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.

Last exit to Brighouse

It seemed appropriate for what we thought might be our last trip to Yorkshire for a while that I should pay my fare to Brighouse Town by ee-ticket*, using the Trainline app (still saving a couple of quid splitting tickets myself). These pages like shiny new railway infrastructure, so, when I noticed my train to Halifax started from Manchester Oxford Road, I joined it there to travel on the new Ordsall Chord. It is not actually shiny, being constructed of weathering steel, a clever engineering thing that should not work but does, using a layer of rust to provide up to 120 years' protection against ... er ... rust.

I completed the trip by bus from Halifax, with the First ticket app. I was not so convinced by this, it generates a QR code, which is very small on a 5" screen, and I had trouble getting the machine on the bus to read it.

I remembered I would need a yellow high vis rather than my usual orange.

James Edgar

Brighouse's video operator had a dedicated platform, with a flaw in the access arrangements - having taken his pie up, he had to come back down for his pint.

For still photography, such structures are of limited use, we want to be low on the ground. The higher you can get the player in relation to the background the better.

Lloyd Dean

Joe Herbert opened the scoring.

This was probably the high point, the team were not having the best of days, especially after MJ Monaghan had to go off after an accidental clash of heads. We were able to go in at half time still in the lead.

By then, I was having a spot of bother. I grew up in the countryside, and was fairly immune to pollen and dust. The longer I have been away, the immunity has faded. For about 15 years, passing through my childhood home in Surrey has been rewarded with an hour or two of itching eyes. In the last couple of years this has extended to all countryside. As the ground has farms on two sides and a wood on one, for the first ten or fifteen minutes of the second half I was operating with one eye closed (fortunately the left) and the other half open. So, that will be eye drops in the bag next season.

Some dressed to blend in in a farming area.

I thought I would be looking directly into the sun, but it clouded over a bit, making my task easier.

Valter Fernandes

It did not make the team's task easier, with the hosts scoring twice in the first fifteen minutes. Although our response was energetic, and came close a couple of times, we could not co-ordinate a response. A defeat should have dented our chance of keeping fourth place, except Bamber Bridge, the only team who realistically could deprive us of it, had an even worse day, losing 4-0 to an Ossett Albion side determined to bring down the curtain at Dimple Wells with a flourish.

In Halifax after the game, I visited the Grayston Unity, an excellent micropub and intimate music venue (capacity 18). It was a bit full, so I used their tables and chairs outside the Town Hall to drink my pint and read my paper. I am not sure what they do for space in the winter, although hardy Yorkshire folk probably just use a beer mat to keep the snow out of their drinks.

The Blogger dashboard tells me this is my 400th post, having started in 2011 with a few photo hints and tips (I still manage some now and again). I do not really cover issues, but I have been flying a flag for a few months.

I am far from archetypally gay, just ask my church friends, but on inclusion in sport, I am fully on board. Using the lowest population estimate (2% identifying as LGBT in the last census), we could expect to find about 90 gay players across Steps 1-4. We know of one. A fortuitously timed and worded tweet at new year (thanks Owen) nudged me to decide it was time to do my bit, and time for you to know. As someone fairly well established, if that helps a potential player, coach, match official or volunteer to feel the game is for them too and stay around, it will serve its purpose.

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

Final score: Brighouse Town 2 Prescot Cables 1 (Herbert)

* Technically they were m-tickets, but I am not letting facts get in the way of a Yorkshire joke.

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

Last train to Ossett Albion

It is not often you visit a ground knowing it will be for the last time. We often anticipate not seeing clubs for some time: because we or they are on the way up, down or sideways. However, we knew Prescot Cables' trip to Ossett Albion would be our last, as they are to merge with Ossett Town, eschewing the name of Ossett T'Albion for the more sensible Ossett United, and will play first team games at Ingfield. My first visit to Dimple Wells was ten years ago, when they were in the division below Prescot, the season before we were relegated to join them.

Ossett Albion v Bridlington Town 1st March 2008

This was also the end of an institution, the 1022 Liverpool to Scarborough. Our Train Crew has declined in recent years due to illness, moving away, work and family commitments, but the 1022 started of some of our more memorable away days. In May, the Liverpool to Leeds service becomes half hourly at 26 and 56, and, depending which split the league choose, we might not visit Yorkshire at all. Frank, Dr James and I assembled for the train to Dewsbury, with Frank disappearing for a few minutes to exchange the ticket he had been sold to Shrewsbury.

On arrival, we adjourned to the West Riding Licensed Refreshment Rooms, where I downloaded a bus ticket, and informed my companions a day saver was £4.80, forgetting the 10p discount for using the app. Scenes with loose change ensued when we got on the bus.

My Ossett pub of choice has been the Tap, but I have meant to visit the Old Vic, which looks quite a bit further away on the map, but is only about five minutes' walk. We found it furnished to the standards you expect from Ossett Brewery, and quieter than the Tap. There is a 50% chance I am a quarter Canadian (in 1941 their army was in Surrey fraternising with the locals), and I thought I would see the last ten minutes of Canada's bronze medal game in the Olympic ice hockey on the large screen, only for it to be switched to the national anthems for the rugby union.

Josh Klein-Davies

At the ground, a dilemma awaited. I have given up red meat for Lent, but this was the last chance for one of Albion's hot pork pies, a Yorkshire delicacy. I sent a quaeritur to my theologian friend Matthew to see if there were any exceptions for a final visit to a sports ground on the Second Saturday in Lent, but decided to be naughty and have one anyway.

This was not a game to set the pulse racing, with neither side looking able to create any meaningful chances. Afterwards Frank asked me how I would get any pictures. I referred to my second principle of sports photography*.

The quality of the pictures bears next to no relation to the quality of the action.

A tense game with inch perfect passes, runs timed to perfection, and the lead changing hands, on a wet afternoon in November, can leave me struggling with focus and motion blur. A game (from both sides) of runs that never quite go anywhere, passes intercepted by the opposition and the referee thinking dropped balls and free kicks are interchangeable, played under fine late winter sunshine, on the other hand ...

The shadow from the stand is smaller than at home, so I used shutter priority for most of the first half. Unlike the sports mode, which starts closing the aperture when the speed goes above 1/1000s, this keeps it open and the depth of field shallow, with a sharply focused player against a nice soft background.

Valter Fernandes

Being responsible for a number of profile pictures on social networks, the question arises, "quis photographiet ipsos photographes?". Albion's resident snapper caught me in action.

Harry Cain returned to the bench after surgery. The plan was to give him 20 minutes' play, but plans do not always survive contact with the opposition.

Harry Cain

For the second half, I used the sports mode.

Reece McNally

For the last quarter of an hour, I moved to the side of the pitch, and was rewarded with a few shots in the golden hour (the hour or so before the sun sets).

Jordan Southworth

On my way out, I snapped a couple of pictures as the sun dipped behind Emley Moor television transmitter.

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

Final score: Ossett Albion 0 Prescot Cables 0

* The first principle is, "If in doubt take a picture of it. Then take another picture of it, just in case".

Pretty Flamingo

At the end of last week, the gay bit of my Twitter feed took an unexpected interest in Scarborough, as it was announced the American chanteuse Britney Spears is playing the Open Air Theatre in the summer. Being as unfamiliar with Ms Spears' work as I am with the Premier League, I concentrated on Prescot Cables' visit to Scarborough Athletic's Flamingo Land Stadium, which, sadly, is only named after the local attraction rather than hosting their flamingoes.

The ground's new postcode is not recognised by Mr Google's maps (it takes months to work through all systems), but they have a not strictly accurate marker for the entrance off Seamer Road. This is convenient from the south and west, but, as I found later, from the town it is three sides of a square. Near the ground, Lloyd Dean's father, Barry, pulled alongside to ask if I knew where the entrance was (I did not), and offer a lift for the last few hundred yards. I hopped in, and we flagged down a home supporter, who suggested we park in the side streets, about the same distance from our destination as when I got in the car.

The attendance was 1377, about the upper limit of comfort as the ground stands. It is some way short of the official 2070 capacity, the calculations must assume tall people will let short people stand in front of them, and they could make it better known there are no seats for non season ticket holders. I noticed some metal terraces to be installed along the side, which will increase capacity and comfort.

Jordan Wynne in front of the crowd at the covered end

Reece McNally with a full house at the side

Those on the coach reported bag searches and confiscated drinks, but I breezed in with full luggage and a bottle of water. I then committed a cardinal error, trying new kit without having fully tested it. I received a camera hand grip as a present, and planned to try it. I need both hands changing lenses standing up, with the body hanging free on the strap, and had not considered how to do it with one hand full. Then the clip that worked well, if stiffly, at home, proved more resistant to hands cold from a walk along the front and keeping my lunchtime haddock out of the sight of inquisitive seagulls. By the time I changed to the neck strap, the tunnel was in position, so I stood behind the pitch perimeter.

We won the toss and elected to play towards the covered end, which met with boos from the locals. The clear seaside light gave me some crisp pictures. Joey Faux returned to action - and had his name announced correctly rather than ending up as Fox, as elsewhere in Yorkshire.

Joey Faux

Reece Fishwick, however, acquired a silent "w".

Reece Fishwick

It looked as though we were short of players fit, eligible and able to travel, as we only named three substitutes.

Ben Barnes was kept busy.

Ben Barnes

I swapped sides half way through the first half.

Chris Almond

The hosts proved more effective than when visiting us a few weeks ago, and went in at half time two goals up.

I wondered where to stand for the second half, but there was space when some home supporters changed ends. A substantial number stayed put, and were not pleased with those of ours who wanted to stand behind the goal we were attacking. I did not see much of the disagreement - mainly backs of heads - but the Police, who were outside as I came in, were called and ejected one or two individuals, and seemed concerned at people using the toilet more than once. The officers looked quite young: wait 'til you get to my age constable... There was talk afterwards of the need for an away end, but I have been in bigger crowds without, so I think it depends more on the home club dealing with the small number of idiots that inevitably appear in a large crowd.

I was happy with the floodlights, which gave good results, at least in the half we were attacking.

Matthew Hamilton

A third goal in the last five minutes secured the points for Scarborough and did their goal difference no harm.

I was still unacquainted with the quicker route to town, so returned the way I came. I hoped to take refreshment in the Stumble Inn, but it had the problem of a micropub, a couple of dozen people left nowhere to perch, so I stumbled back out and adjourned to the more spacious Angel.

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

Final score: Scarborough Athletic 3 Prescot Cables 0

Crown green goaling

I took advantage of the connection times between trains to do a little church hopping on my way to Prescot Cables' game at Clitheroe. In Preston, I had been to St Walburge's Catholic Church for a First Communion a few months ago and felt I had missed something as I was whisked in and out as a guest: this was my third attempt to visit to appreciate the sheer scale and the detail of the place, my previous two changes at Preston being disrupted by waiting for pitch inspections. St Walburge's is very much back in use after being on the verge of closure a few years ago. Moving on to Blackburn, the Cathedral and the Borough Council have created the Cathedral Quarter, a vast improvement on the windswept bus shelters that greeted visitors arriving by train previously, and which matches the clean lines of the interior, although I have to admit that as cathedrals go, as I looked around I did not see many opportunities for arty photos.

We had sent some players out on loan up the road in Padiham to get some game time: Marcus Burgess returning after injury, Josef Faux returning from travelling, and Tunde Owolabi, who seemed to be doing well enough getting back into the team, but felt it would be of use to him. Marcus is already familiar with the surroundings.

Marcus Burgess visits Prescot with Padiham in 2014

Once in Clitheroe, I went straight to the ground to reconnoitre the territory. I have taken enough pictures from the terraces, but had not considered the vantage point from pitchside. There are some interesting gradients, not just a side to side slope.

During the warm up, the referee was looking suspiciously at how well Ben Barnes was filling the goalmouth, wondering whether the crossbar was the regulation eight feet above the ground for all of its length. It is not an uncommon situation, but I suspect the pitch may be due some work in this area over the summer.

Ben Barnes

I then turned my attention to our  players warming up. It is a little known fact that cones have a life independent of the clubs that procured them.

I was looking out for a couple of new members of the squad, and was able to catch Matthew Hamilton, who came on as a substitute in the second half.

I took up position at the lower side of the slope, behind the goal we were attacking. A couple of boys expressed concern that I might get accidentally clattered in my position, and recommended I retreat behind the barrier. I thought it was middle aged types like me who were supposed to be concerned about 'elf 'n' safety.

Chris Almond opened the scoring after twelve minutes.

Chris Almond

Ben Barnes was called into action several times, culminating in a penalty save just before the half hour. Unfortunately, we undid the good work a minute or so later when we left a gap in the defence for Alexander Newby to exploit. Josh Klein-Davies restored our advantage five minutes later.

Josh Klein-Davies celebrates his goal

For the second half, I decided to stay the same side of the pitch, to get the half of the team I missed in the first half. With the nets attached to the pitch perimeter, I was committed to this side if I did not want to start climbing over fences, and I am built for comfort rather than manoeuvrability. Having scored individually in the first half, Josh Klein-Davies and Chris Almond teamed up for a third.

Josh Klein-Davies forces Chris Thompson to commit himself ...

... and Chris Almond puts the ball away

I was quite happy with the lighting conditions.

Reece Fishwick

Having chosen to be the side of the dugouts and the linesman, I would need to stay behind the goal whether I liked it or not - as it happened it worked out quite well.

Valter Fernandes

The hosts made a determined push during the last 10 minutes, but some solid defence ensured we retained our lead.

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

Final score: Clitheroe 1 Prescot Cables 3 (Almond 2, Klein-Davies)

Blood and diesel

My trips to Ramsbottom United usually involve a detour between the tram and the bus for a Chadwick's black pudding from their stall on Bury Market. The final stage never seems as smooth as it looks on the timetable, this time featuring two buses arriving at the advertised time, only for both drivers to announce they were there for the next service 15 minutes hence. In Ramsbottom, they had been doing something that seemed a terrible waste of blood based comestibles.

The main event in town this weekend was the East Lancashire Railway Diesel Gala, causing a queue at the level crossing as I arrived. I paused briefly to listen to a Class 33 setting off, disappointed that the train was not heavy enough, nor the line speed high enough, to give the sound I remember from my local line as a child.

We played downhill in the first half. I intended to go the side away from the clubhouse, but took one look at the rigging holding up the net and decided against going behind it. Successful action photography needs to be unobtrusive, which is not achieved by demolishing the goal or being suspended in the net wearing orange high vis (also from Bury Market).

I therefore sat down in front of the wall. Legendary supporter Dave "The Monster" was behind me, paying close attention to our goal. "Clear it Angus!" "Good save Angus!" When I pointed out he should be referring to Marcus, he replied "same difference", which is probably not true if you are trying to attract his attention.

Marcus Burgess gathers at the feet of Tom Brooks

The standing on the cricket club side is quite narrow, with the fence close to the pitch, which makes the crowd appear particularly in focus, with everyone in a neat row. This is accentuated by my low photography position.

Josef Faux

The hosts retweeted my collection, and a few home supporters enjoyed picking themselves and their friends out in the crowd.

Chaps called Harry were well represented.

Harry Cain

Ramsbottom, like Mossley, is becoming one of those places where many of us enjoy the surroundings, but usually come away less happy with the result. Normal service was maintained when the hosts scored what proved to be the only goal of the game.

For the second half, I again decided not to navigate the assault course of the net rigging, and positioned myself to look downhill on the cricket club side.

Valter Fernandes runs down the wing for me - well, up really, it's quite a slope

Whilst the half was not without action, this was a game both sides would regard as less than classic.

I have neglected my photography of towns and surroundings for recent games, so, finding myself at the station when a couple of trains were due, I decided to get a few snaps, taking in the town, and back to the station to see the last service of the day, the final whistle (seriously nerdy railway joke).

40 145

Having then visited the Irwell Works Brewery, the buses were as unreliable as earlier in the day, so I got home an hour later than planned, which, if I had known could have been better spent in the pub.

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

Final score: Ramsbottom United 1 Prescot Cables 0.