STANDING ORDER FOR GOALDEN LOTTERY
AWAY DAY TO NELSON
I was unsure about whether or not to go to this one. I don't really class these "minor cup" games as first class matches but, I'd never been to Nelson's ground so I was tempted. However the weather on Monday with thick fog, frost etc made me think twice.
Waking up on Tuesday morning to a clear day and the promise of a thaw had us thinking again. We decided to see what it was like when I got home from work before making a final decision.
I was home for 4.15 and a quick check with Nelson said the match was on so we decided to go knowing that we could get there only to be fogged off.
It wasn't too bad, a bit of fog on the M65 but nothing serious.
Never having been before I did the usual and got the directions off AA Route Planner and we had plenty of time being by Junction 13 on the M65 at 7.10. That's when it all went horribly wrong. I'd seen some floodlights right alongside the motorway but thought they were a school. Wrong! We religiously followed Route Planner and ended up in the middle of an industrial estate! Plan 2, ask someone...... that might seem easy but we couldn't find anyone who, a knew, b, spoke English or c were over 10! After lots of driving around Nelson & Colne(don't ask) we found a sports stadium and a very kind lady finally put us on the right track and we arrived 5 minutes late. The best was finding a chap walking along who looked English and may have a clue who turned out to be, judging by his accent, a Pole!
By the way the floodlights we had seen 35 minutes earlier were at the ground! We laughed with the gateman when I suggested that nobody in Nelson knows were the ground is! He said that 65 people had passed through his turnstile which is the lowest gate we have ever played in front of, this included, by my count 28 from Southport some of whom may not have paid of course. The Brighouse branch of the Southport supporters club was there as was a lad who I know is at Lancaster Uni, that is dedication.
It was £6 to get in with no programme, a tidy enough ground adequate for the league Nelson are in and ground number 147 for me.
At 2-0 up after 20 minutes Metropolis reminded me that it was against Nelson that we had recorded our record Football League score of 8-1. Only one more goal came and we ended up fairly comfortable winners creating lots of chances along the way. We put out a decent team which was good to see with Farrell Kilbane captaining the side which was a surprise as reports had told me he had said his goodbyes to everyone on Saturday. Nick Rogan looked very sharp and took his two goals well. Dave Brooks came on and scored a well taken goal and looks very promising and young Sean Foster also had a good game at right back in what was his first 1st team game. My MOTM was Dominic Krief.
I had to laugh a few minutes from the end when Earl was shouting "toes Dicko, toes" suggesting Dicko should stay alert and be on his toes. His response was a classic " I haven't got any toes" It was very cold!
We managed a few dark photos including one of Lane, Baker, Pickford & Daly wrapped up against the cold.
We were home in an hour which was much better than our journey time for getting there. A most enjoyable night. You know that saying about the way to a mans heart is through his stomach, well I think there may be another way, taking your husband to a Lancashire Junior Cup game in Nelson on a cold, foggy night in November is the way to do it!
Not sure if anyone else noticed that Woking's game at home to Cheltenham was abandoned after 50 minutes because of fog, thank goodness that didn't happen last week.