Herding cats and repelling seagulls

Before Prescot Cables' home game against Scarborough Athletic, I had been prevailed upon to take a team photograph. In the game, action happens in front of you, you point the round thing on the front of the camera in the right direction and keep pressing the button on the top. Provided you get everything you want in frame, and you are not trying to produce an arty A2 print, the computer is your friend when it comes to cropping. For the team photo, you need to direct the team to where you want them, normally the manager's problem.

The players gather for the photo

You think everything looks symmetrical, then a couple of people join from one side. Add to that it was a sunny day, and I was having bother getting the flash to work (spending my photography time on activities where flash is unwelcome, I forget even the basics). With the assistance of Mr Photoshop sorting out the lighting, I think I produced a presentable result.

The end result

I also did head and shoulders pictures of the players and management, the first time we have done these for the website. 

Andy Paxton

Whilst the players went to warm up, I fortified myself with a Whiter Shade of Pale, from the Melwood Beer Company, and a pie from the tea bar. There is money to be made in some sort of contraption to contain a portion of food and a disposable glass without the need to put the pint down every time you want to pick up the pie.

We were wearing our new kit for the first time. Puma used the ground in the summer for a photoshoot with Mario Balotelli, and the club elected to receive payment in kind. Our colour is amber, which has covered a range of shades over the years: my friend Roger, who first brought me to Cables, reminded me that when I started watching in 1991, it was a pale yellow. This is the orange end of the spectrum, and shows up well in sunlight.

Phil Bannister

For players who like to wear an undershirt, I am not sure about the availability of these in orange, and the trim is probably not enough to make black acceptable to a picky referee.

There were some new faces, some of whom I am fairly sure had not been there an hour and a half earlier. Things move quickly these days.

Ryan Stewart

Warren Bellew

After the good performance at Glossop, which was not quite enough to secure a result, we were hoping to go one better this week. An early goal from the visitors put us on the back foot, but parity was restored before half time by Rob Doran, still our only goal scorer for the season.

Rob Doran

The second half saw some determined pressure from the visitors who, up to this point had a 100% league record. Keeper Marcus Burgess, on loan from Salford, made some good saves, and from the visual point of view made them wearing smart plain black boots. As a traditionalist I approve, although it might make life more difficult if outfield players started doing it, as comparing boots is a handy way to match numbers on backs with the fronts that make it in to the pictures.

Marcus Burgess

After the game, I was contacted by TheNonLeague magazine for permission to use my photos of Marcus Burgess and invite me to become become a contributor, so I will have to pay more attention to the names of opposition players (numbers on the front of shirts, you know they make sense). Not that I needed to do so on this occasion: Scarborough is outside the magazine's catchment area.

A successful second half meant we were able to secure our first point of the season, and were not without chances to take all three points.

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

Final score: Prescot Cables 1 (Doran) Scarborough Athletic 1