Saturday 23rd August 2025 ko 14:00

West Lancashire League Division Two

DALTON UNITED 0

STOREYS FC 3 (Wearing 16 Creech 85 Barker 88og)

Att 374

Entry £3

Programme £2

The inaugeral West Lancs Hop had, so far, dealt with clubs only in its top division, so I did feel a little twitchy when the cavalcade reached Dalton-in-Furness and a game in the league’s 3rd tier. We knew the crowds we were seeing were more than healthy so would a club at the lowest rung of the league be able to cope?

We got our answer even before we actually reached Railway Meadow. The club’s volunteers had organised a one-way system on the approach road and while a few folk took a little persuading the pay-off came at the the end of the game- egress was straightforward.

Once there, as one of the organisers you look to be completely redundant, the club’s plans will hopefully make it that way. Here we were gloriously, happily so with a delightful mixture of homemade cake, intelligent cake and good old fashioned charm making it that way. The easiest way to explain it was that every time I thought “Have they done..?” they had!

It was by any groundhop standards a remarkable hosting, amazing even. In footballing terms though, noone seemed to have told the visitors. They’re interesting in their own right, being the former works team of Storey Bros of Lancaster- makers of leathercloth, baize and other decorative cloth products. Baize or no Baize they won this one easily enough- and we’ll look forward to visiting them sooner rather than later.

But the afternoon unquestionably belonged to to the friendly little club by the railway line. I think I speak for most when I say I enjoyed every moment I spent with them.