Win, Lose and Draw

The weekend is admirably summed up in the above phrase. After a Friday night sampling the delights of local ale from the Brentwood Brewing Company at the White Hart , in conversation with old friends Nige & Kim. I should write more in support of local breweries, and how lucky we are to have a local micro brewery producing such good beer.

On Saturday I really wanted to be in Manchester for the Rugby League Grand Final but was convinced that for a number of reasons we needed to visit my mum and therefore allowing us to get to the Dons v Forest Green Rovers match. The first five minutes fizzled with goal mouth action as corner followed corner, however the ball never entered the net, and when FGR scored with their first real attack it seemed that it would be a bad day. Christian Jolley who seems to improve with each game, scored great equaliser in the second half but a share of the points was the best the Dons could do.

Saturday evening was initially blighted by a crash on the M25 but if nothing else it ensured that cooking was replaced by a visit to the chip shop as we settled down to watch the Grand Final, Wigan v St Helens. There's no better rivalry in Rugby League. This season Wigan have literally blown teams away in the opening minutes of games, and Saturday was no exception. That Sam Tomkins was to reach out and score the try in the second half that broke the Saints resistance was just reward for a player who has lifted Rugby league in the last 18 months. Sadly Pat Richards, recently voted Man of Steel, left the field wirh a severe leg injury, otherwise his conversations might well have stretched Wigan's advantage.

My interest in League has developed with Sky's coverage, and I imagine that many others living away from the sport's heartlands have become enthusiasts as a result of the televised game. In the early 90s Wigan dominated the competition but over the next decade they were caught up and overtaken, so on Saturday I , for one, could rejoice in the reemergence of the Cherry and Whites.

Sunday was all about Chelsea v Arsenal. Since 2003 and the arrival of the dodgy Russian at Stamford Bridge, Arsenal have struggled to compete on the field with Chelsea. The building of Emirates Stadium has also restricted player purchase at Arsenal. On Sunday Arsenal minus several regulars through injury, competed admirably yet could not break through the home defense. That Chelsea scored goals just before half time and full time left a feeling that we'd given them our best shot, but in spite of appearing to be "on the ropes." Chelsea hit the Gunners with sucker punches. Good but not good enough.