retired_destiny1124

13.9.05
Okay, Danny Morgan is officially turning into a pain in the arse. Morgan, who has just healed up enough from his broken jaw to begin full training, has been griping that he isn't being played in his best position. He has played TWO matches for us so far- one at leftwing and one at forward. He missed training while out with his jaw and I wrote that one off- preferring to ignore it. When he missed training for the second time- this time when I am planning on playing him this week- I gave him an official warning for unprofessional behavior. Morgan turned right around and started griping to the press again that he felt the warning was 'unfair' and that he had been brought to the club under false pretences. I still plan on playing him, but if he continues this kind of insipid attitude, it will be a short stay here- no matter what his talent is...

***

15.9.05
More personnel problems as Ian Dawes wants out. Though I would prefer to keep him, I placed him on the transfer list and set a price on him. He won't move unless someone comes up and meets my modest transfer amount demands, as I don't plan on letting him go on free transfer.

retired_destiny1124

17.9.05
Phoenix Sports (3) Carlisle (1)
Another fightback and another superb win for us as we yielded an early goal but fought back to gain a 3-1 win on the strength of James Graham's hat-trick. They took the early lead when Matthew Blinkhorn escaped the marking of Craig Clark and Eugen Bopp to deflect a cross past Robert Elliott. Elliott shook off that goal and played a terrific match after that as he kept us in the match while they peppered him with good chances through the remainder of the half. Though we didn't deserve it, we headed to the dressing room even at 1-1 when Graham alertly pounced on a loose ball after it trickled through a scrum in front of Anthony Williams. Graham slipped it inside the far post a goal that seemed to really lift us. Midway through the second half, Bopp sent a sizzling pass in from long range and it picked out Graham unmarked in the area. Graham scorched a shot inside the near right post for his 2nd goal of the match and 5th of the season. Graham finished out his hat-trick and clinched the match for us when he was again in great placement as he picked up a loose ball after Dan Dillon made a saving tackle on Anthony Jackson (on for tiring Mark Yeates). Graham's shot into the left side of the net removed much of the visitor's determination and we were able to close out the match quietly in the few minutes left.

retired_destiny1124

24.9.05
Worksop (2) Phoenix Sports (1)
We suffered our first loss in a match we didn't play very well at all. Nothing really worked right for us today- our passing was off, our backline coverage was spotty, we gave them an own-goal and just didn't display our usual gritty determination. Paul O'Brien gave them the lead when he tried to sail a header over the net on a corner- but instead knocked it past Tommy Lee. They scored what appeared to be the clinching goal at 83 minutes when Dene Cropper outleaped Lee and flicked a header past him on a looping cross from Gavin Smith. We showed a little life as Danny Morgan, on for an ineffective Paul Parle, rapped a goal home- but we just didn't have enough time to equalize and fell short in the 2-1 loss.

retired_destiny1124

1.10.05
Phoenix Sports (1) Canvey Island (1)
A golden chance to earn another win fell by the wayside when we allowed visiting Canvey Island to score a late equalizer and had to settle for a 1-1 draw. We worked hard to try and earn a win, but didn't play effectively in the first half as too many passes went awry. James Graham scored early in the second half as we pressured their net and he found a rebound close in that he pushed in for a goal. We didn't show the same solid defensive effort as in past matches and were a bit fortunate that Canvey hadn't equalized earlier in the second half when they drilled a shot off the crossbar. Adam Tann left his challenge to Leon Gordan a bit late and Gordan drove a low shot past Robert Elliott to ruin what had been a good match for Robert Elliott to that point.

retired_destiny1124

5.10.05
Exeter (4) Phoenix Sports (3)
All for naught. It was a great effort on our part and the club was buoyant when Paul Parle scored a dramatic equalizer at 85 minutes. We had fought back from two goals down to get to 3-3 at that point. We were left with nothing when Gareth Sheldon outleaped two defenders on a corner and flicked the match winner past Robert Elliott to send us home with a badly disappointing 4-3 loss. The first half was our undoing as we didn't play well. We just aren't getting the same kind of chances we had on our good string to start the season. Usually this is because of a bad choice or a wasted pass when we are deep in the opposition end. We fell behind 2-0 early in the first half, but Daniel Bent gave us hope when he scored to draw a goal back just shy of halftime. They added another one early in the second half, but David Poole answered midway through with a strong header on a long cross from Parle. Our backline has got to play better if we are to win these types of matches, but today they were very inconsistent again and it cost us dearly.

retired_destiny1124

15.10.05
Phoenix Sports (2) Halifax (0)
It took a strong defensive effort, but we finally made it pay off with a goal in each half to defeat a determined Halifax side. After seeing Ian Dunbavin make a couple sensational saves early on, it was with relief that we greeted Paul O'Brien's 25 yard free kick that hooked inside the left post to give us the first half lead. Tommy Lee made a couple solid saves to keep the match that way heading to the dressing room. Adam Tann alertly headed down the middle of the pitch, and that was all the opportunity David Poole needed as he bulled past Karl Munroe before rocketing a shot past Dunbavin to give us a more comfortable 2-0 lead. We closed the match out strongly with a smothering effort from the midfield to keep the clean sheet for Lee.

retired_destiny1124

18.10.05
Leigh RMI (2) Phoenix Sports (2)
Leigh sure didn't look like a struggling club to us and although this was a match we could have won, I feel fortunate to have escaped with a 2-2 draw this time. James Graham scored to give us an early lead and we spent the first half pressuring them in their end of the pitch. We came close to adding to the lead, but Paul Phillips was steady in net and we were just wide on some good chances. The second half was another tale as the referee started handing out yellow cards. We allowed them an equalizer when poor defensive coverage gave Cameron Jerome room to snap a shot past Tommy Lee. We retook the lead when Thomas boomed home his 2nd goal of the match on a nice pass from Dan Trenkel. The 7 yellow cards really started taking their toll when Adam Tann went off with his 2nd one at 73 minutes. We spent the rest of the match under siege. It looked like we might be able to sneak a win out of the match, but Sean Ardley refused to challenge for a ball in our six-yard box and that allowed Ricky Howarth to score the equalizer (and earned Ardley some enmity from me). They came close to winning the match, but Lee made one save and Kenny Cooper shot wide and over the net on good chances. It was with relief that the final whistle finally arrived.

retired_destiny1124

22.10.05
York (1) Phoenix Sports (1)
Another difficult road match for us and poor finishing again kept us from a better result. We squandered several good chances in the first half and though outplaying the home side went to the dressing room locked in a scoreless draw. Just after I had substituted for skipper Paul O'Brien in the second half, a miscommunication between Gary Sucharewycz and Phil Bolland resulted in Andy Bishop racing in free on Robert Elliott and his low shot skidded past Elliott to give the home side the lead. We were able to answer a few minutes later when Philip Gilder slipped a pass into Anthony Jackson at the edge of the six-yard box and he rifled a shot past Barry Roche to equalize. Neither side could grab the match winner and we settled for another road draw.

***

22.10.05
After the match I received a piece of very good news when touted young defender Ryan Garry agreed to join us on loan for the remainder of the season. The 22 year old DLC has been getting a lot of attention in the Arsenal youth program and was highly sought after- so I am very pleased to add him to the mix for us. He will likely be our starting leftback once he has trained with us some.

retired_destiny1124

27.10.05
It's unfortunate- but the Danny Morgan situation came to a head this week. No matter where I play him in our attacking structure- he feels it isn't his best position, so is unhappy about that. Morgan is spouting off to the press that I don't listen to our players (because he isn't playing where he wants). When he missed practice for the third time (and he is still unhappy about my warning for missing the first time), it was the last straw. Even though he has talent that we badly need- we don't need his attitude. He wound up on the transfer list and offered to clubs. With that in my mind, we needed at least another leftwing for depth and made a 1K offer to Woking for Michael Johnson. They quickly accepted (he had been on transfer list) and it was easy to get a contract done with him, so he will join the club tomorrow. Johnson is a 23 year old ML who a decent level of abilities and should work out well in tandem with Paul Parle. Philip Gilder also remains to help with cover on both wings.

retired_destiny1124

29.10.05
Cambridge City (2) Phoenix Sports (0) FA Cup 4th Round
We didn't play anywhere near well enough to upset Cambridge in our FA Cup 4th round match. Our failures were mostly defensive, as we did manage to outshoot them for the match. Phil Bolland handed them their first goal midway through the first half when he lost the ball in our area to Stuart Niven and Niven drilled it past Tommy Lee. Ten minutes later, Lee pushed Niven on a ball in the air and gave them a penalty kick. Stuart Wardley calmly converted the kick for their 2-0 halftime lead. Our shooting was abysmal in the chances that we had as only one was on net. Overall, it was a poor effort, but given facing a larger side on their home pitch- it was to be expected.

***

30.10.05
The big news today was that Manchester United sacked Ferguson. Birmingham's Steve Bruce is the odds-on candidate to succeed Sir Alex.