There are worse ways to spend a Sunday afternoon than with a cup of tea, a lovely pie and football.

That was how my afternoon began in the media tribune at St Helens Stadium. And before a ball had even been kicked between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur in the Barclays Women’s Super League, Janice on reception had already done her bit to make the place feel welcoming.

Around the ground, matchday was slowly coming alive.

Behind the gantry, the club mascot played with children. Out on the pitch, the goalkeepers were first to emerge for their warm-ups. In one corner of the stadium sat fewer than a hundred travelling Tottenham supporters. There weren’t many of them, but when the Spurs team was read out, they made enough noise to ensure their players knew they had company in St Helens.

Then, at 1:56pm, You’ll Never Walk Alone rang around the stadium.

The players emerged to applause. Tea finished, pie dealt with. Time for football.

And for much of the opening 45 minutes, there wasn’t a great deal separating the sides.

Liverpool’s coaching staff were rarely quiet on the touchline, constantly sending instructions onto the pitch as both teams searched for an opening. It felt like one of those halves destined to finish goalless.

Football, of course, doesn’t always care what feels fair. Four minutes before the break, Signe Gaupset sent a cross into the Liverpool area and the ball ended up in the net via Sam Kerr. For a moment, it looked a brilliant goal. Then came the confirmation: own goal.

Tottenham wouldn’t have minded.

Liverpool went into the dressing room 1-0 down after a half that, in truth, had been pretty balanced.

Liverpool turn up the pressure

There was a different urgency about the Reds after the restart.

They pushed higher, attacked with greater intent and began asking more questions of Tottenham. On the hour mark, they finally got their answer.

Aureukke Csillag, introduced from the bench, met Fuka Nagano’s cross with a fine header to bring Liverpool level.

1-1. Game on.

From there, the Reds increasingly looked the side more likely to find a winner. Chances came, particularly late on, but Tottenham goalkeeper Lize Kop refused to bend for a second time. Liverpool pushed; Spurs resisted.

Meanwhile, another contest was taking place between the stands and the officials.

The referee, Adewunmi Soneye, was regularly reminded by the home crowd exactly what they thought of some of her decisions. Every perceived call against Liverpool seemed to bring another chorus of displeasure.

At the other end, the Tottenham contingent were rather more appreciative.

The goose and the gander of football support: the same whistle can produce fury at one end and applause at the other.

When the final one eventually sounded, neither side had found a second goal.

Liverpool 1. Tottenham Hotspur 1.

A draw felt about right over the full afternoon, even if Liverpool could reasonably look back at their late chances and wonder whether all three points were there for the taking.

Both sides remain unbeaten after winning their respective opening games of the season.

But football afternoons aren’t always remembered solely by what ends up on the scoreboard.

Sometimes it’s the travelling supporters making themselves heard despite being heavily outnumbered, and sometimes, it starts with tea, a lovely pie and a warm welcome from Janice.

It was my first time at St Helens’ BrewDog Stadium. It certainly won’t be my last.