I could get used to these last minute goals

Prescot Cables' game at home to Bamber Bridge was a key fixture, with both clubs looking strong over the last few weeks. The winners would take the driving seat to claim fourth place. With extra promotion places due to league reorganisation - second place automatically, and third for the team with the best points per game over the six step four divisions - this would guarantee a home playoff semi final, and if Hyde and Scarborough continued their run of form, a home final should we reach it.

Word had got around, and it was a pleasant evening, so we saw a crowd of 325, which a couple of years ago we would have considered one of the best for a Saturday, and unachievable in midweek.

The visitors' bench once again seemed intent on getting in a picture.

The first half was more or less in daylight, with light as intense as the average winter afternoon and of better quality.

These pages promote the value of keeping your shoes polished, so I could not fail to be impressed by Bamber Bridge manager Neil Reynolds' immaculate brogues - just visible here behind Reece McNally - and that he kept them clean on ground still damp from recent weather.

It is at evening games that the hardy denizens of the Gasworks Side come into their own.

Valter Fernandes

Chris Almond opened the scoring after 15 minutes. It is not the best of pictures, but a goal is a goal ...

... and a celebration is a celebration.

It would always be difficult to keep the visitors at bay, although we still had the lead at half time. The team seemed to be tiring in the second half, and Bamber Bridge took advantage about 15 minutes in. Fresh legs were needed, and supplied by Harry Cain and Josh Klein-Davies.

Harry Cain

Josh Klein-Davies

The latter was also to supply the all important winning goal. With the clock running down, and its looking as though we would share a point and the visitors maintain their advantage in the race for fourth place, Josh took a shot that had a slightly lucky deflection into the net.

Scenes, as we are becoming accustomed to reporting, ensued - Ben Barnes once again demonstrating an impressive turn of speed to join the celebrations.

To be fair, the result was harsh on Bamber Bridge, with a draw more closely reflecting play, but we have fallen to enough last minute goals in the past - there were seasons we would have been a few places higher in the table if games were 80 minutes not 90 - we enjoy them when the luck falls in our favour.

Board member Jamie Weston was wearing a tie (I assume the league sponsors have relaxed their insistence on one for board room admission, as no-one else was), so was pressed into presenting a bumper crop of awards. Valter Fernandes' Man of the Match from the Mossley game was running late (!), and Baba Conteh picked up a double of Man of the Match for this game and Player of the Month for March.

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 2 (Almond, Klein-Davies) Bamber Bridge 1.

Seeing red

After the first round of the Integro League Cup, Gibbo from Atherton Collieries asked on a forum about the draw for the second round, as this was the first time his club had been in the competition. Although we have competed for some years, I too was unaware of the second round, as I cannot remember the last time I needed to know. However, a competitive fixture is a competitive fixture, and our first round game at home to Bamber Bridge drew a crowd of 165, which was our average gate for league games a couple of seasons ago.

As I arrived, I was invited into the board room to take a photograph of memorabilia to be presented to the club: a photograph of Bob Wilkinson, who was known as The Walloper because of his distinctive hat, a name that attached itself to the club. From Slacky Brow to Hope Street tells us Mr Wilkinson was "the club's number one supporter, whose bellowing cries and other antics were a source of entertainment for the crowd during the first 10 post-war years". Readers can decide for themselves who best maintains the tradition. Bob's grandson Garry Wilkinson presented the photograph to board room host Harry Boydell who remembered Bob's support when he was playing for the club in the 1947-48 season.

Garry Wilkinson presents a picture of his grandfather Bob "The Walloper" Wilkinson to Harry Boydell

I took up position by the side of a surprisingly dry pitch. I had noticed in the previous evening game against Trafford that I was getting slightly better exposures at ground level than from the terraces. This was to be a new challenge, as the visitors were in a red strip considerably less reflective than Trafford's white.

Andy Scarisbrick

A light coloured strip has considerably more influence on exposures than you might think. Most of the images I chose for the final collection came out at a higher ISO than 12800, although strictly speaking this is only a barrier saving jpg files, as it is the point above which the D5300 does not offer full noise reduction. As I rely on Photoshop Elements for noise reduction, the trade off between grain and the image looking like it has been generated by CGI is a gradual one.

Alan Burton 1/200s f/5.6 ISO18102

I set the black to the lowest setting before starting to lose definition, which is particularly effective when players are seen against the sky.

Reece McNally 1/200s f/5.3 ISO25600

The visitors scored from a penalty and a second goal in quick succession.

For part of the first half, I went behind the goal, from where results were limited. On my way back I noticed we now have a properly stripey pitch, as a result of the professional maintenance paid for from the Supporters on the Pitch scheme.

We came for the second half looking more competitive. We have recently seen Dominic Marie depart to Marine and Tunde Owolabi to Stalybridge Celtic, with this blog wishing them all the best in their future endeavours. This provided an opening for Josh Klein-Davies, who has been on the books for a few weeks and marked his competitive debut with a goal.

Josh Klein-Davies shoots for goal

The game was starting to look more open until a rather dubious refereeing decision. Harry Cain appeared to be brought down in the penalty area, in a position where it did not look particularly advantageous to dive, but was adjudged to have done so by the referee. As he had already collected a yellow card, we were down to 10 men. This completely changed the game with Bamber Bridge making full use of their one man advantage to inflict only our second home defeat of the season.

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 1 Bamber Bridge 4

Some beer left

Prescot Cables held this year's Beer Festival later than in previous years, opting for the Easter weekend. It made sense, particularly with our tenants St Helens Town entertaining City of Liverpool on Good Friday. Arriving early for our Easter Monday game against Bamber Bridge to see if there was any beer left, I met Dr Tony. Mindful of St Paul's advice to the Romans regarding those who esteem one day above another and those who esteem every day alike, we compared notes on Easter. After taking everything out of church for Good Friday, putting it back in scrubbed and polished on Saturday, and services each day, this was the first chance I had for football or beer. Tony is a Baptist, so he had a normal Sunday, with a couple of bank holidays to boot, and had been able to fully enjoy the beer festival.

Before the game, David Williams, who is retiring as match day announcer, and would be unable to attend the presentation evening, was presented with the Dave Brennan Trophy.

David Williams, with his wife Margaret, and Richard Harnetty, his successor as match day announcer

Neither team had league safety concerns or playoff hopes, but, after looking shaky a few weeks ago, last season's points total and league position were in our reach, whilst the visitors had the final of the Integro Cup a couple of days later.

We were fielding a depleted squad, in quantity at least: when I first saw the players warming up, I counted 11, although two substitutes emerged shortly afterwards. We made our final addition for the season, in the shape of Louis Coyne, who joined us before the transfer window closed at the end of March.

Louis Coyne

We were playing in our away kit, having played at Ossett Town on Saturday: we had to use the home kit there, and the laundry is not open over the bank holiday weekend.

Valter Fernandes

We made the better start, and Josh Dolling put us ahead after half an hour.

Josh Dolling

Alistair Waddecar has been remarkably successful at scoring against us: I cannot remember a game against Bamber Bridge in the last few seasons when he has not. I was relieved he was on the bench for this game, and thought our best chance of all three points would be if he were to stay there. This was not to be, and he came on to score ten minutes from time.

Dale Wright takes a throw in, their chap looks very cross

With the late Easter, this was the last home league game of the season, and we could enjoy it with the serious business wrapped up. There was time for the team to pose for pictures with the supporters.

The Rogues & Rascals Barbershop Man of the Match award went to Andy Scarisbrick, a product of our youth team, who seemed to have fallen out of favour earlier in the season, but a change of position has seen him make an impressive return. With the bar full of people enjoying the beer festival, we made the presentation in the Board Room, where we could raise the advertising background high enough to mean I did not need to photoshop bits on to the top.

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 1 (Dolling) Bamber Bridge 1.

Not as warm as it looked

For Prescot Cables' last game of the season, at home to Bamber Bridge, we were joined by the Mayors of Prescot and Knowsley, and by the Member of Parliament for our side of the High Street, George Howarth. My initial assignment was photographing the visiting dignitaries as they were presented to the players. In the presence of the mayors, I was very good, and did not attempt my Larry the Lamb impression.

The Mayor of Prescot meets Andy Paxton

The win away at Ossett Albion earlier in the week allowed for a positive end to the season, ending our run of losses. Although league position was not at stake, we could finish on a positive note and set down a marker for next season.

It was fine and bright, although the weather people told us we were under a system bringing air from the Arctic. One of my favourite bloggers, Matt from the Lost Boyos, who I met a few weeks ago, had gone to AFC Fylde wearing shorts. I mentioned on Twitter that the ground is somewhat open, but he was already there and found out for himself. I was in my trusty, and reasonably warm, sports jacket, but unequipped for a party, or for keeping my head warm, as I had not brought a flat cap.

Marcus Burgess

I started behind the goal we were attacking, then joined members of the Train Crew, who decided to inspect the Gasworks side, so I spent a fair part of the first half around the half way line. Alistair Waddecar has been mentioned in these pages as regularly causing trouble for us, and today was no exception as he scored, after 24 minutes.

James McCulloch

For the half-time entertainment we were we joined again by Dancebeatz Academy so I took a few pictures of the display. The weather and the dance routine lent themselves to still photography more than at the Warrington Town game, so I should have some decent pictures to send them.

For the second half I took my usual position behind the opposition goal of most of the game. A goal from Rob Doran secured a point, to give us our highest tally for three or four years. We had already secured a higher placed finish than the previous season for the first time in about 10 years, all of which we can build on next season.

Rob Doran

After the game, James Edgar received his award as Player of the Month for April. After last month's low resolution photo for the website, I downloaded a raw converter and a photo editor for my phone. This sorted out the resolution problem, but it was not powerful enough to fix the problem of some idiot taking the picture with everyone's back to the window. ... Ah yes, that would be me.

James Edgar receives his award - photo rescued with a proper raw editor

We created a rather better background for the End of Season Awards, as we had sponsorship.

Joe Herbert, Young Player of the Year

The end of the season is always an emotional time: you know next season's team will not be quite the same, although we have been remarkably settled this season, and most looked happy to come back. Congratulations are due to Charlie Duke, who has secured a professional contract with Torquay United. Best wishes are due to Joe Evans, who received an award for 100 appearances, and indicated he is not minded to add to them, as he wants to spend more time with his young son. Then again, I only believe retirements when pre season training is under way, some players have been having a last season for years!

The one, the only, the original Joe Evans

This season's progress on the field has been matched with income generated by our Commercial Manager, Steve Garnett. After the awards, he joined the Train Crew for a chat - a few minutes later we were all £20 lighter and proud owners of squares in the Supporters on the Pitch scheme.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen on the club website here, and on Google Photos here - sharp eyed readers can spot which three pictures the Pitchero uploader mysteriously splatted. The pictures from the End of Season Awards can be seen on the club website here, and on Google Photos here.

Final score: Prescot Cables 1 Bamber Bridge 1 (Doran)

Arf arf

Those who know me will know I like a running joke. So, for years I have been referring to Transport for London's Oyster card as a Lobster. In 2011 Merseytravel pinched my joke, announcing with great fanfare that their smart card was to be called the Walrus, with all sorts of travel goodies on it. Four years later, they finally put a product on, the Saveaway, a one day ticket, previously on a scratch card. This weekend was the first time I used one to get to the game. It was also the first day I correctly paid: my ticket failed to load the first day I used it, so I got around using the receipt from the payment terminal; and the second day the system gave me the previous occasion's ticket for free.

A Walrus card - I think the yellow bits are tusks

Fortunately, at Prescot Cables' game at home to Bamber Bridge, we had something more old fashioned, good wholesome beer at the annual beer festival. Business was brisk once people started to arrive for the game.

Outside, the weather was overcast, and colder than it had been for a few days.

James McCulloch

We scored first with a header from James Jenkins. I got a picture, but not one for the final collection, even on the goal is a goal principle.

Everyone joined in the celebrations.

We are having trouble keeping a lead, and scores were level again after a couple of minutes.

We thought we had restored our lead when Jack Phillips put the ball in the net, but the effort was ruled out for offside - another picture that did not have the quality to make it into the final collection.

We can see the moment before the ball goes in the net here, although we cannot judge much from it: I usually see when the ball arrives with the player who may or may not be in an offside position, not the position when the ball is played.

Learned papers have been written on the physical possibility of judging an offside position, although they presume that the assistant referee needs to focus on every player distinctly and in turn, whereas in many cases it is possible to determine much by colour and movement. An attacker with the defender's colour to his right is unlikely to be in an offside position.

This is all very well when everything is in the assistant referee's field of vision. With a ball from a point to the assistant's side, one way of determining when it was played is by sound. My refereeing friend James once explained this to me, saying that the distance was too short for the speed of sound to have any effect. However, if a ball is played from near the half way line, with the assistant near the goal line, the distance can be 40 - 50m. Sound travels at approximately 330m/s, so takes about 0.15s to travel that distance. If a player can run 100m in 15s, he can cover a metre in that time, enough to move from an onside to an apparently offside position. However, an eye movement takes about 0.2s , and a similar time for the eye to focus in the new position, so sound may well be the best way to use.

The visitors extended their lead with two goals from Stuart Vasey, both long range shots, good goals, and one, I cannot remember which, was almost an excellent save: Ben Morrow got fingers to it, but not enough to stop it going in. It is an occupational hazard of goalkeeping, even when you get your bit right (which Ben largely has over the last three games), people remember the ones that go in.

Ben Morrow

The second half had very much the balance of the first, with a fourth goal about 10 minutes in. Not that our team gave up, still trying for the late goal until the end.

Joe Evans

After this, it was back to the beer festival, with more good business, including a few of our visitors staying to enjoy the festival until quite late in the evening.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.

Final score: Prescot Cables 1 (Jenkins) Bamber Bridge 4.

A tree trunk bridge too far

Wikipedia tells us that the name of Bamber Bridge comes from Old English, meaning a tree trunk bridge. How useful this is depends on the tree: an old oak may manage some sort of cart, whereas a silver birch is going to be wobbly even on foot.

A small but select group took various trains to assemble in the Old Black Bull in Preston for pre match refreshments. I went for a Westward Ho! from Summerskills of Plymouth. A chap I knew from Westward Ho! would not be impressed: he maintained the apple orchards round Barnstaple Bideford Bay were distinct from south Devon and its beer drinking ways. As my grandmother was born in the area, I felt obliged to give it a try anyway. Some of us were previously in the Dog & Partridge, whose new beer range was not universally popular, and where we met some Bradford City fans thinking of visiting us in a couple of weeks when their FA Cup game on Sunday gives them a free Saturday.

The bar and tea bar at Bamber Bridge are always worth a visit, Richie, our leader in beer and pub choices, was looking forward to a butter pie. I went for the chips and rather decent curry sauce, saving the clubhouse for after the game and a pint of Outstanding 3.9, brewed in Bury with a global selection of hops.

This was always going to be a difficult game, with the hosts making a strong challenge in the playoff positions, and we were missing a few players due to injuries and unavailability. Jonah O'Reilly became Johan on the team sheet, which the announcer then pronounced in the same way as the outgoing leader of the Scottish Labour Party.

Jonah O'Reilly

Some of the players unable to join us were amongst those whose playing style and position make them good for a photo, and who are well represented in the pictures I send to the Merseymart. Having said that, I think the position has more to do with the likelihood of a good picture: the players in those positions today did not disappoint.

Callam Gardner

The hosts went ahead after half an hour with a goal from Alistair Waddecar, who, someone remarked, always seems to score against us. Not that we should take it personally, he is known for scoring against a lot of other clubs as well.

I was quite pleased not to be playing.

For the start of the second half, I took up position on the slighty awkward covered standing. The floodlights are in an asymmetrical arrangement, with two pylons on the stand side of the pitch, and four on the other. I am not sure which provides the best light, but the background was starting to come out a bit misty

Andy Griffiths

After a few minutes, I moved round to a position under the floodlight near the dugout.

James Edgar

I was there as we prepared our final substitution. Matt West was ready and waiting, the board was ready, and the assistant referee had flagged, with Andy Mawdsley receiving treatment in the penalty area. I was exchanging pleasantries with Danny Graham, called up from the Reserves that morning to cover for an unexpected gap in the lineup, who was taking light exercise to keep warm thinking he would not be required. However, it became apparent Andy's injury was serious (a suspected fractured ankle), and Danny was hastily called back to the bench to come on instead.

Andy Mawdsley

The only decent picture I got of Danny Graham

This blog extends best wishes to Andy for a speedy recovery.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.

Final score: Bamber Bridge 2, Prescot Cables 0

And he gathered a mighty strong host

I once worked in the European Customer Service Centre for a major multinational company. We even had names appropriate for the countries with which people were dealing. There was a Mr Ireland on the Irish team, and a Ms Brittain on the UK team, but the office never reached its full potential when Fred Former-Yugoslav-Republic-Of-Macedonia decided not to join us.

Only part of that is true, but our mythical Fred would find himself at home with Prescot Cables' visitors in midweek, Bamber Bridge. James the Pharmacologist, who has an eye for the unusual in the non League game, explained that Bamber Bridge have a group of online supporters from Macedonia, who found the club online and liked the name. In consequence, someone takes a flag to games.

Franny Foy plays in front of the Macedonian flag

When you have had a heavy defeat away to the league leaders, a visit from a team making a late challenge for the playoffs is not what the doctor ordered, but the fixture list delivers what it will.

With sunset at about 8pm, the first few minutes of the game were in daylight, so I spent  few minutes behind the goal.

Lloyd Dean

With the light falling, I retreated to my usual position by one of the floodlight pylons on the gasworks side. Once the sun had gone down, the lighting conditions were challenging - a clear sky, so no nice fluffy white clouds to reflect the light from the floodlights, and the opposition in a dark red kit.

Rob Doran

Richie Mottram

I am familiar with these conditions, and have built up a range of tricks and tactics to get the best from them. However, one needs to keep practising, and I realised how little I have had with evening games this season. Usually, postponements from earlier in the season mean that there are evening games most weeks at this time of year, but the weather has been particularly kind this season, with the main loss of fixtures being throughout January, when we usually only have games on Saturdays, so we only missed out four games. As a result, we have had only two evening games at home since the beginning of the year, so I have been getting a bit rusty.

Our visitors showed their quality with four goals in the first half. We feared more of the same in the second, although we played somewhat better, and kept them to just the one further goal, Nathan Parish having probably our best chance of a goal.

Nathan Parish

After two games where the result was not unexpected, but the score was heavier than we might have wished, we are now off to Wakefield, already relegated due to ground issues. We have not translated good performances into results playing away this season, but Wakefield's home form almost matches our away form.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.

Final score: Prescot Cables 0 Bamber Bridge 5.

All human life was there

Prescot Cables' party for the trip to Bamber Bridge was somewhat depleted by work commitments. One of the Train Crew was testing pharmaceuticals in a top secret tunnel under the Swiss Alps, and another was offered a decent rate for overtime. From the players, Sean Myler was on an unavoidable training course with work: we have all been on those, and in many cases would rather they had been avoidable. Actually, I made the tunnel up, but the rest is true enough. So, it was just Richie, our leader in beer and pub choices, and I who met at Preston. I got there on a train going to Blackpool: a hen party dressed as Brownies joined the train at Wigan, doubtless keeping the new promise to be true to themselves.

The Black Horse had kept its rooms and divisions from the Victorian era. We took seats in the Smoke Room (for our most upmarket Victorians, with a fireplace and a door to separate it from the bar) to the sounds of an Australian stag party, complete with a groom with ball and chain, coming from the next room. Unfortunately, this was a Robinsons house, not a favourite brewery for either of us. The Market Tavern, with beers from Hart and Bowland, has also kept its historic interior, with a couple of comfortable booths, from which we were able to watch discreetly as the elderly lady in the corner got up to dance to Gangnam Style on the jukebox.

The strangeness continued on arrival at the ground, with the home physio treating an elderly spectator, who appeared to have been hit by a ball in the pre match warm up. An ambulance was called as a precaution, but fortunately left after giving the gentleman a check up.

The programme had a striking cover. I am almost paranoid about including the ball and the player from head to toe (apart from for portraits), but this works well.

I took up position behind the goal we were attacking, getting some decent shots, including Connor McCarthy going for the ball with the goalkeeper, Stuart Barton.

The end of the ground away from the clubhouse has cover, but is not the most comfortable place for photography, as there is a low wall with advertising boards forming a higher barrier, so there is nowhere to lean comfortably. I therefore moved to the the side, in line with the edge of the penalty area. This position gives a clearer view of our own goalkeeper in action.

Nick Culkin

Being at the side of the pitch meant I was right in line with the controversial incident from the first half. Connor McCarthy was brought down, but was it a penalty, or a free kick, as the referee adjudged?

It is not often I get quite such a clear picture of a foul, but I think the referee got it right, the trip is outside the area. When I looked at the picture on the small screen on the camera, I took the other view, looking at the position of Connor's torso, rather than his feet. I think the divot from the encounter above may have added to the impression that the foul was inside the area.

The sun started to shine towards the end of the first half, with the usual backlighting effects.

Jonathon Lynch

Play was more even in the second half. With Bamber Bridge having scored early in the half and with 10 minutes to go, Mike Smith was fouled 25 yards out.

Connor McCarthy scored directly from the free kick. They replied five minutes later, and it looked as though that would be the final score, until the final minute of injury time, when Enzo Benn put the ball away in a traditional goalmouth scramble.

Enzo Benn

The picture of the day is from Bamber Bridge's Facebook page, by Stefan Willoughby.

Team captain James McCulloch is urging everyone to cut short their celebrations to use the remaining minute or so to try and score another goal and take home all three points. As it happened, the referee blew for time almost immediately after the kick off, but it is the spirit that makes this team so enjoyable to watch.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.