Top of the league

One disadvantage of a trip to Clitheroe is that the train journey is somewhat slow, made slower when I looked at my options for this game by a higher fare via Manchester than Preston, which has not been the case in the past, and lengthy waits in Preston and Blackburn. I looked for alternatives, and found a bus. Preston Bus Station was on the large side when it was built in 1968, and is now four or five times the size it needs to be, lending it a somewhat spectral air. With apologies to the Prestonian Francis Thompson,
     The stands are full of shades near the service for the coast,
     And the ghostly buses wait for the boarding of a ghost.
           O my Bristols and my Fleetlines long ago!

Joining me aboard the 280 to Skipton were a young couple with Norman shields, a pike, a bow and quiver of arrows, and large bags that may have contained chain mail. I thought they might be defending against Yorkshire incursions across the County Brook in the Barnoldswick area, but they got off just before me in Clitheroe. I hope they were not planning to keep watch from the Castle, as heavy rain meant the advertised views were once again unavailable.

The County Brook - undefended against marauding Yorkshirepersons

On arrival, I adjourned to the Ale House. I was not surprised to learn later that Richie, our leader in beer and pub choices, and his wife Sharon had been in. I missed them by a few minutes, as they followed a recommendation to try the newly opened Bowland Brewery Beer Hall at Holmes Mill. As he declared himself satisfied, I tried it myself after the game. I found it busy, with people mainly at tables, but with a few wing armchairs dotted around for the likes of me with a pint and a paper

Clitheroe is one of the better equipped grounds for watching in the rain, as there is cover on three sides and seats on the fourth. I took up position behind the goal we were attacking. After 10 minutes I was rewarded by James Edgar crossing in ...

... for Rob Doran to score.

This makes it in on the "goal is a goal" principle, but also on the "how is that even possible?" principle. If I were to put my foot down at that angle, hopping would be my preferred mode of transport for some time to come.

The crowd were doing their best to keep dry.

Bram Johnstone

I continued my series of unsettlingly large advertising faces.

Ben Cartwright

We held on to our lead for the first half. The hosts were awarded a penalty early in the second, and took the opportunity to level the score. They fully tested our defence, and Tom Brocklehurst put in a strong performance.

With seven or eight minutes to go, Joe Nicholson released a shot from 20 yards out (the distance handily confirmed by the pitch markings).

With this goal securing the win, and Farsley Celtic being involved in the FA Cup, we took an unaccustomed position at the top of the table - I think for the first time since promotion from the North West Counties League in 2003. Keeping last season's team together and having two competitive cup fixtures in pre season has enabled us to press home an early advantage. With the League not having midweek fixtures because half would fall to FA Cup replays (an approach with which I am not sure I agree, every fixture completed is one less to worry about in March after a bad winter), we would be there for at least a week - hopefully longer, but the week was guaranteed.

The rest of the pictures can be seen on the club website here, and on Google Photos here.

Final score: Clitheroe 1 Prescot Cables 2 (Doran, Joe Nicholson)