And your goalkeeper this week is ...

When I arrived in Goole, I visited a Polish food shop for a bottle of water. I was not familiar with the brands, but the flavoured one with a lime on the label caught my eye. The manufacturers' drawing was as good as my Polish, and it turned out to be apple, but quite pleasant anyway. Once at the Victoria Pleasure Grounds, I headed to the tea bar to make sure I did not miss out on their excellent steak pie. Whilst I was tucking in, club secretary Dan Roberts briefed me. Our goalkeepers have been somewhat injury prone since stand in Charlie Whittingham was unable to complete his game with the club a few weeks ago. With Marcus Burgess recovering from a knee injury, Ben Barnes looked to be settling in well, but he was injured at work in the week, so we had another replacement in the shape of Ben Purdham from Curzon Ashton.

Ben Purdham

Before the game, I discussed camera positions with video camera operator Josh, who is with us for the video analysis module of his sports science degree. For video, particularly for analysis, the ideal position is looking down on the pitch, which is not really possible at Goole, so he set up on the edge of the grass just inside the running track. For me, it is a case of the lower the better, so I sat on the running track by the side of the pitch.

Jordan Southworth

Although I thought this would be a better surface than the grass, as it was not damp, it is quite rough, which makes it difficult to turn with the action, necessary when shooting from the side.

After 15 minutes I went behind the goal, where I had to sit on the grass, better surface or not.

For the last fifteen minutes of the half I swapped sides. The home goal was kept busy.

Joe Herbert has an attempt on goal

Lloyd Dean opened the scoring.

Lloyd Dean shoots for goal

Baba Conteh is first to join in the celebrations

A goal from Jordan Southworth gave us a good cushion at half time.

It is not often you see a ship peeping above the clubhouse.

The sun had set by the start of the second half, but with little cloud there was enough light for me to spend the first ten minutes behind the goal.

Jordan Wynne and a Class 158

I then moved in front of a floodlight, where I found the light to be surprisingly good - the pylons were outside the running track, so I was sitting in more light than I am accustomed to. The hosts were playing well in the second half, and were rewarded with a goal twenty minutes in. Places at the top of the table are often decided by the efficiency with which teams deal with those at the bottom. Over the last few seasons we have inflicted a few surprises on those at the top. However, our current form has put us in a playoff place, and it looked for a while as if Goole might be able take their turn to snatch a point. However, two goals in quick succession from Jordan Wynne in the last couple of minutes secured the result.

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

Final score: Goole AFC 1 Prescot Cables 4 (Dean, Southworth, Wynne 2)

Yes you can score from there

Prescot Cables' game at home to Scarborough Athletic fell on Armistice Day, so we started with the traditional Remembrance ceremonies, this year including the Last Post, played by buglers from the Prescot Army Cadet Force.

Following this, there was a minute's applause in memory of Adam Ellison and Tommy Grace, both attacked and killed in the street in the town in the last month.

We attracted an attendance of 518, the second highest in the division after Hyde, also taking advantage of their local Premier League clubs being on the international break, and the third highest at step 4. This is our highest league gate I can recall for some years, our recent higher attendances coming in two Liverpool Senior Cup finals and in the FA Cup this season.

I took up position by the side of the pitch near the Safari Park End. We started a fast moving and competitive ninety minutes.

Baba Conteh

Before the game, I spoke to Marcus Burgess, who told me the injury to his knee was not as bad as he had feared, in that he had not torn anything and would not require surgery, but he still anticipated being out for a few weeks, and needed to take particular care not to come back before it was fully healed. Ben Barnes would therefore be secure in his place for a while. We had not had much chance to see what he could do at Glossop, but he was soon making some good saves, most of which had someone in the way, so I was short of photos.

Ben Barnes

I followed my practice from the last few games of spending about a third of the first half at the side of the pitch then a third each side of the goal.

James McCulloch

Our first goal came ten minutes into the second half. Josh Klein-Davies sent a ball into the area, which was cleared, then hit the post, before Baba Conteh was able to put it away. Our advantage was short lived as the visitors equalised within the minute.

By the time of our second goal, I had moved round to the side of the pitch, and captured Jordan Southworth's free kick.

Ronnie and Tony did not look as though they expected anything to come of it, so they were in for a pleasant surprise.

Next to have an opportunity from a tight angle was Josh Klein-Davies.

This time it was the turn of Chairman Tony Zeverona to wonder if you could score from that angle.

It would appear you can.

Despite good performances over the last few weeks, this was still a game from which many would have been happy to come away with a point, so securing all three was an added bonus and puts us into fifth place.

Ben Barnes was kept busy throughout, and secured a well earned man of the match award, with his definite physical presence just about fitting in the edges of the board for the presentation photo.

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 3 (Conteh, Southworth, Klein-Davies) Scarborough Athletic 1.

A fine comeback

Before Prescot Cables' game at Glossop North End, I adjourned for drinks with my travelling companions in the Star Inn, as convenient for the station as it can be without actually being in the building. I made sure I got to the ground in time for one of Mettrick's excellent pies, opting for the lamb and mint pasty. I was unable to find a fork, and made do with a spoon which made for an entertaining snack. The resident photographer was most helpful, pointing out the best side to stand for our team and the direction they would face for the handshakes.

We received bad team news during the week, with Marcus Burgess injuring his knee and suspecting he might be out for some time. During the week, in the FA Trophy at Stalybridge Celtic, Ethan Dorgan from the Youth Team had taken his place. I was unable to attend, but it sounded character building, as we exited the competition with a 5-1 defeat. For the medium term, we have signed Ben Barnes, who had been released by Marine.

Ben Barnes

As we play in yellow, I wear an orange hi-vis vest to avoid a clash. However, brighter shades are popular with opposition goalkeepers too.

Glossop's Paul Phillips denies Lloyd Dean

The quality of the light was excellent, with low autumn sunshine.

Dan Burn

Despite some good chances, we were unable to find the goal (or at least not the bit inside the woodwork), and went in 1-0 down.

As the clocks have now gone back, the light drops quickly in the second half.

Harry Cain

Former Cables player Tunde Owolabi has signed for the hosts after a short spell at Stalybridge, and came on from the bench after about an hour. He scored some useful goals for us, and quickly did the same for his new club. It looked as though it may be the all too familiar pattern of playing well and not getting a result.

However, the fightback came when Lloyd Dean got on the end of a rebound from a Jordan Wynne free kick on the edge of the penalty area twelve minutes from time.

Jordan Wynne

The team immediately set about trying to secure a point whilst I moved to the side of the pitch. Lloyd Dean followed up with a second two minutes later. It would have been tempting to try to hold on to a point, but we pushed for all three. Lloyd Dean was once again involved, forcing goalkeeper Paul Phillips to commit himself...

... before passing to Jordan Wynne to put the ball in the back of the net.

Scenes ensued.

Jordan Wynne is under there somewhere

Chris Almond also made a welcome appearance from the bench after missing most of the season so far due to injury.

Chris Almond

On the way back, my travelling companions and I stopped off in Manchester, where we encountered bizarre non-service in the Piccadilly Tap. I ordered drinks for three of us: the barman poured one and brought it over, then seemed to have a problem with the pump for the second. He disappeared for a few minutes, returned, still had a problem, disappeared again, and when he was unable for a third time to pour the pint, put on his coat and, without a word, left the building.

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

Final score: Glossop North End 2 Prescot Cables 3 (Dean 2, Wynne)

New Boots and Panties

The rain at Prescot Cables' game at home to Clitheroe last week rather tested my clothing. I still had to visit a waterproof trouser shop, and I also found my boots, after several years service, had sprung a leak. I went shopping during the week ready for our FA Trophy home game to Stalybridge Celtic.

I need not have worried, as the weather turned out to be fairly uneventful with only a few spots of rain. However it was quite windy, and the trousers sold themselves, with justification, as windproof too.

This turned out to be a fairly defensive game that can be a bit difficult to photograph and write about. We started playing, as usual when we win the toss, towards the Safari Park End so I divided my time between the two sides of the goal. We came close to scoring, hitting the post, and a solid defence kept the visitors at bay.

Louis Coyne, Man of the Match

I always keep an eye out for the sponsors - they are paying to be seen after all - and with the North West Roadshow banner back in place at the end they have sponsored, I took the opportunity of the better conditions this week to crop a few pictures to get it in.

Josef Faux

This was the last game before the clocks go back, and the pitch had a decidedly autumnal covering from the trees at the back of the ground.

Jordan Southworth prepares to take a corner

The second half started with a good save from Marcus Burgess denying the visitors, and our finding the woodwork again.

Low light started to push the ISO settings up.

Jordan Wynne

James Sloane made his first appearance from the bench.

James Sloane

One of the substitutes for the visitors came from famous footballing roots - Jake Charles is the grandson of the great Welsh international player John Charles.

Jake Charles

Neither side was able to break the stalemate, making for our first 0-0 draw of the season.

After this game there were presentations, with Louis Coyne being the Man of the Match, Harry Cain picking up a delayed Player of the Month award for September after a bit of a mix up closing the poll, and James McCulloch collecting his award for 300 appearances.

Harry Cain

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 Stalybridge Celtic 0