17. Cleaning House

 

Ho! Ho! Ho! It's Christmas time once again and I entered the festive period in good spirits with Morley Town sitting pretty at the top of the Yorkshire Amateur Supreme League and looking odds on to win back to back promotions on our journey to become serious rivals to Leeds United. 

However it turns out the mood in the dressing room was not quite as festive...

Our last match had been a 2-0 win at home against Alwoodley, but to my mind despite the result our performance had been rubbish and  against better opponents, we would have been beaten. I told the lads this after the game, with the objective of keeping their feet on the ground and guarding against complacency which I thought had crept into our play a bit of late.

Turns out two of my star players, Sam Wright and Louis Rowe had taken exception to my criticism and had been spouting off about it to anybody who would listen down the Farriers Arms. 

While they are entitled to their opinion I would prefer that all and sundry in the local pub were not privy to what goes on in the sanctity of my dressing room.

Rowe and Wright were obviously quite angry that I had dared to criticise them.

I had to tread carefully. These were two of my best players and influential members of the squad. I called them into a meeting on our first day back after the Christmas break.

"Look, we didn't like the way you handled the team talk," implied Rowe in his thick Cork accent.

"We worked hard in that game in tricky conditions (it was raining) we deserve credit for that. You and everyone else were expecting us to put nine past them again weren't you?" 

"Well I and everybody else was expecting more goals but a wins a win. I felt that it was a laboured performance and I don't appreciate you two slagging me off down The Farriers Arms about my team talks. What's said in the dressing room stays in the dressing room."

"We weren't slagging you off boss," argued Rowe, we just thought you were being too harsh on us. We won the game, we are still top of the table."

"OK I accept that I should have been more positive about a win, but my objective was to make sure we stayed focussed and to guard against complacency. Now lads I expect you to carry on and not get upset about flipping team talks it's over with now and we have a another game against Route One Rovers to focus on... 

The lads nodded. "OK no worries. 

We shook hands and they rejoined the rest of the lads on the training pitch. I noticed from the touchline that Sam Wright seemed to get on with things as normal, but I sensed a difference in Rowe... like he wanted to be elsewhere.. Had another club been tapping him up? I would be watching him closely.. 

...............................................

Match 17 Route One Rovers v Morley Town 30/12/23

We travel up the hills around Keighley in good spirits to take on Route One Rovers and for once it’s not snowing! They lie in 9^th place while we are now eight points clear at the top and seek to maintain clear daylight between us and second placed Bradford United. Dempsey replaces Nyame in central defence, Hudson retains his place in defensive midfield after playing well in the last game against Alwoodley.

Team: McLachlan, Busfield, Clappison, Dempsey, M.Smith, Hudson, Wright, Grantham, Rowe, Ellis, Preston

Match Action

A scrappy opening ten sees us have most of the possession without creating a clear cut chance. Route One have a deflected effort which almost crept in but for McLachlan’s fingertips. A quick breakaway from us results in Sam Wright’s effort deflected past the post by the keeper. It is the home side though who take the lead. They attack down the right and somehow three Morley players are attracted to the ball, causing an overload to the left. McCauley Frear is given the freedom of Keighley to slip the ball under McLachlan with a tidy finish. We attack but find Route One hard to break down. Rowe has a chance but can only prod the ball casually into the grateful keeper’s arms when he should have done better. Then young Rob Hudson shows his inexperience as, already on a yellow, he shoves their player to the ground and is sent off for an early bath. That leaves us one nil down at the break and only ten men on the pitch. Into the second half and the hosts take the game to us, but only some brave defending from Clappison and McLachlan prevents them from doubling their lead. For once we look clueless and our opponents easily cut out the long balls played from the back towards Rowe and Ellis. I decide to change formation and haul young Preston off, who had done nothing wrong, but I wanted a three pronged attack with Grantham joining Rowe and Ellis up front. In midfield, Blakey mops up as the ball winner with Wright and Aaron Smith making up a three man midfield. The ploy works. Ellis nods the ball on to Grantham who releases Aaron Smith who rounds the keeper and slots into an empty net, much to the relief of the Ultras. With the game tied both teams go hell for leather to get the winner. However, the numerical advantage of the hosts is beginning to tell. One good attack and they are in. Edwards down the left and his low cross is turned home by Jason Evans, who just beats McLachlan to the ball. A sucker punch and a rare defeat, just our second all season. You can’t win ‘em all son...

Final Score: Route One Rovers 2-1 Morley Town

Fletcher                                                   A.Smith

J.Smith

Josh Agbozo joins Pavia

Our talented Italian defensive midfielder, Josh Agbozo has decided to ditch the freezing cold of West Yorkshire between September to April for the far sunnier climes of his homeland and quite frankly who can blame him?

As a farewell me and the lads were invited to his father’s restaurant in town where we indulged in the best giant all you can eat giant pizzas, washed down with the finest crisp Italian lager.. (except for those under 18 like Kevin Preston of course who had a coke) and then icecream... It was great timing because we don’t have a game for another two weeks when we travel to Glasshoughton Welfare... Amateur football life at its best and there’s nothing better than a bit of team bonding over pizza, just ask Claudio Ranieri. I couldn’t move for about three days afterwards, but it helped to erase the memory of the Route One Rovers game and focus on getting back to winning ways. Agbozo was limping around on crutches throughout due to his ongoing calf strain, which meant he has sadly pulled on the white Morley shirt for the last time. In total he made 35 appearances, with two assists and two goals.

Morley Town Sign Scott Fenwick

There is one thing this Morley squad is lacking... a target man up front. He has had experience at a much higher level at a variety of clubs, including Forfar, Blyth, Cork City, Workington, Consett and others, so a fabulous capture for the club and offers something different up front. 

Match 18 Glasshoughton Welfare v Morley Town 13/01/24

It’s time to get back to winning ways with a trip to the shopping metropolis that is Glasshoughton. We are racked with injuries and suspensions, meaning several changes are needed. Nyame replaces the suspended Clappison in defence, Blakey replaces the suspended Hudson in midfield and Aaron Smith partners Louis Rowe in attack, as The Angel is also suspended. New signing Scott Fenwick is laid up in bed with flu. Glasshoughton meanwhile are in 5^th, so this match won’t be easy.

Team: McLachlan, Busfield, Nyame, Dempsey, M.Smith, Blakey, Wright, Grantham, A. Smith, Rowe, Preston

Match Action

We start brightly and Nyame volleys just over from inside the box after a free kick. However it is the home side who draw first blood. A cross is not dealt with by the Morley defence as Nyame and Dempsey seem to get in each others way. The ball breaks to Nathan Perks who coolly slots the ball into the corner. Just four minutes later and we equalise. Rowe wins an important header to Grantham, whose through ball sees Aaron Smith run onto the ball and finish with aplomb under the keeper for 1-1. Glasshoughton strike back. A nice move down the left sees Minshull cross for Perks to lash home. 2-1. We almost equalise when Wright’ through ball finds Aaron Smith, but his finish is just wide. On the half hour, McKenzie Smith cuts in from left back and his accurate long pass plays in Grantham on the right hand side who lashes the ball home for two each. In a goalmouth scramble the referee points to the spot and their midfielder Mulholland steps up.. Saved by McLachlan!  That was a poor penalty which was straight at the keeper. Courey Grantham waltzes infield and pings one out to Kevin Preston on the left, He gets to the byeline and fizzes the ball across low for Aaron Smith to tap in from close range. 3-2 to Morley. Then from a long clearance, a mix up in the Morley defence allows Perks in for his hat-trick...no  brilliant save from McLachlan denies him. Into the second half and Louis Rowe gets into the left channel.  He lays it back to Preston who crosses low for Sam Wright. A lucky rickashay off the defender finds its way to Grantham, who dinks in a cross for Wright to nod home from six yards. 4-2 Morley the final score.

Final Score; Glasshoughton Welfare 2-4 Morley Town

Perks 8,14                                                       A. Smith 12,41

                                                                          Grantham 31

                                                                           Wright 50

Table after 18 games

1^st Morley Town 48 pts

2^nd Bradford United 43

3^rd Middleton 34

4^th Stanley United 30

5^th Lepton Highlanders 29

 

6^th Glasshoughton Welfare 29

7^th Leeds City 28

8^th Route One Rovers 24

9^th Wortley 23

10^th Calverley United 19

11^th Littletown 16

12^th Farsley Celtic Juniors 15

13^th Alwoodley 11

14^th Leeds University 5

Mario Ward leaves Morley

One of my young strikers Mario Ward has been causing trouble in the U18s dressing room of late and been a general bad influence on his teammates, such as turning up for training late and whingeing about my management style. He is only 17, bless his cotton socks, but after several chats with the player and with the U18s manager, it was decided that he should leave the club with immediate effect. Hopefully the boy will learn.

Match 19: Morley Town v Calverley United

We host the good burghers from North West Leeds, Calverley United looking to maintain our position at the top of the table. After a two week break we should be bright eyed and bushy tailed. The visitors lie down in 10^th but away from relegation trouble and line up in a weird 3-4-2-1 formation, with both wing backs and wingers. I experiment a little in midfield with Sam Wright in the holding role and Aaron Smith in the attacking role.

Team: McLachlan, Busfield, Clappison, Dempsey. M.Smith, Wright, A.Smith, Grantham, Rowe, Ellis, Preston

We attack early. Rowe nods wide for Kevin Preston, who gallops Giggs-like to the byeline and puts in a pinpint cross onto The Angel’s halo which it rebounds off and into the corner of the net. Calverley respond immediately and attack down the left with Largueiras, who crosses in for Crompton to stab home. One each. Then we score a fortunate goal straight out the Sunday League playbook. Kevin Preston launches a teasing ball over the top for The Angel to run onto. The keeper comes out to meet him at the edge of the penalty area and looks favourite to kick the ball clear, but he completely misses it and falls over, allowing Ellis to run past him and tap into the empty net.. That was definitely one for a Danny Baker video or nowadays going viral on YouTube or something. We re-assert dominance and a neat move sees Clappison spray the ball right for Grantham who rushes to the byeline before finding Ellis to side foot home for his hat-trick with a fine low cross.

Final Score: Morley Town 3-1 Calverley United

Ellis 4,28,69                                     Crompton 22

Match 20: Leeds University v Morley Town

We make the short trip to Headingley to take on the students of Leeds University. Unfortunately for them they have fallen to the bottom of the class and prop up the rest of the Supreme Division. We are still top and have a two point lead over second placed Bradford United, but must do a professional job against the bottom of the table side to go five points clear.

Team: McLachlan, Busfield, Clappison, Dempsey, M.Smith, Wright, A.Smith, Grantham, Rowe, Ellis, Preston

Match Action

Not much happens for six minutes but then,, Neal gets down the left for the students. His dangerous cross is headed by Campbell into the path of Wayne Davies who climbs above Clappison to power a header into the corner for a shock lead. The students look up for it, but we start to create chances. Ellis volleys wide and Louis Rowe has an effort beaten away by the keeper. Then Aaron Smith’s through ball sees Ellis run through on goal but again the goalkeeper was equal to it. Then Rowe misses a sitter! Wright’s ball into the box was chested down by Ellis but the Irishman volleys wide when he should have scored.. Worse is to come though. A McCarthy corner is headed in by Neal for a shock 2-0 lead to the bottom of the table side. We respond. Ellis has the ball in the net but was ruled out for offside, while the same player decided to pass to Rowe instead of shoot when in the penalty area, of which the defender intercepted. A frustrating half of football which sees us two-nil down. Inevitably we dominate possession in the second half. I take the lacklustre Rowe off and shove Aaron Smith up front with The Angel. This pays dividends when he latches onto a Clappison ball into the box and tucks the ball home into the corner. 2-1. Sub Olly Leedham looks busy since he came on and when Wright’s ball sends him through on goal, his shot is blocked, he retrieves and sets up Ellis whose shot is beaten away by the keeper for a miraculous save.. Then on 67 minutes a Aaron Smith free kick is headed clear to Leedham who sprays the ball to Wright on the right edge of the area. The midfielder strides forward unmarked and dinks the ball cooly over the advancing keeper for 2-2! It’s end to end as the students look for a winner too. Leedham sets up Ellis who fires over the bar, while Davies forces a reflex save from McLachlan with a sharp header. The game ticks on and looks like it will peter out into a disappointing 2-2 draw. But... Leedham, who has been a revelation since he came on bustles his way down the left wing. Somehow he reaches the byeline and puts in a low cross near post. Ellis, trying to get on the end of it is tripped. The referee has no hesitation... Up steps Courey Grantham, who has had a quiet game on the right wing... Buries it past the keeper. 3-2 Morley Town!! Get out of jail free card! What a turnaround. The travelling Ultras are delirious!

Takeover Rumours Just “Pub Talk”

It seems like after all that hoo haa surrounding a possible takeover at Morley Town was just a load of pub talk. Apparently some of the Ultras had consumed one too many down the Farriers Arms and had talked about getting together and taking over the club. Chairman, Bryan Wilkins will remain in control for the forseeable future.

 Read Part 18 Championnes Here!