They say a week can be a long time in football, and this week has certainly been long. In the league, all the good work that lead to victory against Barnet and a draw at Lincoln evaporated in the face of two horror shows.
With the form County were showing, matches against Hereford (at the time bottom of the league) and Morecambe (4th bottom) should have yielded at least 2 points. As it was, they yielded nothing - except maybe significant (some would say terminal) damage to our goal difference. At any time, a 5-0 defeat is crushing, but to suffer two in a week can totally transform a team's season.
So, with this weekend being the first round proper of the FA Cup, you would think that would be a welcome distraction from the current troubles being experienced in the league. Or it would - if the visitors didn't happen to be high-flying and free-scoring Peterborough United from League 1.
Many fans had predicted that the match would be another heavy defeat, and there were loud murmurs that it was "pointless to turn up for another humiliation". Despite this, I boarded the 12:50 departure from Milton Keynes feeling slightly optimistic: today was FA Cup Day - a day for magic and maybe, just maybe - this could be County's day.
On arrival at Edgeley Park, it was apparent that the attendance was going to be fairly poor. The Cheadle End was sparsely populated, while there were very few people in either the Main Stand or the Pop Side. Even Peterborough didn't appear to have brought many along. As it was, the game kicked off in glorious autumn sunshine with most in the ground simply hoping for a decent performance.
And boy, did we get one.
From the off, County didn't let their higher league opponents have it all their own way. Tackles were snappy, and although the passing wasn't exactly crisp, it was certainly good to see County players finding each other as opposed to opponents. despite a scare when the lively Mackall-Smith had a chance for Peterborough smartly saved by Glennon, County created the better openings. As it was, County took the lead their battling performance deserved when smart play between Turnbull and Fletcher saw the latter play a great cross into the 6-yard box, where Griffin was waiting to head the ball home. That was County's first goal since Donnelly's second against Barnet - 4 matches ago. It was very nearly 2 moments later, when Poole should have done better when presented with an open goal. Moments later, a smart, curling effort from Williams looked to be heading for the top corner until Peterborough goalie Joe Lewis pulled off a spectacular save.
This seemed to spur Peterborough on, and they were gifted an equaliser when a hopeful cross into the 6-yard box was dropped by Glennon onto the head of the challenging Maclean and bobbled into the net. To their credit, rather then being subdued, County continued to work hard and certainly warranted the standing ovation that greeted the half-time whistle.
As darkness fell over Edgeley Park, the second half kicked-off with County attacking the Cheadle End. As with the first half, the match took on a real ebb-and-flow: County looking to press forward and use the pace and effort of Donnelly and Fletcher, while Peterborough were always looking dangerous on the break with their pacy forward line. Once again, Glennon saved County from going behind with another smart save from a Peterborough forward; but to be honest, this was the last, real effort that Peterborough seemed to have. County started to gain the upper hand, with chances falling to Fletcher, Turnbull and Griffin in quick succession. With the increasingly vocal backing of the home crowd, County continued to create decent opportunities but either stumbled with the final ball or found the killer touch was lacking. In the end, even the brief cameo by Barry Conlon failed to yield a wining goal. At the final whistle, the standing ovation was well warranted. County go into the hat for tomorrow's draw, but will have to get through a tricky replay before even dreaming of Round 2.
So - what were the highlights? Aside from a much improved, committed performance from County, much credit has to go to the 2,001 who attended. This is the lowest ever FA Cup crowd at Edgeley Park, but at times during the second half - particularly during the last 15 minutes - the noise was absolutely fantastic. At one point, the Cheadle End, Main Stand and Pop Side were all in unison with "Paul Simpson's Blue'n'White Army". Given all that has happened this week, that was great to hear.
On the pitch, Turnbull and Pulis finally seemed to impose themselves in midfield, while Griffin and Williams continued to link up well down the left. Donnelly was his usual busy self up front, ably assisted by Wes Fletcher - he may still be waiting for his first goal, but his effort and willingness to chase and close opponents down cannot be faulted. Glennon once again showed his value to the side; and his willingness to scream at Rose & Assoumani is a welcome change to the silence associated with Owain fon Williams. Choosing a man-of-the-match is really difficult, but I would probably go for Turnbull, who really played with a pride and passion befitting the captains armband.
All that's needed now is for the same pride, passion and commitment to be shown in the league - starting with next week's derby at Bury.
Saturday 6 November 2010
Sunday 17 October 2010
A Different Perspective
Firstly, a big apology for the lack of updates over the past couple of weeks. I blame it on the shock of seeing County grind out a win at Oxford United. Since that day, County had 2 successive 2-2 draws at home (against Aldershot and Accrington - on both occasions recovering from 2-0 deficits). County being County however, they then went on to lose the next 2 games (away at Burton and Gillingham) 2-1. Once again, gifting the opposition 2 goal starts before coming back. The latter result (vs. Gillingham) was the weekend of my birthday, so the result wasn't one of the greatest of presents I've ever had.
This weekend saw Barnet make the long trip northwest for what was already being marked as an early season "6 pointer". Barnet have had an awful start to the season (losing 7-0 at Crewe being the lowest of several lowpoints) and occupy the second relegation spot in League 2. County were only 2 points (and 5 places) above Barnet, and the combination of poor recent form and no home win this season was starting to see the pressure mount. In fact, County haven't won at home for 24 games (7 months) and I personally hadn't seen a home win since late 2008!
On my way up to the match, it suddenly struck me that Barnet are the opponents I've seen face County the most times (5 including this meeting). Once again, I've yet to see County beat Barnet, and the last (and only) previous encounter I'd seen at Edgeley was a chastening 4-2 defeat (also around my birthday). So, you can probably understand my trepidation as I boarded the train from Birmingham to Stockport. Once again, arrival at Stockport meant a quick dash to the market - this time with an additional order (from Mum) for some Cheshire - before heading up to the ground.
For this game, I decided to move away from the traditional ritual and try something new. So, instead of taking my place in the Cheadle End, I thought I'd give the Main Stand a try. It's not too bad, a fairly shallow rake, padded seats and with the exception of the odd pillar, a decent view of the pitch. It also puts you within perfect earshot of both home and away dugouts (always good for a chuckle).
As the teams came out onto the (still green) Edgeley Park pitch, hope started to rise that today might just be the day when the poor home run would end. Within 5 minutes of the start however, that hope was firmly replaced by the "Here we go again" feeling so typical of recent home games. Stockport were awful, and Barnet - despite being on top - were not much better themselves. I'm seriously struggling to think of a major incident in that first 45 minutes - if you thought it was bad at Oxford, this was worse, much worse. As if to wake us up in time for a half time drink, Barnet managed to miss an open goal from pretty much on the line. Surely the second half would be better?
It was. Only it wasn't easy (is it ever when County ar involved?). Barely 30 seconds into the half, Barnet took the lead after some frankly rubbish defending. Stil feeling slightly dozy after the first half "exertions", the County defence allowed the Barnet forward all the time he needed to guide the ball home. The Barnet bench went wild, the players went wild, so did the 92 away fans scattered behind the goal. Everyone else just rolled their eyes and wondered just what had they let themselves in for.
As has been a common theme of recent County games, going a goal behind seemed to wake County up; suddenly there was a lot more energy and drive about the players. Where a sideways or backwards pass had been played in the first half, players were looking to get the ball forwards. Ultimately the breakthrough came courtesy of that man Donnelly. Receiving a throw deep in the Barnet half, he made his way to the edge of the area and with nothing else on, unleashed a piledriver of a shot. This beat the keeper, hit the near post, span towards the far post and then trickled into the net. Another comeback goal, and another opportunity for the "Sign him up" chat to start.
This visibly lifted the team and fans, and County started to exert themselves a little bit more. Debutant Fletcher almost scored from a Assoumani cross, while Anthony Pulis tried in vain with several efforts from the edge of the area; all just lacking that bit of pace or placement to beat the Barnet goalie.
To freshen things up, Jake Simpson and Adam Griffin were replaced by Cameron Darkwah (making his 1st team debut) and Danny Rowe. Within 5 minutes, something rare happened - County went ahead at home! Antony Pulis' cross from the right was met by a crowd of players, with Robbie Williams on hand to stab the ball home (albeit at the third attempt). Williams promptly disappeared under a mound of teammates, while supporters finally dared to dream- could it really be about to happen?
Barnet, to their credit tried to get back level, but were caught on the counter when Donnelly muscled past the last defender and smashed the ball home. However it wasn't to be, the referee ruling the goal out for an earlier foul. In the end it didn't matter, the final whistle being met by a cheer more in keeping with a win to seal promotion. For the first time in 7 months, County had a home win to celebrate. It wasn't pretty, but it was well worth the wait.
Overall, I was really impressed with Assoumani (named MoM), Fletcher, and - of course - Donnelly. Quite frankly without his goals, County would be in deep trouble and it's fair to say they could face a fight to keep him once the loan period expires in January. Assoumani was superb - wining most of the challenges he had to make, and displaying some fantastic close control to win a corner from a seemingly lost cause. His cross for Fletcher was excellent - and Flecther himself certainly looks a better prospect than Proctor ever did (you would never have really known he only joined on Friday). Darkwah also belied his age, snapping into challenges and always looking for a positive run. He could be another one from the Cunty production line to make a first team impact.
This match marked the start of a run of games against teams currently below County in the table, and a golden opportunity to move clear of the relegation dogfight. saying that, County are one of several teams on 14 points, just 4 off a place in the play-offs. A run of results like that in September could be really useful now, however a second supply of goals could do with being found - our over reliance on Donnelly is worrying; one over-zealous challenge from a defender could leave a long, hard winter ahead.
But let's leave the worries for another day. Today is about celebrating a long overdue home win. Let's just hope we don't have to wait quite as long for the next one....
County Line up:
Glennon, Lynch, Williams, Swailes, Assoumani, Turnbull, Pulis, Simpson (Darkwah 60), Griffin (Rowe 78), Donnelly, Fletcher
Subs: Fon Williams, Tansey, Conlon, Rowe, Fisher, Darkwah
Goals: Donnelly (52), Williams (79)
Attendance: 4,177 (Away fans: 92).
This weekend saw Barnet make the long trip northwest for what was already being marked as an early season "6 pointer". Barnet have had an awful start to the season (losing 7-0 at Crewe being the lowest of several lowpoints) and occupy the second relegation spot in League 2. County were only 2 points (and 5 places) above Barnet, and the combination of poor recent form and no home win this season was starting to see the pressure mount. In fact, County haven't won at home for 24 games (7 months) and I personally hadn't seen a home win since late 2008!
On my way up to the match, it suddenly struck me that Barnet are the opponents I've seen face County the most times (5 including this meeting). Once again, I've yet to see County beat Barnet, and the last (and only) previous encounter I'd seen at Edgeley was a chastening 4-2 defeat (also around my birthday). So, you can probably understand my trepidation as I boarded the train from Birmingham to Stockport. Once again, arrival at Stockport meant a quick dash to the market - this time with an additional order (from Mum) for some Cheshire - before heading up to the ground.
For this game, I decided to move away from the traditional ritual and try something new. So, instead of taking my place in the Cheadle End, I thought I'd give the Main Stand a try. It's not too bad, a fairly shallow rake, padded seats and with the exception of the odd pillar, a decent view of the pitch. It also puts you within perfect earshot of both home and away dugouts (always good for a chuckle).
As the teams came out onto the (still green) Edgeley Park pitch, hope started to rise that today might just be the day when the poor home run would end. Within 5 minutes of the start however, that hope was firmly replaced by the "Here we go again" feeling so typical of recent home games. Stockport were awful, and Barnet - despite being on top - were not much better themselves. I'm seriously struggling to think of a major incident in that first 45 minutes - if you thought it was bad at Oxford, this was worse, much worse. As if to wake us up in time for a half time drink, Barnet managed to miss an open goal from pretty much on the line. Surely the second half would be better?
It was. Only it wasn't easy (is it ever when County ar involved?). Barely 30 seconds into the half, Barnet took the lead after some frankly rubbish defending. Stil feeling slightly dozy after the first half "exertions", the County defence allowed the Barnet forward all the time he needed to guide the ball home. The Barnet bench went wild, the players went wild, so did the 92 away fans scattered behind the goal. Everyone else just rolled their eyes and wondered just what had they let themselves in for.
As has been a common theme of recent County games, going a goal behind seemed to wake County up; suddenly there was a lot more energy and drive about the players. Where a sideways or backwards pass had been played in the first half, players were looking to get the ball forwards. Ultimately the breakthrough came courtesy of that man Donnelly. Receiving a throw deep in the Barnet half, he made his way to the edge of the area and with nothing else on, unleashed a piledriver of a shot. This beat the keeper, hit the near post, span towards the far post and then trickled into the net. Another comeback goal, and another opportunity for the "Sign him up" chat to start.
This visibly lifted the team and fans, and County started to exert themselves a little bit more. Debutant Fletcher almost scored from a Assoumani cross, while Anthony Pulis tried in vain with several efforts from the edge of the area; all just lacking that bit of pace or placement to beat the Barnet goalie.
To freshen things up, Jake Simpson and Adam Griffin were replaced by Cameron Darkwah (making his 1st team debut) and Danny Rowe. Within 5 minutes, something rare happened - County went ahead at home! Antony Pulis' cross from the right was met by a crowd of players, with Robbie Williams on hand to stab the ball home (albeit at the third attempt). Williams promptly disappeared under a mound of teammates, while supporters finally dared to dream- could it really be about to happen?
Barnet, to their credit tried to get back level, but were caught on the counter when Donnelly muscled past the last defender and smashed the ball home. However it wasn't to be, the referee ruling the goal out for an earlier foul. In the end it didn't matter, the final whistle being met by a cheer more in keeping with a win to seal promotion. For the first time in 7 months, County had a home win to celebrate. It wasn't pretty, but it was well worth the wait.
Overall, I was really impressed with Assoumani (named MoM), Fletcher, and - of course - Donnelly. Quite frankly without his goals, County would be in deep trouble and it's fair to say they could face a fight to keep him once the loan period expires in January. Assoumani was superb - wining most of the challenges he had to make, and displaying some fantastic close control to win a corner from a seemingly lost cause. His cross for Fletcher was excellent - and Flecther himself certainly looks a better prospect than Proctor ever did (you would never have really known he only joined on Friday). Darkwah also belied his age, snapping into challenges and always looking for a positive run. He could be another one from the Cunty production line to make a first team impact.
This match marked the start of a run of games against teams currently below County in the table, and a golden opportunity to move clear of the relegation dogfight. saying that, County are one of several teams on 14 points, just 4 off a place in the play-offs. A run of results like that in September could be really useful now, however a second supply of goals could do with being found - our over reliance on Donnelly is worrying; one over-zealous challenge from a defender could leave a long, hard winter ahead.
But let's leave the worries for another day. Today is about celebrating a long overdue home win. Let's just hope we don't have to wait quite as long for the next one....
County Line up:
Glennon, Lynch, Williams, Swailes, Assoumani, Turnbull, Pulis, Simpson (Darkwah 60), Griffin (Rowe 78), Donnelly, Fletcher
Subs: Fon Williams, Tansey, Conlon, Rowe, Fisher, Darkwah
Goals: Donnelly (52), Williams (79)
Attendance: 4,177 (Away fans: 92).
Saturday 11 September 2010
Hope springs eternal
Ok. So the blue skies didn't last long. After a quick dash into town (Carol's Cheeses for the latest batch of Cheshire & Stilton), it was a dash to avoid the downpour. Sadly I failed, arriving at Edgeley Park feeling (and looking) rather soggy.
Thus far, the biggest cheer of the day has greeted the sight of Alex Ferguson after Everton's 2 injury time goals snatch a draw from the jaws of United victory. For once there is a buzz in the stadium, and not just because of the fate befalling the red side of Manchester. Even the flags are back in the Cheadle End! Just goes to show the effect a win can have on supporters as well as players.
What's nice is that there is a decent crowd today (4277), with a fair number from Bradford. Throughout the game there has been a bit of noise around Edgeley Park, the first time in a long time that that has happened.
Sadly, we've only got a point from the game, when a little bit of composure (at both ends) would - and probably should - have seen another 3 points in the bag. Sadly, Bradford easily weathered the County pressure (if not the torrential downpour), and took the lead just after half time. A hopeful long ball caught the County defence at sea. A slip by the to this point solid Assoumani saw the Bradford player clean through on goal. One square ball across the 6 yard box later, Bradford were 1-0 up against the run of play. Cue wild celebrations in the rain for those in amber & claret; rueful shakes of the head for those in blue & white.
However, County - rather than buckling - pressed for the equaliser. Donnelly, Proctor ( who to be fair did well when replacing the woeful Conlon), Vincent & Tansey all had efforts either charged down or narrowly wide. As time wore on and County's final ball became slightly more desperate, the breakthrough came. A brilliant short corner caught Bradford out, and Griffin's pinpoint cross enabled Donnelly to bundle the ball home. A deserved equaliser and more to the point, the first goal at home for a long time.
After that point, Bradford seemed to settle for the point while a bouyant County pressed for a winner. Again, a frustrating lack of movement and poor final ball tended to end promising moves.
For once, County recovered from going a goal down and showed real character. It helped that the crowd - although frustrated by the slow final ball - kept behind the team. Assoumani made a single mistake in the whole match and got punished, but didn't let that get to him. Vincent was excellent in the "defensive midfield" role and rightly won man of the match. The only disappointment was Conlon: his substitution was greeted by cheers such was his obvious lack of effort.
On the train home I'm encouraged by the performance, if a bit disappointed over the final result. At least I can now say I've seen a goal for County at Edgeley; just need that elusive win now...
-- Post From My iPhone
Thus far, the biggest cheer of the day has greeted the sight of Alex Ferguson after Everton's 2 injury time goals snatch a draw from the jaws of United victory. For once there is a buzz in the stadium, and not just because of the fate befalling the red side of Manchester. Even the flags are back in the Cheadle End! Just goes to show the effect a win can have on supporters as well as players.
What's nice is that there is a decent crowd today (4277), with a fair number from Bradford. Throughout the game there has been a bit of noise around Edgeley Park, the first time in a long time that that has happened.
Sadly, we've only got a point from the game, when a little bit of composure (at both ends) would - and probably should - have seen another 3 points in the bag. Sadly, Bradford easily weathered the County pressure (if not the torrential downpour), and took the lead just after half time. A hopeful long ball caught the County defence at sea. A slip by the to this point solid Assoumani saw the Bradford player clean through on goal. One square ball across the 6 yard box later, Bradford were 1-0 up against the run of play. Cue wild celebrations in the rain for those in amber & claret; rueful shakes of the head for those in blue & white.
However, County - rather than buckling - pressed for the equaliser. Donnelly, Proctor ( who to be fair did well when replacing the woeful Conlon), Vincent & Tansey all had efforts either charged down or narrowly wide. As time wore on and County's final ball became slightly more desperate, the breakthrough came. A brilliant short corner caught Bradford out, and Griffin's pinpoint cross enabled Donnelly to bundle the ball home. A deserved equaliser and more to the point, the first goal at home for a long time.
After that point, Bradford seemed to settle for the point while a bouyant County pressed for a winner. Again, a frustrating lack of movement and poor final ball tended to end promising moves.
For once, County recovered from going a goal down and showed real character. It helped that the crowd - although frustrated by the slow final ball - kept behind the team. Assoumani made a single mistake in the whole match and got punished, but didn't let that get to him. Vincent was excellent in the "defensive midfield" role and rightly won man of the match. The only disappointment was Conlon: his substitution was greeted by cheers such was his obvious lack of effort.
On the train home I'm encouraged by the performance, if a bit disappointed over the final result. At least I can now say I've seen a goal for County at Edgeley; just need that elusive win now...
-- Post From My iPhone
Rain, rain, go away!
This doesn't look terribly promising. I'm just south of Macclesfield on the train to Stockport and the heavens have opened. What's worse, the wind direction looks like it's blowing from the east: in other words, straight into the faces of those in the Cheadle End (i.e., me). Mind you, the away fans won't fare much better, at least the home fans have a roof!
Speaking of away fans, today should see a sizeable following from our cross-Pennine opponents Bradford.
Bradford have so far failed to live up to the billing of pre-season promotion favourites. Mind you, they've failed to love up to that billing for a few years now. Just goes to prove that gates of 10,000 don't necessarily equate to success. So far they've struggled to get results, and could probably do with a win today to kick start the season.
County on the other hand are looking to win successive games for the first time in, well, a very long time.
So it could be a tense affair. Or it could follow the trend of previous matches against Bradford in being a thriller (if not necessarily high scoring). Either way, County need a result to build on last weeks defeat of Macclesfield, so I'll stick my neck out and say home win. As I say this, here comes the Sun; must be an omen!
-- Post From My iPhone
Speaking of away fans, today should see a sizeable following from our cross-Pennine opponents Bradford.
Bradford have so far failed to live up to the billing of pre-season promotion favourites. Mind you, they've failed to love up to that billing for a few years now. Just goes to prove that gates of 10,000 don't necessarily equate to success. So far they've struggled to get results, and could probably do with a win today to kick start the season.
County on the other hand are looking to win successive games for the first time in, well, a very long time.
So it could be a tense affair. Or it could follow the trend of previous matches against Bradford in being a thriller (if not necessarily high scoring). Either way, County need a result to build on last weeks defeat of Macclesfield, so I'll stick my neck out and say home win. As I say this, here comes the Sun; must be an omen!
-- Post From My iPhone
Monday 6 September 2010
Miracle at Moss Rose
Yyyyyyeeeeesssss!!
Finally after 6 months of waiting, County fans can finally celebrate a win. The performance wasn't necessarily great and Macclesfield were terrible, but a win is a win, especially against your local rivals.
Paul Simpson made a brave decision by giving Matt Glennon his debut in place of OFW, and brought Matt Mainwaring (now recovered from his horrific broken leg) into the midfield alongside Tansey, Turnbull and Vincent. Fellow new signing Josh Simpson started on the bench.
Once again, details on the match are fairly sketchy (neither the BBC nor Sky deemed the game important enough for extensive coverage) so the first I was aware of any excitement was just before half time. George Donnelly - who up until this point is the only player to score for us this season - picked the ball up wide on the left, cut inside (beating 4 Macclesfield defenders in the process) and hit a low shot into the far corner. Cue mass celebration amongst the massed County supporters behind the goal.
Early in the second half, Glennon made an instant bid for hero status amongst the fans. Normally the award of a rather dubious penalty (following a 'foul' by Assoumani) against County leads to inevitable capitulation. On this occasion however, Glennon saved the (admittedly terrible) penalty to preserve County's slender lead. Furthermore, the next goal was scored by County (at the right end thankfully); Assoumani lashing the ball home from 6 yards out following a Griffin free kick. 2-0 to County, when was the last time that happened?
Despite some rather nervous moments (and woeful finishing from the Macclesfield forwards), the final whistle finally blew to confirm the first 3 point haul for the season. What's more, the spectre of a 19 game winless run had been ended, lifting County to the heady heights of 16th in League 2.
If I was being harsh, I'd be worried Donnelly is our only real goal threat; that the midfield still looks as tough as a limp lettuce; or that a hint of accuracy from Macclesfield would have converted some of the many chances they created. But that would be wrong: a win is a win no matter how it comes, and it's about time County had one to celebrate. The hard part now is building on it: we can't afford to wait another 6 months for the next one!
-- Post From My iPhone
Finally after 6 months of waiting, County fans can finally celebrate a win. The performance wasn't necessarily great and Macclesfield were terrible, but a win is a win, especially against your local rivals.
Paul Simpson made a brave decision by giving Matt Glennon his debut in place of OFW, and brought Matt Mainwaring (now recovered from his horrific broken leg) into the midfield alongside Tansey, Turnbull and Vincent. Fellow new signing Josh Simpson started on the bench.
Once again, details on the match are fairly sketchy (neither the BBC nor Sky deemed the game important enough for extensive coverage) so the first I was aware of any excitement was just before half time. George Donnelly - who up until this point is the only player to score for us this season - picked the ball up wide on the left, cut inside (beating 4 Macclesfield defenders in the process) and hit a low shot into the far corner. Cue mass celebration amongst the massed County supporters behind the goal.
Early in the second half, Glennon made an instant bid for hero status amongst the fans. Normally the award of a rather dubious penalty (following a 'foul' by Assoumani) against County leads to inevitable capitulation. On this occasion however, Glennon saved the (admittedly terrible) penalty to preserve County's slender lead. Furthermore, the next goal was scored by County (at the right end thankfully); Assoumani lashing the ball home from 6 yards out following a Griffin free kick. 2-0 to County, when was the last time that happened?
Despite some rather nervous moments (and woeful finishing from the Macclesfield forwards), the final whistle finally blew to confirm the first 3 point haul for the season. What's more, the spectre of a 19 game winless run had been ended, lifting County to the heady heights of 16th in League 2.
If I was being harsh, I'd be worried Donnelly is our only real goal threat; that the midfield still looks as tough as a limp lettuce; or that a hint of accuracy from Macclesfield would have converted some of the many chances they created. But that would be wrong: a win is a win no matter how it comes, and it's about time County had one to celebrate. The hard part now is building on it: we can't afford to wait another 6 months for the next one!
-- Post From My iPhone
Saturday 4 September 2010
Derby Day
SCFC vs. Macclesfield Town
Moss Rose, 3pm
Today is one of those dates most keenly looked for in the footballing calendar; a meeting with a local rival. In this case, County make the relatively short trip to Macclesfield for a game that bears more significance than who has the local bragging rights.
Almost 4 years ago, County were well and truly demolished 6-0 in this fixture, leaving us rock bottom of League 2 and staring non-league football in the face. What happened afterwards is a tale of returning heroes, epic last day survival, record breaking runs (for the right reasons) and eventually, promotion. We've since paid the price for that high, and now return to Moss Rose once again occupying one of the relegation spots (yes, I know there have only been 4 games played).
This is one of those games we have to win. Not only would the 3 points be very welcome, but also as a means of exorcising the ghosts of that 6-0 defeat. It would also help erase another painful memory for County fans. Unable to play an FA Cup tie at Edgeley Park due to pitch conditions last year, we ended up playing "at home" to Torquay at Moss Rose. As if playing a home tie on someone else's ground wasn't bad enough, we lost 4-0 to a side near the bottom of League 2 (ok, we were bottom of League 1 at the time, but that really was unacceptable).
What is quite positive today is that we have 3 (yes, three) new signings eligible to play. Robbie Williams I've mentioned previously, while yesterday, goalie Matt Glennon and midfielder Josh Simpson were signed up. For a long time we've been without decent cover for OFW in goal, and Simpson - despite being so young- does seem to have a bit more experience about him than our current midfielders. Hopefully they will have a positive impact both in terms of results and team morale.
I'm quietly confident today that we can get something from the game. Last weeks non-performance obviously hurt everyone, and I suspect nothing less than a whole hearted, battling performance will be accepted by Paul Simpson or the fans. Lets face it, if you can't motivate yourself for a derby game, there really is no hope. If we can get that, we certainly stand a decent chance of gaining that elusive first win.
-- Post From My iPhone
Moss Rose, 3pm
Today is one of those dates most keenly looked for in the footballing calendar; a meeting with a local rival. In this case, County make the relatively short trip to Macclesfield for a game that bears more significance than who has the local bragging rights.
Almost 4 years ago, County were well and truly demolished 6-0 in this fixture, leaving us rock bottom of League 2 and staring non-league football in the face. What happened afterwards is a tale of returning heroes, epic last day survival, record breaking runs (for the right reasons) and eventually, promotion. We've since paid the price for that high, and now return to Moss Rose once again occupying one of the relegation spots (yes, I know there have only been 4 games played).
This is one of those games we have to win. Not only would the 3 points be very welcome, but also as a means of exorcising the ghosts of that 6-0 defeat. It would also help erase another painful memory for County fans. Unable to play an FA Cup tie at Edgeley Park due to pitch conditions last year, we ended up playing "at home" to Torquay at Moss Rose. As if playing a home tie on someone else's ground wasn't bad enough, we lost 4-0 to a side near the bottom of League 2 (ok, we were bottom of League 1 at the time, but that really was unacceptable).
What is quite positive today is that we have 3 (yes, three) new signings eligible to play. Robbie Williams I've mentioned previously, while yesterday, goalie Matt Glennon and midfielder Josh Simpson were signed up. For a long time we've been without decent cover for OFW in goal, and Simpson - despite being so young- does seem to have a bit more experience about him than our current midfielders. Hopefully they will have a positive impact both in terms of results and team morale.
I'm quietly confident today that we can get something from the game. Last weeks non-performance obviously hurt everyone, and I suspect nothing less than a whole hearted, battling performance will be accepted by Paul Simpson or the fans. Lets face it, if you can't motivate yourself for a derby game, there really is no hope. If we can get that, we certainly stand a decent chance of gaining that elusive first win.
-- Post From My iPhone
Tuesday 31 August 2010
Same old feeling
Well, it's not the Tuesday after the Saturday before, and I'm only now getting to full terms with the Shrewsbury horror show. Again, having not been to the game it's incredibly hard to write a justified opinion, but from what I've seen of the goals and the reports, County were quite simply, awful. The whole performance was summed up by Shrewsbury's second goal - a woeful back pass from midfield, a feeble (if that) attempt to beat the Shrewsbury forward to the ball, a lack of determination to make up for the mistake (Swailes, on both occasions) and a less than convincing effort to save the final shot - all resulted in a gift of a goal to (admittedly) superior opponents.
I mentioned previously about some players needing a big performance to win over the County faithful. Suffice to say that the impressions made by some players were certainly far from positive. Swailes by all accounts had an appalling day (new dad syndrome?); Assoumani - up to now a solid looking defender,simply wasn't at the races; Lynch struggled, the midfield was once again over-run (despite the extra man) and no support whatsoever was given to Donnelly up front. Conlon when he came on was anonymous, while the less said about Proctor the better.
In the end it was 4-0 and in the words of one wag, County were probably lucky to get nil. Paul Simpson summed it up perfectly in his post-match interview - defending that would shame a Sunday League team coupled with a chronic lack of confidence is really hurting the team (and supporters) at the moment. Quite simply, at the moment, County have to score first to stand a chance of getting something out of any game. The problem is however, scoring that goal....
There has however been a slightly more positive development today (Tuesday). Although it's never nice to see people leave (unless their name is Jamie Proctor), County have announced that Gianluca Havern, Sam Hare and Ritchie Partridge have left the club by mutual consent. To be fair, none of them really made that much of an impact - Havern & Hare as youngsters never really broke into the first team picture, while Partridge simply didn't make any impact - a pretty damning statement for a senior player in an otherwise inexperienced squad. What probably also didn't help was his rumoured wages - one of the top earners at the club thanks to the Administrators offering him a new contract over the summer without the consent of the new owners or manager.
So how is 3 players leaving good news? Well for starers it give Simpson a bit more of the wage structure to play with; so much so that Robbie Williams (the footballer) has been signed up permanently. When fit - Williams is a excellent player, and his presence can only be of benefit to the team (he hasn't lost yet in a County shirt - mind you, he hasn't won either). It also means Simpson can look elsewhere - loans, free-agents - to try and bolster a squad crying out for additional bodies. If they happen to be a tough tackling midfielder, all the better.....
I mentioned previously about some players needing a big performance to win over the County faithful. Suffice to say that the impressions made by some players were certainly far from positive. Swailes by all accounts had an appalling day (new dad syndrome?); Assoumani - up to now a solid looking defender,simply wasn't at the races; Lynch struggled, the midfield was once again over-run (despite the extra man) and no support whatsoever was given to Donnelly up front. Conlon when he came on was anonymous, while the less said about Proctor the better.
In the end it was 4-0 and in the words of one wag, County were probably lucky to get nil. Paul Simpson summed it up perfectly in his post-match interview - defending that would shame a Sunday League team coupled with a chronic lack of confidence is really hurting the team (and supporters) at the moment. Quite simply, at the moment, County have to score first to stand a chance of getting something out of any game. The problem is however, scoring that goal....
There has however been a slightly more positive development today (Tuesday). Although it's never nice to see people leave (unless their name is Jamie Proctor), County have announced that Gianluca Havern, Sam Hare and Ritchie Partridge have left the club by mutual consent. To be fair, none of them really made that much of an impact - Havern & Hare as youngsters never really broke into the first team picture, while Partridge simply didn't make any impact - a pretty damning statement for a senior player in an otherwise inexperienced squad. What probably also didn't help was his rumoured wages - one of the top earners at the club thanks to the Administrators offering him a new contract over the summer without the consent of the new owners or manager.
So how is 3 players leaving good news? Well for starers it give Simpson a bit more of the wage structure to play with; so much so that Robbie Williams (the footballer) has been signed up permanently. When fit - Williams is a excellent player, and his presence can only be of benefit to the team (he hasn't lost yet in a County shirt - mind you, he hasn't won either). It also means Simpson can look elsewhere - loans, free-agents - to try and bolster a squad crying out for additional bodies. If they happen to be a tough tackling midfielder, all the better.....
Friday 27 August 2010
Taming of the Shrews?
Firstly, apologies for the lack of a post last week. Being in the North East for the weekend, I watched (via the BBC) as Stockport fell 3-1 at Stevenage; a disappointing result and a missed opportunity to continue the unbeaten run. Saying that, 2 of Stevenages' goals were real belters, and the third was, shall we say, a bit iffy - when they go in you really know it's not going to be your day. About the only good thing that seemed to come out of the trip was another goal for Donnelly. It may be early in the season, but I dread to think what would happen if he gets injured any time soon.
This weekend it's another of the anticipated big guns of League 2 - Shrewsbury Town - who make the (relatively) short trip to Edgeley Park. Shrewsbury are unbeaten in the League so far this season, and come into the game having narrowly lost away to Stoke City in the League Cup. They also come with an expectation that they will be up amongst the promotion contenders at the end of the season. Once again, there is a touch of additional spice to the match; Shrewsbury are another of Paul Simpson's former teams.
The big question for County supporters is which version of their team will turn up? If it's the side that came so close to beating Wycombe then there is a real chance of 3 points. However if it's the side that turned up for Stevenage last weekend, the story may be markedly different.
The key - as always - appears to lie within the midfield. Questions are still being asked about the Tansey-Turnbull partnership in the middle (who is the ball winner and who is the creator?), while the on-loan Proctor could do with a decent performance to win over those fans not exactly enamoured with his (thus far) selfish and lacklustre displays. Furthermore, do you go for the adventurous-but-raw Danny Pilkington or the solid-if-unspectacular David Poole on the right? Either way, support is needed for the blossoming Conlon-Donnelly partnership - given the right service, these two could score plenty of goals.
My gut feeling at the moment is that the Shrews may have a bit too much for a still bedding-in County. A win would be fantastic, so would a draw if I was being honest; but I just think we may be waiting another week before celebrating 3 points.
This weekend it's another of the anticipated big guns of League 2 - Shrewsbury Town - who make the (relatively) short trip to Edgeley Park. Shrewsbury are unbeaten in the League so far this season, and come into the game having narrowly lost away to Stoke City in the League Cup. They also come with an expectation that they will be up amongst the promotion contenders at the end of the season. Once again, there is a touch of additional spice to the match; Shrewsbury are another of Paul Simpson's former teams.
The big question for County supporters is which version of their team will turn up? If it's the side that came so close to beating Wycombe then there is a real chance of 3 points. However if it's the side that turned up for Stevenage last weekend, the story may be markedly different.
The key - as always - appears to lie within the midfield. Questions are still being asked about the Tansey-Turnbull partnership in the middle (who is the ball winner and who is the creator?), while the on-loan Proctor could do with a decent performance to win over those fans not exactly enamoured with his (thus far) selfish and lacklustre displays. Furthermore, do you go for the adventurous-but-raw Danny Pilkington or the solid-if-unspectacular David Poole on the right? Either way, support is needed for the blossoming Conlon-Donnelly partnership - given the right service, these two could score plenty of goals.
My gut feeling at the moment is that the Shrews may have a bit too much for a still bedding-in County. A win would be fantastic, so would a draw if I was being honest; but I just think we may be waiting another week before celebrating 3 points.
Sunday 15 August 2010
The Third Man
Match Summary:
Stockport County (0) 0
Wycombe Wanderers (0) 0
Venue: Edgeley Park, Stockport
Attendance: 3,837
Stockport: fon Williams, Lynch, Williams (Griffin 73), Swailes, Assoumani, Turnbull, Tansey, Poole (Pilkington 77), Rowe (Proctor 61), Donnelly, Conlon
Subs (unused): Vincent, Halls, Fisher, Ormison
Booked: Tansey
Well that's me told. After Friday's prediction of a goal-fest, yesterday's game ended as a 0-0 draw, albeit a fairly exciting one. Mind you, County did pretty much everything right except score - especially in the second half.
The first half was fairly tense - not helped by the fact County appeared to be playing with only 7 men. Once again, the midfield went AWOL, leaving Donnelly and Conlon with a pretty thankless task up front. The best opportunity of the half fell to Williams, whose free kick from just outside the area was well saved low down by Wycombe keeper Bull. Wycombe had their own chance, mainly through the reluctance of fon Williams to come any further than his 6 yard box. Fortunately this was cleared by a defence that looks more assured with each game.
And that was pretty much it for the first half. The biggest question was would Greater Manchester Police bring in the helicopter and dog squad on the search for 4 missing footballers, last reported to be in the Stockport area.
Whatever Paul Simpson said at half time must have done the trick, as County - now playing with 11 men - really set about Wycombe. Suddenly the ball was being played to Rowe (anonymous in the first half) who was enjoying the opportunity to run with the ball, while Poole was working hard on the right wing. Suddenly County looked threatening, and created numerous opportunities that on another day would have been converted. The best of these fell to Donnelly, who could have done better with his one-on-one effort having done the hard work getting into the box. The most criminal miss however came from Swailes, who - with the goal at his mercy - made a rather half-hearted attempt to reach a great free kick from Poole.
The introduction of 3 substitutes didn't disrupt the pattern of play. Proctor came on for his home debut and looked good - however he could really do with looking up once in a while and not thinking he can do it all. His insistence on beating the man 2 or 3 times and not passing to a better placed team-mate seemed to me to show a little bit of disrespect to his colleagues and opponent. The impressive Williams (rightly named as Man of the Match) limped off again to be replaced by Griffin, while Poole (who had a good game) was replaced by Pilkington. Chances continued to be created, but that final, killer touch was lacking. The same was true for Wycombe, a little bit of composure may have seen them snatch an unlikely victory in injury time, but luckily for County, the headed finish posed more of a threat to the corner flag.
So, all in all a good performance, and a point gained that last season would have very easily been lost. County look a lot more resilient, and with the discovery of a killer instinct could do well this season. I'm still not too sure about the midfield; Proctor will make a difference with his willingness to run and shoot, but an experienced head wouldn't go amiss in the centre. What really impresses me thus far is the defence - Assoumani is ridiculously calm, Lynch is solid and hard-working, Swailes never seems to shut up, and Williams - although lacking a bit of fitness - really stands out both at the back and coming forwards. A special mention must also be made about the pitch, which looked immaculate in the summer sunshine. Let's hope it manages to hold up once the rugby season starts.
The match wasn't the highlight of the day though.
Whilst getting my new County top and chatting to the shop assistant, the subject of "Where do you come from?" cropped up.
"Milton Keynes" I replied.
Assistant: "That's a fair way - get to many games?"
me: "A few - mostly away but I try to get to as many home games as I can"
Third man: "That's great commitment to your club. I like that"
The "Third man" only happened to be Paul Simpson! What to do now - ask him how he is finding his time at County? Where does he think the side needs strengthening? Nope - journalism (or spontaneity) was never my strong point, so all I could do was accept his offered handshake and smile, so that exclusive interview with the current County manager will have to wait.
BBC Match report
SCFC Official match report
Stockport County (0) 0
Wycombe Wanderers (0) 0
Venue: Edgeley Park, Stockport
Attendance: 3,837
Stockport: fon Williams, Lynch, Williams (Griffin 73), Swailes, Assoumani, Turnbull, Tansey, Poole (Pilkington 77), Rowe (Proctor 61), Donnelly, Conlon
Subs (unused): Vincent, Halls, Fisher, Ormison
Booked: Tansey
Well that's me told. After Friday's prediction of a goal-fest, yesterday's game ended as a 0-0 draw, albeit a fairly exciting one. Mind you, County did pretty much everything right except score - especially in the second half.
The first half was fairly tense - not helped by the fact County appeared to be playing with only 7 men. Once again, the midfield went AWOL, leaving Donnelly and Conlon with a pretty thankless task up front. The best opportunity of the half fell to Williams, whose free kick from just outside the area was well saved low down by Wycombe keeper Bull. Wycombe had their own chance, mainly through the reluctance of fon Williams to come any further than his 6 yard box. Fortunately this was cleared by a defence that looks more assured with each game.
And that was pretty much it for the first half. The biggest question was would Greater Manchester Police bring in the helicopter and dog squad on the search for 4 missing footballers, last reported to be in the Stockport area.
Whatever Paul Simpson said at half time must have done the trick, as County - now playing with 11 men - really set about Wycombe. Suddenly the ball was being played to Rowe (anonymous in the first half) who was enjoying the opportunity to run with the ball, while Poole was working hard on the right wing. Suddenly County looked threatening, and created numerous opportunities that on another day would have been converted. The best of these fell to Donnelly, who could have done better with his one-on-one effort having done the hard work getting into the box. The most criminal miss however came from Swailes, who - with the goal at his mercy - made a rather half-hearted attempt to reach a great free kick from Poole.
The introduction of 3 substitutes didn't disrupt the pattern of play. Proctor came on for his home debut and looked good - however he could really do with looking up once in a while and not thinking he can do it all. His insistence on beating the man 2 or 3 times and not passing to a better placed team-mate seemed to me to show a little bit of disrespect to his colleagues and opponent. The impressive Williams (rightly named as Man of the Match) limped off again to be replaced by Griffin, while Poole (who had a good game) was replaced by Pilkington. Chances continued to be created, but that final, killer touch was lacking. The same was true for Wycombe, a little bit of composure may have seen them snatch an unlikely victory in injury time, but luckily for County, the headed finish posed more of a threat to the corner flag.
So, all in all a good performance, and a point gained that last season would have very easily been lost. County look a lot more resilient, and with the discovery of a killer instinct could do well this season. I'm still not too sure about the midfield; Proctor will make a difference with his willingness to run and shoot, but an experienced head wouldn't go amiss in the centre. What really impresses me thus far is the defence - Assoumani is ridiculously calm, Lynch is solid and hard-working, Swailes never seems to shut up, and Williams - although lacking a bit of fitness - really stands out both at the back and coming forwards. A special mention must also be made about the pitch, which looked immaculate in the summer sunshine. Let's hope it manages to hold up once the rugby season starts.
The match wasn't the highlight of the day though.
Whilst getting my new County top and chatting to the shop assistant, the subject of "Where do you come from?" cropped up.
"Milton Keynes" I replied.
Assistant: "That's a fair way - get to many games?"
me: "A few - mostly away but I try to get to as many home games as I can"
Third man: "That's great commitment to your club. I like that"
The "Third man" only happened to be Paul Simpson! What to do now - ask him how he is finding his time at County? Where does he think the side needs strengthening? Nope - journalism (or spontaneity) was never my strong point, so all I could do was accept his offered handshake and smile, so that exclusive interview with the current County manager will have to wait.
BBC Match report
SCFC Official match report
Saturday 14 August 2010
Market day
Having risen before the lark this morning, I've already made my way up to Stockport for today's game. I may be 5 hours early, but there is method to my madness.
Saturday is market day in Stockport, and that means cheese, very tasty cheese! I've already been for this trip's consignment: as always the problem has been deciding what to take home!
In fact, that's a problem with the whole food hall. Right now I'm sat in a little cafe with butchers, fishmongers and delicatessens all around me and all buzzing with people. Everything looks tempting but there is only so much that I can take back (both in terms of bulk and not spoiling on the way home).
It's also great for people watching; what is really nice to see is people of all ages using this market to get fruit, veg, meat, tights, socks, bread and even vacuum bags! It is, as every market should be; right at the heart of the community.
Now, how on earth do I get those tasty looking smoked haddock fillets home......
-- Post From My iPhone
Saturday is market day in Stockport, and that means cheese, very tasty cheese! I've already been for this trip's consignment: as always the problem has been deciding what to take home!
In fact, that's a problem with the whole food hall. Right now I'm sat in a little cafe with butchers, fishmongers and delicatessens all around me and all buzzing with people. Everything looks tempting but there is only so much that I can take back (both in terms of bulk and not spoiling on the way home).
It's also great for people watching; what is really nice to see is people of all ages using this market to get fruit, veg, meat, tights, socks, bread and even vacuum bags! It is, as every market should be; right at the heart of the community.
Now, how on earth do I get those tasty looking smoked haddock fillets home......
-- Post From My iPhone
Friday 13 August 2010
Going "home"
Not satisfied with going to Southend last week, I'm off to Edgeley Park tomorrow for the first home League game of the season against Wycombe Wanderers. Over the past few seasons, games against Wycombe (particularly at Edgeley) have usually produced goals by the bucketful - 6-0, 4-3, 3-3.... all (including the draw) in County's favour I may add! My only experience of seeing this particular fixture before was the Play-off semi final second leg 2 years ago; a 1-0 win that sealed a place at Wembley and a date with history. What that game lacked in goals, it certainly made up for in terms of excitement - the only downside was not being able to get directly home afterwards thanks to Virgin Trains' incompetence!
As I've mentioned before, living ~150 miles away makes getting to home games a bit of a trek. Fortunately, the train service between Milton Keynes and Stockport has seen massive improvement (particularly since that previous fiasco I've already mentioned); so much so that I can cover the distance in a little under 90 minutes and - providing I book sufficiently in advance - have enough change from £50 to buy a pie & pint. With Stockport station being less than 10 minutes walk from Edgeley Park, I'll even managed to get a train home fairly promptly - something that even a couple of years ago was not possible.
This is probably the point where I hold my hands up and confess to being a big kid. I am really excited about going to the match tomorrow. There is always something special about that first home game of the season - how does the pitch look? Who will score the first County goal at the Cheadle End? Will the nightmare home performances of last year continue or is this a fresh, bright new dawn? Only time will tell, but for the moment I'm hopeful that the glimmers of promise seen against Southend (and against Preston for 45 minutes in midweek) will continue to grow. Three points wouldn't go amiss either....
Breaking news!!
It appears that Paul Simpson has been well aware of our midfield shortcomings, and has moved to sign Jamie Proctor on a month's loan from Preston. If he's anything like the other Preston players that turned up on Tuesday, there could be a bit of pace and trickery on show down the wing tomorrow.
As I've mentioned before, living ~150 miles away makes getting to home games a bit of a trek. Fortunately, the train service between Milton Keynes and Stockport has seen massive improvement (particularly since that previous fiasco I've already mentioned); so much so that I can cover the distance in a little under 90 minutes and - providing I book sufficiently in advance - have enough change from £50 to buy a pie & pint. With Stockport station being less than 10 minutes walk from Edgeley Park, I'll even managed to get a train home fairly promptly - something that even a couple of years ago was not possible.
This is probably the point where I hold my hands up and confess to being a big kid. I am really excited about going to the match tomorrow. There is always something special about that first home game of the season - how does the pitch look? Who will score the first County goal at the Cheadle End? Will the nightmare home performances of last year continue or is this a fresh, bright new dawn? Only time will tell, but for the moment I'm hopeful that the glimmers of promise seen against Southend (and against Preston for 45 minutes in midweek) will continue to grow. Three points wouldn't go amiss either....
Breaking news!!
It appears that Paul Simpson has been well aware of our midfield shortcomings, and has moved to sign Jamie Proctor on a month's loan from Preston. If he's anything like the other Preston players that turned up on Tuesday, there could be a bit of pace and trickery on show down the wing tomorrow.
Tuesday 10 August 2010
Ouch.
Let's be fair, when supporting County you know it's going to go one of two ways. Unfortunately tonight seems to have gone the (oh so familiar) way of decent performance accompanied by heavy defeat.
By all accounts, the first half was fairly even - County holding their own against a seasoned Championship side. That is, until the stroke of half time, when - just as I was settling down to eat my tea - Preston win a penalty, score and go into the break 1-0 up. Oh well, still 45 minutes to go and still the prospect of a County comeback.
Yeah, right.
This is where being an exile doesn't help. It would appear that County never really recovered from the penalty - and once Preston went 2-0 up (just before the hour mark) it maybe that several heads went (we haven't won since a 1-0 "thrashing" of Exeter, and that was in February). a second penalty made it 3-0, and then 2 more in the final 20 minutes wrapped up what looks like a comfortable 5-0 win for the visitors (early contender for "obvious statement of the season" there). My feeling is that the lack of confidence, together with a lack of fitness may have played a part - this side is still learning "how" to play together, and - as with Saturday - it sounds like the midfield was the weak link. But - as I wasn't there - I can only guess as to what really happened.
Elsewhere tonight, it's been a real treat for shock results - big winner including Southend (typical), Port Vale, Oxford, Crewe Bradford, Accrington, Morecambe (there's more but I won;t go on). Fortunately Saturday's opponents Wycombe have been taken to extra-time (losing 2-1 to Millwall) - although I suspect they won't be the more mentally scarred of the two teams on Saturday.
3,724 attended the match; hope the hotpot and club shop "official opening" was better than the end result.
By all accounts, the first half was fairly even - County holding their own against a seasoned Championship side. That is, until the stroke of half time, when - just as I was settling down to eat my tea - Preston win a penalty, score and go into the break 1-0 up. Oh well, still 45 minutes to go and still the prospect of a County comeback.
Yeah, right.
This is where being an exile doesn't help. It would appear that County never really recovered from the penalty - and once Preston went 2-0 up (just before the hour mark) it maybe that several heads went (we haven't won since a 1-0 "thrashing" of Exeter, and that was in February). a second penalty made it 3-0, and then 2 more in the final 20 minutes wrapped up what looks like a comfortable 5-0 win for the visitors (early contender for "obvious statement of the season" there). My feeling is that the lack of confidence, together with a lack of fitness may have played a part - this side is still learning "how" to play together, and - as with Saturday - it sounds like the midfield was the weak link. But - as I wasn't there - I can only guess as to what really happened.
Elsewhere tonight, it's been a real treat for shock results - big winner including Southend (typical), Port Vale, Oxford, Crewe Bradford, Accrington, Morecambe (there's more but I won;t go on). Fortunately Saturday's opponents Wycombe have been taken to extra-time (losing 2-1 to Millwall) - although I suspect they won't be the more mentally scarred of the two teams on Saturday.
3,724 attended the match; hope the hotpot and club shop "official opening" was better than the end result.
Hotpot or hotch potch?
Tonight sees County play their first home game of the season; a League Cup 1st round match against Championship side Preston North End. Now, being located some 120miles away, midweek home games are fairly tricky affairs to get to (the same can be said for weekend games, as my experience at the play-off semi final proved 2 years ago). So, tonights game will be followed through a combination of Sky, BBC and various iPhone apps.
Hopefully, County will have a better run than last year (we went out in round 1), and the football gods have been quite kind. County have had some decent battles with PNE (from what I can recall), PNE suffered a disappointing home defeat on Saturday and the fact Paul Simpson previously managed PNE obviously adds a touch more spice. Being at home certainly helps, and with reduced admission prices, hopefully a decent crowd will be present (the prospect of free hotpot for fans has certainly caught the imagination).
So, will tonight bring a morale-boosting win (with subsequent glamour match in the 2nd round), or will dreams of Wembley be dashed at the first hurdle. We'll know the answer at 10pm tonight.
-- Post From My iPhone
Hopefully, County will have a better run than last year (we went out in round 1), and the football gods have been quite kind. County have had some decent battles with PNE (from what I can recall), PNE suffered a disappointing home defeat on Saturday and the fact Paul Simpson previously managed PNE obviously adds a touch more spice. Being at home certainly helps, and with reduced admission prices, hopefully a decent crowd will be present (the prospect of free hotpot for fans has certainly caught the imagination).
So, will tonight bring a morale-boosting win (with subsequent glamour match in the 2nd round), or will dreams of Wembley be dashed at the first hurdle. We'll know the answer at 10pm tonight.
-- Post From My iPhone
Saturday 7 August 2010
Southend - Getting there and what to do
Southend - seaside resort of choice for Essex man (and woman), and venue for Stockport's first game in Npower League 2. I've been to Southend a couple of times before, the last being a humbling 3-1 defeat for Sunderland when the travelling support in no uncertain terms informed the players that they were not fit to wear the shirt. This time, I decided to get there early and see a bit of the town - including the seafront and famous 1.5mile long pier (the longest in the world, apparently)
In all honesty, Southend is pretty similar to Blackpool - its got a pier, a mini version of the Pleasure Beach, loads of tacky seaside souvenir shops, and countless Stag and Hen parties (one of the latter certainly looked quite scary, and that's in the daylight). Unlike Blackpool, Southend has a seafront (OK, Estuary front) vista of - the Isle of Grain and the lovely industrial plants thereupon. So, with time getting on (and the aforementioned Hen party getting more boisterous), I resisted the urge to try one of the (numerous) chip/ice cream shops and headed back into town and towards the football ground.
The walk from the seafront to the ground took the best part of 35 minutes, and you walk up a fairly homogeneous, pedestrianised High Street that could be anywhere in the UK today. Southend scores a 2 on the Greggs count, and up towards Victoria station, has several national restaurant chains (Nandos, La Tasca) as well as pubs/cafes, so there is plenty of options for something to eat.
Getting There:
Getting to Southend by train is fairly straightforward from London - all you have to do is decide which of the 2 major stations to go to. If you just want to head straight to the ground, your best bet is to take the National Express East Anglia service from Liverpool Street to Southend Victoria. Trains run every 20 minutes, and typically take just under an hour to reach Southend.
Victoria station itself is roughly a 20 minute walk from the ground - head out of the exit to the right of the barriers, across the car park and head north (i.e., away from town) along Victoria Avenue. Keep going (past the Museum/Planetarium, Library and Civic Centre buildings) until you reach a large crossroads with a pub ("The Spread Eagle" - home fans only) on the left hand side and "The Fish House" fish & chip shop on the right. Here you can enter the stadium "complex" at the main entrance by the club shop - however be warned that there are a ridiculous number of heavy gates (mostly closed) that can block your way to the stand for away fans. Your best bet is to actually carry on walking down the main road to the next junction and turn left along Fairfax Drive. After about 100m you will see an entrance (between houses) signed "Away Fans" - this leads towards the back of the stand and the ticket booth.
Your second option is to use the C2C service from Fenchurch Street to Southend Central. Again, trains run very frequently (every 10 minutes) and take about an hour to reach Southend. This option is better if you want to spend a bit of time in the town centre or on the seafront. To do either, exit the station and turn right towards the High Street (you'll come out on a corner with a Starbucks cafe. Turning right will take you down towards the seafront; turning left will take you up towards Victoria station (about 7 minutes) and the football ground.
There is actually a third station that is closer to the ground - Prittlewell is the final stop before Southend Victoria and leaves you about 10 minutes away from the ground. Exit the station onto East Street (up the steps), go over the railway bridge carry on until you see the Spread Eagle pub and "The Fish House".
The Ground:
Roots Hall is a fairly typical ground belonging to a club that has bounced around the divisions. A classic looking main stand is accompanied by 2 barrel-roofed stands (one at the north side of the ground housing the away fans, the other alongside the pitch), and a narrow, steep stand at the south (Town) end of the ground known as the "Hi-Tec Stand" (surely a case for false advertising if ever there was one). This mix of styles is topped off by a futuristic ticketing system whereby you scan your bar coded ticket to gain entry. A cynic would say that if they'd have spent as much on the team as they had the admission control system, Southend probably wouldn't be in League 2.
The away stand is - well, functional. It's got plastic seats bolted onto the old terracing, numerous pillars that can obstruct your view, toilets that have certainly seen better days, and a small serving hatch selling snacks (sadly, no jellied eels, whelks or rock here). However, the barrel roof really does help to generate some noise, particularly for a vociferous following (like County's). The view (if you avoid the pillars) is pretty good, even from the back of the stand, and you are pretty close to the edge of the pitch (so much so that I got wet from the sprinkler system, and I was sat 7 rows from the front!)
Currently admission prices are £18 adults; £13 Senior Citizens; £12 Students/17-20 yr olds or £10 for under-16's. A £2 discount is available if you book in advance.
Other Links:
Southend United Football Club
Currently admission prices are £18 adults; £13 Senior Citizens; £12 Students/17-20 yr olds or £10 for under-16's. A £2 discount is available if you book in advance.
Other Links:
Southend United Football Club
Match Report:Southend vs. Stockport County
Match Summary:
Southend United (0) 1 Sturrock 90+5
Stockport County (0) 1 Donnelly 83
Venue: Roots Hall, Southend
Attendance: 5,589 (away fans = 372)
Stockport County: fon Williams, Lynch, Swailes (c), Assoumani, Williams (Vincent 81), Poole, Turnbull, Tansey, Conlon (Rowe 81), Donnelly, Griffin
Subs (unused): Partridge, Pilkington, Halls, Fisher, Ormison
Booked: Swailes, Williams, Conlon, Donnelly
Today's match can be summarised as thus: 75 minutes of turgid, early season stuff, followed by 15 minutes of absolute mayhem. The bulk of the first half and second half were pretty uneventful, Southend looked neat, tidy and nippy, but lacked a bit of bite up front (unsurprising given 9 of the starting 11 were debutant's). Stockport on the other hand, looked solid, but just seemed to be lacking that little bit of composure to use what possession they had well (a non-existent midfield didn't really help matters). Stockport gave debuts to new signings Lynch, Assoumani, Williams and Conlon and appeared in their "new 3rd kit" of all white (why?)
Both sides had a few half chances, but a lack of quality meant no-one really had a great opportunity to open the scoring. In fact, the highlight of the first half was an appearance from Southend's rather large physio - and the resultant reception by both sets of fans. Otherwise, it was fairly forgettable stuff in the Essex sunshine.
The second half wasn't really much better - Southend continued to pass quickly but without real precision, while Stockport huffed and puffed but again, a midfield quartet of Tansey, Turnbull, Poole and Griffin really didn't have the strength or the skill to retain, use or regain possession. Stockport thought they scored when George Donnelly tried a long range lob that the Southend keeper did just about enough to keep out (even if he did end up tangled in the goal net), but other than a series of wasted free kicks and corners (for both teams) the match seemed to be drifting towards an early season bore draw.
Then it all went "a bit mental".
Stockport won a throw deep in the Southend half, and as substitute Danny Rowe ran to collect the ball for the throw (I think), the linesman (on the far side to the throw) raised his flag for offside (he thinks). The referee ignored his assistant, who then put the flag down. By this time, Southend's defence had switched off, allowing George Donnelly to fire a shot into the top corner of the goal for a 1-0 lead. Cue pandemonium amongst the away supporters (hey, Stockport had scored and taken the lead in a game for the first time in a very long time), and on the pitch as Southend's players cried foul. After 5 minutes of heated debate (including an alleged spitting incident and resulting 19 man brawl), the referee decided enough was enough and sent Paul Sturrock (Southend manager) to the stands. By this point, Southend were feeling exceptionally hard done by (rightly so if it was a mistake by the linesman) and went all out for an equaliser. The 6 minutes of injury time wasn't really a surprise given what had happened, but was still met with incredulity by everyone. Both sides huffed and puffed, and as the clock approached 96 minutes the inevitable happened. A tired clearance by Mark Lynch went out for a corner; as this was fired in, fon Williams made a move to collect it. Only he didn't - by missing it completely and ending up on the far side of his 6 yard box, Blair Sturrock had the simplest of changes to put away a ultimately deserved equaliser for Southend. This was a real shame for Williams, given his generally good performance and the fact he hadn't missed a cross all day - except when it mattered.
In the end, 1-1 was a fair result. Neither side really deserved or did enough to win, and on this performance neither will be troubling the top of the table. Southend - for all their nifty footwork and fast running, showed that when it didn't go their way they got a bit stroppy; but to their credit, did respond positively to conceding rather than caving in. Stockport - well, the defence was sound (for once) and Conlon and Donnelly were a handful up front. but the midfield was so woefully lacking it was untrue. In fact, Danny Rowe did more in 5 minutes than both Poole and Griffin combined, and the Tansey/Turnbull combo in the middle was painfully short on strength and vision. Nonetheless, this is a game Stockport would have lost last year (actually they did) so to get a point was a good result and a solid foundation to build the season on.
BBC Match report
SCFC Official match report
Southend United (0) 1 Sturrock 90+5
Stockport County (0) 1 Donnelly 83
Venue: Roots Hall, Southend
Attendance: 5,589 (away fans = 372)
Stockport County: fon Williams, Lynch, Swailes (c), Assoumani, Williams (Vincent 81), Poole, Turnbull, Tansey, Conlon (Rowe 81), Donnelly, Griffin
Subs (unused): Partridge, Pilkington, Halls, Fisher, Ormison
Booked: Swailes, Williams, Conlon, Donnelly
Today's match can be summarised as thus: 75 minutes of turgid, early season stuff, followed by 15 minutes of absolute mayhem. The bulk of the first half and second half were pretty uneventful, Southend looked neat, tidy and nippy, but lacked a bit of bite up front (unsurprising given 9 of the starting 11 were debutant's). Stockport on the other hand, looked solid, but just seemed to be lacking that little bit of composure to use what possession they had well (a non-existent midfield didn't really help matters). Stockport gave debuts to new signings Lynch, Assoumani, Williams and Conlon and appeared in their "new 3rd kit" of all white (why?)
Both sides had a few half chances, but a lack of quality meant no-one really had a great opportunity to open the scoring. In fact, the highlight of the first half was an appearance from Southend's rather large physio - and the resultant reception by both sets of fans. Otherwise, it was fairly forgettable stuff in the Essex sunshine.
The second half wasn't really much better - Southend continued to pass quickly but without real precision, while Stockport huffed and puffed but again, a midfield quartet of Tansey, Turnbull, Poole and Griffin really didn't have the strength or the skill to retain, use or regain possession. Stockport thought they scored when George Donnelly tried a long range lob that the Southend keeper did just about enough to keep out (even if he did end up tangled in the goal net), but other than a series of wasted free kicks and corners (for both teams) the match seemed to be drifting towards an early season bore draw.
Then it all went "a bit mental".
Stockport won a throw deep in the Southend half, and as substitute Danny Rowe ran to collect the ball for the throw (I think), the linesman (on the far side to the throw) raised his flag for offside (he thinks). The referee ignored his assistant, who then put the flag down. By this time, Southend's defence had switched off, allowing George Donnelly to fire a shot into the top corner of the goal for a 1-0 lead. Cue pandemonium amongst the away supporters (hey, Stockport had scored and taken the lead in a game for the first time in a very long time), and on the pitch as Southend's players cried foul. After 5 minutes of heated debate (including an alleged spitting incident and resulting 19 man brawl), the referee decided enough was enough and sent Paul Sturrock (Southend manager) to the stands. By this point, Southend were feeling exceptionally hard done by (rightly so if it was a mistake by the linesman) and went all out for an equaliser. The 6 minutes of injury time wasn't really a surprise given what had happened, but was still met with incredulity by everyone. Both sides huffed and puffed, and as the clock approached 96 minutes the inevitable happened. A tired clearance by Mark Lynch went out for a corner; as this was fired in, fon Williams made a move to collect it. Only he didn't - by missing it completely and ending up on the far side of his 6 yard box, Blair Sturrock had the simplest of changes to put away a ultimately deserved equaliser for Southend. This was a real shame for Williams, given his generally good performance and the fact he hadn't missed a cross all day - except when it mattered.
In the end, 1-1 was a fair result. Neither side really deserved or did enough to win, and on this performance neither will be troubling the top of the table. Southend - for all their nifty footwork and fast running, showed that when it didn't go their way they got a bit stroppy; but to their credit, did respond positively to conceding rather than caving in. Stockport - well, the defence was sound (for once) and Conlon and Donnelly were a handful up front. but the midfield was so woefully lacking it was untrue. In fact, Danny Rowe did more in 5 minutes than both Poole and Griffin combined, and the Tansey/Turnbull combo in the middle was painfully short on strength and vision. Nonetheless, this is a game Stockport would have lost last year (actually they did) so to get a point was a good result and a solid foundation to build the season on.
BBC Match report
SCFC Official match report
Friday 6 August 2010
Welcome!
Welcome to my new blog!
After the success of the Tworockdocs blogs, I've decided to take the plunge and blog about my experiences following Stockport County during the 2010/11 season.
I'm hoping that I'll be able to provide very rough (and probably biased) reports on those matches I can attend, together with a bit of reportage of what life is like as a supporter of a League 2 side. This will (hopefully) include a bit about travel, ground guides and - most importantly of all - pie reviews!
Tonight it's the eve of a new season (unless you support Norwich or Watford who are currently in action), and for many Stockport supporters, this is a season that we thought wouldn't happen. Last season was quite simply, a nightmare of epic proportions. A whole season spent in administration together with uncertainty over the very existence of the club, lead rather unsurprisingly to some very limp performances and inevitable relegation. There were very genuine fears that the last game of the season (the latest in the 19 game winless run) would be the last ever game by a Stockport County team.
But now those fears can (to some extent) be laid to rest. A new board (comprised of local businessmen), new management team and (a few) new players mean that County fans can at least look forwards to League 2 football this season. How competitive we will be remains to be seen - a much shorter pre-season (thanks to the protracted process of exiting administration and finding a new manager) means we enter the season several weeks behind other clubs. However, thanks to the hard work of new manager Paul Simpson, it looks like we may at least be able to hold our own this season. Dreams of challenging for promotion may be a bit far fetched at the moment, but I (like most other fans I suspect) would happily settle for a season of mid table obscurity.
Our first test is an away trip to Southend, who have had a traumatic 2010 of their own. Having also been relegated from League 1 last season, Southend very nearly fell victim to the tax man and even now have a couple of dark (if not entirely ominous) clouds on their horizon. Whether any of their 14 pre-contracted players get to play remains unclear, but until their transfer embargo is lifted, they may be limited to fielding untried kids - something County were forced into doing for most of last season.
My feeling right now is that both sides may settle for a draw (although given County's recent form, a draw may be celebrated like a win). Personally, I'll be happy to see a goal, hear the Blue 'n' White Army, and watch a team bedecked in Stockport colours playing professional football.
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