The Vertigo Stadium, home of Skegness Town based in Lincolnshire and play their trade in Step 5 of the Non League Pyramid in the United Counties League Premier Division. Nicknamed the “Lilywhites” as they play in White and Red.
Back in 1977 this club played in a friendly against Nottingham Forest back in the good old days for Forest managed by Cloughy. How’s that for an interesting fact!?
My birthday weekend is here!!! This time last year it was Prescot Cables with Match Days Joe and Super Sub Sam, today it’s a day out in the seaside to Skegness where I haven’t been since 2009! Super Sub Sam is back!! And we are also joined by our good friend Sketz! Let’s hope today can be the start of something new!
With no coaching duties for me this morning, we’re making a day of it!! Next stop: Fantasy Island!! Onto the M18, to the M180, through the Lincolnshire Wolds and into… My word! They’ve got a sign for it!! Skegvegas!! I haven’t been since that name has been mentioned.
We’re past the Skegness Raceway Stadium and all parked up next to Fantasy Island with the time at 12:40pm. I have never been on the Odyssey roller coaster before. As a child, I used to stare at the Odyssey from a distance back when it was painted in red looking forward to being old enough and tall enough to ride it. Today is the day! In the newly painted yellow. £4 for parking and £5 later we’re going in!
- The Odyssey: 9/10 – WOAH!! That was much better than I thought it would be!! It’s certainly woke me up for the day! An amazing ride… But it’s not quite Nemesis from Alton Towers but it’s certainly a cracking coaster!
Now for one of my favourite fairground rides, the Waltzer! Sam and Sketz aren’t so sure… We’re doing it! I just hope they don’t throw up on me… Here we are… It’s closed… A fault in the system but should be back open later… Sadly we haven’t got a later today… DAMN!! So now what…? Oh look a bowling alley! Let’s play!
A solid start by me and Sam! Sketz on the other hand… He’ll be gutted! “Ba-dum tshh!” The 4th frame… STTTTTTTRRRRRRIIIIIIIIIIKE! COME ON!!! Have that Sam… Who gets a spare… Errrm…
2 frames later the scores are at 71 for me, 58 for Sam and Sketz on… 19! Well I did say we could have the barriers up if we wanted!? The game goes on and I just can’t quite get the spare after so many nines. The 9th frame… It’s a strike for Sam… Oh no! With me on 98 and him on 87 with a strike to follow up from… This is going to be close as we head into the final frame.
Here we go… Have a guess how many I knocked down there… NINE AGAIN! I have to get the spare here… And I haven’t… I’ve got absolutely nowhere near it… 107 finish for me and here goes Sam… He’s got 8… That could be enough, he steps up again… He’s missed… But he’s clinched it… 113 and he’s off! Gutting loss for me there after leading for so long… Seven nines I got there! SEVEN! One more spare out of one of them and it’s a win for me surely there, but Bowling is a game for winners!
Sketz on Guitar Hero now and absolutely smashing it! Me and Sam on the other hand having a quick game of Air Hockey, can I even up the scores…? YES!! 7-2 to me!! Have that!!!
Time is ticking along and it’s time to say goodbye to the slots and Fantasy Island for now as we head back to the car, but we aren’t going without a visit to the chippy! As Boromir once said: “One does not simply go to the seaside and not go to the chippy!” A chip butty for £3 is just what the doctor ordered! Lincolnshire and Yorkshire are still the front runners when it comes to fish & chips shops! DELICIOUS!!
Now for the short journey across to the Vertigo Stadium and here we are with around 20 minutes to go before kick off. £6 to watch this United Counties League Cup tie against GNG Oadby Town! Splendid! Sketz could have been at Wednesday today… Non League for the win! Pin badge for £3! A quick look around and out come the players! Let’s hope the goal count doesn’t suffer from Vertigo today!!
Kick Off! 5 minutes in and Oadby have a free kick on the edge of the box on the left, it’s crossed in… It’s headed away by Skegness, it comes to Lamar Parkes on the edge of the box who chips it into the box… It’s off a Skegness head… OH! It’s gone in! What happened there…? The keeper flat footed but it should have been dealt with better there for me! Oadby have the lead early on! 0-1!
A competitive game here so far. Skegness have responded well to going a goal down but seem to be lacking in the final third whereas Oadby look more efficient when going forward. Skegness RUFC are playing on the pitch to the side of this ground and there is a lot of noise coming from the crowd in that game! A few lads behind the goal next to the clubhouse are having a good time here but it certainly sounds like fun in that Rugby game!
35th minute and Oadby come forward now, it’s played into the box on the left for Mandeep Bains who plays it across… Good defending by Skegness to put out for a corner, in comes the corner… Mylan Charles with the header… Good save! Tipped over brilliantly by the keeper for another corner, in it comes again… Over and all the way out for a goal kick.
43 minutes now and Oadby have another corner, it’s played short to Ryan Robbins who gets into the box on the left and he lets fly… Side netting! Close!
Right on half time and it’s a throw in for Oadby in their own half on their left, it’s played in and Skegness win it back, it’s played to Jonny Lockie in the box on the right, he shoots… Wide! That is the last action of the first half with Oadby leading 1-0.
Second half, 48 minutes on the clock and Oadby break forward from a Skegness attack, Sele Nassor is played in and he’s 1 on 1… SAVED! A big moment in the game here and the keeper makes a vital save there and it will be a corner for Oadby, in it comes… The keeper claims!
56th minute now and Skegness have a free kick on the right, in it comes… It’s headed across and here’s Jonny LOCKIE… He’s skied it! Big chance there but he’s caught the volley just at the wrong moment there… Goal kick… “You s*** b*****d AHHHH!” The keeper loves that!
1 minute later and Oadby play forward, Sele Nassor has the ball in the box on the right and he battles with the defender, he gets a shot away… And he scores!!!! Oadby double their advantage! Brilliant work from Nassor! 0-2!
2 minutes later and Oadby play forward again, Mandeep Bains drives forward… He gets into the box on the left, what a run this is! He plays it across goal… And it’s tapped home by Ryan Robbins!! Oadby have daylight! What a run by Mandeep Bains there! Has this game gone beyond Skegness now? 0-3!
66 minutes on the clock and Skegness play down the left, a challenge there by Oadby and it’s a free kick to Skegness… OH! Another challenge there by Camen Bhandal on George Hobbins… Hobbins isn’t happy… Is that his hand on his neck? They’ve both been booked already… They’re both walking! Red Cards! It’s 10 vs 10 now! Jamie Potts will take the free kick… Into the wall but he goes for it again, he goes down… He was never going to get a Penalty for that! Oadby clear the danger.
77th minute and Skegness play down the left with Jonny Lockie… Oh dear! A poor touch from him and it rolls wide right in front of the Skegness faithful who certainly see the funny side! And so does Charlie Andrews in the Oadby goal as he laughs along with them!
81 minutes now and Skegness will not give up without a fight here! Sean Chamberlain drives forward and gets to around 20 yards out and he goes for goal… Just over! Close!
87th minute and Skegness come forward with Adam Jackson, he goes for goal from 25 yards out… Over! “F*** SAKE JACKO!!” Jonny Lockie not happy with his decision to shoot there!
89th minute and Skegness come forward from the right hand side, it’s played across goal… It comes to Adam Jackson who shoots… The Oadby defender gets a touch on it… But it isn’t enough! It lands in the back of the net and Skegness do get their goal!! 1-3!!
Skegness continue to press forward, can they make a game of it…? No they can’t! The Referee blows and GNG Oadby Town are through to the next round!
FT: Skegness Town 1-3 GNG Oadby Town
Ratings
- Atmosphere: 4/10 – Those lads behind the goal were having a good time! I loved how the Oadby keeper bantered on in good spirits with them! There was a really nice community feel at the club between fans and club committee which I especially liked as well!
- The Ground: 6/10 – There isn’t too much here but I really liked it! The 2 stands are half seated and half standing which is very well thought of and I love the clubhouse! I especially hope the club hasn’t had to spend too much on fixing the windows from missed shots! They certainly would have if I was the number 9!
- Expense: 8/10 – £50 for fuel, £4 for parking at Fantasy Island, £5 for Odyssey, £5 for Bowling, £3 for the chip butty, £6 to get in and £3 for a pin badge which makes a total of £76. Was it worth it? Yes I think so!
- Overall Experience: 10/10 – Me, Sam and Sketz have had a cracking day out today!! Absolutely loved it!! Simple as that! A great game to add on to the start of the day too!
28/40