So...it went like this:  I turned up at work early so I could hopefully get through on the phone or t'interweb before I had to start.  After 90 mins of engaged tones, site crashes and industrial language, a colleague who had got the Steam Racket site up too says "I'm in!"  I go through all the motions and it needs a security screen doing and I have to request an OTP code.  Problem...I use a cheap burner phone that doesn't get a signal in the area where I work, so I drive 800 yards to the top of the hill where there's a signal.  I ring colleague, pass on code and...it's expired.  We do it again...in the time it takes for the phone call it's expired again.

Panic is setting in by now, so I go outside, stand on a wall and hold my arm in the air.  A message pings in - dash inside, enter code and...it's booked.  So all sorted but surely there has to be a way that doesn't involve so much stress?