On Saturday 25 Nov Garstang Men’s Development team with eight youngsters and seven senior players hosted Leyland and Chorley’s Dev Team. All other home games were off due to frozen pitches.

Garstang started well and their passing and moving quickly took control of the game. After nine minutes young Tom Pinder in his first senior game scored in a one on one past the Keeper. Three minutes later Garstang won a corner and Oscar Strickland hammered the ball home form the top of the D. A third goal followed when youngster Dexter Knight made a great pass to Club senior Coach David Gee in front of the Keeper and David swept the ball home. L&C got more into the game and young Garstang Keeper Jack Dixon made a good reaching foot save at an L&C penalty corner. After twenty-six minutes at another L&C corner one of their Lancashire / NW star young players scored a great goal with a raised flick inside the post to make it 3-1. However Garstang struck back almost immediately when youngster Lachlan Hutchings collected a long through ball in the D and got the ball past the Keeper to make it 4-1 at half time.
Garstang started the second half well and scored a superb team goal after five minutes involving four players. Andy Barr sent a raised ball high up the pitch to Brett Trevalyn who made a reverse stick pass to team Capt James Key who scored. Garstang relaxed a bit too much and L&C won a corner but Garstang cleared well and won two corners in short order. At the second Oscar Strickland again hammered the ball and a defender put the ball in the air over the keeper’s head. L&C showed their spirit in winning another corner but Garstang’s 14-year-old keeper made a brilliant stick/glove save on his left post to keep a shot out. In the dying minutes of the game Brett Trevalyn made a quick whirl to shoot and score from the top of the D to make the final score 7-1 to Garstang.
This game was a delight to watch as Garstang’s young and old players combined in a classic team game to outclass a brave but less well organised L&C team.

Photo and report: Charles Jackman