Sunday 21st October 2007 saw the mighty AFC Lostock Hall face tough opposition from Blackpool in the form of Northern Care. Northern Care were not to be taken lightly as they have only lost 1 league game this season and were currently sitting 2nd in the Blackpool Premier League.

Lostock were in fine form of late having scored 18 goals in their last 3 games so this match was going to be a cracker!!! Unfortunately, news came through that the prolific John Stead had recently broken his arm which is a set back to Lostock as he’s their current top scorer. With several players such as Charlie Sanderson (cruciate knee ligaments), Mark Edmeads (last seen in Roebuck cubical firing one in) and Damien Dashti (ankle ligaments/period problems) already missing it meant that players like Bridgett and Randell had to soldier on with the injuries they’d picked up the previous day. However, the management had plenty of options to look at having assembled what could be a treble winning squad this season. Lostock Hall lined up with Moffat in goal. Greenwood, Atherton, Bridgett and Chris ‘the Leyland Lion heart’ Johnson as the back four. The midfield consisted of: Roddy, Randell, Jamie Sanderson and Hornby, with Will Yates and John Sanderson leading the line up front.

The Blackpool side turned up in a coach which had both the team and supporters on board. Upon viewing the facilities at the Rec it was safe to say that they weren’t impressed as they were moaning about Lostock’s 18th Century square wooden goal posts along with the state of the pitch (which was in great condition!) and the size of the changing rooms. This made the Lostock lads all the more determined to send them back to Blackpool with more than the facilities to forget and without a cuddly toy!

The game kicked off with Lostock showing their intentions early by closing their opposition down quickly all over the park. A fast game was nothing more than the spectators down at the Tardy Rec expected and 5mins in a burst of pace into the box by Randell saw him up ended…..somehow the ref gave a goal kick when surely it was a clear penalty! The big fella Will Yates was hunting defenders down with Lostock’s midfield 4 looking to feed off his prey. This soon paid off with Yates finding himself one on one with the keeper only to see his effort just clear the crossbar. Chances went begging for Lostock with Bridgett hitting the crossbar with a looping header and then some good work from the midfield saw a ball fired across goal with nobody there to finish it off. The Northern Care liner had clearly been drinking the night before with some of the offside decisions he was making but saying that, Lostock just couldn’t find a break through goal. Lostock defended superbly with Moffat in goal virtually a spectator, with the back four mopping up any half attack that came their way. As the half time whistle went, AFC were unhappy not to be in front.

At half time the general consensus was more of the same, with play needing to be a bit sharper in places. Everybody seemed fine as far as injuries were concerned. The ball would now hold up in the corners, which would suit the home wing assault of Hornby and Roddy. Views and opinions were being traded in a civil manner between the team, now that the regimental approach had disappeared!

As the second half kicked off the home side were certainly not going to lose this one. Any sign of a Northern Care attack was quickly snuffed again out by the 2 strapping centre halves – Bridgett and Atherton. The linchpin Randell was beginning to thrive in midfield with foil of Jamie Sanderson allowing him to roam. With 58 minutes on the clock Yates sprung the offside trap and saw his shot parried across goal by the keeper, with what seemed like an eternity; RODDY coolly controlled the ball and fired home from 2 yards. 1-0! This temporarily seemed to galvanise the away side – but not for long. A spell of end-to-end action soon saw Lostock awarded a corner. Roddy sent an out swinger in for ATHERTON to head home at 100mph from all of 15 yards. Good job the netting was tied properly or Croston Road would have been reduced to rubble!!! Without taking anything away from the Blackpool side, who were definitely asking questions of Lostock, I think the Black and White army were just too strong on the day. Lostock then introduced substitutions in the form of Ben Yates who replaced Hornby with Northern Care also bringing on “The Blackpool Bridgett”. On 80 minutes a centre from the right saw WILL YATES finally get his goal, as the big fella finished calmly from close range. 3-0. Lostock would now look to play the clock down. Northern Care’s only real chance of the game fell to the Blackpool side’s substitute who hit the side netting with only a few minutes remaining. Right at the death, Lostock continued to attack and broke away from a visiting corner where Greeny found John Sanderson on the halfway line who turned and played a great ball to Will Yates. YATES controlled the ball magnificently and volleyed home for his 2nd and Lostock’s Fourth. 4-0.

At the final whistle, the mood was good. Once again Lostock had numerous players who stood out; with the whole team performing superbly and producing some of their best football for years. Who could doubt them claiming a treble this season???

A terrific display by everyone put the Black and White Army into the hat for the next round so it was a great day all round….that was until we got back to The Tardy and it was announced that we could only have 1 piece of KFC chicken each!

SCORERS:
Sean Roddy (58 min)
Luke Atherton (67 min)
Will Yates (80 min)
Will Yates (89 min)

MOM:
Chris Bridgett