The Mighty Wings - a FM08 Dynasty

[WrestleManiac]

Story So Far…

It is the 24th of November 2007. I have been the gaffer at Park View Road for nearly six months. I must confess my surprise on two counts so far: first was my acceptance for the job. I had been watching Welling play since I was eight years old. I still remember my first match at home against Northwich Victoria back in 86 and the glory days of the FA Cup 3rd round tie against Blackburn Rovers in 1989/90; I remember Terry Robbins (our own little Zola), and Terry Reynolds who one played the last 20 minutes of a match with a broken neck after missing a diving header and connecting with the goalpost. So when Paul Websdale, Welling United chairman, took the unprecedented action of advertising the vacant manager’s position in the local News Shopper, I got as excited as the first time I saw a woman naked. Which was very excited.

I sent in my CV (along with my Championship/Football Manager achievements) and after a long wait and yadda, yadda, yadda, blah, blah, blah I was offered the job. It was only a part-time job, but with a wage of £450 per week it was better than the job I had held previously.

My second surprise was how well I was doing. As at the time of writing I am preparing the squad for our F.A. Trophy 3rd Qualifying Round match at home to Warrington. We are 7th in the Blue Square South, in the 3rd round of the Setanta Shield South and fourteen days ago were knocked out of the 1st round of the F.A. Cup at home to Darlington. We fought well and lost 2 -1, with Clark Keltie scoring Darlington’s 89th minute winner.

The transfer budget is £0. But that’s hardly surprising. My loan signings have been James Walker from Charlton (3 month loan. Now returned to The Valley), Sacha M’Baye from AFC Wimbledon(6 months loan), and Ross Gaynor from Millwall (3 month loan).

[WrestleManiac]

Match Preview

Competition: English F.A. Trophy Third Qualifying Round
Venue: Park View Road
Referee: Craig Evans
Weather: Breezy, Shower 3C

Welling Starting line-up: Turner, Cottrell, Ryan, Sinclair, Nethercott, Boyce, Ward, Davis, Carpenter, Gaynor, Coleman Subs: Powell, Patterson, Smith, Blackman, Barness.

Warrington Starting line-up: Parry, May, Mitten, Marsden, Burge, Rowley, Brown, Hackett, Kelley, Cook, Daly Subs: Winterton, Roden, Judge, Baker, Stern

Also Playing

Charlton v Ipswich
Colchester v Crystal Palace
Swindon v Millwall
Newcastle v West Ham

Feel free to post predicions. Will post results tomorrow.

[WrestleManiac]

More sport at www.newsshopper.co.uk

HAMMER’S PAY FOR SLOW START
West Ham were justly punished for their slow start at St. James’ Park on Saturday when Mark Viduka slotted one past Robert Green in the third minute.

Alan Curbishley’s side seemed to come alive after their rude awakening, but going into the interval West Ham were struggling to find the leveller.

The second half was a closer affair, but some neat possessional play by the Newcastle side frustrated the Hammers. Dean Ashton came closest to equalising when his twenty-five yard shot rattled the crossbar.

Curbishley said: “That early goal sealed our fate. In a match like today’s, which had a draw written all over it, it was really down to whoever came out the blocks the quickest.”

Newcastle 1 – 0 West Ham (Viduka 3)

CHARLTON OWE IT ALL TO SOLID SODJE

Sam Sodje deservedly won man of the match in Charlton’s 2 – 1 victory over Ipswich on Saturday. The Nigerian defender, on loan from Reading, was a solid wall in the centre of Charlton’s defence, a feat made more impressive by Cory Gibbs lacklustre performance.

Charlton dominated the match for seventy minutes, although, to be fair to Ipswich, it was a game mostly bogged down in midfield. Darren Ambrose broke the stalemate in the 39th minute with a simple tap in from Neil Alexander’s fumble from Andy Reid’s cross. Charlton captain, Reid, was on the score sheet himself three minutes later with a fantastic pass by Luke Varney left Ipswich’s defence floundering.

With twenty minutes left Ipswich had so far only had one shot on target, but with Charlton falling under the illusionary confidence that a two-nil lead brings they switched off. A poor clearance by Cory Gibbs left the ball perfectly placed for Dan Harding to blast a shot past Nicky Weaver after eighty-one minutes.

Charlton 2 – 1 Ipswich (Ambrose 39, Reid 42, Harding 81)

Alan Pardew said: “That was a great performance from the team, especially Sam who thoroughly deserved the Man of the Match. If we play like that week in week out we’ll be back in the Premiership next season.”

FLETCHER’S GOAL SAVES EAGLE’S EMBARRESMENT

Neither team should have bothered turning up to Crystal Palace’s visit to Layer Road as their wasn’t a single player on the pitch who seemed to know how to kick a ball. Peter Taylor’s side seemed overly confident playing the team bottom of the Coca-Cola Championship and Colchester look like they’ve already given up.

Carl Fletcher scored a scrappy goal just after the interval when most of the Crystal Palace team seemed to have had a go at goal.

Colchester 0 – 1 Crystal Palace (Fletcher 51)

Peter Taylor said: “I’m happy with the result, but the team needs to find their passion if we’re to impress in this league.”

MILLWALL LEADING THE PACK

A sublime performance from Lewis Neal at The County Ground helped Millwall leapfrog Carlisle and Southend to sit precariously on top of Division 1.

It wasn’t the perfect start for the Lions as Swindon took the lead after twenty minutes with a decent goal from Simon Cox. Neal supplied the pass for Daniel Spiller who lobbed the out of position Swindon keeper, Peter Brezovan, pulling things level in the forty-first minute. As Brezovan backtracked he stumbled over his own feet and twisted his ankle with an awkward fall.

The second half saw a more determined Millwall and in the fifty-third minute Colin Nish went on a run and put the Lions in the lead. Zak Whitbread put the game beyond doubt and Millwall on top of the table with a speculative long range effort that was far beyond the injured goalkeeper’s abilities to get close to.

Swindon 1 – 3 Millwall (Cox 20, Spiller 41, Nish 53, Whitbread 71)

Willie Donachie said : “Fate dealt us a hand and taught Swindon a lesson:always have a substitute keeper. That’s not to take anything away from the boys who put on a stunning display of football. Swindon can’t be sour that they lost to such an outstanding performance.”

[WrestleManiac]

Welling United v Warrington Town

FA Trophy 3rd Qual. Rnd.
Attendance: 341
Odds (Sky Bet): Welling: 1-6(Fav) Draw: 5-1 Warrington: 10-1

5 min
The shot’s charged down by Marsden. Gaynor get’s to the loose ball, but he can’t direct it goalwards.

6 min
Jerome Boyce tries to find Coleman with a forward pass to feet. Marsden intercepts with a half volley to Arran Cook. Cook moves forward, plays the ball to Jim Daly. Daly smashes the ball towards the top corner but sends it sailing over the crowd, out the stand and into the side of a passing double decker.

19 min
Sinclair heads the ball out for a corner. Robert Brown aims the corners for the near post, but it is easily intercepted by Davis. Davis moves the ball out the area and sends it upfield. Coleman gets onto the pass, beats the defence, and shoots. The shot is well over.


25 min
Mitten passes low for Barry Keeley to pick up. Keely plays it first time down the left to Brown. Brown centres the ball. Cottrell can’t control the ball. Daly picks it up and moves forward, he tries a shot… side netting.

26 min
Richard Carpenter floats in the free kick. Parry does brilliantly to turn the ball away, but it cannons back off the crossbar. Coleman picks up the loose ball. He’s unmarked! Coleman has the goal at his mercy. OMARI COLEMAN SCORES FOR WELLING!!

44 min
Cook in the clear. That was close. The ball just skimmed the bar.

76 min
Welling switch things around with a triple substitution. Gaynor jogs off and is replaced by Blackman. Smith shakes hands with Ward. Barness on for Cottrell.

81 min
May comes forward. He plays the ball upfield looking for the run of Stern. Nethercott closes in and intercepts. He clears the ball and it lands to Blackman who finds himself with plenty of room. What a miss!!

WELLING Turner(7), Cottrell(6)*, Ryan(7), Sinclair(8), Nethercott(8), Boyce(7), Ward(7)**, Davis(7), Carpenter(7), Gaynor(6)***, Coleman(8) Subs: Powell, Patterson, Smith(7)**, Blackman(6)***, Barness(6)*.

WARRINGTON: Parry(8), May(6), Mitten(7), Marsden(8), Burge(7), Rowley(6)*, Brown(7), Hackett(7), Kelley(6)**, Cook(7), Daly(7)*** Subs: Winterton, Roden(7)*, Judge, Baker(7)**, Stern(6)***

Goal Scorers: Omari Coleman 26

[WrestleManiac]

A WORD FROM THE GAFFER

This evening we welcome George Borg and his Braintree side to Park View Road for a vitally important fixture for both sides. George and his team have had a great season and are vying for a play-off place along with ourselves. Their form is certainly better than ours at present, though, and we both have a full squad.

We have played six games since the 1 – 1 draw against Bath twenty four days ago with only three of those games being league matches. We have been on fire this month and if we can continue that momentum tonight we will be well placed as we head into a busy December.

Although our defence kept a clean sheet on Saturday against Warrington, the problems that have plagued us in the league plagued us during this FA Trophy match. Our statistician counted 18 shots for Warrington with 10 on target. The same on-target count as ourselves. While Omari Coleman did us proud yet again, the stars of the show were really the goalkeepers with Warrington’s Jack Parry deservedly winning Man of the Match.

Looking at the league table, our goals for column puts us third in the goal scoring league, yet our goal difference is only 5+. This stark statistic clearly shows how we seem to be riding our luck with an unwanted reputation of playing a “score more goals than them” style of football. Defence is an area that seriously needs rebuilding, but that is the struggle of non-league football. One must work with what he has rather than what he wants.

Some of the blame should be laid on the shoulders of our veteran individuals who have brought with them, what should be, a wealth of league experience. But football is a team game and the defence, as a whole, needs to work on getting the job done.

Tonight is the end of an important period of three games in six days, so it is crucial that we continue collecting points.

As always, I would like to get behind the players. I thought the support against Warrington Town, especially considering the wasteful nature of the match, was fantastic and we’re going to need a lot more of it today. Let’s hope we can send you all home with a winning result.

[WrestleManiac]

Braintree v Welling

BRAINTREE
1. Scott Laird (GK) 7
2. Liam Bailey 8
3. Jerome Sobers 8
4. Ian Cousins 8
5. Byron Glasgow 8
6. Louis Riddle 8
7. *Ashley Parillon 6
8. James Hawes 8
9. Andy Porter (c) 8
10. ***Leon Archer 9
11. **James Bake 6

12. Nick Morgan
14. ***Phil Maloney 6
15. Matthew Morse
16. **Bradley Quinton 7
17. *Billy Burgess 7


WELLING
1. Jamie Turner (GK) 6
2. **Adam Cottrell 6
3. Robbie Ryan 6
4. Sacha M’Baye 6
5. ***Stuart Nethercott 6
6. Tom Dixon 6
7. Nicky Ward 7
8. Neil Smith (c) 6
9. *Richard Carpenter 7
10. Ross Gaynor 5
11. Omari Coleman 5

12. Marc Powell
14. **Anthony Barness 6
15. Tom Davis 7
16. ***Tony Sinclair
17. *Lloyd Blackman 6
Refereed by: Allan Rawcliffe.

Match Odds: Braintree; 4-5 (Fav) Draw: 2-1 Welling: 3-1

Braintree Milestones: By avoiding defeat Braintree are unbeaten in 8 games.

Welling Milestones: Tom Dixon played in his first league game.
Richard Carpenter played in his 25th league appearance for Welling.

16 min
Archer’s clean through with just the keeper to beat. Turner pushes it away. Archer pounces on the rebound… GOAL!!! That’s his tenth in the league this season.

45 min
Dixon looks for Gaynor. Cousins clears the ball. Sacha M’Baye is first to the ball and puts the ball out for a throw-in. Louis Riddle with the throw-in. Archer loses his man and goes down in the box. Nethercott tripped him. It’s a penalty. Archer rolls up his socks and prepares to take the penalty. That’s his second of the match. 2 – 0.

82min
Sobers finds Porter with a low first time pass. Porter with a great ball for Bradley Quinton beats the Welling defence. He has a go, but Jamie Turner turns the ball away. Leon Archer picks up the loose ball in acres of space and with the goal wide open to him. 3 – 0. That’s his hat-trick.

[WrestleManiac]

FRYATT SHINES AS LEICESTER CRUMBLES

Matty Fryatt won man of the match at Tuesday’s match between Leicester and Charlton at the Walkers Stadium despite the rest of his team failing to show any fight.

Charlton were off to a flyer with a fourth minute goal by Zheng Zhi. The 27 year old Chinaman found himself one-on-one with Leicester keeper Marton Fulop and he made his placed shot to the far right of the Hungarian look easy and effortless.

The away side dominated the first half in every way, but failed to increase their lead even though they had plenty of chances. This was in no small part due to Fulop who, despite getting beaten three times, pulled out an impressive performance. Leicester came out after the interval like a team that had been properly told-off by their manager and within eleven minutes of the restart Fryatt equalised with a goal almost identical to Zhi’s earlier effort.

After 62 minutes Andy Reid floated a beautiful pass over the defence and as the Leicester defenders moved forward a perfectly timed run from Luke Varney left Fulop once again fatally exposed.

To cap off a fantastic, but unfortunate performance from Fulop, in the 72 minute he saved a decent enough penalty from Todorov, but the Bulgarian was first to the rebound and slotted goal number three past Leicester’s keeper.

Six minutes later Fryatt’s second was no more than a consolation goal as Charlton ran down the clock for the remainder of the match. Leicester should feel lucky that they managed to make Charlton sweat in the second half, but they far from deserved it. Charlton thoroughly deserved to win by a more dominating margin.

Leicester 2 – Charlton 3