Far, far, Farsley away

Our Prescot Cables train crew was a one person operation for our visit to Farsley AFC - only three had signed up to the event on Facebook, then Richie, our leader in beer and pub choices, reported he had failed a late fitness test. I took the 10:22 as planned, so I had time for refreshment in Leeds. In Costa Coffee the staff were in their Christmas fancy dress already, so after I had my morning cup and stopped twitching, I adjourned to Mr Foley's Cask Ale House, where beers are now served in a traditional receptacle.

York Brewery Pilau Weisse

Heavy rain had been forecast, but it had stopped by the time I got to the ground, which was just as well, the covered standing is only at one end, and is some way back from the pitch. It was good news too for the community bonfire hosted by the club after the game: someone was bringing an old sofa to add to it as I arrived.

The pitch perimeter barrier is just the right height, and presents a nice flat top for refreshments. The price of pies has stayed the same for a while, so inflation has made the rather expensive pie of a couple of seasons ago a more average priced offering, especially with the still economical peas and gravy.

We had a good first half, and were rewarded after half an hour with a goal from Jack Phillips. I got a picture, of sorts.

Whilst it is good enough for the web, the goalkeeper is not in focus, and there is too much green space in the middle. Goals are the key part of the story in the paper, so I always try to include a picture of the scorers (which can be unfair on defenders who have been working just as hard at the other end): I sent this one instead.

Half time is always a danger when you are playing well, particularly when the opposition are not displaying the form that has brought them recent good results: there is always the chance they will be able to regroup. This was the case here, and with the sun setting and the lights having been switched on just after half time, I was not getting the best of pictures from our own half. There were enough moves forward to keep me busy.

Joe Evans

For the last few minutes I moved round to the side, under the floodlight pylon near the dugout.

Assistant Manager Neil Black

We made a couple of enforced substitutions as I got there, with Sam Corlett and Jack Phillips coming off injured. The referee seemed to take a cavalier attitude to injuries, continuing play for over a minute with Sam motionless in the centre circle until play stopped with a Farsley shot going for a goal kick. He later uttered the immortal words "roll him off" when Mason Ryan took a knock three or four yards in from the touchline. Mason was limping for a while afterwards, but all our substitutions had been used.

Mason Ryan passes to Phil Bannister

We looked as though we would be able to hold on, but Farsley were able to score an equaliser on 87 minutes, and an injury time winner.

On the way home, the train between Leeds and Manchester can seem like the 10A bus, all human life is there. An annoying chap obstructed the doors whilst people were getting off at Leeds to bag a table, and was promptly joined by a group of overseas students. He solemnly told one of them he was not allowed to carry explosives on the train, and he would inform a member of staff. A few minutes later, he returned with the bemused conductor, who looked at the suspected sticks of dynamite and explained that, "even from here, I can see they are the handles of the gentleman's badminton racquets". The look our companion gave when he got off at Huddersfield suggested he was not convinced, and expected to hear later that we had all been blown to smithereens by a booby trapped shuttlecock.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.

Final score: Farsley AFC 2, Prescot Cables 1 (Phillips)