Tuesday 14 Jan 2020, Globe Arena, 7.45pm.

Another change, Tanner comes in at left back for the unlucky Conlan, otherwise it’s the same new faces. Another gorgeous evening on the Lancashire Riviera, as it had been tipping it down all day, but the pitch looked amazing considering, well done Chesh and his team.

We won the toss and kicked with the gale behind us again first half, but we were a little more intelligent than Saturday. We used the flanks well, and early strike was deflected wide for a corner. Phillips swung in a curling cross which was met by Old to head home for an early goal!! 1-0. Still we piled forward, Phillips pulling the strings and Cole putting himself about. A Phillips pass was intercepted but Cooney played it forward quickly to Adam who had carried on his run, he looked up and crossed for a lurking, (possibly offside) Cole to Tap home for 2-0 after 12 minutes!! Am I at the correct game?

Still we pushed, corners troubling the Vale side as they struggled to tackle the teeth of the gale. HT 2-0.

Phillips was subbed for OSullivan, a tight thigh the reason, precautionary apparently, and we struggled to gain any fluidity. Vale used Pope as their outball but he was bring marshalled well by the Old/Lavelle axis. Carlos and Slew worked hard as the full backs of the away side pushed on and we were keeping them at arms length. However with 14 minutes to go, Pope was subbed, Bennett and Cullen came on and they played more on the floor, almost immediately they pulled a goal back. Gibbons latching on to a poor clearance and logging over Halstead from 18 yards, 2-1.

The usually cool Tanner and Cooney both lost the ability to find a red shirt, perhaps not being used to defending a lead to be truthful, and ac couple of corners saw Amoo force a great save from Halstead with a ten yard header. we entered added time looking shaky but a procession of daft infringements ensured we held out and took three points, deservedly.

Another word about the new lads, Phillips is  useful playmaker, 1 goal and 2 assists in 135 minutes. Big Dave looked fitter and reads the game well, he calms Kenyon down too, Slew ran his shorts off chasing back and ensuring attacks petered out. MOM was rightly Carlos who also ran them dadt both forwards and backwards. More please, could get used to this new Adams family!!