First and repeat visits

I was joined at Prescot Cables' game at home to Tadcaster Albion by my friend Roger, who recruited me to the Cables interest in the Augustus John pub on the University of Liverpool Precinct one winter evening in 1991. The name of the Precinct went the way of the life membership of Convocation (bag for life as it turned out) promised as part of our Graduation Fee. The Augustus John, however, survived the University's stratagems, and continues to serve real ales and ciders, under the guidance of, amongst others, our latest Cables PhD, Dr Tony, who combines bar work with teaching in the Politics Department.

There had been plenty of rain in the previous 36 hours, but the 60 tons of sand procured with the Supporters on the Pitch money over the summer seemed to work, as a 10am pitch inspection confirmed the game was on. As well as Tadcaster's first visit, there was a mini beer festival, with Melwood Beer Company, who supply our hand pump in the bar, offering six brews and a selection of ciders and gins. We had wisely not staked sales on the game, as there was a Friday evening session, and a live band for Saturday evening.

After a successful evening at Ashton, Brian Richardson had to consider whether to go with that team, or use players from last week's draw against Clitheroe. He mainly stuck with the team from last weekend, with Jordan Wynne having successfully made a claim for a league start, and Dominic Marie wearing the number 9 shirt sponsored by the 10:22 crew (even if none of us have actually caught the 10:22 since the start of the season).

Jordan Wynne

Dr James spotted the absence of any manufacturer's branding on the visitors' kit, for the last time at it turned out, as Tadcaster announced Admiral as their new kit sponsor a few days later. I did not know manufacturers sponsor kit at this level, I thought clubs went for the best deal (or, like us, take payment in kind for hosting an advertising shoot), and branding came as standard. Unsurprisingly, I spotted the numbers on the front of the shirts - you know they make sense.

James Edgar, and the visitors' kit front and back

We had some attacking opportunities, with Tadcaster's report mentioning a run the full length of the pitch from Ben Cartwright.

Ben Cartwright

Having warmed up at half time, I emerged from the bar in time to see the only goal. Dominic Marie followed the ball from the kick off, and was therefore perfectly placed to take advantage of a fortunate bounce.

Dominic Marie

Tadcaster had the better of the play for the second half, but a solid defence ensured they were unable to capitalise. It was no surprise that the Rogues & Rascals Barbershop Man of the Match award went to Bram Johnstone.

Bram Johnstone

After processing the photos I had the dubious pleasure of using the new Pitchero uploader to put them on the club website. There is a new feature to upload from Google Drive, which might be useful as I also upload to Google Photos. It is speedy, but copies and displays in what appears to be a random order - definitely not file name, date or time, or even size. I suspect most people want to look at pictures in order of play, and the only remedy is to compare against a contact print and drag everything manually into order. So, I was back to uploading from the computer, which lets you do a random number (between 7 and 63) at a time, and reverses the order. For readers who also upload to Pitchero, the remedy was simple once I had found it by trial and error: select your last photo, and use Shift + Click to select the rest, rather than starting with the first.

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

Final score: Prescot Cables 1 (Marie) Tadcaster Albion 0

The brightest lights in town, part 2

With a small area in the Liverpool County FA's jurisdiction - eighteen miles from Liverpool Town Hall in Lancashire and eight in Cheshire - the pool of eligible clubs for the Senior Cup is small, with only four rounds to the final, as we found last season. For this year's first round, we were drawn away to Ashton Town. Whilst you should never underestimate your opponents, the hosts were propping up the Hallmark Security League.

Taking a bus through unfamiliar territory in the evening often needs the assistance of Mr Google's maps. Led street lights have many advantages over orange sodium lamps, needing less electricity, less maintenance, and giving more directional light. This is good if your bedroom window is next to a street light, but it makes it more difficult to see signs from a brightly lit bus. Regulated London buses have next stop displays, mandated by Transport for London, but mostly no WiFi, as operators are paid the same regardless of how many people use the service. Commercial services elsewhere increasingly have WiFi, a marketing point, but almost never next stop information, which is useful but unlikely to induce anyone to travel by bus.

Edge Green Street, leading to the ground, had newish houses, but no street lights or tarmac, which suggests the builder went bust without making up the road for adoption by the council. Once inside there was no problem with the floodlights, of a surprisingly high standard for this level.

The hosts' shirts brought an air of Croatia to a cold Wednesday night.

Our team looked quite cheerful.

There were a couple of additions to the squad - Jordan Wynne from AFC Fylde (who had been on the bench at Kendal) ...

Jordan Wynne

... and Jack Morton from Chester.

Jack Morton

Andy Scarisbrick made his first start of the season.

Andy Scarisbrick

I took up position under a floodlight pylon, probably the best place for general photos, but not the best to capture goals. The first came after a few minutes from Phil Bannister.

Phil Bannister

Josh Nicholson was next to score ...

Josh Nicholson

... followed by Jordan Wynne.

Nathan Quirk was next ...

Nathan Quirk

... and the league's record shows he scored the fifth just before half time, although I thought it was Josh Nicholson, as did Andy, who was managing the Twitter feed.

Rob Doran scored just after the break and again ten minutes later.

Rob Doran

He was withdrawn after a job well done, and replaced by Dominic Marie, who was next to contribute to the scoring. He illustrated the problem with second half substitutes in an evening game, when I decide to stay put for the half I do not get many pictures if they are mainly on the other side of the field.

Dominic Marie

Jordan Wynne completed the scoring with ten minutes to go. This was an encouraging performance for a side that has found it difficult to score, with plenty of players regaining the experience of finding the net.

After the game I accepted a lift to Prescot from Rod the drummer, whose presence had not gone unnoticed.

Sharing the car were the drum and stalwart supporter Harry Thomas - regular spectators can decide for themselves which makes the most noise.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen on Google Photos here, and for those who like to view the game backwards (a consequence of Pitchero's new uploader) on the club website here.

Final score: Prescot Cables 9 (Bannister, Josh Nicholson 2, Wynne 2, Quirk, Doran 2, Marie) Ashton Town 0.

Beware of the last ten

I sometimes wonder how much warmer my feet would be if football was, like rugby, played over 80 minutes. There was a time, a few years ago, that Prescot Cables would have been more successful: one season I counted eight points that, by November, had been lost to goals conceded in the last ten minutes of a game. We have largely avoided that more recently, and in the last couple of games have secured late goals, even if they were consolations.

The visit of Clitheroe was Brian Richardson's first home game, and with no Liverpool or Everton games, there was an attendance of 296. Only a couple of seasons ago, the same fixture would have attracted about 100 less. It had been raining during the week, and St Helens Town had played on Thursday, so there was quite a bit of sand on the pitch. When they agreed the ground share, St Helens thought they would be with us for three or four games, but completion of their new home has taken a bit longer.

I started by capturing the presentation picture for the mascots, who I thought I heard announced as the Belle Vale under 60s. We have had older mascots, but even so. Fortunately, I had misheard, it was the more conventional under 6s.

We had one new member of the squad.

Valter Fernandes

I had not had time to take up position at the Safari Park End before the first goal came from James Edgar.

James Edgar

We have had a problem maintaining confidence when we have gone behind to an early goal, but there looked to be no chance of the visitors doing likewise.

New dad Sam Staunton Turner avoids Clitheroe's Bradley Carroll

On an overcast but not dark day, most of my exposures were coming in at 1/500s, with ISO varying until the end of the half.

Lloyd Dean 1/400s, f/5, ISO3200

Shutter speeds dropped rapidly for the second half ...

Michael Simpson 1/250s, f/5.6, ISO3200

... so I switched to shutter priority ...

Rogues & Rascals Barbershop Man of the Match Dominic Marie - 1/320 f/4.5 ISO8000

... gradually dropping the shutter speed.

Phil Bannister 1/200s f/5.6, a surprisingly precise ISO14368

We looked to have secured the points with a second goal from Rob Doran ...

... but the curse of the last ten minutes struck, with Clitheroe's goalkeeper pulling off some point winning saves, whilst they scored two, the second with almost the last kick of the game.

After the game, we had presentations for the Rogues & Rascals Barbershop Man of the Match and Warrington Motors Player of the Month awards, which went more smoothly than in recent weeks, with the winners, Dominic Marie and James McCulloch identified and ready to have their picture taken whilst they were still comfortably in the bar.

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 2 (Edgar, Doran) Clitheroe 2.

A view of Westmorland

I have often heard that the town of Kendal has a picturesque setting. I had never seen it, my previous visits having been in the rain or at night. The forecast for our game at Kendal Town was for bright weather, so I took an early train and went to Windermere. Being unable to see a hill without wondering what is at the top, I walked up to Orrest Head, where the advertised views were most definitely available.

Returning to Kendal, the day was still bright and sunny, but the west of the ground has a stand and a number of trees, so there were plenty of shadows. I usually just need to use the automatic settings on Nikon ViewNX 2 to convert my files from raw to jpeg for processing. I sometimes wonder whether it would be easier to shoot in jpeg and let the camera do the work, but ViewNX 2 makes use of the computer's processing power and not having to deliver a result in a second or so. In some high contrast situations, I need to work on raw files manually, and this time I used the facility for 15 - 20 frames.

Phil Bannister

In some locations, the players cast strong shadows on themselves.

Ben Cartwright

Now that Brian Richardson had seen the squad for training we were expecting a few changes. The only new(ish) face was goalkeeper Phil Priestly, who played in the Liverpool Senior Cup semi final in July, but has been with Skelmersdale United in the meantime.

Phil Priestly

James McCulloch was in midfield, having played in defence so far this season. He has played there before, but has been accustomed to midfield in recent years, and looked particularly effective on this occasion.

James McCulloch

Dominic Marie was on the bench: having joined in pre season, he was making his first competitive appearance.

Dominic Marie

The hosts made the most of the terrain, as you expect the home side to do - I still remember with some bewilderment the Cables manager a few years ago who said our pitch made it difficult to play our preferred game. They got the ball downhill as quickly as possible, endangering our goal, and, even when we cleared, making us tire ourselves chasing it back uphill. It was effective, giving them two goals.

Garry Williams emerged at half time to brief the substitutes that we would attempt the same in the second half - he also briefed me, as he thought it might be good for a few photos. He was right on that, assisted by my taking up position in the bottom corner of the ground, and by the floodlights being switched on during half time.

Jacob Jones

It took longer to work in the footballing sense, with the hosts scoring another before we were able to break our own drought, with Lloyd Dean scoring on 67 minutes.

Lloyd Dean

Despite keeping up the pressure, we were unable to add to this.

It is sometimes said that in this country we do not take cold seriously. I remember a few years ago visiting Helsinki over the second weekend in September: when I arrived on Thursday there were plenty of short sleeves, by Monday everyone was in seriously warm looking coats. Following a mild October, I did not realise how quickly the temperature had dropped, so I was slow to adopt extra layers and gloves. I declined the offer of another lift from the Johnstones, having in mind a pint or two in the Ring O'Bells with their local ales and open fire. I needed it by the time I got there, I had lost feeling to the extent I needed to pick my first pint up from the bar with both hands.

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

Final score: Kendal Town 3 Prescot Cables 1 (Dean)

Work to do

On previous visits to Trafford, I have found the lighting conditions a bit challenging. It seemed a lot brighter when Prescot Cables travelled there last week, so I am not sure if they have replaced the bulbs, or I am better at handling the conditions after almost a year with my D5300. I started my journey near Moorfields station in Liverpool city centre, from where the whizzy algorithm at National Rail Enquiries told me I could leave at 17.41, with one change. On closer inspection, this involved walking to Lime Street, so I applied some fuzzy logic and caught the Hunts Cross train one minute earlier, with a cross platform change.

I arrived with plenty of time to spare, so I watched the players warming up. Brian Richardson had not had the opportunity to see the players in training, so I was not expecting significant changes.

The corresponding fixture last year was the last before Andy Paxton took over, where we lost 8-0. The fifth goal going in was probably the closest I have come to leaving well before the end of a game, being discouraged by the distance of the gate from the station and the 9pm train. On this occasion, I was speaking to Bram Johnstone's parents before kick off, and they kindly offered me a lift home, so I was there for the duration.

Having looked at grain and lighting at Lancaster, I took a couple of pictures using the sports mode with auto ISO (a maximum of 3200 - you can set it higher, but it will then be fixed at that value, which is not what I want).

1/60s f/4.5 ISO3200

I took up position by a pylon. I was hardly in place when Trafford scored their first. Two more (which were admittedly good goals) in the next quarter of an hour did not bode well.

Whilst I was looking for the opportunity to drop the shutter speed where I thought it might work, I mainly stayed at 1/200s. I once again found that sensitivity (ISO) seemed to bear little relation to grain.

James McCulloch, 1/80s f/4.8 ISO4000

Bram Johnstone - in a fairly similar pitch position to above, 1/200s f/5.3 ISO12000

A further goal from the hosts just before half time dampened spirits further.

Things looked better in the second half, despite a fifth goal from the hosts. Under pressure from Lloyd Dean, Luke Pilling held on to the ball for too long, and was penalised with an indirect free kick. A short pass enabled Nathan Quirk to put the ball in the net, only for the goal to be disallowed. The only reason we could think of was that the referee had not been ready.

We then descended into farce, when the linesman flagged for pushing and shoving in the goalmouth as we tried to get the ball for a quick restart and the hosts protested. The referee issued a red card ... to Rob McIntosh, who had been on the half way line. I am not a big fan of the style of numbers on our shirts, opposition announcers have confused 6 and 8 when crediting goals on at least two occasions, and I would add 3 and 9 to that mix, although 4 has never struck me as having a problem.

Ben Cartwright - the 4 is one of the clearer numbers in the set

Rob McIntosh

Our pressure paid off when we were awarded a penalty, converted by Nathan Quirk for a consolation goal, the final score giving plenty for Brian Richardson to think about.

Nathan Quirk

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

Final score: Trafford 5 Prescot Cables 1 (Quirk pen)

Brian will be concentrating on the League this year

Travelling on campaign, it is a good idea to send out an advance party to reconnoitre the territory. Ramsbottom is not a difficult expedition, but Facebook updates from a fellow supporter who was combining our game at Ramsbottom United with a trip to the East Lancashire Railway told me that, due to late notice engineering works, there was no fast train to Manchester Victoria, and trams to Bury were off. The notice for the latter on the Metrolink website was posted on Thursday for a weekend closure, which is good for them, if not so handy for those who like to plan well in advance, I once turned up in Manchester to find the closure of the whole southern half of the system was not worthy of any mention.

Although the replacement bus had fewer stops, the normal 135 has a direct route, and, as I would be on a bus either way, I decided to pay a bus fare rather than the premium fare for the tramp, er, I mean tram. From the number of people on the ageing bendy bus, others had the same idea.

After stopping for blood based comestibles in Bury Market, I arrived in Ramsbottom just in time for the game, or would have if the referee had started on time. As it was, I heard the start from the bus stop, and reached the ground at exactly 3pm, with four minutes completed.

There was a light drizzle, so I took up position under the cover at the uphill end, behind the goal we were attacking.

Phil Bannister

We had announced in midweek that our new manager was to be Brian Richardson, the Assistant Manager at Skelmersdale United, so this would be Andy Paxton's last game in charge.

Danny Flood made a welcome return, having spent the last couple of weeks at Winsford United for game time.

Danny Flood

Captaining the hosts was Gareth Seddon, who received national attention playing for Salford City in the BBC's Class of 92 documentary.

Tom Brocklehurst gathers from Gareth Seddon and confirms his order for a dozen slices of Emmental and a quarter of  Shropshire Blue

We were not without movement in the right direction, but the hosts had the better of the game and scored their first after 30 minutes.

We were playing downhill for the second half, which usually makes for better pictures. The rain had stopped, but the sky was darker, and the speeds the sports mode was offering were dropping, so I switched, for the first afternoon game this season, to shutter priority at 1/320s.

Joe Nicholson

Gareth Seddon scored Ramsbottom's second after 65 minutes, and was almost immediately substituted, having completed the task his employers had in mind.

It was dark enough for the floodlights to spring noisily into action - I cannot remember whether Ramsbottom's lights have always been powered by a generator, or if their mains supply was damaged in the flood they suffered at the beginning of the year.

James Edgar under the lights

The most worrying aspect of recent performances is the trouble we have had scoring. In some games, there seems to have been a sense that when we have gone behind, it is as good as over, which goes some way to explaining our heavier defeats. It was therefore some encouragement that we improved in the last few minutes. James McCulloch was rewarded with a consolation goal, unfortunately with too little time for the chance of a second.

When we go out of a cup, I usually text my friend Roger, who first recruited me to the Cables interest in 1991, with the comment, "Concentrating on the league this year, Brian", because I like a good cliché, and Brian is actually his middle name. With the change of management, I felt the need to change the wording - "Brian's concentrating on the league this year".

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

Final score: Ramsbottom United 2 Prescot Cables 1 (McCulloch).

Going and staying

Following our game at Lancaster, where we had performed well but been unable to secure a result, we were due another challenging game, hosting Farsley Celtic, who always field a strong, organised side, and are ruthless at ensuring opponents have no time on the ball. As it was, the news value of the game would be overshadowed by personnel changes afterwards.

For the photographer, this started as another bright and clear day, as we have been fortunate to enjoy this autumn, with the shadows further lengthening as expected in October.

Sam Staunton Turner

We were not without our chances in the first few minutes.

Jack Phillips shoots - unfortunately over the bar

However, Farsley started to impose themselves on the game, scoring their first after 15 minutes.

We were joined by some familiar faces in the crowd.

Bram Johnstone takes a throw in whilst Shaun Reid checks his eeeeeeeeeeeeee-mail

Whilst we had resisted strong pressure from the visitors, our chances were reduced just before half time when Jacob Jones brought down James Walshaw, conceding a penalty for Farsley's second goal, and being sent off for denying a goal scoring opportunity.

The sun went in for most of the second half, making for a more even light.

James McCulloch

As feared at half time, retrieving the game was beyond us, and the visitors added a third ten minutes from time. Once again, we had been unable to build on good performances in the previous two games.

The following day, Andy Paxton announced a timetable for his resignation due to work commitments. His last game was to be in the Liverpool Senior Cup against Ashton Town on 2nd November. This drew attention to our being scheduled to play twice in two days, which has since been addressed. Balancing work with football is an issue faced by almost everyone at this level, and only the individual can assess whether the balance is working. If Andy feels his work commitments are preventing his addressing our performance issues, he is to be commended for stepping aside whilst the situation is, hopefully, retrievable, with a stronger squad than when he arrived, and he plans to stay involved with the club to continue some of his work off the field.

Andy Paxton retrieves the ball against Ossett Albion

We also heard during the week that Jack Phillips is leaving us to join Colwyn Bay. He has had a useful second spell with the club, and I think he will leave something of a gap. My duties involve serving the whole team, so I try to avoid having obvious favourite players, but I know Jack better than I do most, so I will look out for the opportunity to catch up with him and his brother Anthony when we do not have a game. In the meantime this blog wishes him well (apart from when he is playing against us of course).

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 Farsley Celtic 3.