The Sporting Hack

The temperature gun was pointed at my forehead. “35.8,” proclaimed the friendly Lancastrian stood in a makeshift tarpaulin shelter, set up in a small car park. He smiled and nodded. Entry to the stadium was permitted.  With the pang of anxiousness which briefly washed over me vanquished, I picked up my commentary equipment and shuffled on. Instructions were read out by the person who handed me my media accreditation, not that I paid attention too intently. Though each stadium was laid out slightly differently – turn right for the toilets, left for the coffee and so on – it was never that hard to tailgate, within reason, someone who had listened. Truth be told, for the 39 th game of a truly bizarre season, I'd heard it all before. And yet, I could not have wished to be anywhere else but here. The Crown Ground, home of Accrington Stanley, the club that wouldn’t die. The homely, reassuring Crown Ground They are the very antithesis to every column inch and every second of sports...

EFL SkyBet League 1 Keepmoat Stadium, Doncaster (Att: 7,222) Tuesday 23 April 2019 Doncaster left the play-off door ajar after Accrington all but confirmed their safety by ending the hosts 13 game unbeaten home run. Grant McCann’s men have a three-point lead over Peterborough below them but have played a game more than his former employers at London Road. It was two moments of quality which put a hold on any post-season plans for the Yorkshiremen though. Sean McConville registered his eleventh goal of the campaign when he side footed home on the volley Paul Smyth’s inch perfect right wing cross from close range in emphatic fashion. The long-serving winger should have doubled his – and his team’s – tally less than fifteen minutes from the break when he created some space for himself inside the penalty area but inexplicably curled wide from 14 yards. Home skipper Tommy Rowe’s turn and shot – which was repelled at close quarters by visiting ‘keeper Jonathan M...