Better light, not such good football

Prescot Cables' decisive win "away" to Skelmersdale United on New Year's Day placed us top of the table as we went into the first weekend of the year. We need to be realistic about the likelihood of staying there, we have played four or five more games than the teams around us, and most are in form that suggest they would win at least some of their games in hand. Of course, whether we stay in a playoff position at least will depend at least as much on our own form, and we had the opportunity to test ourselves against Colne, who were the last team to beat us in the league back in October.

After a few weeks of grey skies and rain, we had a clear day, much easier right throughout the photographic process.

Andy Scarisbrick

The better weather had brought out the crowds, and we attracted a healthy 478, second in the division only to Tadcaster hosting South Shields.

James McCulloch

Having made sure to capture the Dugout Irregulars a couple of games ago, it was the turn of the Gasworks Side Regulars.

Jazz McCulloch

The light was good to the end of the half.

Joe Herbert, time 15:43, 300mm f/5.6, 1/500s ISO 2800

This was looking as though it would not be a vintage performance, and neither side had been able to impose themselves by half time.

The light was holding up well, unlike the team, who were having as much trouble with co-ordination as in the first half. With Colne coming out stronger, they went ahead after three minutes. I had settled in front of the Roadshow End, where the most vocal groups of supporters had positioned themselves for a while, so there was plenty of noise.

Jordan Wynne is tripped ...

... and lines up the resulting free kick with James Edgar

Any hopes of this being a good day on the field, and keeping our top spot, slipped away with a second goal from the visitors after twenty minutes. Still, this was the first time for a few weeks the light remained good throughout, with the floodlights assisted by the last of the civil twilight.

Reece McNally

After the game, there were the usual awards, with the Roanza Truck & Van Man of the Match going to Valter Fernandes.

Valter Fernandes

The Fence End also presented their Pesky Bullon d'Or: I am not sure if there are any criteria for the award, but I think it was voted for on the @CablesNation Twitter account, the winner being Lloyd Dean.

Graham Nevitt and Mike Rice present Lloyd Dean with his award

A close up of the Pesky Bullon d'Or

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 0 Colne 2.

Beware of the last ten

I sometimes wonder how much warmer my feet would be if football was, like rugby, played over 80 minutes. There was a time, a few years ago, that Prescot Cables would have been more successful: one season I counted eight points that, by November, had been lost to goals conceded in the last ten minutes of a game. We have largely avoided that more recently, and in the last couple of games have secured late goals, even if they were consolations.

The visit of Clitheroe was Brian Richardson's first home game, and with no Liverpool or Everton games, there was an attendance of 296. Only a couple of seasons ago, the same fixture would have attracted about 100 less. It had been raining during the week, and St Helens Town had played on Thursday, so there was quite a bit of sand on the pitch. When they agreed the ground share, St Helens thought they would be with us for three or four games, but completion of their new home has taken a bit longer.

I started by capturing the presentation picture for the mascots, who I thought I heard announced as the Belle Vale under 60s. We have had older mascots, but even so. Fortunately, I had misheard, it was the more conventional under 6s.

We had one new member of the squad.

Valter Fernandes

I had not had time to take up position at the Safari Park End before the first goal came from James Edgar.

James Edgar

We have had a problem maintaining confidence when we have gone behind to an early goal, but there looked to be no chance of the visitors doing likewise.

New dad Sam Staunton Turner avoids Clitheroe's Bradley Carroll

On an overcast but not dark day, most of my exposures were coming in at 1/500s, with ISO varying until the end of the half.

Lloyd Dean 1/400s, f/5, ISO3200

Shutter speeds dropped rapidly for the second half ...

Michael Simpson 1/250s, f/5.6, ISO3200

... so I switched to shutter priority ...

Rogues & Rascals Barbershop Man of the Match Dominic Marie - 1/320 f/4.5 ISO8000

... gradually dropping the shutter speed.

Phil Bannister 1/200s f/5.6, a surprisingly precise ISO14368

We looked to have secured the points with a second goal from Rob Doran ...

... but the curse of the last ten minutes struck, with Clitheroe's goalkeeper pulling off some point winning saves, whilst they scored two, the second with almost the last kick of the game.

After the game, we had presentations for the Rogues & Rascals Barbershop Man of the Match and Warrington Motors Player of the Month awards, which went more smoothly than in recent weeks, with the winners, Dominic Marie and James McCulloch identified and ready to have their picture taken whilst they were still comfortably in the bar.

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, Doran) Clitheroe 2.

Work to do

On previous visits to Trafford, I have found the lighting conditions a bit challenging. It seemed a lot brighter when Prescot Cables travelled there last week, so I am not sure if they have replaced the bulbs, or I am better at handling the conditions after almost a year with my D5300. I started my journey near Moorfields station in Liverpool city centre, from where the whizzy algorithm at National Rail Enquiries told me I could leave at 17.41, with one change. On closer inspection, this involved walking to Lime Street, so I applied some fuzzy logic and caught the Hunts Cross train one minute earlier, with a cross platform change.

I arrived with plenty of time to spare, so I watched the players warming up. Brian Richardson had not had the opportunity to see the players in training, so I was not expecting significant changes.

The corresponding fixture last year was the last before Andy Paxton took over, where we lost 8-0. The fifth goal going in was probably the closest I have come to leaving well before the end of a game, being discouraged by the distance of the gate from the station and the 9pm train. On this occasion, I was speaking to Bram Johnstone's parents before kick off, and they kindly offered me a lift home, so I was there for the duration.

Having looked at grain and lighting at Lancaster, I took a couple of pictures using the sports mode with auto ISO (a maximum of 3200 - you can set it higher, but it will then be fixed at that value, which is not what I want).

1/60s f/4.5 ISO3200

I took up position by a pylon. I was hardly in place when Trafford scored their first. Two more (which were admittedly good goals) in the next quarter of an hour did not bode well.

Whilst I was looking for the opportunity to drop the shutter speed where I thought it might work, I mainly stayed at 1/200s. I once again found that sensitivity (ISO) seemed to bear little relation to grain.

James McCulloch, 1/80s f/4.8 ISO4000

Bram Johnstone - in a fairly similar pitch position to above, 1/200s f/5.3 ISO12000

A further goal from the hosts just before half time dampened spirits further.

Things looked better in the second half, despite a fifth goal from the hosts. Under pressure from Lloyd Dean, Luke Pilling held on to the ball for too long, and was penalised with an indirect free kick. A short pass enabled Nathan Quirk to put the ball in the net, only for the goal to be disallowed. The only reason we could think of was that the referee had not been ready.

We then descended into farce, when the linesman flagged for pushing and shoving in the goalmouth as we tried to get the ball for a quick restart and the hosts protested. The referee issued a red card ... to Rob McIntosh, who had been on the half way line. I am not a big fan of the style of numbers on our shirts, opposition announcers have confused 6 and 8 when crediting goals on at least two occasions, and I would add 3 and 9 to that mix, although 4 has never struck me as having a problem.

Ben Cartwright - the 4 is one of the clearer numbers in the set

Rob McIntosh

Our pressure paid off when we were awarded a penalty, converted by Nathan Quirk for a consolation goal, the final score giving plenty for Brian Richardson to think about.

Nathan Quirk

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

Final score: Trafford 5 Prescot Cables 1 (Quirk pen)

The brightest lights in town

I am not sure if it is an attempt to address the problem (for astronomers and wildlife) of light pollution, but I find the street lights in Lancaster a bit gloomy. That is not a problem at Lancaster City's Giant Axe, where the lights are to National League North standard, 250 lux off the top of my head (more off the top of the head of someone with less hair). Mr Wikipedia tells us that the ground, is neither giant, nor an axe, but once had adjacent tennis courts, a bowling green and four cricket pitches, the land being shaped like an axe head.

Josh Nicholson - 1/250s, f/4.5, ISO9000

Having secured a point against the league leaders at the weekend, we would need as good a performance again to come away with anything against the team in second place and do better than we had on any of my previous visits.

Tom Brocklehurst is watched by the Shed End Ultras' banner - 1/250s, f/5.6, ISO20000

As well as providing a platform, I use online photo sharing to keep an eye on technical skills I might pick up. Most sites show some EXIF data, to give a good idea how a result you like was achieved. One of my Twitter followers whose work catches my eye is Ben, my counterpart at Needham Market. I was looking at what he reported as his first foray into evening games, and found a collection remarkably free of grain. The data shows he was using a Nikon D3300, similar to my D5300, and a similar lens (70-300mm f/4-f/5.6). It revealed how low a shutter speed you can get away with if movement is in the right direction: there were plenty at 1/100s, and a couple at 1/60s, at a nice smooth ISO 3200.

This breaks every rule in the book about picturing sports, but as the only real rule is to make pictures your audience wants to look at, I decided on a trial. I use shutter priority mode at evening games, and maximise shutter speed at the expense of grain. I therefore kept my thumb on the dial, and cut speed when I thought it might work. Lancaster's floodlight pylons are further back from the pitch and the heads angled differently to many other ground, so the touchline is less well illuminated (Jack Phillips commented as he walked to the bench that he thought it was a bit dark), but the best light is in the middle of the pitch rather than the wings.

Choosing and processing the pictures I could not be oblivious to grain, but only looked at the data when I had finished. Surprisingly, only one at 1/160s made it in ...

Sam Staunton Turner - 1/160s, f/5.6, ISO7200

... everything else was at 1/200s and over.

Bram Johnstone - 1/200s, f/5.3, ISO10000

Using the dial whilst keeping more of an eye on the action than the numbers can mean you go higher than you intend, I even got one at 1/400s.

Jacob Jones - 1/400s, f/5, ISO20000

My experiment showed considerably less correlation between ISO and grain than I was expecting. This, if not exactly under laboratory conditions, was under some of the best lights in the division: I have some opportunities coming to see what happens in some more challenging lighting conditions.

As for the game, we were building on the progress made against Brighouse, but with our biggest problem being once again an inability to score. With a strong Lancaster side managing one in each half, this was set to be another good performance without a result.

Travelling home, I did not fancy the tight connection at Wigan, but there was a slightly earlier train that reduced this risk. The advertised train was indeed late, but the Liverpool train waited, leaving 10 minutes late, to the consternation of Paul from our Train Crew and me, as we had our eye on the last bus passing Wavertree Technology Park. However, online travel tools are improving all the time, so I tracked on Realtime Trains as we made up time, and the Arriva Bus app as the bus encountered a delay, allowing us to make our connection with confidence.

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

Final score: Lancaster City 2 Prescot Cables 0.

Thwarted at the last

We had mixed feelings ahead of Prescot Cables' game at home to Ossett Albion in the Preliminary Round of the Buildbase FA Trophy. We have endured a poor run of form in the league, but anything can happen in a cup, and there were encouraging noises from a friendly game at Skelmersdale United in midweek. We also had a new signing, also from Skelmersdale: Dale Wright, a popular player six or seven years ago before moving onwards and upwards, who has played most recently for Stalybridge Celtic in the National League North.

Dale Wright

We started with a minute's applause for Les Birchall, a long standing supporter who had died suddenly: we were joined by his widow and his son Gareth, a committee member at Padiham FC.

It has been a mild autumn so far, with this being the first afternoon game of the season to which I have worn a coat, but I would not have been uncomfortable without it. The light follows a more predictable course. There was intermittent cloud, but even when the sun was out, it was weaker even than last week. This is the light in which the sports mode on the D5300 comes into its own, increasing ISO once the shutter speed gets to 1/1000s...

Rob Doran - 1/1000s f/4.8 ISO720

... then taking the shutter speed down once it gets to ISO 800...

Bram Johnstone - 1/800s f/5.6 ISO800

... going back to increasing ISO once the speed is down to 1/500s.

Andy Paxton retrieves the ball for Jacob Jones to take a quick throw in - 1/500s f/5.6 ISO900

Whilst we made some good moves towards goal, from the pictures it looked as though we spent a lot of time inside our own half.

We came out with more bite in the second half, and thought we had been rewarded when James McCulloch put the ball in the net. However, the goal was disallowed, we think for a foul on the keeper. I caught a sequence, so readers can decide for themselves, and ponder whether still photography proves very much sometimes.

Ossett's Brett Souter gets a hand to the ball

The ball is now loose

James McCulloch puts it away

James McCulloch celebrates while Brett Souter appeals for a foul

The crucial point is between the first and second pictures - from my recollection and the planted position of James McCulloch's right foot in the second picture I think the ball slipped out of Brett Souter's hand as he tried to gather it in, but I can see how the referee concluded that it was kicked whilst he had control of it.

There was no doubt a few minutes later when Dale Wright marked his return with a goal from the edge of the penalty area.

It was a nervous time for the next few minutes, and it looked as though we had made it, until the visitors scored from a goalmouth scramble half a minute from time to secure the replay.

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 1 (Wright) Ossett Albion 1

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.

Salamanders in the dark

This week saw the third of Prescot Cables' more difficult games in a row. Having played away at second placed Spennymoor Town, then entertained the League leaders, Warrington Town, it was now the turn for Spenymoor's return visit. One of our regular supporters described a long midweek trip a few years ago (which I believe ended with a  late postponement) as "Bloody Blyth Bloody Spartans on a Bloody Tuesday night". Someone in Spennymoor may well have been saying something similar about the distance they would be travelling for this game, which did not stop them bringing two coaches. I was not sure whether that was down to numbers, or to the team and officials travelling separately from the supporters.

Despite having procured a new camera body before Christmas, this was the first time I was able to use it for an evening game at home. During the bad weather most of our Saturday home games went ahead, and most of our midweek programme now is the result of postponed away games.

At home, the visitors play in black and white. On the road, they are in a more muted deep red. As well as not being particularly reflective, it is not easy to reproduce on screen without making the rest of the colours (our shirts, players' faces etc.) look decidedly odd, so the end result is a sort of burgundy.

Marcus Burgess

I took a few shots from in front of the clubhouse, where there the light coming from the stand slightly augments that from the floodlights, but this is balanced out by less ease of movement, and the dugouts being in the way of a good view at the narrower angles.

Bram Johnstone

I therefore headed round to the Gasworks Side. As I was speaking to Dr James, I invited him to join me, which he did, after showing an initial look of concern. As we went round, I snapped a couple of pictures from behind the goal, something that would not have produced anything usable on my old equipment, although the colour can bleed a bit an the higher sensitivity, giving the players a bit of a Ready Brek style hue.

Phil Bannister

Once in position under a floodlight, I had the option of keeping the shutter speed at 1/250s and making maximum use of the sensitivity range...

Danny Flood

... or drop to 1/200s and minimise noise.

Joe Nicholson

During the course of the evening I moved towards the latter approach, although the amount of the frame I need to crop out probably has more impact on the quality of the image.

The game was decided by a goal from the visitors towards the end of the first half, tightening their grip on second place with its associated home advantage in the playoffs.

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

Final result: Prescot Cables 0 Spennymoor Town 1