As away days go, Burscough away is probably the easiest of the season to plan, a direct train from Victoria taking just under an hour, two pubs on the high street as you exit the station and the ground a five-minute walk away and it was an early start for the 'magnificent seven' of us as we boarded the 1055 am train to arrive in a pub well in time to catch the Manchester Derby before heading to the big game of the day at 3pm!.
Talk on the train was of a difficult challenge today against a fifth placed Burscough side in good form, well that and Conrad asking me if I was sure the pub we were heading to was next to the station!, have I ever let anyone down with pub research? nar never!.
So arrive we did at 1150 and on literally exiting the train the holy grail that was The Bridge was right in front of us....and shut! but our worries were short lived as the opening hours posted on the window said opening at midday.
In we went finding a table and sat down to watch the derby and the less said about that the better as all seven of us on this day are of the red persuasion but myself and Mike agree that the few pints we had during that debacle would have us in good voice for the days main event down the road, in addition we were aware that bizarrely Burscough FC had no clubhouse or bar in the ground which was not good news at the time but ended up being one of the most amusing parts of the day, more of that later.
We walk to the ground, its cold windy and wet or 'a perfect day for non-league football' as some would call it and soon realising when we get to the ground see no covered standing and only one small seated stand which was quite busy but we squeeze in with most of the home support seated to our right.
The game kicks off and we are encouraged as the boys are at it from the first minute and the home fans soon realise they will need to get behind the team as after a few chants of 'come on Prestwich' they realise they are in a game off the pitch as well as on it.
Coop puts us 1-0 up not long before half time and we sing the classic song that always makes me smile of 'you've only come to see the Prestwich' and tease the home fans singing 'where is your bar?' and 'you've got no bar' and so it went on.
So we were 1-0 up at half time and playing well, I walk to the food stall stall to buy a burger be served by Dick Turpin who promptly charged me £4.50 because I decided to have a small slice of bacon on it, you live and learn but on we went with the weather deteriorating by the minute the second half was largely scrappy until the last ten minute when Coop beats the defender and launches a beauty top left corner only for it to be ruled offside, a really poor decision as it clearly wasn't and then as so often happens Burscough go up the other end and equalise.
Its to much for Greg Daniels who gets sent to the sin bin but it was recent super sub Lee Grimshaw who hammers home a last-minute winner as we go mental in the stands. The home fans are quiet and the final whistle goes for a great, and it has to be said unexpected win in atrocious conditions.
It was what happened next though that reminded why I love non-league the way I do as we stood applauding our team off four of the Burscough fans we had 'banter' with came over shook our hands and said 'well done'.
A simple but great gesture and yet another example of great fans in the Counties Premier League after similar quality supporters at recent away games at Ashton and Skelmersdale who welcomed us with open arms.
We leave the ground in high spirits and head back to The Bridge pub and to our surprise and hilarity are welcomed by the same Burscough supporters that were sat in the stand who stood up and chanted 'you've found the bar!' at us, a top set of lads and it was much appreciated.
As the beer flowed after the game it got me thinking about how vocal our support had been that day and the two previous best atmospheres at away games this season were at Avro and at Ashton both of which we won, we can be the twelfth man and we can make a difference.
As tradition has it on a Heys away day if the train stops in Wigan on the way back we are duly obliged to do a pit stop and this one was no different.
We were sat in Wetherspoon's wishing they had put on the Onion Barghi £1 offer which went down so well coming back from Skelmersdale a few weeks previous but it never happened and Dominic suddenly remembered a bar round the corner that he had been in with FC United a couple of years back but wasn't 100%. So slightly fearing a wild goose chase we followed him walking up a narrow ginnel by the side of said Wetherspoons.
Sure enough he was spot on with his location and found the Weind Bar. In we went to see this lovely music retro type bar with vinyl records on the wall and loads of 60's 70's and 80's memorabilia. We order a beer and the place gets busy with mainly 70's and 80's music being played and even some northern soul for Conrad.
Suffice to say we got comfy and one pint turned into several I look around and see all seven of us totally buzzing about the whole day so many talking points and we didn't want to be anywhere else, non league footy with the Heys and your mates no better combination and well done Dominic for finding that bar.
We were having such a good laugh that blind panic set in as often does on these trips that the last train from Wigan Wallgate is 10 minutes away and the familiar site of having to 'leg it' happened again!. We do make the train and head back and on the final tram journey into Besses o'th Barn it is suggested that we play a game of 'beat the clock' and head into the Coach and Horses for one last round. Only three of us decide to go for it and so myself Nick and Dominic fail by one minute arriving at 0001 but they served us anyway!..the perfect end to another great day on the road with Prestwich Heys,next stop Congleton, and I guess we won't be stopping off in Wigan on the way back for that one!.
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