More goalkeepers than games

If I get behind updating these pages, sometimes events conspire to pinch a perfectly good gag. We will look at that later, but I arrived early for our Non League Day game in the FA Trophy at home to Trafford to catch a couple of players for their squad photos. I found Marcus Burgess, suspended after a dubious red card the previous week, assisting his replacement, Charlie Whittingham from Chorley, to acclimatise to his new goal.

Charlie Whittingham

The programme marked James McCulloch's 300th game for the club in midweek.

The Youth Team secured a superb victory in the FA Youth Cup in midweek, 3-1 against FC United of Manchester after extra time. I had been on hand aiming to capture the occasion, but the rain was the fine swirling type that gets under the camera cover and everywhere else, and has a worse effect even than fog on the pictures. Having drowned a camera in similar conditions a couple of years ago, I was not keen to repeat the experience, so I gave up after 20 minutes. The results of my limited efforts can be seen here.

FA Youth Cup v FC United of Manchester

As the rain started to fall this time, I feared I might have the same problem. However, this turned out to be a good honest downpour. With little wind, the rain was coming straight down, and a lot bounced off the camera cover and my clothes, although I must visit a waterproof trouser emporium. It is weather you can see.

Valter Fernandes

Baba Conteh opened the scoring after ten minutes with his first competitive goal for the club. I got what would have been quite a good shot, if he had been facing the other way!

Baba Conteh shoots for goal

The visitors came back and equalised through James Dean. However, more concerning events occurred a few minutes later, when Charlie Whittingham was injured in a collision. Although he carried on, as he limped off at half time we were concerned, justifiably, whether he would be able to play the second half. Reporting Lloyd Dean's spell in goal last week, I lined up a comment that I was surprised it was not Andy Scarisbrick, as he had played more or less everywhere else. My turn of phrase was overtaken by events when Andy once again demonstrated he is the man to send for when you need a gap filled without fuss, taking up position as our fourth goalkeeper in three games.

Goalkeeping coach Garry Williams briefs Andy Scarisbrick

With another goalkeeper getting used to the position, attack was the best form of defence, and we put ourselves ahead with a goal from Josef Faux twenty minutes in.

Josef Faux celebrates his goal

Lloyd Dean marked his 100th appearance with a goal four minutes later.

Lloyd Dean celebrates his goal

Solid work in defence and what Gareth Roberts of The Anfield Wrap called "some predictably unorthodox - but effective - goalkeeping" kept a clean sheet.

Defending in numbers

The Roanza Mercedes Truck and Van Man of the Match award went to Harry Cain for a tireless performance.

Harry Cain

I was a little confused as to whether we would also present the Player of the Month award, but no-one knew how to access the result, which is probably just as well, as voting was still going on.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen on the club website in reverse order here, and on Google Photos the right way round here.

Final score: Prescot Cables 3 (Conteh, Faux, Dean) Trafford 1.