6. Derby Day Fever!
It’s the big one next, the match that all Morley fans look out for when the fixtures come out in July... Forget El Classico, The Old Firm or River Plate vs Boca Juniors this is The Asquith Avenue Derby against Gildersome Spurs Old Boys.....Gildersome is the nearest village to Morley and is linked by a long straight road called Asquith Avenue, named after the former British Prime Minister, Herbert Asquith who was born in Morley in 1852.
When there are matches between the two sides, the whole area comes to a standstill, Scatcherd Park in the centre of town becomes a fanzone as the Morley Town Ultras congegate to sing songs, let off flares and drink beer... Similarly up in Gildersome the same scenes are playing out on their village green outside the Griffin's Claw Pub as the Old Boys fans congregate, sing songs, let off flares and drink beer.. all under the watchful glare of two PCSOs from West Yorkshire Police. Then they walk down Asquith Avenue en masse, turning right at the mini roundabout and marching on together to the arena.... Bruntcliffe School fields which can barely be seen for the smoke from the flares which makes the arens feel like a cauldron, very much like the Olympic Stadium in Rome.. The winners will lift the Herbert Asquith Trophy and gain three valuable Yorkshire Amateur Premier League points, so it is all to play for.
Match 8: Gildersome Spurs Old Boys v Morley Town
Our local rivals have made a mixed start to the season and lie in 7th, while we are in 4th. Graham has pulled his groin, so Sanchez Payne comes in on the right flank. I go in with a 4-2-4.. slightly reckless you may think for an away match, but then we are technically at home..
Team: Reay, Clappison, Cyrus,
Cowgill, Alasttal, Azbogo, Wright, Payne, Rowe, Ellis, Iyambu
Match Action
There is
controversy in the opening minute of the Asquith Avenue Derby when Sanchez Payne
swings over a cross and Louis Rowe is pushed to the ground in the penalty area.
The Irishman picks himself up, dusts himself down and plants the ball into the
corner of the net from the penalty spot. 1-0 Morley. Gildersome are playing a
high line and this suits us down to the ground. Clappison punts one over their
defence for Ellis to run onto but is denied by the keeper. Another such punt
forward down the channel is chased down by Louis Rowe. He lays it back to
Iyamu, and his pinpoint cross finds the head of Gabriel Ellis who guides a
header into the bottom corner for 2-0. Just before half time Gildersome win a
corner and John Jones heads just wide to fire a warning shot as the whistle blows.
Into the
second half and we create a couple of chances with Iyamu and Ellis going close.
The Ellis-Rowe partnership is starting to blossom and when Joe Lamplough’s
agricultural hoof forward is flicked on by Ellis into the path of Louis Rowe, he
cooly runs into the box and dinks the ball past the keeper for number three.
But wait! Michael Cartman launches a long range free kick which thwacks the
post and falls kindly for Hollingdrake to tap home. Then Payne dallies on the
ball and is dispossessed. We fail to clear our lines and Jackson reduces the
deficit further with a bullet header. Thankfully we see it through and come
away with a deserved three points and climb up to second in the table. We also
get to lift the Herbert Asquith Trophy and gain bragging rights with our
neighbours from up t’road, who slink past Gelderd Road traffic lights with their tales between their legs...
Final Score: Gildersome Spurs Old Boys 2-3
Morley Town
Hollindrake 72 Rowe 3 (pen) 64
Jackson
85
Ellis 27
Match 8 – Morley Town v Ealandians
29/10/22
We welcome
our friends from the town of Elland to Glen Road with us by hook or by crook 3rd
in the league going into this fixture. Louis Rowe is injured and will be out
for 2 months with knee ligament damage, so Sanchez Payne partners Ellis up
front and Smith comes in on the left wing, with Iyambu switching to the right. Ealandians
lie in 5th place, so all to play for.
Team: 4-4-2 Reay, Clappison, Cowgill,
Cyrus, Alasttal, Azbogo, Wright, Graham, Ellis, Payne, Iyambu
Match 8 – Morley Town v Ealandians
29/10/22
We welcome
our friends from the town of Elland to Glen Road with us by hook or by crook 3rd
in the league going into this fixture. Louis Rowe is injured and will be out
for 2 months with knee ligament damage, so Sanchez Payne partners Ellis up
front and Smith comes in on the left wing, with Iyambu switching to the right. Ealandians
lie in 5th place, so all to play for.
Team: 4-4-2 Reay, Clappison, Cowgill,
Cyrus, Alasttal, Azbogo, Wright, Graham, Ellis, Payne, Iyambu
Match Action
The opening few minutes are bit like watching a game of Rugby Union, you know when they punt the ball downfield and the back chases the ball, picks it up and then returns it with a punt downfield of their own, only to be caught by their back, who punts the ball back.. anyway this went on for about two minutes (without the hands) until finally we provide the first piece of quality. Ellis nods back a punt from Cowgill, back to Wright. His ball back to the striker is cleverly turned round the corner for the onrushing Payne who slides the ball confidently under the keeper for a lovely goal. But such is the way a random free kick, who nobody knows how it was obtained results in Dickson blasting the ball into the top corner for an instant equaliser. I’m really beginning to doubt my keeper's ability from those sort of situations. But we have Jeff Smith. Like in Rugby Union he replies with a big kick of his own which flies into the top corner. Amazing 2-1! We win a throw in on the right, which Ben Clappison takes to Sam Wright. My central midfielder turns almost Gascoigne like bursts into the penalty area and hits a sublime finish with the outside of the boot which fizzes into the bottom corner. Amazing I didn’t know he could do that! 3-1 after just 21 minutes! The rest of the half passes without much incident, save for a couple of Jeff Smith efforts which were skied over the bar. Sam Wright is having an absolute stormer in midfield. He intercepts the ball and sprays a sumptuous pass to Iyamu now on the left wing. He plays a perfect low cross to Payne who blasts the ball into the bottom corner first time to make it 4-1. To put the icing on the cake, Clappison retrieves a Sam Wright free kick, checks inside and pings in a cross. Jack Cowgill meets the ball with a flying header which booms into the top corner for 5-1. Then from another Wright free kick into the box, Ben Clappison rises highest to power the ball into the top corner for 6-1. We were irresistible today, especially from set pieces and in the air. They couldn’t cope with us. We celebrate with a few well deserved beers down the nearby pub, the Farriers Arms!
Final Score: Morley Town 6-1
Ealandians
Payne 3,58 Dickson 5
Smith 10
Wright 22
Cowgill 88
Clappison 90
Jeff Smith
becomes Morley’s oldest goalscorer. At 42 years young, the former Darlington
man broke the record and it is one that he will hold for quite some time one
would think..
Board Confidence
Overall the
board are happy with our start to the season and are performing above
expectations. They believe I am the right man for the job, although they are
concerned about the number of goals we are conceding.
Fan Confidence
The
supporters are also very happy with the team’s start to the season, especially
the 6-1 demolition of Ealandians and the fact we are second in the table.
New U18s Manager and Head of Youth
Development
Brian Latham
Brian Latham
makes the trip up north from Witney & District Division One outfit, Heyford
Athletic to take charge of our U18s and be our Head of Youth Development.
It’s always
difficult to gauge the ability and desire of Reserve teams. As I remind my
players in team talks against such teams, these are the muppets who can’t get
into their club’s first team, yet could be looking to prove a point and catch
the eye of their manager. There could also be some promising youngsters eager
to prove their worth, so these teams cannot be underestimated. Golcar Reserves
are having a good season and lie in 3rd, while we occupy second
behind leaders, Collegians. Rowe and Agbozo are unavailable through injury and suspension
respectively, so in come Davies and Payne.
Team: Reay, Clappison, Cyrus,
Cowgill, Alattsal, Wright, Davies, Graham, Ellis, Payne, Iyambu
Match Action
Nothing
happens in the first ten minutes as both teams roll their sleeves up and get
stuck in. Then an outbreak of football occurs. Wright seizes on the ball and
comes forward, veering to the left before slanting a beautifully angled cross
into the path of Sanchez Payne who fires low into the bottom corner. We attack
again. Graham forces a corner on the right flank. Davies flights a corner to
the far post where John Cyrus leaps highest to double our lead with a powerful
header. We are rampant and it’s Alastall’s turn to flight in a cross which
their keeper gets underneath and flaps at. The ball sails over his head and
Kieran Graham is there to poke home into an empty net for his first goal for
the club. 3-0 after just 20 minutes, too easy! We look like scoring with every
attack and it takes us 14 minutes to get the next one. Gabriel Ellis who has
been quiet so far picks the ball up from Davies’ lay off and flights a pinpoint
ball to the onrushing Payne who steers the ball above the flailing goalkeeper.
4-0 to us at half time. Into the second half and I give Cyrus a rest,
introducing Busfield at right back with Clappison moving into the centre. We
add a fifth from a brilliant breakaway goal from Golcar’s corner. Sixteen year
old sub, Valerio De Martin wrestles the ball off their player and runs forward.
He plays through Iyambu who is one on one with the keeper. The left winger
unselfishly squares the ball across to Payne who rolls the ball nonchalantly
into the empty net. 5-0! We are irresistible now. From a Reay goal kick, Payne
nods to Davies, whose first time ball releases Graham down the right wing. He
crosses low for young Valerio de Martin to slide home number six. Quite
brilliant lads! We are not finished though. Graham retrieves a corner, has all
the time in the world to turn and dribble into the area before firing an
unstoppable shot into the top bins for 7-0! (Seven). We are still not finished.
Iyambu gets to the left byeline and his low cross is swept home by Payne fir number eight and his fourth!
The game ticks on, but there was still time for number nine. Iyamu again is the
provider and Payne again the scorer, this time from a header to make it his
fifth goal of the game to wrap up an amazing 9-0 win. What a performance!
Final Score: Golcar United Reserves 0-9 Morley Town
Payne 14,35,54,68,86
Cyrus 18
Graham 21,66
De Martin 55
Records Tumble as Morley hit 9 (Nine)
Our 9-0 thrashing of Golcar Reserves
has inevitably had the statisticians trawling through the history books. They
only have to go back a couple of months though.. The scoreline is the biggest
margin in the league so far and Sanchez Payne’s 5-goal haul is a record for the
most in a match by one person. Valerio De Martin becomes Morley Town’s youngest
goalscorer at just 17 years old.
A brilliant derby day victory, followed by two thrashings over Ealandians and the hapless Golcar Reserves shoot Morley Town to the top of the table. Can Rudd's boys maintain their good form, or is it just a flash in the pan? Find out next time on The Ultimate English Pyramid Game!
Read Part 7 Gathering Momentum Here!
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