31. Revenge is a Dish Best Served Cold
Match 15: Ryburn United v Morley Town – First Division Cup Second Round
Once again we enjoy a bye to the second round of the
intra North West Counties Division 1 League tournament as we travel to mid-Pennine
side, Ryburn United. In league stakes, not that it matters, Ryburn are down in
15th, while we are in 5th.
Morley Town: Thompson, Brooksby, Wilkinson, Cotteril, Clery, Broadhead,
Henderson, Bett-Wildsmith, Greenwood, Wood, Gutzmore
Subs: McLachlan, Preston, Smith, Bentley, Morley
Ryburn United: Kennedy, Taylor, Ohene, Cooper, Spencer,
Convery, Kirk, Lord, Moore, Proctor, Whitehouse
Match Action
The home
side attack first and they sting the palms of Thompson early on. Then we win a
throw in. Clery crosses in and Wood heads the ball up in the air which causes
panic in the Ryburn defence. The ball falls to Jack Greenwood who swivels and
fires the ball low and hard into the corner. Good goal from the youngster.
Ryburn attack and have a goal disallowed for offside. Then Thompson tips a
downwards header past the post as we are penned in our own half. Finally we
regain some control and Wilkinson passes to Cotteril to Broadhead, then wide to
Marlon Gutzmore, who spots the run of Harry Wood on the left edge of the area
and plays a lovely slide rule pass in behind. The striker latches onto it and
finishes with aplomb into the corner. Brilliant goal and 2-0 to Morley. For once
the game ticks on in our favour to half time. Two goals to the good at the
break. Ryburn look the better side early in the second half and Thompson has to
be once again at his best to deny Proctor. On the hour we build down the left
with Broadhead to the overlapping Clery who picks out a far post cross which is
headed home by the onrushing Bett-Wildsmith for 3-0. Harry Wood has been
brilliant so far and has run the Ryburn defence ragged with his tireless movement off the ball. This time he gets into the left channel and is found by
Preston. He gets to the byeline and cuts the ball back to Preston who has all
the time in the world to dribble the ball into the box and place a low shot
into the corner. Quite magnificent. 4-0. Fetch the Paracetamol I have a few
selection headaches for the league campaign.
Final Score: Ryburn United 0-4 Morley Town
Greenwood
Wood
Bett Wildsmith
Preston
First Division Cup 3rd Round Draw
Morley will host Manchester based side, Irlam in the next round. A tough draw considering they sit proudly on top of the North West Counties Division One South.
Board Confidence
Supporters Confidence
Match 16: Morley Town v Haughmond
The team
from faraway Shrewsbury make the long trip up from Shropshire to West
Yorkshire. They have had a good start to the season and lie just a point above
us in 4th place. I go in with a 4-4-2 and some of the players rested
in the midweek cup game come back into the reckoning. A win here will see us
consolidate our place in the playoffs.
Morley Town: Thompson, Clery,
Wilkinson, Bentley, Morley, Wright, Henderson, Grantham, Ellis, Smith, Preston
Subs:
McLachlan, Cotteril, Broadhead, Gutzmore, Wood
Haughmond:
Davidson, McManaman, Kardacz, Doran,
Lancaster, Dawson, Mulholland, Poskitt, Williams, Ellis, Knight
Match Action
It takes us just 56 seconds! Nathan Morley throws in on the far side to Preston who knocks it back to the left back. He finds a deep cross where Courey Grantham has sneaked in at the far post and he lashes home a volley past Davidson for a brilliant opening goal. We are all over Haughmond like a rash. Preston forces a good save from Davison. On 12 minutes Sam Wright intercepts the ball in midfield before releasing Ellis. He squares to the onrushing Henderson who bustles his way into the penalty area, but is cleanly tackled, but only as far as Grantham who puts in a low cross across the six yard box where The Angel stretches out a leg to prod home number two. Haughmond try to hit back and Dawson has a long range tipped over the bar by Thompson. We are irresistible though. Another far post cross from Morley causes panic in the Haughmond defence and Grantham is once again the beneficiary, leaping like a salmon to glide a header into the bottom corner. 3-0 before half time. This is like the old amateur league days. Haughmond must be sick of the sight of Nathan Morley. Another throw in to Henderson this time into the area and he lays it back to Kevin Preston who cuts inside dangerously onto his right foot and curls the ball beautifully into the far corner for goal number four! Amazing goal! We fall asleep from the kick off and Dawson has too much space on the edge of the area. He picks out the top corner with a fierce effort, Thompson no chance.. 4-1. Keep focused! Nathan Morley listens and scampers down the left wing before laying the ball back to Sam Wright.. The midfield dynamo swings in another far post cross where once again Grantham is lurking to guide another downwards header into the corner. 5-1 Morley Town.
Grantham 1,
40, 75 Dawson 60
Ellis 13
Preston 58
Match 17: Campion v Morley Town
We take the
short trip up the A650 to take on Campion. Confidence is high amongst the lads after
three comprehensive victories in league and cup. Campion lie in a middling 12th
place, while we are in 4th and a win here could see us go second
behind leaders, Chadderton if other results are favourable. Campion have also
adopted the dodgy inverted Christmas Tree formation so to try and negate this I
go in with a 4-2-1-3 inverted yew tree formation, with Ellis, Grantham and
Smith forming a three pronged attack, then Wright and Broadhead taking care of
their two Trequarvistas or whatever they are flipping called...
Team: Thompson, Clery, Wilkinson,
Bentley, Morley, Broadhead, Wright, Henderson, Smith, Ellis, Grantham
Subs: McLachlan, Cotteril, Preston,
Gutzmore, Wood
Campion:
Robinson, Weiss, Harrop, Liversidge, Davidson, Winder, Sampson, Clarke, Day,
Hull, Osadebe
Match Action
Lining up in
our inverted yew tree formation we kick off and keep the ball well in the
opening few minutes. Bentley to Sam Wright, to Henderson who slips in a
sumptuous through ball for The Angel to run onto and he slots the ball
confidently past Robinson. He has rediscovered his mojo in front of goal.
Campion are no mugs though and carve out a couple of chances which Thompson was
called into action. They win a corner and it is nutted in by Jared Weiss at the
far post. 1-1. Ellis then misses a golden opportunity to put us ahead when he
skies the ball over the bar from a low Nathan Morley cross.. One One at the
break.
Into the
second half and we start to dominate. Clarke is sent off after a late challenge
on Courey Grantham and it is us who look most likely to get a winner. I throw
on Preston and Gutzmore to give us more width and stretch the ten men of
Campion. We have been brilliant at intercepting today and another one by Nathan
Morley then sets Preston free down the left. He finds a cut back to Marlon
Gutzmore on the edge of the box. Gutzmore!! Goaaaaaaaaalllllllll He fires a
screamer straight into the top corner and nearly breaks the back of the net! We
look comfortable as Campion run out of steam. On 89 minutes, sub Harry Wood dribbles
through the middle of the park and lays the ball off to Gutzmore. The young
winger dribbles into the penalty area and is one on one with the keeper, who
he dinks the ball over and into the corner with a lovely finish to wrap up the game.
Another win takes us up to the dizzy heights of third place... The yew tree
beats the Christmas tree..
Match 18: Morley Town v Ryburn United
After
beating up Ryburn in the cup at their place, they make the trip into Yorkshire
seeking revenge. They lie in 12th place, while we are up in third after our recent good run of form. I
revert back to a 4-4-2 with what I think is my strongest team.
Team: Thompson, Clery, Bentley,
Wilkinson, Morley, Wright, Henderson, Grantham, Smith, Ellis, Preston
Subs:
McLachlan, Broadhead, Cotteril, Gutzmore, Wood
Ryburn
United: Kennedy, Taylor, Ohene, Cooper, Spencer, Convery, Kirk, Lord, Moore,
Proctor, Whitehouse
Match Action
In the first
eight minutes I swear we fail to touch the ball as Ryburn knock the ball about
with far too much confidence for my liking, This results in Mike Proctor
receiving a pinpoint pass from Kirk and burying the ball into the top corner
past Thompson.. Then from the kick off we give the ball away cheaply and Ryburn
spring forward again, this time down the left where Kirk feeds Proctor who
crosses in for Convery to smack home number two. What the hell is going on? It
gets worse. Ryburn go and score again. Chene releases Proctor down the left
wing again, who may as well be Vinicius Junior as he leaves Clery for dead
again and his low cross is turned in by Lord... Glen Road is stunned. I am
stunned, my 11 players are stunned... What the hell?? On 15 minutes, Proctor
gets down the left yet again and Lord lashes a shot goalwards which is turned
round the post by Thompson. From the resulting corner, Ohene powerfully heads
home number 4. This is now obscene! We manage to survive,, yes survive until
half time without conceding again. I lay into them at half time that was
shocking absolutely the worst 45 minutes of football we have ever played in my
tenure, It just beggars belief how bad we were. I go to a 4-3-3 and take off
the hapless Clery who has be torn apart by Proctor down the left hand side.
Into the second half and we try and launch an attack, but they are just too
sharp. Lord is allowed to waltz into the area and fire a low shot under
Thompson to make it five. The Ultras are livid I am livid It's like my team
have drank 10 pints down the Farriers Arms before the game and are staggering
around the pitch blind drunk... Miraculously we actually manage to score.
Morley crosses from the left and the keeper, who may as well have been in the
pub himself during the first half because he has had so little to do, flaps blindly
at it. Henderson retrieves and gives it to the overlapping Cotteril who drops
his shoulder, gets to the byeline and his near post cross is bundled home by
Grantham. It matters little. The game ticks on. Ryburn have the ball down the
left again, with Lord who may as well be Cole Palmer. His deep cross is met by
the head of Moore who powers it past Thompson.. Of course he did 6- flippin’ 1..
Revenge is sweet for the lads from Ripponden who were brilliant.. while we were
absolute dross and I made my feelings perfectly clear in the dressing room
afterwards. Revenge as they say is a dish best served cold...
Match 19 Daisy Hill
v Morley Town
We need to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves down after
the terrible result and performance against Ryburn. I am still scratching my
head as to where that performance came from. Was it tactical naievity? Was it
complacency after our previous good results? Did Ryburn just want it more than
we did? We have a hoodoo of our own to vanquish as we board the coach to take
us to Greater Manchester to take on Daisy Hill. You may remember our last visit
ended with a similar 5-1 drubbing, similar to what Ryburn have just dished out
to us. Therefore it is our turn to seek revenge. Daisy Hill are just above us
in 4th, while we are in 5th. I go to a more defensive
4-2-3-1 formation. Cotteril is restored to right back, while Gutzmore comes in
on the right flank.
Team: Thompson,
Cotteril, Wilkinson, Bentley, Morley, Wright, Henderson, Smith, Gutzmore,
Ellis, Preston
Subs: McLachlan,
Broadhead, Clery, Grantham, Wood
Daisy Hill: Lovelace, O’Callaghan, Ellis, W.Bell, Collings,
Peareth, Fidel Junior, Meeks, Egan, Brown, T.Bell
Match Action
We look up for this, but can’t keep the ball for long enough to
sustain an attack. Brown has a shot well saved by Thompson. We win a corner
it’s cleared. The game just ticks on annoyingly all the way to half time in
what must be one of the worst games of football in its long history. Nil Nil at
the break.
Into the second half and an outbreak of football actually occurs.
We win a corner which Nathan Morley takes. It’s whipped in and there’s a
goalmouth scramble. The ball falls to Morley who has drifted infield from the
corner flag to the right edge of the penalty area. He drops his shoulder past
the defender and then lashes the ball home from close range on the angle The
home side respond. They win a throw in on the right hand side. The ball is
played to Egan’s feet on the right side of the area and he goes down like a
sack of spuds.. Penalty! No way.. He clearly dived. The Morley players are
fuming and so am I. Ronaldo Brown sends Thompson the wrong way and smacks the
ball emphatically into the top corner from the spot. Stupid. We look the better
team though and Gutzmore dribbles down the right wing before cutting the ball
back for Aaron Smith!! Saved by the keeper.. He should have scored. Meanwhile
at the other end, Thompson is forced into a point blank save from the dangerous
Egan. The match peters out into a 1-1 draw. I’ll take this. A much improved
performance and a point away from home against a team near the top of the table
will do for now.
Match 20: Morley Town v Barnoldswick Town
We owe Barnoldswick revenge as well, after they turned us
over 3-1 at their place earlier in the season. The relegated team have made a
good fist of trying to regain promotion and lie in 4th place, while
we are down in 6th. We are in cup action in the week, so I make a
few changes as I rotate the squad. Broadhead comes in for the suspended Wright,
while Sapanora comes back into central defence . I go in with a 4-4-3 to try
and surprise the opposition with Wood, Ellis and Lennon Stead forming a three
pronged attack and Smith just behind.
Morley: 4-4-3:
Thompson, Cotteril, Wilkinson, Morley, Broadhead, Henderson, Smith, Stead,
Ellis, Wood
Barnoldswick Town: Bleeker, Moult, Mansfield, Morgan, Macrae,
Stopforth, Dawkins, Lawlor, Wilson, Smithson, Etheridge
Match Action
In our new 4-4-3 formation we look dominant in midfield and surge forward. Lennon Stead has looked lively and he dribbles into the area where he is tripped by the defender. Penalty! Up steps the Angel.. and sends Bleeker the wrong way. We continue to attack. Henderson blazes over after Ellis’ cut back. On 9 minutes Henderson’s ball forward is headed away but only to Jayden Cotterill. The right back crosses and Ellis rises above the defender to nod into the bottom corner. Barnoldswick respond and a driving run from Etheridge gets him to the byeline and his cutback reaches Lawlor who squares it to Wilson who has the simple task of tapping home. 2-1. The away side are buoyed by this and attack again, but defensive midfielder Gary Stopforth runs into Bentley, whose robust but fair challenge wins the ball back and we break to devastating effect with Smith finding Ellis before releasing Harry Wood who gallops into the area and finishes with aplomb into the top corner. 3-1 Morley at half time. Into the second half, and the visitors attack and pen us our own area. Wright gets his second with another close range finish... Then the moment we have all been waiting for happens... no not a streaker... but Nathan Morley wins a throw in and crosses into the box where Lennon Stead is unmarked and the smallest man on the pitch leaps high to direct a header into the top corner. 4-2 and finally finally Lennon Stead’s first competitive goal for Morley Town! The game ticks on but Barnoldwick mount another attack and Shepherd waltzes into the penalty area and beats Thompson with a low finish to pull one back. 4-3. Gabriel Ellis has been in one of those moods though. Bentley, who has been immense in defence heads clear and Henderson sends The Angel clear. He is on his own and surrounded by four defenders. He dribbles into the left side of the area and swivels before threading the ball through the eye of a needle for the supporting Lennon Stead who thumps home number five and his second goal for Morley Town. A great win for us and we swap places with them in the table with us in 4th and Barnoldswick in 6th. Revenge once again is a dish best served cold, but this time in our favour.
After consolidating in a playoff place with some magnificent results and some heavy scoring, can Rudd's men maintain their push for promotion, or will there be some banana skins to slip on between now and the end of the season? Find out next time on The Ultimate English Pyramid Game!
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