9. Daylight and Snowflakes

             wikipedia creative commons Credit: Sophie Qvarnstrom (no this is not Glen Road)

It was a few days before Christmas and Morley Town have been in irresistible form as they have risen to the top of The Yorkshire Amateur League and as the festive campaign approached, only bad weather and complacency can stop them from promotion to Level 11, The Yorkshire Amateur Supreme League. 

Once again it was snowing, in fact this is the biggest fall of snow we have had in this part of Yorkshire since the Beast from the East back in 2018. However, on the day of the game against Route One Reserves, a fixture which seem destined to be ruined by the weather, the sun came out and the snow started to melt off the Glen Road Pitch. Reports from Keighley, which is on far higher ground than Morley was that it was similar up there and the roads out of the town were now passable, providing they stick to the major routes and come through Bradford, before joining the M62 at Chain Bar to make the trip to Morley. This was providing we could keep to our end of the bargain and clear snow off the pitch to get the game on. An appeal went out on our socials for Morleans to turn up with a spade and clear the snow off the Glen Road pitch. This of course included myself and the players. In the freezing cold, with spades in hand, plenty of banter and the odd thrown snowball in retaliation we set to work along with a handful of ultras who had answered the call. We had word that our opponents had cobbled together a team and were due to set off that morning providing the weather conditions did not deteriorate in Keighley, Morley or anywhere in between. This was going to be arduous work, even with the players, fans and me digging it was still a lot of ground to cover and snow to get rid of. However, by lunchtime our spirits were flagging and there was still no sign of the Route One Reserves lads. Some of the Ultras who had volunteered started to drift off home, or to The Farriers Arms. Furthermore I didn't want my players to overdo it, because they still had to get through 90 minutes of football in what would be difficult conditions. Further snow showers were also forecast in the evening which started at anywhere between 5pm to 8pm depending on which weather app you looked at. As tummies started to rumble and morale started to sink I was all for calling the game off there and then. I pulled out my phone to call the Route One Boys and tell them not to bother, as it is most likely the pitch will not be cleared in time and further snow was forecast. Suddenly we heard a rumbling noise driving up Glen Road. We looked up and there before us was a huge tractor, complete with snow plough! At the wheel was a farmer. He stopped the vehicle behind one of the goals.

"Now then thought you could do with a bit o'help," he shouted through the window.

"I live up there, pointing to Topcliffe Farm which overlooks Glen Road high up on the hill. I've been watching you struggle and thought I'd come n give you an 'and. Yer neva gonna get rid o' all that snow wi' just spades lad "

"Thankyou!" I shouted back.

I ordered everyone off the pitch as the farmer took over, clearing the snow so it was piled up along the touchlines and behind the goals. He was done within one hour.

During his work the Route One Reserves team had arrived and were delighted the game stood a good chance of going ahead and marvelled at the speed of which the farmer worked.

The only downside was that the pitch was a bit churned up and muddy, making the playing surface a bit boggy, especially around the goalmouths, but this was The Yorkshire Amateur Premier League, not The Champions League. The referee inspected the pitch and gave the game the go-ahead on the condition that we used an orange ball, because it would be a nightmare finding a white ball amongst all that piled up snow when it was kicked out of play!

Two o'clock rolled round and the sun was still shining on Glen Road against bright blue skies and the fresh, crisp winter air as both teams ran out onto the pitch to against the odds start the match... 

Team: Reay, Busfield, Cowgill, Lamplough, Alasttal, Agbozo, Wright, Graham, Ellis, Payne, Iyamu

We start the game brightly in difficult conditions and Payne has a shot which goes over the bar. They have a free kick well saved by Reay and Wright has an effort parried behind for a corner. We take the lead when Iyamu cuts inside from the left and feeds Sanchez Payne who let’s fly into the top corner! The keeper barely saw it! 1-0 to Morley. They hit back, a hopeful ball forward gets stuck in the mud and Reay does well to tip the resulting shot over the crossbar.  1-0 at the break and time for a nice cup of hot chocolate. It was still bright and sunny in Morley, but looking over towards the Leeds skyline I could see that solid grey snow-bearing clouds forming on the horizon. It looked like the other side of Leeds may be getting a covering and it was only a matter of time before it arrived in Morley. We go out quickly for the second half. Iyamu gets down the left and his low cross results in Ellis latching onto it and slipping in the mud under pressure from the defender. The decision goes our way and Busfield slots the ball home from the spot for number two. Our third goal comes on the break. Kieran Graham sending Ellis through on goal who blasts the ball home via the underside of the crossbar. However, just after the goal went in, the first flakes of snow started to fall on the pitch as the skies darkened into a solid steel grey. The match carries on and with around 25 minutes left and in worsening conditions it was a struggle for all 22 players. Despite this, Route One have actually given a good account of themselves, the conditions being a great leveller and they carved us open on more than one occasion to try and get back into the game. They couldn’t finish though thanks to a combination of good goalkeeping from Reay and last ditch defending from the Wrecking Ball among others they failed to score. As the full time whistle blew, it was a full scale blizzard and the players sprinted off the pitch into the relative warmth of the dressing room. Job done in freezing conditions. It’s surprising this game lasted the full 90 minutes, but fair play to all concerned who got the game on, especially the farmer from Topcliffe Farm who joined us in the Farriers Arms afterwards where I and others bought him several drinks as a way to say “thankyou”. Anyhow five points clear on Christmas Day and a guaranteed White Christmas on the cards.. Seasons Greetings everyone!

Final Score Morley Town 3-0 Route One Rovers Reserves

Payne 23

Busfield 51 (pen)

Ellis 63

Match 15 Morley Town v Greetland 31/12/22

With the snow now gone, our friends from up in t’Pennines make trip t’big smoke with us in fine form and five points clear at the top of the table. They lie in 6th place. I also have several players back from injury and suspension apart from Iyamu who has pulled his calf, so Jeff Smith takes his place on the left wing.

Team: Reay, Busfield, Cyrus, Clappison, Alasttal, Agbozo, Wright, Graham, Ellis, Rowe, Smith

We assert dominance and waste a good early chance.  Wright’s diagonal ball plays in Graham, whose cross is headed over by Ellis. Greetland though can play a bit too and it is they who open the scoring. Donley and Brennan combine down the right and the latter’s cross is smashed home by Barnes. It gets worse. Brennan once again gets down the right and this time McFarlane is there to smash the ball past Reay.. Two nil down and The Ultras stand there stunned.. We rally and a few tweaks to our tactics put us on the front foot. Smith looks dangerous down the left and his square ball is lashed home by Sam Wright to halve the deficit. The Ultras smell blood and roared on by our hardcore support we attack once more. Wright has an effort which is clawed away by the keeper. Then the moment comes through an unlikely source. Edward Busfield cuts inside from the right flank and plays the perfect slide rule pass for the onrushing Majed Alasstal up from left back who fires a fierce piledriver into the bottom corner to equalise! Two each at the break. I tell them to go out and win it second half. It doesn’t take long. Clappison’s hopeful ball is missed by the defender, leaving Gabriel Ellis to run onto the loose ball. He dribbles into the area before cooly placing the ball into the corner. He never looked like missing. 3-2. We take control of the game and spurn several chances to score, including sub Payne hitting the post. In the last minute Payne dribbles down the right before sliding in a low cross for Ellis to slide home and wrap up the game. Greetland gave us an almighty scare, but it is the character to come back and win from two goals down that is what Champions are made of.

Final Score Morley Town 4-2 Greetland

Wright  41                                          Barnes 10

Alasttal  45                                           McFarlane 14

Ellis 54,90

Board/Supporters Update

The board and fans are ecstatic about my management of the club, especially those five straight wins. The players are also enjoying playing for me apparently, so good news all round then..

Match 16: Woodkirk Valley v Morley Town 07/01/23

We make the short trip down Rein Road to the side of the A653 Dewsbury road to take on Woodkirk Valley. Stand in the middle of their ground you can hear the roar of traffic travelling along the M62, but is otherwise a lovely spot next to an old quarry. Anyway we arrive here in good spirits, top of the league and with five straight wins behind us. Faris Pamment has been summoned from the reserves to play on the left wing as both Iyamu and Smith are both injured.

Team: Reay, Busfield, Clappison, Cyrus. Alasttal, Agbozo, Wright, Graham, Rowe, Ellis, Pamment

Woodkirk Valley have parked the bus in a negative 3-4-3 formation. The opening stages of the game is played mainly in their half as we dominate. Can we break them down? Ellis tries with a fierce shot parried away by the keeper. Then Kieran Graham gets his head down and runs at the Woodkirk defence, before unleashing a fierce shot which is tipped over the bar. It’s only a matter of time. Alastall feeds Pamment down the left who gets to the byline and puts in a pinpoint cross onto the head of Rowe, whose downwards header finds the corner of the net. 1-0. Woodkirk hit back though. Heath’s volleyed cross was headed home by Barrett to equalise against the run of play. We have several chances to regain the lead. Louis Rowe misses a one on one and heads over the bar from another Pamment cross. Graham also has an effort from the angle well saved, while Owen for them volleys wide from close range from the home side, when it was easier to score, making it a tenuous one each at half time. Normal service is resumed after the break as we dominate once more. On 53 minutes a sweeping pitch length move leads to our second goal. Busfield finds Ellis whose clever flick round the corner sends Rowe galloping clear. The Irishman nearly breaks the back of the net 2-1 Morley. Woodkirk don’t give up and look dangerous though, especially from set plays. However it is us who seal victory. Busfield collects the loose ball in midfield before feeding Sam Wright who turns and plays in sub, Sanchez Payne who cooly rolls the ball past the keeper to make it 3-1. But wait! An innocuous ball in from the left draws a foul from the Wrecking Ball and Dawson slams home the penalty 3-2. We batten down the hatches, but there is still time for another goal. Wright once again feeds Payne cutting in from the right flank and he buries it past the keeper to wrap up a second 4-2 win on the trot.

Final Score: Woodkirk Valley 2-4 Morley Town

                      Barrett 19                     Rowe 18, 54

                      Dawson 85 (pen)        Payne 82,90

Morley Break New Records

We are sitting pretty at the top of the Yorkshire Amateur Premier Division by 7 points and look odds on to be promoted. Only complacency or a Keegan style meltdown can stop us from reaching the promised land of the Yorkshire Amateur Supreme Division..

-         10 matches unbeaten

-         6 matches won in a row

-         We now cannot be relegated..

      What could possibly go wrong?  

     Find out next time on the Ultimate English Pyramid Game! 

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