Giant win at Causeway

Causeway 0 Curzon Ashton 5

17/2/07

Every now and again, the weather works in your favour. I had been unable to attend Vase matches the previous weekend due to an evening engagement. But thanks to heavy snow & rain, 3 of the matches were postponed to this Saturday. I'd visited VCD previously so had to choose between Leamington or Causeway. I decided on Causeway with a mental flip of the coin & prepared maps and timetables for the lengthy journey. I flicked to the Causeway website just before leaving home and discovered that there was a 9:30 pitch inspection, not good when my train left at 9.50. I went to the station and telephoned the club at 9.40 who informed me the game was on. I was greatful to whoever answered the phone, another 10 minutes & I couldn't have taken the risk and would have returned to VCD. It amused me to hear Arsenal fans on my first train discussing who might score their first goal. If only they knew where I was going, I couldn't name a single player at this point, let alone one who might score. The Virgin train from Euston was very busy but stayed on time, I did have one mild panic when the 'train manager' informed us that we were approaching Crewe...He meant Rugby! The train between Birmingham & Dudley Port is the first ever train I've been on which has TV's in each carriage showing Sky News/weather/sport etc. Quite nice actually as everyone else was attracted to the screen whilst I stayed up the other end of the carriage watching the World go by or in this case, watching the Industrial estates go by, not an attractive journey for scenery. I arrived at Dudley Port station, had a 50% chance of turning the right way and got it wrong, fortunately I soon realised. This mis-direction did take me past a chippy so I called in for lunch. I selected Saveloy and chips. I've never seen such yellow looking chips in my life and they were disgusting, I wished I'd taken the assistant up on her offer of curry sauce. Fortunately, the saveloy was OK, but those chips!! I was miffed when 5 minutes later, I passed a perfectly good looking 'Subway'. The ground is about a 2 mile walk from the station along very busy roads but easy enough to find. The clubhouse was packed so I waited outside for the gate to open. this happened about 2:30. I was fourth in the queue and couldn't believe my ears when I was told that there were no programmes. They'd only printed off about40 which had all been sold in the clubhouse. Several travellors mingled inside trying to purchase a programme from somewhere. An official promissed to print off some more and bring them round to us. I waited until kick-off but the programmes never appeared, very disppointing. I was actually buying a cup of tea at the tea hut which also offered curry sauce with chips, does this happen everywhere in the Midlands? Norton comfortable put away the early chance for Curzon. 3 minutes later Curzon won a penalty when Moore was decked in the box. He was pushed in the chest and threw himself to the ground holding his face, disgusting! I try to remain neutral but was delighted when the keeper saved his spot kick. 3 goals in 6 minutes started on 24 mins when Norton scored again when a stray shot inadvertantly put him through. Another penalty was awarded on 26 mins, hard luck on the defender as a flick hit his hand. It was a definite case of ball to hand. Moore this time took a good penalty. On 30 mins, Moore dribbled into the area, changed feet and hit a beauty across goal and in off the inside of the far post, a lovely finished. A shell shocked Causeway tried to lift it in the second half but Curzon killed the game. Curzon still created all the good chances and Norton was so unlucky when a 40 yard chip hit the bar with the keeper ending up caught up in his net. The final goal came on 71 mins when substitute Holt scored easily from a Norton pass.
This victory was as comfortable as the scoreline suggests.
A lengthy trip but well worth the effort.
Next stop, AFC Totton.