Changeable weather

There was a relaxed air amongst our pharmacologists for Prescot Cables' game away to Salford City: theses had been submitted, vivas booked and new jobs started. James and Jon joined me for the train to Manchester, with Luke joining us there. There is a lack of pubs near the ground, so we could have gone anywhere in Manchester, but we honoured Salford's city status, by visiting the excellent New Oxford, next to the former Salford Town Hall. The company developing the Town Hall for flats describe it as an idyllic location, but I would not go that far.

Our party ready for the game - photo by Richie Brown

The pub is a few minutes' walk from the stop for buses to Moor Lane. The first to come was the 93, so it was handy to have Luke, who caught the 93 to college about 10 years ago, with us to reassure the driver of our local connection.

We arrived as the game was starting, with the team's transport having successfully avoided emus in the Warrington area (the last telling of the collision with the pheasant in October had escalated to a swan, so I thought I would up the ante further). I did not see any of Salford's owners, and assumed they had punditry commitments for Manchester United's game at Swansea, although I subsequently learned Paul Scholes and Phil Neville were watching the game from the Moor Lane side.

The sun was shining, and we were attacking the car park end, so I took up position in the corner where I would be looking across the sun rather than into it.

Danny Flood

It  was a first appearance for James Jenkins, on loan from Accrington Stanley.

James Jenkins

The weather changed a few minutes later, with a sleet shower. This was all very well for photographic effects...

... but I have been continuing my practice of not attaching a filter to the lens except to avoid getting water on the front. This is fine when I know it is going to rain, but, not expecting a shower, I found myself cleaning the lens somewhat gingerly to avoid scratching it.

There was a comment after the game that we treated the hosts with too much respect in the first half, a fair assessment, with the half time score standing at 4-0.

The sun was back before half time, so for the second half, when we were playing into the sun, the lighting conditions were perfect. Looking at the photos, you might think it was a summer day, although the wind demonstrated it definitely was not.

Oscar Durnin

Our play seemed better too: whilst we conceded two more goals, we seemed more coordinated, and took away the hosts' clean sheet with a penalty from Jack Phillips.

Jack Phillips takes a penalty

We saw the return of Liam Hollett (he had also played at Ossett Town in midweek) wearing number 6, with James McCulloch at 4, a combination we are used to seeing the other way round.

Liam Hollett

James McCulloch

After the game, we needed some more refreshment, and I needed to thaw my fingers, so we adjourned to the Northern Quarter (or It's Grim up North Manchester), where even door staff had hipster beards. It was handy for the station, to allow married or soon to be married members of the party to head home at an appropriate hour. After this, Luke recommended the Angel, with an excellent beer range, good (if a little pricey) food, and Farmer Jim's Dry Cider, which Luke declared to be delicious. The pump clip featured a drawing of the eponymous farmer with a pig that looked as though it would be equally delicious cooked in the product.

When we finally left for our train, Luke was sceptical about the estimate from Mr Google's Maps that Piccadilly Station was 20 minutes' walk away, airily indicating, "It's just down there on the left". He was right about the time, but the maps had the advantage on the direction, as we actually needed to turn right, going left would have led us to Oldham.

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

Final score: Salford City 6, Prescot Cables 1 (Phillips pen)