Still Waters

After heavy rain, reflections in pools of standing water often present good photographic opportunities and so it proved today.

I spotted this pool in an alleyway behind a row of shops. It was just as well I did because further photographic opportunities were few and far between.

I have to confess that I was in a bit of a rush. Stoke City were playing Cardiff City in an FA Cup Third Round Replay. The match was due to end at 4:45 EST, so I figured it would be best to get my photograph for the day taken before the match started.

I struggled to get any Internet coverage at first and when I did, the commentary was in Welsh! I eventually lost that link and couldn't recover it. I was about to give up and do something else but decided to give it one last try and met with success. This new link had a commentary in English but it was about five seconds behind the action on the pitch.

As the game played out, I wish I hadn't bothered. Stoke City were absolutely dire. It was one of their famous performances designed to embarrass their fans, well at least those that have the capacity to think in terms other than what Stoke's coach Tony Pulis tells them.

I began to fear the worst as the game went into extra time but within two minutes of the additional 30 minutes, Stoke scored a cracking goal and then controlled the remainder of the game, adding a second goal 13 minutes later to seal victory. Jon Walters scored both goals.

As the game didn't finish until well after five o'clock, it was just as well I took my photograph when I did.