Notts County 3-1 Oldham Athletic

We wander down into town (Wakefield) from our hotel, after an overnight stay. A full English breakfast is devoured at Capri Lounge, a cafe that towers over the A61, a road which leads you into the city centre. With an hour to kill before our train departs Wakefield Kirkgate station, we take the opportunity to visit some of the buildings that are recommended on local websites. It's another ticked off city in the north of England, with the added bonus of watching a football match at a rugby league ground.

It's back to the grind, early doors on Monday,  at 4 a.m. to be precise, as I continue to shake off a virus that caused a synchronised cough-off between Ms Moon and Sticky at the Wakey Premier Inn in the early hours of Sunday morning. Apologies if you were in room 253 or room 255. 

There's disturbing news to be reported on from the shop, folks, that makes for some very grim reading. You need to have your wits about you when minding a newsagent. A thief/shoplifter will take advantage when you are distracted by another customer. I nearly fell for it hook, line and sinker the other day. I was chatting to Stevie Burrows, a Birmingham City fan, about the chances of the Bluenoses being promoted to the Premier League, when the perpetrator struck. They headed for the door at breakneck speed without paying for their goods. Luckily, he was apprehended before he shot up Front Street and out of sight.

I thought long and hard about whether to phone the police but felt a two week ban would suffice. The offender is well known in Arnold. His name is Basil the Bluenose, a Dachshund puppy. He tried to steal a packet of Fisherman's Friends, with his defence being that he had a kennel cough. I'm not falling for that one son.

There's no midweek football this week. I had the opportunity to go and watch Racing Warwick v the Mighty Millers, but the game was being played on 3G. There are exceptions to the rule of NO 3G, but I honestly didn't want to wipe anybody out with the lurgy should I get offered a lift.

On the subject of Carlton Town, this blog would like to send best wishes and condolences to Millers' legendary, stalwart central defender Dan Brown (215 appearances and still only 25 yrs old)) who had the misfortune to lose both his front teeth during a league fixture at Boldmere St Michaels. A distressful and anxious evening was spent by Dan and his dad, Malc, in accident and emergency at a West Midlands hospital. Get well soon Dan. I'll put the special offer bonfire toffee at the shop aside for now, pal, until the new gnashers are fitted.

Tony Mac and I managed to get a £30 each return train ticket to Blackpool a few months ago. Mac has booked us in for a one night stay at an Airbnb. We're on the train by 7.45 on Thursday morning. There are already weather warnings that Storm Amy is blowing through the west coast late on Friday afternoon.

We change at Manchester Piccadilly and alight first at Poulton-le-Fylde, a market town where The Police guitarist Andy Summers was born. The cloud is low hanging as we tick off a few Good Beer Guide pubs before jumping back on the train where we alight at Blackpool North station.

I've only ever been to Blackpool on three occasions. The first time was in the 1970s with Mum and Dad for the illuminations. The other two times were football-related:  A 2-2 draw for NFFC at Bloomfield Road back in 2012 - seem to remember Jermaine Jenas playing on loan that day and a 2-1 defeat for Lincoln City in 2019, Michael Appleton's first game in charge.

The Airbnb is in a suburb called Layton. The door to the premises is open. We startle the owner who is sitting at a table tapping away at the keyboard on his laptop. There's some confusion over the booking. We're confirmed by email. To make amends he drives us out to Cleveleys where the evening session begins. We end up at St Annes-on-the sea.

We manage to catch the second half of the Forest v Midtjylland Europa League game. Shambolic defending sees the Tricky Trees defeated. So-called 'fans' chant for the manager to be removed from a position he has only held for a few weeks. We see the evening out with a couple of nightcaps at Blackpool Cricket Club, where Harold Larwood was banished to after the Ashes tour of 1932-33 - Sticky we're sick to the back teeth of hearing about it.

The weather turns on Friday. A Spoons breakfast is polished off at The Velvet Coaster. The walk along the seafront is depressing. Most places are closed with many buildings falling into disrepair. We're back at the railway station for 6.30pm after a full day out at Lytham and Kirkham. Fingers are crossed on both hands that Northern Trains drivers aren't phoning in on the sick. We're over 20 minutes late arriving back in Nottingham (EMR ole ole ole again). Trainline email me to confirm that a part refund can be applied for.

Ms Moon and I both enjoy a massive lie-in, as we're still under the weather. It didn't stop me ticking off 28 pubs (half pints in most) in the North West - I haven't got time to be ill. I have a chippy lunch before jumping on the bus towards the bottom of Sneinton.

I thoroughly enjoyed my matchday experience at Meadow Lane a few weeks ago. Oldham announced a few days ago that they had sold out their away allocation. The visiting support are in the ground early and are enjoying a good old Lancastrian sing song. "Oldham are back. Oldham are back." You can hear a pin drop in their end when an Alassano Jatta deflected shot puts the Pies 1-0 up on seven minutes.

Jatta has got his mojo back after appearing unsettled since last January.  The Latics defence are unable to cope with his pace and power. Tottenham loanee Tyrese Hall increases the lead after guiding a shot into the corner of the net. Oldham manager Mickey Mellon is tearing his hair out as the Pies lay siege on the Oldham goal with aggressive, front foot football.

Jatta bags another, unleashing a left footed shot that goes between the 'keeper's legs. Oldham reply in the blink of an eye. Their alert stopper whacks a ball deep into the County half, a defender makes a pig's ear of it, Mellon junior, on loan from Burnley, pounces on the error before expertly lobbing the ball over an onrushing Kelly Roos. There are a few scary moments before fresh legs and reinforcements ease County to victory at a canter, to continue their recent good form at home.

Attendance: 11,418 (2,066 from Oldham)

Player of the Match: Tony Mac .. precision planning for the seaside trip

Best Record I've Heard on the Radio This Week: Avalon Emerson ... 'Sandrail Silhouette

'Real Ale of the Week: Mauldons Brewery ... Blackberry Porter in Poulton le Fylde