Quaker oats and milk stout

This weekend saw my second visit of the year to Bishop Auckland. In January, Darlington 1883 had been gung-ho about the likelihood that ice and standing water on the pitch would clear in time for a game. Finding myself at a loose end, I spent an afternoon in Durham, which was very enjoyable, but not the first choice of ways to spend my time and money.

I let the train take the strain for this trip. It is a bit pricey, but I could leave home later than for the coach, be flexible about when to come back, and try beers from an area I do not visit very often. This would not be possible going straight to the ground, which is in the middle of a retail park, with just a couple of dining oriented chain pubs nearby. Travelling via Darlington, I could go to the excellent Quakerhouse, and selected a Storm Porter from Cullercoats Brewery. The pub has swan neck pumps, but with sparklers set loose or not fitted, as the head was the looser southern style, which I prefer, despite many years in the north.

I do not normally keep a camera ready to capture life from the bus, but I could have done with one going through Shildon, passing a chap out walking his horse - a solid looking beast, but a bit small for riding.

Bishop Auckland is so named as it was historically the residence of the Bishops of Durham, although if I were a Prince Bishop, I might have chosen somewhere a bit warmer. Heritage Park catches the wind, and must be a bit bleak with a smaller crowd than Darlington attract. However, there is a view of the local hills.

Danny Flood

There was an encouraging start, with a goal from James Jenkins, which I missed, as my lens's slightly malfunctioning vibration reduction unit vibrated at just the moment he was going for a long distance shot.

James Jenkins

A trip to County Durham would not be complete without a penalty, and, once again, Ben Morrow came up with the goods. I would like to have included a picture of the save in the set I sent to the paper, but, although everyone starts from a fixed position, it is not always easy to get an unobstructed view from the other end of the pitch.

Unfortunately, the hosts were soon level again from a corner. Darlington's ruthless interceptions meant we were largely encamped in our own half, with their going ahead just before half time.

Changing end for the second half, I was now in the wind, out of the shelter of the main stand, but was rewarded with more play in the opposition's half.

Jonah O'Reilly

We were not able to prevent two more goals, but kept pressing, and were rewarded with a penalty in the second to last minute, taken by James Gardener.

James Gardener

Their goalkeeper did not seem too keen to release the ball for the restart of play.

James McCulloch attempts to retrieve the ball for the kick off

Both teams are in tight races, Darlington at the top of the table, and ourselves to avoid relegation, so goal difference could be useful to both of us.

I remember in the seventies and eighties, before I started watching football live, when the first results appeared on television at 4.42. Time is more generously added for stoppages today, so I found myself hurrying for a bus stopping two minutes' walk away at 4.57.

I declined the offer of a lift back on the coach, as I remembered a couple of beers worth a try back in the Quakerhouse. When I got there, they had brought on Marshmallow Milk Stout from the Irwell Works Brewery. It is a style I have not tried, and might have expected to find nearer to home, as the brewery is in Ramsbottom. I am not keen on milk as a drink, a legacy from school for those over 45, but I like most milk products - cream, cheese, yogurt, even evaporated milk, so I wondered whether the beer would be more like the former or the latter. I am still not entirely sure, the well roasted malt was most tasty, but there was enough of lactose to give that slight milk texture.

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

Final score: Darlington 1883 4 Prescot Cables 2 (Jenkins, Gardiner pen).

The Quakers claim their oats

Prescot Cables' fixtures against Darlington 1883 were among the highlights of last season, a well attended game at Bishop Auckland, the return visit coinciding with our beer festival, and an unexpected point from both. This season's home game had been scheduled for a Tuesday in February - a long trip in midweek for the visitors, at a time lacking either early enthusiasm or the excitement of a push for the title or playoff places. However, with both clubs being out of the FA Cup, it made sense to get the fixture played before the inevitable weather related postponements.

Our guests contributed to a crowd of 361, with healthy numbers frequenting the bar, which was augmented by a table selling bottled beers. Their transport included two coaches, although we once needed something more substantial, as reported in the July issue of Back Track, the historical railway magazine, as part of an article about the introduction of Diesel traction on the Liverpool - Wigan lines with some decent pictures of local locations before modernisation.

A rarer football special ran from Prescot in November 1959 when Prescot Cables managed to reach the first round proper of the FA Cup and were drawn at the then Third Division North Darlington. The chartered train arrived at Prescot behind a tender-first 'Crab' 2-6-0, reversed in Shaw Street station, crossed the Pennines over Standedge to Leeds and, after re-engining with a B1, took the Leeds Northern route through Ripon and Northallerton. Arrival at Darlington Bank Top was late, missing the first goal of which there were plenty, all in the Cables net.

Our visitors have changed away colour (more green!) since our last meeting, but continue the medical theme with their charitable sponsorship, supporting the Great North Air Ambulance.

Rob Doran

The first half was overcast but dry, and we were playing towards the Hope Street end, so I took up my usual position, where an old base for the cover that used to extend the full width of the end provides a handy makeshift seat, with a view down the wing...

Mason Ryan

.. and to our own goal.

Ciaran Gibson

Their photographer brought his own furniture, but, given that the distance between the goal line and the perimeter fence is about as short as is allowed (when the Laws of the Game referred to a photographers' line, the fence would have been in front of it), if I had been sitting there, I would have donned a bit of high vis.

All lenses are trained on Antony Shinks

The sun came out for the second half: with its being low in the sky at this time of year, the stand casts a deep shadow, with the usual lighting challenges.

Jonah O'Reilly

There was to be no repeat of the results of last season, Darlington's well organised team scoring once in each half (that from the first half being one of the better ones we will see all season).

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

Final result: Prescot Cables 0, Darlington 1883 2.

In the pink

I remember a rumour at Dulwich Hamlet, back when shirts were stitched together from coloured cloth rather than colours printed on, that our pink and blue kit was delivered late one season because Corinthian Casuals had already used up the available pink cloth. An away game at Casuals was the only time I have seen the opposition in pink (and chocolate), and I have never seen the opposition in pink and blue - until this weekend.

Prescot Cables' visitors, Darlington 1883, adopted this kit as part of their charitable activities in support of the local St Teresa's Hospice.

At the beginning of the season many of us thought Darlington would pass quickly through our Division, bringing four figure crowds with them. Although they are firmly in the play off places, the title looks in Curzon Ashton's grip; and, whilst their visit is the largest gate of the season for most clubs, this has been in the order of 350 - 500.

It made sense once fixtures for the later weeks of the season were finalised (this game was originally scheduled for February) to have the annual Beer Festival this weekend. Good numbers of locals and CAMRA members attended the Friday evening session, and Darlington supporters, some of whom made an early trip, boosted numbers on the Saturday. I have not attended on Friday in previous years, but most of the pharmacologists turned out, so I joined them. Some took a scientific approach, with notes and scores; one of Luke's notes on the ciders simply read "Welsh", not necessarily a complement after a bad experience with the generally well reviewed Naughty Horsey last week.

With the gap in League position, Darlington had to be favourites, but our better form had been at home, and we took points off them in October. We knew we would need to be solid in defence.

James McCulloch blocks Darlington's Terry Galbraith

When I stand behind the goal we are attacking and the opposition spend a lot of time in our half, I take less pictures, although with the 70-300mm lens, I can cover most of the pitch and crop to a large at web quality.

Francis Foy defends our goal area

It does not make much difference to the final collection: I identified plenty of shots with which to work. In some ways it is easier and quicker, I am likely to only get one or two frames of a piece of action at the other end of the pitch, whereas when it is happening right in front of me, I will have a sequence through which to look and make a selection.

Man of the match for Prescot was our goalkeeper Richie Mottram, who kept us in the game with some fine saves, in particular a spectacular one in injury time (not this one) to ensure that we kept hold of another useful point.

After the game, it was time for more of the festival beers, and some of our visitors were staying for the weekend, so stayed on to enjoy some of them too.

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

Final score: Prescot Cables 0 Darlington 1883 0.

Quaker oats

Prescot Cables' fixture at  Darlington was eagerly anticipated, with a larger than normal coach with tickets issued, and the proprietor of the Sun Inn laid on a reasonably priced breakfast. I am not keen on a long trip only to go to the game and come straight home, so I travelled by train on Friday (the 10:22, naturally), and visited Richmond and the National Railway Museum at Shildon. Making these journeys by bus, the locals looked strangely at my city ways of getting up as soon as I have rung the bell - follow the instructions to remain seated until the bus has stopped where I live and you will be on the bus for all eternity.

Darlington 1883 currently play at Bishop Auckland, and have announced plans to ground share with Darlington RFC, about half a mile from Darlington FC's old Feethams ground. Much of the historic industry and commerce of the town was developed by the Quaker community, reflected in the club's nickname. I am not sure even Joseph Pease, a founder of the Stockton & Darlington Railway and the first Quaker to sit in Parliament, who did not remove his hat in the Commons Chamber, wore one like this.

I expected the weather to be cold but dry, which will teach me to look at the probability of rain on the Met Office app, not just the headline weather symbol. There was an almost constant drizzle, and the floodlights were on throughout. Grey conditions create photographic opportunities, particularly when the opposition are in black and white, as our players provide a splash of colour in an almost monochrome background where the rain gives even the grass a greyish tinge.

Carl Furlong goes for a header.

Even the crowd's coats provided a background of muted tones - apart from one little chap.

James McCulloch

The rain gave a fine mist over the pictures at the far end of the pitch, significant in what was a strong defensive performance. Rob Doran was particularly active in breaking out of defence, and was rewarded with a goal.

Rob Doran

The rain was more problematic in the second half, as there was a breeze blowing on to the front of the lens, so I was spending a lot of time cleaning it, assisted by Luke, one of our pharmacologists. He only looked after lens hood for one of these operations, but I like to be generous with the assistant credits. A position at the side of the pitch did not bring much improvement. The best option would have been to return to our own half, but a lot of home supporters of the crowd of 1379 had moved to the end they were attacking, leaving it short of space. Despite Feethams having been one of the last Football League grounds at which it was possible to change ends at half time, a very small group of those home supporters remaining on the covered terracing seemed to take umbrage at any visiting supporters making a noise in their presence.

At least I was in position to get Ged Murphy's goal.

I also caught our appeal for a penalty for a foul on Callum Hoctor, turned down by the referee. The picture is as demisted as I could manage, so you can judge for yourself.

Darlington's second goal came from a free kick awarded for returning goalkeeper Adam Reid holding on to the ball for more than 6 seconds. I think this is the first time I have seen a free kick for this since the law changed from 4 steps a few years ago. I am not even sure I have seen a referee look at his watch when the goalkeeper takes the ball in his hands to determine how long it has been held.

I got a lot less pictures than usual from the second half, which reduced the overall slideshow. Not that it was an entirely bad thing: my computer decided not to start when I got back. I keep my old laptop in working order, but I hope to get my regular machine back from the repair shop by the weekend, as I am not sure I can face processing another set that slowly.

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