Please Can I Have Some Moore?

After what seems like ages, it was looking good for our first home Saturday fixture since mid-December. And not just any old fixture either, we were playing our friends from South Yorkshire so it promised to be an interesting day.

I left home just after 6am - the District line is out of action on our stretch so it means taking a bus, the DLR and then finally a tube to King's Cross. The journey time isn't that much greater but it's a bit of a pain.

I'm ready for my breakfast today and it's off to Da Vinci's as usual. Today I discover that toast and chips make a very tasty combination - I've never had a toasted chip butty before but I will from now on.

The Three Gentleman from South Norwood - Andy, Chris and Paul - join Martin and I in the cafe. Andy and Paul opt for the no. 3 which is bascially everything - Chris plays it safe and does without the chips.

Martin and I are on the 8:30am train so we leave TTGOSN to their grub - the London Millers obviously need their beauty sleep and have opted to take the 9am. Meanwhile John Wilson has beaten all of us and is already on his way having caught the 7am train.

Chris S meets us at the station, complete with his bike as he's going up for a few days. And quelle surprise, it isn't long before him and Martin are arguing - this time about the merits or otherwise of Big Bad Baldy Bazza Conlon. I keep well out of it as this argument because - like those on Keltie and Convery - it never goes anywhere.

Thankfully they stop - Chris reads his book, Martin studies football form in his huge pile of papers for his pools coupon and I contemplate life as I gaze out of the window. It's a grey, foggy day out there - hopefully not too foggy at the Arena.

It's all very quiet at Bank Top station when we arrive on time - a few Rotherham fans get off having joined at Doncaster - and it's a damn sight colder up here.

(left) Julia, Paul and Andy in the Quaker

On offer today at the Quaker House we have Green Jack Canary Pale Ale; Rudgate Eric Bloodaxe and Bramling Cross; Marston Moor Matlock Mild and Mongrel; Marstons Burton Bitter; Jarrow Joblings Swinging Gibbett; Bank Top Dark Mild; Idle Brewery's Cooper and Allendale Endeavour.

I'd just got myself sorted with my first drink when Tony and then John walk in - more Canary Pale Ale. A canny drop.

Next beer is the Cooper from Doncaster's Idle brewery - a bit sweet and floral for our tastes - so we move onto a safe pint, the Joblings Swinging Gibbett.

By now, the full force of the London Millers have joined us, bolstered by Chris K and Chris B who have travelled from Manchester - time for a quick roll call so I can get the taxis booked.

TTGOSN and Julia had popped into Taylors for some pies first - Paul Martin was well prepared with a tupperware box so he could take plenty of pork pies back home.

John and I were the first ones up to move up to Number Twenty-2 where I bump into old travelling buddy, Paul Walker, who is down for the game. As ever he's more interested in the prices for the game and asks if I've had a bet. No, sirree bob. I can't bet on Darlo as that's just tempting fate to poke me in the eye.

In addition to the usual Village Brewer range, there's Saltaire Blonde on offer today which turns out to be very tasty. But just one pint as the stout on offer today is our old favourite, Yorkshire Stout (Hambleton's Nightmare) which is one of my absolute favourites. It doesn't disappoint.

The London Millers wander in along with the Tony, Brian and Lesley - the Millers try out the food and are very impressed.

I fall into conversation with a couple I've seen in the pub before - it turns out that they, Ian and Hilary, used to be near neighbours of mine as they used to live in Barking. They knew of me as they'd been members of the Supporters' Trust a few years ago when I was the membership secretary. They're not avid Darlo fans per se but simply interested in helping to preserve a club and it's community.

Our chat was curtailed as the taxis arrived and we were all ferried away for the nerve-racking part of the day.

(right) A motley of London Millers

Once inside the ground, the first surprise was finding that the DAFTS column I'd written - in which I'd welcomed the London Millers and compared them to DAFTS - was in the programme but a strap line had been added in which it described Liz as my wife! That's news to us.

The next surprise was the Quakers taking a relatively early lead - the game had been a bit patchy to begin with neither side looking settled when Purcell's shot was deflected by Curtis Main past keeper 'Don' Warrington.

I suspect the yellow-booted Main knew very little about it but we didn't care as this is the sort of luck that's evaded us this season.

The rest of the half was a very scrappy affair - Rotherham applied pressure in the latter stages of the half but the defence held firm though seemed a bit nervous about keeper Shane Redmond.

There was one dodgy moment when Redmond came well out of his box and made a poor clearance - this fell to Harrison who tried to lob into the goal from distance but was well wide in his execution.

One of the players who has most impressed since joining in recent weeks has been Gareth Waite and he was to put Darlo 2-0 up after just seven minutes of the second half.

Diop was making a nuisance of himself and although there were several Rotherham players in their box, they contrived to lose the ball which feel to Waite for an easy close-range tap in.

Darlo had a few more chances during the half and Deane should really have buried a chance to make it 3-0. Rotherham pressed for periods but Darlo kept a tight back line and limited the chances Rotherham had - what they had were squandered and Redmond was rarely tested.

As the final whistle blew I rushed off to get the shuttle bus back into town. We were on a later train today and so I headed back to Number Twenty-2.

I'd arranged some taxis for the Rotherham contingent as it was going to be a while before they got out - Liz had to gather in their flag and all that palaver - but it wasn't too long before they, along with Tony and John, joined me at the bar.

Congratulations and Commiserations were swapped and then we got on with having a few more beers.

We nipped back to the Quaker for a quickie - it was quite packed as the rugby was on, notable only for the fact that my hairy doppelganger Adam Jones had scored for Wales. But beyond that we didn't really care.

(left) Liz gives a sly V and Chris looks to contribute to the swear box

The trip home was very convivial - beers, teas and pastry comestibles were consumed - and I managed to mislay some rail tickets but the train guard took my word that it was all kosher.

I thought the atmosphere was going to turn ugly when Andy questioned my recent comments on his beloved Clarets after my debut visit there earlier in the year.

I'd described it as "quite gloomy and populated by what is probably fair to describe as an older clientele. Few pretty young things in here but sometimes that doesn't matter."

From my point of views that's complimentary and is the sort of place that appeals to me. I'm not sure Andy is convinced though. I suspect it was the John Smith's Smoothflow talking...