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)