30. Making Friends

 

Match 8: Lepton Highlanders v Morley Town

I see the Highlanders as kindred spirits because they have followed us on a similar path out the Yorkshire amateur leagues and into the foreign territory that is the North West Counties Leagues and Lancashire. The Huddersfield based outfit are having a decent season and lie in 7^th place, after a 3-1 win at struggling South Liverpool. I also look forward to a pint in their lovely little social club after the game. I have decided to change formation to a 4-3-3.

Team: Thompson, Wilkinson, Sapanora, Bentley, Morley, Broadhead, Wright, Henderson, Smith, Ellis, Stead

Subs: McLachlan, Clery, Grantham, Greenwood, Gutzmore

Lepton Highlaanders: Moumen, Wheater, Brown, Schulz, Bailey, Allison, Chapman, Butler, Thirkell, Louis, Friar

We dominate the opening ten but again cannot score with Wilkinson having a shot well saved and Lennon Stead shooting just over. The same player then has a low drive brilliantly blocked by the keeper. At the other end the Highlanders launch a rare attack and fashion the best chance of the game so far with danger man, Decland Friar firing wide from close range. Then we scramble a header off the line from Thirkell. Thompson then is called into action twice more as the home side turn the screw. Lennon Stead’s brilliant ball sends Henderson clear but he fires wide. Nobody wants to score a goal in this game. 0-0 at the break.

We start the second half the better team and Broadhead has a fierce shot tipped over and Bentley has a header also saved.  Then Sam Wright gallops forward and unleashes a shot which is inexplicably saved by Moumen in the Highlanders goal. 61 minutes gone and my full back, Joe Wilkinson has had enough. He picks up the ball and forgets for a moment he’s a North West Counties Division One North player and finds his inner Trent to dribble past two defenders before slamming the ball into the top corner as if he wondered what all the fuss was about before. Get in! It’s no more than we deserve. We look comfortable but we are just one moment of madness away from disaster. Moumen punts the ball downfield and Sapanora is outmuscled by Friar who then lashes the ball past Thompson. I take off the lacklustre Ellis who has failed to score (again) and revert to a 4-4-2 with Grantham and Gutzmore introduced on the flanks. We carve out several chances but once again cannot convert. It finishes 1-1 but that pint in the Sports & Social Club afterwards would have tasted a lot better if we had won like we should have done.

Final Score: Lepton Highlanders 1-1 Morley Town

Friar 69                                                          Wilkinson 62

First Division Cup Second Round Draw

I’d almost forgotten about this trophy, We have been drawn against Ryburn United away. 

Match 10: Woodbridge Town v Morley Town – Isuzu FA Vase 2^nd Qualifying Round

Perhaps this will prove to be a welcome distraction from our frustrations in the league, but we face a long trip south and very east to a few miles out side Ipswich down in Suffolk for this FA Vase cup tie. While we are in a disappointing 10^th place in our division, Woodbridge are 3^rd in theirs, the Eastern Counties League First Division One North. Should be a good game I go in with a safe 4-4-2 and a few changes to freshen things up a bit.

Team: Thompson, Clery, Wilkinson, Bentley, Morley, Brodhead, Wright, Grantham, Smith, Stead, Gutzmore

Subs: McLachlan, Sapanora, Henderson, Bett-Wildsmith, Ellis, Brooksby, Greenwood

Woodbridge Town: Barlow, Puckett, Anthony, Woods, Gordon, O’Neill, Russell, Wilson, Marshall, Nelson, Chinonso

Match Action

We’ve looked the better team in the opening twenty, but Woodbridge have the best chance when Thompson inexplicably drops the ball and Clery gets a vital last ditch block in to prevent Nelson from tapping the ball into an empty net. Then a blow. Gutzmore pulls up with an injury, it looks like his knee, so quite serious. I bring on Bett-Wildsmith as his replacement on the right flank. We control the game and look good but we just cannot stay onside or put the ball in the flipping onion bag! Sam Wright blazes over from inside the box... he would have buried that last season. Then we get a lucky escape when Nelson has a goal ruled out for offside. I just feel an enduring feeling of disaster. Here we go.. Woodbridge have the ball. It lands at Luca Nelson’s feet after being played in by his strike partner, Chisnora and turns inside to place a shot confidently past Thompson into the top corner. Why can’t my strikers do that? 1-0 down at half time. Once again I am left scratching my head. We haven’t done a lot wrong, our approach play has been delightful.. but no end product.. and no goals..

Into the second half and once again we attack and win a free kick. Morley takes it and is cleared, only as far as Bett- Wildsmith, who has been impressive since coming on. He plays it back to Nathan Morley. As the defenders step up I was sure he was offside, but the left back cuts inside on his right and curls a beauty straight into the top corner. What a brilliant goal from my left back! Suddenly our confidence is raised. A flowing counter attacking move sees sub Henderson’s shot tipped over by Barlow. O’Neill gets down the right for Woodbridge, but Bentley heads clear to Henderson who scampers forward through midfield before playing a delightful flighted ball for the onrushing Courey Grantham, now playing as a striker and he finished beautifully in the top corner. 2-1! But... But.. We give the ball away in midfield and Woodbridge break with Marshall down the left. His beautiful cross is met by the diving head of Chinonoso who levels the match. 2-2. But we are playing well here and with much more determination. We are snappy in the tackle. Lennon Stead works back to win the ball. Broadhead nods the ball to Morley, to Bett Wildsmith, who plays a lovely little reverse ball to Aaron Smith on the edge of the area, In little space he digs out a low shot which cannons in off the post.. Finally Aaron Smith has come to the party.. 3-2 Morley. But we just cannot hold onto a lead for toffee. They win a free kick, which is played into the box and is flicked onto the far post where Marshall hooks it back in on the volley where Puckett volleys in... But cometh the hour cometh the man. I take Stead off who has put in a shift but is knackered and throw on my talisman, Gabriel “The Angel” Ellis. Can he make a difference? Grantham has the ball down the right and his cross is blocked but straight back to him. Henderson makes an overlapping run and Courey finds him with a clever ball. Henderson to the byeline and he pulls it back. To ELLIS!!!!!! The Angel volley home at the near post from close range and runs over to the one Morley fan who has made the trip all the way from West Yorkshire! We try to see it out but we are useless at this. Bett-Wildsmith hits the foot of the post from a corner which nearly wrapped up the game. Then another giveaway in midfield and Marshall has it. His cross goes to Owen but is blocked by Bentley, but O’Neill smashes home the rebound... 4-4 Unbelievable... Extra time and penalties loom, but but but.... In the dying seconds of the game, the very dangerous O’Neill has it on the right and yet another dangerous cross is headed in at the far post by Marshalll to dramatically win the tie in the 97^th minute!!  The Morley players lay on the turf devastaed.. Sam Bentley thumps the pitch like Sami Kuffour after Bayern Munich had lost the 1999 Champions League Final in dramatic circumstances against Man United... I am gutted and I actually want to cry.... Our Isuzu FA Vase campaign is over in the blink of an eye...

Final Score: Woodbridge Town 5-4 Morley Town

                                          

 Morley Town sign Harry Wood

Some may see this as a panic buy but I have felt for a while we needed another striker to help out up front, given Ellis’ indifferent form, so here he is. Wood has had previous with Mossley, Seaham Red Star and Durham City. Welcome to Morley Harry!

Ed Hall Leaves Morley

Ed Hall has joined Tow Law Town of Northern League Division Two. The 32 year old has been allowed to move on with my blessing as he was never quite as convincing between the sticks as I’d hoped. I wish him well though up in the North East.

A Lovely Handwritten Letter from Woodbridge Town

I received a lovely handwritten letter from Simon Dickson, the chairman of Woodbridge Town.

It read:

Dear All at Morley Town FC,

It was a great pleasure to host the recent Isuzu FA Vase Cup Tie between ourselves and Morley Town and I hope that you enjoyed your recent visit to our little corner of the world. Although you will not have been happy with the outcome of the match, I think it was agreed by all at Woodbridge Town that the match was a closely fought and a very entertaining spectacle. It was also widely acknowledged by all associated with Woodbridge Town FC that you are by far the best team that have visited Notcutts Park for a very long time and you were very unlucky to have lost the match in such as way.

On behalf of all at Woodbridge Town FC I would like to wish you the best of luck for the rest of your North West Counties Division One North campaign and we will be following your results very closely from “down south” here in Suffolk.

All the best,

Simon Dickson and all players and staff at Woodbridge Town FC.

That was a lovely gesture and if they were not so far away I would have loved to invite them up to Glen Road for a pre-season friendly.. Maybe something can be arranged??

 

Match 11: Morley Town v South Liverpool

Simply put. We need a win to kickstart our season again. After a bright start we have had some indifferent results recently which have de-railed our target of a play-off place. The good news is that it is still early in the season and there is plenty of time to turn things around. We currently sit in 11^th place and our opponents have struggled more leaving them down in 17^th. Both need a result. I give new signing Harry Wood his debut and he starts alongside Smith, I also welcome back Kevin Preston into the ranks after injury.

Team: Thompson, Clery, Wilkinson, Bentley, Morley, Wright, Henderson, Grantham, Smith, Wood, Preston

Subs: McLachlan, Sapanora, Broadhead, , Ellis, Bett-Wildsmith

South Liverpool: Tanner-Davidson, Stone, Oliver, Watson, Mitchell, Flood, McArdle, Carter, Richardson, Ryan, Donaldson

Match Action

On five minutes, Morley plays the ball up to Aaron Smith, who knocks the ball down for Ben Henderson, he strides forward before exchanging passes with Wood before unleashing a fantastic low drive from the edge of the area which fizzes into the bottom corner of the net for a brilliant opening goal. Wow!

South Liverpool respond and poor closing down sees Carter’s shot just over the crossbar. On 29 minutes Henderson is involved again and his burrowing run into the left channel leads him to setting the ball back for Luke Clery to cross into the box, which is met by the head of Aaron Smith who heads powerfully into the top corner for 2-0! But... I don’t trust us.. McArdle flights in a free kick and Morley’s poor header is more up that out. It falls perfectly to Danny Flood’s right boot who volleys handsomely home from close range... Here we go again.. 2-1.  The visitors win a string of corners but we manage not to concede before the break. 2-1 Morley at half time. Into the second half and we launch the first attack. Wood who has looked good so far holds the ball up intelligently and lays it back to Henderson. Preston has made a great run in off the left wing and Henderson finds him with pinpoint accuracy. The left winger fires confidently past the keeper for 3-1. Wood unfortunately has to go off to an injury sustained in the build up and is replaced by Ellis. The game ticks on and not a lot happens and we are heading to victory looking comfortable. On 89 minutes Henderson, who has ran the game in midfield, finds Ellis, who lays it right to Courey Grantham. The right winger shimmies to the byeline before dinking in a lovely near post cross for Henderson to cushion volley number four from close range. There’s even time for one more. Smith to Grantham, to Henderson who bursts past the defender Gascoigne-like into the penalty area before completing his hat-trick with a cool finish into the bottom corner. A brilliant performance from the midfielder. A 5-1 home win is just what the doctor ordered. We move up to more healthy looking 8^th, just three points off the last play off place.

 

Chesham United offer job

Conference South outfit, Chesham United have offered me the job. While it is tempting to move to a higher level club.... I really want to stay at Morley.. The board were delighted... Where is Chesham anyway?

Morley Town sign Jayden Cotteril

I have strengthened the squad by signing this full back, Jayden Cotteril. He is a right back who can also play in the centre if required. He started his career at Burton Albion and has had spells with Barwell Town and Belper among others Welcome to Morley! 

Match 12: Chester Nomads v Morley Town

We got a much needed win against struggling South Liverpool, now we must back that up with another result and performance in Cheshire. The Nomads, led by my former U18s assistant manager and American pop star, Daryll Hall lie in 12^th place, while we are in 8^th. Cotterill is set to make his debut at right back at the expense of the unlucky Clery who has done well for us, but he will feature again. Ellis replaces the injured Wood up front.

Morley Town: Thompson, Cotteril, Wilkinson, Bentley, Morley, Wright, Henderson, Grantham, Smith, Ellis, Preston

Subs: McLachlan, Broadhead, Clery, Greenwood, Stead

Chester Nomads: Conway, Greenwood, Esdaille, Hughes, Messer, Banister, Crook, Ritchie, King, Oppong, Dale

Match Action

We start strongly. Wilkinson gets in front of their striker to intercept and lays it to Morley who passes forwards to Kevin Preston. He streaks down the left and crosses into the box where Gabriel Ellis runs near post and guides a header past Conway for a superb opening goal. On 28 miutes we attack down the right. Grantham plays it to the underlapping Henderson in his Mezzala role  (the only Mezzala in the league). He drops his shoulder and crosses in low where Aaron Smith taps home easily from 2 yards. We are irresistible and look like scoring with every attack. This time Grantham gets down the right wing and plays it near post to Ellis who lays the ball back to Henderson who sidefoots home for 3-0 at half time after 45 minutes of amazing football.. Into the second half and from the kick off Ellis and Grantham exchange passes. Grantham plays Ellis in behind and the Angel finds the top corner with an instant finish. Just a few games ago, he couldn’t hit a barn door, now he can score with his eyes shut. 4-0. However. Chester Nomads have a spell of possession and a beautifully worked moves sees Jack Banister fire low past Thompson to pull one goal back. Be careful lads. Then from a well worked corner routine, Jack Crook thwacks the crossbar and it bouces clear. A let off. Luckily that is as bad as it gets as the Nomads seem to run out of steam. Ellis hits the post late on to deny him a brilliant hat-trick. A great away win against a team we struggled against last season. We move up to 6^th.

Match 13: Nelson v Morley Town

The games are once more coming thick and fast, as we travel in good spirits to take on Nelson. Our hosts sit in a middling 12^th, while we are up in 6^th after two good wins. I field the same XI that demolished the Nomads.

 Morley Town: Thompson, Cotteril, Wilkinson, Bentley, Morley, Wright, Henderson, Grantham, Smith, Ellis, Preston

Subs: McLachlan, Broadhead, Clery, Wood, Bett-Wildsmith

Nelson: Burton, Moukoko-Mbende, Woodburn, Kean, Steventon, Carsley, Cooke, Simons, Dale, Padrao, Longcake

Match Action

Not a lot happens in the opening twenty. Aaron Smith has free kick just over the bar. Nelson break down the left and the dangerous  Pedrao outpaces Cotteril on the left wing. His cross is met by the head of Brandon Longcake, who seems to hang sweetly in the air like Michael Jordan and sends a looping header over Wilkinson and over Thompson into the roof of the net. How he managed to do that was extraordinary, but it’s 1-0 Nelson. Nelson break again down the right this time through Zack Dale and his cross is flicked towards goal by Longcake which is saved superbly by Thompson, but the rebound falls to Simons who smashes it home for 2-0. This is dire. We try and respond Morley has a shot well saved by the keeper, but as the first half draws to a close it is Nelson who look more likely to add to their lead. We look tired. I change the formation at half time to a 4-3-3 with Smith, Ellis and Grantham forming a three pronged attack and make two subs, Clery for the tired Cotteril and Bett- Wildsmith for Preston with Henderson as the attacking midfielder, KBW (Karlos Bett-Wildsmith) as the middle guy and Wright sitting in front of the back four. I gee the team up at half time, telling them they have the ability to turn it around. We storm out of the dressing room and onto the pitch for the second half. Already we look the better team. Grantham has a header well saved after a good run and cross from Morley. Then we win a free kick. Up steps Aaron Smith and whacks the ball into the top corner off the underside of the crossbar from 30 yards. Brilliant. We look in control. Morley takes a throw in on the far side. He finds Bett Wildsmith who has given us extra energy in midfield. He lays it back to Wright. Sam Wright plays an instant first time pass to Henderson in the penalty area who swivels and fires the ball into the top corner. It took us just eight minutes to achieve partity. But Nelson are a good side and are quick. They are not going to lie down. Cooke gets down the left and his pinpoint cross is met by the head of flipping Longcake whose sweet header flies past Thompson into the bottom corner. We stream forward looking one more for the equaliser. Bett-Wildsmith now playing as a left winger dribbles past his full back before drilling in a fine low cross for substitute Harry Wood!! NO he miscues his effort and it flies wide. Head in hands! We even carve out another chance which Smith skies over the bar when he should have done better. The referee blows his whistle. A valiant effort but it wasnae to be as the Scottish say..

Match 14: Morley Town v Holker Old Boys

I think we were quite unlucky not to get something out of the Nelson game, having battled back from 2-0 down and then Wood’s miss at the end. Anyway that game  is over and we must concentrate on the visit of our friends from Barrow in Furness. The Old Boys lie in 3^rd place and have enjoyed a good start to the season, while we are in 7^th place going into this one. Factor in my players are knackered as this is our third match in a week and these are only part time footballers with other jobs, it is a tough ask. Therefore a bit of squad rotation is required. Youngsters Lee James and Brooksby come in

Team: Thompson, Brooksby, Sapanora, Bentley, Clery, Broadhead, Bett-Wildsmith, James, Smith, Wood, Preston

Subs: McLachlan, Ellis, Morley, Henderson, Cotteril

Holker Old Boys: Owens, Bjork, Husbands, Morse, Alasttal, Atkinson, Lisi, Lindley, Culshaw, Davies, Mason

Match Action

We start alright and Harry Wood does brilliantly to wriggle his way into the penalty area before blazing disappointingly over the bar with just the keeper to beat. Holker attack and Lindley has a shot well saved by Thompson. Lee James and Sapanora both pull up with injuries within minutes of eachother, so on come Henderson and Cotteril who are supposed to be resting in their places. On 33 minutes we win a throw in. Preston throws to Clery who drops his shoulder and gets to the byeline before digging out a brilliant cross and Aaron Smith nips in to score with a point blank near post header.

Then Broadhead gets the ball in midfield before striding forward and unleashing a fierce shot which smacks the crossbar. Then Henderson sends Wood through into the area but his low shot hits the side netting. He has the curse that Ellis had. We lead 1-0 at the break.

Into the second half and it ticks on but Lisi goes on a run and his low drive is fingertipped round the post by Thompson. Brilliant save.

Majed Alasttal, the former Morley man throws the ball in. Davies swivels and puts in a deep cross. Thompson tries to catch but misses and Kevin Preston tries to head the ball out for a corner, but Neal Penney anticipates this and manages to hook the ball into the empty net before it crosses the byeline. A pretty bizarre equaliser. We respond and sub Nathan Morley throws in to Smith on the byeline who lays it back to Kevin Preston. The young winger cuts inside dangerously from the touchline into the penalty area and places a beautiful low shot which hits the post.. How unlucky.. but the rebound deflects off the sprawling keeper and falls to Karlos Bett-Wildsmith who taps the ball in from two yards! 2-1 Morley. He runs over to the ultras behind the goal who mob him in delight. Morley 2 Holker old Boys 1. We weren’t at our best today but we finally got a bit of luck. Up to 5^th and a into playoff spot we go!

Final Score: Morley Town 2-1 Holker Old Boys

Smith 34                                             Penney 77

Bett-Wildsmith 90

My 100^th Match in Charge of Morley Town

The 2-1 win over Holder Old Boys marked my 100^th game in charge of Morley Town. 

After 100 matches in charge Rudd has taken Morley Town from the obscurity of the Yorkshire Amateur Premier League to the obscurity of a playoff place in the North West Counties Division One North. Can they sustain a push to finish in the top 5 this season and a chance of going one rung further up the English Pyrmaid ladder? Find out next time on the Ultimate English Pyramid Game!