First down and five

My friend Christian writes about the Washington Redskins for the Uncle Sam Sports blog, for UK based fans of American sports. I have to admit the stuff about the defensive lineman for the county intercepting the quarterback slipping the pigskin to the wide receiver (or something like that) goes a bit over my head. Also, as I identify players by haircuts, I do not easily adjust to helmets, although I find nothing of which to complain in the numbers on the front of the shirts (you know they make sense). Nonetheless, I always read his pieces as I know there will be a couple of superb turns of phrase in there.

The site maintains the American work ethic - a request for a week off was met with the response, "Christian, if you had a bye week after every Redskins loss, you'd never blog again", a point I considered after Prescot Cables' defeat at home to Mossley, something of a bogey team for us. I think I heard someone say that in 17 games against them, we have won twice.

The day started well, with my being let loose with the incense for a couple of parts of the Liverpool Cathedral Walsingham Festival. Forget smoke bombs, this is the real thing. It was to be a full day, finishing with an evening meal at the Crown of India for Dr Phil's birthday. At the away fixture corresponding to his 30th birthday last season, we recorded a rare win against today's opposition.

Lloyd Dean & James Edgar

The day was on the awkward side of bright, with Mossley playing in white to add extra glare.

That is not without benefit later, as it shaves a few minutes off my processing time. There are more bytes in a pixel of black (expressed in RGB - red, green blue - as 255,255,255) than white (0,0,0). Also, on a bright picture, there are usually solid blocks of colour, using less data, whereas a dark one often has pixels of grain interrupting any blocks. 6000 x 4000 pixel raw files from this game were about 17-18MB, against 20MB on a gloomy afternoon, and 24-25MB in the evening. On my computer, that adds a few seconds of waiting for an image to load or process, which adds up over 120 or so images.

The light also produced a good set of images for commercial use, of play in front of the advertising. If I were on the wing, I would be tempted to negotiate individual endorsements.

Bram Johnstone

The report on the visitors' website states that we started confidently, which is probably not untrue. It also refers to their more controlled approach, a fair assessment, our problem after a few minutes being that, whilst we were not without some individual quality, we were unable to put anything together as a team.

The visitors were 2-0 ahead at half time, which should not have been irretrievable, so we tried for a change with two substitutions, including bringing on new signing from Burnley, Josh Dolling, who featured in midweek against Kendal Town, but this time we were able to see him.

Josh Dolling

All this was to no avail, as the visitors scored quickly after half time, and managed two more to make their day complete.

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 0 Mossley 5.

Fog bound

There was a sombre start to Prescot Cables' game against Kendal Town in the Integro Doodson Cup last Tuesday. The previous evening, Shaw Lane AFC player Dan Wilkinson collapsed on the pitch during their game at Brighouse Town, and died later in hospital. According to the British Heart Foundation, an average of 12 people under 35 die each week (most in their sleep) from undetected heart conditions. Each is devastating for their families and friends, but even those of us who never met Dan or saw him play will feel affected by his death occurring in our environment, and in this competition. My observance of the minute's silence was also not without a sense of relief that the person standing next to me was still with us - Jack Phillips' brother Anthony making what looks to be a good recovery from sudden life threatening illness earlier in the year.

There had been heavy rain earlier in the evening, with games in the Manchester area, including at Manchester City, having been postponed or abandoned. Looking at the cloud that settled over us, I suspected our game may not survive the weather.

As it was not raining yet, I went to the Gasworks Side. Jack Phillips was brought down on the edge of the area after about 10 minutes, and converted the resulting penalty.

Jack Phillips

The wet weather had brought out the wildlife, even larger than the specimens I have spent 15 years trying to stop flattening themselves under my back door (or teleporting through it) to invade my kitchen.

I am not sure if we have hedgehogs, er, hogging our hedges, but they would have plenty of tasty snacks.

The anticipated rain did not appear, but during the first half the mist was closing in to the extent that I changed my match prediction from abandoned due to rain to the same outcome due to fog.

Michael Simpson

I went back to the Gasworks Side for the second half, pausing for a couple of quick snaps behind the goal.

The visitors may have been used to this - I may have been unlucky on my trips to the Lake District, but mist seems not to be uncommon. In any event they scored twice to secure the tie.

Meanwhile the fog continued to thicken. I cannot remember if the test for visibility is seeing one touchline from the other or both goals from the half way line (the practical distinction is not large), but we were just about keeping within it.

Jonah O'Reilly

When the action came close enough to get a picture through the gloaming, the light reflected from the fog also prompted the camera to select a lower ISO setting than at a normal floodlit game, although I did not take advantage by increasing the shutter speed.

With the fog still closing in (fortunately, even if we had scored an equaliser, the game would have gone to penalties without extra time). I gave up about ten minutes from the end.

Impromptu treatment for cramp

After the game there were presentations for the Rogues & Rascals Barbershop Man of the Match and Warrington Motors Player of the Month awards. The former includes a voucher for a free haircut. Everyone on the field this evening looked tidy, but sometimes it is tempting to give the award to one of the opposition and tell them the barber will stay open to see them as an emergency. As for the Player of the Month, I suspect the sponsors are not quite so generous with free products.

The Rogues & Rascals background board is a bit narrow, so shoulders will be outside in most cases. The Warrington Motors board is wider, so both presenter and recipient can fit in front. That is no guarantee you have checked where they actually are.

James McCulloch receives the Player of the Month award - as shot

The published version - Photoshop is your friend!

There are ways in which defeat in this competition has a sliver lining - Kendal were rewarded with a trip to Workington on a Tuesday night in November, and have slightly more chance of the gate receipts covering everybody's costs than we would have.

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

Final score: Prescot Cables 1 (Phillips pen) Kendal Town 2.

Gylfi and the fish

A few weeks ago, before he left to take up his new job in Slovakia, my friend Matt from the Lost Boyos was entertaining his Twitter followers recounting incidents where he alarmed people like ticket inspectors, when, intending to show a mobile phone ticket, instead showed his wallpaper, depicting his favourite professional player, Gylfi Sigurðsson, holding a fish. I avoided this problem on my way to Prescot Cables' game at Scarborough Athletic, firstly by having an arty picture of a leaf as my wallpaper, and secondly by buying a paper ticket. The conductor added a smiley face, presumably in amusement at the concept of paying a walk up fare and having to wait to see who has not turned up for their cheaper reserved seats before you can sit down.

Yorkshire is historically a centre of the wool industry, and on changing trains and buying an onward ticket in Leeds (saving money on a straight through fare), someone seemed to be making use of the local product to keep their boat warm.

Coming in to Scarborough, and going back out again on the train to Bridlington, I looked out for progress on the club's new ground at Weaponness. Unfortunately I did not see anything, mainly because it was a long time since I looked at the map, and I was therefore looking out of the wrong side of the train.

On arrival in Bridlington, there was a little light rain. We were playing towards the coast end, which was handy, as there is covered standing, whereas the other end is open, and the sides offer the choice of seats or bus shelter like cover behind the dugouts.

Phil Bannister

We had a significantly changed team from the last few games, with a number of players injured or unavailable. We have seen in the first few games that we have strength in depth, and a squad used to playing alongside each other in a number of different combinations. That does not necessarily give an advantage when we have to make five or six changes. The hosts opened the scoring early with a goal after four minutes, but we were able to keep them at bay after that, with pressure of our own.

Lloyd Dean beats the keeper, but his header was cleared off the line

For the second half I positioned myself to the side, near the hosts' goal. This has the disadvantage that the assistant referee can get in the way. Sometimes that gives a chance for the arty back of the head shot.

Scarborough upped their game in the second half, as ours seemed to fall apart, with their securing two more goals.

Because of the respective positions in which they play, I rarely catch both of the Nicholson brothers in the same frame.

Josh and Joe Nicholson

On this occasion Joe scored a consolation goal two minutes from normal time.

He was cancelled out in injury time by an old friend of these pages (in the sense of always being good for a photo, not so much in the sense of always scoring against us), David Brown, who took full advantage of a defensive error to head home an easy goal.

Jack Phillips with David Brown

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

Final score: Scarborough Athletic 4 Prescot Cables 1 (Joe Nicholson)

Top of the league

One disadvantage of a trip to Clitheroe is that the train journey is somewhat slow, made slower when I looked at my options for this game by a higher fare via Manchester than Preston, which has not been the case in the past, and lengthy waits in Preston and Blackburn. I looked for alternatives, and found a bus. Preston Bus Station was on the large side when it was built in 1968, and is now four or five times the size it needs to be, lending it a somewhat spectral air. With apologies to the Prestonian Francis Thompson,
     The stands are full of shades near the service for the coast,
     And the ghostly buses wait for the boarding of a ghost.
           O my Bristols and my Fleetlines long ago!

Joining me aboard the 280 to Skipton were a young couple with Norman shields, a pike, a bow and quiver of arrows, and large bags that may have contained chain mail. I thought they might be defending against Yorkshire incursions across the County Brook in the Barnoldswick area, but they got off just before me in Clitheroe. I hope they were not planning to keep watch from the Castle, as heavy rain meant the advertised views were once again unavailable.

The County Brook - undefended against marauding Yorkshirepersons

On arrival, I adjourned to the Ale House. I was not surprised to learn later that Richie, our leader in beer and pub choices, and his wife Sharon had been in. I missed them by a few minutes, as they followed a recommendation to try the newly opened Bowland Brewery Beer Hall at Holmes Mill. As he declared himself satisfied, I tried it myself after the game. I found it busy, with people mainly at tables, but with a few wing armchairs dotted around for the likes of me with a pint and a paper

Clitheroe is one of the better equipped grounds for watching in the rain, as there is cover on three sides and seats on the fourth. I took up position behind the goal we were attacking. After 10 minutes I was rewarded by James Edgar crossing in ...

... for Rob Doran to score.

This makes it in on the "goal is a goal" principle, but also on the "how is that even possible?" principle. If I were to put my foot down at that angle, hopping would be my preferred mode of transport for some time to come.

The crowd were doing their best to keep dry.

Bram Johnstone

I continued my series of unsettlingly large advertising faces.

Ben Cartwright

We held on to our lead for the first half. The hosts were awarded a penalty early in the second, and took the opportunity to level the score. They fully tested our defence, and Tom Brocklehurst put in a strong performance.

With seven or eight minutes to go, Joe Nicholson released a shot from 20 yards out (the distance handily confirmed by the pitch markings).

With this goal securing the win, and Farsley Celtic being involved in the FA Cup, we took an unaccustomed position at the top of the table - I think for the first time since promotion from the North West Counties League in 2003. Keeping last season's team together and having two competitive cup fixtures in pre season has enabled us to press home an early advantage. With the League not having midweek fixtures because half would fall to FA Cup replays (an approach with which I am not sure I agree, every fixture completed is one less to worry about in March after a bad winter), we would be there for at least a week - hopefully longer, but the week was guaranteed.

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

Final score: Clitheroe 1 Prescot Cables 2 (Doran, Joe Nicholson)

Turnstile body ready

An advantage of a game at Burscough on August Bank Holiday is that if you are beach body ready, you will also be trim enough to fit through the hosts' unfeasibly narrow turnstiles. As for the rest of us...

Dr Tony and I arrived at the Hop Vine at the same time from different directions. They had had a beer festival over the weekend, and were selling off the festival beers for £1.50 per pint, with eight or nine still available, so it would have been rude not to partake. As we approached the ground, we thought our visit might have been unwise if we had put on any weight.

We arrived to find a bright, sunny day, like the one, almost 12 years ago to the day, on which I first took a camera to a game. The sun can be a problem at Burscough, as there are a lot of light surfaces, which can cause glare. I did not have much time to ponder this, as we were quickly in the lead, with a goal from James Edgar, recorded in the 0th minute, which seemed to disrupt the space time continuum: I thought you started in the first minute. Either way, I got a picture, on the "a goal is a goal" principle.

In the last couple of games, we have scored early only to find ourselves unable to press home the advantage. This was not to be on this occasion. Next to score was Rob Doran, after nine minutes. I was doing well, having caught this goal too, although it needed some tweaks on the lighting.

This was to be a feature of the afternoon, the conversion in ViewNX seemed to be defeated on many images by the glare and associated deep shadows, so I found myself trying manual conversion for a quarter of the frames. The technically minded can see in Google Photos where I think this worked, as the file name contains a (2).

Prescot goals turned out to be a feature of the afternoon too. Next to score was Jack Phillips.

To complete the scoring for the first half, Joe Herbert was impeded in the area ...

... with Rob Doran converting the resulting penalty.

For the second half, the direction of the sun meant a bit less glare, but did not eliminate it completely. The substitutes had a chance to try out the league's new bibs, as they did not clash with anyone's kit.

Jacob Jones

The second half had an air of a job having been done. Rob Doran completed his hat trick with a long distance shot, but play was a lot more in our half, with our defence remaining solid. I was concerned the Tesco next to the ground meant the perimeter wall may give the impression it does not prevent viewing the game from outside the ground.

Sam Staunton Turner

Our convincing win left us in the unaccustomed heights of third in the league after four games, and the hosts as one of two teams that have yet to post any points. I suspect Burscough will pick up as the season progresses, Dave Powell did a good job for us a few years ago with limited resources.

Dave Powell (front)

After the game, I went back to the Hop Vine, where the entertainment was an oompah band whose repertoire seemed more Ormskirk than Oberbayern. Selling off the festival beers was going well, as they were down to two by the time I left for my train.

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

Final score: Burscough 0 Prescot Cables 5 (Edgar, Doran 3 (1 pen), Phillips)

New clothes

Following our abortive attempt at team and squad photos the previous week, we were successful before Prescot Cables' game at home to Radcliffe Borough. The forecast had been for rain again in the afternoon, but this became more likely for the evening. The team assembled early, and lined up for their squad photos in the new training tops. It may seem an obvious precaution, but I only just remembered to put down a couple of cones so everyone stood in the same place. As my fill in flash was only working manually, I needed everyone the same distance away.

The squad photos will have two crops, one square for the website, and a sort of cigarette card format with the player's name. I shall also see if I can persuade the Liverpool Echo to use this year's picture of Andy Paxton: despite sending one in last year, they continued to use one from when he was coaching at Skelmersdale United and was attired accordingly.

After this, it was time for the team photo. Andy Paxton had a clear idea what he wanted, always a good thing, as it is easier to give someone what they want if they know what that is. Also the players might not be keen to shift and change shirts about for balance if I ask, but when the manager tells them, they do not have a choice. Previous team photos have been taken in front of the stand, but we decided to go for the club sign on the Gasworks Side.

Michael Simpson

We hoped to get the club badges in, but there were too many people, but we got the ground sponsors in, getting them the exposure they have paid for. Captioning was easier this year, as there was only one player whose identity I had to check, unlike last year, when, but for remembering a Twitter follower at the last minute, one player nearly appeared under a made up name. This is the final draft, with a couple of tweaks still to come.

Once I had the photos backed up on my phone (I did not want to make this a weekly occurrence), there was time for coffee from a local outlet, something stronger than instant.

The visitors had a new yellow away kit, in place of the black and red of previous seasons. Their shirt back sponsor appears to have changed the spelling of their name.

Before

After, with Lloyd Dean

We started play early: I spotted Dr James coming in at two minutes past the hour, as we kicked off after Joe Nicholson's fourth minute goal.

Joe Nicholson scores our goal

At half time, stalwart supporter Harry Thomas pointed out that my counterpart for the visitors had a high vis waistcoat with "Official Photographer" on the back, and speculated that they must have some money. I pointed out that it would have not cost much, and he was probably supplying the rest of the kit himself.

Lenses are trained on Sam Staunton Turner

The league like anyone inside the pitch perimeter who is not playing to be appropriately identified, and sent all the teams bibs for the players to wear warming up - in a fetching shade of orange, which is not much use to either side when we are at home.

If you are wearing black at this level you need to add a decent amount of another colour - it is all very well channelling your inner Lev Yashin, but the goalkeeper is supposed to be distinguished from the referee.

As for the game, a goal for Radcliffe on the hour ensured the points were shared, maintaining our unbeaten record for the first proper look at the table after the traditional three games.

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 (Joe Nicholson) Radcliffe Borough 1.