Bedlington v Rothbury
Combination Cup Semi-Final
Saturday 18 January 2020, kick-off 2.00pm.
Maybe not tonight, but tomorrow night, for sure, the
Rothbury players will start to feel that nervous anticipation that you used to get
as a kid before Christmas.
Some will dream of scoring the winner, maybe netting a
couple…perhaps someone else will have one of those nightmares where your legs
feel like lead and you can’t hit the target for love nor money. While an
Octopus grins at you from the goals. And it rains tiny cans of Stella.
The last semi-final I was involved in, the pressure got so
great that my wife says I sat bolt upright in bed in the middle of the night, shouted
‘To Infinity…and Beyond!” then slumped back into my pillow. And I wasn’t even
playing. Or that keen on Toy Story.
Honest.
The build-up to a big game can do funny things like that
psychologically. Because however cool you try to play it all week at work,
these are the games that we all want to play in.
Finals are great, but the pressure has been alleviated
somehow. You’re there, you’ve made it. Semi-finals are the real test of nerve
and the difference between ecstatic joy and crushing disappointment.
“There’s definitely excitement at the club. Everyone looks forward
to these sorts of games - they’re what you put all the hard work in for,” said Rothbury
boss Dan Herron ahead of the Reds trip to Bedlington. The two sides met last
month on an artificial surface where the hosts ran out 2-1 winners in a tight
game and Herron is hopeful that the weather eases off ahead of the fixture.
“We’re hoping the wind dies off for sure. We like to play on
the deck but the wind can spoil a match - especially on 4G. The lads said the
wind was an issue at Wallsend last Saturday.”
“The last time out at Bedlington was a weird game. Whoever
scored first was going to win it. The 4G is always a contentious one to be
honest, it should in theory be good for us because we play that type of
football, but I think it spoils a game personally. It doesn’t feel like a
proper match, it’s also tough because the teams who have it as their home venue
are used to it,” he continued.
“Nevertheless we’re looking forward to it and will do our
best to adapt to the pitch. The squad is looking good, everyone will be right
up for it!”
The Rothbury manager is hopeful that a large number of the
Reds faithful will make the short trip to South East Northumberland to cheer
the side on as they look to book a spot in their first Alliance showpiece.
“We’d love to see a massive crowd there to be honest, it
will give the boys a lift,” he continued.
“Making the final would be massive for us. We won the league
last year which was a great feeling, but there’s something different about
playing under the lights in a final. Although winning the league is a much higher
honour, there’s nothing like a cup final drama…here’s hoping we get there!”
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