It's Thursday, it must be the Cup - part 2

Prescot Cables' Liverpool Senior Cup Final against Marine was a difficult game to predict. Marine were a division above, but we were in a play off position. We had our eyes on the league, but Marine had to play at Altrincham the previous evening amid continuing bad weather and the FA's determination at all costs to complete the season by the end of the week. That fixture was a case in point, Altrincham were assured of the title and Marine mathematically safe, so it could have been mopped up the following week. Any thought Marine had of resting players probably had to go out of the window in favour of taking whoever could extricate themselves from work and family at less than 12 hours' notice.

Many county and league cup finals are played at a Football League ground, and for the players it may be the only chance they have to play there. The Liverpool FA's practice of drawing it at the home of one of the participants probably makes a virtue out of a necessity. Anfield and Goodison are unlikely to be available, and a crowd of 750 would rattle in Prenton Park or the Halton Stadium. In the Marine Travel Arena, however, it made for a lively atmosphere with two sets of enthusiastic supporters.

Having the match ball on a stand seems de rigeur these days. Another photographer, with commendable attention to detail, made sure the Nike swoosh was the right way up.

The referee giving the ball his total, undivided attention ...

... phew, no accidental comedy moment.

Pictures look better with a crowd in the background, and the compact nature of the ground means that with a decent number in they are fairly close together.

Valter Fernandes

Well, apart from one side.

Harry Cain

Those familiar with the ground may find it hard to believe, but there are pictures from the 1940s with spectators on the fourth side, so I dread to think what width the pitch must have been.

The first half an hour was a cagey affair, with neither side looking to take risks early on. We opened the scoring with a penalty, dispatched by Chris Almond.

Chris Almond scores from the spot

Many of our supporters stood on the open terrace at the Crosender Road end, in the unaccustomed position of being behind our goal.

Ben Barnes

James McCulloch was unavailable due a school trip to Llandudno, where I hope he was making the pupils pay for it attending to the students' fitness by having them run up and down an Orme. Lloyd Dean was captain in his place. He added a second just before half time ...

... and a third just after. The corner arrangement of floodlights meant I took up position behind the goal, with satisfactory results.

The definitive use of a shiny advertising board for reflecting a goal celebration

With seven of the hosts' team having played the previous day, they were tiring, and it was clear we would maintain our advantage. About ten minutes from time, I started to make my way to the College Road end, as I assumed that was where the cup would spend its brief time out of its case.

As I was behind the goal, I heard the steward briefing our supporters on the logistics - giving the players five minutes' rest after the final whistle, and then bringing the supporters on to the pitch to watch the presentation in the stand. I missed Josh Klein-Davies completing the scoring.

Josh Klein-Davies

Heading towards the cup ...

... I realised I was heading away from the imminent celebrations, so retraced my steps.

Scenes

The second rule of getting a good image is to reconnoitre the territory*, but I had little opportunity to do so, as I had not appreciated the value of Marine's stand for trophy presentations - not quite 39 steps, but enough to be going on with. The crowd had an excellent view, the photographer less so, with strip lighting immediately behind the players.

It was easier to get an image pitchside.

Unlike last year, when the County FA seemed keen to rescue their silverware from all those people with their collapsing fences, the trophy was allowed in the dressing room.

After a rather anxious looking chap popped his head round the door fifteen minutes later to ask if we had finished with their cup, the management took their turn in the more restrained atmosphere of the board room.

After this, the pictures needed to be processed - first up were a couple of the presentation, then the game. I had to disappoint the players, when pictures from the dressing room went in the queue behind those from the next game, although they had plenty of their own selfies to keep them going.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen on the club website here, and on Google Photos here, those from the presentation on the club website here, and on Google Photos here.

Final score: Marine 0 Prescot Cables 4 (Almond pen, Dean 2, Klein-Davies)

* The first rule is to remove the lens cap.

Battle of industry

Prescot Cables derives its name from our town's departed industrial heritage, so I enjoy visiting clubs with a similar background. Atherton Collieries can claim more historical points: our name came from sponsorship in the 1920s, theirs is from the club's being founded by miners in the First World War.

For evening games, small variations in transport timetables make a big difference. Last season I was thinking of attending a game as a neutral: the risk of missing the 9.46 train to Wigan meant I decided not to go. This time, the train was at 10pm, and Mr Google's maps showed me that what I thought was the quickest route to the station was nothing of the sort, so I shaved three or four minutes off the walk.

We were due to play this game on the Saturday after Easter, but it fell to a lunchtime downpour when we were on the way. I spent that afternoon in Wigan Central, a railway themed real ale and cider bar in the arches beneath North Western station, and, confusingly to those with an eye to railway history, nowhere near the old Wigan Central station. It was as well the game was off: although I was compos mentis enough to identify alternative entertainment at Wigan St Patrick's rugby league, when the time came I was disinclined to move to actually attend.

The ground has a distinct slope, which features in my memory of our North West Counties winning season of 2002-3. In the last game of the season, in which we needed a point, the hosts had a penalty in the first half, and sent it at an angle that would have gone in on level ground, but went over: we had a penalty in the second half and did not make the same mistake.

We were playing downhill in the first half.

Reece McNally

I often mention wearing high vis working pitchside. This is at least encouraged, if not mandated by the league, so players and officials can see clearly you are not part of the game. I was glad of it after a few minutes, when Atherton goalkeeper Greg Hartley was sliding towards me, downhill, on slippery ground, feet first. I do not know if he would have seen me without high vis, but he did with it, and was able to aim his feet at the pitch perimeter.

Greg Hartley

The hosts opened the scoring after 15 minutes, with a penalty converted by Ben Hardcastle, who has been a dominant feature of Collieries' recent successful seasons.

My position was giving good lighting throughout the half.

Josh Klein-Davies

For the second half, I took up position behind the uphill goal, which may not have been ideal, but as the bulk of the crowd was along the side, it meant I could get a position with no-one (more to the point, no-one with spillable drinks) immediately behind me. The sky was coming out as a nice shade of deep blue.

James Edgar and Harry Cain line up a free kick

About 15 minutes in, a tackle saw an Atherton player on the ground, an appeal for a free kick, more in hope than expectation, ignored by the referee, and everyone played on. This hardly merits a mention, except a spectator helped things along with a shout of "Get up you faggot". You do not hear this at our level as often as the full time game: people are more civilised when they know they will see the players in the bar later. I could only place it within 20 yards, and I was probably in the best place in the ground to hear it. There was a mix of supporters in the vicinity, but as the hosts would have had the advantage of a free kick, it was hardly going to be one of them. In the absence of anyone identifiable to report, I shall make my observation here. If you call an opposition player or match official a queer, faggot or similar term, it is because (a) you know they are like me, (b) you think they are like me, or (c) you think they believe it to be somehow undesirable to be like me. It is shouting abuse at me as much as at them: the second I hear it, I am on their side, not yours.

Once again, we came closer to scoring as the game went on. Our team are noticeably fit for the full 90 minutes, which, when we face a team flagging in the last ten, gets goals and points. Unfortunately the hosts appear to work on the same principle. A good save from Ben Barnes a couple of minutes from time stopped Atherton extending their lead, and Harry Cain hit the post with a minute or two to go, but we could not stop the hosts adding to their excellent record in the second half of the season.

Ben Barnes

I had hoped to give Gibbo from the Collieries committee a quick call on my way out: I saw him at a distance whilst I was on the pitch, but he had moved by the time I had packed up and was ready to go, and I had not appreciated how much time the quickest route to the station saves, so I thought I would not have time to go and find him.

On the way home, I had a wait at Wigan North Western that was too long to be convenient, but not quite long enough for a pint downstairs. Then again, you can find quite a bit to divert you on Realtime Trains and the live signalling maps on Open Train Times: I know a lot more about Anglo-Scottish freight flows than I did before.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen on the club website here, and on Google Photos here.

Final score: Atherton Collieries 1 Prescot Cables 0.

It's Thursday, it must be the Cup

Prescot Cables' game against Litherland Remyca in the Liverpool Senior Cup came sooner than expected. We anticipated playing away the following week, but the County FA insisted on bringing it forward, and, as Litherland Sports Park was not available, we were hosting. Both sides had our leagues to think about: we were guaranteed a playoff place, but wanted to aim for home advantage, and Remyca were looking at automatic promotion in the North West Counties. Not that either side took the evening anything less than seriously, a realistic chance of silverware is a realistic chance of silverware.

We started with a minute's applause for Andy Maund, in whose memory we dedicated the match. Andy lived next to the ground, was a regular supporter home and away, and sadly died suddenly the previous weekend at the age of 46.

We gave two of our Youth team players some first team experience. Matthew Kewn and Dominic Murphy both played against Bootle in the First Round. Getting everyone in the picture at an evening game can be a bit hit and miss, and I was happy with the number of pictures I got of Matthew.

Matthew Kewn

I was a bit less happy with how much I was able to see of Dominic, but it would turn out he would earn an individual picture later.

It was fine evening, with a relaxed crowd, and overcoats left at home.

An occupational hazard of being a goalkeeper is that we only need one, so if you are injured you can find your replacement does so well he commands the place. Such a fate befell Marcus Burgess in the autumn, with Ben Barnes taking a regular place and Marcus on loan at Padiham. With seven games in fifteen days, we need all hands on deck, so we welcomed Marcus back.

Marcus Burgess

We opened the scoring with a penalty after about half an hour. I got the impression we might not have discussed beforehand who would take them. Harry Cain yielded to Dan Burns, who converted with ease.

Dan Burns

In the second half, it seemed as though the game was flagging a bit. I was sitting in front of the main body of our supporters for the first few minutes, and it was a bit like a crowded beer garden, with the dominant sound being of conversation.

Harry Cain brought the crowd back to life with a goal at 70 minutes.

Harry Cain shoots for goal ...

... and celebrates

A second goal from Harry ten minutes later made the result secure.

Dominic Murphy rounded off the scoring just before full time to complete a performance that won the Man of the Match award, presented by Andy Maund's father, Billy. The first attempt at a picture was unsuccessful, when we spotted he was in his Youth team training top - nothing says you have arrived quite like retaking your presentation photo in a First team top.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen on the club website here, and on Google Photos here.

Final score: Prescot Cables 4 (Burns pen, Cain 2, Murphy) Litherland Remyca 0.

I could get used to these last minute goals

Prescot Cables' game at home to Bamber Bridge was a key fixture, with both clubs looking strong over the last few weeks. The winners would take the driving seat to claim fourth place. With extra promotion places due to league reorganisation - second place automatically, and third for the team with the best points per game over the six step four divisions - this would guarantee a home playoff semi final, and if Hyde and Scarborough continued their run of form, a home final should we reach it.

Word had got around, and it was a pleasant evening, so we saw a crowd of 325, which a couple of years ago we would have considered one of the best for a Saturday, and unachievable in midweek.

The visitors' bench once again seemed intent on getting in a picture.

The first half was more or less in daylight, with light as intense as the average winter afternoon and of better quality.

These pages promote the value of keeping your shoes polished, so I could not fail to be impressed by Bamber Bridge manager Neil Reynolds' immaculate brogues - just visible here behind Reece McNally - and that he kept them clean on ground still damp from recent weather.

It is at evening games that the hardy denizens of the Gasworks Side come into their own.

Valter Fernandes

Chris Almond opened the scoring after 15 minutes. It is not the best of pictures, but a goal is a goal ...

... and a celebration is a celebration.

It would always be difficult to keep the visitors at bay, although we still had the lead at half time. The team seemed to be tiring in the second half, and Bamber Bridge took advantage about 15 minutes in. Fresh legs were needed, and supplied by Harry Cain and Josh Klein-Davies.

Harry Cain

Josh Klein-Davies

The latter was also to supply the all important winning goal. With the clock running down, and its looking as though we would share a point and the visitors maintain their advantage in the race for fourth place, Josh took a shot that had a slightly lucky deflection into the net.

Scenes, as we are becoming accustomed to reporting, ensued - Ben Barnes once again demonstrating an impressive turn of speed to join the celebrations.

To be fair, the result was harsh on Bamber Bridge, with a draw more closely reflecting play, but we have fallen to enough last minute goals in the past - there were seasons we would have been a few places higher in the table if games were 80 minutes not 90 - we enjoy them when the luck falls in our favour.

Board member Jamie Weston was wearing a tie (I assume the league sponsors have relaxed their insistence on one for board room admission, as no-one else was), so was pressed into presenting a bumper crop of awards. Valter Fernandes' Man of the Match from the Mossley game was running late (!), and Baba Conteh picked up a double of Man of the Match for this game and Player of the Month for March.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen on the club website here, and on Google Photos here.

Final score: Prescot Cables 2 (Almond, Klein-Davies) Bamber Bridge 1.

It's why we watch

By all accounts, Tadcaster Albion had more than a spot of bother on their journey to Prescot Cables. It is a journey that the east - west split of the League's First Divisions taking effect from next season should eliminate: our visitors had to navigate round both Leeds and Manchester in the early evening. The M6 is not without its issues, but the change should bring improvements for many clubs.

The visitors were sporting a smart two tone blue kit. I was wondering how it would come out under the floodlights - it reproduced quite well.

Josh Klein-Davies

Both sides had chances, and defended well. The visitors seemed to have overcome their earlier difficulties, as they were first to score, from a slightly lucky bounce half an hour in.

We were stronger in the second half, and the pace of the game can be described as furious. The pictures reflect this, with more coming from this half.

Valter Fernandes

However, it looked as though we were not having any luck this evening. There were more chances for both sides, but we were unable to equalise, or the visitors to make the result secure.

This changed a minute from time, when the ball fell to James Edgar who put it away from a tight angle. Celebrations broke out, but captain James McCulloch is never satisfied with an equaliser when there is time to score a winner.

As James Edgar celebrates, James McCulloch gets everyone back for the kick off

There was to be a long period of injury time, with both sides throwing everything at claiming all three points. Five minutes in, Lloyd Dean toook a shot from the edge of the area - Dr Phil later commented on the video that "he had no right to score from there".

Lloyd Dean lines up to shoot for goal

Scenes ensued.

Everyone went to join the Dean family in celebration, including an impressive turn of speed from Ben Barnes. A few weeks ago, my counterpart Ben from Needham Market tweeted a goal celebration with the comment, "If only you could see my face when a player runs towards you ...". I replied that I hoped he was calm, composed and concentrating on getting his picture. Well, I am 30 years older than him!

Reece Fishwick and Harry Cain

In the background, the referee is giving Lloyd Dean an unsurprising yellow card for excessive celebration. Of course, we thought there was nothing excessive about it, a last minute comeback is the sort of thing people watch the game for.

Tadcaster may have thought their evening could not get much worse: unfortunately they were wrong, as they had to go the long way round with the M62 being closed.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen on the club website here, and on Google Photos here.

Final score: Prescot Cables 2 (Edgar, Dean) Tadcaster Albion 1

Royal blues

For a small competition (less than 20 entries), the Liverpool Senior Cup often falls victim to scheduling problems. Our first round game at Bootle was twice delayed by the weather before we were able to complete it at home. For the next round, we were drawn against Everton, which should be easy to organise, as they have over 100 full time players, and we are not fussy which of them they send. They also have a full time administrative staff, which might have been the problem, as we had trouble finding the right department to deal with the fixture. Having cleared that hurdle, the first attempt fell foul of the weather, with a temperature of -5ºC when the game was due to be played (even the Premier League only requires Everton to be able to play their first team games in temperatures down to -3º).

Having established contact, we were quickly able to arrange a new date.

I arrived early, as I was expecting a decent crowd, although not the four figures predicted by some. We have had crowds in the 900s on pleasant evenings in August and April: 636 was respectable for a night that, whilst not as cold as previous weeks, was still not particularly clement.

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about the limits of technical skill in sports photography, the 1/10s that you cannot teach, and the difference between getting the goalkeeper's fingers to the ball and a foot away. Gareth's programme cover neatly addressed this.

I took up position by the side of the pitch. I was hardly there before Josh Klein-Davies opened the scoring.

Photographing for a team that plays in yellow, I usually wear an orange high vis to avoid any confusion, but on this occasion I clashed with the visiting goalkeeper.

I was not concerned when I was by the side of the pitch, but I took care behind the goal to take a position well to the side and make sure I changed sides when play was at the other end.

Lloyd Dean was next to score.

Josh Klein Davies added his second just before half time.

In Senior Cup fixtures against Everton, the quality and age of the team can make a big difference. An under 23 team with their eyes on silverware has to be firm favourites, whereas the under 18s getting match practice against an open age side makes for a more even contest, and I think they had sent the latter.

We proved to have seen most of the action in the first half, with a consolation goal for the visitors in the second, but with neither side really looking like they would add to the tally.

Everton's dieticians and sports scientists will doubtless advise that a pie at 10pm is not the way to peak fitness, so they left straight after the game, and we had quite a bit left over from the players' refreshments. Being off red meat for Lent, I eschewed a pie, but was fortified in processing the Man of the Match photo by Linda's excellent chicken curry.

Commercial manager Gary Finney presents the Man of the Match award to James McCulloch

We now progress to a semi final against Litherland Remyca, the other half of the draw having had better luck with the weather, the winners will play Marine in the final.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen on the club website here, and on Google Photos here.

Final score: Prescot Cables 3 (Klein-Davies 2, Dean).