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Greyfriars Bobby · 05-21-2014, 10:13 AM

1 December 2012

Code:

Pos  Team                  Pld  Won  Drn  Lst  For  Ag   G.D. Pts
1st  Marlow                 15   10    1    4   31  14   +17   31
2nd  Wantage Town           16    9    3    4   28  18   +10   30
3rd  Ardley United          15    9    3    3   23  15    +8   30    
4th  Chelthenham Saracens   15    8    3    4   17  10    +7   27
5th  Abingdon Town          16    7    5    4   20  16    +4   26
6th  Oxford City Nomads     14    7    4    3   18  10    +8   25
7th  Flackwell Heath        15    7    4    4   17  12    +2   25
8th  Shrivenham FC          16    7    3    6   29  21    +8   24    
9th  Slimbridge FC          15    7    2    6   19  17    +2   23
10th Highworth Town         16    7    2    7   14  19    -5   23

We enter the month of December in the middle of a closely-packed group of clubs at the top of the table. Most of the other front-runners have a game in hand on us.

Today, we face Ardley at Alfredian Park, in what might be our most important match of the season to date. Ardley can move into the lead with a victory, so we know they will be gunning for us.

We opened the month on 6 November with a 1-0 victory over Highmoor Ibis in the second round of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup. Chris Hall scored an early goal and we made the lead hold up, even after Geraint Price drew his second yellow card of the contest and was sent off on 69 minutes. Young midfielder Bobby Medjedoub made his Alfredians debut as a substitute.

Price was unavailable for our next league fixture, four days later at Reading Town. We fell behind 1-3 when Chris Cumming-Bart tripped a Town player to draw a penalty and Allan Douglas scored from the spot. Jack Adams pulled one back late in the contest, but it wasn't enough; we came back home with a 2-3 loss.

We had a week to recover and prepare for a visit from Highworth Town on the 17th. Adams and Hall scored, and Jamie Dorner converted a penalty en route to a 3-1 victory that pleased our supporters more than any victory thus far.

Now back up in second place, a point behind Marlow, we promptly squandered our position with a 1-2 loss to Witney Town at Alfredians Park. Michael Jatto, who has played so well for us, fluffed a header from right in front of our goal that was intercepted by Jon Jennings, setting up an easy Blanketmen goal. Michael felt terrible, but I was sure he would bounce right back, and I told the press so after the match.

"Wantage Town face the impossible" was the headline for the story about our 26 November match at rival Abingdon Town. Granted, with only one win from our last five away games, it was natural for most people to think we stood little chance of coming away with a victory.

I tried playing a little less aggressively, using a Counter strategy for most of the match. It wasn't pretty, but it worked. Chris Hall scored the game's only goal, "a cheeky lob from all of 54 yards." Their goalkeeper, Ricky Perks, (Eccentricity 14) ventured out of the box to make a long diagonal pass. Hall alertly intercepted it behind the midline and, when he saw Parks still lollygagging well away from the goal, he punched it back down the field and into the net on one hop.

Our goalie, Conor O'Donnell, saved the game when he stopped a penalty on 54 minutes. (Incidentally, I've been playing FM13 regularly for about a month now, and it's the first time I've seen my keeper make a save on a PK.)

Anton Sambrook continues to spot talented younger players. With an eye more to the future than to the present, we signed three of them this month: strikers Shane Bennett and Lee Weemes, both 20, and attacking midfielder Kevin Asare-Addai, an 18-year-old Ghanaian with English citizenship. Shane got his debut against Witney Town, and Kevin came on as a sub against Abingdon Town.

Then there was the Lee Darlison kerfuffle. Lee went to the press, complaining about playing time, and I called him in for a chat. The fact is that when Lee did play, he played terribly. He brought his attitude, and when the talk was over, I'd released him on a free transfer. Last week he signed for Melksham Town (Western League Premier Division), where he's awaiting playing time for a team that's 17th in their league. Good luck, Lee.

The board is satisfied with my performance; they like the Jack Adams signing very much. The fans, however, "are slightly concerned that despite good results the football played by the club has been less than exciting."

I'll keep trying to find the key to winning, attractive football.

05-21-2014, 10:13 AM	#39
Greyfriars Bobby College Prospect Join Date: Sep 2013	1 December 2012 Code: Pos Team Pld Won Drn Lst For Ag G.D. Pts 1st Marlow 15 10 1 4 31 14 +17 31 2nd Wantage Town 16 9 3 4 28 18 +10 30 3rd Ardley United 15 9 3 3 23 15 +8 30 4th Chelthenham Saracens 15 8 3 4 17 10 +7 27 5th Abingdon Town 16 7 5 4 20 16 +4 26 6th Oxford City Nomads 14 7 4 3 18 10 +8 25 7th Flackwell Heath 15 7 4 4 17 12 +2 25 8th Shrivenham FC 16 7 3 6 29 21 +8 24 9th Slimbridge FC 15 7 2 6 19 17 +2 23 10th Highworth Town 16 7 2 7 14 19 -5 23 We enter the month of December in the middle of a closely-packed group of clubs at the top of the table. Most of the other front-runners have a game in hand on us. Today, we face Ardley at Alfredian Park, in what might be our most important match of the season to date. Ardley can move into the lead with a victory, so we know they will be gunning for us. We opened the month on 6 November with a 1-0 victory over Highmoor Ibis in the second round of the Oxfordshire Senior Cup. Chris Hall scored an early goal and we made the lead hold up, even after Geraint Price drew his second yellow card of the contest and was sent off on 69 minutes. Young midfielder Bobby Medjedoub made his Alfredians debut as a substitute. Price was unavailable for our next league fixture, four days later at Reading Town. We fell behind 1-3 when Chris Cumming-Bart tripped a Town player to draw a penalty and Allan Douglas scored from the spot. Jack Adams pulled one back late in the contest, but it wasn't enough; we came back home with a 2-3 loss. We had a week to recover and prepare for a visit from Highworth Town on the 17th. Adams and Hall scored, and Jamie Dorner converted a penalty en route to a 3-1 victory that pleased our supporters more than any victory thus far. Now back up in second place, a point behind Marlow, we promptly squandered our position with a 1-2 loss to Witney Town at Alfredians Park. Michael Jatto, who has played so well for us, fluffed a header from right in front of our goal that was intercepted by Jon Jennings, setting up an easy Blanketmen goal. Michael felt terrible, but I was sure he would bounce right back, and I told the press so after the match. "Wantage Town face the impossible" was the headline for the story about our 26 November match at rival Abingdon Town. Granted, with only one win from our last five away games, it was natural for most people to think we stood little chance of coming away with a victory. I tried playing a little less aggressively, using a Counter strategy for most of the match. It wasn't pretty, but it worked. Chris Hall scored the game's only goal, "a cheeky lob from all of 54 yards." Their goalkeeper, Ricky Perks, (Eccentricity 14) ventured out of the box to make a long diagonal pass. Hall alertly intercepted it behind the midline and, when he saw Parks still lollygagging well away from the goal, he punched it back down the field and into the net on one hop. Our goalie, Conor O'Donnell, saved the game when he stopped a penalty on 54 minutes. (Incidentally, I've been playing FM13 regularly for about a month now, and it's the first time I've seen my keeper make a save on a PK.) Anton Sambrook continues to spot talented younger players. With an eye more to the future than to the present, we signed three of them this month: strikers Shane Bennett and Lee Weemes, both 20, and attacking midfielder Kevin Asare-Addai, an 18-year-old Ghanaian with English citizenship. Shane got his debut against Witney Town, and Kevin came on as a sub against Abingdon Town. Then there was the Lee Darlison kerfuffle. Lee went to the press, complaining about playing time, and I called him in for a chat. The fact is that when Lee did play, he played terribly. He brought his attitude, and when the talk was over, I'd released him on a free transfer. Last week he signed for Melksham Town (Western League Premier Division), where he's awaiting playing time for a team that's 17th in their league. Good luck, Lee. The board is satisfied with my performance; they like the Jack Adams signing very much. The fans, however, "are slightly concerned that despite good results the football played by the club has been less than exciting." I'll keep trying to find the key to winning, attractive football. Last edited by Greyfriars Bobby : 05-21-2014 at 10:15 AM.