The Barrels --- I get a Pavlovian lick of my lips when I hear these two words together. I am indebted to DoDtS for steering me towards this place via 'The Little Gazette' in March, 2009, the last time we played Hereford. It is truly a real ale drinker's paradise. It's got a great range of different beers and particularly promotes those of the Wye Valley Brewery. £2 a pint, charming bar-maids, friendly locals and a spacious smokers' cobbled courtyard surrounded by restored red-bricked outbuildings with fantastic old-fashioned paraphernalia advertising Wills' Star Cigarettes, Big Tree Burgundy (at two shillings and tuppence) and Gold Sunlight Pale Ale from Watkins & Son's Hereford Brewery. It's sunny too and I'm sat over in the corner reading my 'Trotskyite comic' (cf. Sir Rusty) taking in the clientele - mainly wizened old drinker-smokers - as I await the advent of the Blue Army. After my third foray to the bar, I see they've arrived, clustered in the back bar where the Man City-Chelsea game is being shown. 'The Big Shrimp' kindly invites me over and I meet the legendary 'Watermill Wino' and think that if I still lived in Southend, then I would surely travel on this man's bus. There is a no words said, collective stand up cue denoting that Wino's crew are on their way to the game. We roll out of The Barrels and amble off to Edgar Street in gleaming autumn sunshine, which reflects my mellow glow of lunch-time lubrication. I'm in a goodwill to all humankind kind of mood as I wish 'True Blue' a happy birthday before the game starts and munch on a hefty Hereford meat pie whilst trying to work out who's playing with Granty these days.
I rather like Southchurch Groyney's take on watching a game and his appreciation of the general ambience with goings on in the ground rather than the specific minutiae of formations and form, but the collective bemusement at Hereford's early opener served to concern me that my poor record of results watching The Blues last season was set to continue. However, our heads didn't drop and after an iffy opening spell, we clawed our way back into the game and Barry Corr rose tall to bestow a hearty blow to BarnaBlue's pronouncements on his limitations earlier this week with a well-placed headed equaliser from Blair Sturrock's well-placed cross from the right. I was very impressed with this tall Irishman's game - his hold up play, his intelligent touches and awareness of other players - and he reminded me in these respects of of Roy McDonough, though I haven't seen him drink yet. The even newer new boy, Timlin, impressed me too - his cajoling and encouraging of his team-mates belied his newness to the team and showed that he has confidence as he must surely be finding his way with his new colleagues. He certainly had no trouble finding his way to goal with his sublime free-kick in the second half, a quality strike from the midfielder which propelled us into greater dominance of this game. A special mention for Bilel Mohsni too and his rugged and ebullient defending - he looks a great find but I say this without having seen the errors that many of you have witnessed in recent weeks. I liked Simpson and Clohessy too - we look good going forward on the right - and the newest new boy, ('Ken') Jarvis, had a refreshing spikiness about him when he came on as sub. So, all in all, I needn't have worried - we looked comfortable for our win in the end. Hereford rarely threatened and I fear for the League future of this fine club with their fair-minded fans and benign bonhomie.
I would so like to see points awarded to clubs with grounds still in the heart of their community and where you can have a great day out and not have to watch your back. Within my meritocracy of decency, the pies and the ales would have a stake too - so that if I were the 'Red Robbo' dictator of my football universe, I would ensure that the Football League is turned upside down, where it would be a case of The Bulls up this season and with us playing them every year.
