Fog bound

There was a sombre start to Prescot Cables' game against Kendal Town in the Integro Doodson Cup last Tuesday. The previous evening, Shaw Lane AFC player Dan Wilkinson collapsed on the pitch during their game at Brighouse Town, and died later in hospital. According to the British Heart Foundation, an average of 12 people under 35 die each week (most in their sleep) from undetected heart conditions. Each is devastating for their families and friends, but even those of us who never met Dan or saw him play will feel affected by his death occurring in our environment, and in this competition. My observance of the minute's silence was also not without a sense of relief that the person standing next to me was still with us - Jack Phillips' brother Anthony making what looks to be a good recovery from sudden life threatening illness earlier in the year.

There had been heavy rain earlier in the evening, with games in the Manchester area, including at Manchester City, having been postponed or abandoned. Looking at the cloud that settled over us, I suspected our game may not survive the weather.

As it was not raining yet, I went to the Gasworks Side. Jack Phillips was brought down on the edge of the area after about 10 minutes, and converted the resulting penalty.

Jack Phillips

The wet weather had brought out the wildlife, even larger than the specimens I have spent 15 years trying to stop flattening themselves under my back door (or teleporting through it) to invade my kitchen.

I am not sure if we have hedgehogs, er, hogging our hedges, but they would have plenty of tasty snacks.

The anticipated rain did not appear, but during the first half the mist was closing in to the extent that I changed my match prediction from abandoned due to rain to the same outcome due to fog.

Michael Simpson

I went back to the Gasworks Side for the second half, pausing for a couple of quick snaps behind the goal.

The visitors may have been used to this - I may have been unlucky on my trips to the Lake District, but mist seems not to be uncommon. In any event they scored twice to secure the tie.

Meanwhile the fog continued to thicken. I cannot remember if the test for visibility is seeing one touchline from the other or both goals from the half way line (the practical distinction is not large), but we were just about keeping within it.

Jonah O'Reilly

When the action came close enough to get a picture through the gloaming, the light reflected from the fog also prompted the camera to select a lower ISO setting than at a normal floodlit game, although I did not take advantage by increasing the shutter speed.

With the fog still closing in (fortunately, even if we had scored an equaliser, the game would have gone to penalties without extra time). I gave up about ten minutes from the end.

Impromptu treatment for cramp

After the game there were presentations for the Rogues & Rascals Barbershop Man of the Match and Warrington Motors Player of the Month awards. The former includes a voucher for a free haircut. Everyone on the field this evening looked tidy, but sometimes it is tempting to give the award to one of the opposition and tell them the barber will stay open to see them as an emergency. As for the Player of the Month, I suspect the sponsors are not quite so generous with free products.

The Rogues & Rascals background board is a bit narrow, so shoulders will be outside in most cases. The Warrington Motors board is wider, so both presenter and recipient can fit in front. That is no guarantee you have checked where they actually are.

James McCulloch receives the Player of the Month award - as shot

The published version - Photoshop is your friend!

There are ways in which defeat in this competition has a sliver lining - Kendal were rewarded with a trip to Workington on a Tuesday night in November, and have slightly more chance of the gate receipts covering everybody's costs than we would have.

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

Final score: Prescot Cables 1 (Phillips pen) Kendal Town 2.

Out of the cups

Of 21 Doodson Sport Cup games last Tuesday, 11 had an attendance of less than 100, so, unless you are playing the club next door (and losing five times to Skelmersdale United in a season is not fun), the match officials' fees and away team's travel will wipe out the gate receipts, and the bar and tea bar will not do much business either. It would have been easy to stay at home for our game against Buxton, but the team did not have the choice, and I knew they would take the competition as seriously as any other, so the least I could do was turn up.

With no points at stake, and as far as I am aware no prize money, it was another opportunity to try new players.

James Edgar, Jack Golding

I am not a tactical expert, but I think we were trying a new formation, Jack Phillips was wearing a number to which we are not accustomed.

Jack Phillips

When I have grounds to show interest in league cups, as with Prescot Cables in the North West Counties League in 2002, or Dulwich Hamlet in 2013, teams competing for promotion (from any division) seem often to do well. With Buxton second in the Premier Division, they were the favourites, and confirmed this with a goal after about half an hour, adding a second at the beginning of the second half. However, we did not regard the game as lost, and seemed to be stronger in attack as the half went on.

Phil Bannister, Joe Evans

I had been a bit concerned at Farsley when we lost the game to two goals in the last 5 minutes - this used to be a big problem, which was addressed under Dave Powell, and seems largely to have been held at bay under the present management. It was therefore good to see we kept up the pressure and scored from James Edgar in the 90th minute. We could not manage a second to take the game to penalties, but it was what we need to see.

We currently have some journalism students from the University of Chester working creating a WordPress site, Wallopers Way, with content to augment the club website. They tried a poll for Man of the Match for this game, with Jack Phillips the winner.

I aim in my pictures to show our own players, for them and for our supporters. However, when I tweet a link (not too many, I am mindful of the Prime Minister's advice on overuse of Twitter), I include the opposition, so they can retweet if they wish, especially if they have not had anyone taking pictures for them. This time I had a message on Google+ from the mother of one of the Buxton substitutes thanking me for capturing her son's first team debut, which she had not been able to attend.

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

Final score: Prescot Cables 1 (Edgar), Buxton 2