Birkenshaw v Harden 2 June 2018

Adjudicators: JK, AB

Timing: 10:15 and 11:40

Prices: 1.20 and 1.25

This was an important game for both teams, a win for Harden would have ensured their place in the play-offs…….a defeat for Birkenshaw would have ended their season…..

This week, the Adjudicators were accompanied by a young toddler, already hoping to be an Adjudicaor, and affectionately named by his loving parents as……Bullboy. The Adjudicators were delayed in their start……….and an enquiry into the delay has already been requested by the losing team…..but it’s unlikely that the decision will be overturned. Birkenshaw started with a still slightly warm pie,  which provided the Adjudicators with a sturdy meat filling, nicely soft jelly, and a tasty crust……..though one Adjudicator considered it too hard…….maybe unfairly so, as everyone else thought it was fine.

Already behind their tight schedule……the Adjudicators immediately drove to The George in Cullingworth, to take a well earned half time drink. As ever, they were served by a friendly young girl, who turned out to favour Rhubarb Gin…..though not when she was on duty……The Adjudicators noted one satisfied customer just polishing off his breakfast……..and were reinforced in their decision to try a George Belly Buster Breakfast, just as soon as The Season  ended.

Wasting no time, the Adjudicators drove to Harden, where the driving Adjudicator missed the Butcher and had to turn around, in some ridiculously self-styled private turning area, which threatened all with death, destruction, and prosecution for daring to enter their territory. So far……we have survived. And then…….the controversy began….. Harden immediately went a Pie down………only one was left. To make matters worse for Harden, the buying Adjudicator chose to divide the Pie up into three morsels……which put together, did not seem to constitute a whole pie in its entirety…..this soured the remaining game, as this Adjudicator believes that it should have been an even split between The Adjudicators.  Harden never had a chance…….though for the sake of completeness, I would add that from what little this Adjudicator was able to taste…….the crust was good…….but the jelly was invisible……and the meat was a bit on the “luncheon meat texture” side……

The verdict was pretty much instantaneous…….and post-match drinks were taken in the world famous Shoulder Of Mutton, where the toddler was re-introduced to the mysteries of Bradford……..and was seen taking photographs of trees growing out of windows…….as if that was something unusual…… AND…….this result leaves PLS still very much a three horse race…..with everything to play for in the final round…….