IT’S OH SO JOLLY FOR DOLLY BLUES
APRIL 22, 2017 GLOSSOP NORTH END 2 LANCASTER CITY 5 Evo-Stik League, Division One North Attendance: 741
THE day I captured one of the finest days in Lancaster City’s history. With one hand on the title, I simply had to be there to hopefully take in a special moment for the club.
Glossop was the venue for the day. At just over an hour’s drive away I decided to set off early. I’d heard that Lancaster supporters were planning to take a few hundred there so I expected it to be busy.
I’d never been to Surrey Street before so there was always the anticipation of either trying to blag a parking spot in the car park or presenting a smily face as you park up outside a local residents’ house and claiming their spot.
I eventually managed to find a space in a car park, albeit a 15-minute walk away. That might not sound much, but dragging heavy camera gear this far over cobbles, potholes and uneven pavements slabs isn’t fun!
The crowd was healthy early on with supporters enjoying a few beers in the scorching sun. I chatted with a few players and supporters, some a little nervous as they had come so far in the season and really wanted to get it over the line. To note, Glossop were also in contention for a play-off spot. A mouthwatering tie to end the season.
Overlookers
The Dolly Blues started brightly and it wasn’t long before one of their early attacks paid off when local lad Ryan Winder put the away side in front. Cue a nice, early celebration shot, right down the barrel of my lens. If it stays 1-0, then I’m happy with that!
But, eight minutes later, fans’ hero Jordan Connerton makes it 2-0 and another cele comes my way.
Glossop pull a goal back just before the half hour and we’re back on a knife edge. Chatter starts to circulate amongst the City fans behind me that promotion rivals Farsley are 2-0 up. City, though, are unfazed and with 40 minutes on the clockConnerton turns his man and coolly slots home for 3-1.
I start to edit and send some live tweets of the images so far, but just as I’m scrambling around in the blistering heat, City get a fourth to send the away fans delirious and another celebration shot comes my way.
Fans shower goalscorer Craig Carney with beer whilst he runs towards me.
Unfortunately, I wasn’t covering this game for The NLP, but I was capturing this historic day for the club.
Then, eyes focused 50/50 on my laptop and the match – and with short lens in hand – an excellent cross finds its way to Connerton who, in last game before a move to Australia, eases the ball past the keeper for his hat-trick goal, making it 5-1 before half-time.
Cue pandemonium from the fans behind me. Being brought up in Lancaster I know just what this means to those supporters who follow the team home and away.
I try to calm down a little before moving ends during the break. In doing so, I get the usual overlookers who comment on the images as I’m editing. I’ve managed to capture five great celebration shots that wouldn’t look out of place in The NLP.
The second half kicks off and as I expected it was more of a procession. The home side pulled a consolation goal back towards the end of the game, but City were never in doubt of going to be crowned champions. The final whistle was met with scenes of celebration both on and off the pitch. The few hundred travelling Lancaster fans start the pyro party with flares and very loud fireworks!
Guard of honour
“We did it for Marshy” were the chants from the City fans who had piled onto the pitch – ‘Marshy’ being Neil Marshall, a club legend who sadly passed away in November of that season.
With the league trophy handover imminent, From experience, such presentations with crowds on the pitch don’t go particularly well. I spoke with the league representatives and they were adamant that no presentation would take place with the fans on the pitch.
I told them it wasn’t going to happen with this lot and it would be best to try and rope off a section and let them stay on.
Struggling to contain the fans, they proceed in some fashion with Glossop players giving a guard of honour to their visitors. Players took their medals and began to line up.
As ever, with no proper section, you get jostled and moved from what you think is a ‘good’ spot for the trophy lift. Without knowing, captain Ricky Mercer was about to give a fitting tribute to ‘Marshy’. His son Max would lift the trophy and dedicate the title to a man who had a 10-year spell at the club. Max lifted the trophy and I managed to capture an image that contains sheer emotion from everyone in it.
The celebrations continued for a while after with almost all the players – and their families and friends – having a picture with the trophy.
It truly was and still is a momentous day in the club’s history. Those that were there, enjoyed a rollercoaster of emotion and I was just glad to be there to capture it.
#theydiditforMarshy