Like last week, without the sideways snow

Prescot Cables' fixtures this season fell so we played Droylsden at home the week after we played them away. The weather was better: to quote Dickens, "It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold: when it is summer in the light, and winter in the shade."

We thought we might be losing a couple of players ...

... who were then present and correct for the warm up.

Joe Herbert

It is the way it works at this time of year - our leagues have a registration deadline, the fourth Thursday in March. After this, clubs cannot make any new registrations, so most, especially those chasing promotion, ensure they have plenty of back up. Non contract players can sign for one club in each league, so clubs in the North West Counties League were busy signing players from the Northern Premier, who they may use if they are not needed for any of our games or for the week they play after we have finished our season.

We had been adding to the squad, with Michael 'MJ' Monaghan coming on from the bench.

Michael Monaghan

We started with a quick move forwards, as I was making my way round from photographing the teams lining up. I had one minute in the golden goal, but keeper Richie Branagan gathered from James Edgar and sent my ticket down the tubes.

I was in position to catch Baba Conteh open the scoring three minutes later.

I have talked about the tenth of a second that cannot teach before: this picture proved very popular, but it would have been better if I had caught the ball three feet closer to Baba's head. Still, a goal is a goal, and does not go uncelebrated.

Just to show I sometimes get a header at the moment of execution ...

Harry Cain

There is no bad time to score, but just before half time is often considered to be particularly good, as the opposition will go in with a bigger job to do than they were expecting. The ball fell to Chris Almond with a couple of minutes of the first half to go. He calmly took his time to line up - too calmly for the nerves of some, a veritable litter of kittens was being delivered behind the goal - and delivered the perfect shot.

Chris Almond

A goal just after the start of the second half is probably even better, as it throws the opposition manager's team talk out of the window. An opportunity fell to Man of the Match James Edgar...

... who rounded the goalkeeper ...

... avoided the defender ...

... and celebrated his goal.

It did not look as though the visitors would make a reply, but they were able to score a consolation goal just on full time, leaving us with the same score, although fortunately not the same weather, as last week.

I grabbed a couple of crowd shots.

The Fence End spot the camera ...

... and pose for their 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, Almond, Edgar) Droylsden 1.