We have plenty of coverage for
Tom Rowbotham, but nothing at AMR.
Transfer In - AMR Billy Akrigg - 21 - 2/5
Our first Hot Prospect signing, and he'll be the starter since our other main grab rejected us.
Bad Trains
Andy Catley
Transfer In - MC Joe Ward - 24 - 4/5
Major, major signing who might be a starter right off the bat, and with great potential. As you can see, I've gradually been acquiring young players to build our future around once our numerous old guys decline.
$1.34k profit. Board is still pleased.
James Kay is still getting hated on, so I may need to rethink his status with the team again.
4th @Alecester Town (8th)
G: Ash Malhotra
D: James Kay/Bernard Morley/Anthony Newton/Mark Bertram
M: Joe Ward/Brian Close/Phil Lindley
AM: Tom Schofield
ST: Brian Haule/James Tevendale
18 - The perils of playing a high line
0-1
32 - Yeaaaah....
Tevendale was offsides there.
36 - Bounce pass by
Close to
Haule, and there's no doubting this one.
1-1
40 - And of course
Schofield's hurt, so
Loughlin steps in.
Walters in for
Kay at the half.
75 - Throw in by
Walters to
Ward, who passes to
Tevendale. Following feed finds
Loughlin for his first ever goal for us, even though opponents are screaming he was offsides.
2-1
Morale isn't great, so I tell them it's a good win. Back up to 3rd place, a point behind a promotion spot.
Transfer In: DLC Lee Craig - 26 - 4.5/5 at DL; 5/5 at DC
We haven't found a DL we're happy with, so Lee will get his chance there first.
3rd vs Barton United (9th)
G: Ash Malhotra
D: Lee Craig/Phil Lindley/Anthony Newton/Brian Close
M: Tom Schofield/Joe Ward
AM: Patrick Lauber/Liam Loughlin/Billy Akrigg
ST: Brian Haule
I overruled my assman's selections in quite a few spots. (DL/DC/MC/AMC/AMR) But we struggle at home, so I think I'm justified.
33 -
Haule has it in the box and he passes to
Akrigg. The shot is blocked, but
Haule takes the rebound and crosses to
Loughlin, and that one's in the net.
1-0
51 - Damn IDFK goals.
1-1
60 -
Kay in for
Craig
67 -
Bertram on for
Close
77 - Somebody, I missed who, made a brilliant tackle and passed it to
Ward, who moved it on to
Loughlin and then into space for
Haule. The one on one was child's play.
2-1
7.9 for
Haule, 7.7 for
Loughlin, as we escape with a victory that moves us back into 2nd. Tight race is tight.
2nd vs Polesworth (4th)
G: Ash Malhotra
D: Lee Craig/Phil Lindley/Anthony Newton/Brian Close
M: Tom Schofield/Joe Ward
AM: Patrick Lauber/Liam Loughlin/Billy Akrigg
ST: Brian Haule
I'm not going to even give my assman a chance to revise the lineup. We'll go with what worked last time. (Pay no attention to the subs we had to make).
13 - We're awarded a PK, and
Schofield steps up to convert!!! Our first PK of the year.
1-0
Bertram and
Kay go in for
Close and
Craig at the half - the former due to tiredness; the latter because of still poor play, though better than his debut.
67 - Injured again is
Loughlin, which means pushes up for
Schofield and
Lindley, and the insertion of
Morley.
73 -
Lindley uses his new position to intercept a clearance and hook it up to
Ward. A long cross follows, where a dubiously onside
Akrigg is there to sink his first goal for us! Happy insurance!
2-0
81 - Yeah.
2-1
Another nailbiter, with
Akrigg getting PotM with an 8.0 as our only standout player. That monstrously important win vaults us up to 1st and pushes them down to 5th. We're 2 points up on 2nd and 3rd place, 4 up on 4th-6th.
So yeah, we lose
Liam Loughlin for 3-4 weeks. Did you really expect anything else?
Good Train
Andy Catley
Bad Train
Gbenga Sonuga
$9.46k profit, and the board is delighted, making me untouchable. They don't like
Bernard Morley. I don't either.
There's a tax change. I'm not seeing anything huge there, so I ignore it.
1st @Austrey Rangers (3rd)
G: Ash Malhotra
D: James Kay/Lee Craig/Anthony Newton/Mark Bertram
M: Joe Ward/Brian Close/Phil Lindley
AM: Tom Schofield
ST: Brian Haule/Patrick Lauber
We're massively favored, so I tell them I expect to win this one.
We play flat in the first half, not getting a single shot on goal. Meanwhile, they have numerous chances, so I assertively tell the team I expect more in the final 45. This stresses
Lindley, so I put in
Rowbotham.
63 - Worst game
Haule's ever played, so I pull him for
Tevandale.
73 -
Schofield to
Lauber, and then the long ground pass into space where just put in
Tevendale strikes the go-ahead score!
1-0
85 -
Walter jumps in for the tired and poorly playing
Bertram.
I'm literally sweating, screaming for the whistle to blow, and finally it does, despite a very scary moment. No standout players, though
Tevendale and his 7.2 are PotM, obviously. It's been a season of important wins, and this is arguably the biggest yet.
That's good for a 4 point lead on #2 and #3, and some needed breathing room.
By the way, there's supposed to be a League Cup, but it evidently is bugged in this database, because it's not showing up. I don't care, really. Fewer games is better.
1st @FC Stratford (9th)
G: Ash Malhotra
D: James Kay/Lee Craig/Anthony Newton/Mark Bertram
M: Joe Ward/Brian Close/Tom Rowbotham
AM: Tom Schofield
ST: Brian Haule/Patrick Lauber
I'm going to expect another win, so
Phil Lindley will sit this one out to start.
20 -
Schofield dribbles down the middle of the pitch and into the box. That draws the defense, allowing him to lay off to
Lauber for the latter's first goal of the year!
1-0
40 - Sloppy defense there, guys.
1-1
48 -
Ward to
Haule to
Schofield chain, and here's another assist for the last, and again it's
Lauber sinking in the reception, this from outside the box to inside.
2-1
80 -
Lindley for
Ward and
Walters for
Bertram due to tiredness, but not before they equalize on what damn fucking sure looked like offsides
2-2
An 8.8 for
Patrick Lauber, but the second half was total garbage, and we deserved to lose the game in the last 10 minutes. That's how poorly we played.
The halfway standings. Been a long, long time since a team of mine was in 1st this late in the season.