Pretty Flamingo

At the end of last week, the gay bit of my Twitter feed took an unexpected interest in Scarborough, as it was announced the American chanteuse Britney Spears is playing the Open Air Theatre in the summer. Being as unfamiliar with Ms Spears' work as I am with the Premier League, I concentrated on Prescot Cables' visit to Scarborough Athletic's Flamingo Land Stadium, which, sadly, is only named after the local attraction rather than hosting their flamingoes.

The ground's new postcode is not recognised by Mr Google's maps (it takes months to work through all systems), but they have a not strictly accurate marker for the entrance off Seamer Road. This is convenient from the south and west, but, as I found later, from the town it is three sides of a square. Near the ground, Lloyd Dean's father, Barry, pulled alongside to ask if I knew where the entrance was (I did not), and offer a lift for the last few hundred yards. I hopped in, and we flagged down a home supporter, who suggested we park in the side streets, about the same distance from our destination as when I got in the car.

The attendance was 1377, about the upper limit of comfort as the ground stands. It is some way short of the official 2070 capacity, the calculations must assume tall people will let short people stand in front of them, and they could make it better known there are no seats for non season ticket holders. I noticed some metal terraces to be installed along the side, which will increase capacity and comfort.

Jordan Wynne in front of the crowd at the covered end

Reece McNally with a full house at the side

Those on the coach reported bag searches and confiscated drinks, but I breezed in with full luggage and a bottle of water. I then committed a cardinal error, trying new kit without having fully tested it. I received a camera hand grip as a present, and planned to try it. I need both hands changing lenses standing up, with the body hanging free on the strap, and had not considered how to do it with one hand full. Then the clip that worked well, if stiffly, at home, proved more resistant to hands cold from a walk along the front and keeping my lunchtime haddock out of the sight of inquisitive seagulls. By the time I changed to the neck strap, the tunnel was in position, so I stood behind the pitch perimeter.

We won the toss and elected to play towards the covered end, which met with boos from the locals. The clear seaside light gave me some crisp pictures. Joey Faux returned to action - and had his name announced correctly rather than ending up as Fox, as elsewhere in Yorkshire.

Joey Faux

Reece Fishwick, however, acquired a silent "w".

Reece Fishwick

It looked as though we were short of players fit, eligible and able to travel, as we only named three substitutes.

Ben Barnes was kept busy.

Ben Barnes

I swapped sides half way through the first half.

Chris Almond

The hosts proved more effective than when visiting us a few weeks ago, and went in at half time two goals up.

I wondered where to stand for the second half, but there was space when some home supporters changed ends. A substantial number stayed put, and were not pleased with those of ours who wanted to stand behind the goal we were attacking. I did not see much of the disagreement - mainly backs of heads - but the Police, who were outside as I came in, were called and ejected one or two individuals, and seemed concerned at people using the toilet more than once. The officers looked quite young: wait 'til you get to my age constable... There was talk afterwards of the need for an away end, but I have been in bigger crowds without, so I think it depends more on the home club dealing with the small number of idiots that inevitably appear in a large crowd.

I was happy with the floodlights, which gave good results, at least in the half we were attacking.

Matthew Hamilton

A third goal in the last five minutes secured the points for Scarborough and did their goal difference no harm.

I was still unacquainted with the quicker route to town, so returned the way I came. I hoped to take refreshment in the Stumble Inn, but it had the problem of a micropub, a couple of dozen people left nowhere to perch, so I stumbled back out and adjourned to the more spacious Angel.

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

Final score: Scarborough Athletic 3 Prescot Cables 0

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.

Gylfi and the fish

A few weeks ago, before he left to take up his new job in Slovakia, my friend Matt from the Lost Boyos was entertaining his Twitter followers recounting incidents where he alarmed people like ticket inspectors, when, intending to show a mobile phone ticket, instead showed his wallpaper, depicting his favourite professional player, Gylfi Sigurðsson, holding a fish. I avoided this problem on my way to Prescot Cables' game at Scarborough Athletic, firstly by having an arty picture of a leaf as my wallpaper, and secondly by buying a paper ticket. The conductor added a smiley face, presumably in amusement at the concept of paying a walk up fare and having to wait to see who has not turned up for their cheaper reserved seats before you can sit down.

Yorkshire is historically a centre of the wool industry, and on changing trains and buying an onward ticket in Leeds (saving money on a straight through fare), someone seemed to be making use of the local product to keep their boat warm.

Coming in to Scarborough, and going back out again on the train to Bridlington, I looked out for progress on the club's new ground at Weaponness. Unfortunately I did not see anything, mainly because it was a long time since I looked at the map, and I was therefore looking out of the wrong side of the train.

On arrival in Bridlington, there was a little light rain. We were playing towards the coast end, which was handy, as there is covered standing, whereas the other end is open, and the sides offer the choice of seats or bus shelter like cover behind the dugouts.

Phil Bannister

We had a significantly changed team from the last few games, with a number of players injured or unavailable. We have seen in the first few games that we have strength in depth, and a squad used to playing alongside each other in a number of different combinations. That does not necessarily give an advantage when we have to make five or six changes. The hosts opened the scoring early with a goal after four minutes, but we were able to keep them at bay after that, with pressure of our own.

Lloyd Dean beats the keeper, but his header was cleared off the line

For the second half I positioned myself to the side, near the hosts' goal. This has the disadvantage that the assistant referee can get in the way. Sometimes that gives a chance for the arty back of the head shot.

Scarborough upped their game in the second half, as ours seemed to fall apart, with their securing two more goals.

Because of the respective positions in which they play, I rarely catch both of the Nicholson brothers in the same frame.

Josh and Joe Nicholson

On this occasion Joe scored a consolation goal two minutes from normal time.

He was cancelled out in injury time by an old friend of these pages (in the sense of always being good for a photo, not so much in the sense of always scoring against us), David Brown, who took full advantage of a defensive error to head home an easy goal.

Jack Phillips with David Brown

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

Final score: Scarborough Athletic 4 Prescot Cables 1 (Joe Nicholson)

'Appen us do like to be beside t'seaside

When Prescot Cables' fixtures were released, one point that jumped out was three trips to Yorkshire in January, including to Scarborough Athletic, playing at Bridlington Town. This fixture turned out to be useful with the weather, as the pitch, sitting, as the British Geological Survey tells us, on superficial deposits of sand with a white chalk bedrock, drains very well. Scarborough and Bridlington have largely escaped the postponements that have affected the rest of us.

I have never been a great fan of bucket and spade holidays, especially not in January, but a few of the Train Crew stayed over for a night or two, booking early to pay for the hotel with savings on the fare. I decided to wait to be sure the game was on, settling on a day trip. I met Dr James as he headed for the Liverpool to Scarborough train, and explained I would take the fast train to Leeds, buy a separate ticket and join him there, saving £15. I inspected the southern entrance to Leeds Station, whose pristine appearance and smell of fresh paint indicated it was recently opened, and which brings three or four Good Beer Guide pubs five minutes closer to the train.

In Bridlington we adjourned to the Telegraph, where I enjoyed an Anglers Reward from the Wold Top Brewery, making up in taste for what it lacked in punctuation. You cannot beat water filtered through chalk for making beer. We were concerned about the time to get to the ground, but we looked around and realised from the attire of the other customers that they were mainly the home support, and we just needed to leave when they did.

We were missing a couple of players. Team captain James McCulloch is likely to be out of action for some time due to ligament damage sustained in training. Marcus Burgess was suspended, replaced by new signing Tom Brocklehurst, returning to playing, having most recently been with Skelmersdale United.

Tom Brocklehurst

Andy Nugent also made a first appearance.

The hosts had an early chance, but we opened the scoring from a free kick by Rob Doran. We thought at the time this was from 25 yards, although looking at Scarborough's video and my pictures, it was some distance further than that. I was the wrong side to capture the kick very well...

... but I was perfectly placed to see the ball go into the net.

Returning from Skelmersdale United after a short spell with us earlier in the season, was Sam Staunton Turner, who wasted no time adding his name to the score sheet with a superb long range shot.

Sam shoots for goal ...

... and watches it go in.

With sunset in Yorkshire a quarter of an hour earlier than back at home, it was starting to get dark at the end of the first half. The floodlights came on for the second.

Our third goal came from another long range shot from Phil Bannister.

Phil shoots for goal ...

... and Richie updates the Twitter feed

A feature of these trips is meeting the locals. Leaving the ground, the rest of our party were some distance ahead. From around the corner I heard some sort of commotion. A local lady had asked the score, and on hearing that we won, loudly and colourfully expressed her satisfaction as a Bridlington supporter who had little time for Scarborough.

Back in Scarborough, the rest of the party headed for what by all accounts was an enjoyable evening, with some after effects in the morning, whilst I went for the train home. The journey is always improved by a win, although I have yet to find the scoreline that improves the comfort of TransPennine's buttock-numbingly firm seats.

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

Final score: Scarborough Athletic 0 Prescot Cables 3 (Doran, Staunton Turner, Bannister).

Herding cats and repelling seagulls

Before Prescot Cables' home game against Scarborough Athletic, I had been prevailed upon to take a team photograph. In the game, action happens in front of you, you point the round thing on the front of the camera in the right direction and keep pressing the button on the top. Provided you get everything you want in frame, and you are not trying to produce an arty A2 print, the computer is your friend when it comes to cropping. For the team photo, you need to direct the team to where you want them, normally the manager's problem.

The players gather for the photo

You think everything looks symmetrical, then a couple of people join from one side. Add to that it was a sunny day, and I was having bother getting the flash to work (spending my photography time on activities where flash is unwelcome, I forget even the basics). With the assistance of Mr Photoshop sorting out the lighting, I think I produced a presentable result.

The end result

I also did head and shoulders pictures of the players and management, the first time we have done these for the website. 

Andy Paxton

Whilst the players went to warm up, I fortified myself with a Whiter Shade of Pale, from the Melwood Beer Company, and a pie from the tea bar. There is money to be made in some sort of contraption to contain a portion of food and a disposable glass without the need to put the pint down every time you want to pick up the pie.

We were wearing our new kit for the first time. Puma used the ground in the summer for a photoshoot with Mario Balotelli, and the club elected to receive payment in kind. Our colour is amber, which has covered a range of shades over the years: my friend Roger, who first brought me to Cables, reminded me that when I started watching in 1991, it was a pale yellow. This is the orange end of the spectrum, and shows up well in sunlight.

Phil Bannister

For players who like to wear an undershirt, I am not sure about the availability of these in orange, and the trim is probably not enough to make black acceptable to a picky referee.

There were some new faces, some of whom I am fairly sure had not been there an hour and a half earlier. Things move quickly these days.

Ryan Stewart

Warren Bellew

After the good performance at Glossop, which was not quite enough to secure a result, we were hoping to go one better this week. An early goal from the visitors put us on the back foot, but parity was restored before half time by Rob Doran, still our only goal scorer for the season.

Rob Doran

The second half saw some determined pressure from the visitors who, up to this point had a 100% league record. Keeper Marcus Burgess, on loan from Salford, made some good saves, and from the visual point of view made them wearing smart plain black boots. As a traditionalist I approve, although it might make life more difficult if outfield players started doing it, as comparing boots is a handy way to match numbers on backs with the fronts that make it in to the pictures.

Marcus Burgess

After the game, I was contacted by TheNonLeague magazine for permission to use my photos of Marcus Burgess and invite me to become become a contributor, so I will have to pay more attention to the names of opposition players (numbers on the front of shirts, you know they make sense). Not that I needed to do so on this occasion: Scarborough is outside the magazine's catchment area.

A successful second half meant we were able to secure our first point of the season, and were not without chances to take all three points.

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

Final score: Prescot Cables 1 (Doran) Scarborough Athletic 1

Dive bombed by a seagull

After Prescot Cables' disappointing performance at Ossett Albion, the game in midweek against Lancaster City was ripe for a comeback, and I would be unable to be there to see it. So it proved, with a late goal from Jack Phillips securing the win, and with New Mills' game postponed due to the weather, they would need two wins over and above anything we are able to do in our remaining games to catch us.

The rain had eased off (although not apparently in New Mills) for Holy Saturday and the visit of Scarborough Athletic. This was the fifth year in a row we have been at home on this day, which has been convenient for me, as I can do my bit to help get the church ready for the Easter Vigil in the evening before heading to the game, and, more importantly, get back afterwards for the service.

We started with a fairly overcast sky, so shutter speeds were a bit low.

Liam Hollett - note the motion blur on the ball

We have touched before in these pages on the behaviour of seagulls in various coastal towns, speculating that it depends on whether visitors lead them to expect food from people. A friend in Devon reported one trying to put its beak in his mouth to get at the food he was eating. Gulls in Scarborough, such as the specimen illustrated on the visitors' club badge, have been trained by Yorkshire visitors keen on eating the chips they had paid good money for to go and look for their food in the sea. 

Their team are rather more robust than their seagulls, but scoring was opened by Jack Phillips, carrying on from where he left off in midweek. I did not see much more than in midweek, as one of the opposition was in the way of the camera, although fortunately not in the way of the goal.

Jack Phillips shoots for goal - honest!

There were a couple of opportunities to extend the lead, with Jack shooting over the bar, and Joe Evans having a shot saved.

Joe Evans

The sun came out for the second half.

Andy Harper

James McCulloch's father, Kevin, brings his dog Jazz to games in the warmer weather. She enjoys a run on the gasworks side, but found the stand side a bit more constraining, entertaining us by slipping her lead and running on to the pitch. Eastleigh supporter and groundhopper Callum caught it on film.

No Jazz, you can't chase James, he's one of ours!

Scarborough continued to press, so we were pleased when Jack Phillips struck again 15 minutes from time. I missed this too, a long range shot from the touchline, which seemed to take ages to go in. Unfortunately, this seemed to cause a loss of concentration: it is the time when experienced heads are useful to keep everyone steady. Ryan Blott imposed himself on the landscape with a goal for the visitors just over a minute later.

We were on the back foot after this, although not without opportunities, with James Edgar having the best opportunity but only able to find the goalkeeper.

James Edgar

The visitors seized a point with a last minute goal. We were naturally disappointed not to have held on for a win, but we would have been happy with a point at the beginning of the game, and it makes one more result New Mills need to get to catch us up. Results elsewhere meant that Padiham are now unable to finish outside the relegation positions.

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

Finally, congratulations are due to my refereeing pharmacologist friend James, who has passed his viva for his PhD. Given his passing resemblance to a particular mediaeval monarch, we are glad he did not visit Kings Lynn Town, due to the risk of losing his thesis in the Wash.

Final score: Prescot Cables 2 (Phillips 2) Scarborough Athletic 2

Tell her to find me an acre of land

In their second long away trip in as many weeks, Prescot Cables visited Scarborough Athletic, who currently play at Bridlington Town. The pharmacologists were disappointed to miss the trip, but they were at a conference, presenting papers on cutting edge developments in medicine and sampling traditional developments in fermented and spirituous beverages. I stayed overnight in Scarborough, seeing a play at the Stephen Joseph Theatre, and negotiating the lethal crossing outside the station, where the green man is timed to appear with traffic still coming round the corner.

Scarborough have a chartered Boro Bus, for a very reasonable £3, from the town and places on the way that do not have a service to Bridlington. I have yet to take my flat cap out of the cupboard and check for moth, whereas in Yorkshire the season for wearing them is well under way, so I may not have entirely blended in.

On entry to the ground, you need to be stamped like in an eighties nightclub (they may still do so, but the eighties was the last time I frequented one) to access the bar. Unfortunately, I put my hand in my pocket and wiped the stamp off, so I did not bother to be re-stamped, but watched the players warming up. The League have a sponsorship deal for some smart red training tops. This can provide initial confusion when everyone is training in the same colour. Given that the management wear them, I can see scenes like the Belgian manager having to put his jacket on in the World Cup when his white shirt, even with a tie, was blending in with the opposition. I hope they have something more substantial too, if the tops are all you wear on the bench at Harrogate Railway Athletic on a Tuesday night in January, you are going to catch your death of cold.

Mark McLaughlin warms up

The weather was not the best for a couple of days at the seaside, but the ground had cover on three sides, including the side backing on to the Rugby Club stand. Unfortunately I missed a shot of the home goalkeeper hoofing a rugby ball back over the wall.

Harry Molyneux from the Supporters' Club pointed out that they had centre flags, which you do not see much these days.

They could have redeployed them to the corners. It is not immediately apparent who or what is being supported here, but I think the flag is frayed, so the assistant referee is holding the end so it does not distract the player taking a corner.

There was a welcome return for Jon Bathurst, who re-signed a couple of weeks ago, and now has received international clearance after playing for Rhyl last season.

Jon Bathurst takes a free kick

I finally caught a goal - complete with a look on the defender's face more usually found immediately prior to a rugby tackle. I was not sure if it would be the picture the Merseymart chose, as the background is a bit cluttered, but it came out reasonably well in print.

Sam Corlett heads our goal

I got a decent picture at the other end too. The home side were awarded a dubious penalty, with a yellow card to James McCulloch, which we have applied to have rescinded. With Ciaran Gibson suspended, Adam Reid was keeping goal, and had a good game - and became the third of our goalkeepers this season to save a penalty. Of the three, this is the picture that most looks like a save, without having to take my word for it.

The yellow card was to play a further part a few minutes later, when James McCulloch was given a second yellow card for handball (hence the appeal against the first card). Whilst we were able to hold the home side off up to this point, they proved too strong for 10 men, so we came away without the points.

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

Final score: Scarborough Athletic 2, Prescot Cables 1 (Corlett)