂

Arriving earlier than most we had to Squeeze in (Break in) through the away end body shaming turnstiles, the prematch meal being quickly regretted, however it was pretty damn tasty!

Marked out a little when we were to get changed, me and Dave recieving our first full kits.

THE GROUND

Starks park, Kirkcaldy! One of my favourite grounds due to its really old fashioned style and quirky look, absolutely love it! This was also one of the first places to embrace my groundhop twitter, sharing a pic of mine from the game against Falkirk, garnering me the most views to that date.

THE PREDICTION

Raith being one of the better teams in the 35s range, they were the firm favourites.

DOWN TO THE ACTION!

Great start by Livingston who put together some really good passing play. I was glued to skippy, checking exactly what would be expected of me.

About 30 minutes in Scott Curran was brought down in the box, Sean stepped up and put away the penalty 1-0.

I got brought on to replace Skippy up front just before half time, livi going into the half 1-0 up.

Second half Raith came out firing on all cylinders and quickly went 2-1 ahead.

15 minutes into the second half Livingston got another penalty, which I immediately got the ball and placed on the spot. Hoping nobody would claim it as I was the new guy, I looked towards Kev who nodded and gave me the go ahead.

I deliberately gave a nervous look down to the left, like it was an accident, striking the ball top right, keeper move left then planted....POW! (Scott Shand won the penalty, so cheers 😁)

I did feel pretty confident for a free kick not long after, but Kev wasn't letting me take that one lol.

We went 3-2 up following a decent bit of play that seen me cutting back a ball from inside the box on the right near the touchline. I put it back across goal to Keith who tucked it away.

Kev would then get the fourth after a solo mazing run, leading to a cracking goal across the keeper into the corner.

Could have had another assist but the goal was chopped off for oofside.

After this Raith started to get on top of things, taking control of the game and pulling ahead.

 

There were some meaty challenges during the game with Franny being an absolute destroyer for Livingston at times. Kev could have walked for a brutal challenge, but didn't even get booked.

IN CLOSING

This was a pretty kick ass experience all round, as a Groundhopper you love travelling and seeing new stadiums, so to be able to play in one of your favourites in your first ever 11 aside game is pretty sweet, to score was even better. Huge thanks to everyone who helped make it happen.

Raith in the end deserved the win, but the 7-4 flattered to deceive a little. To think just over 3 weeks ago the Raith guys were nice enough to offer me the chance on twitter to come get a kickabout on the pitch, only for me to come back now to stick one past them 😜

Turnstiles & Terraces - MAN OF THE MATCH

NO DANGER!!! am I singling out one player and getting ripped at training.... that is of course if anyone from the club ever reads this lol. Would be a sure fire way to have folk fall out with me, so it is easier if I just avoid all the trouble and say......Me! lol

EXTRAS

Woke up the following day walking about like I have spent the night with that woman from the film Misery 😂

Hastie had made a promise on the touchline when I came on, that if I scored he would retire... so everybody keep your eye out for the retirement party at Livi Stadium. (Cheers Bigyin)

So it only took me 40 years on the planet to finally get in a team, play a game of 11 aside and score in a Stadium. Never give in, you are never too old. Always enjoyed my younger years growing up playing football with my mates, watching it on TV, listening on radio, playing  Fifa. Never thought about trying to get in a team (thought I would hang out with my mates playing footy forever) and when I did, I shat it! you never get the time back, so just do it now!

A massive thanks to Kick Mental Health, if it wasn't for starting there I would never have gotten back into most things, given the Pandemic and both mental and physical health complications.

This isn't aimed to be a look at me or an attention post (I am annonymous) but more for if someone reads it and it can help them!

A small clip of the game...

MATCH STATS

Played 1 - Goals 1 - Assists 1 - Bookings 0 

Raith Rovers over 35s squad  - Photo Courtesy of (capturethroughthelensc.smugmug.com)

The Livingston over 35s minus one camera shy member lol 

Photo Courtesy of (capturethroughthelensc.smugmug.com)

Captains ready for Kick off - Photo Courtesy of (capturethroughthelensc.smugmug.com)

Hastie on his way to his car to grab his gear, after we found out someone who shall not be named and shamed...turned up at Livingston instead of Kirkcaldy lol (Hastie was recieving lots of supportive comments from his team here)