Across the fields

Having seen a good performance against Marine, Prescot Cables went into the next weekend of our pre season programme a couple of men down. Danny Flood, who suffered a number of injuries last season, found his luck had not changed, fracturing his foot in midweek. Then, in an illustration of the hazards of inviting a club from a higher division to play, Marine liked James Edgar so much they took him with them. Whilst my mental arithmetic is not all it could be, I cannot quite make the days between Tuesday and Friday add up to seven. However, James has been both reliable and useful in a number of positions, including a couple of occasions as an emergency goalkeeper, over the two seasons he has been with us, and has definitely earned the opportunity to play in a higher division. This blog wishes him well for the future.

James Edgar

For the weekend, there was more immediate business, at Ashton Athletic, a club the same age as me, having been founded in 1968, and located on the edge of Ashton-in-Makerfield. There is a Cumfybus (yes, that is a real bus company) from St Helens that runs near the ground, but in an almost Yorkshire-like desire to get full value from what I had paid for, I used my Arriva season ticket to the town centre for free, and walked from there. Mr Google suggested the quickest route, including a public footpath past a farm, reminding me that metropolitan districts are not all built up. Blocked footpaths are a hazard for walkers, and, having gone some distance, head high overgrowth made it impassable, so I had to retrace my steps and go round the road way, along the delightfully named Spindle Hillock, arriving uphill in more of a hurry than I had planned.

Fortunately there is a small stand alongside the country end that we were attacking, so I settled in for a bit whilst I cooled down.

Harry Cain & Jordan Wynne

These games can be an opportunity to see old friends, and this game was no exception, with the hosts including former Cables players Bram Johnstone, Ben Cartwright, Jacob Jones and Josh Nicholson. In goal was Martin Pearson, who has never played for us, but we seem to meet him at least once a season.

Jacob Jones

Bryn, to the north of the town, about ten minutes' walk away, is only a few stops from Prescot on the electric train (at weekends the folks in London even let us plug it in), so we brought some visible support.

Martin Pearson

We continued with the approach of the last couple of games, having two more or less separate teams for the two halves.

The first half team watch the second half

Another fans' favourite made his first appearance of the pre season programme, having been unavailable for the first two games.

Josef Faux, pursued by Josh Nicholson

The hosts were at the end of their preparations, with, like all clubs at step 5, their first competitive fixture being in the FA Cup the following week. There were times when the extra preparation was showing, but a single goal from Lloyd Dean put us ahead.

Lloyd Dean

After the game, not only would the Cumfybus have cost me money, but the time was not particularly convenient, requiring me either to leave five minutes before time or hang around for the best part of an hour, so I headed back to the town centre, with the advantage this time that it was all downhill.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.

Final score: Ashton Athletic 0 Prescot Cables 1 (Dean)