Swapping colours

Prescot Cables' game in the FA Trophy against Goole AFC, was our second of the week against a team of Vikings, both Widnes and Goole referring to our longboat-travelling chums on their club crest. Fortunately, the visitors did not bring any of the alarming looking (but probably harmless) insect life that lives at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds.

Both teams were playing in their away kit, Goole in yellow, and us in red (our respective home colours are the other way round). This was listed in the programme, so it must have been convenient for one or both clubs (both teams had home games a couple of days later). Whilst supporters often prefer home colours, I do not think it makes much difference, players are used to playing in different colours, and if they cannot remember to pass to someone in the colour they are wearing, they probably need to consider switching to something like tennis. The visitors' kit was a traditional design with a smart collar.

Neil Prince

This was the first weekend after the clocks went back, and the weather was cloudy, so the floodlights were on throughout. If rules are the same as for the FA Cup, the cost will come from gate receipts before they are shared, along with the away team's travel and the match officials' expenses, so I suspect the only side to make anything will be the winners. Goole agreed in the previous round that their game at Burscough would be played to a conclusion to avoid likely losses from a replay.

We started strongly, with a goal after about 15 minutes - I captured a decent sequence, with Rob Doran exercising superb ball control under pressure ...

... passing in to Jack Phillips ...

... who found Sam Corlett to put it away.

Things started to go wrong with a some individual errors from about half an hour in, although it is arguable that poor refereeing put us in a position to make some of them in the first place. Whatever the cause, Goole took full advantage, scoring three goals.

The situation was not irretrievable, half time gave the opportunity to regroup, and we came out stronger in the second half. A second goal, of which I did not get a photo, came from Mason Ryan, who dispatched a shot from the edge of the penalty area with sufficient force that the Goole keeper could not hold it, and could only watch as it bounced into the goal.

Mason Ryan

We could not find the third goal to secure a replay, and Goole made the result sure with a penalty near the end of the game.

Winning a round in each of the FA Cup and Trophy, and the gate at FC United of Manchester means club funds have done better from the FA competitions than in previous seasons, and every source of income counts.

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

Final score: Prescot Cables 2 (Corlett, Ryan), Goole AFC 4.