Across the fields

Having seen a good performance against Marine, Prescot Cables went into the next weekend of our pre season programme a couple of men down. Danny Flood, who suffered a number of injuries last season, found his luck had not changed, fracturing his foot in midweek. Then, in an illustration of the hazards of inviting a club from a higher division to play, Marine liked James Edgar so much they took him with them. Whilst my mental arithmetic is not all it could be, I cannot quite make the days between Tuesday and Friday add up to seven. However, James has been both reliable and useful in a number of positions, including a couple of occasions as an emergency goalkeeper, over the two seasons he has been with us, and has definitely earned the opportunity to play in a higher division. This blog wishes him well for the future.

James Edgar

For the weekend, there was more immediate business, at Ashton Athletic, a club the same age as me, having been founded in 1968, and located on the edge of Ashton-in-Makerfield. There is a Cumfybus (yes, that is a real bus company) from St Helens that runs near the ground, but in an almost Yorkshire-like desire to get full value from what I had paid for, I used my Arriva season ticket to the town centre for free, and walked from there. Mr Google suggested the quickest route, including a public footpath past a farm, reminding me that metropolitan districts are not all built up. Blocked footpaths are a hazard for walkers, and, having gone some distance, head high overgrowth made it impassable, so I had to retrace my steps and go round the road way, along the delightfully named Spindle Hillock, arriving uphill in more of a hurry than I had planned.

Fortunately there is a small stand alongside the country end that we were attacking, so I settled in for a bit whilst I cooled down.

Harry Cain & Jordan Wynne

These games can be an opportunity to see old friends, and this game was no exception, with the hosts including former Cables players Bram Johnstone, Ben Cartwright, Jacob Jones and Josh Nicholson. In goal was Martin Pearson, who has never played for us, but we seem to meet him at least once a season.

Jacob Jones

Bryn, to the north of the town, about ten minutes' walk away, is only a few stops from Prescot on the electric train (at weekends the folks in London even let us plug it in), so we brought some visible support.

Martin Pearson

We continued with the approach of the last couple of games, having two more or less separate teams for the two halves.

The first half team watch the second half

Another fans' favourite made his first appearance of the pre season programme, having been unavailable for the first two games.

Josef Faux, pursued by Josh Nicholson

The hosts were at the end of their preparations, with, like all clubs at step 5, their first competitive fixture being in the FA Cup the following week. There were times when the extra preparation was showing, but a single goal from Lloyd Dean put us ahead.

Lloyd Dean

After the game, not only would the Cumfybus have cost me money, but the time was not particularly convenient, requiring me either to leave five minutes before time or hang around for the best part of an hour, so I headed back to the town centre, with the advantage this time that it was all downhill.

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

Final score: Ashton Athletic 0 Prescot Cables 1 (Dean)

Differently shaped balls

I am not sure whether I should describe my last weekend's sport as a double header or changing horses in mid stream. The former expression suggests going to one game, watching it to the end, then going to the other, whereas I was flipping between the two. Competitive rugby league at Thatto Heath Crusaders coincided with the beginning of Prescot Cables' pre-season programme. As the latter was a four team tournament, I attended the beginning, slipped out in the middle, and returned for the presentation of the cup, named after Dennis Bellairs, who died in December after nearly 50 years' service to the club.

I arrived to find the first game in full swing, between Rainhill Town and City of Liverpool. Whilst I was neutral for this, I concentrated more on Rainhill, as I they probably have less opportunities to get their players into pictures.

We have seen before that purple does not always reproduce well in digital photographs. I have seen the problem with some fabrics and some flowers, so I assume texture is a contributory factor. St Helens Law's advertisement is very a similar colour to City of Liverpool's kit, here worn by former Cables player Francis Foy, but the advertisement (and the sock tape) reproduces accurately, whereas the kit comes out much more blue.

This game produced the shock of the tournament, if anything in a pre-season tournament is a shock, when Rainhill beat City of Liverpool 1-0 to secure a place in the final.

The other semi-final was between Prescot and St Helens Town. It has been one of our most stable pre seasons for many years, and most of last season's squad were back, with some new faces, and a return for one of our own.

Connor Grainger

Goalkeepers never miss a chance to discuss strange goalkeeping things.

I saw the first half and a few minutes of the second, before I used the good offices of the 10A (all human life is there) to go to Thatto Heath. The hosts were ahead when I arrived five minutes into the game. Although many pictures I post are of tackles, it also makes for a good picture when a player sidesteps one and gains valuable distance - even better when the result is the opposition players managing to tackle each other.

The hosts dominated the first half, and had the game sewn up by half time, but, with the visitors playing mainly for pride, the second half was more of a contest.

That probably completed my work with Thatto Heath for the season, as I was mainly snapping for them during the football close season. Having got enough frames, and with the result secure, I left a few minutes early to get the 10A, giving a cheery wave to this chap on the way out.

Back at Prescot, Cables had hit a scoring streak in their semi final, going from 2-0 when I left to win 6-1.

I arrived at half time in the tournament final. Although there were rolling substitutions, Cables were playing separate teams in each half, apart from having Marcus Burgess in goal throughout. Having seen a full half with one team, I was able to see a full half with the other, so I could get most of the players in. Rainhill put in another good performance, but could not translate it into goals.

Andy Scarisbrick

Two goals secured the trophy for the hosts.

Harry Molyneux presents the cup

The end result of the afternoon was that Prescot scored eight goals, of which I was not there for four, and did not capture anything usable from the others, whilst Thatto Heath amassed fifty points, and I did not get a decent shot of any of them being scored. Dennis would have been most amused.

The rest of the pictures from the football can be seen here, and from the rugby here.

Wherever the highway unwinds

The eyes of the non league world seemed to be concentrated last weekend on Scarborough Athletic playing their first fixture at their new ground, returning to the town for the first time in ten years. On a lower key, in Lancashire, I watched St Helens Town also moving in to their new home, having had a peripatetic existence after a deal with St Helens RLFC worked out more to the advantage of the latter.

There were a few teething problems with the council run facilities at the new Ruskin Sports Village, but they were in a position to entertain Congleton Town, and were optimistic of everything being ready for the start of the season. My benevolent disposition towards Town's homecoming was mildly reduced by someone complaining about his lucky escape from pneumonia in Prescot Cables' board room last season, although on the substantive issue, I have to concede it is a smidgeon cold.

I had been right in my assessment of Pilkington Recs pitch the previous week, the football pitch had much shorter blades of polyester, with more crumb.

With the sky overcast and no sun to worry about, I took up position at the end St Helens were attacking.

St Helens opened the scoring with Congleton replying a few minutes later, with plenty of other chances for both sides that they were not able to convert.

The hosts had their own photographer whereas the visitors appeared not to, so I decided to aim for a neutral collection and stayed in the same position for the second half.

 Mannion, who played a few games for Prescot Cables when Andy Paxton was manager, was appearing for the visitors on the side I was covering.

Congleton are in the division above St Helens, and in the second half made their advantage on paper felt on the field with two more goals without reply.

There was a reasonable crowd, although some people I expect to be planning to visit a new ground may be waiting for competitive action. However, I am sure that once the weather closes in, there will be a few taking refuge from weather related postponements at other grounds.

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

Final score St Helens Town 1 Congleton Town 3

The colour purple

There are some things you see when you get to the ground that just make your evening.

Jack Phillips

When Jack Phillips went to Accrington Stanley last year, I did not expect to see him again, but he has joined us to watch his local club on a number of occasions. He spent the second half of last season recovering from an operation to remove a bone spur, and is about to take up a sports science internship at Everton, so is available to play. Having started the competitive season (more accurately completed the last competitive season) for Skelmersdale in the Liverpool Senior Cup, he has now rejoined us.

Prescot Cables' game against City of Liverpool FC, newly admitted to the Hallmark Security League, took on an unusual air, sandwiched between the Liverpool Senior Cup semi-final against Litherland REMYCA and the final against Everton. The list of those not playing gave an indication of who was likely to start in the cup final - with some of this game's starters being cup-tied.

Dominic Marie

The visitors play in purple, the City's corporate colour, and neutral between Liverpool and Everton. In many types of light, this is difficult to reproduce accurately with digital photography. This is not just true of football kits, even a flower in the garden can present a similar problem.

Lloyd Dean and former Cables player Daley Woods

The material can make a difference - the reproduction of the training top worn by City of Liverpool Assistant Manager and former Cables player Tom Spearitt is a lot closer to what you see with the naked eye.

Tom Spearitt

We were joined by local photographer Charles Green, who I first met when he was a student doing a sports module a couple of years ago. He is now working professionally, so check him out for your event photography requirements.

The match officials were wired for sound, which I have not seen at this level before.

I am not sure what the guidelines on radio communication are. When I have seen officials so equipped in rugby, the touch judge seems to speak in limited circumstances, drawing attention to a foul, or answering a question from the referee. The assistant on the gasworks side seemed to be keeping up a running commentary on anything outside the referee's field of vision, and a few things in it.

We had a strong first half, scoring two goals, as well as sending a couple of shots into the shrubbery at the Safari Park End that were probably only coming out with the assistance of gardening tools. We made a couple of changes for the second half, with the determined visitors pulling two back.

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

Final score: Prescot Cables 2 City of Liverpool 2

Changing a lightbulb

Prescot Cables continued their pre season programme with a visit from 1874 Northwich, who we met in last season's F.A.Cup. This was another evening game, with cooler and cloudier, but drier, weather than against Charnock Richard the previous week. This meant we would be unlikely to complete the game without the floodlights. The positive side was that the mosquitoes that had liberally populated the Gasworks Side last week had gone home for an early night.

The light was a bit gloomy, which often does not work well with the automated creation of jpeg files, saving them on the camera, or using the batch conversion in ViewNx. However, I was able to fix everything in editing without needing to adjust the lighting in raw.

Joe Nicholson

We went ahead with a goal from Andy Scarisbrick, included here on the "goal is a goal" principle. We will not see him wearing that number very much, but for these games players seem to be putting on whatever number is at the top of the laundry basket, which makes sense when most are substituted at some point.

Snapping from the side gives the chance to catch those pictures of a throw in that give exposure to the shirt back sponsor.

At half time, it was time to capture the shots Paul, the programme editor, wanted to use for this season's cover. There was the obligatory view of the stand (not many clubs have anything like it) ...

... and a view of the gates and smart new sign promoting the ground sponsor, Volair, Knowsley Council's organisation for leisure services, who are providing training facilities at the new Prescot Soccer Centre.

The floodlights came on for the second half, which the software seemed to like - this was my first use of ViewNX with images from under our own lights.

Sam Staunton-Turner

We continue to see players progressing from the Youth team, with last year's goalkeeper and Manager's Player of the Year James Burke taking his turn in goal - so much for my being unsure of his age when he made his début for the First team away to Northwich Victoria.

James Burke

The visitors pulled a goal back, with a group of their supporters singing that they had not come to mess around - an attitude confirmed by both sides with a competitive second half.

As I walked round to the clubhouse towards the end of the game...

Make  people think you are a hopper by taking a picture of a corner flag

... I spotted an outstanding job had been completed. Soon after the current floodlights were installed, the bulb went in one of the heads between the stand and the Safari Park End, which has rendered that corner unavailable for photography. It has now been replaced, no small undertaking. I cannot remember if the column unscrews at the bottom, but either way the equipment and skilled personnel required costs more than the bulb. Play seems to have been unaffected: I mentioned it to Jonah O'Reilly, who had not noticed.

James McCulloch, illuminated by the repaired floodlights

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 (Scarisbrick) 1874 Northwich 1.

I was a saggar maker's bottom knocker

This weekend saw Prescot Cables travel to their second pre season game, at Hanley Town. I was concerned by the hosts' website, as the home page had them playing Alvechurch. The latter, however, were telling the world they were at Squires Gate, so, if the worst came to the worst, Hanley would be wondering where Alvecurch had got to, before deciding to play us as we were there.

Hanley is one of the "five towns" (actually six) of the City of Stoke-on-Trent. I last visited Hanley, on the way to Leek Town about 10 years ago, on a rainy day, so I did not see one of the more attractive aspects - being hilly, as is the countryside around, you can see a green hill at the end of almost every street. It was from the nearby village of Dilhorne that my great-great-great grandfather moved to London as a pottery seller in the 1840s, before meeting his wife and moving to her home at Marsh Green in Kent, a couple of miles from which, in the broad sunlit uplands of Surrey, I took my first steps 120 years later.

Pottery was fired in containers called saggars, the making of which was a skilled trade. Making, or knocking out, the bases was a separate, less skilled, occupation. I am not sure if there was career progression: successful bottom knocking leading to saggar making, eventually being let loose on a teapot. I was unaware of my family history in earthenware when I read a piece with this post's title in the Blue Peter Annual of about 1977, reporting on John Noakes trying the trade as one of his less intrepid exploits.

On the way from the bus, I could have sworn I heard bleating from someone's back garden. Dismissing this thought, I was soon in the ground, with my ancestral village over the hill in the background (a visit having been thwarted by the bus only running on Mondays to Fridays).

There was plenty of newly laid tarmac, suggesting extensive work over the summer. The machinery was still there, so there may be more to do.

Most of the ground behind the new hard standing was bare earth, presumably as a result of the works, but there was still some undisturbed grass for spectators to enjoy.

Jazz McCulloch

A new modular stand had been named after a gentleman who was clearly a significant figure, as their Twitter profile picture was also a tribute to him.

Jacob Jones in front of the Colin Stair Stand

The stand, when it is open, will provide the only fixed cover, although there are plenty of trees to provide shade opposite the stand, with the usual challenges of shadow once the sun came out properly in the second half.

Bram Johnstone

This was our only longer distance pre season trip of the pre season programme, and was another good test, giving most of the squad a good run out on a humid day, With the hosts having scored in the opening minutes, we replied with two.

At the end of the game, I caught one of the frequent buses to Hanley Bus Station, the concrete wind tunnel of my last visit having been replaced with an award winning new structure with information screens telling you the next bus to Stoke-on-Trent Station, rather than the guesswork of the previous layout. On the way home, I stopped in Manchester to give Matt from the Lost Boyos a cheery wave at his leaving do before he goes to work in Slovakia. I had threatened to join him for his last game at Salford City, but I knew that once Prescot had started playing I would be on the road with the team again: I am just not cut out to be a hopper.

Oh, and the bleating I heard earlier? My ears had not deceived me, someone did have a couple of sheep in a back garden - a larger than usual one, but a garden nonetheless.

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

Final score: Hanley Town 1 Prescot Cables 2.

Colour combinations

Prescot Cables opened their pre season programme with a visit from Charnock Richard, recently admitted to the Hallmark Security (North West Counties) League. In previous seasons we visited them, but this was more convenient for an evening game, as the bus service through their village finishes at 5.30. I was pleased to see a good turnout from last season's squad, which I was anticipating, as a number of players tweeted earlier in the month that they were enjoying training sessions, but feeling it the following morning.

We planned a different Prescot team in each half. The first half team were sporting the new season's home kit. We have the Puma kit from last season, tending towards the orange end of amber, sponsored again by PMB Tools, with a shirt back sponsor, Britannia Taxis. A priority of the match day photographer is not just to capture the action, or make the players look good, but also to give the sponsors the exposure they are paying for. So, we can expect more shots from this angle!

Joe Nicholson take a free kick

The side for the first half was the stronger of the two, and we were quickly ahead through another Joe Nicholson free kick. I was then in just the right position for Lloyd Dean to score from a penalty into the neat new goal nets.

I once worked with some French people, who wore coloured socks socks matching their shirts or ties. One gentleman, noticing on the way to work that his socks did not match his shirt, went home to change. This thinking seems to have affected the compilers of the Laws of Association Football, who have tightened up on colour matching: undershirts and undershorts must match the dominant colour of shirts or shorts; and sock tape needs to match the dominant colour of socks. I am not sure what the rule was before, but practice was to match a colour, so ours allowed for black undershirts. Not only that, but undergarments and tape must also match the rest of the team. I can see the point of this in professional competition rules, but it seems excessive to incorporate it into the Laws. Those who move clubs will accumulate a large wardrobe. They have not stipulated matching boots yet, but watch this space.

Jacob Jomes

The management were kitted out in neat new training kit.

Tony Carrroll and Roy Grundy

Tony Carroll has returned as Injury Assessor, after a couple of years accumulating stories about working with Shaun Reid - which he seems unfortunately reluctant to tell us!

The visitors' goalkeeper was injured after about 20 minutes, and, without a replacement, I think the teams decided it would be good experience for all concerned if we lent them one of ours.

The second half team was composed of a mixture of younger players with First team experience, some from trials, and some who were unable to play many games last season due to long term injuries. This team used the new away kit. Both are available from the new online club shop (and the table in the bar when the season gets under way).

Connor Grainger advertises the new away kit

There was an encouraging performance from both teams, winning 4-1 in the first half and 2-1 in the second.

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

I knew not whether I was in England or Wales

Having been thwarted in my attempt to start my season the previous week, I decided my football should include a proper day out. FC Oswestry Town, another new club in the North West Counties League, fitted the bill, and a 5pm kick off gave me time to potter around taking more general pictures. I started in Shrewsbury: in England with Welsh police cars outside the station. I did not make it to the town of Oswestry: on a humid day I elected for air conditioning, a cold, non-alcoholic drink and some carbs in one of Messrs Costa's more historic establishments before catching the bus.

Once on board, I followed the stops on Herr Arriva's tracker, which kept up well - I find it is two or three stops behind the bus in the city. At least it worked when connected to Mr EE's signal, present at least in the parts where a few people live. I rang the bell just after the stop before mine: unfortunately the driver thought I had missed my stop and helpfully pulled up straight away. Not having consulted Mr Google's Street View, I did not realise I was a good few hundred yards short of where I wanted to be.

I therefore arrived a few minutes late, and followed the sign to the turnstiles to find them closed. The club may in any event have been admitting spectators through the clubhouse. There was a gate open, so I went in. I found a neat ground with a 3G pitch, two blocks of seating and a large clubhouse with a balcony. Oh, and the most substantial dugouts I have seen, even if they incorporate a camera gantry.

I stood in the shadow of the clubhouse to assess the light and cool down after my longer than anticipated walk. As I have no connection to either club, it was not going to be a problem if I did not catch the whole game. Once I was ready, about 25 minutes in, I took up position by the side of the pitch, more towards the end the visitors were attacking.

The score was 1-1 when I arrived, and, having no proprietorial interest in the outcome, I failed to record the order of the goals in what transpired to be a free scoring game.

Oswestry is close to the Welsh border, one of the few towns in England that also has a Welsh name (Croesoswallt) on Ordnance Survey maps. The visitors clearly identified which end of the ground was nearer to Wales.

At half time, I went in to the clubhouse. The signs were a little confusing, telling spectators that toilet and bar facilities were available upstairs in the Venue (the name of the bar and function room), but not adjacent to any stairs that lead there, apart from one flight at the end of the building with a large sign indicating the corporate hospitality entrance. I took the risk of offending the cream of Oswestry's business community, went upstairs, and found myself in the main bar.

Back outside for the second half, a club official, who was multitasking as the tannoy announcer, match secretary and fourth official, asked if I needed a team sheet. I said it would be handy, expecting a photocopy or one he could hold up for me to photograph, taking only a moment of his time. When he started what looked likely to be an extended rummage through his papers I quickly assured him it was not essential.

The hosts had the better of the second half, running out 4-3 winners, and, judging by the retweets, the clubs were happy with the pictures. Having seen a couple of the clubs expanding the North West Counties League to its full complement, I am sure they will provide good competition, and bring some excellent facilities into the league.

Whilst bus routes from Oswestry, Shrewsbury and Gobowen pass near the ground, services run down from 6pm, so I had half hour's walk on a pleasant evening to the train at Gobowen. I had to check the map to confirm this village is in England: Wikipedia gives us a couple of Welsh derivations for its name, one from a pillow used by Owain Glyndŵr, and another from a mine owned by someone else called Owen.

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

Final score: FC Oswestry Town 4 CPD Porthmadog 3