FM 12 - Rise of the Spartans

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 4, 2013
Our U18s have a fitness friendly at home against Cheddar, we're expected to win this easily. O'Nien buries a shot from the right wing at 30' to get us in front 1-0. Armstrong clatters a man in the box, gives away a penalty, they put it past Henly at 43' to even the score. Egbeku puts us back in front at 64', with a takeaway from a defender after a save. That'll do it for a 2-1 win. Our passing woes kept it closer than it should have been but Niall Thompson was great with 2 assists, O'Nien is MOM (8.3 & 1 goal).

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 5, 2013
We had to appoint captains, we settle on Carl Jones and Sam Sawyer.
For the U18s, we go with Tommy Smyth & Rhys Paul

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 5, 2013 (evening)
Fitness friendly for the reserves at Ryton tonight, last chance for players of age to catch my eye before the season begins. We give up a soft goal at 6', GK Alex Archer not looking good in preseason. Another goal allowed at 32' after Dombaxe turns the ball over in his own area. Chinthengah with a blast from the point at 43' to cut it to 2-1. We had a conversation at halftime. Went to Overload with 10 minutes left, managed only one ineffective shot by Whiteley and a ridiculously poor shot by Rickard. Ryton 2 - Blyth Reserves 1 friendly Some players definitely caught my eye, but I don't think it was in the way they had in mind. Giving up 17 shots to a lower side isn't acceptable.
---

Aug 5, 2013 (postmatch)
We agree to terms with AMC Luke O'Nien, he showed us enough that he earned a spot on the roster somewhere. Fans are delighted with the signing. We also sign a youth contract with Elyon Egbeku, who didn't impress but he's U18 depth for $8/wk.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 7, 2013
Trialist DL David October signs with AFC Telford, relieving me of any need to make a decision on him.
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DC Kellen Daly agrees to youth terms.
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Benjamin Wignall & Carl Jones both return to full training after injuries
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Aug 8, 2013
21 y/o American ML Oscar Reyna comes in on trial. Most recently he's been with Colorado. Whether we could get a work permit for him remains to be seen.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 9, 2013
We're Pick 'Em favorites at home tomorrow in the season opener against Colwyn Bay.

With that in mind, seems like time to take a look at the roster we'll roll into the 2013-14 season with.

Goalkeepers
Perhaps the most settled, and unsettled, position on the team.

First team
Jack Dovey - best keeper, still wants out, nobody willing to offer, so he stays & plays for the time being
Nathan McDonald - clear #2, would take over if & when Dovey exits

Reserves
Kieran Gonzalez - clear #3, on a rolling contract but at just $180/wk we're content to let it roll for now
Alex Archer - Our top prospect & is signed through next season. Willing to let him loan out if an offer comes in. Wouldn't want to throw him into the fire yet.
Matty Hunter - Depth only at this point

U18
Jonathan Henley - Could easily be on the reserves and is probably slightly better than his U18 backup
Tamer Dalton - Could also easily be on the reserves but on the verge of getting stuck behind Henley
Rob Fry - Likely career backup but has another year to be underage.
Kerhney Batey - He's 16.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Defenders
Lots of bodies, not much quality.

First team
DL: Darren Holden + Joe Henderson ... both very young, both will have to contribute
DR: Danny Groves + Dylan Purvis ... definite position of need, Purvis really isn't good enough at the spot to play regularly but neither is anyone else here
DC: Carl Jones + Will Antwi + Tom Seery + Andy Williamson + Sam Christensen ... Antwi is out for another 6 weeks so we're really thin here and we'll have to fill in, maybe with versatile Richard Slaughter

Reserves
DR: Jordan Kay, Callum Wilson, Michael Pearson
DL: Stuart Giddings, Matthew Martin
DC Lloyd Foot, Jordan Mellish, Phil Stevenson, Olly Bashford

U18s
DR: Gary Pemberton, Michael Wilson
DL: Reece Loudon
DC: Rhys Paul, Kellen Daly, Rory McKeever, Ashley Wheeler, Jon Holland, Lokman Kaymoz

[JonInMiddleGA]

Midfielders
First team
ML: Danny Whitaker, Trevor Mutero,
MR: Djeny Bembo-Leta, Nnamdi Nwachuku, Brad Ricketts
MC: Reece Hands, Sam Sawyer, Robert Paratore, Benjamin Wignall, Steven Morrison,
DM: (Sawyer), (Morrison), (Slaughter)
AM: (Paratore), (Wignall), (Lobjoit)

Reserves
ML: Andrew Musungu, Andrew Higgins, Jack Harrison
MR: Laste Dombaxe, Hassan Janneh, Jack Abraham
MC: Lewis Whiteley, Louis Wallace
DM: (Wallace)
AM: (Dombaxe)
U18s
ML: Ross Armstrong, Dean Goodall
MR: Niall Thompson, Mo Davies
MC: Tommy Smyth, Anson Watson, Josh Greenhoff, Michael Madine
DM: Ehab Pemberton,
AM: Luke O'Nien, Chris Ferguson, Craig Cresswell

[JonInMiddleGA]

Attackers
First team
Billy Lobjoit, Jonson Clarke-Harris, John Cofie

Reserves
Pearce Farren, Leeroy Chinthengah, Shane Bennett, Matt Rickard

U18s
Kaine Sheppard, Adam Drury, Dennis Robson, Elyon Egbeku

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 9, 2013
Matt Rickard wants first team football. Honestly I don't think he's ready for it, but I tell him I'll give him a chance but he'll have to work hard to stay there. He's on a rolling contract, he's probably not going to be worse than what I expect from the others, I figure why not.
----
Suprisingly, Jack Dovey wants to see me. Says he wants to be taken on the transfer list & I agree. We'll see how this goes I guess.

----
Our U18s play a final fitness friendly for the pre-season, we turn that one over to our asssitants. They manage a 1-1 draw against Norton & Stockton Ancients, Robson scored ours at 53', Henley allows the tying goal at 87'.
----
Adam Quinn completes his trial and exits. Could pick him up on a p.a. basis, might have to at some point if our DC situation proves untenable.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 10, 2013
Blyth (0-0-0) vs Colwyn Bay (0-0-0)

We've seen the Seagulls before, in our first season, splitting a pair of matches. We're Pick 'Em favorites at home and will open up the year in a 4-3-1-1 (modified 4-4-2 diamond) Standard. I would really like to win this one, get the horrible taste of last season's slump out of my mouth for the first time in weeks.

The lineup, not one that's anticipated to be an every week affair (we've got three matches in 8 days to open the season so we have to move some people around). Williamson, Nwachuku, and Rickard are all set to make their debuts, Ricketts would also see his first team debut if he were to appear.

GK: Dovey
D: Holden, Seery, Williamson, Purvis
MF: Whitaker, Hands, Nwachuku
AMC: Lobjoit
ST: Rickard, Clarke-Harris

25' - Lobjoit finally takes our first shot of the year, on target from the right wing but an easy save right into the breadbasket
44' - Dovey tips a shot round the post
Halftime - Yes, it was that dull a half. We were outshot 3-1 and slowly lost the poss. battle by the end of the half. We tweak our passing, and a few other things.
61' - Switch to Attack
69' - Sub Wallace (for Hands, tiring), switch back to Standard (let's get at least a draw here)
80' - Sub Ricketts (for Williamson, knocked), move Wallace to DC
89' - 4 mins injury time
90 - Sub Cofie (for Clarke-Harris)

Fulltime: Blyth 0 - Colwyn Bay 0
We should have been able to see them off but when you're outshot 5-4 and only have 45% poss with 68% passing, it's hard to do much. Just a mediocre showing at home, not a good sign.

Dovey 6.9
Holden 6.7, Seery 7.0, Williamson (MOM 7.6), Purvis 7.3
Whitaker 6.5, Hands 6.5, Nwachuku 6.5, Lobjoit 6.5
Rickard 6.8, Clarke-Harris 6.6
Subs: Wallace (71') 6.7, Ricketts (81') N/A, Cofie (90') N/A

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 12, 2013
We add a new scout, 40 y/o Englishman Robert Franklin. He's slightly better at judging current ability than our existing duo, slightly worse at judging potential.
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We also add a second physio to help Ewen Fairgreave with his workload, bringing in 36 y/o Chris Leary. Not a threat to replace Doc Fairgreave, but a competent hand who previously spent time at Tamworth

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 13, 2013
Jack Dovey was selected in the BSBN Team of the Week first eleven.
----

We're only 7:4 road dogs tomorrow at Corby.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 14, 2013
Blyth (0-1-0, 10th BSBN) at Corby (0-0-1, 17th BSBN)

We played the Steelmen twice two seasons ago, splitting the matches. As the media speculated in the pregame presser, we'll play this one defensively & try to come away with at least a point, 20 games & counting without a win be damned. It's a marathon, not a sprint. We'll officially debut our 5-3-2 formation and do it with mostly fresh players since we have to come back & play again on Saturday.

GK: Dovey
D: Henderson, Williamson, Sawyer, Christensen, Groves
MF: Slaughter, Morrison, Ricketts
ST: Cofie, Bembo-Leta

3' - Williamson is denied point blank after a great throw-in by Slaughter
18' - A free kick sets up a half volley goal (0-1)
34' - A free kick from outside the arc sails over Dovey (0-2)
Halftime - Sigh. Outshot 4-1, only 40% poss, only 61% passing even with instructions to play short & safe. We haven't had the ball long enough to even attempt a cross. 5 players with ratings of 5.9 or less. We move players around, switch to 4-4-2 Diamond Standard.

62' - Sub Mutero (for Ricketts)
66' - Sub Wallace (for Henderson, knocked)
75' - Groves with a free kick from the left side of the arc ... GOAL (1-2)
76' - Sub Chinthengah (for Cofie)
84' - Lennon finds space in the area off a corner & scores (1-3)
Fulltime: Corby 3 - Blyth 1
That was ugly. Outshot 9-3, only 38% poss, only 60% passing, which explains the first two stats.

Dovey 6.4
Henderson 5.8, Williamson 5.5, Sawyer 6.1, Christensen 5.6, Groves 7.3
Slaughter 6.1, Morrison 6.6, Ricketts 6.5
Cofie 6.0, Bembo-Leta 6.5
Subs: Mutero (64') 6.4, Wallace (68') 6.9, Chinthengah (76') N/A

Aug 14, 2013 (postmatch)
I guess there are people having a worse day than me, England loses a friendly to Japan 3-1, at Wembley no less. Could have been a shutout but for a Wayne Rooney goal in the 89'.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 17, 2013 (morning)
Our U18s opened Group 10 play at Tonbridge with a 2-0 win. Trialist William Johnson-Cole scored once in each half for the victory. Good performances all the way around. One down note as ML Dean Goodall suffered a gashed leg & will be out 2-3 weeks recovering.
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Our Reserves played a hastily scheduled fitness friendly at Spennymoor. Trialist DC Gardiner surrendered an own goal in the final minute of the first half. And that was it. A very disappointing 1-0 loss against a side we should have run ragged.
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Aug 17, 2013
Blyth (0-1-1, 17th BSBN) vs Eastwood (0-0-2, 20th BSBN)

We beat in both previous meetings and are 4:5 favorites today at home. We'll play 4-4-2 Diamond Standard to start.

GK: McDonald
D: Holden, Seery, Wallace, Purvis
MF: Whitaker, Hands, Paratore, Nwachuku
ST: Lobjoit, Clarke-Harris

3' - Clarke-Harris is spot on with a rebound after Whitaker hit the post (1-0)
Halftime - Actually ended up outshot 4-3 but the lead is standing for now. Sub Sawyer for Hands (knocked)
48' - An own goal by the keeper extends our lead (2-0) Paratore's shot hit the post,hit the keeper, went in.
54' - Nwachuku on a sprint, ahead to Clarke-Harris who beats a defender and then beats the keeper (3-0)
60' - Sub Williamson for Paratore (tiring)
64' - Hawkins gets Eastwood on the board with good effort to beat Williamson and then McDonald (3-1)
81' - Sub Mutero for Nwachuku (knocked)
85' - A turnover by Purvis at midfield starts a disastrous sequence that leads to a goal by Dales (3-2) We'll switch to Contain & try to hold on
86' - Lobjoit is free into the area, crossing ... Clarke-Harris for the hat trick (4-2)

Fulltime: Blyth 4 - Eastwood 2
Finally, the streak is over. We found a club we could fairly dominate with speed & quickness, as well as in the air. My staff is blase about it, I'm pretty darned happy.

McDonald 6.9
Holden 6.9, Seery 7.2, Wallace 6.9, Purvis 6.8
Whitaker 7.1, Hands 6.4, Paratore 7.3, Nwachuku 7.1
Lobjoit 7.0, Clarke-Harris (MOM) 9.6
Subs: Sawyer (45') 6.9, Williamson (63') 6.2, Mutero (83') N/A

Goals: Clarke-Harris 3
Assists: Nwachuku, Whitaker, Paratore, Lobjoit 1 each

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 20, 2013
Jonson Clarke-Harris has been selected in the BSBN Team of the Week first eleven (gee, y'think?)

[Poli]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Aug 20, 2013
Jonson Clarke-Harris has been selected in the BSBN Team of the Week first eleven (gee, y'think?)

Who was their keeper...do you recall?

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Aug 14, 2013 (postmatch)
I guess there are people having a worse day than me, England loses a friendly to Japan 3-1, at Wembley no less. Could have been a shutout but for a Wayne Rooney goal in the 89'.

I'll take completely nonsensical credit for this one.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Poli

Who was their keeper...do you recall?

No idea, when I get the laptop back from my kid I'll look it up.

[JonInMiddleGA]

August 21, 2013

Our Reserves hosted Gateshead Reserves in a group match, beating them solidly 3-1. Shane Bennett put us in front with a nifty breakaway at 9'. Bennett scored again with a header off a free kick at 24'. They pulled to within 2-1 with a free kick at 38'. Trialist MF Michael Built (7.6, 2 assists) was injured in extra time before the half, had to be replaced by Janneh. Bennett feeds Janneh for an easy goal at 46'.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Poli

Who was their keeper...do you recall?

18 y/o Chris Johns, who came to them on a free from Galway United during the recent off-season. It was his 2nd start of the year, giving up 2 goals in his first outing and then 4 to us.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 22, 2013
Unexpected, and rather odd, visit from MF Josh Greenhof. He stopped by to demand first team football. I offer to let him out on loan, he pretty much told me to get stuffed. I suggested he was being unprofessional, he suggested that was my fault, I essentially told him to go hang. His ratings aren't terrible but he can't even crack the starting eleven of our reserves,much less get first team action.
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We offer trialist DL Alex Donald a contract, he wants to keep it on a p.a. basis, so we'll see whether we come to suitable terms.
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Aug 24, 2013

Our U18s hosted Briantree U18s for a group match, settling for a 0-0 draw in spite of a 16-5 shot advantage. Problem was that 11 of our 16 were off target. Trialist DC Thomas Gardiner was MOM (7.1)
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ST Alassan Ann has completed his trial & left the club. Just didn't do enough to warrant signing him in my opinion.

[JonInMiddleGA]

August 24, 2013
Blyth (1-1-1, 9th BSBN) at Harrogate (0-1-2, 19th BSBN)

We beat them in both previous meetings but are 13:8 dogs today on the road. We'll play 5-3-2 Defensive to start, let's see if we can get at least a point here in our only game of the week.

GK: Dovey
D: Holden, Seery, Jones, Williamson, Groves
MF: Whitaker, Hands, Ricketts
ST: Nwachuku, Clarke-Harris
Available Subs: (Purvis, Sawyer, Lobjoit, Slaughter, McDonald)

Halftime: Scoreless, after being outshot 5-4 and with just 43% poss. No major changes other than shortening our passing to try to improve things there.

65' - Harrogate buries a rebound that came straight in front (0-1)
65' - Sub Purvis (for Groves, knocked), Lobjoit (for Hands),
79' - Switch to 4-4-2 Diamond Attacking
89' - 3 mins added
90' - Lobjoit in front, shot blocked for a corner
91' - Jones in front, shot blocked for a corner ... switch to Overload
92' - Long clear to Nwachuku, fouled in the left channel, free kick by Lobjoit is wide by a mile
Fulltime: Harrogate 1 - Blyth 0

I'm not particularly happy & tell the team so. Outshot 10-8 but we went more than 30 mins in the second half without taking a shot at all. Passing (65%) was awful, especially from the D's (40%).

Dovey 6.6
Holden 6.6, Seery 7.1, Jones 6.1, Williamson 6.4, Groves 6.8
Whitaker 6.5, Hands 6.0, Ricketts 6.6
Nwachuku 6.0, Clarke-Harris 6.6
Subs: Purvis (65') 6.4, Lobjoit (65') 6.4

Aug 24, 2013 (postmatch)
Fans are, naturally, devastated about losing to a rival.

[JonInMiddleGA]

August 25, 2013
Always a team player, Trevor Mutero decides to complain to the national press about wanting first team action and "what he can bring to the table". Hey dipshit, in 2 starts you're a 6.4 and only a 6.6 in friendlies against minnows.
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Sheffield United have picked up young striker Adam Drury from our reserves on a free as he was out of contract. We'll get $8k in compensation as part of the deal. We had picked him up last October, never threatened to see first team action & wasn't a major standout for our U18s. Good luck kid, the cash is probably just as valuable to me right now.
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August 26, 2013
We've reached agreement with LD Alex Donald, for $110 p.a. The 18 y/o had been in on trial and looked good enough to keep around.
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Jonson Clarke-Harris reminds me that I promised to let him leave during the transfer window. That's well, fine, and good ... except that nobody is interested in him. We'll offer him around again.
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MF Gregory Ariyibi has completed his trial & left the club. His inability to play anything other than a wide attacking MF role limited his usefulness to us.
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Aug 27, 2013
No clubs are willing to make an offer for Clarke-Harris. York City showed interest but felt they would have to reduced payroll to meet his demands and weren't prepared to make an offer at $60k anyway (his stated value).
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Our Reserves play a fitness friendly at Whitley Bay, winning 4-2.
Reyna scored at 35' to put us in front from a nice assist by Clarke. They tied it at 37' when Hunter mis-timed his jump on a crossing attempt from miles away. Reyna answered immediately with a free kick goal at 39'. Jones turns the ball over in his own box, giving them an easy score at 44'. Giddings put us in front again at 68' with a thunderous free kick. Bennett sealed it with a goal off a turnover at 91'. Odd match, we were outshot 16-7 but had 6 on target to their 5.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 29, 2013
ST William Johnson-Cole agrees to a $210 p.a. deal. We need all the scoring we can get frankly, and even if he's a bit of a bitch to negotiate with, he's shown that he can put the ball in the net.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 31, 2013 (morning)
Our U18s routed Eastbourne Boro U 18s 3-0 in a group match. Niall Smith (8.8) was MOM with two assists, ML Ross Armstrong (7.9) had a goal, DC Kellen Daly (8.2) had a goal, and trialist ST Jamal Branker (7.7)had a goal. We outshot them 14-5 with 8 shots on target and just generally ran rings around them.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Aug 31, 2013
Blyth (1-1-2, 14th BSBN) vs Hyde (1-0-3, 20th BSBN)

We're 1-1-0 against them lifetime and are 6:4 favorites today at home. We'll play 4-4-2 Diamond Standard to start.

GK: McDonald
D: Henderson, Paul, Williamson, Purvis
MF: Whitaker, Bembo-Leta, Sawyer, Paratore
ST: Mutero, Cofie
Available Subs: (Slaughter, Wignall, Christensen, Nwachuku, Dovey)

16' - Defense got out of position, gave up an easy goal (0-1)
22' - Mutero dribbles across the top of the area, launched a low drive from the arc ... GOAL ! (1-1)
26' - Paratore with a short run ... spots Cofie outside the arc ... fires ... GOAL ! (2-1)
Halftime - We've been outshot 10-2 ... but here we are in front, with only 39% of poss. We've picked up three yellow cards (Wililamson, Bembo-Leta, Paratore) so I remind those guys to be careful here. We'll try Counter for a while, see if that works.

58' - Whitaker hangs a corner up ... Cofie is there ... (3-1)
68' - Switch to 4-4-1-1 ... Sub Wignall (for Paratore), Nwachuku (for Bembo-Leta)
71' - Sub Slaughter (for Purvis, knocked)
81' - Cross from the left, header out in front, Hyde is back in it (3-2) ... switch to contain, let's hold on here
86' - McDonald turns a long shot behind & gives up a corner ... he saves the ensuing diving header
89' - 3 mins added
91' - They're in 2-on-1 ... offside
Fulltime: Blyth 3 - Hyde 2

Got outshot 15-4 on just 43% poss, only 63% passing (44% from the back row) ... and won anyway. Thanks for the three points.

McDonald 6.8
Henderson 6.8+1a, Paul 6.8, Williamson 6.9, Purvis 6.9
Whitaker 6.9+1a, Bembo-Leta 6.9, Sawyer 6.8, Paratore 6.9+1a
Mutero 8.3+1g, Cofie 8.8+MOM+2g
Subs: Wignall (69') 6.7, Nwachuku (69') 6.5, Slaughter (73') 6.5

Aug 31, 2013 (postmatch)
Those were the first league goals for Cofie, the first for Mutero as well. Postmatch presser includes Hyde whining about a non-penalty call, I thought it was called exactly right.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sep 1, 2013
Trialist MF Niall Smith's visit has expired, we're negotiating
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Our efforts to sign ML Oscar Reyna have been delayed as we await a decision on a work permit.
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Several clubs, including League 2 side Torquay, are after trialist DC Thomas Gardiner. We've made an offer, we shall see.
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The board remains satisfied with my coaching of the team, with the departure of Adam Drury being a popular thing with the fans. They are less happy about our loss to Harrogate. We lost about $10k last month.
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We've signed 18 y/o MF Joshua Scully to a youth contract.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 2, 2013
We've reached an agreement with young AMF Niall Smith. He's on board with a $220 p.a. deal.
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John Cofie was named to the BSBN Team of the Week first eleven.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 3, 2013
Our Reserves had a fitness friendly at Billingham Syn, winning 4-2.

Mo Davies opened the scoring with a simple shot in the area at 6'. They answered at 12'. Billingham takes the lead by simple putting one through the hands of Kieran Gonzalez at 31'. Reyna drew us level in extra time just before the half with an easy lob off a free kick. Davies puts us back in front at 49' with his second easy goal, this one set up by Reyna's cross. Kaine Sheppard extends the lead to 4-2 from an assist by Davies at 58'.

Reyna (8.2) was MOM with a goal & an assist. Davies (8.1) was excellent with 2 goal & an assist. D's Bashford & Lonsdale (6.1) were notably sub-par.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 3, 2013
Blyth (2-1-2, 11th BSBN) at Guiseley (1-2-2, 15th BSBN)

We're 2-0-0 against them lifetime but they're 6:4 favorites at Nethermoor. We'll try the 4-4-1-1 today.

GK: Dovey
D: Holden, Seery, Williamson, Groves
MF: Slaughter, Morrison, Wignall, Ricketts
F: Lobjoit, Clarke-Harris
Available Subs: (Jones, Hands, Rickard, Nwachuku, McDonald)

33' - Sub Nwachuku for Ricketts (heavily knocked)
Halftime: All even. Outshot just 3-2, our horrible passing from the back line (37%) is costing us possession too often (47%).
62' - Sub Hands (for Morrison, tiring) ... shift to 4-4-2 Counter
79' - Sub Rickard (for Clarke-Harris)
89' - 3 mins added
92' - Williamson heads away a dangerous corner
93' - Dovey turns a dangerous shot round the post, Nwachuku clears away the ensuing corner
Fulltime: Blyth 0 - Guiseley 0
Outshot 9-6 in a chippy match where the teams combined for 27 fouls & 6 yellow cards (two on us). We come away with a point, which is better than nothing.

Dovey 6.5
Holden 6.6, Seery 7.1, Williamson 7.0, Groves 7.2
Slaughter 6.6, Morrison 6.5, Wignall 6.7, Ricketts 6.7
Lobjoit 6.6, Clarke-Harris 6.1
Subs: Nwachuku (34') 6.7, Hands (63') 6.5, Rickard (80') N/A

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 4, 2013
Our U18s hosted Bromley U18s in the first round of the U18 Cup, losing 1-0. We went down at 18' when Ferguson was a step late defending a cross in front. Just a drab performance all the way round.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 5, 2013
The initial work permit application for Oscar Reyna has been turned down. We've appealed, he would be a very big addition to the club.
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Sept 7, 2013 (morning)
Our U18s host Dover U18s in a group match.
Michael Madine heads home a cross by Cresswell to put us up at 38'
Robson buries a long shot with his weaker foot at 68'
We win 2-0, despite several tired players & several others playing out of position.
Madine is MOM with an 8.4. Lowest rating on the day was a 6.7

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 7, 2013
Blyth (2-3-2, 12th BSBN) vs Nuneaton (1-1-4, 20th BSBN)

We've split two matches against them lifetime but are 5:4 favorites today thanks to home field. We'll go 4-4-2 Standard to open, hope for some scoring as they've given up 15 goals in 6 matches this season.

GK: McDonald
D: Holden, Seery, Jones, Purvis
MF: Paratore, Whitaker, Bembo-Leta, Sawyer
F: Mutero, Cofie
Available Subs: (Williamson, Nwachuku, Clarke-Harris, Davies, Dovey)

28' - They miss an empty net and we dodge a bullet
Halftime: Outshot 7-2 in spite of being in Attack for that last half of the half.
48' - Cofie is on the spot for a rebound of Whitaker's shot and makes it count (1-0)
67' - Sub Clarke-Harris for Bembo-Leta (knocked) ... move Mutero to MF
76' - Switch to 5-3-2 Defensive ... Sub Williamson (for Sawyer, tiring)
89' - 3 mins added time
92' - McDonald goes down & takes the ball of the attacker's foot just inches from the box
Fulltime: Blyth 1 - Nuneaton 0
Not exactly an offensive outburst but a win is a win. We were outshot 8-6 but improved our passing efficiency in the 2nd half and ended up with 53% of poss.

McDonald 6.8
Holden 7.2, Seery 6.0, Jones 6.9, Purvis 7.1
Paratore 6.8, Whitaker 7.0 + 1a, Bembo-Leta 6.8, Sawyer 6.9
Mutero 6.9, Cofie (MOM) 7.2 + 1g
Subs: Clarke-Harris (67') 6.7, Williamson (76') N/A

Sept 7, 2013 (postmatch)
The win moves us up to 10th, tied with Barrow for 9th but trailing them on GD.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 10, 2013
As expected, the appeal for a work permit for ML Oscar Reyna was denied, so our deal with the talented American midfielder is off.
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Hartlepool DC Andrai Jones has rejected our loan offer.
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Sept 11, 2013
Our Reserves played a group match at home against Halifax Reserves, winning 5-3.

Niall Smith might have embellished on a foul in the area but it drew a penalty which trialist Michael Built buried to put us up 1-0 at 11'. Halifax answered at 14' with a goal off a corner. Trialist Branker crossed to trialist Clarke for a header goal at 19' to make it 2-1. Another corner, another header, another bit of poor play by our DC's Christensen & Stevensen and it's all even at 2. Loudon commits an iffy foul in the area & gives back a penalty, they take the lead at 64'. Niall Thompson answers in traffic at 68' to make it 3-all, knocking home a rebound of Smith's blocked shot. Thompson with a long free kick, Loudon skies up & heads it in to make it 4-3 at 75'. Smith nudged a free kick 6 inches to Branker, he blasts it home from the arc to make it 5-3.

A lot of fun for the handful of fans that showed up as we outshot them 15-12. N.Smith had an 8.7 rtg on 3 assists, Jamal Branker an 8.2 with a goal, N.Thompson an 8.0 with a goal, but it was their Calum Flack who was MOM with 2 goals and an 8.8. We'll take the win, reserves or not.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 14, 2013 (morning)
West Ham 18 y/o ST Elliot Lee makes it clear he has no interest in joining us on loan. Would have been a major offensive addition.
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Our U18s hosted Sutton Utd U18s in a group match matching the current 2nd & 3rd place teams.

Michael Madine got us off to a flying start with a long range goal at 3'. Niall Smith drove home a beautiful diving header at 9' to put us up by two. Smith jogs in, broke the offside trap and scores again from the area at 24'. Madine scores again, from the high part of the area at 49'. 16 y/o GK Batey gets beat one on one with a crossbody shot at 88'. Anson Watson decided to get that one back with a header off a free kick by Goodall at 91' to make the final score 5-1. A lot of simply ridiculously good performances and we scored five goals on just 8 shots. Madine (MOM, 9.0) had a pair, Niall Smith (8.8) had 2 goals and an assist, six different players in all had either a goal or an assist. The win propels us into first place, with a GD of +11 (12-1).

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 14, 2013
Blyth (3-2-2, 10th BSBN) at Workington (1-0-6, 21st BSBN)

We're 4:5 favorites on the road, which probably gives you an idea of just how bad The Reds have been. Like outscored 19-7 bad. The wildcard here is the referee, Scott Duncan is averaging nearly 8 yellow cards a game so far this season. We'll have to be a bit careful but will open in a 4-4-2 Diamond Standard, hoping to get some goals here.

GK: Dovey
D: Holden, Seery, Williamson, Groves
MF: Paratore, Whitaker, Ricketts, Sawyer
F: Clarke-Harris, Cofie
Available Subs: (Purvis, Mutero, Bembo-Leta, Morrison, McDonald)

5' - Darryn Stamp (remember him?) scores but it won't count, offside by a step
16' - Jonny Wright beats Dovey with ease (0-1), an inauspicious start
18' - We switch to Attack, have to generate pressure to keep them off us
29' - Stamp banks a shot in off the post (0-2), beat Williamson to a runner

Halftime - Abymsal. Can't f'n pass (56%), can't keep the ball (46%), makes it hard to shoot (outshot 7-1). Sub Mutero for Clarke-Harris (knocked), Bembo-Leta for Ricketts (knocked).

55' - Whitaker hits the upright with a shot in traffic
60' - Holden crosses into the box for Cofie ... it hits the keeper Taylor for an own goal (1-2)
78' - Sub Morrison (for Paratore, tiring/5.8), switch to Overload
89' - 2 mins added

Fulltime: Workington 2 - Blyth 1
Ugly. Just a really crappy performance. We solved possession (51%), we solved passing (64%), we just couldn't put the ball anywhere near the net (0 on target out of 6 shots). Not even 9 corners could help. And 7 yellow cards didn't help either.

Sept 14, 2013 (post-match)
The loss drops us back to 12th place ... and makes me wonder how we ever scored a goal against anyone all season. We're also fined $800 for failing to control our players. We've got a week to work this out before another two-match Sat/Tue sequences.

Dovey 6.6
Holden 5.9, Seery 6.2, Williamson 6.9, Groves 6.8
Paratore 5.8, Whitaker 7.2+1a, Ricketts 6.0, Sawyer 6.7
Clarke-Harris 5.8, Cofie 6.6
Subs: Mutero (45') 6.8, Bembo-Leta (45') 6.7, Morrison (79') N/A

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 15, 2013
We reach agreement with MF trialist Shane Clarke, a p.a. deal for $230.
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Today was the draw for the 2nd Qualifying Rd of the English FA Cup. We get ... rival Harrogate at home on Sat Oct 5. That's a lousy draw for a big match, the board expects us to reach at least the 4th Q round.
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DR Danny Groves, who had been out of contract, agrees to a deal through 2015 for $425/wk.
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Sept 16, 2013
We renew the contract of GK coach Carl King through 2016.
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More rejections from players we hoped to bring in on loan. Kind of getting used to that now. Had a ML lined up from West Ham but Portsmouth snuck in at the eleventh hour and grabbed him.
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Sept 18, 2013
We release DC Jordan Mellish on a free. He was still drawing $300/wk on a rolling contract, barely played first team last season & can't even crack the reserves rotation at this point. We wish him well in his future endeavors.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 18, 2013 (afternoon)
Our Reserves played Scunthorpe Reserves at Glanford Park,

Trialist D Nigel Seidu gets a red card at 24', giving up a penalty in the process. Seemed harsh, was just a takedown high in the area, but he certainly didn't make a good first impression. They airmailed the penalty into the 20th row. Kieran Gonzalez kept us alive in the half with several saves. At 50', trialist DC Calum Flanagan gave us an improbable lead with a nice header off a Branker freekick. 2 more saves by Gonzalez at 53', an offside call saves us at 54'. Bennett hits the post with a rocket at 72'. Trialist DM Ousmane Kone gets a hard knock at 76', needs lengthy treatment so we bring on our final sub, Reece Loudon, switch to contain. 3 mins added time .... and we survive. Amazing 1-0 win, Reserve squad or not.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 20, 2013
Lewis Whiteley wants first team action, is a bit of a prick about my offer to loan him out. He's transfer listed, screw this, life's too short to deal with whiny bitches that are roughly 8th or 9th on the club at their position.

Sept 21, 2013 (morning)
Our U18s hosted Maidenhead U18s,

Henly denies a shooter but couldn't recover the rebound and we go down by one at 8'. DC Holland levels it with a set piece goal at 29'. Egbeku bears down on an empty net in extra time & buries it ... but was flagged offside. Outshot 11-5, we probably have to be satisfied with the draw. Jon Holland is MOM with a 7.4 rating to go with his goal.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 21, 2013
Blyth (3-2-3, 12th BSBN) vs Kidderminster (1-3-4, 19th BSBN)

They're actually 5:4 favorites even at Croft Park, apparently our poor show against Workington has the bookies questioning us in spite of having won both previous meetings between the clubs. We should be able to see them off here, but with three matches in eight days we're going to roll some different people out there & see how they fare on the first team.

GK: McDonald
D: Henderson, Jones, Paul, Purvis
MF: N.Smith, Mutero, Nwachuku, Clarke
F: Cofie, Lobjoit
Available Subs: (Groves, Davies, Clarke-Harris, Williamson, Dovey)

20' - Darikwa scores from a low cross to the post ... but was offside
30' - Lobjoit misses a wide open shot after a nice feed from Niall Smith
33' - McDonald makes a sliding stop to deny Darikwa
Halftime: Scoreless, despite 11 combined shots (6-5). We seemed overconfident early, especially up front.
50' - McDonald misplays a loose ball into an own goal (0-1)
60' - Sub Davies for Nwachuku, Williamson for Paul, switch to Attacking
62' - Lobjoit crosses into the box ... Davies is there and he scores two minutes into his debut (1-1)
74' - Sub Groves for Clarke (tiring, yellow)
89' - 4 mins added
Fulltime: Blyth 1 - Kidderminster 1
Shoulda, coulda, woulda. I'd second guess myself more about the lineup except Davies was MOM in his debut, Niall Smith played okay in his debut, and Shane Clarke wasn't terrible in his debut. Meanwhile several people who are no strangers to the first team were pretty bad.

McDonald 6.3
Henderson 7.0, Jones 6.9, Paul 6.0, Purvis 6.7
N.Smith 6.6, Mutero 6.7, Nwachuku 6.1, Clarke 6.6
Cofie 6.5, Lobjoit 6.8 + 1a
Subs: Davies (60') 7.4+1g+MOM, Williamson (60') 6.9, Groves (76') N/A

Sept 21, 2013 (postmatch)
The draw moves us up to 11th. Trevor Mutero cries to the media about his lack of playing time ... on a night where he starts for the 3rd time in 5 matches. WTF dude?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 24, 2013
Blyth (3-3-3, 11th BSBN) at Southport (1-5-3, 17th BSBN)

They're Pick 'Em favorites at home in the first meeting between the two clubs. They were in BSBP when we were in BSBN two years ago, we swapped places last season, now we're both down here. We'll start 5-3-2 Defensive, hoping to avoid getting blitzed early on the road as we did against Workington.

GK: Dovey
D: Holden, Seery, Sawyer, Williamson, Groves
MF: Whitaker, Hands, Bembo-Leta
F:Clarke-Harris, Cofie
Available Subs: (Purvis, Mutero, Rickard, Davies, McDonald)

22' - Hands delivers a free kick to an unmarked Sawyer deep in the area ... Bang (1-0)
30' - Rough defense in the area, no call despite Whitaker's protests
31' - So far, zero shots by Southport
Halftime: Amazing to be leading with only 2 shots taken, but they've only had 2 as well. More amazing to be leading despite poor first half showings by Cofie (5.9) and Bembo-Leta (6.3). More concerning is the knock taken by Hands that has his hobbling (63% fit), he's been a force thus far. Sub Mutero for Cofie, hope for another goal early in the 2nd half. NOTE: I screwed up royally, subbed him for Clarke-Harris by mistake, and he was playing great (6.8, great for him anyway).

47' - Whitaker is late to the play, they tie it up with a header off a corner (1-1)

61' - Taylor blasts one past Dovey from the arc while we were a man short (1-2) ... Sub Davis for injured Hands, switch to 4-4-2 Diamond Standard
70' - We've been outshot 5-0 in the half ... Sub Rickard for Cofie (5.7) ... Switch to Attacking
83' - Switch to Overload
89' - 4 mins added
94' - Mutero is running free down the left channel ... and time expires

Fulltime: Southport 2 - Blyth 1
Disappointing second half collapse, outshot 9-2 for the match, possession down to 44% overall after being virtually even at the break. Almost inexplicable, we simply couldn't do anything right after that first 30 mins.

Dovey 6.4
Holden 6.6, Seery 6.7, Sawyer 7.4+1g, Williamson 6.6, Groves 6.7
Whitaker 6.1, Hands 7.2+1a, Bembo-Leta 5.8
Clarke-Harris 6.8, Cofie 5.7
Subs: Mutero (45') 6.1, Davis (62') 6.3, Rickard (71') 6.9

Sep 24, 2013 (postmatch)
The loss drops us to 13th place

Some of the clues might be in my discussion with AssMan Worthington. Mutero still having problems blending into the squad
Hands (and McDonald) finding it tough to motivate themselves to play for me
Groves struggling to find motivation with Sawyer as captain

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 25, 2013
A disciplinary committee has decided to add an additional two reserve match ban on Nigel Seidu for his sending off against Scunthorpe. Unbelievable, he basically ran through the attacker on what looked like a hard foul.
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Chivas USA chiefs are worried they may lose Coach Robin Fraser at the end of the season. I've been linked with the job, although Schellas Hyndman remains the favorite.
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Our Reserves play a group match at Sheffield Utd, losing 2-1.

A scoreless first half that saw us outshot 3-0. We're awarded a penalty at 50', Kaine Sheppard airmails it into the 20th row. Niall Thompson turns the ball over at 70', they immediately score on a shot from the top of the area. Rudge does it again at 81', this time from at least 15 yards beyond the arc, to make it 2-0. Another penalty awarded at 88', this time Reece Loudon puts it home.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sep 28, 2013 (morning)
Our first place U18s hosted 4th place Dorchester U18s in group play, winning 3-0 in a fairly dominating performance.

Michael Madine continued his torrid pace, his 4th goal of the year comes on a wicked strike at 36'. Ross Armstrong scored off the opening kickoff at 46' on a nice assist from Egbeku. Robson buried a penalty kick in extra time at 92'. Madine bossed the midfield (8.3) and was named MOM. Our U18s GD is now +16 (18 scored, 2 allowed)

[JonInMiddleGA]

Sept 28, 2013 (afternoon)
Blyth (3-3-4, 13th BSBN) vs Hinckley (4-4-2, 7th BSBN)

We're 1-1-0 against them lifetime but we're surprisingly favored slightly (5:4) at home today against a club that appears to be a fair bit better than us. We'll be 4-4-2 Diamond Standard to start, would love to get at least a point here but most importantly I hope we come away healthy and in a decent state of mind with next week's very important FA Cup match against Harrogate looming.

GK: McDonald
D: Henderson, Jones, Williamson, Purvis
MF: Paratore, Whitaker, Ricketts, Clarke
F:Mutero, Cofie
Available Subs: (Groves, Sawyer, Clarke-Harris, N.Smith, Dovey)

1' - Henderson immediately gets a yellow card
9' - Jones with a free kick from about midfield ... long ball toward the area, Cofie runs onto it and fires ... GOAL ! (1-0)
33' - Paratore has to come off after a rough challenge leaves him knocked ... Sub Clarke-Harris on (Mutero to ML, Whitaker to AMC)
34' - Williamson's header off a free kick goes wide, our third empty net miss

Halftime: A decent half, 6-2 shot edge, 52% poss, neither team passing all that well (both <70%). We may need another individual effort goal like the first one in order to win this.

45' - Clarke-Harris with a breakaway from the kickoff, puts it right into the keeper's breadbasket
58' - We defend a dangerous corner into the box ... and Henderson promptly puts it in his own net (1-1). Sigh.
62' - Sub Groves for Henderson
76' - Sub Niall Smith for Mutero (6.1) ... move Whitaker to ML, switch to Attacking
84' - Cofie header ... GOAL ! (2-1) ... Great cross from Groves to make that happen, right on the edge of an offside call for Cofie, leaving Hinckley furious .... switch to Defensive
89' - 5 mins added time

Fulltime: Blyth 2 - Hinckley 1
This was all about Cofie delivering when the opportunities were there. Outshot them 9-5, had 51% of poss. but it was really all about Cofie burying both of his on-target shots (and 2/3 total shots).

McDonald 6.8
Henderson 5.1, Jones 7.1+1a, Williamson 7.6, Purvis 7.0
Paratore 6.8, Whitaker 6.8, Ricketts 6.9, Clarke 6.9
Mutero 5.9, Cofie (MOM) 8.8+2g
Subs: Clarke-Harris (34') 6.6, Groves (63') 6.9+1a, N.Smith (77') N/A

Sep 28, 2013 (postmatch)
The win moves us up to 10th place. And no report of any lingering health problems for Paratore despite his immediate departure from the match.

Meanwhile our supporters are happy with the signing of ST Jamal Branker to a youth contract through 2015.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Oct 1, 2013
We have a number of decisions to make on current trialists, starting with MF Ousmane Kone. He hasn't been bad, he hasn't been great ... and between his tendency to be a selfish player and his desire for $250 p.a., not keeping him is an easy call to make.
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17 y/o DC Ben Weaver is a different matter, for $70 p.a. he's an investment in the future (or as long as he'll stick around) and helps our U18s.
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The board remains satisfied with my coaching of the team. Supporters are still happy about the departure of Adam Drury, still bothered by the 1-0 loss to Harrogate earlier this season (see why I feel like the upcoming cup match is so big?)

We lost just short of $60k last month.
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A tougher decision comes with trialist DC Nigel Seidu. Remember him, got sent off in his first appearance with our reserves? On paper he probably becomes our best overall player if we sign him ... we'll negotiate something & see what happens. Loose cannon on the field though.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Oct 1, 2013
Our Reserves play a group match at Hartlepool as heavy underdogs. They jump on us quickly at 6' with a set piece goal, add another set piece score just before the half. Lucky to be down only 2-0 at the break considering we were outshot 10-0. They go up by three at 58' when Archer came out to scoop up a loose ball & overran it. We gain a man advantage at 60' when a defender roughly pulled Shane Bennett down from behind. Giddings scores on the ensuing freekick and we switch to Attacking, why not, right? At 79' the sides are evened up again when Dombaxe had to go off injured & we'd exhausted our substitutions already. It ends as a 3-1 loss, outshot 16-3 says just about everything.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Oct 3, 2013
We've reached agreement with 19 y/o DC Nigel Seidu, $190/wk through 2015. He's a member of the Congo U20s setup and has made two appearances for them internationally, scoring one goal. It's less than a good sign perhaps that he's hoping to learn from Will Antwi, a guy who wants out of here badly.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Oct 3, 2013
And so it begins. I follow a staff suggestion & adjust/correct Seidu's status from Key to First Team. He immediately complains, I say it won't happen again and he says "I don't believe you, I've heard it all before but nothing's changed"

Umm ... dude, you just freakin' got here. We've hardly spoken, especially since you got a three match suspension in the first half you played for us on trial. I tell him he's being unprofessional, he agrees but refers to "how I've treated him" ... (again here WTF?!?!) ... I tell him I'm fed up hearing about it, he says he's not backing down, he doesn't think he can work with me anymore.

Keep in mind folks, this is not only his first day under contract, it's the first "continue" segment after his contract was signed.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Oct 5, 2013 (afternoon)
Blyth vs Harrogate, FA Cup 2nd Qualifying Round

We're 4:6 favorites today, with a lifetime record of 1-1-1 against them . The loss was earlier this season, 1-0 on the road, and our supporters haven't gotten over it yet. With the board expecting us to reach at least the fourth round of the competition this year, the supporters upset with another loss might be the least of my worries. We'll be 4-4-2 Diamond Standard to start, might be even more aggressive if it seems necessary to avoid the lackluster outing we had against them most recently.

GK: McDonald
D: Holden, Williamson, Seery, Groves
MF: Whitaker, Higgins, Ricketts, Sawyer
F:Mutero, Cofie
Available Subs: (Jones, Paratore, Clarke-Harris, Purvis, Slaughter, Bembo-Leta, Dovey)

3' - Groves is a whirlwind early, controlling the flow in the offensive end (surprisingly), chases down a loose ball, plays give & go with Sawyer ... gets it back & crosses to Cofie in the box ... GOAL! (1-0) ... a flying start
9' - Groves is hobbled, got taken down hard
18' - Harrogate has to sub MF Hayward, he was dumped by Ricketts and got a boo-boo

Halftime: Cofie does it again, but can we make it hold up? Mutero & Whitaker are playing poorly, Groves is trying to keep us alive. Outshot 5-2 but both ours have been on target vs none of theirs. Poss. is 48-52 their favor, neither team is passing well at all. Let's go give 'em something to cheer boys.

58' - Turnbull spins & blasts one from 30 yards out ... right past McDonald (1-1)
66' - We blink first and sub Paratore for Higgins
85' - Whitaker with a free kick from the left edge of the area ... gives it to Cofie to the left of the spot ... wheels & deals ... GOAL ! (2-1)
86' - Sub Purvis for Groves (spent), Slaughter for Ricketts (tiring, yellow card)
Switch to Defensive
89' - 3 mins added time ... switch to Contain
93' - McDonald makes a save on a long blast from the left wing

Fulltime: Blyth 2 - Harrogate 1

Whew. Got outshot 10-7 but actually controlled play in the 2nd half, ending up with 53% of poss. Seery was great defensively, 12/14 in the air. Cofie was again huge on the other end for us.

McDonald 6.7
Holden 7.1, Williamson 6.9, Seery 6.8, Groves 7.2+1a
Whitaker 6.9+1a, Higgins 6.1, Ricketts 6.8, Sawyer 6.9
Mutero 6.0, Cofie (MOM) 8.8+2g
Subs: Paratore (67') 6.9, Purvis (86') and Slaughter (86') N/A

Oct 5, 2013 (postmatch)
We're awarded $7,940 for our win. Moreover we didn't get burned in effigy for a loss.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Oct 6, 2013
The Houston Dynamo have fired Dominic Kinnear and I'm considered the most likely candidate for the job. I quickly deny any interest.
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John Cofie's game-winning goal which first hit the keeper's hand and then ricocheted off the post into the back of the net is considered the best of the tallies in yesterday's FA Cup action.
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Our U18s had a group match at Havant & W, winning 2-0 to move back into first place. Jamal Branker scored in his official debut, delivering after a feed from Robson at 38'. Kellen Daly made it 2-0 with a header off a corner feed by Goodall. That wrapped up the scoring, in spite of being outshot 12-6. Daly was MOM with a 7.7
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The draw for the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round was held today and we'll be going on the road on Sat Oct 19 to play Southern D1SW side Taunton Town, who advanced with a 1-0 win over Wimborne. If we don't win that one I may resign instead of waiting to be fired, I'd deserve the sack.