The Quakers claim their oats

Prescot Cables' fixtures against Darlington 1883 were among the highlights of last season, a well attended game at Bishop Auckland, the return visit coinciding with our beer festival, and an unexpected point from both. This season's home game had been scheduled for a Tuesday in February - a long trip in midweek for the visitors, at a time lacking either early enthusiasm or the excitement of a push for the title or playoff places. However, with both clubs being out of the FA Cup, it made sense to get the fixture played before the inevitable weather related postponements.

Our guests contributed to a crowd of 361, with healthy numbers frequenting the bar, which was augmented by a table selling bottled beers. Their transport included two coaches, although we once needed something more substantial, as reported in the July issue of Back Track, the historical railway magazine, as part of an article about the introduction of Diesel traction on the Liverpool - Wigan lines with some decent pictures of local locations before modernisation.

A rarer football special ran from Prescot in November 1959 when Prescot Cables managed to reach the first round proper of the FA Cup and were drawn at the then Third Division North Darlington. The chartered train arrived at Prescot behind a tender-first 'Crab' 2-6-0, reversed in Shaw Street station, crossed the Pennines over Standedge to Leeds and, after re-engining with a B1, took the Leeds Northern route through Ripon and Northallerton. Arrival at Darlington Bank Top was late, missing the first goal of which there were plenty, all in the Cables net.

Our visitors have changed away colour (more green!) since our last meeting, but continue the medical theme with their charitable sponsorship, supporting the Great North Air Ambulance.

Rob Doran

The first half was overcast but dry, and we were playing towards the Hope Street end, so I took up my usual position, where an old base for the cover that used to extend the full width of the end provides a handy makeshift seat, with a view down the wing...

Mason Ryan

.. and to our own goal.

Ciaran Gibson

Their photographer brought his own furniture, but, given that the distance between the goal line and the perimeter fence is about as short as is allowed (when the Laws of the Game referred to a photographers' line, the fence would have been in front of it), if I had been sitting there, I would have donned a bit of high vis.

All lenses are trained on Antony Shinks

The sun came out for the second half: with its being low in the sky at this time of year, the stand casts a deep shadow, with the usual lighting challenges.

Jonah O'Reilly

There was to be no repeat of the results of last season, Darlington's well organised team scoring once in each half (that from the first half being one of the better ones we will see all season).

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

Final result: Prescot Cables 0, Darlington 1883 2.