09/03/08 - This is my Truth
I’m always wary about getting involved with the food from any take-away that fails to specialise. The Crispy Cod, outside Knowsley Road, St Helens, is one such establishment. Ostensibly a standard chippy, upon closer inspection, The Cod’s extensive menu rather bizarrely includes alongside the traditional British fare, a bewildering array of kebabs, as well as ‘authentic’ Chinese cuisine (although quite how many Chinese chefs in Beijing or Shanghai are adorned in the St.Helens away shirt whilst preparing their culinary delights is open to question). Still, it’d been a hectic day, a struggle over the Pennines to make the 7.30 kick-off, and my party were hungry (with the exception of young Pat, who’d seemingly brought more provisions than Sir Ranulph Feinnes took on his latest jaunt to the Pole).
In the end, the chips and beans were a safe and very filling option (I was still ploughing through them long after my belly had cried enough when Adam Dykes crashed over for the first try in the third minute and the remainder hit the deck in the melee), and the service was efficient, if not exactly warm. I wouldn’t put you off.
As far as the match was concerned, both sides put their horrific injury lists aside (seven out for each team until the late withdrawal of Radford took the total to a surely unprecedented fifteen casualties and looked to have dealt Hull a fatal blow) to serve up a cracking contest that, a little like The Crispy Cod, had a bit of everything.
My mate Karl hadn’t seen us win at the gaff in two decades having missed the 2006 epic (although he claimed that win was now tainted anyway, given that Cooke had kicked the winning drop) and wasn’t exactly acting like a responsible father of two when Dykes’ one pointer looked to have sealed the deal three minutes from time. Unfortunately, it wasn’t to be, and ‘The Truth’s’ wait goes on (nickname courtesy of journeyman American boxer Carl ‘The Truth’ Williams, who once went two minutes with Tyson when Iron Mike was in his fearsome prime).
Hull’s performance was superb, and they probably deserved the points. But as my ex-girlfriends will no doubt tell you, you don’t always get what you deserve. Still, the signs are encouraging. The season is young, and when the players are back, the wins will come. FC will be challenging for honours in 2008.
