Scorelines like this mean either brilliant attacking football and wonderful excitement or a very poor game littered with mistakes. This game was firmly rooted in the latter category, but Freshfield's greater determination and ability to avoid getting caught up in a battle with the referee saw them win an important three points in their quest for First Division safety. Playing against a team that had conceded 94 goals in 16 games, Freshfield started well and used the width of the Altcar Road pitch to their advantage. Chris Jones should have scored after good work down the left with ten minutes gone, but for the rest of the half Freshfield played too narrowly and had Nigel Power to thank for 4 smart saves which kept the game scoreless at the break.
With no goals in the first half, it was somewhat surprising that 9 came in the second. Freshfield tried a new pairing in midfield, the harshly omitted John Armstrong and Dave Brooks taking over from Steve Hughes and Neil Makinson, neither of whom had played badly in the first half. Poor defending all round explained many of the goals, but this was a game where more than two passes strung together by either side was a remarkable event. Cream took the lead with minutes gone when their strong number 8, Richie, was allowed to stray unmarked into the Freshfield box from a free-kick and drilled the ball home. Freshfield equalised when a cute cross from Jones was volleyed home by Tommy Smith. As Freshfield sat on their laurels, Cream took a quick two goal lead. First Richie was allowed to run across and then into the home defence and scored with another well struck shot, then he was clumsily felled in the box and the resulting penalty was coolly converted.
At 3-1 down Freshfield rallied somewhat, and pulled one back when Tony Lynch ended a strong run with a calm finish. Cream went 4-2 up when a cross from the left flank was volleyed into the net by a midfielder who had drifted unnoticed into the box. There were only ten minutes left when finally Freshfield took control of the game. Cream to a man became increasingly incensed by some refereeing decisions that they felt aggrieved by, and began to see the man in black rather than Freshfield as the opponent. Tony Lynch completed his hat-trick to bring the scores level, his second goal a poacher's special, his third a glorious left-footed shot into the top corner. With seconds left and Cream in disarray, Tommy Smith scored his second to make the score 5-4 and clinch the 3 points.
Freshfield play another hopeful ball forward.
Chris Jones prepares to volley wide.
Nigel Power claims a cross.