The Prescot Cables Train Crew were approaching our trip to Radcliffe Borough last weekend with some anticipation. This would be our first away trip, indeed our first game, since New Year's Day. We even had a new leader in beer and pub choices, Richie having delegated duties for the day to Luke, one of our pharmacologists, who is from Prestwich, and who could therefore use local knowledge. This was despite his mainly drinking cider with ice, although he does have the real stuff when it is available. As an aside, why did ice in cider take off? From being unheard of when I was Luke's age, 20 years ago, it became ubiquitous, to the point that a few years ago, my friend Roger had to stop the barman reaching to the ice bucket for his pint of the local real stuff in Worcester, where you might expect them to be more traditionally minded.
What is becoming a rather monotonous pattern of weather, with heavy rain on Friday night, put paid to that, with the game at Radcliffe having been called off after an early pitch inspection. So, with
Birkenhead Park having made use of my photos from my last visit, I made my way back. Having
commented that one of the constituents of
Liverpool St Helens FC was the original club to hold the name of Liverpool FC, I found they were the opposition this weekend.
Before I set out, there was a downpour that worked its way across the country, reaching the Midlands, Yorkshire and London during the time for football, causing some matches to be abandoned as five minutes' rain deposited pools of standing water on pitches.
At Birkenhead, most of the water seemed to have soaked in. The game started with the kit looking pristine.
We can see the roof of the changing rooms in this picture - I assume the slipped tiles are from successful conversions, although a couple out of the picture to the left must have come from some very wayward attempts - or successful ones from a very tight angle.
The state of the ground meant nobody stayed spotless for long ...
... even the scrum halves, whose duties involve staying on their feet more than many other players, were starting to look a bit muddy.
It was clear quite quickly that the home side were going to dominate this game, having gained the bonus point for scoring four tries within the first half hour.
When I was selecting the photographs for the slide show, I very quickly switched into "club" mode. Although I tend to follow my local side even when I am visiting a club I do not usually support, when I am planning to use the photographs just for my own audience, I will pick some individual shots of the visiting players. Once I know I am working for a club audience, I concentrate heavily on the home side.
Eric the webmaster asked me light heartedly to look out for his son, who was playing in the second row. Fortunately he had a good game, scoring a try ...
... and then giving a (much needed in view of the wind) hand in converting it.
As well as the wind, we had a short hailstorm, which always makes for a good photo effect, although less good for the players, or for the person of the photographer for that matter.
The sun came out for the last few minutes of the game, although that did not mean conditions were any easier, the wind was still gusting strongly, mainly to the disadvantage of the visiting team. Here is one of their players taking a kick from his own in goal area.
After a gust of wind caught it as it was in mid air over the 22 metre line, it ended back more or less where it started.
Heavily one sided games in any sport are never really the best, apart from for bragging rights for the players and supporters, The rest of the pictures from the sort of game at which I am glad to have something to do can be seen
here.
Final score: Birkenhead Park 73 Liverpool St Helens 7
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