ron6632 Posted January 2, 2015 Author Share Posted January 2, 2015 May Ryman Div 1 Sth 44 (h) v Whitstable 2-0 Master (33), Baffour (34) It’s a poor first half with very few chances. We take the lead from a throw-in, Master arriving late and scoring from close range, his 1st for the club. Great individual play by Ighorae ends in a cross to the back post which is headed in by Baffour. The two goals are enough to win it and with Epsom drawing, we have a 3 point lead with two games to play. Ryman Div 1 Sth 45 (a) v Tunbridge Wells 6-3 Smith (3), Saunders (24), Ighorae (27, 36), del Alamo (49), Baffour (59) - Beecroft (37), Edmond (42, 58) A win against Tunbridge would win us the league. We have a three point lead and play 2nd pale Epsom in our final game. Tunbridge, however are one of three sides on 46 points, all vying to get clear of the relegation zone. Smith sets us on our way early. Neat play down the left sees Rice put in a cross and he sticks out a foot to guide the ball into the net. Saunders makes it two, volleying in a Noone corner in the 24th minute, his 1st of the season. We get a 3rd on the counter, Master with a nice ball through to Ighorae who finishes in style just 3 minutes later. Ighorae gets his second of the game when a tackle breaks the ball to him in the area, once again finishing with a powerful shot. They pull one back after a neat move, Beecroft finishing well and they pull another one back a few minutes later after more poor defending. We are pushing players forward after the break and we rip Tunbridge apart with a fine sweeping move, del Alamo pouncing on a cut back to fire high into the net. Edmond gets a third for Tonbridge, once again exploiting our inability to tackle. Baffour goes straight up the pitch and scores our 6th from the kick off. There’s no further scoring as we all but secure the title. Epsom win their match meaning that they have an outside chance at the title. To win they will have to beat us by six clear goals to win the title, a swing of 12 goals! Ryman Div 1 Sth 45 (a) v Epsom & Ewell 6-1 Baffour (8), Smith (28), Master (30), Ighorae (42, 65), Noone (74) - Woodward (14) Barring a major disaster the title should be ours, win lose or draw (famous last words)! Our opponents have pushed us all the way and will be looking to at least win their final home game of the season to spoil our party. The early stages are frantic and not very pretty. Baffour gives us the lead after a mistake by their goalkeeper who parries a shot back onto the pitch instead of out of play, meaning that Epsom now have to score seven without reply to win the title. They do level 6 minutes later, my defence at sixes and sevens. Smith gives us the lead again, his shot fumbled into the net by the keeper. Master then makes it three from a knock down after a corner. and Ighorae gets a 4th with a long range piledriver close on half time, his 30th of the season. We kill the game in the 65th minute, Ighorae again latching onto a through ball and thumping it home. Noone makes it 6 with a brilliant strike after a corner isn’t properly cleared, a goal that moves him into second position in the club leading scorers chart. A result I certainly wasn’t even dreaming of, but what a way to finish the season and clinch the title. Month Review Three wins out of three was the most I could ask for this month and the players certainly delivered, both in performances and the title. To beat our closest challengers at their place so convincingly with so much at stake just blew me away. It also raised doubts about my doubts about the teams mental strength. Final Table Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 2, 2015 Author Share Posted January 2, 2015 2016/17 - Season Review We finish the season 7 points and 3 defeats better off than last year, winning the league by 6 points in the end. Over the season we played some great offensive football scoring an incredible 132 goals in the league. We were generous in defence though, shipping 78 goals in the 46 games, around 1.7 goals per game. The league was a tight affair, and there was never really any point at which I felt for certain that we would win. An implosion a la last season seemed more likely. We got our poor form out the way early and this time in retrospect it wasn’t too bad. A run of 9 games without a win wasn’t great, but when only one defeat in the run was a league match we were never really in danger of dropping out of contention. Squad wise I was generally happy with the players, my big concern now going up a division is our tendency to concede lots of very sloppy goals. The defence needs to improve drastically and may mean a change of philosophy in the higher division, borne out by some crazy score lines. 7-4, 7-3, 6-3, a 4-4 draw and five 3-3 draws. We only managed 10 clean sheets all season! The major disappointment was our performance in the cups. I had been hoping to progress in the FA Cup and at least mount a challenge in the League Cup. Crashing out may have helped our title push as we didn’t suffer the added fixture congestion that comes with extended cup runs. Another title and promotion. Roll on next season. Competitions General Players Team of the Year Key players Ellis Wilmot - Another fine season from the 37 year old club captain until he picked up what I think will be a career ending injury. Marshalled the midfield brilliantly and was a real threat from set plays while remaining an automatic pick for the first team. 8 goals and 6 assists isn’t quite as good as last season, but still a great return from the veteran. He has already joined my back room staff as a coach and is well on the way to his B licence qualification Emannuel Ighorae - Last season he had been on the fringes of the 1st team, struggling to hold down a regular place. This season he was superb from the off. A return of 31 goals and 16 assists was fantastic from the 22 year old who has pace and guile. He did have a barren spell late in the season but worked through it. I will be looking to him to lead the line next season Kane Rice - The winger had his best season so far. Can be a little inconsistent, but he was a constant threat with his direct running and crossing. 12 goals and 21 assists, 8 MoM awards and an overall average of 7.37 took him close to the player of the year award. At 27 I should have at least 3 or 4 good seasons left in him as a winger, depending on how well he copes with a higher level. Michael Noone - Once again my vice captain is player of the year. 16 goals and 17 assists from the midfielder how played mostly in the centre this season. Didn’t quite hit the heights of last season, but that was an exceptional performance. An overall average of 7.27 doesn’t really tell the full story. Will take over the captaincy if and when Wilmot retires. Next season will be key for him. Sam Baffour - The 22 year old has been developing superbly and just keeps getting better and better. A return of 17 goals and 19 assists, not to mention 7 MoM awards saw him run Noone close for player of the year. If he carries on as he has done he will be vital for us next season. Sam Smith - the 19 year old striker came to the party late, so to speak. He played a bit part early on, then found himself in a starting position due to others poor form and injuries. He grabbed his chance and just got better as the season progressed. 27 goals, 15 assists an average of 7.43 and 8 MoM awards means he will start next season with Ighorae as my preferred strike partnership Player of the Year - Michael Noone 37% Runner Up - Sam Baffour 26% 3rd - Kane Rice 23% Records Highest Attendance - 509 v Needham Market Average Attendance - 123 Biggest Win - 6-1 v Epsom & Ewell (a) Biggest Defeat - 4-1 v Faversham (a) Top Scorer - Emmanuel Ighorae 31 Most Assists - Kane Rice 21 Total League Appearances - Chris Robinson 132 Total League Goals - Craig Hughes 53 Players In Players out Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted January 2, 2015 Share Posted January 2, 2015 Great finish to seal it after a worryingly stumbly April. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 2, 2015 Author Share Posted January 2, 2015 2017/18 - Season Preview Progress League | FA Cup | FA Vase | FA Trophy | Isthmian League Cup | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2014/15 Cherry Red Prem 1st (P) | Preliminary Round | 2nd Qualifying Round | N/A | N/A |2015/16 Ryman D1 Sth 3rd | 3rd Qualifying Round | N/A | 1st Qualifying Round | 3rd Round |2016/17 Ryman D1 Sth 1st (P) | 2nd Qualifying Round | N/A | Preliminary Round | 4th Round | I’m keeping face with most of the players from last season, although there has been one or two changes during the close season. By the end of pre-season we should have our new pitch laid and an upgrade to our youth facilities is well under way. We keep pretty much the same squad as last season, but I am trying to strengthen the centre of defence as a priority. A number of youngsters, and squad players head out on loan during the close season. In other news I manage to persuade the board to press ahead with the purchase of our stadium. I don’t know if it will be successful, but it could be a major landmark for the club. Friendlies Transfers Apart from a Stockport loanee, who I feel obliged to take, just because I can (he will be a useful backup) I only make one other signing. He is a marquee signing as well and looks to be a level above what we have. A natural defensive midfielder he can also play in midfield or defence. It’s most likely he will play at the back for me. Ellis Wilmot lets his contract run out, despite me trying to persuade him otherwise, and leaves the club, leaving us without a captain and a very useful coach. I try to offer him a contract, but he has gone in the huff and now hates the club!? The other player to leave is DC Tom Devaux who had fallen out the first team reckoning. His contract ran out and we parted ways as his performances had been lacklustre. 1st Team Squad Ticket Price £11 Season Ticket Price £179 Season Ticket Holders 32 Board Expectations Ryman League Premier - Respectable Position FA Cup - 2nd Qualifying Rnd FA Trophy - 2nd Qualifying Rnd Isthmian League Cup - 4th Rnd Media Prediction 11th Crash dump as I go to start the first game of the season. Fortunately the last save was in pre-season. Will try to recreate the above, but the friendly results will be different, and players out. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 5, 2015 Author Share Posted January 5, 2015 Season 2017/18 August Ryman Premier Division 1 (h) v Cambridge City 4-0 Ighorae (4), Noone (pen 10, 51), Thompson (73) It’s the perfect start to the new season after only 3 minutes. Ighorae hits the post and the rebound is cleared for a corner. Noone’s corner is half cleared to Ighorae at the edge of the box and he makes no mistake firing high into the net. Just 3 minutes later Smith is fouled as he runs into the area and we have a penalty. Noone makes no mistake from the spot. We get a goal out of nothing, Master laying the ball off to Noone who just hits it, the strength of the shot taking the ball through the goalkeeper. His 50th league goal in his career. We get a 4th, this time another poor clearance from a corner finding Ighorae again, his shot hits the post and Thompson is on hand to tap home, breaking his run of games without a goal. Ryman Premier Division 2 (a) v Histon 1-0 Baffour (81) The first half is an abject non-event. The 2nd half isn’t much better although we do manage to win a few corners here and there. The opening goal finally arrives in the 81st minute, Master intercepting in midfield and playing the ball forward to Ighorae. He spreads play right to a wide open Baffour, and his cross come shot beats the keeper and ends up in the net via the post. Hardly convincing, but another win and clean sheet. Ryman Premier Division 3 (h) v Dulwich Hamlet 0-0 A combination of good goalkeeping and poor finishing meant the 1st half ended level, despite our domination. The 2nd half is more of the same with neither side even looking like scoring. A point and another clean sheet - the first time I can remember three clean sheets in a row! Ryman Premier Division 4 (h) v Tooting & Mitcham 3-0 Thompson (34), Rice (35), Ighorae (67) The early part of the game is all Ashford, but we just can’t get the final ball right. Tooting look dangerous on the break, but rarely threaten. Thompson gets the opening goal in 34 minutes, latching on to a cute through ball after a long period of possession. They gift us possession from the kick off and we work the ball forward, Baffour eventually chasing down a Noone through ball. It looks a lost cause, but he gets there, crosses and Rice has the simple task of tapping the ball into an empty net at the back post from about a yard out. Our third is a wonderful move that started with the goalkeeper and 8 passes later finished with Ighorae firing high into the net, his 50th for the club. Another good win and a 4th clean sheet in a row. League Table Month Review I really couldn’t have asked for a better start with 3 wins out of 4 and no goals conceded. To be sitting 2nd in the table is a huge early bonus. We are playing some lovely football at times as well. I’ll enjoy it while it lasts! It was good to see Thompson back on the score sheet after his long drought, and hopefully he can kick on for a good season. My only concern is a little lack of depth in central midfield. Only time will tell if my current crop can step up to the mark. Player of the Month Sam Baffour - Sam has had a good start to the season, a constant menace down the right. 2 assists and a goal are a good return from him, he has been equally comfortable crossing or cutting inside. He does have a tendency to be caught in possession though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 6, 2015 Author Share Posted January 6, 2015 September Ryman Premier Division 5 (a) v Hampton & Richmond 3-1 Thompson (16), Noone (pen 52), Smith (90+1) - Shonk (44) Although it is still early days, we visit a side sitting in the relegation zone in 22nd place. We open the scoring with a slick one touch move from a throw in, Thompson the scorer after 16 minutes in what had been a fairly even game. Ighorae should have scored at least another 2 goals, hitting the woodwork twice and blasting over easy chances. They level just before half time, a shot hitting our post and being pounced on by Shonk. The opposition come out fired up for the second half and we struggle to cope with them. On a rare counter attack though, we are awarded a penalty, McCabe brought down in the box. Noone duly converts to restore our lead. The game degenerates into a competition to see who can kick each other the hardest, meaty tackles flying in all over the place. A moment of quality seals the win for us in injury time, a delightful through ball from Ighorae picked up by Smith, who has all the time in the world to lift the ball beyond the keeper for his 1st goal of the season. A hard fought victory. FA Cup 1st Qualifying Round Draw Reading win the replay leaving us with a home tie against them. Record Goalscorer Craig Hughes Leaves We say goodbye to the player who is our current to scorer with 61 career goals for the club. Hughes didn’t start many games last season as he never really found the form that saw him score 31 league goals in his debut season for us. I genuinely hope he finds his goalscoring touch again with Crawley Down, but it was the right time for him to move on. With Hughes leaving I managed to bring in another striker, young Irishman Ronan Coughlan. He looks a little better than what we have already! It’s likely he’ll make debut against Concord Rangers. Ryman Premier Division 6 (a) v Concord Rangers 6-2 Thompson (15), Ighorae (28), Noone (55), Coughlan (80, 86), Saunders (90+1) - Prior (73), Marriott (76) Rangers have had a poor start to the season and lie in 22nd. It’s a scrappy game, neither side able to control possession. Thompson heads us in front from a corner, latching onto Saunders flick on. The game then degenerates into a scrappy mess before Ighorae shows real quality, picking up a loose ball and curling a low shot into the net from outside the area. The goal moves him up to 3rd in our all time scoring chart. Rangers come out fighting in the 2nd half, but I make some changes and they immediately pay off, Noone getting the final touch after a scramble in the box for his 50th league goal. Rangers go on to have a good spell of pressure and deservedly get one back with a fine effort from outside the area and poach a second just 2 minutes later. I start to worry, but we are persistent and Baffour finds Coughlan, on as a sub, and he gets a debut goal from 5 yards out. He doubles his tally 5 minutes later, picking up a Rice pass 25 yards out, taking a touch then firing a low hard shot into the bottom corner. Brilliant strike. Defender Saunders makes it 6 in injury time, heading home a Noone corner. The result is very flattering, but of great concern was our defensive frailty re-appearing after I moved Dobson into midfield. He needs to stay in defence! FA Cup 1st Qual Rnd (h) v Reading Town 3-2 Noone (33), Smith (52), Ighorae (86) - Kinnear (5), Gill (57) Reading are currently two levels below us. On paper this should be a routine win, but we do have history in games that we are favourites for. Reading take an early lead, a free kick hitting the bar and Kinnear the quickest to the rebound. We are wuite simply terrible for most of the first half, gifting possession away far too often. We equalise out of nothing, a long ball over the top finds Coughlan who’s eventual shot is saved, but Noone is there with a calm finish on the rebound, his 5th of the season. A defensive error from Reading early in the second half lets Smith nick in to steal the ball and chip it past the keeper as we begin to get a grip on the match. It’s Readings turn for a lucky equaliser, Gill sticking out a boot at a through ball and deflecting it into the net. Coughlan squanders several gilt edged chances, and with 10 minutes left he is replaced by Ighorae. A Noone corner is played to del Alamo outside the box who tees up Ighorae for a powerful shot that flies into the net. The win is deserved, but unconvincing in front of a bumper 646 crowd. Cup Draw Ryman Premier Division 7 (a) v Whitehawk 0-3 McDonald (10, 12, 27) We dominate the early stages of the match, but Whitehawk score first on the counter after Noone is robbed of possession, then a few minutes later we are caught out by a simple lob forward to somehow find ourselves 2-0 down. We continue to dominate, then switch off, allowing McDonald to complete his hat trick in 27 minutes. The result flattered Whitehawk, although we only had ourselves to blame through slack defending and poor finishing on our 1st defeat of the season. Ryman Premier Division 8 (h) v Cheshunt 4-2 Ighorae (37), Gutteridge (o.g. 43), Hogan (59), Master (86) - Owusu (66), Brown (88) Our previous defeat sees us drop to 4th and we welcome 5th place Cheshunt in what is a significant early match for us. Once again we dominate possession but find Chushunt a difficult nut to crack, most of our efforts on goal coming from set pieces. When the goal comes it is pure route one, Dobson launching an up and under that Ighorae allows to drop over his shoulder before volleying it in. An impressive 5th of the season for him. There is a touch of fortune about our second, a Robinson cross is met by Thompson and his shot is parried, only to hit a defender and rebound in. Hogan gets a 3rd after a scramble in the box, tapping home from 6 yards, his 1st goal for the club. Mann makes a dreadful mistake to allow Owusu to pull one back and make it a nervous half hour. We weather the storm well and Master seals the points, turning in a low Noone cross as we keep the pressure on from a corner. His 1st of the season. Cheshunt do get a second, though, Brown heading in a corner with 2 minutes left. FA Cup 2nd Qual Rnd (a) v Weston Super Mare 3-1 Hogan (9), Ighorae (67), Noone (85) - Ward-Baptiste (30) Weston have a better pedigree than us, having played a significant spell in the Conference Regional League. They have however, recently been relegated to our level. A tricky tie. We start well and Noone should have had us in front, instead firing his shot straight at the keeper. A few minutes later we are ahead, Noone’s free kick hitting the bar and the rebound prodded home by Hogan, his 2nd goal in 2 games. We switch off on the half hour mark allowing Ward-Baptiste an easy finish against the run of play. The game could go either way and we have two goals chopped off, one incorrectly, for offside. Ighorae does give us the lead midway through the 2nd half, picking up Coughlan’s through ball, his low strike to the bottom corner finding the net. Noone finishes the game off with 5 minutes left with a superb free kick. The scoreline is a little flattering, but it sees us through to the next round. League Table Month Review Another excellent month with just the blip against Whitehawk going against us. We didn’t deserve to lose 3-0, and possibly could have had something out the game, but that has been tempered by several battling performances, both in the league and the FA Cup. We are now only 2 games away from the 1st round proper! Ighorae is still in good form for us also, but we do seem to be struggling a little creatively, relying more on set pieces for our goals. Player of the Month Michael Noone - The captain has been superb, scoring 4 and creating 4. Always a threat from a set piece he has been involved in most of the moves that have resulted in goals. Remains a big player for us. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 October FA Cup Draw We met Chelmsford two seasons ago at their stadium losing 4-2. This is our chance for a bit of revenge over the Conference South side. Ryman Premier Division 9 (h) v Burgess Hill 2-3 Smith (72), Ighorae (83) - Batten (6), Rendell (40, 64) The visitors sit in 22nd in the league, and in our two meetings so far lost at our ground. It’s all Ashford early on only for us to fall behind to another free kick that hits the bar and they score the rebound. Dobson is culpable on half time with a short back pass leaving us with a mountain to climb. They get a 3rd when Mann clears the b all against the attacker and the ball trundles into an empty net. Smith and Ighoare give us hope, before Smith misses a sitter in injury time. 3 stupid goals conceded in a game we should have comfortably won. Ryman Premier Division 10 (a) v Harrow 3-1 Thompson (23), Noone (pen 27), McCabe (44) - Davisson (52) We visit the leaders in a match that is 1st against 3rd. We have great success hitting on the counter, creating a number of chances. Thompson finally scores one, latching onto a McCabe pass and firing high into the net from point lank range. His 5th of the season. Baffour is then fouled in the box and Noone cooley tucks away the resulting penalty. A Robinson cross then somehow finds its way to the back post, where McCabe is waiting to score his first goal of the season. They pull one back from a corner after half time. There’s no further scoring meaning we come away with an incredible victory. Ryman Premier Division 11 (a) v Lewes 1-2 McCabe (34) - Fallon (78), Bryant (86) It’s a trip to the South Coast to face 11th place Lewes. We are on top from the start, creating some good chances with the goalkeeper producing a couple of incredible saves. We take the lead from a corner, McCabe turning in Hogan’s flick on in the 34th minute. We have chances to put the game well beyond Lewes but squander them, and pay the prices conceding two late goals to undeservedly lose the match. FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round (h) v Chelmsford 3-0 Girdlestone (8), Smith (45+3), Hogan (65) We start the game superbly, Chelmsford struggling to retain the ball. We take a deserved 8th minute lead when Baffour’s low cutback hits a defender and is bundled over the line. We lose McCabe and Slater to injuries in the first half, forcing me into two changes at the back. We do get a second in first half injury time, Smith reacting quickest to prod the ball home after a stramash in the box. Hogan looks to have sealed it, heading in Noone’s corner in the 65th minute to give us a three goal advantage. We could have added to the score line by the end, a comfortable victory in front of 885 people that sees us through to the 4th qualifying round. Cup Draws We lost to Goole at home in the FA Trophy last season. While it’s an easier tie than we could have drawn, we will still have to produce a good performance to reach the 1st round proper. Diss are the opponents for the league cup. We last played them in the FA Cup two seasons ago, needing a replay to beat them. Ryman Premier Division 12 (a) v Needham Market 4-2 Smith (27), Slater (48), Dobson (71), Coughlan (73) - Williams (34), Eagle (40) Our only meeting so far, in the FA Cup last season, ended with victory for Needham. We are in 3rd and Needham 5th. The opposition quickly have us on the back foot and look by far the better side. Gradually we come into the game, even after losing Master to injury, then take the lead in the 27th minute. A sweeping move through the centre of the pitch sees del Alamo play in Smith who has the presence of mind to slide for the ball and direct it into the net. We survive several close shaves then finally concede when Williams gets free in the area to head past Mann. Eagle then gives them the lead with a shot from outside the area before del Alamo goes off injured and I am forced to change formation, now a 3-4-3. We come out a determined side and immediately level, Noone’s free kick hitting the bar and Slater knocking home the rebound. His 1st of the season. We take a deserved lead from another corner, a bout of head tennis resulting in the ball crossing the line, the final touch from Dobson. His 1st of the season. Coughlan adds to the scoreline only 2 minutes later, a long ball into the box runs free and he is on hand to slam the ball home. A big relief for him after a mini goal drought. A great comeback and a deserved win. Ryman Premier Division 13 (h) v Tonbridge 2-1 Noone (pen 15), Ighorae (31) - Griffin (90+3) We are well on top from the start and force a series of corners, eventually resulting in Coughlan being fouled in the area. Noone takes it and strikes high into the top left hand corner. Ighorae gets the second, again after a corner, a long ball from Master deceives the defence and Ighorae is on hand to score. The two goals are enough to seal the victory, although Tonbridge do score a screamer deep into 2nd half injury time to ruin our clean sheet. The win puts us top. FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round (a) v Goole 4-4 Ighorae (31, 44, 61), Noone (pen 51) - McGurk (33), Vernon (66), Daniel (82, 89) Goole have most of the chances, aided by a ref that seems to think that only one side should be allowed to tackle. Ighorae gives us the lead against the run of play. Mann kicks the ball upfield, he gathers and produces a neat finish. We only hold the lead for 2 minutes as Goole go upfield and level from the kick off. Ighorae puts us ahead again, getting a lucky break when Baffour’s shot is parried onto his head for an easy finish. His 10th of the season. Baffour is brought down in the box early in the 2nd half, and Noone sends the keeper the wrong way. We hit them on the counter and Baffour crosses for Ighorae to volley home his hat trick. They pull one back 5 minutes later, Vernon unmarked in the box given an easy finish. We implode and concede 2 goals in the last 5 minutes as Goole force a erplay, and I am furious with the side for losing a 3 goal lead and the fact we had one foot in the first round. FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round Replay (h) v Goole 0-3 Vernon (29), McGurk (48, 75) It’s an even first half played in a gale. Vernon scores against the run of play to give Goole the lead. McGurk then gets a goal from a poorly defended throw in right after half time. They get a 3rd from a set piece midway through the second half to kill off any hope of a comeback. A very flattering and fortunate result for Goole. League Table Month Review A mixed month that started and finished with defeat. Some mixed performances have cost us and a number of injuries has left us with the bare bones of a squad. I’m bitterly disappointed to go out the FA Cup, squandering a 3 goal lead against Goole. We are still sitting 2nd in the league, though and at this level, anything can happen. Player of the Month Matt Mann - Our goalkeeper has been getting better and better recently, performing (mostly) superbly. Sound handling and excellent in 1v1’s he has been a major influence in our league position. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Looking good for a third promotion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 8, 2015 Author Share Posted January 8, 2015 Looking good for a third promotion. You're a bit more optimistic than I am My gut feeling is we will fall away - definitely need a good central midfielder added to the squad. Wilmot leaving, despite his age, was a huge loss. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted January 8, 2015 Share Posted January 8, 2015 Doing very well Ron. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 9, 2015 Author Share Posted January 9, 2015 November FA Trophy 1st Qualifying Round (h) v Padiham 1-4 Coughlan (18) - Howe (15), Otim (56), Mensing (77), Coughlan (o.g. 90+2) Padiham play in the same league as Goole and sit top of their table. This isn’t any easy tie by any stretch of the imagination. We fall behind to the ubiquitous freekick/rebound/goal routine after 15 minutes, but level within 3, Coughlan turning in Rice’s low cross. Master gives the ball away early in the second half and we soon find ourselves a goal down again on the counter. They get a 3rd from a corner then Coughlan manages to score an own goal to round off a miserable day. Ryman Premier Division 14 (a) v Bognor Regis 2-0 Saunders (56), Noone (72) Back to league business after three pretty disastrous cup matches. Bognor are mid table. The first half is a procession towards the Bognor goal, and the amazing thing is that we don’t manage to score, wasting at least 4 golden opportunities. The goal finally comes from Saunders in the 56th minute, the defender turning in a Noone corner. It’s Noone who gives us breathing space, scoring a free kick in the 72nd minute, a goal that puts him joint top of our all time scorers chart. A comprehensive victory that was 2-0 going on 10-0! Isthmian League Cup 2nd Rnd (a) v Diss 3-1 Coughlan (40), Ighorae (62), del Alamo (85) - Ogilvie (82) It’s back to cup business and we play a Diss side a level below us. We are perhaps the better side, and certainly have the better chances. A defensive lapse allows Coughlan to score from close range close to half time, only his 5th of the season. Ighorae doubles our advantage, thundering in a foley after a corner is headed straight to him. They pull one back out of nothing late on to make it a nervous finish. We do make the tie safe though, Baffour set free on the right and his cross turned in by an unmarked del Alamo, his 1st of the season. A solid win Ryman Premier Division 15 (h) v Epsom & Ewell 3-4 Baffour (6), Smith (78), Thompson (84) - Tarbuck (21, 33), Modest (69), Atkinson (76) Epsom have followed us up the leagues from the Cherry Red Premier after gaining a sugar daddy. This will be the 5th meeting between the sides. We’ve won the last three, scoring 16 in the process. We have a great start, if a little lucky. Rice, returning to the side after injury, puts in a deep cross which looks to be curling out of play, only to hit the post and rebound onto the onrushing Baffour and in. They level after Tarbuck gets free in the box, against the run of play and he gets a second from a free kick. We miss chance after chance then concede a third after the defence leaves a ball running free for an easy finish by Modest. They get an undeserved 4th, before Smith finally scores a goal at the second attempt to make it 4-2. We still create chances and Thompson gets another with just over 5 to go as we ramp up the pressure. We can’t find the leveller in a game in which we have 24 attempts on goal and 8 clear chances. Ryman Premier Division 16 (h) v Slough 1-2 Coughlan (84) - Stokes (17, 52) We fall behind to a through ball that isn’t dealt with at all by my defence. We push for the leveller but fall further behind at the start of the second half. Coughlan pulls one back from a corner with 6 minutes left to give us hope then Ighorae hits the bar when it was easier to score. A fourth consecutive home defeat. Ryman Premier Division 17 (a) v Billericay 3-1 Smith (45, 72), Pollard (63) - French (12) I make pretty drastic changes to the midfield for this game due to injury and under performance. We start well enough, but once again fall behind against the run of play after 12 minutes. We get a deserved leveller just before the break. A fine move sets McCabe free down the left and his cross is powered in by Smith. Pollard then volleys in his first senior goal, a great passing move ends with McCabe chasing a lost cause and his cross is brilliantly finished by the youngster. Pollard then sets up Smith in the box for number three with 20 minutes left. A fine win to end our run of poor results. League Table Month Review In terms of our recent history a poor, poor month. We have started shipping goals for fun and several key players just aren’t performing. We still, somehow, end the month top of the table. The bright spot was the performance against Billericay, especially from a couple of young player brought in to shake things up. Also, young winger Matty McCabe looks to be developing into a fine player, if he can just stop getting injured every second match! Home form is a concern having lost four there on the bounce, Hopefully December can bring some festive cheer. Player of the Month Micheal Noone - The pick of a poor bunch. One goal and one assist plus some consistent performances put him ahead of the rest of the pack. Playing a real captains role at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 10, 2015 Author Share Posted January 10, 2015 December News from the Boardroom Ryman Premier Division 18 (a) v Met Police 4-0 Smith (19, 37), Pollard (55), Noone (72) The game is all Ashford, and it’s no surprise when Smith fires us into the lead in the 19th minute as we keep the pressure on after a corner. A second corner gives us a second, Slater’s shot hitting the man on the post then falling at the feet of Smith who couldn’t miss. Pollard gets his second in as many games, Ighorae running onto a long through ball, and his low cross laying it on a plate for the youngster. Noone makes it 4 working a lovely give and go with Smith for a simple finish. That goal also makes him our all time top scorer, overtaking Craig Hughes 61 goals for the club. His 54 league goals is also a new record. A comfortable win and a vital clean sheet. New Signing Stats Isthmain League Cup 3rd Round (a) v Kingstonian 3-1 Smith (35, 45, 54) - Page (17) The game is postponed twice meaning two of my league matches have to be rearranged. I can look forward to some nice fixture congestion in the new year! We visit the league leaders on cup duty. From the start we struggle, Duffy getting a roasting down our left. They take the lead from a corner, Page allowed a free header. We level it on the counter, Pollard’s cross headed down by Ighorae and Smith is on hand to bundle the ball home. We take the lead on half time, a simple long ball chased by Ighorae, who squares it for Smith. His shot from 25 yards beats the keeper and flies into the net. He goes on to get a hat trick, we keep the ball after a poor corner and a Dobson chipped pass is flicked on by Ighorae, anticipated brilliantly by Smith who prods the ball past the advancing keeper. I shut up shop and Kingstonian run out of ideas to give us a huge victory and put us in the 4th round. Cup Draw Ryman Premier Division 19 (h) v Bury Town 4-3 Ighorae (41, 58, 64), Slater (90+2) - Rowan (31, 33), Barrow (71) Bury are in 6th place as we look to turn round our recent miserable home form. Its a drab midfield affair with neither side dominating, although just as we are beginning to get a grip of the game they score from a poorly defended throw in then pass the ball through our static defence from the kick off for an immediate second. I make some changes, including bringing new signing Saraiva on and we get a well worked goal, Ighorae finally getting the goal he has been needing for 5 or so matches. We pile on the pressure 2nd half, and finally get the leveller, Pollard cross for an unmarked Ighoare to head home. He completes his hat trick with an outstanding turn and shot from outside the area, his 15th of the season. We then lose Dobson to a second yellow meaning we have to play 25 minutes with 10 men. We then gift them a goal as four of my players attempt a clearance, Slater hitting his off an attacker and into the net. Slater makes amends in injury time, heading a Noone corner into the net to seal a last ditch win. A result that could be huge at the end of the season. Ighoraes hat trick also takes him to the top of our goalscoring chart with 63 goals for the club. Ryman Premier Division 20 (a) v Kirkley & Pakefield 1-1 Baffour (72) - Sherbourne (57) Kirkley were one of the teams promoted with us last season from our sister league in the North. The game itself is a bit of a non-event with both sides evenly matched. They take the lead from a free kick midway through the second half, and we level after a decent move in which Baffour places a sweet strike into the bottom corner. A fair result in the end. Ryman Premier Division 21 (h) v Heybrige 3-2 Ighorae (5, 76), Smith (29) - Poole (44), Laird (75) The visitors are in 15th for this boxing day fixture. It takes us 5 minutes to get in front, and it is a piece of individual brilliance from Ighorae. Smith feeds him the ball with his back to goal, he rides a tackle, turns, then dispatches an unstoppable shot past the keeper. We get a second on the half hour, Saraiva with a superb through ball for Smith who takes his time and picks his spot. A free kick from Poole somehow ends up in the back of the net just before half time to allow Heybridge back into the match. We switch off again from another throw-in which leads to an equaliser, but we go up the field from the kick off and score, Ighorae getting his second of the game on the turn. We should have added another goal to the tally, but we can’t find it and hold on to a very much deserved win. Ryman Premier Division 22 (a) v Cambridge City 1-2 Coughlan (85) - Foster (66), King (75) It’s a poor first half from both sides, although we edge it. Cambridge are better in the second and poor defending first from a throw in, then from a corner gifts them a two goal lead. A mistake from the Cambridge goalkeeper allows Coughlan to pull a late goal back, but it is too little too late to avoid a deserved defeat. A very poor performance to end the year against a side that we really should be beating. League Table Month Review It’s been a great month for us as we manage to find some form and performances as well. The highlight has to be the Isthmain Cup victory over Kingstonian. The only black spot was our defeat to Cambridge - a few too many players thinking about their New Year Parties! Player of the Month Emmanuel Ighorae - The striker has had a barren spell recently, but has suddenly found a bit of form. He’s a big unit and dangerous in the air and the ground having scored several outstanding goals with his feet and head. Can still improve though, but he has been a standout this month. 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ron6632 Posted January 11, 2015 Author Share Posted January 11, 2015 January Ryman Premier Division 23 (h) v Histon 5-2 Coughlan (5, 27, 57, 80), Noone (20) - Taylor (55), Stokes (74) Histon are struggling in 21st place. We get an early breakthrough, Duffy’s long ball finding Ighorae who beats the offside trap, feeds Coughlan who finds the net with a neat finish. Noone makes it 2 from a throw in, Duffy’s header at goal mistimed, picked up by Coughlan who lays off to Noone who has an empty net to pass the ball into, the Histon keeper posted AWOL. A disastrous back header leaves Coughlan one on one with the keeper in the 27th minute and he finds the net for our third. Taylor pulls one back early in the second half, volleying home from close range. Coughlan restores our three goal lead shortly after. A corner isn’t cleared properly and Noone’s cross into the box somehow finds Coughlan four yards out for an easy finish. His hat trick and 10th goal of the season. Histon get a well worked, but undeserved second before Coughlan adds his fourth of the game, volleying home a Noone free kick. An excellent performance and result. Ryman Premier Division 24 (h) v Hampton & Richmond 4-2 Rice (30), Ighorae (45), Saraiva (51), Thompson (pen 71) - Shonk (53), Odubade (82) We visit a side that is holding a lower mid-table position. We beat them away earlier in the season so I am looking for another home win here. We are on top from the start and fashion a few good chances that are squandered. Eventually Pollard is felled in the area but Noone hits it straight down the middle making it easy for the keeper. It’s not long before we are in front, Noone’s corner volleyed by Coughlan, saved then turned in by Rice from a tight angle. Ighore taps in a second from a well worked free kick routine, Rice providing the final cross ball right on half time. New boy Saraiva gets his first goal for the club, hitting a shot first time from the edge of the area after Noone’s run was ended by a slide tackle. They pull one back as we seem to tackle thin air, Shonk with a good finish. We’re awarded a second penalty when Baffour is brought down in the box, and with Noone off the pitch, Thompson steps up to place the ball in the bottom corner. Hampton get a second as our defence parts like the red sea with 10 minutes left and that’s the way the game finishes. Isthmain Cup 4th Rnd (a) v Hendon 3-0 Ighorae (38), Baffour (48, 75) This is the first meeting between the two sides. On paper we should win, Hendon occupying 16th place in the league below us. The match is a poor spectacle and our opening goal is a reflection on that. A poor back header is picked up by Coughlan who squares for Ighorae to thunder the ball into the net just before half time. Baffour gets a fortunate second, his shot trundling thorough the goalkeeper after some pinball in the Hendon box. Baffour gets the third after a lovely passing move finds him in space for him to slam the ball home. His 5th of the season. A fine performance that sees us progress to the quarter finals. Cup Draw Ryman Premier Division 25 (h) v Concord Rangers 4-1 Coughlan (13, 54), Baffour (22), Saraiva (48) - Prior (48) The opposition are bottom of the league. Our last meeting was a 6-2 victory for us. We dominate from the off and take the lead in the 13th minute with a super team goal. Ighorae feeds Rice, whose cross is headed in by Coughlan. Baffour then heads in our second from a Noone corner 10 minutes later. Saraiva then makes it three with a pot shot from 25 yards out, a quite outstanding strike. They pull one back from the kick off, an undeserved goal. Coughlan restores the 3 goal lead, pouncing on a rebound after Noone’s free kick. Ryman Premier Division 26 (a) v Tooting & Mitcham 0-0 We hammer Tooting from the off but just can’t find that opening goal, the woodwork and goalkeeper combining to foil our attempts. The second half is a bit of a damp squib with neither side really creating decent chances, although Rice does manage to hit the woodwork. One of those games that we should have won comfortably. League Table Month Review Almost the perfect month, just the blip against Tooting, but even then that was down to a combination of woodwork and a fantastic goalkeeping display. Progress in the cup as well, putting us in the Quarterfinal against Histon whom we have beaten twice already this season. Despite our good form we lie in second, Kingstonian sitting top with a 5 point lead. There’s only 10 points separating the top 5 teams, so the title race could be an interesting one. Significantly we have yet to play the leaders in the league. Player of the Month Ronan Coughlan - The striker is suddenly now showing what he is capable of. Given a starting berth due to the injury to Sam Smith he has taken his chance with both hands. 6 goals and 4 assists has been a great return from him. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 12, 2015 Author Share Posted January 12, 2015 February Ryman Premier Division 27 (a) v Burgess Hill 2-3 Coughlan (66), Saraiva (90+1) - Harvey (38), Buckley (69), Rendell (80) The opposition sit in 20th place, on paper a tie we should win, but our previous meeting ended in defeat. We are poor in the first half and Burgess take a deserved lead, a through ball catching the defence flat footed. We throw the kitchen sink at them in the second half, although we don’t really look like scoring, until a neat through ball finds Coughlan who levels. We switch off from a throw in and allow Buckley a free shot from the edge of the area to undo all our hard work. We lose a third from a corner to seal the result. Saraiva pulls one back in injury time, but it’s too little too late for us in a second half which we dominated. The result leaves us well adrift of the leaders (11 points), although we do have 2 games in hand. Ryman Premier Division 28 (h) v Kingstonian 3-1 Coughlan (3), Ighorae (39), Smith (87) - Thompson (84) We start on the front foot and by the time we take the lead in the 3rd minute, we could have been 3-0 to the good. Coughlan picks up an Ighorae through ball and finishes well. We get a deserved second, Ighorae heading in a Robinson cross from point blank range, his 20th of the season. They get one back on the counter, a lucky goal as we had several opportunities to clear. Smith seals it from an indirect free kick, heading in Ighoare’s flick on from close range. A huge win that puts us back in the title race. 8 points behind with 2 games in hand. Ryman Premier Division 29 (h) v Whitehawk 1-2 Saraiva (7) - Jacobs (25), Tillen (90+6) It’s a good start for us, Saraiva with a brilliant header into the top corner from Robinson’s cross. They level in the 25th minute against the run of play, Jacobs outmuscling Dobson to head home. We squander chance after chance in the second half, only to concede in the 6th minute of stoppage time from a corner. Gutting. Isthmain Cup Q/F (h) v Histon 4-3 Smith (3), Pollard (8), Rice (57), Dobson (73) - Freeman (16), Taylor (45), Talbot (47) Smith is gifted a goal in the 3rd minute, a defender playing the ball across the face of goal straight to him for an easy finish. Pollard then gets a lucky goal 5 minutes later, the ball hitting him from a corner and deflecting in. Histon pull themselves back into the game, Freeman pouncing on a mistake by Slater. They level right on half time from a corner. Histon take the lead after the break as the defence switches off to complete their comeback. Rice volleys in a Pollard cross at the back post to put us back in the game then Dobson turns in a Noone corner to restore our lead. We hold on to win, but the players get a roasting at full-time for letting a 2 goal lead slip. Cup Draw Ryman Premier Division 30 (a) v Cheshunt 3-0 Coughlan (41), Noone (pen 70), Smith (73) We visit a side in 6th looking to push into the playoffs. It’s a scrappy first half, neither side creating any real openings, although we do have the bulk of possession. The goal comes 5 minutes before the break, a super ball out to the wing by Noone finds Pollard with time and space to cross onto Coughlan’s header from 6 yards out. We keep the pressure on second half and Coughlan is brought down in the box when clean through. A penalty and sending off. Noone steps up and thumps it into the top corner. Smith gets a quick third, Pollard collecting the ball on the right and running towards goal then teeing up Smith for an easy finish. A super result and performance to bounce back from our distinctly average recent form. Ryman Premier Division 31 (h) v Harrow 3-1 Noone (19), Coughlan (25), Ighorae (81) - Dennis (65) The visitors currently occupy the last playoff spot. We beat them at their place in the first match so they will be looking for revenge. It’s an even start with us possibly just edging it. Smith misses a one on one before Noone fires us into the lead in spectacular fashion, his 25 yard shot beating the keeper and going in off the underside of the bar. Coughlan makes it 2 after some neat passing play unlocks the Harrow defence at the edge of the box. Saraiva plays in Coughlan who turns off the shoulder of the defender and dispatches the ball high into the net. We squander chance after chance and it looks like we could end up paying for it when Dennis sneaks away from his marker to head in from close range. We do restore our lead, though, Coughlan feeding an unmarked Ighoare who thunders the ball in off the post. Another fine victory against a potential playoff rival. Ryman Premier Division 32 (a) v Dulwich Hamlet 1-2 Noone (33) - Thompson (9), Blake (72) This is one of our games in hand meaning it is vitally important to get the win if we are to put pressure on Kingstonian. Our last meeting ended 0-0. Despite our early pressure Dulwich take the lead on the counter after we give the ball away, Thompson scoring at the back post. We squander chance after chance, Baffour on particular culpable. He does create the leveller though, after a well worked throw in his cut back finds Noone who is unmarked near the edge of the area and his shot is too powerful for the keeper. They take the lead again on the counter after we give the ball away from a corner. Only their second attempt on goal. We lose a game we should have won twice over and it is a result that virtually hands the title to Kingstonian unless they have a major collapse. League Table Month Review A very mixed month indeed. 3 wins and 3 defeats in the league has me wondering about our mental strength again. Losing late goals and goals against the run of play seem to be a habit. We have dropped at least 4 points over the month due to our own stupidity, 4 points that would have meant a serious title push, but I feel we have too much to do now with an eight point gap. We are in a semi-final of the Isthmain League Cup, and having beaten Harrow twice there is a good chance we can make the final. March is going to be massive. Player of the Month Ronan Coughlin - The striker has been superb this month, creating and scoring goals. 4 goals and 3 assists amongst some superb performances. A real standout. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 13, 2015 Author Share Posted January 13, 2015 March Ryman Premier Division 33 (h) v Lewes 3-0 del Alamo (74, 85), Noone (pen 90) The game is a poor one and as it wears on it looks like both sides could play all day without scoring. del Alamo comes on and he takes a pot shot from 30 yards out, beats the keeper and in off the bar for a quite superb strike (the one moment of quality in the game). Only his 2nd of the season. He makes it a double after we steal the ball in midfield, a lightning counter attack sees him played in by Smith and gleefully slam the ball home unmarked from 10 yards out. We’re given a very soft penalty in the last minute which is powered home by Noone to make the scoreline extremely flattering. The win leaves us 5 points behind the leaders. Ryman Premier Division 34 (a) v Cray 2-6 Baffour (11), Saraiva (18) - Lawson (pen 24), Boyland (49), Corcoran (55), Wignall (64, 81), McHale (84) Amazingly this will be our first meeting with Cray this season who are struggling in 18th place. We take the lead with a fine flowing move that leaves Baffour with a tap in in the 11th minute. Saraiva gets the second with a tap in as my players are queueing up for Coughlans square ball. Duffy then gives away a stupid penalty to let Cray back into the game. We lose a second from a counter putting us back to square one then they complete the turnaround as we let them waltz straight through the defence. They then get a 4th to kill the game off. It goes from bad to worse as we implode and concede another 2 goals despite being the better side. Ryman Premier Division 35 (a) v Tonbridge 2-4 Smith (29), Coughlan (61) - Daniels (42, 52), Mason (50), Cunnington (68) Smith gives us the lead with a neat finish from a McCabe cross, but we can’t hold on till half time, more poor defending allowing Tonbridge an equaliser. We implode again at the start of the second half shipping 2 goals in 2 minutes. Coughlan gets one back with a bullit header then we lose another to seal the loss. The second of two must win games that has gone horribly wrong Ryman Premier Division 36 (h) v Needham Market 3-0 Coughlan (6, 23, 32) With our title challenge all but over now we have to look to cementing a playoff place. Coughlan opens the scoring after 6 minutes, a Noone free kick hitting the wall, finding Baffour on the right and his low cross turned in by the onrushing striker. Coughlan makes it 2 in the 23 minute, heading in a deep Robinson cross after throw in down the right, his 20th of the season. He finishes his hat trick in the 32 minute, a brilliantly worked move from defence sees del Alamo play him into space on the edge of the area where he takes a touch and fires it home. We have to settle for the three goals, but we end our crazy streak with a clean sheet. Ryman Premier Division 37 (a) v Epsom & Ewell 3-0 Rice (9), Coughlan (30, 76) This is 2nd against 3rd and a six pointer. We weather an early storm to take a 9th minute lead. Some superb one touch football plays in Rice for only his 4th goal of the campaign. Coughlan continues his good form, latching onto a low Rice cross after a well worked free kick routine on the half hour mark. shut up shop for the second half and we contain Epsom nicely, apart from a mental scramble in the box in which they have 6 clear cut chances to score before eventually managing to somehow prod the ball wide. For once it is our day and Coughlan gets a 3rd after a fantastic move. Saraiva with a chip over the top, he controls the ball with his head then half volleys in. A superb win and second consecutive clean sheet that opens up a 6 point gap to 3rd. Ryman Premier Division 38 (h) v Bognor Regis 3-1 Robinson (21), Ighorae (63), Rice (67) - Isaacs (73) It’s a scrappy affair and we get a lucky break to take the lead, a Robinson cross kicked into his own net by the keeper. Bizarrely the goal is given to Robinson for his first of the season! Our second comes from a wonderful sweeping move in the 63 minute, Baffour getting to the byline and giving Ighorae and easy chance for his 1st goal in an age. 5 minutes later we have a third, Ighoraes first attempt saved, Rice’s second attempt saved and it’s Rice who bundles the ball over the line from a yard out at the third attempt. They pull a goal back, a cross foxing Mann and going straight in. League Table Month Review Out of context this hasn’t been a bad month with four wins and two defeats. In context though, March has really seen the end of our title hopes. With 8 games to go Kingstonian hold an 8 point advantage which, had we not lost catastrophically to Cray and Tonbridge we would have narrowed the gap to 2 points. The two losses were incredible as the defence just seemed to lose the plot in both games. We did turn things around with three consecutive victories which has helped maintain our comfortable second position in the league. I think the title is over barring an incredible collapse from the leaders. Player of the Month Ronan Coughlan - the striker is just getting better and better. 6 goals this month has seen him improve form dramatically and he established himself as a first pick up front. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 April Isthmain League Cup S/F (a) v Harrow 2-1aet Ighorae (51), Baffour (94) - Hawkins (69) Big game for us as we could reach our first ever cup final here. It’s not going to be easy against a Harrow side that we have beaten twice this season already. The first half is forgettable, the only real chance falling to Ighorae who fluffs his lines and hits the goalkeeper with what should have been an easy finish. We open the scoring early in the second half with a lovely passing move out of defence. Play moves from right to left and finishes with a lovely reverse pass to Ighorae who makes no mistake this time. Harrow push forward and level from a corner which really should have been cleared. The game goes to extra time and Baffour gives us the lead as the harrow defence goes missing and he is given time and space to pick his spot. Harrow throw everything at us for the remainder of extra time, but we hold on to progress to my first Cup Final. Ryman Premier Division 39 (a) v Heybridge 4-4 Coughlan (12, 36, 82), Rice (42) - Russell (30), Pook (44), Cowell (49, 63) Coughlan fires us in front with a quite stunning effort from outside the box in the 12th minute as we start the game in complete control. Baffour has a goal disallowed incorrectly for offside a few minutes latter and we pay for it as Heybridge come back into the game and level on the half hour. Coughlan then repeats his first goal, firing Saraiva’s pass into the top corner. Noone then plays in Rice who emulates Coughlan with another identical strike for our third. Heybridge rally and pull a second goal back on the stroke of halftime. The level immediately after the break after Mann makes a mistake. The defence implodes again and we lose a fourth as we get pulled all over the place. Coughlan gets his hat trick with a close range finish with 8 minutes left to earn us a point. Ryman Premier Division 40 (h) v Cray 2-0 Ighorae (45+1), Noone (pen 55) We banish our previous meeting with Cray to the history books with a fine win. Coughlan flicks on a Noone free kick in 1st half injury time, giving Ighorae an easy finish. Coughlan is felled in the box after the break and Noone makes no mistake to give us a two goal lead. We create a number of clear chances - 7 in all, but the ball seems magnetically attracted to the goalkeeper. Still, a fine win and clean sheet to keep us in 2nd with a 7 point lead over 3rd. Kingstonian draw and their lead at the top is reduced to 6 points. Ryman Premier Division 41 (h) v Billericay 3-2 Rice (9), Coughlan (50, 69) - Miller (65), Kennedy (83) Rice give us an early lead heading in a Buffour cross, then he frosses for Coughlan to head home early in the second half. We create enough chances to win 5 games, but still concede on a rare Billericay attack. Coughlan heads in his second and our third but we switch off again to allow Kennedy to sneak in at the back post late on for a nervy finish. We create 12 clear cut chances and once again the ball and keeper seem to be magnetised. A game that we should have won by at least 8 clear goals - and that is not an exaggeration! Kingstonian remain 6 points ahead. The result also secures us a playoff place. Ryman Premier Division 42 (a) v Slough 5-0 Baffour (22, 80), Tomori (o.g. 25), Ighorae (62), Noone (90) Slough sit in 5th and are looking to hold onto their playoff place. It’s an even, cagey game, but Baffour gives us a 22nd minute lead after a fine passing move that started with Mann at the back. The final ball is from Saraiva and for once he is not offside when the ball ends up in the net. A long ball from Slater then finds Coughlan free in the box, and his shot deflects off a defender to give the keeper no chance. Ighorae looks to have sealed the points with half an hour left, heading in a high hanging cross from Duffy. Baffour gets a lucky fourth, his cross misjudged by the keeper and flying into the net. Noone then adds a 5th in the final minute, Ighorae’s shot saved and he is there to place the rebound past the keeper. League Table Month Review It has been almost the perfect month for us, the only blip being the Heybridge game where we throw away 2 points. We have finally hit some consistent form, but in all probability it has come too late with only 4 games left in the league. We end the month with a 6 point gap to Kingstonian (had we not dropped the 2 points we would be only 4 adrift), but importantly we play them away next. A win there and who knows? We are in form at the right time. We also have made our first cup final, beating Harrow after extra time. The final will have to wait until league business is finished. We play Epsom & Ewell at their stadium as there is no neutral venue for the final. Player of the Month Ronan Coughlan - He has continued in scintillating form over the last month scoring 5 and creating 4. This doesn’t tell the whole story as he has been nothing short of spectacular on the pitch. Can he lead us to the title? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 14, 2015 Author Share Posted January 14, 2015 May Ryman Premier Division 43 (a) v Kingstonian 1-3 del Alamo (61) - Dennis (10, 76) Quite simply our biggest match of the season. We have beaten Kingstonian twice already this season, once more and we have an outside chance at the title. Lose or draw and we have to realistically consign ourselves to the playoffs. We fall behind on 11 minutes as our defence switches off from a throw in as we struggle to make any impact on the game. We come out fighting 2nd half and get a deserved equaliser when del Alamo volleys in a corner, completely unmarked in the 61st minute. Dennis then gets a lucky goal with 15 minutes left to put them back in the lead, against the run of play. To add insult to injury they are awarded a very soft penalty in injury time which is scored. The result gives them a 9 point lead and effectively hands them the title. Ryman Premier Division 44 (h) v Met Police 2-0 Coughlan (41), Ighorae (51) All that remains now is for us to secure 2nd place and head into the playoffs. It’s one way traffic but our finishing is dreadful. We finally get the goal into 41st minute, a long ball by Noone picked up by Coughlan who’s life was made easy by the keeper moving out of position allowing him just to roll the ball into the net. We keep the pressure on second half and Ighorae picks up a Baffour pass to put us 2 up in the 51st minute. A comfortable win. Ryman Premier Division 45 (h) v Kirkley & Pakefield 4-0 Ighorae (9, 88), Dobson (43), Baffour (63) Our final home league match of the campaign. We need just a point to secure 2nd. We’re in complete control from the off with the game being a constant procession towards the Kirkley goal. Ighorae puts us ahead in the 9th minute, again being set up by a neat Bafour pass. The next goal comes just before halftime, Dobson collecting a Noone free kick and rounding the keeper to score from a suspiciously offside position. A lovely flowing move sees Smith find Baffour in acres of space to score number 3. We keep pressing and finally get a 4th late on, Duffy chasing a lost cause and his cut back perfect for Ighorae to slam home from close range. A great way to end our home season. Ryman Premier Division 46 (a) v Bury Town 4-1 McCabe (20), Smith (39), Ighorae (56), Saraiva (56) - Rowan (pen 68) I make a number of changes for this game to give some backup players game time. We open the scoring with a fine move Saraiva’s wonderful reverse pass finding McCabe who gleefully scores only his 3rd of the season. Smith then makes it 2, turning in a Robinson free kick from close range. Ighorae, on as a sub, then heads in a corner for our third after 56 minutes. Another corner is headed clear in the 58th minute, only to be brilliantly volleyed into the top corner by Saraiva. Robinson gives away a penalty which is duly dispatched to allow Bury a faint hope of a comeback. There’s none forthcoming so we hold on to complete a fine away victory to finish the league season. Final Table Month Review The loss to Kingstonian at the start of the month was a bitter blow, and a little unlucky. In truth the damage had been done before that, but we bounced back with some fine performances, the team playing superbly. There is still much to look forward to with a cup final and playoffs to come. We are only two games away from promotion. Player of the Month Sam Baffour - The right winger has finally hit the form he is capable of after a pretty average season, turning in performances which has seen him create three and score three this month. A major part of the clubs recent good form he has really made a difference. Hopefull he can carry it on into the cup final and playoffs Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 15, 2015 Author Share Posted January 15, 2015 June Isthmain League Cup Final (a) v Epsom & Ewell 4-1 Coughlan (21), Baffour (49, 85), Ighorae (56) - White (61) It’s end to end stuff early on and full back Duffy picks up a minor injury. We take the lead when Rice intercepts a pass and launches the ball to Ighorae. He takes the ball to the byline and cuts the ball inside to Baffour whose cross is headed in by Coughlan. His 30th of the season. We get our second right after the break, a throw in is eventually worked to Ighorae a lays a cute ball off to Baffour to fire into the top corner. That goal seems to take the fight out of Epsom and we get a third. A fine move from the back finds Ighorae who plays the ball out to the left wing. The cross from Rice finds Baffour at the back post who heads it down for Ighorae to fire in his 30th goal of the season. Epsom soon get a goal back out of nothing, a White cross deceiving Mann and ending up in the net. Epsom go on to throw the kitchen sink at us and I try to close the game down going 5 at the back. We make the cup safe with 5 minutes left, sub Smith playing in Baffour who nets a brilliant individual effort, beating the keeper at his near post. That’s the end of the scoring as we lift the cup in emphatic style. Ryman Premier Division Playoff S/F (n) v Slough 4-1 Ighorae (5), Coughlan (27, 36, 80) - Broadway (67) A huge game. The last meeting between the sides ended in us winning 5-0. A repeat of that performance would be nice. Ighorae picks up an early knock, but that doesn’t stop him from opening the scoring after 5 minutes. Noone’s long ball is flicked on by Coughlan and Ighorae hammers it home unmarked. We weather the predictable onslaught from Slough, taking a two goal lead in the 27th minute. A throw in finds Noone who feeds Coughlan at the edge of the area, seeming to be in a not very dangerous position. He take a touch, turns and fires the ball into the net - a superb goal. 10 minutes later and the game seems to be all but over. Another throw in finds Baffour who cuts inside and passes to Noone in space. He plays a delightful little through ball to Coughlan who turns off the shoulder of the defender picks the ball up, and slides it in off the near post for his second of the game. Slater lets Broadway have too much space at the edge of the area midway through the second half, and his shot beats Mann to put Slough back in the tie. We make the game safe with 10 minutes left, Noone spreading the ball out to Baffour in space, and his low cross brilliantly volleyed in by Coughlan. Another super performance that puts us within 90 minutes of the Conference South. Epsom & Ewell beat Harrow so we are on for a repeat of the Isthmain League Cup final. Ryman Premier Division Playoff Final (n) v Epsom & Ewell 3-1 Coughlan (10), Noone (pen 27, 90) - Modest (6) This is the 8th meeting between the sides. So far we have won 5 and lost 2. We start well enough but concede a disasterous goal, Mann’s clearance hitting the forward and rebounding in after 6 minutes. It takes only 4 minutes to level. We cut a swathe through the Epsom defence and Robinson’s cross on the overlap is touched in by Coughlan, The game rages from end to end and Rice squanders a couple of good chances. Ighorae is then felled in the box running away from goal and the ref awards us a penalty. It’s Noone who takes it and keeps a calm head to fire it in the top corner. Epsom fight back but we take a lead into half time. We have two goals chopped off for offside, the first, from Baffour, correctly but the second from Coughlan was at least 5 yards onside when the ball was played. We seal promotion in the final minute Saraiva playing in Noone who has time and space to pick his spot and give us a 2 goal lead. His 20th of the season. Conference football here we come! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Well done Ron. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted January 15, 2015 Share Posted January 15, 2015 Which database are you using and are you finding it realistic? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
deltablue Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Well done coming through in the end even after being left in the dust in the race for top. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 2017/18 Season Review This really was an outstanding season for us, looking back, but it certainly had its frustrating moments. League wise, our points tally would have seen us lift the title in most other seasons. We were beaten to the title by a Kingstonian side that were quite simply immovable. More importantly, I don’t think we deserved the title, throwing away leads and losing matches we really should have won. We had the chance to close the gap and blew our games in hand to virtually hand Kingstonian the title. The saving grace was the sheer number of wins, including our brilliant run from March, dropping only 4 points. Our form took us to the playoffs where we were quite simply irresistible. Cup wise the FA Trophy was a disaster and I was just minutes from the FA Cup 1st round (with a potentially winnable tie), but we threw away a 3 goal lead and didn’t turn up for the replay. I was livid. The Isthmain Cup was a different story. We rode our luck a couple of times but won my first cup trophy in emphatic style. Is it possible my players do have the mental strength? A great season with some great individual performances to put us in the Conference South for the very first time. Competitions General Players Team of the Year Key players Matt Mann - My GK is 30 now and just keeps getting better. Had a couple of poor games in the middle of the season, but recovered well and should keep the no1 spot next season. George Dobson - Still only 20 and is improving all the time. Has been a revelation at the back for us and he (mostly) has a cool head. He will remain a centre back, even though he can play in midfield. Aaron Slater - My other youngster who has performed well at the back. Only 19 and has 119 league appearances for the club shows you how good this youngster has been for us. Will be interesting to see if the step up a division is too much for him. Michael Noone - Quite simply captain fantastic. Player of the year (again) by a landslide, and he has also become a club icon. 20 goals and 24 assists from midfield. A dead ball specialist and my penalty taker he has just been immense, not only this season but in his time with the club. At 28 I'm hoping that I can push at least another 3 seasons out of him. Fabio Saraiva - A mid season signing from Fareham that my scouts flagged up. The replacement we had been needing for the retired Wilmot. Despite having Portugese nationality he was born in London! 11 assists and 6 goals in 29 games for us since signing, he has formed a great partnership with Noone in the centre of the pitch. Emmanuel Ighorae - Beast of a striker. He's a big unit and can put himself about, also has a rocket of a shot, although he does seem to like hitting goalkeepers with the ball. Has been improving yearly at the club although not quite meeting last seasons level, 31 goals and 16 assists isn't a bad return. He can be inconsistent though. Ronan Coughlan - Scored twice on his debut and struggled for a while after. I really thought I had bought a dud, but persevered with him and boy did it pay off. 34 goals and 15 assists for the 19 year old. He has excellent stats for this level and could go on to play to at least league 2 if not league 1 standard. I have tied him up on a 2 year contract. Will lead the line next season. Player of the Year - Michael Noone 67% Runner Up - Ronan Coughlan 14% 3rd - Sam Baffour 11% Records Highest Attendance - 885 Average Attendance - 201 Biggest Win - 5-0 v Slough (A) Biggest Defeat - 6-2 v Cray (A) Top Scorer - Ronan Coughlan 34 Most Assists - Michael Noone 24 Total League Appearances - Chris Robinson 177 Total League Goals - Emmanuel Ighorae 65 Players In Players out Goal Scorers All time Top Scorers (all competitions) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st Emmanuel Ighorae - 79 (65 league) (166 appearances) 2nd Michael Noone - 71 (63 league) (201 appearances) 3rd Craig Hughes - 61 (53 league) (124 appearances 2014-17) (transferred to Crawley Down) 4th Scott Harris - 50 (50 league) (104 appearances 2006-11, 2015-16) (retired) 5th Sam Smith - 46 (37 league) (88 appearances) 6th Sam Baffour - 46 (40 league) (174 appearances) 7th Andre Thompson - 42 (36 league) (132 appearances) 8th Kane Rice - 36 (32 league) (178 appearances) 9th Ronan Coughlan - 34 (31 league) (51 appearances) 10th Ellis Wilmot - 29 (28 league) (122 appearances 2014-17) (retired) 11th Jordan Cross - 17 (17 league) (68 appearances 2014-16) (released) 12th Ander del Alamo - 13 (10 league) (109 appearances) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DazRTaylor Posted January 16, 2015 Share Posted January 16, 2015 Great job on promotion! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 Which database are you using and are you finding it realistic? Cheers Nobby. The database is this one http://community.sigames.com/showthread.php/405361-FM15-England-Level-9-with-FA-Vase I've had no problems with it and it seems to be working fine. I first tried another one down to level 11 but couldn't get the game fired up. There's no trap door from level 9 though and promotion from level 9 seems a bit ad hoc. I'm not really familiar with what the structure is down there though. The one thing I have noticed, and I think this is more the game than the database, is the incredible number of goals scored in the "Live" leagues. We scored 122 goals last season and finished runners up. The previous winners in the Ryman Prem scored 93, 65 and 59 goals respectively. Kingstonian scored 99. Well done coming through in the end even after being left in the dust in the race for top. Great job on promotion! Cheers guys. Was a topsy-turvey season. Next year is going to be tough I think Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 16, 2015 Author Share Posted January 16, 2015 2017/18 - Season Preview Expectations League | FA Cup | FA Vase | FA Trophy | Isthmian League Cup | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2014/15 Win | 1st Qual Rnd | 4th Rnd | N/A | N/A | 2015/16 Respectable Position | 1st Qual Rnd | N/A | 1st Qual Rnd | 3rd Rnd | 2016/17 Playoffs | 2nd Qual Rnd | N/A | 2nd Qual Rnd | 4th Rnd | 2017/18 Respectable Position | 2nd Qual Rnd | N/A | 2nd Qual Rnd | 4th Rnd | 2018/19 Mid-Table | 4th Qual Rnd | N/A | 1st Rnd | N/A | Progress League | FA Cup | FA Vase | FA Trophy | Isthmian League Cup | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2014/15 Cherry Red Prem 1st (P) | Preliminary Round | 2nd Qualifying Round | N/A | N/A | 2015/16 Ryman D1 Sth 3rd | 3rd Qualifying Round | N/A | 1st Qualifying Round | 3rd Round | 2016/17 Ryman D1 Sth 1st (P) | 2nd Qualifying Round | N/A | Preliminary Round | 4th Round | 2017/18 Ryman Prem Div 2nd (P) | 4th Qualifying Round | N/A | 1st Qualifying Round | Winners | Pre-season has been average, results not as good as they could have been. While I am happy with my squad I have been unable to bring anyone in of the required quality. Unfortunately my transfer targets all decided to move somewhere else and I don’t like to panic buy just to get some new faces in. Still, I would like a Left and Right Midfielder as competition for Rice and Baffour who weren't at their best last season. A Central Midfielder for depth (injury to Noone or Saraiva could spell disaster) and another Central Defender or Right Fullback (Robinson is now the wrong side of 30 and at times struggled last season). There has been no real movement out either, only really a number of youth players who failed to make the grade and have been moved on. Mid-table is realistic if we can get off to a good start and I am hoping to make an impact in the cup competitions. We have had notice that our youth level has been upgraded. Friendlies Transfers 1st Team Squad Ticket Price £14 Season Ticket Price £228 Season Ticket Holders 40 Board Expectations Conference South - Mid Table FA Cup - 4th Qualifying Rnd FA Trophy - 1st Rnd Media Prediction 12th Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 18, 2015 Author Share Posted January 18, 2015 Season 2018/19 August Vanarama Conference South 1 (a) v Wealdstone 2-0 Dobson (20), Ighorae (56) Ashford’s first ever game at this level. The early stages are all a bit drab and nervy, neither side really causing major problems. That said, we take the lead from a corner after 20 minutes, Dobson prodding home a loose ball from a couple of yards out. After the goal the game reverts back to type before we lose Noone to injury just on half time. It’s a set piece that gives us our second goal in the 56th minute, Robinson’s low free kick finding Ighorae unmarked for an easy finish. We lose Baffour to injury late on, a blow as he had a fine game. A deserved but unspectacular win. Vanarama Conference South 2 (a) v Horndean 1-1 Rice (39) - Kotwica (24) We visit a side which has, like us, climbed to the Conference from the County Leagues. We are also without Michael Noone who is out for around 7 weeks. For the 1st ten minutes we just can’t hold onto the ball, gifting the opposition possession. We weather the storm though and start to make a game of it. Slater gives away a 14th minute penalty which is hit straight at Mann and he saves. Horndean are the better side and take a 24th minute lead, Kotwica sneaking round the back of Robinson for an easy finish. Despite their domination of possession, we are looking dangerous and a deep cross by Baffour finds Rice unmarked at the back post who has time to take a touch and dispatch his shot into the net. There’s no further scoring, although both sides do have a number of half chances. With time running out I decide to close the game out and take the point, meaning the game just peters out. A solid point. Vanarama Conference South 3 (h) v Chelmsford 6-2 Coughlan (2, 7, 12, 45, 79), Hogan (84) - Adeboyejo (4, 32) We have met Chelmsford twice before this match, both fixtures in the FA Cup, winning one and losing one. We get the perfect start from a throw in. Robinson playing a one two and his cross volleyed in by Coughlan in the 2nd minute. We switch off from the kick off and concede almost instantly to put us back to square one. It’s a matter of minutes before we retake the lead, Saraiva’s free kick not cleared propely, del Alamo returning the ball to him and his cross turned in by Coughlan. He completed his hat trick in the 12th minute, volleying home a poor clearance after a corner. Poor defending allows Chelmsford a second, a clearance landing at the feet of Adeboyejo for his 2nd. We restore our 2 goal advantage on half time, Ighorae playing in Coughlan who slams the ball past the keeper. It’s Coughlan who seals the points, a snap shot on the turn that should have been saved ending up in the net. Hogan makes it 6 from a corner his header going in off the bar. Coughlan rates a perfect 10! Vanarama Conference South 4 (a) v Gloucester 5-2 Saraiva (11), Robinson (pen 33), Ighhorae (37), Baffour (44). Coughlan (67, 79) - Butterfield (38), Jones (68) We dominate the early stages and look dangerous. We take a deserved lead in the 11th minute, some neat work in a tight space round the edge of the area sees Ighorae play in Saraiva whose snap shot finds the net. His 1st of the season. Gloucester come back into the game but rarely threaten. On the half hour, Coughlan is fouled in the box for a penalty. In the absence of Noone, Robinson steps up and duly dispatches it into the bottom corner. It’s not long before we get a third, Robinson playing the ball into the channel for Baffour and his cross is turned in at the back post by a late arriving Ighorae. Gloucester hit back immediately, Butterfield firing in a free kick soon after the restart. Coughlan finishes off a brilliant 4th in the 67th minute, firing in a Rice cutback from close range. Again Gloucester score immediately, this time a superb individual effort from Jones. We get a 5th after some nice possession. A long ball by Slater finds Coughlan unmarked, and he fires in a neat finish beating the keeper at his near post. League Table Month Review Brilliant start to life in the Conference winning three out of four has gone way beyond all my expectations. The performances have been superb, but tempered with that is a realisation of just how small my first team squad is. We lost captain Noone for up to 7 weeks, a bitter blow, and I really only have one player (del Alamo) that can take his place. Baffour seems to have carried on from his form at the tail end of last season and my front men have started well. The important thing is we are not out of our depth, so mid-table or above is a reasonable target. Player of the Month Ronan Coughlan - The striker was anonymous for his first two appearances this season, then he hit form with a bang. 5 goals against Chelmsford was a new record and a further 2 against Gloucester proved that it wasn’t just a flash in the pan. It’s been a really good month for him personally, winning Conference South player of the Month and getting a call up to the Ireland U21 squad. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted January 19, 2015 Share Posted January 19, 2015 Progressing very nicely Ron. Thanks for the info on the database. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 September Vanarama Conference South 5 (h) v Oxford City 3-0 Coughlan (47, 55), McCabe (90+1) Our only meeting with Oxford so far has ended in defeat, a 5-2 friendly defeat at home. The game is a scrappy affair, although we are marginally the better side and squander a couple of good first half chances. We take the lead after the break when a back pass is intercepted by Coughlan and he is left with an easy finish. He gets a lucky second, latching onto a Baffour cross the ball hits him, the post, the goalkeeper and crosses the line. We get a third in injury time, Robinson crossing on the overlap finding sub McCabe who volleys in from close range. A deserved win and well earned clean sheet. Midfield Injury Crisis Looming Vanarama Conference South 6 (a) v Staines 4-1 Ighorae (37, 76, pen 90+2), Smith (80) - Mann (o.g. 45) It’s another scrappy game, but we gradually take control and Ighorae gives us the lead after Baffour’s initial shot is saved. They equalise out of nothing, Mann fumbling a low cross into his own net under no pressure. Ighorae puts us back in front late on, finishing off a fine move after being played in by Baffour. 4 minutes later the points are safe, a long ball by Duffy catching the Staines defence flat footed and sub Smith shows great composure to score his first of the season. Smith is then pushed over in the box in injury time and Ighorea steps up looking to complete his hat trick which he does with a powerful shot into the top corner. A fine second half performance. Vanarama Conference South 7 (h) v Braintree 2-0 Smith (2, 28) An important early game as this is 2nd against third. We are looking to continue our fantastic start to the season. We are without Coughlan who is away on international duty. We get the perfect start after a corner isn’t cleared properly. The ball finds Saraiva on the left and his low cross is turned in by Smith at the near post. We are by far the better side and Smith gets a deserved second, superbly diverting a low Baffour cross into the net on the half hour mark. Braintree put us under some pressure in the second half, but we hold on to take a deserved win and clean sheet. Vanarama Conference South 8 (a) v Hemel Hempstead 2-2 Saraiva (10) , Noone (pen 78) - Walker (45, 75) We welcome Noone back from injury for this game, but he will be on the bench. Coughlan returns after winning his first u21 cap for Ireland. Sarasiva gives us a 10th minute lead, turning in Robinson’s cross at the second attempt. We switch off from a corner right on half time gifting them an equaliser. We concede a second with 15 minutes left, Walker again getting free for his second of the game. Baffour is then brought down in the box and Noone steps up on his return to level the game. We take a point, just about the right result. Cup Draw Vanarama Conference South 9 (h) v Maidenhead 1-0 Coughlan (49) In this, the first meeting between the clubs, the first half is dire. High in effort and low in quality best describes it with Maidenhead having the best chance, Mann having to turn a long range shot over the bar. The players get a roasting at half time and we improve slightly. We get a lucky goal when Noone’s free kick hits the bar and Coughlan is on hand to tap home the rebound in the 49th minute. His 10th of the season. The goal sums the game up, scrappy and poor. Maidenhead never threaten or look like scoring, while we do get into some promising positions only to give the ball away far too easily. A poor performance and the players are told so, although I am pleased with the defensive efforts and the clean sheet. Still, it’s another 3 points in the bag which puts us top. FA Cup 2nd Qual Rnd (a) v Spalding 4-1 Baffour (7), Smith (18), Noone (70), Saraiva (90+1) - Hadfield (15) It takes us just 7 minutes to take the lead, Baffour heading in a corner for his 1st of the season. Spalding are no mugs though, and level with a fine move, Hadfield heading in Hibbert’s cross on 15 minutes. Smith puts us back in front from another set piece. Saraiva’s low free kick leaving him with a tap in for his 50th goal for the club. Noone, on as a sub, looks to have sealed our progression with an outstanding free kick in the 70th minute. It’s another set piece in injury time that gives us number four, this time Noone crossing for Saraiva to head home. A good win, even if the scoreline was a bit flattering. Cup Draw League Table Month Review Another superb month in which 4 league wins out of 5 sees us move top of the league as well as maintaining our unbeaten record. The games are getting a bit more difficult as teams get used to us so I would imagine our honeymoon period in the division isn’t going to last much longer. We also made expected progress in the FA Cup, and although it was a comfortable win in the end, Spalding were very competitive for much of the game. We are playing some good football at the moment. I still have several transfer targets (I even have some money to spend, around 30K, but the ones of required quality still refuse to come to us (the perils of poor reputation) and I will only bring a player in if they are better than my current crop. Player of the Month Sam Baffour - A really good month from the right winger, he has started the season in the form that he found at the tail end of last season. 5 assists this month and a goal - he could have had more had he not strayed offside so often! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenzar Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Huddersfield won the FA Cup? Also, still only 21 teams in the Conference South? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 20, 2015 Author Share Posted January 20, 2015 Huddersfield won the FA Cup?Also, still only 21 teams in the Conference South? I'll post their run to the final - they had also spent one season in the Premiership - with immediate relegation. The final was a stunner, they beat Liverpool 4-3 (I'll get round to putting up major competition winners - someday ) Is the Conference South meant to change? There are only 21 teams this season - Come to think of it, is this not down to one side going bust....Salisbury? Must be an issue with the database, possibly to keep it stable. I don't really know enough about (i.e. I haven't got a scooby) the editor to know what's going on. There are 22 teams in the North though. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lenzar Posted January 21, 2015 Share Posted January 21, 2015 In my (unedited) game, the Conference South started with 21 teams, going up to 22 from season 2 onwards. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 In my (unedited) game, the Conference South started with 21 teams, going up to 22 from season 2 onwards. Probably should have said "edited database" rather than "the database". TBH I hadn't realised until you mentioned it. Long term, it's not ideal, but for me it's not a game breaker - I've started this career so I'm stuck with it even if better updates come out Huddersfield's run to the FA Cup Final Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 21, 2015 Author Share Posted January 21, 2015 October Manager Award My first ever Manager of the Month Award (September) Vanarama Conference South 10 (a) v Bromley 1-4 Saraiva (71) - Byrne (6), Senior (72, 86), Omeonga (84) Bromley take an early lead after a fine move and super finish from an unmarked Byrne who’s shot flies in from outside the area. For much of the first half we are outmuscled by Bromley who look far more interested, although we do gradually start to create chances. We are perhaps the better side in the second half, but our final ball is very poor. We eventually get an equaliser, Saraiva pooping up to calmly slot home after a mad scramble in the box. It’s wasted effort though as we switch off from the kick off and immediately concede from a through ball. We concede a third as we chase the game, the defence not clearing properly and the ball breaking to Omeonga who fires in from outside the area. Senior adds a 4th a few minutes later as we implode at the back. Bromley wanted it more than us and I’m really annoyed by our capitulation after getting the leveller. Our first defeat this season. FA Cup 3rd Qualifying Round (h) v Boston Utd 3-1 Noone (2), Baffour (28, 63) - Frost (39) Boston are two levels below us, and I am keen to bounce back after the previous defeat to Bromley. We have a great start, Noone pouncing on a poor clearance and sending a howitzer into the top corner from well outside the area. Boston are a decent side though, and force Mann into a few decent saves. Baffour then scores a brilliant lob from outside the area, deceiving the keeper totally. Frost then pulls one back after a free kick was brilliantly saved by Mann. Our 3rd comes as a result of a brilliant passing move, Robinson with the final cross which Smith heads against the bar, Baffour on hand to tap in the rebound. Cup Draw A draw against a Conference North side. Even though it’s an away tie this is a great chance to reach the 1st round. Vanarama Conference South 11 (h) v Brackley 4-0 Ighorae (5), Smith (28), Robinson (pen 80), Baffour (86) I’m after a good start and that’s what we get, a Dobson shot parried to the feet of Ighorae who has a tap in. A well worked throw in sees Baffour cut the ball back for Smith who couldn’t miss from 3 yards out on the half hour. Smith is then pushed over in the box with 10 minutes left and Robinson dispatches the resulting penalty. baffour then prods home a loose ball after a corner to make it 4. Vanarama Conference South 12 (a) v Maidstone 4-3 Noone (pen 40, pen 69), Smith (56, 80) - Ali (19), Brown (29), Rowe (47) Maidstone are the early leaders of the competition making this first against second. We struggle early on, especially with Maidstone’s very narrow pitch, and concede from a corner after 18 minutes. We aren’t helped by a ref who seems intent on booking my players every time they commit a foul. We are undone by a long ball into the corner and the defence are static as Brown ghosts in to tap home. We’re given a lifeline when Smith is fouled in the box. Noone puts away the penalty to undeservedly put us back in the game. We look like we could be up for the fight early in the second half, but Duffy misses a header allowing Rowe all the time in the world to pick his spot and restore a two goal lead. Some good work by Ighorae gets the ball out to Baffour who’s cross is turned in by Smith 10 minutes later, giving us hope again. Incredibly we are awarded a second penalty for a push on Baffour at a corner. Up steps Noone again and puts it right down the middle to level the match. Incredibly we take the lead with 10 minutes left, McCabe launching a ball over the top for Smith, who produces a sublime finish for his second of the game. We lose Noone to injury late on, but we hang on to take an unlikely victory which puts us top. If I’m honest, we didn’t even deserve a draw, let alone a win and Maidstone must be left wondering what went wrong. FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round (a) v Hyde 3-0 Baffour (23, 43), Noone (29) Hyde are currently performing poorly in the Conference North. We will still have to perform well to qualify for the first round proper. There has been no previous meetings between the sides. It’s a typical frantic cup tie with not much quality. Both sides exchange chances before Dobson plays a neat pass to Baffour who’s snap shot finds the net. His 5th of the season. Noone makes it 2 6 minutes later, a throw-in routine finding his late run into the box. His first shot is blocked, but his second is a sweet chip that finds the inside of the post and in. Route one gives us a third. A long clearance is headed wide to Rice by Ighorae and the resulting cross is headed home by Baffour at the back post. That goal is enough to seal it as neither side can find a goal in an entertaining second half. We are through to the first round proper! Cup Draw We have a shortish journey round the North Circular for our first ever FA Cup 1st round tie. The optimist in me thinks this could be winnable. Vanarama Conference South 13 (h) v Hayes & Yeading 3-0 Coughlan (46, 48), Baffour (49) The visitors are struggling and find themselves in 17th place before this first ever meeting between the sides. We control the first half, but struggle to create anything other than the occasional half chance. Smith does have the ball in the net in injury time, but the assistant makes a dreadful decision, ruling offside when he was clearly on. We make up for it in the first minute of the second half, Smith playing in Baffour who’s shot hits the bar, and Coughlan finds a rather unorthodox finish, he makes a swan dive to connect his diving header to the rebound into the empty net. It takes us only 2 minutes to extend our lead, Coughlan volleying in Saraiva’s knock down from a poorly cleared corner. A minute later Hayes implosion is pretty much complete. A nice move down the left sees Coughlan cross for Saraiva, and his knock down is superbly finished by Baffour. A comfortable victory in the end, but a mad 4 minutes for Hayes cost them the game. League Table Month Review Another fantastic month that sees us sitting at the top of the division. I really thought that the Bromley game signalled a change in form right at the start of the month, but the players bounced back superbly. The Maidstone result could be huge, and there was some real character shown to come back from 3-1 down in a game that we really didn’t deserve to get anything from. We have progressed into the 1st round of the FA Cup. The draw could have been better, but if we can find a performance at Orient I believe we can progress. My squad is still paper thin though, and any injuries or loss of form is really going to be felt. Player of the Month Sam Baffour - Another superb month from the winger. He has been a creative force on the right with 5 assists this month, and he has been banging in the goals as well, 6 in all competitions. This is probably the form of his life. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 22, 2015 Author Share Posted January 22, 2015 November Vanarama Conference South 14 (a) v St Albans 3-3 Coughlan (5), Dalibard (o.g. 21), Saraiva (44) - Taylor (9), Collin (16, 18) Again, another first meeting between the clubs. We get off to a flying start, Baffour and Rice causing chaos. We take the lead when a Rice cross is headed off the post by Smith, the rebound hitting Coughlan and going in by sheer luck. St Albans hit back on their first attack, a well worked throw in finding Taylor unmarked in the box and he produces a neat finish. St ablans turn the game around, with my defence all at sea Collin ghosting in at the back post to give them the lead, their second attempt at goal. 2 minutes later we are ripped apart again, and Collin makes it three. Three shots, 3 goals. We pull a goal back after some neat play sets Smith free in the area, his shot parried, but it rebounds off the defender and in. Neither defence is covering itself in glory, and St Albans make it too easy for our equaliser, Noone finding Saraiva free at the edge of the area with time and space to pick his spot for his 5th of the season. We have a few chances to win it in the second half, but there is no further scoring and we come away with a well earned point. FA Cup 1st Rnd (a) v Leyton Orient 1-3 Smith (85) - Faurlin (18), Ikpeazu (30), Abraham (45) We weather the early storm, but our passing is poor as we struggle to retain possession. We do fall behind to a corner, Faurlin left alone in the box to volley in. We are coping well but don’t defend a cross on the half hour and fall two behind. Mann then spills a cross and we concede a third right on the break to kill any chance of an upset. Hogan gets sent off midway through the second half to destroy any hopes of a comeback. We keep going and get a deserved goal back with 5 minutes left, Smith being set up by Baffour. It’s not enough to stop us crashing out the cup. We also lose Coughlan for 2 months with fractured ribs. Vanarama Conference South 15 (h) v Merthsham 5-1 Baffour (3), Ighorae (26), Smith (27, 57, 77) - Ford (79) We look to bounce back from our cup exit with a win against a Merthsham side that is struggling in the league. We take an early lead from a throw in, Baffour scoring a superb curling effort. We lose Slater to injury and I have no replacement due to Hogan’s suspension. A Noone free kick finds Saraiva who turns and feeds Ighorae. His shot is too powerful for the goalkeeper and ends up in the net. A minute later we play our way through their defence and Ighorae sets up Smith for an easy finish. Smith gets his second after some sustained pressure, a cultured finish into the top corner from Saraiva’s pass. His 10th of the season. He gets his hat trick after some lovely passing between Ighorae and Saraiva, dispatching the ball from the edge of the area. They get a consolation soon after, Ford with a good finish to spoil our clean sheet. Vanarama Conference South 16 (a) v Kingstonian 2-1 Noone (17, 22) - Chapman (76) This is the 4th meeting between the clubs against the side who beat us to the title last season. Noone gives us a 17th minute lead with a superb free kick. We get a superb second 5 minutes later, Noone arriving late in the box to glance in a Rice cross before we lose Rice to an injury. We close down the game second half, but a mistake by Duffy allows Chapman to score a header with 15 minutes left. We ride our luck several times but manage to hold on to take another vital away win against the side in 2nd place. A real Captains performance from Noone. Vanarama Conference South 17 (h) v Eastbourne Boro 5-1 Ighorae (3, 82, pen 86), Smith (42, 84) - Tracey (80) Injury to Dobson and Hogan’s continued suspension means I hand a club debut to young centre back Nicky Kirk. Ighorae gives us the perfect start, cheating down a long ball from Duffy and blasting it past the keeper. We finally get the second goal that we deserve, Smith bursting through on goal, hitting the bar then turning in the rebound. We concede with 10 minutes left to make the end of the game a nervous affair in a real ding dong battle. We score from the kick off though, a patient build up allowing Saraiva to play in Ighorae for his second of the game. Smith then emulates David Beckam by scoring from inside his own half, lobbing the keeper after a long clearance down field. We are then awarded a penalty a minute later and Ighorae steps up to complete his hat trick and score his 10th of the season. Brilliant performance all round. League Table (note to self: move the curser when taking a screen shot ) Month Review We finish November top of the table with a 5 point lead over Maidstone. The side has been almost faultless in the league dropping only two points to a very good St Albans side. On another day we could have progressed in the FA Cup, but three silly defensive mistakes cost us the game. Still, I am pleased with our form, but injuries and suspensions are beginning to bite meaning a debut for Nicky Kirk in Central Defence. We have also lost Ronan Coughlan for a few weeks but Smith and Ighorae both certain seem to be stepping up to the plate. December could be an interesting month. Player of the Month Fabio Saraiva - The midfielder has been everywhere this month, not just providing assists and the odd goal, but involved in everything good that we do. His range of passing has been superb and virtually every goal we have scored has involved him in the move at some point or other. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 23, 2015 Author Share Posted January 23, 2015 December Awards FA Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round (a) v Newcastle Benfield 3-2 Smith (32), Rice (57), Ighorae (90+1) - Dobson (o.g. 42), White (84) We have a long journey North to visit a side recently promoted to the Evo Stick Northern League Division 1 North. It takes us a long time to get into our stride as Newcastle match us and are working hard. The opening goal is simple. A corner is cleared to the halfway line and Robinson just lobs a ball forward. Smith breaks the offside trap and with the keeper in no mans land just heads it over him and into the net. We start to find a lot of space but can’t add to the score. They level from a rare attack, Dobson turning a cross into his own net under no pressure. We keep plugging away and Rice puts us back in front, his first time shot finding the net after deceiving the keeper. They level with six minutes left after a slick one touch passing move finds White free in the area. We get the winning goal in injury time. Ighorae, who has been poor all game, pouncing on a loose ball, hitting the post then turns in the rebound. We just about deserve the win, but Newcastle will be gutted to lose in injury time. Vanarama Conference South 18 (h) v Sutton Utd 3-2 Rice (26), Ighorae (35), Dobson (90+3) - Hall (28), Asmundsson (85) Sutton lie in 6th and are pushing for the playoffs. Rice opens the scoring after a lovely move, del Alamo feeding hime the ball for a close range finish. Our lead lasts less than 2 minutes, a cross catching out Slater allowing Hall to head home. It’s Ighorae who puts us back in front after a period of press use, Smith with the through ball giving him a free shot at goal. We struggle second half and Sutton finally level with 5 minutes left as we let them pass through our defence without putting in a challenge. We keep going into injury time, and Dobson pops up from a corner to prod in a winner at the death. Vanarama Conference South 19 (a) v Basingstoke 0-0 It’s a poor opening to the game. We have the ball in the net from a corner but the linesman flags for handball. The replay shows Dobson punch the ball into the goal! That’s about as good as the first half gets. An injury to Smith means I have to change the system, moving to a 4-1-2-2-1 The second half is much the same, neither side creating any clear openings. I’m happy to take a clean sheet and a point. FA Trophy 1st Round (a) v AFC Telford 3-1 Ighorae (42, 73), Saraiva (67) - Klukowski (49) We have Baffour (minor) and Dobson both injured in the 1st 20 minutes giving me a major midfield headache. The absence of the latter seems to cause our composure to go as we struggle from there on in. Baffour stays on and creates the opening goal later in the first half, Ighorae getting a snap shot away in the box. Telford run through our defence at the start of the second half, as we make it far too easy for them to score, several opportunities to clear the ball being missed. A Saraiva free kick puts us back in the lead midway through the second half. We get a third on the counter, Smith intercepting a pass and sending Ighorae through on goal, and he makes no mistake. That goal proves to be the winner. The scoreline is a little flattering to us, but we progress to the next round. A difficult away tie and a good win. Vanarama Conference South 20 (h) v Wealdstone 3-1 Ighorae (8), del Alamo (54), Smith (59) - Bernard (50) We won the only meeting so far between the sides. They are struggling in 16th place. It takes us only 8 minutes to take the lead, Robinson feeding Ighorae who nearly takes the net off the goal with his 15th goal of the season. My injury crises deepens when Saraiva is taken off after 10 minutes. They level from a free kick early in the second half but it doesn’t take us long to regain the lead, del Alamo running onto a Robinson pass to score his 1st of the season. 4 minutes later we get a third, Duffy sending Rice down the left and his cross is volleyed in by Smith. His 15th of the season and his 50th career league goal. We lose Hogan to injury and I am down to the bare bones of a squad. We hold on to take a deserved win. Vanarama Conference South 21 (a) v Dartford 0-1 McHaffie (88) I manage to put out a side close to a preferred side, but can only fill my bench with youngsters. We get a roasting for the 1st half hour of this game and struggle to get out our own half. We are very fortunate to get in at half time level. We hold out until the 88th minute when Dartford hit us on the counter. It’s a deserved win for Dartford, but I am gutted at getting so close to a point and coming away with nothing. There’s more bad news as we lose Smith to injury for 4-5 weeks. Vanarama Conference South 22 (h) v Horndean 3-1 Baffour (15), Ighorae (75, 90) - Kotwica (54) The visitors sit bottom without a win this season. A must win game. We aren’t helped by Hogan diving into a tackle with two feet and getting a straight red after just 4 minutes. Baffour gives us a 15th minute lead after a well worked counter attack. Poor defending allows then to level early in the second half. We retake the lead with 15 minutes left, our first spell of pressure in the match. Rice feeds Ighorea who finds space and fires home from the edge of the box. We get a lucky third in the final minute. We are wasting time with a throw in right in the corner. Baffour’s low cross is nearly turned in by a defender, the keeper saving, but the ball squirms loose on the line and Ighorae reacts quickest to bundle it over and secure the points. A huge result after playing almost a full 90 minutes with 10 men. We keep plugging away and Baffour pulls another back with a fine shot with 6 minutes left, his 10th of the season. Vanarama Conference South 23 (h) v Chelmsford 3-3 Lampard (60), Baffour (84), Coughlan (90+1) - Pearse (22), Norris (32), Adeboyejo (40) Our last game of the year comes at struggling Chelmsford who sit second bottom of the table. This is the 4th fixture between the clubs. We have won two and lost one so far although my squad is stretched to the limit for this game. We control the early stages of this game but concede a goal from a corner in the 22nd minute against the run of play in what was their first attempt on goal. Suddenly Chelmsford are in control and their pressure wins them a second goal 10 minutes later. We lose a third before halftime on the counter to effectively end our hopes of a comeback. With half an hour left Lampard gets his 1st ever goal for the club from a corner, a fine finish from the edge of the area. We are in injury time and still pressing the ball. Good work by Ighorae results in the ball breaking to Coughlan (on as a sub and still recovering from injury), who has an easy finish to level the game. We even have a chance to win it at the end, but after being 3-0 down at half time I’m delighted to get a point. League Table Month Review Another good month, made even better by the fact we are in a mini injury crisis and suspensions are starting to kick in. We aren’t playing particularly well as for most games I have been able to put out a side I am happy with, but latterly players have had to fill in at unfamiliar positions. Two draws and a defeat plus 3 league wins and progression in the FA Trophy has been a huge bonus. Beating Horndean with 10 men and picking up a point against Chelmsford says a lot about this side. Player of the Month Emmanuel Ighorae - His run of goals this month has been vital to keeping our form going. We really have only had two viable strikers in December with Coughlan injured and he has stepped up to the mark in spectacular fashion. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 24, 2015 Author Share Posted January 24, 2015 January Vanarama Conference South 24 (h) v Gloucester 2-2 Coughlin (2), Saraiva (62) - Foster (15, 59) Dreadful goalkeeping gifts us the opening goal, Ighorae rounding him at the edge of the box. His shot is stopped on the line by a defender, but Coughlin is on had to put it over the line. Foster levels as he just runs through our static defence and prods past the keeper after 15 minutes. We pile on the pressure and miss chance after chance, only to concede on the conter again. Saraiva levels the game, ghosting in to turn in Coughlan’s superb cross. Dobson is then sent off, harshly for a second booking. That’s the way the game finishes. Vanarama Conference South 25 (a) v Oxford City 3-0 Noone (pen 10, 90+1), Ighorae (35) We are awarded a penalty after ten minutes which is scored by Noone on his return from suspension. Ighorae heads a second from a corner after 35 minutes to give us some breathing space. Noone starts and finishes our third in injury time. A deserved goal to round of a solid victory. FA Trophy 2nd Round (a) v Ebbsfleet 0-2 Harrington (pen 19), Bloss (66) We have a tough away tie, but fortunately only a short trip round the M25 to Kent. It’s a typical cup tie, end to end stuff at 100 miles an hour. They get a very soft penalty which is put straight down the middle by Harrington for the lead. A defensive mix up half way through the second half allows Bloss to head into an unguarded net for their second. We never really look like scoring and exit the competition in a bit of a damp squib. Vanarama Conference South 26 (h) v Staines 5-1 Rice (38), Ighorae (45+1, 72), Coughlan (61), Baffour (77) - Henry (22) It’s back to league business in a tie that is something of a local derby for us. They take the lead in the 21st minutes, Mann failing do deal with a header and Henry knocking in the rebound. Rice levels from a Noone corner in the 38th minute after we miss several good opportunities. We take the lead in first half injury time, a Baffour cross not dealt with particularly well, and the clearance landing at Ighorae’s feet for an easy finish. we get a third in the 61st minute, a lovely move resulting in Baffour’s cross being turned in by Coughlan from close range. 10 minutes later we get a 4th, Noone’s lofted through ball hit first time on the half volley by Ighorae, his 20th goal of the season. We keep the pressure on after a corner and Noone’s cross is headed in by Baffour for a 5th with just over 10 minutes left. A great way to bounce back after the cup defeat to Ebbsfleet. Vanarama Conference South 27 (a) v Braintree 3-2 Smith (40), Rice (55), Saraiva (81) - Cox (9, 64) This could be a key game as we visit the side in second place. A win here would could us a 9 point lead. They take an early lead form a corner. We are playing well but lose Ighorae to injury late in the half. Smith replaces him having just returned from injury himself, and immediately levels, volleying home a Rice cross, his 50th league goal for the club. Rice then gives us a second half lead after some pinball in the box. They level when a Cox shot that is heading wide deflects off Slater and in. Saraiva puts us back in front with 10 minutes left, after Rice crosses at the third attempt. A huge away win for us. League Table Month Review A tough month from which we emerged relatively unscathed. A draw at home to Gloucester was a poor performance but we made up for it in the following three league games. The win away against second place Braintree could be so important come the end of the season, Saraiva’s winning goal priceless. The cup match at Ebsfleet was a huge let down, and while we didn’t play badly the result was probably a true reflection of the game. The league is all that’s left, and our injury crisis seems to have abated somewhat. February will hopefully provide some recovery time with only three matches. Player of the Month Michael Noone - We welcomed the captain back from injury to fill a much needed place in the centre of the park. He is just starting to regain form and with 2 goals and 4 assists his contribution this month has been fantastic. He’s lacking a bit of fitness though, and can only really last around 60 minutes of a match at the moment. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 February Vanarama Conference South 28 (h) v Hemel Hempstead 2-1 Baffour (7), Ighorae (82) - Williams (42) The visitors are in 10th. The last (and only) meeting ended in a draw. We are on the front foot from the start and take the lead early, a Noone free kick headed in by Baffour. We squander a number of good chances only for them to score a leveller before half time. We dominate the second half and finally get the goal we deserve with 8 minted left, a fine move finding Ighorae in the box and his shot is far too powerful for the keeper. His 100th goal for Ashford. Boardroom News Vanarama Conference South 29 (a) v Maidenhead 3-2 Coughlan (27), Ighorae (33), Noone (pen 53) - Dobson (o.g. 38), Emanuel-Williamson (83) We are touted as heavy favourites for this game, I’m not so sure, although we did win the home fixture. We are poor for most of the first half but still manage to take the lead after a spell of pressure from a free kick. Coughlan gets the break of the ball and fires past the keeper close to the half hour mark. Our second is a lovely slick move, Coughlan playing in Ighorae who has time and space to pick his spot. Dobson then heads into his own net to put them back in the game. Ighorea is then tripped in the box and Noone restores our two goal lead from the spot. They get a goal back late on, but we see the game out to take the points. Vanarama Conference South 30 (h) v Bromley 2-0 Noone (pen 8), Saraiva (69) A big game. Bromley are pushing for the playoffs and beat us 4-1 at their place earlier in the season. We are awarded a penalty in the 8th minute, I’m still not sure exactly what for, and Noone steps up to bury it in the top left hand corner. It’s an even game but we create a number of excellent chances which Baffour seems intent on squandering. We finally get the second goal in the 69th minute when Saraiva volleys home a Noone corner. Both sides exchange chances before the end, but there is no further scoring. A good win and a vital clean sheet to expunge the very poor previous fixture against Bromley. League Table Month Review Three wins out of three in a month with very few games. We have a 10 point lead over second placed Brackley with a game in hand and 10 games left. The title is ours to lose. The win against Bromley was superb after our earlier season capitulation to them. The next game is huge, as we play Brackley away. A win would almost certainly land us the title. One potential problem I have is George Dobson who flat out refuses to speak to us about a new contract. I think that I may be resigned to losing him in the close season. Player of the Month Fabio Saraiva - The midfielder has been a driving force for us in the middle of the park. His creativity has caused sides all sorts of problems and he also popped up with a goal when needed. All I can hope for is that he continues with the fine form. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 26, 2015 Author Share Posted January 26, 2015 March Vanarama Conference South 31 (a) v Brackley 1-5 Dobson (63) - Mann (o.g. 28), Uttridge (52), Scott (55, pen 75), Martinez (81) We are the better side in the first half and squander some superb chances. They take the lead when a cross is deflected into the net by Mann. We lose a second from a corner at the start of the second half as Brackley put us under a lot of pressure and the game is effectively finished when Scott fires in a long range free kick a few minutes later. Dobson pulls one back with 30 minutes left, a fine strike from the edge of the area. Any hopes of a comeback are dashed when Saraiva gives away a penalty which is duly converted. We lose a 4th with 10 minutes left as we implode at the back. Dreadful performance, our worst of the season, but still only our 3rd league defeat. Youth Intake There are one or two that look like they have potential. The ones to look out for:- Bower Barratt Derbyshire Vanarama Conference South 32 (h) v Maidstone 3-2 Coughlan (1), Baffour (24), Rice (73) - Field (53), Rowe (60) The previous game really put the cat amongst the pigeons, even more so now Maidstone sit in 3rd place. We quite simply have to bounce back with a win. We can’t ask for a better start, a long ball forward from the kick off finds Ighorae and his lay off to Coughlan gives the forward an empty net to pass the ball into. The goal comes after just 12 seconds. Maidstone push for an equaliser, but it is Baffour who puts us 2 up, pouncing on a loose ball after a throw in. Maidstone have a spell of pressure at the start of the second half and pull a goal back as we fail to clear our lines. Lightnig strikes twice, again a loose ball that should have been cleared is struck into the empty net for the leveller. The game is end to end now and Rice is given an easy finish from an Ighorae pass on 73 minutes. We hold on to take the three points, but I am furious with the players for letting a 2 goal lead slip. The win also secures us a playoff spot. New Record Vanarama Conference South 33 (a) v Hayes & Yeading 3-0 Melia (o.g. 1), Noone (pen 25), Ighorae (48) We visit a side that has lost it’s previous 6 matches and sit deep in the relegation zone. It’s another early goal, this one after 26 seconds, Baffours low cross turned into his own net by a defender. We’re awarded a soft penalty midway through the half which Noone scores to give us a comfortable looking lead. Ighorea makes it three at the start of the second half, thundering in Baffour’s superb reverse pass to make the points safe. A good solid win that keeps us 10 points clear with 7 to play. New Conference South Record Vanarama Conference South 34 (h) v St Albans 3-0 Noone (13), Rice (32), Baffour (82) Struggling St Albans currently occupy 17th place. Noone opens the scoring after 13 minutes with a fine long range drive. Rice makes it 2 after a spell of pressure, superbly volleying Baffour’s cross. We squander some gilt edged chances only putting the game to bed in the last 10 minutes when Baffour finally finds a way past the goalkeeper. A very good win and clean sheet. New Signing Midfielder flagged up by my scouts, formerly of Southend. Can play anywhere on the right or centre and I wanted him mainly for competition and backup for Baffour, although I can see him taking over the position as he is a far better pedigree, Vanarama Conference South 35 (a) v Merstham 3-3 Coughlan (48), Ighorae (51, 65) - Ford (45), Sheriff (72), Sweeney (87) The final game in March is away at struggling Mertsham who sit just in the relegation places. We are the better side for most of the first half, the Merstham goal seemingly protected by a magic forcefield. I’m not very surprised then when we lose a goal on the stroke of half time, Ford heading in a cross from a counter attack. New signing Larrauri, on for the injured Baffour, has an impact at the start of the second half, crossing for Coughlan to head in the equaliser, his 50th league goal for the club. Just a few minutes later we take the lead, Saraiva finding Ighorae in acres of space and he takes his time in picking his spot. Ighorae makes it three after a spell of pressure from a corner, Larrauri’s neat little cutback finding him wide open for an easy finish again. His 25th of the season. Merstham come back into the game and a period of sustained pressure sees them cut the lead to 1. Noone then loses the plot and gets himself sent off for a two footed challenge with 7 minutes left and as a consequence we lose an equaliser. League Table Month Review Two blips this month, the final one against Merstham which I can forgive and the embarrassing capitulation against Brackley which I can’t. Otherwise we have been scoring freely and with 5 games left we have all but secured the title. 5 points needed and only 2 to secure at least second place. If we lose it from here there will be a reckoning amongst the players! Player of the Month Sam Baffour - The winger has been in solid form before getting injured in the Merstham game. 3 assists and 2 goals could have been a lot more had it not been for some good goalkeeping. He has been a constant menace to defences. Now has a competitor for the jersey with the arrival and superb debut of Larrauri. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 27, 2015 Author Share Posted January 27, 2015 April Vanarama Conference South 36 (h) v Kingstonian 3-0 Coughlan (34), Larrauri (70), Robinson (pen 79) We dominate possession for the first half and coughlan gives us a lead half an hour in, latching onto a Dobson through ball. A swift counter attack sees Rice pick out Larrauri in the box and he scores in his home debut. We’re then awarded a penalty of the “ref’s got a few quid on a 3-0 scoreline” variety (I couldn’t see anything that might have been a foul) and Robinson steps up to bury it. With 2nd place Braintree drawing we only need a point to mathematically seal the title. Player Leaves Ander del Alamo has been irritating me for a while now. I was constantly having to tell him that others were ahead of him in the first team on merit. The final straw was when he was absent from training, and felt that the subsequent warning was harsh. He’s now out of a job. I had wanted to keep him, but he was becoming disruptive and also wasn’t good enough to be a first team regular. In his time at the club he made 110 league appearances scoring 11 goals. Vanarama Conference South 37 (a) v Eastbourne Boro 2-2 Rice (4), Ighorae (55) - Tracey (41), Forbes (pen 63) A point here and we win the championship. Rice sets us on our way early after Saraiva spots him in space. He volleys in off the post. We squander a host of chances and gradually Eastbourne worm their way back into the game, levelling with a fine strike from outside the area five minutes before half time. The second half is a nervous affair, but we get the break of the ball, Coughlan finding Ighorae who had been poor, and his shot finds the top corner. Loanee Kitoko, playing because of Slater’s suspension, then gives away a blatant penalty which Forbes puts into the top corner. We hold on to take a point and the championship. Vanarama Conference South 38 (h) v Basingstoke 3-0 Saraiva (8), Dobson (40), Baffour (60) I try a bit of an experimental line up for this game, starting with some back up players to see how they fare. Saraiva opens the scoring, latching onto Lampard’s fine pass as we pressure Basingstoke from the start. Dobson makes it two from Ighorae’s knock down after a corner close to half time. Baffour comes on as a sub and immediately scores, turning in the rebound from Ighoraes header, his 15th goal of the season. Vanarama Conference South 39 (a) v Sutton Utd 1-0 Baffour (44) With Sutton having already booked a playoff place this game is pretty meaningless for both sides. Baffour gives us the lead just before half time with a fine finish to a sweeping cross field move. It’s the only goal of a drab game, but I’m happy with the win and a clean sheet. Vanarama Conference South 40 (h) v Dartford 2-1 Larrauri (65), Smith (87) - McHaffie (46) The final match of the season. We have been outstanding at home all season, only failing to win once. It’s not the best game ever, the first half was a non event. We fall behind after sloppy defending after the break but Larrauri fires us level midway through the half before Smith gets a late winner, turning in a deep Robinson cross to bring the curtain down with a win for the bumper 400 or so fans that turned up. Conference South Player of the Year We have four candidates on the shortlist. Noone, Baffour, Coughlan and Saraiva all make the list. The favourite seems to be Sutton’s Chris Hussey Final League Table 2018/19 Season Review A quite simply outstanding season from the players, and with a paper thin squad too. The midfield and attack were superb, even during our mini injury crisis in December when some youngsters really stepped up to the plate. The strikers were a constant menace, managing a whopping 63 goals between the three of them. The Robert Parker Stadium turned into something of a fortress and we were unbeaten there this season, winning all but one match there, a 2-2 draw with Gloucester. We lost only 3 league games, 2 badly. The 5-1 defeat to Brackley was an unacceptable capitulation. We made it to the 1st round of the FA Cup for the first time ever. We lost, not because Orient were better, but because we turned in a horrific defensive performance, something that seems to be a feature when we play high pressure games. Still, the squad is developing well, although one or two are beginning to age, and should hopefully keep us in the conference. We have a few players shortlisted for the division player of the year which eventually goes to Chris Hussey of Sutton Utd. I win the manager of the year award by a landslide. Competitions General Stadium In line with Conference rules we need to upgrade the stadium. In the meantime we move to Griffin Park to ground share with Brentford. Players Team of the Year Player of the Year - Sam Baffour 49% Runner Up - Fabio Saraiva 27% 3rd - Sam Smith 15% Records Highest Attendance - 442 Average Attendance - 208 Biggest Win - 6-2 v Chelmsford (H) Biggest Defeat - 5-1 v Brackley (A) Top Scorer - Emmanuel Ighorae 26 Most Assists - Sam Baffour 22 Total League Appearances - Chris Robinson 216 Total League Goals - Emmanuel Ighorae 88 Players In/out Goal Scorers All time Top Scorers (all competitions) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1st Emmanuel Ighorae - 105 (88 league) (212 appearances) 2nd Michael Noone - 85 (74 league) (233 appearances) 3rd Sam Smith - 63 (51 league) (125 appearances) 4th Sam Baffour - 62 (51 league) (220 appearances) 5th Craig Hughes - 61 (53 league) (124 appearances 2014-17) (transferred to Crawley Down) 6th Ronan Coughlan - 54 (51 league) (85 appearances) 7th Scott Harris - 50 (50 league) (104 appearances 2006-11, 2015-16) (retired) 8th Kane Rice - 44 (39 league) (225 appearances) 9th Andre Thompson - 42 (36 league) (132 appearances 2014-19) (transferred to Godalming) 10th Ellis Wilmot - 29 (28 league) (122 appearances 2014-17) (retired) 11th Jordan Cross - 17 (17 league) (68 appearances 2014-16) (released) 12th Fabio Saraiva - 16 (14 league) (79 appearances) 13th Ander del Alamo - 14 (11 league) (133 appearances 2015-19) (released) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 28, 2015 Author Share Posted January 28, 2015 2017/18 - Season Preview Expectations League | FA Cup | FA Vase | FA Trophy | Isthmian League Cup | -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2014/15 Win | 1st Qual Rnd | 4th Rnd | N/A | N/A | 2015/16 Respectable Position | 1st Qual Rnd | N/A | 1st Qual Rnd | 3rd Rnd | 2016/17 Playoffs | 2nd Qual Rnd | N/A | 2nd Qual Rnd | 4th Rnd | 2017/18 Respectable Position | 2nd Qual Rnd | N/A | 2nd Qual Rnd | 4th Rnd | 2018/19 Mid-Table | 4th Qual Rnd | N/A | 1st Rnd | N/A | 2019/20 Fight Relegation | 4th Qual Rnd | N/A | 1st Rnd | N/A | Progress League | FA Cup | FA Vase | FA Trophy | Isthmian League Cup | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2014/15 Cherry Red Prem 1st (P) | Preliminary Round | 2nd Qualifying Round | N/A | N/A | 2015/16 Ryman D1 Sth 3rd | 3rd Qualifying Round | N/A | 1st Qualifying Round | 3rd Round | 2016/17 Ryman D1 Sth 1st (P) | 2nd Qualifying Round | N/A | Preliminary Round | 4th Round | 2017/18 Ryman Prem Div 2nd (P) | 4th Qualifying Round | N/A | 1st Qualifying Round | Winners | 2018/19 Conference Sth 1st (P) | 1st Round | N/A | 2nd Round | N/A | Facilities Pre-season has once again been an exercise in fitness. There has been little movement player wise, although a lot of my older youth and fringe players have left at the end of their contracts. The big loss was Dobson, who point blank refused to speak to us about a new contract and walked out the door. The friendlies were a mixed bunch but never really reflects on our league performances. Squad wise we are ok in most areas, but I am concerned with defence as I am really only left with Hogan and Slater, plus another signing, Jonathan Thorpe who looks fairly average. There also seems to be moves afoot for a fans trust to take over the club as the current chairman seems keen to sell. Transfers 1st Team Squad Goalkeepers 1. Matt Mann - The 31 year old has been getting better and better with age. Was probably responsible for gaining us 10 or so points last season with his performances in goal and he has proven to be pretty consistent. Good in the air and a decent shot stopper he has also been great in one on one situations. He does however have the odd horrible performance where a traffic cone would have been a better choice in goal - at least the cone won’t punch the ball into its own net! These are few and far between though and he remains firmly first choice. 21. Daniel Marsden - 18 year old product of our youth system. My coaching staff have all held him in high regard, although his stats were never really up to much. He had a spell of tutoring under Matt Mann last season and has begun to blossom. Yet to play a senior game, he may get a run out in the cup games for experience. I have high hopes that he can be the long term replacement/competition for Mann. Defenders 2. Chris Robinson D/WB R - At 31, the club vice captain is currently the player in the squad with most appearances for the club. He has been outstanding for us in my 5 seasons, generally solid at the back and good going forward, even creating a few goals himself. He does seem to be on the wane now and being the wrong side of 30 could spell the beginning of the end for him as a regular starter. I will keep a close eye on his performances, he has a real propensity to play opposition strikers onside. I think the step up to the Conference National may be a bit too much for him. 4. Aaron Slater D RLC - The 20 year old has clocked up 156 league appearances for us since breaking into the first team in 2015. He has made the spot his own. What he lacks in ability is made up for by strength and determination and, although not the quickest, he has a knack of being in the right place at the right time. Hopefully he will continue to improve as, at the moment, he is my key player at the back. 5. Dan Hogan D RC - The former Crystal Palace youngster is still only 21. Was mostly kept out the team by Dobson last season, but now has the opportunity to really step up to the plate. Not quite as good as Slater, but young and still a long way to go for him. Another no nonsense defender he can play centrally or as a right fullback. 6. Jonathan Thorpe D RC - the 20 year old was picked up after being freed by Hull. He’s probably a little better than Hogan, and certainly he has better mental stats. Will start the season as backup, but I can see him fighting with Hogan for a starting berth. 3. Alex Duffy D/M L - The fullback has clocked up almost 200 league appearances for us with an average of 7.06. Doesn’t score many but has been one of the foundations of our attacking play over the seasons. At 29 he still has decent physical ability, and although he is not the best technician he does make up for it through sheer determination. He does have a nasty habit of giving away silly penalties. 13. Thomas Parker D L - 18 year old dedicated full back. Still has a lot of developing to do, but could eventually be the equal of Duffy. Needs to develop physically to stand any chance of a regular place. This season could be make or break for him. Midfield 7. Sam Baffour M/AM RC - Last season player of the year with 16 goals and 22 assists in all competitions. He has probably been over performing and the Conference National could be a step too far for him. Has a great engine, works had and never hides even when things aren’t going right for him. Would have scored a lot more goals for us if he stopped drifting offside so often. Still only 24. 10. Pier Larrauri AM RC - Born in Italy he has declared himself for the Peruvian National side. Bags of ability and pace make him a real menace for defences. Fitness lets him down a little, but hopefully this will develop with game time. Should be a key player for us this season. Will probably start ahead of Baffour. 12. Stephen Griffiths - D/M RC - The young Welshman can play right fullback or in midfield. He is a class act and way above any other player in the squad in terms of ability. If (big if) we manage to hold onto him a future captain. I’m as yet undecided as to where to play him. 11. Michael Noone M RLC - Quite simply captain fantastic and three time player of the year. Great set piece specialist he rarely misses penalties and delivers some wicked free kicks. Spent much of last season out injured, his rating of 7.27 has been his worst performance over a season for us! Will start the season as first choice then we will see how he gets on. 8 Fabio Saraiva M/AM/ST C - Despite the fancy name and Portugese nationality Fabio is infact a Londoner born and bred. At 26 he is in his prime and last season saw him play a pivotal role in our title winning season. One of the best players at the club we may struggle to hold onto him. 17 Kane Rice D/M/AM L - Used predominantly as a left winger Rice has suffered due to lack of competition. He has been pretty consistent though, and helps out with goals and assists. Another of my players at 29, it does look like he could be on the wane as well. This season could see him lose his place. 16 Harry West M/AM LC - 20 year old winger released by Blackburn. Brought in to give competition to Rice. He certainly has the ability and technique with some decent physical stats to go with it. Could end up replacing Rice if he performs well. 23. Matty McCabe M/AM L - Still only 19. When he plays well he is unplayable, but those matches seem to be few and far between. Made a lot of appearances from the bench and hasn’t been developing as well as I would like. Great first touch and likes to take players on, but his crossing is nothing short of appalling. Could well be his last season at the club if he doesn’t improve. Attackers 9. Emmanuel Ighorae S C - The 24 year old is the clubs record scorer. He’s a big beast of a guy who can steamroller his way through defences. Prefers the unsubtle approach of hitting the ball as hard as he can to score goals which often ends up in him blindly hitting the goalkeeper. Will hopefully lead the line for a few years yet. 19. Ronan Coughan S C - the 22 year old Irishman has undoubted talent, even picking up a couple of u-21 caps. Great physical stats backed up elsewhere, but he really struggles with consistency. 51 goals in 70 league appearances isn’t to be sniffed at though! 20. Sam Smith S C - the third and youngest of my strikers, but certainly not least. Has been vying for a starting place with Coughlan and when in the team doesn’t disappoint. He is loved by the fans as well after a debut season with us where he scored 27 in all competitions. Ticket Price £19 Season Ticket Price £347 Season Ticket Holders 78 Board Expectations Conference South - Battle Relegation FA Cup - 4th Qualifying Rnd FA Trophy - 1st Rnd Media Prediction 23rd Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted January 29, 2015 Share Posted January 29, 2015 Rapid rise up the leagues. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
ron6632 Posted January 30, 2015 Author Share Posted January 30, 2015 Rapid rise up the leagues. Not to give too much away, but I think I may have just hit the wall Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted February 2, 2015 Share Posted February 2, 2015 I'd rather hit the bar. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Highbury Posted April 4, 2015 Share Posted April 4, 2015 Good to see you doing so well with this team. KUTGW! I've got a soft spot for Ashford as I have been at more Ashford games than any other club, including the one I support. Used to get down there pretty regularly from the mid 80s until 2007 when my parents moved away from the area - I used to go with my Dad pretty much any time I was at my parents during the season. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nobby_McDonald Posted April 6, 2015 Share Posted April 6, 2015 If he's still doing well! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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