I got into Lincoln about 30 mins before opening time and it's such a lovely sunny day I decide to break with tradition and do a bit of touristy- stuff.Normally I don't walk far into the nicer part of Lincoln but after coming here for many years, it was high time I had a closer look at the cathedral which dominates the town.
(left) Lincoln Cathedral - big ain't it?
The only problem is that it's a bit of a climb to get to it - I went via the cunningly-named Steep Hill and after 10 mins of puffing and blowing I finally got there. An impressive structure but there seems to be quite a lot of repair work going to various parts of the structure.
From there I had a short wander round the edge of the nearby castle and to a new pub for me, the Victoria, a Batemans outlet on Union Road, which sits just outside the castle ramparts. It had a big sign advertising a beer festival but alas that was the previous week.
Nevertheless, they still had a very reasonable range - Batemans XB and Summer Swallow, Landlord, Everards Sunchaser, Exmoor Gold, Castle Rock Harvest Pale and Black Hole's Red Dwarf.
I had the Summer Swallow which was a little disappointing as I've enjoyed the bottled variety on a number of occasions. The best on offer though was the Red Dwarf - a double SIBA award winner which went down very nicely.
John Bell had joined me by this point having made an impressive time up the hill from the station. It would normally have been a pub to spend all lunchtime in but we'd agreed to meet the others in our usual watering hole, the Golden Eagle.
It was quite a schlep but well worth it as they did have a beer festival on. There were a few DAFTS already in situ - Tony and Ray Waters as well as Chris and Simon. We were later joined by Colin, Brian, Doug Embleton and the Meynell father and son combo.
Beers on offer were Castle Rock Screech Owl, Crouch Vale Best Bitter, Springhead Roaring Meg and Libert, Saltaire Elderflower, Wentworth Oatmeal Stout, Batemans XB and the 9% Double IPA from the Alehouse Brewery.(right) Tony tells it like it is while John nabs a scratching
I started on the Crouch Vale which was OK but a little dull - I moved onto the Screech Owl, another SIBA award winner which I've had before and was happy to have again. Despite being 5% it is very drinkable, almost sessionable.
I also got a half pint of the Alehouse IPA so we could all have a try - it was quite murky but tasted OK albeit it a little warm - a lot of hops but unfortunately too sweet for most of us.
Final beer for the lunchtime was the ever reliable Wentworth Stout - one of my favourite stouts and one of the few good things to come out of Rotherham - though it was annoying to have it served up in a jug instead of a proper glass.
We made it to the game just in time for kick-off but it wasn't long before we were regretting turning down Brian's suggestion that we stay in the pub - but then it's the same suggestion every weekend and we don't really give it the serious consideration it merits. One day we'll actually do it. On this performance it will be quite soon.
Three minutes gone and we're 1-0 down. And then it's 2-0 after half an hour - just like the opening day at Aldershot when we look like a team that doesn't know each other.
As the first-half mercifully draws to a close, I try and persuade the others to cut short our losses and go to the pub - there appears no way back from this judging by the lack of effort being shown out on the pitch.
To his credit, Colin stays loyal and suggests we stick it out but when the third goal is scored just before the hour is up they all come round to my way of thinking and we leave.
It's not like me to get up and leave early - normally it's only done to catch a train - but it was clear that the players were not interested so why should I? (left) Brian tries to not look back in anger
We head off to our usual post-match pub - the Treaty of Commerce - and try and persuade the locals that we've left early as we're winning. They're not that daft.
I can't remember what beer I had but it was woeful and I hardly touched it.
I had plans to leave in good time to catch the train to Newark but I get a phone call from Chris - who is actually in the same pub but out of sight - that he's found some rail tickets in the away end and do I know who they belong to?
Yes, I did as I'd only handed them over to Martin Deans before kick-off! So I collect them from Chris and call Martin who was in the ground frantically searching for them (even searching the pitch for some reason!). By the time all this was sorted I'd missed my train to Newark.
Instead I got the next train an hour later in the company of Chris and Simon - we had to walk from Newark Castle station to Newark Northgate but happily for them we pass a supermarket so they could take on beer. More importantly it allowed me to get haddock, chips and scraps from the Appleton Gate fish bar, one of the best chippies on the League 2 circuit.
To add insult to injury the train was running 30 mins late which at least allowed Chris and Simon time to nip back to the chippy - they couldn't resist after seeing mine. Watch and learn from the master, boys!
Finally the train arrives - I leave the other two as I'm in first class today where thankfully it's nice and quiet and I can try and dwell on the good parts of the day...
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