24. Freefallin...
Match 17: Campion v Morley Town
Our next
game is a West Yorkshire derby against Bradford-based Campion. They lie in a
middling 12th place, while we are in 6th, just outside
the play-offs. I make one enforced change with young Marley Haylock filling in at left back for the suspended Lacey. I also make a slight adjustment in the
formation with Aaron Smith in an attacking midfield role behind lone striker,
Rowe.
Team: McLachlan, Croft, Clappison,
Broadhead, Haylock, Wright, Makiessi, Grantham, Smith, Rowe, Preston
Match Action
The home
side clad in their AC Milan style red and black striped shirts dominate
proceedings and have two good chances to take the lead. I fire the team up and
they respond. Smith dummies and lets in Preston down the left. He plays the
ball back to John Claude Makiessi who rattles the crossbar with a fierce shot
from range. That’s more like it. But. From a Campion free kick we fail to win
the first header and Harry Horton heads in from close range. We respond.
Grantham hits the foot of the post after good work from Rowe and Makiessi to
set him up. The right winger then gets to the byeline and fizzes a ball across
which Rowe is just inches away from. We continue to dominate as Campion are
forced further and further back. Jake Croft takes a throw in. Makiessi turns it
beautifully round the corner for Grantham. He whacks a cross in and Aaron Smith
thrusts a leg at it. The ball rather bobbles off his shin and into the corner
of the net. Half time 1-1. In the second half and Campion take the ascendency
and some good defending by Clappison along with a great save from McLachlan
manages to keep them out, but for how long? Horton’s long ball into the box
causes panic in our defence and as McLachlan, Clappison and Broadhead all go
for the ball, it squirts out to Ziegler, who had the simple task of slotting
the ball into the empty net as our two central defenders and goalkeeper lay in
an embarrassing heap on the ground... We respond immediately. Sub Callum
Schorah picks up the ball. He lays off to Sam Wright, who launches the ball
into the right channel where Grantham challenges for it. His header finds
Schorah on the edge of the area and dribbles menacingly into the area before
smashing the ball into the top corner for 2-2! Now it is our turn to take the
ascendency and we sweep forward again, this time Grantham leading the charge
down the right wing. He dribbles past his full-back Messi-like and accelerates
into the penalty area before cutting the ball back perfectly for sub Gabriel
Ellis to lash the ball home, sending the travelling ultras into raptures. It’s
now Campion’s turn to attack and they sting the fingers of McLachlan with a
shot from the impressive Ziegler. At the other end Kevin Preston sends Ellis
through towards goal and his fierce shot is beaten away by the keeper. Campion
press for an equaliser and we are hanging on a little here. McLachlan scrambles
the ball off the line from a corner and from the next play Davidson retrieves
the ball on the left channel and lays it back towards Bailey. Kevin Preston
challenges him and seems to get there first, but the referee sees otherwise. Penalty!
The Morley players can’t believe it and surround the referee. He is having none
of it. Up steps Hook to steal a point for Campion... He blasts the ball into
the roof of the net, sending McLachlan the wrong way. Campion 3 Morley 3. We
kick off the final whistle blows. Yet another draw on the road, but a brilliant
game of association football!
Final Score: Campion 3-3 Morley Town
Horton
18 Smith 44
Ziegler
64
Schorah 65
Hook 90
(pen) Ellis 77
Match 18 Morley Town v Nelson
An important
moment of the season as top of the table Nelson visit Glen Road. The visitors
have led the way for much of the season and widely tipped for promotion,
whereas we are still frustratingly outside the playoff places in 6th and nine points off the pace. Luis Lacey
returns at left back, while Ellis replaces Rowe up front and Callum Schorah
comes in for the suspended Makiessi.
Team: McLachlan, Croft, Clappison,
Broadhead, Lacey, Wright, Schorah, Grantham, Smith, Ellis, Preston
Nelson: Little,
Jones, Nicholson, Dodds, Ramshaw, Dale, Eglington, Anderson, Haworth, Hartley,
Padrao
Match Action
Roared on by
The Ultras we start strongly and Schorah flashes a shot just wide after a
clever turn from a throw-in. Grantham and Preston also look lively on the wings
and one such low cross from the former managed to evade everyone in the box. At
the other end Hartley sends a shot spearing towards the top corner, which
McLachlan does well to tip wide. The game gets bogged down in midfield as both
sides slug it out. Thirty six year old Andy Haworth then has a snap shot which
is clawed away by a flying McLachlan. A nice move involving Ellis and Smith
sends Preston into the box, whose shot flashes past the upright, Unlucky, It’s
going to take one moment of quality to be the difference in this game. No goals
at the break. We start the second half brightly. Smith gets down the left
channel and passes inside to Preston who dribbles into the area and forces a
flying save from Little. Nelson step up a gear and Seth Hartley looks a threat
as he runs at the Morley defence and forces another fingertip save from Ben
McLachlan. We respond and Preston darts down the left and his low ball into the
box finds Aaron Smith! .. Ohh great save from the keeper... Unlucky! Corner
Morley, Callum Schorah to take.. he swings it in... the referee blows his
whistle. Penalty Morley! Pushing in the box.. The Nelson players are fuming and
surround the referee, but the decision is made. The Ultras behind the goal
celebrate, but it is not a done deal yet. Up steps sub Louis Rowe. Rowe runs
up... and coolly slots the ball into the corner of the net! The coolest man in
West Yorkshire! He runs behind the goal in celebration and is mobbed by the
delirious Ultras.. But.. Nelson are top of the table for a reason and instantly
respond. Their brilliantly named sub, Brandon Longcake scampers down the right
and his sweet cross is headed away, but only to Ramshaw on the edge of the
area, whose instant pass finds the veteran, Andy Haworth who instantly spins
past his man and fires low into the bottom corner past a distraught McLachlan.
We attack looking for a winner and break dangerously with Aaron Smith down the
left channel. He squares it to Schorah, but his effort is way over the bar and
nearly gets stuck in the tree behind the goal. The referee blows the final
whistle. Honours even and a battling point against the league leaders. The lads
worked their socks off today.
Final Score: Morley Town 1-1 Nelson
Rowe 87
(pen) Haworth
88
Match 19: Morley Town v Daisy Hill:
Division One Cup 3rd Round
We are back
in Division One Cup action as we host Manchester outfit, Daisy Hill in the
third round. They are in 6th place in our league and will be no
pushovers. I rest quite a few players as this game comes just three days after
the last one.
Team: Hall, Busfield, Bentley,
Pappril, Haylock, Leedham, Makiessi, Longbottom, Ellis,O’Connor, Gutzmore
Daisy Hill:
Corran, Marshall, Davis, Bayley, Cumissky, Hodgson, Scott, Hartley, Egan,
Barrat, Price
We start brightly and O’Connor fires one just over from range. Then we win a corner and are awarded a penalty for pushing. Up steps the Angel who sends the keeper the wrong way. 1-0. We nearly add a second when Gabriel Ellis’ effort from the angle is parried away. Daisy Hill come back into it and smack our crossbar from range. Then, Price is played in by Barrett. His effort hits the post but fires the rebound against the covering Fraser Paprill and deflects into the net for an unlucky own goal. Then, Makiesssi shows great determination in midfield to win the ball and then release Gutzmore down the left. He gets to the byeline and fizzes in a low cross which deflects off the covering defender into the path of Makiessi who rifles home from close range. Into the second half and Makiessi runs at the Daisy Hill defence and lays it left to the impressive Gutzmore who runs at the full back before digging out an inch perfect cross for Gabriel Ellis to forcefully connect with a downwards header for 3-1. We then win a penalty when O’Connor was upended in the box. Up steps Ellis for the hat-trick, club captain and local hero....... The keeper saves! Oh dear..! Not to worry though. Olly Leedham swings in the resulting corner and after a goalmouth scramble the ball falls to Fraser Papprill who bundles home from close range. Daisy Hill have not finished though and the dangerous Jack Price heads in a cross to make it 4-2. The visitors don’t give up right to the end and Egan’s cross is volleyed home first time by sub, Tola Bell for the goal of the game. Too little too late though and we see it through to march into The Quarter Finals. Well done boys.
First Division Cup Quarter Final Draw
All ears were glued t’wireless to find out the First Division Cup Quarter Final draw. Morley will host Marine U23s.
Match 20: Pilkington v Morley Town
St Helens, a town known more for the oval ball, rather than the round one. Pilkington lie in
11th place, three places below us in 8th. Once again a
win could see us move into the coveted play off places, which we have frozen
out of for far too long. Most of the first choice players come back into the XI
after being rested for the cup match. Gutzmore remains in the first team squad
after his man of the match performance against Daisy Hill.
Team: McLachlan, Croft, Clappison,
Broadhead, Lacey, Wright, Makiessi, Grantham, Smith, Ellis, Preston
Subs: Hall, Bentley, Gutzmore, Rowe,
Schorah
Pilkington: McNerney,
Don-Duncan, White, Askey, McWilliams, Alexandrou, Smiljanic, Oram, Willis,
Josephs, Bradbury
Match Action
It is the home side who start the brightest and are rewarded when Smiljanic meets a knock down from a free kick with a fierce volley which flies past McLachlan. Not the start Morley had planned! Pilkington could be three up in the first 20 minutes, only for the crossbar and the linesman’s offside flag to intervene.. Finally we make it into the Pilkington half. Makiessi’s pass sends Ellis sprinting down the right channel. His inch perfect cross is met first time by Aaron Smith who stoops to nod home from close range. We look more in control, but Croft’s loose pass is seized upon by White whose ball down the line sets Bradbury away down the left. His low cross is swept home at the far post by Josephs to give Pilkington the lead at half time. Into the second half and another misplaced pass, this time from Preston is seized upon by Askey to Oram to Bradbury and through to Joseph who applies the finish 3-1.. Dreadful.. It gets worse. A free kick by McWilliams hits the bar and Smalijic taps into an empty net for his second and Pilkington’s fourth. We dominate the game as Pilkington take their foot off the gas. Luis Lacey strides forward from left back and let’s fly.. Oh what a goal by Luis Lacey, it smacks off the underside of the bar and in for the goal of the game, but unfortunately too little too late. Bradbury fires home a 5th as we start to tire. We are not finished though. Young Marlon Gutzmore picks the ball up inside our own half and he dribbles with the ball over the halfway line, He steams past the full back and has three Pilkington players chasing him, Gutzmore into the area, Gutzmore! He places it coolly in the corner, across the keeper. What a goal Marlon Gutzmore! A first senior goal for the 16 year old and comfortably the best of the game, even the season. Magical stuff! Think Giggs against Arsenal in the ’99 FA Cup Semi Final.. It was that good! Even the Pilkington players and fans stood and applauded him.. One to watch this kid... Remember the name, Marlon Gutzmore...
Match 21 Morley Town v AFC Blackpool
Our visitors
today leave the bright lights of Blackpool for a rather soggy and grey Morley,
looking to go top of the table above leaders, Nelson. We meanwhile are battling
against mid-table obscurity and are trying to get our play-off campaign back on track.
Sam Wright
is suspended and misses this one, so Bentley comes in to partner Clappison in
defence and Broadhead steps forward into defensive midfield.
Team: McLachalan, Croft, Clappison,
Bentley, Lacey, Broadhead, Makiessi, Grantham, Smith, Ellis, Preston
Subs: Hall, Leedham,
Gutzmore, Rowe, Schorah
AFC
Blackpool: Gregory, Jones, Grech, Williams, Johns, Pearson, Moncur Proctor,
Cassius-Gill, Deards
Match Action
AFC Blackpool, clad in an orange kit like their professional neighbours look up for this. Moncur gets down the left and crosses in for Deards to head narrowly over. A warning. Then,Cassius-Gill gets down the left and his dangerous cross is headed home by Moncur at the far post. The ultras are silent. Then from a throw in Moncur gets down the right this time and Cassius-Gill is on the end of it and powers a header past McLachlan who had no chance.. This is not good... 2-0 down at half time. This is comfortably our worst performance of the season. No passion and no pride in t’shirt... I lay into them at half time, but it falls on deaf ears. Cassius flippin Gill again down the left, crosses, Deards slides in and scores number three. This is a complete disaster.. On 54 though Grantham gets to the byeline and his low cross is tapped in by Aaron Smith, 3-1 The comeback is on! Suddenly we look livelier and roared on by the ultras we start to dominate and play like I know we can. Makiessi finds sub Leedham, who lays it left to Lacey. He plays a ball into the left channel which Smith runs onto and squares it for ROWE! Louis Rowe form 6 yards blasts it into the net. 3-2. But.. the ever impressive Moncur lays back to Gregory whose deep cross finds the large head of Connor Deards who powers it into the top corner 4-2. We simply cannot cope with him. Another disappointing result and we are in freefall to 10th place without a win in 5 games.
Poor Run of Form
The 4-2 home
defeat against AFC Blackpool means we have not tasted victory in the league for
five matches are also shipping goals, four in the last match, five in the one
before against Pilkington. Our only recent success was the 4-3 win over Daisy
Hill in the cup. This poor run of results has also seen us freefall into 10th place as a season of mid-table mediocrity beckons for us and has left me for the
first time as Morley Town manager scratching my head looking for answers....
Match 22 Ryburn United v Morley Town
This is
suddenly a very important game. The tricky trip to the mid-Pennine town has
suddenly become as treacherous as the terrain that surrounds it at this time of
year in December. It is just a few days before Christmas, so am hoping that the
team will bring me some festive cheer. Quite frankly all I want for Christmas
is a clean sheet and a 1-0 win, with a deflected goal off the Angel’s backside
for all I care.. I am starting with a
4-2-3-1 formation with several changes. Hall comes back in goal for McLachlan,
Broadhead starts in midfield for Makiessi and Gutzmore starts on the left
instead of Preston who drops to the bench. We are in 10th, Ryburn
are two above us in 8th.
Team: Hall, Busfield, Clappison,
Bentley, Lacey, Wright, Leedham, Grantham, Smith, Rowe, Gutzmore
Subs: McLachlan, Preston, Croft, Schorah, Makiessi, Ellis
Ryburn:
Kennedy, Taylor, Trewick, Dumancic, Cooper, Keltie, Fish, James, Bonner,
Procter, Whitehouse
Match Action
We keep the
ball really well from the kick off and knock the ball around like a well
drilled La Liga side. Broadhead to Wright, Wright up to Rowe who comes deep and
plays it cleverly round the corner to Aaron Smith. Suddenly Gutzmore is
hurtling down the left on the overlap and Smith picks him out to perfection.
Gutzmore, cuts the ball back for SMITH!!! He places the ball into the corner to
give Morley a dream start!
The home
side respond and when Hall spills Proctor’s close range effort, the ball falls
to Cooper who smashes the ball into the empty net. Another mistake another
goal.. Broadhead then tries an ambitious ball out to Gutzmore on the left and
they intercept. Bonner screams down the right and cuts the ball back for
Whitehouse to tap home unmarked. TOO EASY! They won’t let up though., Another
simple ball forward is seized upon by Whitehouse after two Morley defenders go
for the same ball and he smashes it past Hall for number three... I am so
annoyed with this team right now., On the stroke of half time poor
marking from a corner lets Chris Trewick head the ball home for number four. 4-1 down at half time and I am fuming!
Into the
second half and at least they don’t score for ten minutes. Then an amazing thing
happens we actually put a tackle in. This simple act suddenly sends Aaron Smith
sprinting down the left channel. He lays it infield to Gutzmore who strides
forward and unleashes a stunning effort with the outside of his foot spearing
into the bottom corner. Amazing goal from the youngster, but in another losing cause.
Final Score: Ryburn United 4-2 Morley
Town
Cooper 24
Smith 9
Whitehouse
30,32
Gutzmore 71
Trewick 45
Team Meeting (Bonding session) Held
After six games now without a win and a defence more leaky than a wet doily, me and Joe Lamplough decided there was only one thing to solve the problem.. A team meeting and a good old fashioned booze up at the end of it, because what the hell, it’s Christmas! We hired the room at The Farriers Arms to have a serious chat about where things have been going wrong, especially defensively and then afterwards the beer flowed. Even the Gen 'Z' ers stayed out as some honest opinions were thrown about, which in my view is far healthier for team spirit than keeping it bottled up. We then ended up out on Queen Street hopping from bar to bar before ending the night in JV’s nightclub, where I felt about 85 and fell over! Happy Days! Young Kevin Preston managed to pull a local lass who claimed her dad was a Morley Ultra and one of the 31 season ticket holders at Glen Road.... It may well have been a night to remember for my young winger as he left the club arm in arm with young Rachel.. Hopefully this will result in an improved performance on the pitch, once they have all recovered of course!
Can Rudd and Morley Town stem the flow of bad results which has seen them freefall towards mid-table mediocrity? Will the time honoured drinking session help to galvanise the team again and push towards the playoffs once again? Find out next time on The Ultimate English Pyramid Game!
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