Inspecting the neighbours' silverware

In 2003 I watched Prescot Cables win the North West Counties League in our final game of the season at Atherton Collieries. The trophy was not there, as its destination was be decided on the day, so was presumably waiting in a vehicle in the Worsley area, ready to set off for Prescot or Mossley once results were in. Team and trophy were on the way home for the presentation before I was even at the station. Fourteen years later I returned to Atherton to rectify my omission, as our hosts on that day had won the League in midweek, and would parade the trophy at their final game of the season against Runcorn Town.

With step three and four leagues having finished apart from the playoff finals, a number of lenses were trained on this game. I felt more than a bit guilty that I did not recognise resident snapper Rob, with whom I had spent an afternoon in Styal in pre season. I took up position at the bottom of the slope, behind the goal the hosts were attacking.

Former Cables goalkeeper Adam Reid has established his position at Collieries over the last couple of seasons.

The hosts had the better of the first half. Towards the end I made my way round towards the clubhouse, tackling the slope side on.

For the second half, I went back to the same end.

It was nearly half an hour into the half before anyone scored, with the hosts going with league advantage and a goal from Jordan Cover.

The visitors looked determined to make a game of it, and, by the time I had changed ends to be in the right place for the presentations, scored two goals in quick succession a couple of minutes from time, leading to enthusiastic celebrations from their supporters. I wondered what this was all aboot (I speak some Canadian), until I looked at the league table and saw that the result meant that whatever happened at Runcorn Linnets' game, Town would finish above them. End of season fixtures are often not as meaningless as you might think.

You may think the gentleman in the crowd is dressed as a hot dog, but there was discussion when I was nearby as to whether it was a hamburger. With all the nasty things happening in the world, it is a happier place when people dress as bread and meat based comestibles for an end of season trip to the league champions.

I remember reading somewhere some speculation as to whether you could buy throwing champagne, made to a lower standard than stuff you intend to drink. Either way, having already won the trophy means you can plan in advance and get some in, without having to hope the opposition buy it off you at the final whistle if things go wrong.

The lid makes a bid for freedom ...

... as the champagne starts to flow

Most of the other photographers went on to the pitch for pictures of the team, the trophy and the medal presentations, but I stayed behind the perimeter to get a slightly different angle and capture the photographers at work.

Rob gets his picture

There are of course others who, when the team wins and everyone starts jumping up and down, have to keep calm, as there is a job to be done.

Gibbo looks after the medals

Finally, as I was about to leave the hosts to enjoy their party, I was able to take a decent look at the cup (the old Lancashire Combination trophy), as I stopped to compare notes on the season with former Cables coach and Collieries Assistant Manager Warren Jones, who was looking after it.

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

Final score: Atherton Collieries 1 Runcorn Town 2.

A moment with the silverware

After completing our league season, Prescot Cables had one more game: our second successive Liverpool Senior Cup Final, against Southport. Despite our being only a year younger than the competition, we had never won it.

A couple of games in this competition had come at just the right time this year: our morale boosting win at Ashton Town made the perfect start for Brian Richardson, and the semi final at Bootle enabled us to bounce back from the draw against Goole and prefaced a strong finish to the season.

Liverpool County FA fixtures can seem a bit low key, with little in the way of publicity. However, programme editor Gareth Coates used to manage competitions for the Middlesex FA, so he used his template from there to produce what may be the best programme in the competition for some years.

Last season's final attracted a crowd of 865 against Everton on a warm night in August. I was not expecting to beat this, but we had more time to prepare and had all hands on deck publicising it, so attracted 907. A substantial number gathered behind the goal at the Safari Park End, which would prove significant later.

Some of our team had been tantalisingly close to silverware, with Jordan Wynne and James Doyle in the Knowsley Under 19 side who were runners up in the Dallas Cup. Andy Scarisbrick had won some, coaching this evening's mascots, Belle Vale Under 8s, to success in their cup competition.

We were helped by the weather, which had turned out bright after a dull day.

Dominic Marie

With relegation confirmed, the visitors had no reason to save players for the league, so fielded a strong side, but it quickly became apparent we had the best of the motivation. As the light fell, I moved round, after half an hour reaching my preferred night time position on the Gasworks Side, from where I saw Joe Herbert score. The opportunities for individual glory are few for a central defender, so where better to take one?

Joe Herbert (5) celebrates his goal. That fence is not long for standing.

As Joe and Lloyd Dean went to celebrate with the crowd, the section of fence with the flags gave way, leaving about 20 people in a heap. It looked worse than it was - the structure is a rail and post, with the wood to stop the ball going out of play. No-one was seriously injured, although Lloyd Dean was hobbling a bit, and came off at half time. The stewards were quickly able to clear the area. The video went viral, and is assisting us in crowd funding to replace the fence and other sections of similar construction.

For the second half, I joined Jonah O'Reilly and his father watching on the half way line. Twenty minutes in, Andy Scarisbrick ensured he would be adding silverware won as a player to his season's collection with our second goal.

Andy Scarisbrick

The rest of the game had us glued to our watches ...

Marcus Burgess

... but in reality the visitors offered little threat. Last season, the presentation to Everton was done before I even had time to walk round to the stand, so with five minutes to go, I murmured to the O'Reillys that, whilst I did not want to tempt fate, it  might be time for me to wander round. I donned some high vis, and former club secretary Doug Lace, now with the County FA, was on hand to make my presence on the pitch side of the barrier official.

We had to wait for the cup, as the County FA Chairman, Mr Wild, I suspect to comply with the insurance conditions for the trophy, was not willing to make the presentation with spectators on the pitch. This was my moment to try to get everyone in, starting with the medal presentations.

Valter Fernandes receives his medal, Dominic Reid, Josh Dolling and James Edgar look on

I rushed out a couple of pictures of the team with the cup for publicity: this one seems to have become the official picture, appearing all over the web, and on posters, mugs etc.

Readers may think the cup will look resplendent in our trophy cabinet, but a few minutes later it was on its way back to the safe at the County FA. As well as extremely valuable material and workmanship, it is priceless sporting history, won by Everton before the foundation of the Football League, the first trophy won by Liverpool in 1893, and containing the names of everybody who is anybody in local football (well it will after the base comes back from the engravers), so the cost of secure storage and insurance would be prohibitive.

We actually keep the one on the left

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

Final score: Prescot Cables 2 (Herbert, Scarisbrick) Southport 0.

Finishing on a high

I was a bit concerned when I learnt that Prescot Cables' presentation evening was to be after our game away at Radcliffe Borough. It was announced after the game against Goole, so there was the possibility that if we needed a result in this game and did not get it, people might be reluctant to attend. As it was, we had a good run in, so stakes were considerably lower, with the possibilty of a result at a ground where we have not often done well, and surpassing last season's points total.

I am not a big fan of the tram to Radcliffe: it has had reliability issues in the past, and involves a 20 minute walk, all uphill, whereas the bus stops just outside the ground. However, as I thought I might need to make a swift return to Prescot for the awards, and the bus is a bit slow, I took an unusually punctual tram, sampling the new second city crossing, where the ride was smoother than I was expecting.

We welcomed back our two members of the Knowsley Under 19 side who were runners up in the Dallas Cup: James Doyle ...

... and captain Jordan Wynne.

I did not notice who won the toss, but it is said you should play with conditions in the first half rather than anticipating a benefit in the second. That is true with the weather, as a wind can change, but a slope will still be there after half time. Either way, the hosts were playing downhill in the first half.

Marcus Burgess gathers from Conor Ready, with the Dugout Irregulars ready to repel boarders

Chris Almond opened the scoring after 20 minutes.

Chris Almond scores our first goal

There was no indication at half time that this would be a particularly high scoring game, but conditions started to work for us. Jordan Wynne scored our second three minutes into the half.

Celebrating Jordan Wynne's goal

I am not sure why this is known as a bicycle kick, my knowledge of cycling is limited, but I know that adopting this posture in the saddle does not produce the desired result.

Lloyd Dean

Next to score was Josh Dolling, with a shot from the edge of the area rolling gently, with some assistance from gravity, into the far side of the net.

Josh Dolling

As the game was a couple of weeks ago (it was a busy end to the season), I checked the league website to remind me of the scorers, but records diverge from the actuality at this point. Fortunately Glyn had once again travelled to provide the video, so I could watch the goals again. Jordan Wynne is credited with the fourth goal, but Chris Almond put it past the reach of Radcliffe's Kris Leigh.

The hosts scored a consolation goal from a penalty, for which I was too far away to see the foul. The final goal came from James Doyle, but was credited on the league website to Joe Herbert, who was on the bench for the whole game - his reward for a season's reliable hard work was yet to come!

Joe Herbert

I feared that I would be in a race to get back in time for the awards, with doors opening at 7pm, but the event was structured to keep people using the bar, with local band The Contenders performing their first set at 8pm before the presentations. I have never tried photographing a band before, but they were happy with the results.

Awards on the field went to James McCulloch, Supporters' and Players' Player of the Year; James Edgar, Manager's Player of the Year; Lloyd Dean, Goal of the Season (I think against Glossop North End); and Jordan Wynne, Young Player of the Year.

Lloyd Dean, James McCulloch and James Edgar

Awards off the field (whilst all those recognised are worthy winners who have provided excellent service to the club over the year, I can never remember what the actual awards are formally for) went to Harry Molyneux, Ronnie Williams, Robbie Williams, and to Lynda Derbyshire and the bar team.

Lynda and Michelle receive the George Hayward Trophy on behalf of the bar team

I also had a pleasant surprise, in the shape of a bottle from the players for my pictures (especially those that have ended up as profile pictures). Coach Roy Grundy took a picture, but it did not make it into the collection, as it was a bit too soft focus!

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 evening on the club website here, and on Google Photos here; and some extra pictures of The Contenders are available here.

Final score: Radcliffe Borough 1 Prescot Cables 5 (Almond 2, Wynne, Dolling, Doyle)

Some beer left

Prescot Cables held this year's Beer Festival later than in previous years, opting for the Easter weekend. It made sense, particularly with our tenants St Helens Town entertaining City of Liverpool on Good Friday. Arriving early for our Easter Monday game against Bamber Bridge to see if there was any beer left, I met Dr Tony. Mindful of St Paul's advice to the Romans regarding those who esteem one day above another and those who esteem every day alike, we compared notes on Easter. After taking everything out of church for Good Friday, putting it back in scrubbed and polished on Saturday, and services each day, this was the first chance I had for football or beer. Tony is a Baptist, so he had a normal Sunday, with a couple of bank holidays to boot, and had been able to fully enjoy the beer festival.

Before the game, David Williams, who is retiring as match day announcer, and would be unable to attend the presentation evening, was presented with the Dave Brennan Trophy.

David Williams, with his wife Margaret, and Richard Harnetty, his successor as match day announcer

Neither team had league safety concerns or playoff hopes, but, after looking shaky a few weeks ago, last season's points total and league position were in our reach, whilst the visitors had the final of the Integro Cup a couple of days later.

We were fielding a depleted squad, in quantity at least: when I first saw the players warming up, I counted 11, although two substitutes emerged shortly afterwards. We made our final addition for the season, in the shape of Louis Coyne, who joined us before the transfer window closed at the end of March.

Louis Coyne

We were playing in our away kit, having played at Ossett Town on Saturday: we had to use the home kit there, and the laundry is not open over the bank holiday weekend.

Valter Fernandes

We made the better start, and Josh Dolling put us ahead after half an hour.

Josh Dolling

Alistair Waddecar has been remarkably successful at scoring against us: I cannot remember a game against Bamber Bridge in the last few seasons when he has not. I was relieved he was on the bench for this game, and thought our best chance of all three points would be if he were to stay there. This was not to be, and he came on to score ten minutes from time.

Dale Wright takes a throw in, their chap looks very cross

With the late Easter, this was the last home league game of the season, and we could enjoy it with the serious business wrapped up. There was time for the team to pose for pictures with the supporters.

The Rogues & Rascals Barbershop Man of the Match award went to Andy Scarisbrick, a product of our youth team, who seemed to have fallen out of favour earlier in the season, but a change of position has seen him make an impressive return. With the bar full of people enjoying the beer festival, we made the presentation in the Board Room, where we could raise the advertising background high enough to mean I did not need to photoshop bits on to the 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 1 (Dolling) Bamber Bridge 1.

Doing things in style

Danny Blanchflower once said, "The game is about glory. It's about doing things in style...". That should be the case when you are at the top of the table, but safety from relegation does not often come in the same way, at least if you avoid taking it to the last day of the season. It is not the angel with the flaming sword blocking the path of Balaam, rather a ripple round the ether from someone scanning Ossett Albion's Twitter feed on a wet Tuesday evening in April and finding that their late goal means their visitors cannot now catch us.

However, every now and again ...

Having secured a surprising three points against playoff chasing Glossop North End at the weekend, one point in our Tuesday evening game against the league leaders, Lancaster City, would make us safe for practical purposes. Mathematical certainty would need a second point, but Goole would be unable to catch our goal difference by any reasonably predictable run of results. Having said that, with the way results have been going this year, I would not rule anything out as impossible.

Being in the last couple of weeks of the season, we started with reasonable daylight, and exposures to match.

Josh Dolling 1/500s f/5.6 300mm ISO2800 7.53pm

With sunset half way through the first half, I was soon notching up the ISO settings.

Dale Wright 1/320s f/5.3 195mm ISO5000 8.05pm

Both sides were trying to break the deadlock with a marked lack of success. The video highlights list seven misses in the half, four for us and three for Lancaster - and that is just those Glyn the camera operator felt were close enough to be worth uploading a clip, there were plenty more for both sides.

By the start of the second half, the light was that of a standard night game.

James Edgar 1/320s f/4.8 125mm ISO20000 8.51pm

Dominic Marie broke the deadlock five minutes in (this is not a picture of the goal: that was from the other side of the penalty area, too far away to catch).

Dominic Marie

There was some confusion over who scored the second. Glyn, who has less than ten seconds to select a player and upload, credited it to Andy Scarisbrick.

Andy Scarisbrick

Looking through the stills, I thought it was Josef Faux, whilst the official record (assuming the League website corresponds to the official record) has it as an own goal.

Josef Faux celebrates as Lancaster retrieve the ball from the net

A determined effort from Lancaster could not break down our defence, and it became apparent we were going to secure safety in style, with our own result at home.

Staying up

Soundings for the Rogues and Rascals Barbershop Man of the Match did not produce the usual consensus, with everyone getting a mention. I avoid expressing an opinion, as my view is constrained by a small window (that and having acquired startlingly little footballing knowledge in 25 years), but I was pleased to see the award go to Danny Flood, who has performed well in between not having the best of luck with injuries all season. Having the winner fit the board was of limited use when Company Secretary Peter Kneale was too tall for it, and it helps to remember to set the ISO setting back to Auto when you come indoors if you do not want the resulting photo to look a bit grainy.

Danny Flood

To finish that Danny Blanchflower quotation, "it's about going out and beating the other lot, not waiting for them to die of boredom."

Job done.

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

Final score: Prescot Cables 2 (Marie, og) Lancaster City 0.

A surprising win

I approached Prescot Cables' game at home to Glossop North End hoping for a point. We had been steadily amassing what we needed to avoid relegation, mainly one at a time. Our home form has been good, although we have drawn some games we were in a position to win. The visitors were third in the league, but we have always been able to spring a surprise on teams near the top of the table. A point would mean that that for Goole to catch us, as well as winning two of their remaining four games, goal difference meant they would need to draw a third, in addition to anything we were able to to.

It was a bright, sunny afternoon, with plenty of light, but also shadows to deal with.

Marcus Burgess

I still had a point very much in mind when Chris Almond opened the scoring after seven minutes.

Chris Almond celebrates his first goal

Lloyd Dean added to the tally after about half an hour. There was still no indication of what was to come, with the visitors scoring just before the end to make for an unremarkable 2-1 half time score. Glossop were in third place for a reason, but we were looking more hopeful for that point.

Lloyd Dean scored a second a few minutes into the second half to restore our advantage.

Lloyd Dean shoots for his second goal

Shortly afterwards, we revised our expectations upwards, when Chris Almond scored twice in quick succession for his hat trick. Josh Dolling added to the scoring a couple of minutes later to complete a perfect fifteen minutes.

Josh Dolling

With a win now realistically secure, there were two more goals: a consolation for the visitors, and another from Josh Dolling, who has steadily improved since he joined us, and is seeing the rewards in goals.

The Rogues and Rascals Barbershop Man of the Match is usually chosen by informal soundings in the bar after the game. There is one essential proviso - you need to still be on the premises for the announcement and photo: the sponsors are paying us to promote them after all. A hat trick will put you at the top of most people's minds, so we made sure Chris Almond was still around to receive his award.

Meanwhile, in the more formal voting on the website, Dale Wright secured the award for the Warrington Motors Player of the Month for March.

Having secured three points, not only did we ensure Goole now needed three wins from their last four games, but also that Mossley replaced us in their sights, as we went up a place on goal difference. Unfortunately, we did not do Glossop's playoff chances any good, although, being purely selfish, it increased the chance we would be enjoying their rather decent pies again next season.

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 7 (Almond 3, Dean 2, Dolling 2) Glossop North End 2.