Watching United

Wee trip to Kirkcaldy to watch United play Raith. When I bought the ticket early in the week it seemed like a straightforward journey on the train but woke up to find out that ScotRail had cancelled large numbers of trains across the network because of the heavy and persistent rain forecast. Still, there were trains running so I headed up to Waverley. All went well, although the guy in the ticket office was surprised that someone was just asking for a ticket for a train that was actually running having been dealing with lots of people with travel problems. It was raining in Kirkcaldy but not too far to walk to the ground. Got myself a macaroni pie (extra) and took my seat. Things are all relative but it was a big crowd for Raith - 6808 - the biggest since Rangers visited in 2016 on their way back up through the leagues. By comparison there were 36K at Elland Road today but Leeds is about 16 times bigger than Kirkcaldy so proportionately Raith are doing well with anything over 2500 and Leeds would have needed over 100,000 there to match the level of support! Think there were 3200 United fans there, making plenty noise. Raith had the better of the first half, although they benefitted from some lenient refereeing at times. And then Lewis Vaughan, the only name on the teamsheet familiar from our lockdown games of Football Manager when we both had long spells managing Raith, scored just in front of the United fans. His first header - woeful marking - hit the post and he was first to the rebound as at least two United defenders just watched on. Although he first celebrated with his team, they soon turned towards the United fans behind the goals and quite clearly goaded them, along with several of his team-mates. Technically a booking but see the above about lenient refereeing. Overall it seemed like United were put off their stride by their hard-working opponents. although they did still create a few decent chances as the half wore on. Interesting too to hear the moans from the United supporters as the team played possession football at the back. Was this why United had dropped more points at home? The fans moan at the possession football and the players respond with more direct play which leads to loss of possession. That happens more at home, although on this occasion there were almost as many away fans as home ones, giving some of the same dynamic? Anyway, in the second half United were the better team, Moult equalising from a corner just after coming on as a sub and the team went close a number of times before the final whistle. There were a few close calls at the other end too so a draw was probably a fair result. It meant United remained unbeaten and still top by a point ahead of their hosts.
Back to the station in the rain to find my train was running late, as was the previous one. As the number of people built up on the platform the train arrival time got later and later. It finally arrived half an hour late (with no sign of the supposedly earlier train). It was standing room only to Edinburgh. A strange mix, with lots of football fans, mostly with United colours and young women with fake eyelashes, short skirts and crop tops, presumably heading for a night out in Edinburgh. Both groups had tales to tell of drunken escapades - of the ones I heard I think the young women had had the drunker adventures. Finally back in Edinburgh I caught a taxi home and was just a little late for our planned games evening with G and D. Played a couple of games of Splendor - Lorraine beat me on the tie break both times, although I was kicking myself in the second game for playing my turns in the wrong order - the other way round and I would have won. And then we got Clans down from the bookcase. Not played it for a while but enjoyed its different mechanics. D won both times but it was close and good to play it again. All in all, a cracking day.

Added to #blipfoto19 - my connection with my football team.