Bare 11

A managers nightmare -Five minutes before the scheduled meeting time receiving a phone call from one of your players saying that they are stuck in traffic in the city centre and that they will not be able to make it when you only had 12 players.

Things got worse when we arrived at the away ground. No access to the changing rooms.

In addition, the referee to close to cancelling the match due to the state of the pitch.

But we took the view that since we had got this far we might as well play the game.

Four weeks earlier we had beat the opposition, Bentley Heath, one-nil. However I was not so positive after 5 minutes when we were already one-nil down. But things then started to look up. I got the slightest flick on a free-kick to score the equaliser and we looked like the better team. Then JP won a penalty. But the penalty spot was a quagmire and JP’s spotkick was unfortunately saved. 

Just before half time Bentley Heath took the lead with a deflected shot from outside the box but virtually from the kick-off we were awarded our second penalty. This time Timmins stepped up and converted. 

So the second half started level at 2-2, but we struggled to keep any possession and Bentley Heath took control of the game. They scored a third but after having a goal disallowed we did get our third penalty. Timmins stepped up again but this his kick was saved. However he managed to convert the rebound. So 3-3. I had hopes that we might get a point out of the game. They did not come true.

In essence the difference between the two teams was Bentley Heath’s striker. Quick, skillful and clinical.  He had already scored the second goal and set up the third. Guess what, he then single-handedly set up the fourth.  

 They scored a fifth, so it finished 5-3.

I guess when you get three penalties and only score one, you can not expect to be winning games.

Double figures

It has been a long time since I have been part of a game that has ended with a double figure goal count for a team.

We were on the end of one on Saturday.

Playing JE Yardley – who had hit us for eight in October when we were short of players - things just went pear shaped.

I guess the writing was on the wall when we were 2-0 down after less than 10 minutes. But then we pulled a goal back through me! Side footed with my left peg into the bottom corner from Haynes free kick. The two goal advantage was quickly restored but we pegged it back again through Jenkins. Then for 15 minutes we definitely matched them. However we conceded three goals in five minutes just before half-time which just killed us off.

The second half was all one way traffic with five unanswered goals.

The trip

Saturday saw us make The Trip.

Old Wulfs are based on the other side of Wolverhampton and the journey to their place is a trip and a half. And they always seem to have a team in the same division as us.

So for the past 6 years, regardless of which team I have played in, I have always had to make The Trip.

Two years ago we pulled a shock result out of the bag with a 2-1 win. Last year we lost their 2-1 when we should have at least got a points. Unfortunately this year is was much more of a one way game. To them. We lost 4-0 in what were quite dreadful conditions.

Usually the one benefit of playing at Old Wulfs is that they have great pitches. The persistant rain put a stop to that. By the end of the game you would have never started a game on that pitch. 

 I could hardly lift the kit bag after the match due to the added weight of the drenched and muddy kit!

Utterly dreadful

Saturday we played (in the loosest sense of the word) Birmingham Citadel whom, with our win last week, we had climbed above in the table on goal difference.

It was a fantastic opportunity to put a gap between us and bottom of the table. But did we take it? No.

We were just dreadful. They were the poorest team I have played in a long time. Other than one quality player in centre midfield partnered by another half decent one, we should have had nothing to fear. But give them credit. They knew their limitations and played to them. They always played the simple ball. Something we could not grasp ourselves as we kept on trying to play the killer ball but instead just giving it away.

Not helped by the absence of a proper keeper and two own goals it was a farce of a performance. The less the said the better. The final score was 2-3.

I still do not think I am over it!

Pulled one out of the bag….

I have decided that every season you always get one of each of the following:-

A game you win that you never expected.

A game that you lose when you should have easily won.

A game that you win comfortably with no pressure.

A game that you get hammered.

Well ok, we always have more than one of the latter!

But Saturday we had the first. A game that we pulled out of the bag.

We were playing Bentley Heath, who came into the game second in the league and obviously expecting to give us a good thumping. I guess that was not surprising considering our last few results.

But it was a mistake. Their attitude was not right, we held steady and they got frustrated. Then, not long after the hour mark, Moza Snr turned up from left back on the edge of the box to steer a loose ball into the top corner. 

We held on for the remainder of the game reasonably comfortably.

Our first win of the season along with our first clean sheet!

Onwards and upwards….hopefully.

Concentrate on the league………

Yes, you have guessed it, we got eliminated from our second cup competition in consecutive weeks to leave us to concentrate on the league.

The 5-2 final score line did not do us justice.

For the first 30 minutes, you probably could not tell that there was a three division gap between the teams. But after we went 1-0 up from a glorious top corner finish by Chalmers (from my through ball/clearance) the difference became apparent. In a 5 minute spell well made two stupid errors and the Sutton strikers finished their chances to turn the game around and make it 1-3 at half time.

In the second half we conceded two further weak goals, but actually created the better chances. We could not convert, whilst they did. Sometimes that is the only difference between teams from higher divisions to the ones in the lower divisions.   

Price, coming off the bench, got the second consolation goal from 25 yards.

Goal!

And so to the cup.

The 2nd team is entered into two cup competitions. The Junior Cup which is for all 2nd teams and the Bill Hill Cup which is for all non-first team.

Firstly it was the Junior Cup on Saturday. We got drawn against Cresconians 2nds from Division 3, two divisions higher than us.

The only thing positive I can say about the game is that I scored. Not much use, as the game was virtually over by time my header hit the back of the net. We were losing 4-0. It finished 7-1.

It was not that they were a particularly good team. We were short on numbers, had no goalkeeper (again!) and were very poor.

But credit must go to new boy Kelly, who despite a pulled hamstring, valiantly went in goal (the only sub had been used in the 15 minute!) for the last 20 minutes.

 Next week it is Sutton Utd C from division 2 (the same division that our 1st team compete) in the Bill Hill cup.

What was I saying about goalkeepers…?

After having two goalkeepers for the match last Saturday, and three in the squad in total, suddenly none where available this week.

One injured, one working and one at the Villa. So it was up to Chalmers to don the gloves.

He let in four…….in each half!

Yeap, after the splendid performance last week, we got hammered 8-0.

I struggled to get a team out at all. I had three brand new players and one old boy to supplement the team to ensure we at least got a full complement on the pitch. A combination of the Villa playing Chelsea and injuries/illness. I was able to name a stronger 11 of players not available than those that played.

Ah well, it is the cup next week.

How often…?

How often is it that an amateur team has a fulltime goalkeeper on their bench?

And if that is the case, how often is that goalkeeper ever called upon?

Well on Saturday, it happened.

It was the first time that I have ever played for Parkfield (and I am referring to the whole period not just whilst I have been managing) and remember having a substitute goalkeeper. And at half time he got the call to don the gloves as our Czech shot stopper got clattered and could not continue.

Maybe my luck as a manager has changed.

What a difference a week makes……

I think I am going to take some credit for this one.

After the dismal performance last week I decided it was time for a change. So as well as playing myself, I put Chalmers up front to hold the ball up for us more.

And it certainly worked. He helped to keep the ball when it got cleared and engineered several chances in the first half. Unfortunately we did not take them and we fell a goal behind to a 25-yard rifle after not closing the player down (those silly mistakes costing us dearly again!).

However, heads did not go down and helped by an equaliser from Chalmers early in the second half we were on top for the second half restricting them to only one chance. Unfortunately we were not able to convert any of our chances including a free header from me.

But that is another point to our total, but more pleasing, a fantastic performance.