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Old 05-14-2014, 06:24 PM   #60
larrymcg421
Head Coach
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Georgia
January 2

Vauxhall (8-3-14, 22nd) vs. Ebbsfleet (11-5-10, 9th)

It's a pretty fierce defensive struggle (we are called for 24 fouls), but it is scoreless at the half. Right after the half, we are called for a penalty and that's the ballgame. We can't threaten no matter what we try to do.

Final: Ebbsfleet 1, Vauxhall 0
Goals:
Assists:
Top Three: Walker 7.2, Dey 6.8, Hubbard 6.7
Worst: Kennedy 6.2



January 9

FA Trophy: Third Round

Vauxhall at Ebbsfleet

Back to back matches against Ebbsfleet. Once again it is scoreless at the half and once again they go up right after the half. However, this time O'Callaghan came through with two goals, including a dramatic 87th minute game winner. The bad news? O'Callaghan goes down with injury right after this and we will be without him for 3-4 weeks. I hate the world.

Final: Vauxhall 2, Ebbsfleet 1
Goals: O'Callaghan 2
Assists: Hewitt, Peake
Top Three: O'Callaghan 8.8, Tait 7.1, Hewitt 7.0
Worst: Hubbard 6.3


January 12

Vauxhall (8-3-15, 24th) at Eastbourne Borough (10-3-14, 18th)

Without O'Callaghan, the guys know they have to step up. Rutter gets things started with a header. Then Ellams scores on a penalty. They manage to pull one back when Walker gets caught in no man's land. But it only took a minute for us to go right back down and extend the lead on a Rutter to Everitt combo. The only thing that happens in the 2nd half is that we add two more goals to have our most complete victory of the season.

Final: Vauxhall 5, Eastbourne Boro 1
Goals: Ellams 2, Rutter, Dey, Everitt
Assists: Hubbard, Dark, Rutter, Dey, Ellams
Top Three: Ellams 9.2, Dey 8.7, Everitt 8.4
Worst: Blakely 7.1


January 15

Vauxhall (9-3-15, 22nd) vs. Salisbury (16-6-5, 1st)

As expected, we go down early against the #1 team, but our defense holds firm to keep us in it. And that's when craziness ensues. In the 79th minute, Hubbard gets the ball in the penalty area and beats the keeper. Then we immediately steal the ball at the next kickoff and Hubbard ends up knocking through a cross from Clark. 2 goals in 2 minutes and we had the lead. Then only 3 minutes later, Salisbury catch us off guard on a long pass and equalize. I'll definitely take the draw, but I wish we could've held on for the victory.

Final: Vauxhall 2, Salisbury 2
Goals: Hubbard 2
Assists: Rainford, Clark
Top Three: Hubbard 8.8, Fearnehough 6.9, Clark 6.8
Worst: Kennedy 6.2


January 23

Vauxhall (9-4-15, 21st) at Kidderminster (14-1-14, 9th)

Yet another game where we fall behind early, but mount a comeback. They score in the 11th minute, but then we score two 2nd half goals in a 6 minute span to take the lead. All we have to do is hold the lead. And we cannot. They score off a long goal kick in the 86th minute. Another draw against a good team, but that's 4 pts in two games we let slip away.

Final: Vauxhall 2, Kidderminster 2
Goals: Ellams, Dey
Assists: Hubbard 2
Top Three: Hubbard 8.3, Dey 7.3, Ellams 7.2
Worst: Tait 6.3
January 26


January 26

Vauxhall (9-5-15, 21st) vs. Histon (8-5-16, 24th)

Histon promoted the season before we did. They managed to avoid the drop last year, but they're obviously struggling now. We take it to them with a Kennedy header off a corner and a Harris conversion of a penalty kick. It stood at 2-0 until the 73rd minute when Histon pull one back on a corner and then 7 minutes later, Walker cannot hold on to a soft cross and the ball bounces in. Are we really gonna give up three wins in a row on late goals? Fortunately, Dominic Kennedy comes through again by connecting with a free kick at the perfect time to send it through. We win in the 86th minute!

Final: Vauxhall 3, Histon 2

Goals: Kennedy 2, Harris
Assists: Peake, Hubbard, Everitt
Top Three: Kennedy 9.2, Peake 7.4, Hubbard 7.2
Worst: Tait 6.6


January 29

FA Trophy: Quarterfinals

Vauxhall at Dag & Red

We have a short rest before our next league match, so I have to throw in the scrubs for this one. And the guys fight pretty hard considering that. Dag & Red do go up 2-0 in the first half, but Peake manages to pull one back right before the halftime whistle. We pull out all the stops to try and equalize, but they catch us on a counter and put the game away.

Final: Dag & Red 3, Vauxhall 1

Goal: Peake
Assist: Rutter
Top Three: Peake 7.2, Rutter 7.1, Blakely 6.5
Worst: Fearnehough 5.9


*I'd been wary of changing my tactic at all, especially since it has done so well for me, also because I don't feel comfortable that I know enough to make a smart or meaningful change. However, after the first match this month, I decided to change the "Short Passing" instruction to "Go Route One". I figured that the strength of my current squad is in athleticism, so getting the ball down field and taking advantage of that speed would be better than a short, possession strategy. It seems to have worked so far, but I'll keep monitoring things.

*Loans for Dey (who has been fantastic), Foster, and Dark have been extended for the full season.

*I loaned Willie Dunn to help with Striker depth.

*O'Callaghan still won't talk contract renewal with me and this will probably be his last season with Vauxhall.
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Last edited by larrymcg421 : 05-14-2014 at 06:25 PM.
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