The correct equipment

For Prescot Cables' Liverpool Senior Cup semi-final at Bootle, the County FA kitted out the officials with the full range of equipment from the professional game, including coloured shirts, radio communications ...

... and spray foam for marking a line at free kicks, although there was a lack of training on when to let go of the button.

We should not be surprised that the spray seemed to run out in the second half. There was even a fourth official.

James Edgar notices the fourth official appears to be from Mars

I approached the game thinking the hosts would probably have a slight edge - when 20th in one division plays 3rd in the division below, the latter has momentum in their favour. I also approached the game carefully watching my step: I amused everyone with the effects of landing face first on the pavement on the way to the corresponding fixture at Litherland REMYCA last season, and was not looking to repeat the experience.

I do not do much evening work under North West Counties floodlights, and I decided after a short while to experiment, using the sports mode on the camera. I set the ISO between 12800 and 24600 as the location of the action permitted, and let the shutter speed take care of itself, rather than using shutter priority mode. Adjusting ISO is a bit more complicated than shutter speed, needing three button presses rather than turning a wheel, but I got to grips quickly enough. I have read that Nikon cameras apply some noise reduction even in raw, and that astronomers do not like them for that reason (it is possible to noise reduce out anything from a star or two to an entire galaxy), and there seemed to be some difference in grain between the modes.

We got the scoring under way with a goal from Josh Dolling ...

Josh Dolling

... quickly followed up by Dominic Reid.

Dominic Reid

Our physio, Tony Carroll, had to speak to some of our supporters after the first goal, asking them to desist from letting off smoke grenades, so hopefully we will avoid a fine. There also seemed to be steam drifting intermittently across the pitch - I was not able to work out whether this was from the industrial premises next door, or if someone was using a particularly vaporous electronic cigarette.

Michael Ordish pulled a goal back for the hosts, and a fine save from England Universities squad member Marcus Burgess ensured that we remained ahead at half time.

Marcus Burgess

We dominated the second half, with goals in quick succession from Dale Wright ...

Dale Wright celebrates his goal

... Lloyd Dean ...

Celebrating Lloyd Dean's goal

... and Josef Faux ...

Josef Faux

... completed a convincing and confidence boosting win, and secured a place in the final against Southport.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen on Google Photos here. I attempted to post them on the club website, and thought I had been successful at the second or third attempt, but Pitchero seems to have eaten them, and the moment has somewhat passed to try again.

Final score: Bootle 1 Prescot Cables 5 (Dolling, Reid, Wright, Dean, Faux).