32. Comeback Kings
Match 21: Irlam v
Morley Town- First Division Cup Third Round
Irlam. Just a couple of miles away from Old Trafford in West
Greater Manchester and the place where Michelle Keegan grew up.. although I’m
sure she has long since moved away. They are doing very well and are top of the
NW Counties Division One South, while we are in 4th place, so we
could not have asked for a tougher draw. I retain the 4-3-3 formation
Team: Thompson,
Cotteril, Wilkinson, Bentley, Morley, Broadhead, Wright, Henderson, Wood,
Ellis, Smith
Subs: McLachlan, Clery, Brooksby, Stead, Gutzmore
Irlam: Hartley, Cousins, Saidy, Edwards, Hatton, Molikinov,
Foley, Green, Walker, Williams, Bangoura
Match Action
Things don’t start well. Williams sends Green down the left and his low cross is tapped in by Bangoura.. Irlam look good in possession but we can’t keep the ball for toffee and keep giving it away. Williams once more gets down the left with Cotterill nowhere to be seen and another low cross is sidefooted home by Foley. This is pathetic. I’ve had enough. I make two substitutions with Wood and Broadhead replaced by Gutzmore and Grantham, two wide players. We win a free kick which Morley puts in far post. The ball is cleared only as far as Gabriel Ellis who volleys emphatically home from near the penalty spot to halve the deficit. We look a different side and dominate the game. Gutzmore dances down the left wing before digging out a far post cross towards Grantham but the defender head clear, only as far as Jaden Cotterill. He gives Williams a taste of his own medicine and skips past him and gets to the byeline. His low cross is swept home from 6 yards by The Angel.. Two each! Game on! Irlam don't quite know what’s hit them. Williams still looks dangerous, but his square ball is fired over the bar. Gutzmore has scared the life out of their right back and as he jinks his way past him again after receiving a Morley throw in, his teasing far post cross is met by the head of Ben Henderson arriving late to turn the game on its head. 3-2 Morley. Crazy half of football.
Into the second half and we establish control with Wright
especially impressive in midfield. The game mercifully ticks on as I seek to
take the sting out of the game. On 76 minutes Gutzmore thought he had sealed it
when Henderson sent him clear and the young winger lashed the ball into the
corner, but he had mis-timed his run and the linesman had his flag up... Irlam
sense an opportunity. They force a corner. It’s backs to the wall stuff..
Thompson claws a Bangura header out and its whacked clear by Wright.. Ellis
holds the ball up..and that’s the game!! What a win and what a comeback after a
dreadful start.. A brilliant comeback from the lads.. Are Morley Town
darkhorses to lift the First Division Trophy this season?
Final Score: Irlam
2-3 Morley Town
Bangoura 5 Ellis 26,38
Foley 23 Henderson 44
First Division
Trophy Quarter Final Draw
Once again we have been paired with NW Counties Division One
South opposition in the shape of 8th placed Eccleshall.
Michael Francis
joins Hetton Town on loan
My young 16-year old right back has been sent to Hetton Town
of The Wearside League Third Division to toughen up..
Match 22: South
Liverpool v Morley Town
We take the long road to Jericho Lane up in 4th
place, while our hosts are rock bottom of the table with just 11 points all
season. This though is a potential banana skin. South Liverpool away is the
kind of fixture where you go in, get the job done and get the hell out of
there.. I go in with a solid, uncompromising 4-4-2.
Morley Town: Thompson,
Cotteril, Wilkinson, Clery, Wright, Henderson, Preston, Ellis, Wood, Gutzmore
Subs: McLachlan, Broadhead, Bett-Wildsmith, Smith, Stead
South Liverpool: Tanner-Davidson, Stone, Oliver, Watson,
Langstaff, Flood, McArdle, Carter, Richardson, Ryan, Sefu
It’s even in the opening exchanges and the home side even
have a shot at goal which hits the side netting. We look dangerous especially
in the break. Henderson strides forward and exchanges passes with Preston. The
midfielder runs into the area and is felled. Penalty! Up steps the Angel, who
slides the ball comfortably into the corner. South Liverpool worryingly start
to dominate and thanks to some last ditch defending we keep them out. Then
Marlon Gutzmore is first to a loose ball in midfield and he latches onto it
like a dog chasing after a bone. He runs forward, skips past the defender
before steering a low drive into the bottom corner. Quite brilliant from the
youngster! 2-0 at the break.
Into the second half and the game gets bogged down. We become
a bit sloppy and invite pressure on us by giving the ball away too cheaply. We
are punished when Sefu is upended in the box and Woodford sends Thompson the
wrong way from the spot. We hit the suicide button once again as Richardson is sent
scampering down the left and his low cross is turned home by McArdle... We
throw away a two goal lead against the bottom of the table team. Typical us.
Both sides attack looking for a winner. I throw on Aaron Smith for Wood and
Lennon Stead for Preston. Wright has an effort just wide and then skies one
when he should have done better. At the other end Thompson is forced into a
fine save from Richardson and then some more last ditch defending denies the
home side a shock lead. I go to 4-3-3 with Smith playing in the number 10 role.
On 89 minutes Clery has the ball on the left and passes infield to Broadhead.
He plays it up to Smith on the edge of the area who turns. Smith now for
Morley.. SMITH!!! He fires and absolute daisy cutter into the corner of the net..
Brilliant from Morley’s talisman.. Job done. We escape back to West Yorkshire
with all three points... just...
Match 23: Morley
Town v Pilkington Town
Two matches in four days against two of the league’s
strugglers. Pilkington are down in 16th, while we are in 4th.
A must-win game for us if we are to cement ourselves in the playoff places. I
make a few changes to rotate the squad and keep everybody happy. It’s very cold
and snow is forecast, so difficult conditions going into the game.
Team: Thompson, Clery, Cotteril
, Bentley, Morley, Wright, Henderson, Stead, Ellis, Smith, Preston
Subs: McLachlan, Broadhead, Grantham, Gutzmore, Wood
Pilkington: Padaruth, Ayala, Coles, Davies, McWilliams,
Smiljanic, Hodgin, Harrison, Johnson, Brookwell, Jones
Match Action
A frustrating first 25 minutes. as the game just ticks on and
the game takes no form. Stead has a snapshot volley just over the bar but
that’s it. Then. Smiljanic plays it up to Johnson, who lays it back to
Harrison. He plays the ball forward and Cotteril misses the interception
allowing Brookwell to latch onto the ball and slot past Thompson for an
annoying shock lead. The visitors despite their lowly league position are no
slouches. Harrison gets down the left channel and thwacks the crossbar. This is
not good. It gets worse. A deep free kick finds Ayala on the far post. He
chests the ball down gets to the byeline and his low cross is tapped home by
the unmarked Jones... Pilkington look like they are going to score with every
attack and this is a very worrying performance indeed from us. On the stroke of
half time, we win a free kick. Up steps Aaron Smith, who curls the ball
straight into the top corner! 2-1. It gives us hope as we head into the
dressing room. Into the second half and I go 4-3-3 to add more numbers in
midfield. Luke Clery thwacks the crossbar with a fierce volley after good work
from Morley down the left. We are dominant now as Pilkington are penned back in
their own half. Roared on by the Ultras behind the goal we seek an equaliser.
On 68 minutes Morley once again gets down the left. His deep cross into the box
finds the head of Ben Henderson who rises and nods home. 2-2. Both sides look
for a winner. Pilkington hit the crossbar again from a free kick. Ayala earns
himself an early bath after upending young Gutzmore. It peters out into a draw,
but two points dropped but a point gained, judging we were 2-0 down. They did
well to come back in the second half.
Final Score: Morley
Town 2-2 Pilkington
Smith 45
Brookwell
26
Henderson 69 Jones 34
Match 24: Chadderton
v Morley Town
A near top of the table clash as we travel to the other side
of the hills to take on 3rd placed Chadderton, while we are just
behind them in 4th. We beat them 3-1 on the opening day of the season and so they
will be out for revenge, hopefully not Ryburn style...
I go in with a 4-2-3-1 with Smith playing just off Ellis.
Grantham who destroyed them on the opening day is installed on the right wing
with Gutzmore on the left. Sapanora comes in for Wilkinson in the heart of the
defence.
Team: Thompson,
Cotteril, Sapanora, Bentley, Morley, Broadhead, Henderson, Smith, Grantham,
Ellis, Gutzmore
Subs: McLachlan, Wright, Wilkinson, Preston, Wood
Chadderton: Oldham, Meta, Carlisle, Balde, Cevenni, Agyeman,
Allister, Kyriakou, Winfarrah, Ata, Lashley
Match Action
We make the early running in this one with Grantham and
Henderson forcing early saves from Oldham. But on 11 minutes Winfarrah receives
the ball from a Cevenni throw-in and he picks out a cross onto the head of Ata
who guides a header into the bottom corner. We seem in control but as we keep
the ball Chadderton are just ready to pounce on the break. Smith mis-controls
the ball and Lashley sends Ata through on goal in the blink of an eye. 2-0 and
they have barely touched the ball. Ata is causing all kinds of problems with
his pace and movement up front. Another attack sees his mate, Jordan Lashley
smack the crossbar. The rebound is cleared to Marlon Gutzmore in space on the
left wing. The youngster dribbles over the halfway line and allowed the freedom
of Manchester to waltz into the penalty area and finish low into the corner off
the post to halve the deficit. Brilliant goal. 2-1 at the break. Into the
second half and Chadderton win an early corner. The ball falls to Kyriakou
whose volley is saved, it rebounds to Cevenni who pokes home from close range.
A killer blow. Soon after Smith sets up Ellis in the box and he skies it over
the bar. We could have done with that going in. We launch wave after wave of
attack. Substitute Wood heads over and Smith hits the post. Then, Sam Wright
wins an important challenge in midfield and Smith helps it on for Harry Wood
who races into the penalty area and cooly finishes low into the bottom corner
to give us hope. 3-2 with five minutes left. The ball is tossed into the box
and it falls to SAM WRIGHT!!... oohhhh the flag is up on the far side,. He
strayed fractionally offside. Just not our day today.. Good effort but as the
Scottish say, it wasnae ta be...
Final Score:
Chadderton 3-2 Morley Town
Ata 12,21 Gutzmore
33
Covenni 49 Wood 87
Match 26: Haughmond
v Morley Town
We take the long trip down to the Sundorne Sports Village in
Shrewsbury for our match against 12th placed Haughmond. We are still
in 4th place and look to consolidate our position in the playoffs.
They will be seeking revenge after a 5-1 drubbing they received at Glen Road.
I go in with a 4-4-2
Morley Town: Thompson,
Cotteril, Sapanora, Bentley, Morley, Wright, Henderson, Grantham, Ellis, Smith,
Gutzmore
Subs: McLachlan, Broadhead, Wood, Preston, Wilkinson
Haughmond: Davies, McManaman, Kardacz, Doran, Lancaster,
Dawson, Mulholland, Cox, Williams, Ellis, Augustus
Match Action
Haughmond look the better team as we fail to really get
going. Augustus puts a couple over the bar and we don’t create much. On 33
minutes they win a corner and there’s pushing in the box. Penalty! Lancaster sends
Thompson the wrong way and to be honest the home side deserve their lead. We
don’t even have a shot on goal. Pathetic! I give them a telling off at half
time. Long journey or no long journey at least run around the bloody pitch and
look as though you are interested in playing football today....
Into the second half and both sides have a goal disallowed
for offside in the first few minutes, Ellis for us after he was played in by
Smith and Augustus for them. We look sharper in the tackle and look as though
we actually want to play. Haughmond though are irritatingly keeping the ball,
but one loose pass and we pounce. Bentley hacks the ball downfield and Aaron
Smith runs onto it down the left. He passes infield to Gutzmore, who passes
first time to Henderson at the edge of the box... GOAL TO MORLEY TOWN! What a
strike by Ben Henderson for his 10th goal of the season. This should
have been the platform to go on and win the game, but the plucky home side had
other ideas. We just could not get the ball off them. Then from the goal kick
they won everything and started all over again. Rinse and repeat.. Eventually
the inevitable happens. A long goal kick, this time from Davies finds Augustus
who plays in Williams who slams the ball into the top corner for a deserved 2-1
lead. We try and go forward but they outnumber us. Charlie Williams who has
been the best player on the park gets the ball on the left and skips past a
tired looking Cotterill before curling the ball beautifully into the top corner
to seal our fate.
Final Score:
Haugmond 3-1 Morley Town
Match 27: Morley
Town v Campion
Our friends from t’Bratfud make the short trip down the A650,
complete with their stupid inverted Christmas Tree formation. It has served
them fairly well though and has propelled them up to 9th place. We are
clinging onto the playoffs by a thread and need to win to try and close the gap
on the top three who are fast getting away from us.
Team: Thompson, Clery,
Wilkinson, Sapanora, Morley, Broadhead, Wright, Grantham, Smith, Ellis,
Gutzmore
Subs: McLachlan, Henderson, Bentley, Greenwood, Preston
Campion, Robinson, Weiss, Harrop, Liversedge, Davidson,
Winder, Sampson, Clarke, Day, Hull Osadebe
Match Action
We have the better of the opening exchanges. Grantham has to
hobble off with a groin strain, so Preston replaces him after just eight
minutes. Smith then misses a gilt edged chance when sent through on goal by
Jack Broadhead, but fires wide when everyone inside Glen Road including myself
expected the net to bulge. Then we hit the suicide button. Thompson throws the
ball out to Sam Wright, but the midfielder was not looking and Archie Day
interepts and fires the ball into the empty net. One for a Danny Baker DVD that
but I’m not laughing... Ellis has a goal ruled out for offside and Hull forces
a fine save from Thompson. 1-0 down at the break, but apart from that one
aberration we have actually played quite well.
Into the second half and we cannot get a foothold in the game.
I go back to 4-4-2 and things improve a bit. A dangerous Nathan Morley corner
is cleared to Jack Broadhead whose half volley is clawed away by the keeper.
Campion hit the crossbar at the other end. I throw on Ben Henderson in a
Mezzala role. Wilkinson sprays the ball out to Kevin Preston, who scampers down
the right. He cuts the ball back to BEN HENDERSON who steers a low shot into
the bottom corner for a fantastic equaliser. 1-1! Both sides go hell for
leather looking for a winner. Campion win a free kick which is overhit and as
Sapanora and Day run to retrieve the ball on the far side, Sapanora is deemed
to have impeded the Campion player and the ref points at the spot for the
softest penalty ever given in the 150 year history of Association football...
Just our luck... Hull steps up to give Campion an undeserved lead... Saved by
Thompson! Poor penalty.. Straight at him.. On 88 minutes Wilkinson takes a free
kick deep in our half. He just lumps it forwards into the channel. Henderson
sprints after it in what looks like a lost cause. For some unknown reason,
their keeper Robinson also sprints out of his goal to intervene. Instead of
letting the ball go out for a goal kick he decides to clear it himself, but he
scuffs it straight to Kevin Preston, who instantly half volleys the ball into the
empty Campion net to the glee of the home support behind... Another one for that
Danny Baker video. Another comeback complete. We see it out for some might say
a fortunate 2-1 win, but on the balance of play we just about deserved it.
Final Score: Morley
Town 2-1 Campion
Henderson 79 Day 18
Preston 89
After some inspiring comebacks and a few less than inspiring performances Morley Town have somehow managed to consolidate their position in the playoffs. Can they sustain this position, or even mount a challenge for the title? Find out next time on The Ultimate English Pyramid Game!
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