Aigburth FC 0–2 Beeston AFC: Castagnino keeps it simple
It is a rare thing to see a manager look this relaxed in the opening rounds. Most are still fighting with their training cones. Filomeno Castagnino looks like a man who has just finished a very satisfying sandwich.
Beeston went to Aigburth and took the points with a quiet, professional efficiency. A 2-0 win is a proper result. It is the kind of scoreline that suggests the players actually listened during the Tuesday briefings. There was no panic. No frantic long balls to the keeper. Just a steady, honest application of a plan that worked.
Being top of the table after matchday 2 is a dangerous place to be. It invites the sort of optimism that usually leads to a disaster in November. But Castagnino has the lads playing with a level of composure that feels slightly unnatural for this time of year. He has organised them into a unit that knows exactly where to stand when the ball is out of play.
There is very little time to celebrate. Matchday 3 is tomorrow. The early lead is a nice bit of fluff, but Castagnino knows the First Division is a long slog. He will probably spend the evening reviewing his notes with a look of mild disappointment, regardless of the six points. That is how you keep a run going.