Quote: roger "I thought match admin was appalling, a desk under a gazebo to take/sell tickets with one person on it, will be interesting for a bigger crowd. Personally I would have given out info about the ground/facilities and a welcome message so you didn't have to guess where everything was. We never found the programme seller. Announcer was the worst I have heard, not even any explanation of who Mr Genders was just that he had died and there was to be a 1 minute silence. I've still no idea where my season ticket seat was/might be but as I had taken a guest we went elsewhere to sit (far side) and stand in the 2nd half. Work to do with the team but no suprise there. Heaven knows what it will be like with a bigger crowd - anyone know how much the car parking was?'"
Tend to agree Roger, but the key is give the club feedback on all these points - if enough of us do, they may feel compelled to sort it out.
The entry was a little slicker that when I have been to union games there, but there is miles and miles or improvement required before Halifax arrive. That said I just waved my season ticket card at the steward and he let me through.
Decent atmosphere in the CCH bar which was well populated and I mooched over to hospitality, here again, well attended and very impressively laid out.
Decent atmosphere in the ground - once we started to win the arm wrestle !!!
Well done the LBSA for doing the Try Time draw, looked to be going great guns.
No idea what was going on at half time - some random entertainment on the pitch - I've said it before, invite local community clubs to play a game at half time, low effort involved, and does entertain rather than Scott Leatherbarrow kicking bombs to 2 kids to catch.
Announcer was hopeless, enough said.
Steward on the back access to the Grandstand Bar, stopping interlopers up there - well done ! Beer and toilet available in the Grandstand Bar, so thats very positive.
Seats very compact and have to say CN I would estimate 95+% full. Simlarly ther low level stand. I think 650 is pretty fair reflection of the crowd.
I stood in the second half and by goodness it was cold in the wind on the far side of the pitch. I had to offer the ref(Mr Bloem) my views on life to keep warm.
Knowing where everything was - needs to be sorted, no idea, the merchandise was going down a treat, but one person selling and based in the foyer, bit of a blockage for sales and coming and going punters.
Limited hot food availalbe at half time.
Players changing rooms were in the main Olympic Pavillion and this removed the shared toilet issue so a big plus point - and there were a decent spread of 'hi vis stewards' around, not sure what they were doing but ....
On to the game. We were hesitant, especially in the halves. We didnt manage the game in the first half, we were in control and let that control slip away, bot helped by in my opinion, inconsistent refereeing. We lost Stapleton early on so the balance of the team was effected, Foster to centre. Second half we seemed to be more fluid but again we made mistakes, bombed chances, at times seemed overwhelmed by Swintons endeavour, but we stuck with it and scored some late tries to make it look comfortable - it wasnt. I am sorry Mickyb but Bloem is the worst referee we have to witness, his inconsistency is beyond belief, his leaning towards the underdog, obvious.
I didnt stick around for post match as I had become and icicle.
Off pitch 5/10, on pitch 5.5/10
Good OP WQ, would be great to see you and your gang and the likes of PP back in the fold.
