8. Rising To The Top

 

This team is finally beginning to gel nicely and a good solid 11-15 man first team squad, backed up by the better end of the newgen players who were given to me at the start of the game and some promising youngsters has made us a force to be reckoned with in the Yorkshire Amateur Premier League. On paper we have to much quality for this league and it is beginning to show.

Board Confidence Update

To summarise they are delighted with my performance as manager, are semi-ok with the results and are delighted with the 9-0 (who wouldn’t be), but devastated about our 2-1 defeat to Leeds City Reserves (a helpline was opened to help Morley fans cope) They also like my vertical tika taka tactics (eh? I’m playing a Mike Bassett Style 4-4- flippin 2). The Morley supporters led by the ultras of the Glen Road Estate are equally as happy with the entertaining football on display. There's even been a few more fans turning up from other parts of the town. 

Morley sign Oliver Leedham (MC)

I’ve signed this guy to bolster our midfield. Leedham has had previous up in the North East for Newcastle Benfield and Gateshead. He rejected Selby Town no less to join us in our promotion campaign.

Match 12 Beeston Juniors v Morley Town

We cross over the Leeds Ring Road into the badlands of Beeston for this top of the table clash against the league leaders. Our hosts are on a seven match unbeaten run and are one of the form teams in the division, making that hop across the A6110, past The White Rose a slightly more tricky one. I go in with my usual 4-4-2 and our ‘Pep inspired vertical tika taka’ and all to play for. New signing Leedham starts on the bench. The board expect a win and for us to go top of the table, so no pressure then..

Team: Reay, Busfield, Cyrus, Clappison, Alasstal, Agbozo, Wright, Graham, Ellis, Payne, Iyamu

Match Action

Controversy in the opening minutes as their midfielder Josh Foulkes slides in on Sam Wright and upends him Red Card! Beeston are already down to ten men after just 5 minutes. Cue waves of attack from us as our opponents shut up shop, but frustratingly we cannot score. Ellis and Payne both have tame headers saved, while Sam Wright finds the side netting. The clock ticks frustratingly towards half time.. Suddenly Wright plays a pinpoint through ball for Ellis and the striker steadies himself.. before being upended. Penalty! Busfield wants to take it but I implore Ellis to take it instead.. he does and buries it in the corner.. 1-0 Morley. Into the second half and if anything we keep getting caught offside as Beeston squeeze up, with Sanchez Payne being the main culprit. When we are not being caught offside we carve out some chances, but then are met with their goalkeeper, who is having the game of his life. Wright then rattles the crossbar with a free kick on the edge of the area. We just need that second goal.. as we are always susceptible to conceding one. That nearly happens when Fernandes forces a fingertip save from Reay. Then from their corner we breakaway through Alasttal whose through ball plays in Ellis through on goal and he places the ball low into the bottom corner for his 10^th of the season to finally put this game to bed. Three points make their way across the Leeds Ring Road and to the top of the table we go!

Final Score: Beeston Juniors 0-2 Morley Town

                                                          Ellis 35 (pen), 82

To The Top of The Table We Go!

1st Morley Town 26

2nd Lepton Highlanders 24

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3rd Beeston Juniors 24

4th Collegians 23

5th Woodkirk Valley 21

6th Golcar Reserves 20

7th Greetland 17

8th Shire Academics 15

9th Leeds City Reserves 14

10th Ealandians 14

11th Gildersome Spurs Old Boys 13

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12th Nostell Miners Welfare Reserves 12

13th Route One Reserves 8

Match 13: Morley Town v Route One Reserves 10/12/22

Top versus bottom of the league in a game where we should win. We have a few injury worries though with Cowgill and Busfield missing out. Our opponents have only 8 points and are there for the taking if we are serious about being champions.

Board: Expectations – Win by a large margin

Supporters: Expecting a big win

Me: Should be an easy win..

Team: Reay, Fisher  Clappison, Cyrus, Alasstal, Agbozo, Wright, Graham, Payne, Ellis, Iyamu

I woke up on the morning of the match and looked out the window. The sky was grey and it was starting to snow. Inevitably the match postponed due to heavy snowfall and our opponents were told not to bother making the treacherous trip across from Keighley, where the weather was much worse. Instead, much jollity was had today at Glen Road as players and supporters had a massive snowball fight on the pitch. Winger, Kieran Graham got one in the eye and this has ruled him out for a couple of days.. oops!. The ultras made snowmen as the snow whirled down around them. Afterwards when it got dark, a few mulled wines and beers were enjoyed down The Farriers Arms afterwards. I love amateur football!

Strangely the Gildersome Old Boys match at Bruntcliffe School against Nostell Miners Welfare Reserves across town went ahead as normal. Maybe a school is better equipped to deal with heavy snowfall..

Scott Fisher leaves Morley

My versatile full back has been nagging me for first team football for a while now, but when I told him that he was just a back-up he took the hump and signed for West Lancashire Premier League outfit, Coppull United instead. Oh well..

Match 13: Lepton Highlanders v Morley Town

This is another top of the table clash, as we make the trip down the M62 Westbound to play our Highlander friends from Huddersfield. We have somewhat of a defensive crisis on our hands though as Cowgill, Busfield and Clappison are all out through injury, illness and suspension respectively. Sixteen year old Jonny Jones makes his first team debut at right back, while equally young Flynn Shepherd is on the bench. Lamplough steps into central defence alongside The Wrecking Ball.

Team: Reay, Jones, Cyrus, Lamplough, Alasstal, Agbozo, Wright, Graham, Ellis, Payne, Iyamu

 It’s a scrappy opening, but we create the first chance. Brilliant closing down play from our midfield sets Gabriel Ellis free, but he shoots just wide with only the keeper to beat. The Highlanders then have a free kick which is parried away by Reay. Then some brilliant one touch football from Wright, Iyamu and Alasttal sets Ellis free once again and he makes no mistake this time, coolly rolling the ball into the corner of the net. That was a move Pep would have been proud of! We create another couple of chances, both falling to Sam Wright. Then, from a corner, Joe Lamplough heads against the upright. Sanchez Payne, who has been quiet until now, latches onto Iyamu’s nod forward and he falls down like a sack of spuds. Penalty! Up steps Ellis but the keeper saves low down to his right. It remains 1-0.. until.. The ever busy Sam Wright gets down the right channel and his far post cross is turned home by the former Accrington man for his second goal to make amends. Into the second half and we look in control.. but... in a rare Highlanders attack, Declan Friar runs forward on the break and hits a speculative effort which David Reay does a Sydney Harbour Bridge over and it nestles in the bottom corner. That was completely out of the blue. “Focus!” I scream from the touchline. This was met by a mixed response from the team, but my two youngsters listened. Jonny Jones plays the ball forward and sub De Martin gallops after the ball, before coolly slotting the ball home for number three! I feel confident enough to hand two further debuts to a pair of 16-year olds, left winger Michael Fox and defender Flynn Shepherd late on and we see out the game. A brilliant away win and four points clear at the top.

Final Score Lepton Highlanders 1-3 Morley Town

Friar 60                                                Ellis 11,45

                                                             De Martin 67

Morley hit top form

We extend our unbeaten run to seven and are now the league’s top scorers, hitting the net on 41 occasions in just 14 matches. Gabriel Ellis has scored 12 goals in 12 games.

Top of the Table

1st Morley Town 29 pts

2nd Beeston Juniors 25pts

3rd Collegians 24pts

4th Lepton Highlanders 24 pts

5th Woodkirk Valley 24pts

Morley Town have opened up a four point lead at the top of The Yorkshire Amateur Premier League. Can Rudd's men use it as a basis for a succesful promotion campaign, or are there more twists and turns in store? Find out next time on The Ultimate English Pyramid Game!

Read Part 9 Daylight and Snowflakes Here!