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Post by Moo on Nov 10, 2006 13:11:24 GMT
Another very good set of results. KUTGW! :thumb:
P.S. You met Workington in the 3rd Qualifying Round, do you mean?
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Post by Boony on Nov 10, 2006 14:13:00 GMT
I did indeed. Well spotted. Of course, I did that on purpose just to see how carefully you're all reading this. :cab:
I don't think I've ever been unbeaten for this long in a seasson before - it could get quite exciting...
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Post by Moo on Nov 10, 2006 15:12:56 GMT
Of course, now you've said that.....
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Post by coffers on Nov 10, 2006 15:40:47 GMT
Exciting days Boo, keep it up, don't let the standards slip. KUTGW! ![](http://www.geocities.com/jacquesdebohun/smilies/thumb.gif)
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Post by Moo on Nov 10, 2006 15:58:14 GMT
Shush, Coffers, I was trying to hex him.
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Nov 11, 2006 12:15:35 GMT
Those are some very tight results 800 - I'll be interested to see what happens when the ubiquitous morale issue comes up around January.
KUTTTANCW! :thumb:
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Post by Sonic on Nov 13, 2006 2:11:11 GMT
Still unbeaten. Nice work :thumb:
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Post by Boony on Nov 13, 2006 10:03:48 GMT
November 2008November was a pretty solid month. Four cup games interwove with four league games, and we saw good times and bad times in both. Firstly the cups - we faced Buxton in the FA Trophy 2nd Qualifying round, and drew 0-0 at their place. Briscoe scored a goal, but it was ruled out for offside. Then we hit the post, Briscoe was forced off in the second half, and basically we were all over them but just couldn't find a goal. We saved those up for the home replay, where two first half goals are enough to put us into the draw for the 3rd qualifying round. Proctor's freekick found Somner to make it one, and then Taylor found Dutton for the second, a "wonderfully crafted move from Gateshead", apparently. We held on comfortably. We'd just broken a new club record, making it 19 games unbeaten. Of course it wasn't going to last. Especially as our next game was in the FA Cup first round, away at Wycombe Wanderers. The scourge of Divots in England, Wycombe looked a quality side, but we weren't outplayed, and held them to just 1-0 until the 69th minute, when we were chasing the game. Still, a 2-0 scoreline against this class of opposition isn't anything to be concerned about - in fact I was quite pleased with the way we played. After three cup games, it was time for the league to kick back into action, and we hosted Hucknall in our 15th game of the season. The first goal saw the wingers linking up to good effect, as Eagle passed to Earl, who scored. Panther scored the second with a long shot from outside the area, but we couldn't hold onto the clean sheet as Hucknall scored from a header off a freekick. Hucknall lost a player because he punched one of my players, the dirty animal, and we held on. This game saw the debut for our Newcastle loanee Colin Shanks, and he had a decent game. A visit to Alfreton followed, and their defence held tight for the whole game. 0-0. Worksop came to town, and were duly dispatched 2-0. An Earl corner allowed Panther time and space to head the ball in, and the second came from another set piece, Earl scoring direct from a freekick. The bad news, though, was that Briscoe was pulled off again in this game, and is out for 1-2 months. A major blow, he's scored most of our goals this season, although he hasn't done much in the last month or so. Bugger. Time for that FA Trophy third qualifying round, and Harrow come to town. Briscoe is hardly misssed, as replacement Luke Moore slots home from a Blackburn pass - 1-0 on the stroke of half time. Two yellow cards for DM Panther means a reshuffle as we move to 4-1-3-1 - Clare comes on for Taylor, and Somner moves up to DMC. We're not put off by such trivial matters, though, as Earl sealed the win in injury time with a 30 yard strike. The new winger has been in great form recently, creating and scoring goals for fun. His set piece play has been a major part of our success so far this season, and I'm sure about half our goals have come via his boot in one way or another. The final game of the month was away at Nuneaton, who sat second in the league. In the 33rd minute, Earl scored from a freekick, naturally, to put us one up. The match trundles on, then winger Taylor is sent off in the 71st. 14 minutes later, Nuneaton also lose a man, and we can relax. Until they score an equaliser in the last minut.... no! Offside! Thank fuck for that. We hold on, all the way up to the 96th minute. 3 points! As I said, a solid month, conceding just 3 goals - two of them against Wycombe in the cup. League record: P4 W3 D1 L0 F5 A1 Pts 10 ![](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/james.boon7/img/League%2020081130.png)
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Post by coffers on Nov 13, 2006 10:06:41 GMT
Solid? more like excellent and a gap is opening for you at the top. Great stuff.
KUTGW! :thumb:
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Post by Boony on Nov 13, 2006 10:09:52 GMT
Aye. Injuries are mounting, though, and I'm really worried about losing Briscoe for a couple of months. Still, as you say, we have a gap at the top, which is always encouraging.
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Post by Moo on Nov 13, 2006 10:19:32 GMT
The gap will give you a little bit of a cushion in case you lose a game and the confidence/morale starts to waver a little. Nevertheless, I agree with Coffers, it was an excellent update.
:thumb:
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Post by Boony on Nov 13, 2006 10:23:23 GMT
You just wait for the next one :moop:
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Post by Boony on Nov 13, 2006 10:24:23 GMT
December 2008December is officially the month when the wheels come off. So I shall start by looking on the bright side, and our stunning triumph in the FA Trophy 1st round, against Conference National side York. We played at our place first, and pulled back a 1-0 York lead with Taylor running onto a long ball and putting it past their keeper to earn a replay in York. They take the lead again, in just the 2nd minute, and make it 2-0 in the 23rd with a long range strike. We make it manageable by scoring ourselves before half time, a Taylor cross for Earl on 20 minutes. 2-1 at the break, and we come out all guns firing. Earl takes a corner, Panther header, goal! 2-2, and we're back in this. Shanks is sent off in the 81st minute for his second bookable offence, and inevitably, on 88 minutes, York make it 3-2... no! There was a foul, no goal, and we move into extra time - my first in this career. Early in the second period, Moore steps up and puts us in front for the first time in the tie after a fine through ball from Blackburn, an unsung hero in midfield this year. We hold on, and hold on, and win! Beating a Conference side, from 2-0 down. That's what I'm talking about! The rest of the month was a disappointment. We played one game before this cup madness, losing to 6th place Vauxhall 1-0 at their place after an 89th minute goal. Then after the cup games, we played Harrogate, and drew 1-1 - Panther scored an own goal, while Wall headed in an Earl freekick at the other end. Another injury strikes, as rightback Donoghue is out for 3-5 months! Ouch... Finally, Barrow score two goals, in the 14th and the 93rd, while we have another rightback, Clare, sent off. Injuries and suspensions are really taking their toll. League record: P3 W0 D1 L2 F1 A4 Pts 1 ![](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/james.boon7/img/League%2020081231.png)
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Post by coffers on Nov 13, 2006 10:28:32 GMT
The wobble, he comes!
Still you still have a game in hand, but may have to get one or two players in to cover the key injuries.
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Post by Boony on Nov 13, 2006 10:47:52 GMT
Get players in? *sniggers* Like that's ever going to happen. I'm lucky if my scouts find anyone half decent, let alone that they be available for transfer. And in a position I'm desperate for players? You're having a laugh right there, mister.
The one game in hand is handy, though, you're right.
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Post by Moo on Nov 13, 2006 10:56:31 GMT
I have a decent couple of scouts, to be fair, but what they're recommending aren't great looking, they seem to have good potential ability, which is what worries me. Can you really afford to take the chance on those muppets?
Well, fingers crossed that not too much damage is done to your fine start with the suspensions and injuries. KUTGW!
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Post by Mr Bismarck's Electric Donkey on Nov 13, 2006 10:59:28 GMT
I have two scouts, one who's good at judging ability (15) and one who's good at judging potential (16) and I get them to mark each other's homework. That way I get a semi-reliable idea of what a player's like.
Then I can say it's not my fault when he turns out to be garbage.
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Post by Boony on Nov 13, 2006 11:01:39 GMT
January 2009Contract signing time comes around, and I'm mildly surprised that everyone offered one, signed a fulltime contract. This makes me very happy, hopefully we should see a real boost from our training sessions now. Our first game of 2009 is away at Workington. We're forced into a tactial change, as I only have one fit first-team winger available. We play a 4-1-3-2 with Glass and Moore up front, and it's a quick start as Dutton punts a long ball for Luke Moore to put away in just the fourth minute. Shanks fouls in the area, penalty! But our keeper is a hero, and saves it comfortably. They go down to ten men, then nine, so we pull players back to hold on - Glass comes off for The Hutch, and it's a very wary 4-2-3-1 with Navarro joining Panther at DMC. Moore then gets injured so Eagle comes on and The Hutch goes up front. We just about hold on, and start 2009 with a much-needed win. Moore news from the physio room (ha!) as young Luke is out for a month. We have six injuries right now - three first team players (Briscoe, Donoghue, Earl) and their backups (Moore, Clare, Quarm) all out, which makes team selection interesting, to say the least. Our next game is away at Stalybridge, and we're forced back to 4-1-2-2-1 as Glass is our only fit striker! On 16 minutes, the home side take the lead, but we get one back on the half our, as Taylor runs on the right, crosses onto Glass's head, and he can't miss - 1-1. We're all over them, but it's just 1-1 at the half, and that's the way it stays... Next up is our visit to non-leaguers Marlow. By non-league, I mean they play in a league below us - proper non-league. This is the FA Trophy 2nd round, and I was looking forward to a comfortable progression, but this dream is rudely pulled from my sleeping thoughts as we get totally humped, 4-1. They score early on, from a free kick, on 9 minutes, and things stay relatively sedate until the 74th, when they knock in a second. We start chasing, and therefore on 76, Marlow make it three from a corner. Then The Hutch is sent off, then Taylor scores a solo goal on 86, and finally Marlow bang one in in the 92nd. We were absolutly awful. Thank got it was only in the cup. Great rivals Blyth come to town next, just what we need. There's lots of prematch buildup in the press, which I think I get the better of, but I'm not quite sure. Things are level at half time, 0-0, and I give the lads the patented Fergie hairdryer, I'm that angry. They respond, too, with Dutton scoring an audacious 35 yard lob in the 47th minute. That's all it takes, as we somehow hold on for the 1-0 win. Blyth boss praises winger Taylor, who takes such words with a pinch of salt. Nice! We're home against bottom club Lancaster, so of course, we draw 0-0. Lancaster gain their 11th point of the season, in just their 25th game. Ooh, transfer news! 18 year old Ryan Child signs for the club. Now, he looks like he's got a lot of potential. Our fans are already excited - despite knowing he's not going to break into the first team yet, they're already after buying shirts with his name on the back. Crazy! We visit struggling Moor Green, with the good news that Louis Briscoe is back with us, and starts on the bench. His mere presence transforms the team, and after 18 minutes we're 4-0 up. Wall banged in a 30 yarder from a smart freekick routine, Glass scored from a poor backpass, Earl crossed to the near post and forced an own goal, and then Earl passed for Glass to make it four. I was stunned, and the lad Glass is clearly making a (very late) bid to keep his place once the main guys come back. Moor Green pulled one back on 58 minutes, but it's no big deal. Briscoe comes on for Glass in the 64th minute, and gets punched 15 minutes later, a fine left hook, and Moor Green go down to ten men. We win, comfortably. Briscoe is out for a few days - not with a black eye, but just a cold. The final game of an eventful January is at home against Scarborough. James Earl scores a freekick on 71 minutes, and I think we're hanging on for the win, until Scarborough get one back on 92 minu.... no! Offside! But was it? Yes, it was, and I'm very grateful for the three points. League Record: P6 W4 D2 L0 F8 A2 Pts 14 ![](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/james.boon7/img/League%2020090131.png)
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Post by coffers on Nov 13, 2006 11:14:02 GMT
Another excellent month and it's nice to see the type of gap that I love, opening up at the top. :thumb:
KUTGW! have another :thumb:
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Post by Boony on Nov 13, 2006 11:16:40 GMT
Aye, I'm loving it. From nowhere, we've picked up a 10 point gap. Nuneaton have really gone off the boil, and no-one else is catching up. Injuries are being overcome, we're having some luck with disallowed goals, and we're still nicking games 1-0, but there's nothing wrong with that. A look at our goals for/against columns, compared to the rest of the division, is a sign of our "boring" play this year.
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Post by Moo on Nov 13, 2006 11:26:28 GMT
A hell of a turnaround, Boony. Well done! :thumb:
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Post by Boony on Nov 13, 2006 11:42:42 GMT
February 2009February comes around, and it's about now that I realise that we're out of both cups and can just concentrate on the league, which is always a bit of a bonus. Our first game of the month is away at Hinckley. We concede early on, in the 7th minut.... no! Disallowed! How many of those have we had this season? It's incredible, really. 20 minutes in, Dutton scores a fine goal. Briscoe comes on at half time, but doesn't do much, and we run out 1-0 winners. The bad news is that Dutton is out for a month, but the good news is that The Hutch is itching to take over in central midfield. Histon come to town, in our next league game, and it's a welcome return for two big names as Briscoe and The Hutch put on their 10 and 11 shirts respectivley. Taylor is injured in the 13th minute, but this doesn't distract Briscoe, as he scores as if he'd never been away - 1-0 on 50 minutes after a pass from Eagle. In the 77th, Histon go down to ten men, and that's the end of that. We then travel to Leigh RMI, and Briscoe shows the other side of not having played for a while - his poor back header lets in the home club and they take the lead. We're really very lucky in this game - our equaliser came from a backpass that went wrong - their centreback passed it to the keeper, who got stuck or something and couldn't get there in time before the ball rolled into the goal. 1-1. Leigh get a penalty, and our keeper is a hero for the second time this season with a fine save, and we're very happy to take one point away from this game. Gainsborough at home is our next game, and Briscoe gives us the lead with a 21st minute penalty. Another red card sees the away side down to ten men, and six minutes later, on the hour, James Earl puts away yet anothe free kick as we ease to a comfortable victory. Around the country, Reading beat Everton in the league cup final. Back to the Conference North, though, and we travel to lowly Burscough for the last game of the month. It seems like it's destined to be a goalless affair, until we push too far for too long and the home side grab a winner in the 89th minute. Bugger. That's one way to take the gloss off an otherwise decent month. Still, our challengers are hardly giving much of a chase, and we still seem to have a comfortable lead at the top of the table. League record: P5 W3 D1 L1 F5 A2 Pts 10 ![](http://homepage.ntlworld.com/james.boon7/img/League%2020090228.png)
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Post by Moo on Nov 13, 2006 11:50:17 GMT
A 12-point gap with 10 games to go? I'd say you're nailed on, TBH. Four wins and I reckon you're in there.
Quality stuff. :thumb:
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Post by Boony on Nov 13, 2006 11:56:40 GMT
Yeah, it's looking that way. I'll be very happy to avoid another playoff situation, let's put it that way.
Our defensive record still staggers me. 18 conceded in 32 games? That's top quality, that is. We've only scored 38 times in 32 games, but that's all we've had to score. I'm not sure how I'll address that for next season - perhaps a winger with good finished stats is required (Earl is a great set piece man, and an awesome crosser, but he won't score much from open play, while Taylor on the other side is a pure speed freak, gets the odd decent cross in, but again won't score much from open play. We've missed goals from central midfield this year - Proctor and Hutch scored a bucketload last term (relatively, anyway) and we haven't really had that kind of contribution from the centre this time out. Briscoe has been our saviour, really. He's banged in about half our goals, I reckon, and Earl has got over half the rest.
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Post by coffers on Nov 13, 2006 12:06:37 GMT
Top Notch stuff and the lead is extended to 12. Great stuff. Re: lowly Burscough, that's always to be expected. ![:D](//storage.proboards.com/forum/images/smiley/grin.png) KUTGW! :thumb:
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