Sunday 26th August 2025 ko 11:00

West Lancashire League Division One

CROSTON SPORTS 0

LYTHAM TOWN 0

Att 371

Entry £3

Programme £2

We left the hotel in Blackpool and did a double-take- had some really tethered a horse on some rough ground by the car park? It takes all sorts I suppose, and I was about to watch my 5th, 6th and 7th games of the weekend. We headed to Chorley’s environs (now there’s a ground if you haven’t been!) and reached Croston to find an expertly marshalled parking system already in place.

Croston is a small village primarily known for its Gothic Revival hall with its adjacent chapel designed by EW Pugin. You may remember a politician a few years ago getting into strife by spending taxpayers’ money on Pugin wallpaper? That wall covering was designed by AW Pugin, EW’s father!

And while there was nothing Pugin-designed at Croston Sports Club there was Lancashire Hot Pot with Beetroot, and for me that is far more worth investing in!

The club worked incredibly hard at their day, the parking in an adjoining field freed up both space and traffic, and the bar and food stalls at the bottom end allowed people the space to see what was on sale, and to purchase quickly. You may think that’s obvious but think of all the clubs far higher up the pecking order who failed to grasp serving three hundred people through a small hatch simply doesn’t work.

On these events when you get a nil-nil draw half the fun is watching the goalless draw haters squirm- but this one was proof that games without a goal aren’t necessarily dreadful. Here two well matched sides were, perhaps a little too well matched, and both defences were excellent.

But as we strolled back to the car- there was a clear winner and that was Croston FC and those volunteers.