Salford City Reds 26 Leeds Rhinos 30

At last, the new season arrives. I awake to a very grumpy girlfriend (she has to work today & missing the season opener was definitely not part of her plans). Her mood is not lifted by my chirpiness as I get ready. A taxi is ordered for 11 am & I'm soon enjoying a coffee & a breakfast in The Eccles Cross in the company of Janice (Nic's mum). With a lining on my stomach I set about the task of consuming my own body-weight in alcohol! First up was a glass of Zenith-juice (a blue lagoon with lager) before jumping a tram down to the Weaste area.

Our planned destination was the church hall near the ground & the early signs were good. As we walked through the car-park a cheery voice shouted "Bar's open lads" before turning his attention back to his hot-dog. However, on entering the hall instead of being greeted by loads of beered-up rugby fans we are surrounded by tea-drinking geriatrics! The staff explain that they forgot there was a game on but we're still more than welcome to have a beer or ten. We politely make our excused & head for an already busy Tavern where I join the Turkey mob in demolishing some Guinness.

Ignito (Salford's bizarrely camp mascot) pops into the Tavern & glad-hands a few of the younger patrons prompting much mirth amongst us. I tell Iain that Janice popped into the club shop during the week only to find Ignito sat down eating a sandwich. Iain is shcked to find that super-heroes need to eat & this prompts his girlfriend to ask us if we know who the man behind the mask is. Neither of us do.

By 2:30 I'm getting restless & want to get in the ground. It's a good job I do, the Shed is heaving already & I struggle to get a good spot. The atmosphere pre-game is rocking but the players do there bit to kill it stone-dead! An early penalty gives Leeds a great attacking position & Brent Webb arrives in the line to score after just 2 minutes; 0-6 Leeds. Worse was to follow another penalty, another great attacking position & McGuire ghosts over; 0-12 Leeds. Salford rally and after some good pressure Wilshere sweeps in at the corner. We keep the pressure on & Leeds are now giving away pens allowing Robbo to reduce the arrears to 6-12. We're now firmly camped in the Whinos half but can't get back over their line. With 5 minutes to go we're pulled up for obstruction from the resulting pen Leeds are over again. Hodgy puts the restart out on the full & from the resulting pen....guess what. Somehow we go in 6-24 down. Gutted!

We start the 2nd half with more pressure on the Leeds line and Wilshere goes in again at the corner before Aaron, Aaron Moule burrows over from dummy half to give us real hope. However, a rare Leeds attack sees Wilshere go from hero to zero as he fumbles a kick to allow Tansey in to make it 30-16. Sinfield missed with the extras but surely it's game over. Somehow though we fightback again; Haggy drives over the line & grounds the ball then a lovely sweeping move ends with Aaron, Aaron Moule diving over to send the Shed into absolute bedlam. Sadly time is against us & once again Leeds just about shade it.

Paul asks me to guide him to the club-shop after the game so he can buy the new shirt. While we're in the queue to pay in walks Ignito (closely followed by Iain). I'm a little perplexed by him coming over to shake my hand but even more gobsmacked when from under his mask I hear "See you in the Tavern in a bit Yorkie". WHAT, that's Nick's voice, Nick is Ignito! Iain tells me that the penny dropped as he walked out of the ground only for Ignito to shout "Wait up Iain!" I only hope he gets well paid to do that shit.

The post-mortem in the Tavern is fairly positive. For all but the first 10 minutes & last 5 minutes of the 1st half we were in complete control. Edmo looked quality & we looked a lot more dangerous with ball in hand. We'll play worse this season & win comfortably, you can be sure of that. The beers continue to flow in The Tav & all the old songs are getting an airing before we're warned to keep it dowm. This brings out a trademark Solly rant "I'm not being told not to sing in my own club!" & taxis are ordered to take us up to the Height.

At this point things start to get a bit blurred. There's already a gaggle of Reds on the Height (including Nic & Janice) so we're in good company. There's some very camp dancing on display in the Dog and also a very poor karaoke version of Matchstalk Men & Cats & Dogs by myself & Nicknito the Gay Power Ranger. Business as usual I suppose.