Chadderton 2 - 5 Mossley

There are tougher baptisms into management at a club than a friendly against a side two divisions below you but circumstances (i.e. the need for games to get the players back up to match fitness after the long, weather enforced lay-off) dictated that John Flanagan began his reign as Lilywhites manager on a small field in one Oldham's least salubrious districts.

It didn't get off to the most promising of starts either as the home side put themselves in front very early on in the game. The conventions of football match reporting insist that I must call it a shock lead because that is what it was. Prior to it Mossley had missed a host of good chances and after the match had restarted they continued to miss some more.

On the positive side the approach play that was creating all these chances was really rather good: quick interceptions, short passes, intelligent off the ball movement and well delivered crosses. In fact there wasn't a single aimless punt up the pitch all night.

The visitors eventually cancelled out the lead when an incredibly poor pass by the Chadderton left back gave Mike Fish the chance to roll the ball past the keeper, and they went ahead moments later through Chris McDonough.

Fish then added a third after a run which took him half the length of the pitch. Yes, you read that correctly. Even though he had a two yard head start on his marker (no assistant referees being present at the game meant that most offsides weren't punished - though it was amusing to see defenders appealing to someone who wasn't there) it was still quite the finish from the considerably fitter and svelter 2010 version of last seasons top scorer. McDonough grabbed his second of the game before the break and to be honest, instead of the score being 4 - 1 at half-time it could have easily been triple that.

It took only a couple of minutes of the second half to elapse before Fish completed his hat-trick and the home side doubled their total for the evening almost from the restart. And that was it. No more goals and not much more excitement either. Mossley could possibly have had a couple more but the game slowly lost its verve and petered out to nothingness long before the referee brought the proceedings to a merciful close.

Still, every member of the squad got a chance to have a bit of a run around before the league fixtures resume on Saturday. Well, all bar Steve Moore, the injured Graham Kay and Sam Walker. The latter having returned from whence he came - the whence in question being Woodley. But thanks, good luck (except against us), etc.

Next on the agenda is a trip to Radcliffe Borough and a ground where not a single decent game of football has ever taken place between the two sides. I for one can wait!