Garstang FC

 I made the most of Northern Trains flash sale and got a return to Lancaster for £4 for this one, Garstang then being an 11 mile bus ride out of Lancaster priced at £3 each way. I spent the morning in Lancaster, thinking there wouldn't be a lot in Garstang but on arrival I was suprised to see a decent little high street and a branch of the excellent supermarket, Booths. After looking in the cafe which had a warning for long waiting times, I decided to purchase some food from the shop itself, two giant pretzels from the bakery, some Lancashire crisps and two magic star apples did the job, I initially bought them for tea on the train home but on arrival at the riverside ground there was no food on offer so it became lunch. I was amazed thar there wasn't so much as a pie on offe given the distance the opposition, Shildon had travelled. I know the clubhouse is getting an upgrade and is closed but I'm sure a microwave and hot counter could have been used for a few pastry based items. What gets me at these clubs with little to know food offering is that they always find a way to keep the bar open and alcohol flowing and Garstang were no different in this respect, poor from the club in my opinion.

The ground itself is basic standing alongside the dugout side and in front of the clubhouse with two small seated stands erected behind the other goal. Admission was £6 and that's all I spent on this one so a cheap day for me and a missed chance revenue wise for the club regarding food. The attendance was 98 and I would guess 60 of those must have been from Shildon with very little noticeable support for the home side. I was fully expecting an away win for this game, having been to Shildon last year as they narrowly missed out on the title I knew they had some good players whereas Garstang are perennial struggles and only stayed up last year due to a reprieve.

It took until just before the half hour mark for the first goal in a move that started with the Shildon keeper and ended with a cross from the right and number 7 swept home from 6 yards, a justified goal for Shildons complete dominance. The chances were raining in for the visitors and the Garstang keeper made one of a number of good saves from a powerful header before anither easy penalty box finish on 33 minutes, with the Garstang defence non existent and Shildon turning the screw. Shildon then had the ball in the net again but offside was given before they cleared off their line to prevent a Garstang goal, a rare chance for them. Half time came and for me the game was already over.

Five minutes in to the second half and Shildon just carried on where they left off by hitting the bar before the game hit a twenty minute lull culminating in a Garstang chance wasteful ly poked wide with the keeper in no man's land, the resulting corner was wasteful, they then messed up a two v one situation with a poor pass as their F.A. Vase participation was disappearing from their grasp. The home side can count themselves unlucky not to have had a penalty in the 75th minute for a deliberate handball but the referee waved the appeals away. The Garstang heads seemed to go down after this and as they didn't close a short Shildon corner down properly, the ball came to number 7 who thundered in off the bar for 3.0 and he personally could have had 5 today. Seven minutes from time and the Shildon 11 raced through to finish for 4.0 before in added on time Garstang got caught outnumbered at the back and an easy finish for the spare man to complete the rout and send the north east club home happy. Garstang also having a last minute chance put wide for a corner, they just lacked any real quality or know how.