AFC Liverpool V Prestwich Heys, 26th March 2022

It was our final home league game of the season. There was traffic congestion between junctions 6 and 7 of the M62, and Liverpool Legends were playing Barcelona Legends. With someone in the Prestwich party delayed, the kick off time was delayed to 3.15pm. Our final league game of the season was to be at Robbie Savage's Macclesfield the following Saturday, and tickets were on sale. Due to the Covid Pandemic, this was to be the first league season completed fully in three years!

There was one bloke who came in via the turnstile I was manning with his dog. Of course, I only saw the dog after he went through, with Steve Fraser trying to tell me to stop the guy. I had to subsequently find the guy and give the bloke his money back. It only turned out to be the Dad of our then Manager Chris Anderson!

Little did I know then that this would not be the only dog-related incident of the weekend. The second dog incident happened the following day as our Under 18s beat Stockport Georgians 2-0 at Edge Hill College in Ormskirk. I drove there from Formby for the second half on Mothers Day. The incident at Edge Hill saw Alan Harrison (accompanied by his dog) get told to watch the game from behind the perimeter fence!
So back to AFC v Prestwich and rumours of a further delay filtered through. Apparently due to the referee having forgot his whistle! I am sure I heard someone say let's give him a round of applause when he comes out. Then again I may be wrong. Soon I caught a glimpse from the turnstile of some of our players congratulating each other. Had we scored? Nearly, we had a penalty, which was duly despatched by Anthony Lyons. 
We scored a second on 32 minutes as Callum Longworth found himself through on goal, having beat the offside trap. He scored, and the Prestwich players protested. From where I was standing it was the right decision. Callum was not offside, although another player Jordan Monthe was. But Jordan was not active. About six minutes later Callum Longworth wriggled his way past their defence down the right. He beared down on goal and centered it for Jordan Monthe to score, and a chorus of "nice one Jordan!"
For much of the second half not a lot happened. Although Jack McGovern in goal had little to nothing to do in the first half, he did have a couple of comfortable saves to make in the second half. Callum Schorah was due to leave for Widnes at the end of the season, and if this was to be his last home league game, a goal from him would have been very nice.
As it was, the visitors did get a late goal in stoppage time to deny Jack McGovern a clean sheet. The 3-1 win meant that in a first season back in the North West Counties Premier Division, we could not finish any lower than 15th, and there was still a League Cup competition to have a little crack at.

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