Fish, Chips & Football: Bank Holiday Weekend Kicks Off by the Sea

The Seaside Special (120 Miles of Pure Optimism)

Nothing beats a proper away day by the seaside, and Fleetwood delivered on all fronts today! 120 miles in total - a nice manageable distance that didn’t require any service station stops, but we did make the most important stop of all: Sharks chippy for lunch!

Chip butty for me (because sometimes you need the classics) and cod and cheese chips for the boy. Top notch food that set us up perfectly for the afternoon’s entertainment. When you’re combining football with proper seaside fish and chips, you know you’re onto a winner.

Journey Stats:

• Miles traveled: 120 (perfect away day distance!)

• Service stations: 0 (but Sharks chippy: 1)

• Quality of lunch: Outstanding

• Optimism levels: High (seaside air does that to you)

When Football Chants Need Parental Guidance

Slow to get going again - seems to be becoming our trademark opening 20 minutes! We were all over the shop when Chad Evans got the ball in our half for the first time and promptly put it in the back of the net. Cue another football chant that required some careful explanation to the boy… some things about away day culture are best learned gradually!

But then something clicked. We buckled down, got a proper grip of the game, and suddenly looked like the team that should be competing in this league.

The Great Goal That Never Was (Part One)

Fondop had the ball in the back of the net - celebration time! Oh wait, no… handball. The referee’s having none of it. That sinking feeling when you’ve already started celebrating only to have it snatched away. Classic football, really.

The Great Goal That Never Was (Part Two)

We fought on, and again the ball’s nestling in the back of the net! This time surely… oh for crying out loud, offside! But you know what? You could feel it coming. There’s something in the air when your team’s building momentum, when every attack feels like it might be the one.

When Your Left-Back Becomes Your Top Scorer

Then it happened - ball swings in, and YES! Back of the net from Ogle! He’s now our leading scorer on 2 goals, and the fact that our right-back is our top scorer tells you everything you need to know about where we need to strengthen. But right now, I don’t care if the goals come from the kit man - they all count!

Second Half: Dominance and Frustration in Equal Measure

We came out for the second half looking like a completely different team - dominant, confident, creating chances. Fondop gets through on goal, puts it in the back of the net, and… the ref blows for a foul by Fondop on the way through. At this point, I’m wondering if we’re cursed or just incredibly unlucky.

But the positives were clear to see:

• ✅ Woods absolutely outstanding in midfield again (becoming a proper theme, this)

• ✅ What looks like a genuine partnership forming between Fondop and Quigley

• ✅ We’re creating chances, lots of them

• ✅ We’re competing away from home

The Norwood Moment

About 70 minutes in, Fleetwood substituted Norwood off, and fair play to our fans - he got a warm round of applause. No goal for him today (thankfully!), but respect where it’s due. That’s what proper away day support looks like.

Last-Minute Drama and Hudson Heroics

Scrappy last few minutes with Hudson pulling off another wonder save when it mattered most. The man’s becoming our most consistent performer, and that’s exactly what you need from your goalkeeper - someone you can rely on when the pressure’s on.

1-1 draw, another point collected away from home, and honestly? It feels like we’re building something here.

Post-Match Seaside Perfection

What’s the perfect way to finish off a day of football by the sea? Ice cream on Fleetwood front, of course! Mint chocolate chip for me, raspberry ripple for the boy, both with flakes because we’re not savages.

Standing there with our ice creams, watching the waves, and reflecting on another away point - this is what football’s about, isn’t it? The journey, the chips, the drama, the frustration, the small victories, and finishing it all off with proper seaside ice cream.

The Bigger Picture

What’s Working:

• ✅ Away form looking solid (points on the road are precious)

• ✅ Creating plenty of chances

• ✅ Woods dominating midfield

• ✅ Fondop and Quigley partnership developing

• ✅ Hudson keeping us in games

Still Missing:

• ❌ Clinical finishing (so many chances, not enough goals)

• ❌ Better starts to games (these slow openings will catch up with us)

But you know what? I’m leaving Fleetwood feeling positive. We’re competing, we’re creating, we’re picking up points away from home. The goals will come - they have to with the chances we’re making.

Bank Holiday Weekend Verdict: Good start! 120 miles, quality fish and chips, proper football, and seaside ice cream. Sometimes away days aren’t about the result - they’re about the whole experience. Though a win would’ve made the ice cream taste even better!

Next up: Back to Boundary Park and hopefully some clinical finishing to go with all this good play we’re producing.

Come On You Latics! 💙

P.S. - Sharks chippy in Fleetwood gets the full recommendation. If you’re ever in town for an away day, you know where to go for lunch!

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