Gavin Ellis and the season when time stood still -- part 8
By Ray Simpson
More from the Darlo poet
Our Darlo poet, Gavin Ellis, presents some more prose on season 2019-20.
This week, it's about the games against Walsall (home and away) and Brackley
CUP FEVER
It’s FA Cup first round day, we’ve made it through at last
We’re playing a Football League club, an echo of our past
Our opponents today are Walsall, struggling in League Two
We’re still the rank outsiders, not expected to go through
A shot from Omar Holness makes all his team mates proud
And excites the fans from Darlo who make up half the crowd
From leading to conceding twice with little time to go
We think we’re heading out the cup, despite a real good show
All hell breaks loose as a Walsall star gets a second yellow card
Ben Hedley swiftly follows him, our ten men still fight hard
In the 97th minute with the Walsall players static
Joe Wheatley stabs a free kick home and sends the fans ecstatic
OUCH
It’s a mammoth trek to Brackley with a replay on our mind
It isn’t very long before we find ourselves behind
Yet it’s Darlo starting brightest, Stephen Thompson hits the post
It’s woken up the Brackley team and it’s us they’re going to roast
Last August we were four-one up in the sunshine at the break
This year Brackley pay us back and this is hard to take
Time and time and time again The Quakers’ net is hit
It looks like our defenders have done a moonlight flit
So Darlington are five-nil down as we start the second half
All these miles we’ve travelled, feel like crying in my scarf
A Stephen Thompson penalty makes the final score five-one
His ninety-ninth goal in a Darlo shirt with the game already gone.
CUP FEVER TWO
Blackwell Meadows hasn’t been so full at half past six at night
The Walsall cup replay we all hope will excite
This game is now a sell-out with every ticket bought
We’re even on the TV live, shown by BT Sport
Three thousand fans roar Quakers on, we have a good half hour
Our opponents from the Football League we just can’t overpower
We get to half time goalless, Walsall know they’re in a game
We just need one Darlo player to stake a claim for fame
As we reach the closing stages Caolan Lavery heads one in
He heads home from a corner to secure a Walsall win
Flares thrown from the Tin Shed seem to brighten up the sky
Our cup run is concluded though it’s time to say goodbye
