38. Bumps in T'Road
After starting the season in barnstorming form , winning our first five games and shooting straight to the top of the table the mood in the camp is good. There is also a feeling among the Ultras and down the Farriers Arms already that this could be our year to take the next step up the English Football Pyramid to Level 9... But as the late Jimmy Greaves once said.. "It's a funny old game Saint.."
Match 7: Morley Town v Silsden
It’s around
the same time last season when we were humbled 3-1 by their reserve team, who eventually were relegated by a country mile and replaced by their first team
counterparts. While we are riding high at the top of the league, the visitors
are in a middling 12th after a mixed start to the season. I go in
with the same team and match squad.
Morley Town: Thompson, Cotteril, J.
Wilkinson, G. Wilkinson, Christie, Wright, Smith, Preston, Ellis, Wood,
Gutzmore
Subs:
Oldham, Jewson, Bentley, Cresdee, Bett-Wildsmith
Silsden:
Richardson, Tumilty, Laird, Jones, Adams, O’Brien, Essien, Hodges, Oulton,
Wilson, Santos
Match Action
Inevitably
we attack with gusto and Aaron Smith sees two of his efforts brilliantly saved
by Richardson. Marlon Gutzmore has been like a whippet and has run dangerously
at the Silsden defence, but on both occasions has finished wildly, which was a
shame. Our approach play has been great, but we cannot find a finish. Preston
blazes over when he should have done better, while at the other end, Thompson
has to make a smart save from an Adams header. Nil nil at the break.
Into the
second half and it’s the same pattern. Wood heads just over and an Ellis shot
is brilliantly saved by Josh Richardson in the Silsden goal. He’s at it again
as he saves point blank from sub Olly Cresdee after a flowing Morley move. Then
on 89 minutes a free kick is floated in and sub Jewson is at the back post. His
fierce header is beaten away again by Richardson. There’s no beating him! It may
as well be Donnarumma in net today for Silsden. Into stoppage time and Gutzmore
sprints forward and jinks his way into the box.. Marlon Gutzmore!!.. hits the
post... how unlucky! It’s just not our day. The Silsden hoodoo continues. Nil
nil... Our 100% record gone..
Match 8: Morley Town v Colne
Yet another
new team visit Glen Road, this time in the shape of struggling Colne. The
relegated side have not started the season well, picking up just four points
with one win and one draw. They are in 16th place in the league and
occupy the first relegation spot. I make one change with Olly Cresdee
partnering Ellis up front. The rest of the team picks itself.
Morley Town: Thompson, Cotteril,
J.Wilkinson, G.Wilkinson, Christie, Wright, Smith, Preston, Ellis, Cresdee,
Gutzmore
Subs:
Oldham, Bentley, Jewson, Wood, Bett-Wildsmith
Colne:
Lombard, Noble, Barnes, Windsor,
MacGregor, Delaney, Drake, Wallace, Coughlin, Ede, Roberts
Match Action
It is the
visitors who are dominant as we find ourselves penned in our own half. We
manage to break out. Cresdee has a shot well saved but that is about it. Shades
of the Silsden game again our approach play is good but no finish. Colne have
also crafted a couple of decent chances which Thompson has had to be at his
best to deny. Colne finish the stronger and once again Thompson has to claw away
a a Roberts header. The Ultras boo us off. 0-0 at half time.
Into the
second half and we once again lack a cutting edge. Colne try to play out the
back, but Cresdee intercepts and hares towards goal one on one with the keeper,
but he somehow overruns the ball and Lombard dives at his feet to claim the
ball. How frustrating! Then the inevitable happens as Colne put together the
move of the match Noble on the right wing plays it to Delaney who spots the run of
Coughlin and he plays him in with a slide rule pass. Coughlin fires the ball
low and hard into the bottom corner. We try and respond but Colne are robust in
defence and then break quickly on us. We fail to create a clear cut chance and
the frustration around Glen Road is palpable. Marlon Gutzmore has had enough
and goes on one of his trademark runs which results in his fierce shot tipped
round the post. That’s better. It ends though in a disappointing defeat in what
was an even game but we never really looked like scoring, After scoring goals
for fun in the opening few games we have now failed to hit the net in our last
two games. What is going on?
Final Score: Morley Town 0-1 Colne
Coughlin 63
Match 9: Daisy Hill v Morley Town
We take on
our old foes, Daisy Hill still in top spot, but only just. Our hosts have
sneaked into second and are threatening to take over. We travel in
disappointing form, at least in the last two matches. I make one change.
Christie is tired so George Wilkinson fills in at left back, partly as a more
defensive option to mark their dangerous winger, Jack Egan. Hopefully our luck
will change.
Morley Town:
Thompson, Cotteril, J.Wilkinson, Bentley, G.Wilkinson, Wright, Smith, Preston,
Ellis, Wood, Gutzmore
Subs:
Oldham, Jewson, Bett-Wildsmith, Cresdee, James
Daisy Hill,
Edwards, McManaman, Ngoyi, Bell, Jones, Meeks, Ginty, Egan, Brown, Calder,
Price
Match Action
We start
brightly with Ellis firing just over from range. However the home side find
their feet and fashion a couple of chances mainly from set pieces. We have good
possession again. Smith is in space but his first touch is too casual and Daisy
Hill break forward. Brown to Egan to Meeks, back to Egan who smartly turns his
defender runs into the box and smashes the ball past Thompson....
Smith almost
makes amends at the other end as his clever turn creates space for a shot but
he holds onto the ball too long and Ngoyi can make the challenge. Punished
again. McMananman down the right square ball for Mark Calder to squeeze home
number 2 at the near post.. I hate this stupid game!
To be fair
we respond well and dominate. Ellis has a shot from the angle brilliantly
tipped wide by Edwards. (we find yet another goalie in top form)
I give them
a b********* at half time. It’s what they deserved but they seemed quite
inspired by it. Hopefully this will spur them into action in the second half. I
wasn’t wrong. Preston gets down the left and crosses low for Wright who touches
the ball for Ellis with his back to goal inside the area. He spreads the play
right to Gutzmore whose fizzing low crosss is turned home by The Angel.
Scintillating stuff! Where was that in the first half? A minute later Wright wins
an important header in midfield to Ellis who spreads right again to Gutzmore.
The youngster runs at his full back before popping another low cross this time
for Harry Wood to steer the ball into the far corner. It took us just two
minutes to draw level. Daisy Hill don’t know what has hit them. On 50 minutes
we sweep forward again this time Preston on the left, who finds Smith who
sweeps it right to Gutzmore inside the area. He controls it and then is tripped
by the defender. Penalty!.. The Angel steps up.. Fires it into the corner.
Never looked like missing. 3-2 to the mighty Morley Town! Daisy Hill respond.
Jack Egan has a point blank effort saved brilliantly by Thompson. Then Egan
gets down the right and Price’s header is clawed around the post. Brilliant
save. But... Jack Price picks up the ball and keeps on running like Forest Gump
down the left channel. Whose marking him? "Close him down!” I bellow from the
touchline, but nobody can get near him as he enters the penalty box and fires
the ball into the far corner for a brilliant individual goal. I am livid! We
fashion another chance Ellis is sent through on goal.. but Ngoyi makes a last ditch
tackle for a corner. On 87 danger. Meeks picks up the ball in midfield to Jack
Egan who slips in Price first time, into the area.. and finds the bottom
corner. 4-3 Daisy Hill.. I am Kevin Keegan slumped over the advertising
hoardings as Stan Collymore fires the ball into the Newcastle net... 4-3 the
final score. I can’t fault the lads for effort. We will rebuild...
Final Score: Daisy Hill 4-3 Morley
Town
Egan 21 Ellis 47, 51
(pen)
Calder
27 Wood 48
Price 72,88
First Division Cup Second Round Draw
Our defence
of the First Division Cup begins with a home draw against Wythenshawe Amateurs
of the NW Div 1 South League.
Match 10: Pilkington v Morley Town
Pilkington
have become a bit of a bogey team.. and that’s just the colour of their shirts,
an annoying bright green number which seems to also blend in with the pitch as if they are camouflaged. We have beaten them just once in four previous meetings,
with them winning two and one draw. After no win in three for us we have slid
down to 4th. Our hosts meanwhile are up in 7th and having
a good season by their standards.
I keep faith
with my first eleven to turn things around and after a positive team meeting I
am hoping for a positive result.
Team: Thompson, Cotteril, J.Wilkinson, G.Wilkinson,
Christie, Wright, Smith, Preston, Ellis, Wood, Gutzmore
Subs:
Oldham, Jewson, Bett-Wildsmith, Cresdee, Bentley
Pilkington:
Thomas, Gomes, Greenwood, Ayala, McWilliams, Hollingsworth, Fura, Mohan,
Hodgin, Jospehs, Quarless
Match Action
We start
strongly. Preston flashes a shot across the face of the goal. Aaron Smith
thwacks the inside of the post with a stunning volley from the edge of the box.
Hodkin heads narrowly over from a free kick for the home side. Then Preston has
a goal disallowed for offside after George Wilkinson slipped him in. More
frustration as a Preston cross evades both Ellis and Wood in the area. 0-0 at
half time in a match we have dominated but have nothing to show for it. Into
the second half and its more of the same. Robbie Christie rattles the crossbar
with an angled shot. Then we keep getting caught offside in stupid places...
Frustrating.. Then. On 68 minutes Christie throws the ball into Wright. He
plays an instant slide rule pass for Kevin Preston to run onto and he places
his shot past Thomas into the corner. At last! Two minutes later we win a free
kick which Aaron Smith steps up.. and curls it straight into the top corner.
Brilliant and much deserved. We are back to our dominant best. Pilkington rally
and Thompson has to be alert to parry away a Mohan volley. We breakaway Sub
Olly Cresdee to Ellis back to Preston whose instant through ball is latched
onto by The Angel who drills the ball into the corner for 3-0 and three points
to take home to West Yorkshire. Simply brilliant. Back to winning ways. We go
back up to second, two points behind leaders, Bacup Borough.
Final Score: Pilkington 0-3 Morley
Town
Preston 69
Smith 71
Ellis 90
Match 11: Morley Town v Prestwich Heys
We take on
Prestwich Heys in good spirits after our return to winning ways against
Pilkington. While we occupy 2nd place behind Bacup Borough, while our
opponents are down in 9th. I make one change with Cresdee given the
opportunity alongside Ellis up front.
Team: Thompson, Cotteril,
J.Wilkinson, G.Wilkinson, Christie, Wright, Smith, Preston, Ellis, Cressdee,
Gutzmore
Subs:
Oldham, Jewson, Bentley, Bett-Wildsmith, Wood,
Prestwich
Heys: Platt, Blissett, Goodwin, Clarke, Houlton, Allan, Annan, Roberts,
Nicholas, Jones, Mackay
Match Action
Prestwich
dominate the opening 5 and craft two chances, both of which should have found
the net. This is worrying. I tell the team to wake up and it springs them into
action. Ellis is played in and gets the byeline but his simple cross is cut out
by the defender as Cresdee was ready to pounce. Ellis then nods just over from
a Robbie Christie run and cross. Then Prestwich win a throw on the near side.
Roberts swings in a delicious far post cross which is nodded home by Nicholas
who looked a tad bit offside to me... 1-0 Prestwich. Then Gutzmore has the ball
in the net but he was a mile offside. Then Prestwich breakaway. Mackay is
played in and slots the ball past Thompson. No justice.. Aaron Smith is probing
and fires in a low shot which deflects onto the post. Unlucky! We have had most
of the play but find ourselves 2 down at half time somehow.. The natives are
not happy either..
“Rudd Sort
it out!” cried one Ultra as we trudged into the dressing room.
I rev the
team up at half time. W e have nothing to lose. We should be 2-0 up not them..
Into the
second half and Preston cuts inside and sprays the ball to Gutzmore in the
right wing. He crosses and finds the head of sub Harry Wood!.. Stikes the post
and bounces clear. Unlucky again! On 57 minutes we finally strike. Smith plays a
searching ball down the left hand side for Kevin Preston who drifts infield and
sets Ellis free on the left side of the area. He cuts inside before curling a
peach of a shot with the outside of his right foot into the corner. 2-1. Game
on! Then the game ticks on and Prestwich have a spell of possession which annoys
everybody. Nicholas should have made it three but his tame shot was straight at
Thompson. I take off Smith and throw on young Bett-Wildsmith, a player who has
a knack of making something happen. He finds a pocket of space on the left
flank, checks inside and flights in a far post cross, where Kevin Preson steams
in and loops the ball over the keeper’s head and into the top corner. 2-2..
Like the Lionesses we never know when we are beaten.. Seven minutes to go and
we are not finished.. From a throw in Karlos Bett-Wildsmith does his best Chloe
Kelly impressions and dribbles to the edge of the area, inside the “D” before
unleashing a terrific curling shot which nestles in the top bins.. Glen Road is
delirious. What an impact from the youngster!
Morley Town 3 Prestwich Heys 2.. A brilliant comeback from the lads.
Morley Town 3-2 Prestwich Heys
Ellis 58 Nicholas 25
Preston 84 Mackay 37
Bett-Wildsmith
90
League Table After 10 Matches
After ten games and a few bumps in the road we find ourselves still in the promotion hunt, but as the old saying goes, "It's a marathon not a sprint." Can Morley Town sustain their place near the top of the table? Find out next time on the Ultimate English Pyramid Game!
The Ultimate English Pyramid Game is on FM26
To much relief I have managed to successfully transfer the Ultimate English Pyramid Game onto FM26 and my laptop seems to be coping with the changes thankfully. As I write and play the game well ahead of the published story, it will be a few posts before screenshots and gameplay from the much awaited new FM will feature. This also gives me a little bit of time to get used to the new layout, tactics and all the differences from FM24.
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