My Cumbrian Valentine's Date

A lunchtime call from the Sportsbeat press agency saw me travel up to Brunton Park, home of Carlisle United for their Valentine's Day fixture with Tranmere Rovers. My remit was to provide copy to the Liverpool Echo the next day.

Having only had the call during the day, I was still in lectures, so had 15 minutes at home after university had finished, before setting off at 5:30, through Preston rush hour traffic, up the M6 for the 90 mile journey.

I had never seen either side play before, so was a bit nervous about my work, as I was to provide 200 words at half-time, with a further 200 just before the final whistle, and another 200 words of quotes from Les Parry, the Tranmere boss.

Another unknown for me was Brunton Park - I had seen it numerous times from the M6, travelling south from Scotland, but was unsure whether it was easy enough to find once off the motorway, and whether I would have had a parking spot set aside for me.

Arriving at about 7:00, I had plenty of time to get settled, although the guy on the gate didn't have me down on his list, I was allowed to park anyway. A walk round the other side of the ground to the main entrance, and I collected my pass for the night, and made my way inside the main stand.

Now, when I've been to other grounds, there is a room that the press can sit in and have a coffee and a bite to eat, so it was with some surprise (a bit more than that to be honest!) that I was told that we were only allowed in the media room after the game, and to go straight up to the press box.

The box was well enough appointed, with its own light and power socket, although a little cramped. So, it was time to set up the laptop and get to grips with the teamsheet and programme.

Being unfamiliar with both sets of players, I had hoped to see Lee Miller (ex Aberdeen) but he was suspended for the night, having been sent off in Carlisle's last match.

Although there was no food available, Carlisle did have their own press helper, Jordan, who ran round with the brews, so that was something at least.

On to the match, and Tranmere surprised the home crowd, having the best of the possession and chances. Having lost their last seven away matches, and still to record a win in 2012, they were the underdogs at the start of the match, with Carlisle in the hunt for a play-off place.

A nil-nil draw was how it ended, and having sent my half-time copy without a hitch, just at the full-time whistle, my laptop slowed to a standstill, and I was left waiting for it to warm up, when perhaps what could have been the turning point happened, when Williams in the Tranmere goal made a point blank save from a header right on 90 minutes. The match report was available on the Liverpool Echo website the next morning.

I finally got that copy away after the whistle, before making my way downstairs to interview Les Parry. A quick chat in the dug-out, and I was able to plug the earphones in to my Olympus, and type furiously away in the media room while Carlisle boss Greg Abbot was giving his thoughts on the game to their local media. His quotes were also published the next day.

It was 10:30 by the time I had packed my bag, and started making my way round the ground to the car park, to be met by a padlocked gate! Panic was averted once I found the boardroom and a kind gent walked back round the ground with me, to unlock the gate, and wait while I retrieved my car from the field a half mile down the road. Thanks to Arthur - you are one of life's gentlemen.

By now, with a gap of ten hours between meals, it was time to hit the 24 hour Tesco on the outskirts of town, to wolf down a sandwich before the hour and a half drive home. Home for 12:30, I was thinking ahead already to my next assignment, the familiar surroundings of Park Lane, Whitefield, for the National League One rugby fixture on Saturday between Sedgley Park and Jersey.