Well, I was there and it was a good game of football, when our lads actually got the ball on the floor and tried things. In the crowd Jason McAteer was his usual extraverted self, while Danny Harrison and Chris Greenacre kept themselves to themselves, signing a few autographs but mostly just chatting to one another. The team that played was effectively the youth team, and appropriately Shaun Garnett performed the role of manager, and unsurprisingly Les Parry (in shorts as always, and it was cold) as the physio. Ronnie Moore was there, but on Shaun's shoulder rather than barking orders.
Our keeper Kevin Connelly had an absolute stinker of a game, and although he did save one of the tamest penalties I've ever seen (clealry the Heswall lad bottled it), he really should have been sent off in the third minute and conceded a penalty when he upended their forward in the box and didn't even get close to the ball. Amazingly the referee waved away the penalty appeals, truthfully it looked a nailed-on penalty. In general he flapped at things and made a hatful of basic errors. I can't recall him taking a long goal-kick, always rolling them out to a full-back who then did the hoofing for him. Oh and their 2nd goal was entirely Connelly's fault, committing himself well outside the box and gifting them a goal.
Olly James looked a capable right back, Mike Jones did well towards the end as he clearly had the fitness and the belief to try things, and Paul Henry looks a real one for the future, being so young and already captain of the team. Those are the positives.
The trialist centre-back was very 'army' if you know what I mean (no, not a crew-cut, that was the rest of the kids) and although his passing was good I got the impression dawdling on the ball like he did would be punished in the league. And he definitely definitely was not match fit.
Steve Davies perked up a bit near the end, around the same time as Jones did and started giving him balls that he could use. Previously Davies had been being used as a target man, and that's just not his game - he can't judge the fall or bounce of the long ball and upper-body strength is not really something he posseses much of. So back-to-goal he was wasted. Definitely improved when the balls were being squirted wide and through the channels. Although there's probably a fair argument to be made that he improved when he started to relax and enjoy himself more. The smile only appeared after he fell over his own feet ten yards away from anyone else, landing in a crumpled heap sort of on his shoulders. Several fans saying "Get up Davo" or "Come on Davo, get up" one supporter shouted "GET UP YOU MONG!" and made everyone around fall about laughing... Davies obviously saw the funny side too and after that he really seemed to be involved more and play well.
An enjoyable afternoon trip, one I'm glad I made even though I didn't get to see any of the new signings play, apparently there were around 1,000 supporters there and I can believe that. The first teamers may well put in a showing in the next friendly, so I'm looking forwards to that one already, there's definitely a buzz and positive feeling about.