Leeds United 1-1 Blackburn Rovers - Saturday 25th July 2009

UNITED 1 (Beckford 50), BLACKBURN 1 (Gallagher 90 pen)

United: Higgs, Crowe (Hughes 56), Marques (Huntington 74), Kisnorbo (Michalik 56), Parker (Sheehan 69), Snodgrass, Delph (Robinson 69), Howson, Johnson (Prutton 74), Beckford (Showunmi 79), Becchio (Grella 79). Subs: Martin.

Blackburn: Robinson (Brown 60), Jacobsen (Olsson 66), Warnock, Nzonzi (Dunn 67), Nelsen, Givet (Khizanshvili 72), Roberts (Gallagher 66), Andrews, McCarthy, Diouf (Hollett 72), Pedersen (Van Heerden 73). Subs: Doran, Judge.

Referee: M Oliver.

Att: 11,885

The 2009/10 season finally comes to Elland Road.

After a mixed bag of matches pre-season, including a tour of Ireland, Leeds United finally settle back at their home at LS11 0ES.

Tickets were £10 on the door, which always attracts more fans. Charlotte and I picked up our tickets early enough as we were sure that the crowds would pick up...and indeed they did. 11,000 people were in attendance and as such, with so many people paying on the door, the kickoff was delayed by 15 minutes. Eventually the teams came out and the match was underway.

The Leeds team were up for the game from the off and pushed our Premier League opponents onto the back foot. Shane Higgs, Jason Crowe and Patrick Kisnorbo all made their home debuts.

Becchio had a good chance early on and Delph hit the post.

Higgs looked confident in goal on the rare occasion that Blackburn came forwards. He raised well to collect the ball at Corners and Free Kicks alike.

Half time and the game was 0-0 and we were treated to the last ever crossbar challenge at half-time in which two people hit the crossbar...god knows how they were going to share the signed ball that was up for grabs...I suggest a Ball-Share, one week on, one week off!

Leeds started bright again in the second half. It was eventually a Leeds corner that broke the deadlock. Snoddy whipped it in, Becchio deflected it towards goal and Beckford flicked it through his legs and into the back of the net.

Paul Robinson was in goal for Blackburn and was in front of the Kop in the second half and was loving the banter with the fans. He even threw his gloves into the crowd when he was eventually substituted.

All looked like Leeds were set to pick up the win........and then we brought on Alan Sheehan!

Me and Charlotte have a love-hate relationship with Sheehan...she loves him, I hate him! Simple as that.

When Sheehan came on, he just had rings run around him. How he didn't give a penalty away early on was beyond me as he bundled someone over in the area but nothing was given...so what does he do? Well, he waits until a minute from the end of the game and does it again, this time giving away a penalty which Blackburn scored.

Bloody typical.

Still, it was a really good performance and I would say that the season looks bright.

Next up...Newcastle (A) - Wednesday 29th July - Friendly.

The Taking Of Pelham 123

I have to be totally honest. I have never seen the original version of Pelham. In fact, I had never even heard of it until the remake was due out this week and I mentioned to my mum that "it looks good" from the trailer on TV. That was when she went off on one at me about how it was a remake and how remakes are never as good as the original movie.

I made a conscious decision not to see the original before seeing this updated version, as it can force your opinion entering the new film.

Thanks to those nice chaps over at www.seefilmfirst.com I picked up two freebie tickets to a special advance preview screening at the Odeon in Leeds/Bradford. Charlotte came with me to see the film.

The movie kicks straight into the action. Within five minutes, you have the lead antagonist, played by John Travolta in place and in charge of Pelham 123, a subway train on New York's busy network. Travolta is in excellent form as the psychotic Ryder who issues a warning that he desires $10,000,000 within the hour otherwise he will begin terminating hostages every minute until he receives his demands.

Ryder makes contact with Walter Garber, a dispatcher working for the system played by Denzel Washington. Washington is, well, Washington. You get what you expect from the great man. He's a great actor, but always tends to play the same person. I would actually find it hard, almost impossible to name any character Denzel has played in any other movie...and I must've seen him in over ten films as far as I can recall. But he's doing what he does best and the one-on-ones between him and Travolta are awesomely written and portrayed.

As the deadline draws closer and closer and closer, it's a race against time and morals which could have devastating consequences.

Gripping but simple in story, well acted, with some genuinely funny moments in there.

The atmosphere was great in the cinema and the movie did not disappoint.

It's fun, it's thrilling and I believe a lot of people will enjoy this movie.

D-Day

Yup...today is the day that I go back to the gym.

I've got my clothes sorted, my gym bag, some new sports socks a new water bottle (Just been and bought a new water bottle - they were all behind the counter and I said to the woman "can I have the one with the largest volume". She turned around and picked up a large one that was red with a black lid. I told her I'd take the smaller Yellow, Blue & White one instead...I ain't touching no Scum bottle!).

I'm ready to rock and roll.

Forgot to get on the scales this morning to give a "Before" reading on here, but I'll do it in the morning instead...it's not going to alter that much.

Went and signed up at the gym last night. First floor is all the weights and all the body-beautifuls posing in their tight t-shirts...but the room I want is upstairs...cross trainers, treadmills, rowing machines, steppers, cycling machines...perfection!

After work tonight I'll be stepping into the gym for the first time in years. I expect it to hurt, and I expect I will only be able to do minimal amounts...but to start with, that's all I need. I will build it up.

Wish me luck!