You can only imagine how I felt when I then saw on the Stansted Website that my flight had in fact departed on time. Feeling as sick as a parrot, I then logged onto the DW message board, only to see a post from Barney saying the match was a doubt. Half an hour later, the postponement was confirmed.

I’d received a tip off a few weeks before the date was confirmed that it would be re—arranged for the 7^th of May. This provided me with another problem. I started a new job on the 10^th of March, whilst I had 25 days holiday, I was unsure how my boss would react if I asked for time off at the first chance to go to Newcastle for a match.

I needn’t have worried. “You can take up to 10 day’s religious holiday a year as well” he told me on my first day. I pointed out that having lapsed as a Jew, I wouldn’t even consider that, he said he’d put my religion down as “Waspyite” and if we had any evening matches a day off won’t be a problem.

Having had a tough day on the Tuesday with a very difficult client, I was very relieved when 12.30 came on the Wednesday, meaning I could switch my work phone off and forget all about the mentally ill for a while. I headed off to the Station to get a train to Kings Cross. After the last time I wasn’t trusting Sleazeyjet again in a hurry.

I caught the 2.00 from Kings Cross up to Geordie land. The journey was surprisingly pleasant. With my laptop to hand I kept myself entertained with a DVD. That was until York when a gentleman came and sat down across the aisle from me and started to have a deep and meaningful discussion, which by the time the train went through Durham became a heated debate, with his back pack. It seems to be an occupational hazard for me whenever I’m on public transport that the mentally ill seem to associate with me and sit near me. And people wonder why I drive everywhere.

I was met at Central Station by Harry and Sarah (who frequent travellers will know well). They came up on the Tuesday and were making the most of the good weather to go walking around Northumbria. Not my idea of fun, but when I’m spending this afternoon at a mental hospital in Luton, I’m sure my view will change!

From there we took a taxi to the Central Travelodge, which wasn’t so central, where I was staying. Round the corner was a very nice pub overlooking the Quayside, where we had an excellent meal before taking a taxi, which may well have been driven by Newcastle’s’ answer to Lewis Hamilton. But still fairly decent cost wise at a tenner for the 3 of us.

We took up residence in the pub at the back of the east stand. Amazingly it’s open to the public, including non-ticket holders 12 hours a day. We were greeted there by Mr & Mrs Wrinkly Wasp. It was impressive just how many Wasps fans had managed to make it up there, 25-30 may not seem like much, but I only counted 7 other Wasps at Sale last October.

Newcastle picked a side full of younger players eager to make a point, but speaking to Falcons fans gave an unhappy insight into their problems. One fan I sat next to said that Toby Flood had had a huge row with the Falcon’s chairman, whose son played Hooker for them. Part of the problem was that a lot of people felt the player in question wasn’t up to premiership standard (highlighted by a cry of “Oh look Thompson’s running! It’s the quickest and furthest he’ll run all night!”, but Dave Thompson would sack anyone who spoke up, as apparently Colin Charvis found to his cost...

The Wasps side was almost as you were in the backs, with Tom Voyce being rested, Josh to the wing, Rikkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkkiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii to full back and Dom Waldouck taking his place at 12. In the forwards it was all change, apart from Tim Payne who switched back to his native loose head, with Pat Barnard making a welcome return at tight head.

The first half was close. Wasps looked the most threatening from the 15 minute mark onwards, but were making silly errors. James Haskell drove over from close range after a good break by Josh, followed soon after by Tom Rees after a break by John Hart. However each try was followed by a lapse in concentration in defence, leading to soft Newcastle tries. However their young replacement back, Rob Miller failed to add to Tom May’s early penalty. Danny, showing no signs of his virus, kicked a penalty and a conversion to give Wasps a 15-13 lead at the break.

The second half started well enough with an almost repeat of Sackey’s excellent try against Clermont last December. Newcastle attack, Wasps turn over, spread the ball wide, and Cips fed Sackey; although this time he had to run it in from half way between the two try-lines, instead of half way between the 5 meter line and the try line. A great conversion followed from Cips. 22-13.

Then came another turning point and a moment that proved Tom French’s worth. With Pat Barnard having run out of steam and Tim Payne getting mullered by Carl Hayman, French went to loose head, with Payne to tight head and proceeded to stop the big man in his tracks, even pushing him back on more than one occasion.

Cips added another penalty, but with the clock running down, Wasps had still to secure the vital fourth try and the all important bonus point. With the clock ticking down, my blood pressure went the way of Shaun Edward’s veins in his forehead.

Convinced the bonus point was now beyond us, the relief when Josh Lewsey powered over to secure the extra point was immense. To be fair to Newcastle there was more than a hint of crossing by Dom Waldouck, but the main thing was that the ref, Rob Debney gave it. With 4 and a half minutes to go, the result was in the bag, was round down the clock and, when the clock reached zero, Eoin hoofed the ball out. The reaction of the players was one of exhausted relief more than anything.

Back to the pub then and I was please to hear a certain song being played. My recent thread, entitled “On The Verge Of Something Wonderful” was named after a song I was listening to at the time, by former Savage Garden singer, Darren Hayes. Some of the lines in the song resemble to an extent the way Wasps’ season has gone and could still go. Having never heard it played on the radio or on a music channel before, I was surprised but smiling to hear it played in a pub 270 miles from home.

A short walk back to Bank Foot Metro station followed, before the 20 minute journey back to Central Station, with Martin & Maggie Timms. For those who haven’t been to Kingston Park, it is probably one of the best venues for public transport, with the airport also a five minute ride away. From there it was back to the hotel, where using my mobile broadband cable I went online to see the DWs who hadn’t made the trip had post 9 pages worth of comments on the radio commentary. With my train at 9am the next day, I decided against reading it, but did add my views on the game.

The next morning was an early start. After an all you can eat breakfast (I think I got my money’s worth) I headed off to Central Station and somehow resisted the urge to get a train to Devon or Bournemouth. Instead I took my seat on the 9am to Kings Cross, fortunately without any potential clients nearby.

Leeds next. I don’t think it’s going to be an easy game. Hopefully Gloucester will do a job on Bath. If they do a good enough job on them and Sale get a bonus point win, it could be Sale paying us a visit. Either way, it’s going to be a tense afternoon.

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