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A week of cup and non-league action

• 3 minutes read • 579 words

The past week saw a change from my usual schedule of Premier League and Football League matches as I shot some FA Cup, Capital One Cup and non-league action.

Last Saturday I attended Southend v Millwall in the FA Cup 3rd round. Since being a kid the 3rd round has held a special place in the football calendar for me and I was looking forward to this game as it had all the hallmarks of a possible cup upset.

Southend deservedly won 4-1 in one of the most eventful games I’ve shot in a long time! Five goals, a red card, torrential rain and a floodlight failure meant I was very busy, but it also provided some good photo opportunities.

Most sports photographers would much rather put up with strong wind and freezing temperatures, than heavy rain. Keeping the cameras dry is difficult without also keeping a laptop dry while you try and send photos pitchside. For the first time ever I retreated to the stands in the second half just to get out of the rain for a while and send photos to the papers.

Phil Brown looks on before the match and before the heavens opened
Phil Brown looks on before the match and before the heavens opened

Southend fans use their mobile phones to light up the pitch as the floodlights
Southend fans use their mobile phones to light up the pitch as the floodlights
fail
A general view of the action as rain pours at Roots Hall
A general view of the action as rain pours at Roots Hall

Ryan Leonard celebrates scoring Southend’s fourth goal
Ryan Leonard celebrates scoring Southend’s fourth goal
A few publications of Barry Corr made the drenching more worthwhile
A few publications of Barry Corr made the drenching more worthwhile

The full set is available to view on the Focus Images website.

My camera bag dried off just in time for a trip up north for Manchester City v West Ham in the Capital One Cup Semi-Final on Wednesday.

As a West Ham fan I was hoping for a decent result but I wasn’t realistically expecting anything other than a Man City win. We were thoroughly outplayed and outfought but a 6-0 loss was still tough to take.

I didn’t get home until 3am and once again I got drenched for the entire match. A decent back page in Thursday’s Daily Express and a couple of other usages were the only silver lining on a very miserable cloud.

Thursday’s Daily Express back page
Thursday’s Daily Express back page
Álvaro Negredo celebrates his second goal with Vincent Kompany
Álvaro Negredo celebrates his second goal with Vincent Kompany
Mark Noble, Negredo and new signing Roger Johnson compete for the ball
Mark Noble, Negredo and new signing Roger Johnson compete for the ball
Dejection from West Ham as City celebrate their fourth
Dejection from West Ham as City celebrate their fourth

Saturday saw me shooting some non-league action at Canvey Island v Wealdstone for the Non-League Paper. I grew up on Canvey and I witnessed some famous wins against Wigan, Northampton and Port Vale in the FA Cup when I was younger. It was also there that I first started taking photos of football so it’s always nice to return, see some familiar faces and take photos in a less pressured environment.

Wealdstone were flying high at the top of the league prior to the match, having lost only one game all season. Canvey had lost their last four, so it made sense to go Wealdstone attack. Of course, Canvey came from behind to win 3-2 with a stoppage time header and I was at the wrong end. It happens but it’s frustrating, especially when on commission and when I nailed both Wealdstone goals at my end!

Tom Pett celebrates after scoring Wealdstone's first goal
Tom Pett celebrates after scoring Wealdstone's first goal
Tom Strickland scores Canvey's second
Tom Strickland scores Canvey's second
Wealdstone’s Michael Malcolm and Canvey’s match winner Nicky Humphrey compete for the ball
Wealdstone’s Michael Malcolm and Canvey’s match winner Nicky Humphrey compete for the ball

The full set can be viewed on the PHC Images website.