BRIGG SPORTS TEAMS THAT HAD A LENGTHY WAIT FOR THEIR FIRST WIN OF THE SEASON

A recent post revealing that Brigg Town Football Club's Development team had recorded its first league victory of the season (in March) gave us particular pleasure. Note the use of the term 'Development' rather than 'Reserves'.
This reminded us of seasons in the 1990s and early 2000s when we captained and organised Brigg Hockey Club's lowest team, the 5ths.
Victories - even in the bottom division of the Yorkshire League - were rare.
However, results were not of prime importance. The main aim of the 5ths was to introduce local youngsters to league hockey at senior level alongside veterans who had previously played for higher teams but were nearing the end of their playing days.
The vast majority of youngsters who started in the 5ths soon developed their skills and moved up through the Brigg team ranks. A few even made it to the seconds and the first team.
Brigg 5ths were among the last men's team in this region to regularly play home games on grass, using the Brigg Recreation Ground pitch nearest to Wrawby Road (these days used for junior football).
This gave Brigg an advantage against visiting players who had been raised on 'Astro' pitches.
Playing the game on grass (however well-kept) was very different from artificial surfaces where the ball did not bobble, or even stick in mud on wet days.
The ball also had to be struck to achieve any distance, rather than merely pushing it with the stick.
The older Brigg 5ths regulars had started in the era before all-weather surfaces appeared in this region.
One memorable season saw Brigg 5ths without a win well into the second half of the season when they at last tasted success - beating the club's 4ths at the Rec Ground, following an inspired performance by Andrew 'Sass' Markham in goal.
However, the Brigg club had to move with the times and more and more lower team games were played on hired all-weather pitches, particularly Quibell Park, Scunthorpe.
One season saw most of the Brigg 5ths 'home' matches played on an 'Astro' in Lincoln, with further travel involved to a city pub called the Nightingale to sample the after-match teas.
Circa 2003/4 when the club felt it was no longer possible to continue the 5th XI, we decided to retire as did some other seniors from this team.
The 5ths did not exactly drain club finances.
Hiring the grass pitch at the Rec was much cheaper than booking an all-weather one with lights.
As our after-match picture taken at the Rec Ground shows, team members provided their own shirts, which explains the different types and shades of green being worn.
While skipper we took half-a-dozen green shirts to all matches, just in case fellow players needed them.
We had acquired the tops from the Black Bull pub football team in the mid-1980s.
It was club policy during the pre-league era of friendly games for Brigg players to purchase their own shirts, socks and shorts - Shaw's Outfitters, in the Market Place, keeping them in stock. They proved to be very long-lasting.
Eventually, a fine set of white numbered shirts (surplus to requirements by a higher hockey team) was passed on to Brigg 5ths, which was much appreciated and gave us a more 'professional' look.
The lowest-ranking men's team was latterly asked to adopt a 1-3-3-3 formation (sweeper, defenders, midfielders and forwards respectively) to bring it into line with other Brigg sides of the period.
This was sensible, as when players moved up to higher XIs they knew their roles.
Brigg Blog is pleased to note that no further reduction of teams has taken place since the early 2000s, with Brigg Hockey Club today still fielding four men's sides.
They all use the fine 'Blue Astro' floodlit pitch provided a few years ago by North Lincolnshire Council, as do the Brigg ladies' sides.
Having floodlights means a succession of matches can be played each Saturday, even in mid-winter.
Brigg club officials had first called for an all-weather pitch in the town during the mid-1980s when Glanford Borough Council still ran the Rec.
The average age of this Brigg 5ths team is much lower than was usually the case, and some are still playing hockey.
There were no appointed umpires in the lower reaches of the Yorkshire League at this time, so teams had to provide their own.
It appears that Michael Burbidge (right, in the grey top) drew the short straw on this occasion and had just officiated - at least for the second half.
Judging by their appearance, the two players next to Michael had 'put in a shift' (to use a modern football phrase) in Brigg's hard-pressed defence.

In the early 1980s, Brigg Town Cricket Club was having a brief downturn in its fortunes and was reduced to one weekend team.  This included many promising youngsters and the first victory one season was achieved well into the campaign when one of the top local sides, South Kelsey, was defeated at Sir John Nelthorpe School. This proved to be a turning point and the club's fortunes picked up. Within a few seasons the Humberside Alliance League championship was secured.