Crossing the barrier

There is always something special about the first day of the season, people emerging from where they have been over the summer, and, without needing to be guided, taking familiar places on the terraces and in the stands and the bar. Some have returned from our summer sports or walks in the countryside, some have made the journey specially, whilst others have been at the club already, with tales to tell of the pre season programme, or looking forward to people seeing the results of a summer's work on the ground.

With the start seeming to be earlier every year, some are still away. With our manager and captain both being teachers, it is impossible for holidays not to intervene, and we would be without James McCulloch for the first two games. A recently returned Brian Richardson greeted me with the news that my reputation for an inability to capture goals (worse than usual in pre season) was spreading, with the players starting a sweep on whether I would get one. We will come back to that later.

We were sporting a new kit, the same Puma design as the last couple of seasons, but in the yellow with which we are more familiar.

Chris Almond

I too had been issued with new kit: Garry Williams, our goalkeeping coach, supplied me with a high vis bib for use pitchside. I did not try it in pre season, but as I was on the pitch taking the initial line up for our opening game against Ossett Town, I decided to give it a go. I made a makeshift seat near the Safari Park End. getting the low position that is particularly good for still sports photography.

Lloyd Dean

My initial location is also where the substitutes often warm up (it seems to depend whether the assistant referee wants to keep an eye on them, in this case he did not). To avoid photographing round them, I moved to the other side of the corner flag, leaning against the famous fence. It held my weight, although that was not the direction in which it collapsed in the first place.

Louis Coyne

I also got a decent view of the crowd.

The Dugout Irregulars

For the second half, we were attacking towards the Hope Street end, sponsored by North West Roadshow.

Jordan Wynne

There are some concrete protrusions from the base of the terrace at this end, providing a handy seat for a good view.

Baba Conteh

We had not performed well in the first half, giving away a penalty and conceding a second goal. We were much better in the second half, but we could not convert this to goals until Jordan Southworth scored in injury time.

Jordan Southworth shoots for goal

I am not sure how this works in the players' sweepstake, but it is definitely the shot for goal. The team showed impressive discipline, not wasting time with celebrations but getting straight back for the kick off to try for an equaliser. Unfortunately time was too short, but this was a good performance against last year's play off runners up, who may be looking forward to another good year.

Valter Fernandes was the season's first Man of the Match, being presented with the award by Alan McNally of Joseph's Joinery, who supplied the new woodwork around the ground and helped the volunteers to fit it.

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

Whilst my new photography position is good for pictures, it is not necessarily sociable - my friend Dr Luke was visiting us, something that, due to spending most of the game below the perimeter fence, I only found out as we exchanged a cheery handshake as he left at the end.

Final score: Prescot Cables 1 (Southworth) Ossett Town 2.

Across the fields

Having seen a good performance against Marine, Prescot Cables went into the next weekend of our pre season programme a couple of men down. Danny Flood, who suffered a number of injuries last season, found his luck had not changed, fracturing his foot in midweek. Then, in an illustration of the hazards of inviting a club from a higher division to play, Marine liked James Edgar so much they took him with them. Whilst my mental arithmetic is not all it could be, I cannot quite make the days between Tuesday and Friday add up to seven. However, James has been both reliable and useful in a number of positions, including a couple of occasions as an emergency goalkeeper, over the two seasons he has been with us, and has definitely earned the opportunity to play in a higher division. This blog wishes him well for the future.

James Edgar

For the weekend, there was more immediate business, at Ashton Athletic, a club the same age as me, having been founded in 1968, and located on the edge of Ashton-in-Makerfield. There is a Cumfybus (yes, that is a real bus company) from St Helens that runs near the ground, but in an almost Yorkshire-like desire to get full value from what I had paid for, I used my Arriva season ticket to the town centre for free, and walked from there. Mr Google suggested the quickest route, including a public footpath past a farm, reminding me that metropolitan districts are not all built up. Blocked footpaths are a hazard for walkers, and, having gone some distance, head high overgrowth made it impassable, so I had to retrace my steps and go round the road way, along the delightfully named Spindle Hillock, arriving uphill in more of a hurry than I had planned.

Fortunately there is a small stand alongside the country end that we were attacking, so I settled in for a bit whilst I cooled down.

Harry Cain & Jordan Wynne

These games can be an opportunity to see old friends, and this game was no exception, with the hosts including former Cables players Bram Johnstone, Ben Cartwright, Jacob Jones and Josh Nicholson. In goal was Martin Pearson, who has never played for us, but we seem to meet him at least once a season.

Jacob Jones

Bryn, to the north of the town, about ten minutes' walk away, is only a few stops from Prescot on the electric train (at weekends the folks in London even let us plug it in), so we brought some visible support.

Martin Pearson

We continued with the approach of the last couple of games, having two more or less separate teams for the two halves.

The first half team watch the second half

Another fans' favourite made his first appearance of the pre season programme, having been unavailable for the first two games.

Josef Faux, pursued by Josh Nicholson

The hosts were at the end of their preparations, with, like all clubs at step 5, their first competitive fixture being in the FA Cup the following week. There were times when the extra preparation was showing, but a single goal from Lloyd Dean put us ahead.

Lloyd Dean

After the game, not only would the Cumfybus have cost me money, but the time was not particularly convenient, requiring me either to leave five minutes before time or hang around for the best part of an hour, so I headed back to the town centre, with the advantage this time that it was all downhill.

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

Final score: Ashton Athletic 0 Prescot Cables 1 (Dean)

Differently shaped balls

I am not sure whether I should describe my last weekend's sport as a double header or changing horses in mid stream. The former expression suggests going to one game, watching it to the end, then going to the other, whereas I was flipping between the two. Competitive rugby league at Thatto Heath Crusaders coincided with the beginning of Prescot Cables' pre-season programme. As the latter was a four team tournament, I attended the beginning, slipped out in the middle, and returned for the presentation of the cup, named after Dennis Bellairs, who died in December after nearly 50 years' service to the club.

I arrived to find the first game in full swing, between Rainhill Town and City of Liverpool. Whilst I was neutral for this, I concentrated more on Rainhill, as I they probably have less opportunities to get their players into pictures.

We have seen before that purple does not always reproduce well in digital photographs. I have seen the problem with some fabrics and some flowers, so I assume texture is a contributory factor. St Helens Law's advertisement is very a similar colour to City of Liverpool's kit, here worn by former Cables player Francis Foy, but the advertisement (and the sock tape) reproduces accurately, whereas the kit comes out much more blue.

This game produced the shock of the tournament, if anything in a pre-season tournament is a shock, when Rainhill beat City of Liverpool 1-0 to secure a place in the final.

The other semi-final was between Prescot and St Helens Town. It has been one of our most stable pre seasons for many years, and most of last season's squad were back, with some new faces, and a return for one of our own.

Connor Grainger

Goalkeepers never miss a chance to discuss strange goalkeeping things.

I saw the first half and a few minutes of the second, before I used the good offices of the 10A (all human life is there) to go to Thatto Heath. The hosts were ahead when I arrived five minutes into the game. Although many pictures I post are of tackles, it also makes for a good picture when a player sidesteps one and gains valuable distance - even better when the result is the opposition players managing to tackle each other.

The hosts dominated the first half, and had the game sewn up by half time, but, with the visitors playing mainly for pride, the second half was more of a contest.

That probably completed my work with Thatto Heath for the season, as I was mainly snapping for them during the football close season. Having got enough frames, and with the result secure, I left a few minutes early to get the 10A, giving a cheery wave to this chap on the way out.

Back at Prescot, Cables had hit a scoring streak in their semi final, going from 2-0 when I left to win 6-1.

I arrived at half time in the tournament final. Although there were rolling substitutions, Cables were playing separate teams in each half, apart from having Marcus Burgess in goal throughout. Having seen a full half with one team, I was able to see a full half with the other, so I could get most of the players in. Rainhill put in another good performance, but could not translate it into goals.

Andy Scarisbrick

Two goals secured the trophy for the hosts.

Harry Molyneux presents the cup

The end result of the afternoon was that Prescot scored eight goals, of which I was not there for four, and did not capture anything usable from the others, whilst Thatto Heath amassed fifty points, and I did not get a decent shot of any of them being scored. Dennis would have been most amused.

The rest of the pictures from the football can be seen here, and from the rugby here.

Wherever the highway unwinds

The eyes of the non league world seemed to be concentrated last weekend on Scarborough Athletic playing their first fixture at their new ground, returning to the town for the first time in ten years. On a lower key, in Lancashire, I watched St Helens Town also moving in to their new home, having had a peripatetic existence after a deal with St Helens RLFC worked out more to the advantage of the latter.

There were a few teething problems with the council run facilities at the new Ruskin Sports Village, but they were in a position to entertain Congleton Town, and were optimistic of everything being ready for the start of the season. My benevolent disposition towards Town's homecoming was mildly reduced by someone complaining about his lucky escape from pneumonia in Prescot Cables' board room last season, although on the substantive issue, I have to concede it is a smidgeon cold.

I had been right in my assessment of Pilkington Recs pitch the previous week, the football pitch had much shorter blades of polyester, with more crumb.

With the sky overcast and no sun to worry about, I took up position at the end St Helens were attacking.

St Helens opened the scoring with Congleton replying a few minutes later, with plenty of other chances for both sides that they were not able to convert.

The hosts had their own photographer whereas the visitors appeared not to, so I decided to aim for a neutral collection and stayed in the same position for the second half.

 Mannion, who played a few games for Prescot Cables when Andy Paxton was manager, was appearing for the visitors on the side I was covering.

Congleton are in the division above St Helens, and in the second half made their advantage on paper felt on the field with two more goals without reply.

There was a reasonable crowd, although some people I expect to be planning to visit a new ground may be waiting for competitive action. However, I am sure that once the weather closes in, there will be a few taking refuge from weather related postponements at other grounds.

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

Final score St Helens Town 1 Congleton Town 3

Touchdowns, runways and roads

I decided not to travel to Thatto Heath Crusaders' game at Wath Brow Hornets, although with the unexpected good weather, I should have treated myself to a stay at the coast. There was a crop of pre season football games, but I stayed with competitive rugby league. Pilkington Recs were the nearest club, at home to Wigan St Patricks. They had been an option when I started watching a couple of months ago, but Thatto Heath were nearer, and Pilkington had a regular photographer. I am not worried about treading on toes, but at a club without I am more likely to be useful. This was the case with Thatto Heath asking whether I was coming again after my first collection.

This was the official opening day at Ruskin Sports Village, previously owned by the Pilkington glass company, now run by St Helens Council with facilities for Pilkington Recs and St Helens Town FC. I found a festival in full swing, with cricket, a junior football tournament, tennis and bowls in addition to rugby. As I was early, I watched a few overs of the cricket with an ice cream. Some of the first dedicated sports action photographs just over 100 years ago were taken of cricket. This is logical, as for much of the action you can train your camera on where the player will be, and concentrate on the shutter. As I had no idea who the teams were, and therefore where to send the pictures, I decided not to try my hand.

Our game was preceded by a minute's silence for Adam Cooper, who sadly died playing for Culcheth Eagles in a National Conference League fixture the previous week.

This was the first time I have watched rugby on a 3G pitch. There seemed to be more and longer polyester blades and less visible rubber crumb than I would normally expect. The shine from the blades can affect the lighting on a bright sunny day.

We have seen the visitors before, playing in all black.

I have encountered the hosts' colours in rugby union, chosen I suspect because it holds visibility in the mud: less of a consideration for league now it is a summer game. It also reproduces well under most lighting conditions.

With the sun shining strongly from the hosts' end, I took up position near the half way line.

I was right about a resident photographer or two, lenses were being trained from all directions.

The game followed a pattern that has been common for me this season, starting evenly, with one side, in this case Pilkington's, having an advantage at half time, and taking a decisive grip to run away as clear winners in the second.

After the game, I had a choice of cricket - more overs at the ground, or a pint in tip top condition at the Cricketers' Arms. I decided on the latter. Despite the name and some cricket memorabilia, rugby league is a way of life in these parts. The bases of the hand pumps all bear the name of  one of the great St Helens players, and I cannot remember a minute's silence as well observed in a pub as that for Adam Cooper at the start of the televised game.

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

Final score: Pilkington Recs 50 Wigan St Patricks 22

What are Kells?

A number of settlements around the Irish Sea have the name of Kells, with examples in Westmeath, Kilkenny, Antrim, the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright, and the home of Thatto Heath Crusaders' visitors, near Whitehaven on the Cumberland coalfield. Most derive from forts or raised land (and it is logical to put a fort on a hill). Continuing our references to railway curiosities, the hill on which this Kells stands was once accessed by the Corckickle Brake cable worked incline.

My main photographic customer, Prescot Cables, has had a relatively stable team over the last couple of years, so I have not had to learn the names of a new team from scratch. I do not need to caption pictures for Thatto Heath, but I still like to know who I am watching, and they post the team sheet online, which is a considerable help.

Owen Scholes

Rugby league seems to me the code with least clues as to who might be who when you watch a team for the first time. In football, provided I have a team sheet, I quickly remember the name of the goalkeeper. The full backs take a lot of throw ins and free kicks, and I work forwards and inwards from there.

Jamie Tracey

In rugby union, the scrum half is quite identifiable, and the props, flankers and number 8 will quickly become familiar, as they spend a lot of time on their scrums. The scrum half will also extract the ball from rucks and mauls, and, since they stopped doing dive passes, will probably be one of the cleaner players on the pitch.

This is no help in league, where scrums are uncontested affairs to keep the forwards engaged, giving the side putting in the chance to run. Being clean is not much of a distinction on a hot, dry day - I dread to think what going to a summer game has done for employment among laundry workers.

The same player often performs a similar function at the play-the-ball, but that is less of a photographic opportunity than the breakdown in union - the interest comes much more in runs and tackles.

Sean Kenny

One player will often take most of the kicks in a game - it helps if you have a memorable name, at times I suspect a good and a bad thing.

Bobbie Goulding

As for the rest, it is a matter of matching back and front by boots and haircuts, and, in a summer game with short sleeves, tattoos.

Thatto Heath got off to a flying start, so much so that Dan Birkett scored the first try before I had made up my mind where to stand and was dithering behind the dugout. It was a competitive game, with the visitors scoring two unconverted tries to put them ahead at half time. The lead was exchanged twice in the second half, with the hosts eventually collecting the points.

After the game, the chap who sells the half time draw tickets (which if I win is a donation, as I never remember to check) engaged me in conversation. He initially thought I was with Kells, as I was wearing a shirt with narrow red hoops, like a Lancashire rugby union shirt - although I am not sure any sort of red and white hoops are normal wear in these parts!

As I came to post the link to the pictures on Twitter, I discovered another use of the name Kells - looking for the opposition's account, I had to scroll through quite a lot of people using it as an abbreviation for Kelly before I found what I was looking for.

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

Final score: Thatto Heath Crusaders 22 Kells 16.

Mining

My limited research into the history of sports and those who played them in Lancashire and Yorkshire suggests a rough rule of thumb: after 1895, mill workers seem to have played football, miners played rugby league, and farmers and the commercial classes played rugby union, with football becoming more popular amongst the miners by the time of, and certainly after, the First World War. This occupational grouping makes sense - to arrange sport after work, your colleagues are probably a good group amongst whom to start.

There is therefore a strong presence of amateur rugby league in the former Lancashire coalfield with many club names referring to their industrial heritage. With Thatto Heath Crusaders playing at Leigh Miners Rangers, I found a bus from St Helens, and having paid the extra £2 for an Arriva North West monthly season ticket rather than a Merseyside one, it was all included.

On arrival, I went through the large, well maintained bar. At the cash desk by the door I received a neat nightclub style stamp, which, as soon as I put my hand in my pocket, smudged to look like a nasty insect bite. The pitch was railed on both sides, but, being used to football ground gradings, I was unsure how to get to the other side, until I realised they trust you to walk behind the dead ball line without railing it off. To be fair to football, given that a try is scored some yards away, there is less chance of a player running into you and sending you flying.

I am not sure what colours of kit the match officials have available to them in the amateur game, but I was not entirely convinced by their choice.

Having said that, the only other colour I have seen at this level is yellow, which would have been even more of a clash.

The hosts were propping up the division, with the visitors challenging for the top spot, but there was no room for complacency. Leigh had the stronger start, but were unable to turn it into points. A home supporter may have been a bit pessimistic: about a minute after the first Thatto Heath try came an announcement asking for someone to move their car as it was blocking another vehicle. Another local was a bit enthusiastic and had to be escorted off when the try was scored, perhaps not appreciating it was for the opposition.

Leigh looked as though they may have a chance towards the end of the first half, taking advantage of errors from the visitors.

Thatto Heath continued strongly in the second half, although the game was never totally out of Leigh's reach, the visitors eventually securing two valuable league points.

Photographing rugby, I have a "try is a try" principle, in the same way as the corresponding "goal is a goal" principle in football. I could probably have done with showing a bit more post to see the location.

By the time rugby league came about, railway time was firmly established, ensuring time was the same at all places in the country rather than varying by a few minutes from town to town. It is a little known fact that the 34 bus from St Helens to Leigh prefers the older system. At least that is the best explanation for the outward bus getting earlier as it got nearer to Leigh, and now I trotted up to the bus station a good two minutes early only to see the bus drive off.

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

Final score Leigh Miners Rangers 20 Thatto Heath Crusaders 28