Emm

2014 September.

England beat Albania 3-0 In the Euro Qualifying Group 7.

N.Ireland beat Israel 1-0 but Hughes didn't make the match squad :thdn:.

Home to Tiverton. Despite going behind early on, a goal from Saunders and a brace from MOM Oli gave us 3 more points. The player who really impressed was skipper Gary White playing at right back. He set up 2 of the goals and was a constant thorn in Tiverton's side.

After 6 games we sit 2nd in the league behind Chelmsford. Havant & Waterloovill are 3rd, (first 3 seperated by goal difference). Weymouth and Eastleigh are the other teams yet to face defeat.

I've managed to nick a couple of players from Barnet on loan . Peter Jones is a 22 year old striker who looks like he should score at any level. He's already found the net for the Bees this season and is unhappy as he has only made 2 starts. He will start on the bench against Billericay during the week. Peter Graham is a the 23 year old striker who joined me at Boro last season but was injured in his first and only game. They both played for the Reserves today and while Jones grabbed a brace and the MOM award, Graham looks a little short of match fitness.

Ben Saunders is rested away to Billericay and is replaced by David Thomas. Billericay haven't won in their last 6 games but they haven't been beaten either. We haven't lost in our last 6, but have drawn our last 2 away games. Could this be a bore draw? Mark Hughes Snr puts us 1 up 5 minutes before half time and we make it to the break with our lead intact but their left winger is causing us all sorts of problems . He's made 7 key passes in the first half and is clearly a danger himself as he has scored 5 goals from 6 starts already this season. I decide to put a marker on him and Joe Bruce comes on to do a job for me at the expense of Oli. 2 minutes in and we get a penalty for handball. Miller isn't playing so 16 year old left back Chris Matthews steps up and converts comfortably for his first senior goal :thup:. Adam Hall makes it 3-0 and in doing so secures the MOM award. Ashton hardly got a kick in the 2nd half as my tactics paid off .

That was our best win so far :thup:. Nullifying Ashton so completely was especially pleasing. Chelmsford dropping points away to bottom of the table AFC Wimbledon made my day even better. We sit top of the table for the first time .

This time Peter Graham bags a brace for the Reserves and Peter Jones has to settle for a single goal. Things are coming along quite nicely up front .

Emm

For the weekend visit of 20th placed Tamworth I decide to shake things up a little. Nicky Eyre stays in goal because I haven't got a reliable replacemant, Joe Bruce replaces Gary White at right back after his excellent man marking job in the 2nd half against Billericay :thup: and Scott Clark comes in at left back in place of last weeks penalty king Chris Matthews. Jamie Smith and 16 year old Chris Charles come in for Jackson and Morgan at Cente back. Adams and Battersby play in the middle as Hughes is rested and Leach continues on the left and Miller is brought back on the right to add some experience. Up front I partner Jones and Saunders and Thomas warms the bench. Other subs are Mick Murray, Michael Murphy, Derek Kavanagh and Steven Kearney.

Saunders is tripped in the area after only a couple of minutes, only for Miller to see his 2nd penalty of the season saved . Thomas then gets a goal of his own as he slams home the re-bound after Jones has a shot saved. 16 year old centre back Chris Charles get the MOM award on his debut.

Eastleigh lost at home to Sutton so now there are only 4 unbeaten teams in the league :thup:.

Peter Graham scores again for the Reserves. He's doing everthing right and will play next week if things don't go well this weekend in the FA Cup against Aylesbury.

retired_noormanl

Despite the fact it seems you couldn't manage your way out of a paper bag, I'm really enjoying this

KUTGW mate.

Emm

I select the strongest team possible in our first cup game. The FA Cup is a huge competition, and the possibility of a run with some much needed gate receipts is a big factor. Despite that, the name of Grays will not be in the hat for the next round despite the away team not having a single shot on target in the whole game . Kevin Morgan got us off to an awful start as he passed the ball comfortably into his own net past a disbelieving Nicky Eyre . I wasn't too concerned as we soon had Aylesbury on the back foot, enjoying the lions share of posession and creating numerous chances :thup:. Despite creating chance after chance, we couldn't hit a barn door :kris102: and of our 14 shots, only 1 was on target . It was comfortably saved and we lost 1-0 thanks to Morgan's howler . Aylesbury having a striker sent off within the first half hour actually did us no good at all. They were a goal up, so just 'parked the bus' as Jose would say. I was resigned to going out long before the end and it came as no shock when the final whistle was blown and we were out of the Cup .

After the game, I was jostled by a number of home supporters.

Terry Hall called me a nerd and said it was both sad and disgraceful what I had done to Eastbourne Boro. Now I was doing the same here and he wanted me out.

There was another bloke in tears. He tried to talk to me through sobs but I couldn't understand his strange accent.

Iain Bartholomew screamed at me that I sucked and then stuck his tongue out at me.

Another known simply as 'Formy', told me that I couldn't manage my way out of a paper bag before punching me right on the nose.

Emm

With blood streaming down my face I ran to my car and got in before speeding away to safety.

For the first time this season we had failed to score. Both Oli and Thomas will pay for their inept performances and my pain and embarrassment with their places .

A morale sapping loss before the Weymouth game was the last thing that I needed . Peter Jones and Ben Saunders try and forge a new partnership up front and Peter Graham warms the bench after his excellent showing in the Reserves recently. The rest of the squad stay the same in an attempt to rebuld their confidence.

The bookies make us slight favourites, but Weymouth are currently on a sixteen match unbeaten run :eek:. I will be happy with a draw. We get a great start as we awarded a penalty within the opening 5 minutes for handball . 16 year old Chris Matthews shows Miller and Jackson how to take a penalty as he converts his 2nd of the season . Weymouth hit back with a double before half time :kris102:. The first goal causes uproar as an indirect free kick goes straight in and is allowed to stand by idiot referee Richard Powell . Matthews gives away a penalty which they convert for a 3-1 lead and then misses one of his own to join the missed penalty club .

A loss in the cup and now a loss in the league to one of our closest rivals . We've now only converted 2 of 6 penalties awarded . I was hoping that Matthews might prove to be the exception to the rule.

BarryLFC

OK, still a good story, but the faces are hurting my eyeses.

Emm

Away to mid table Dorchester, we look to get back on track with a win, but even a fit of crockery smashing at half time cannot encourage them enough to make a difference in a game that we lose 1-0 with barely a whimper.

From 8 games without defeat, we have plimmeted to 3 consecutive losses .

Our next 3 league games are all at home and I plan to get the Grays express train back on track with a mid-week win at 7th placed Salisbury.

Emm

******** NEWSFLASH*******31st September 2014

Jordan admits he may need to leave Denbigh North.

Reports today are suggesting that MK Dons goalkeeper Michael Jordan could be leaving the club in the near future.

Jordan was signed from Barnet in January this year, for a fee of £2,000,000 and it remains to be seen whether he will see out the remaining two and a half years on his contract, or whether The Dons will seek to off-load him. He is currently valued at only £800,000 and it appears that ex Barnet Manager Jim Kavanagh did a shrewd bit of business by selling him and making a tidy profit at the same time.

Emm

********NEWSFLASH********1st October 2014

Jordan told to wait until the season is over.

Upon learning that Michael Jordan has told the media that he feels he may need to leave Denbigh North, Milton Keynes Dons boss Ronnie Moore is understood to have told his 29 year old keeper that he will only allow him to move at the end of the season. Moore added that while he understood Jordan's need to move on to bigger and better things, he is not prepared to break up his squad during the current campaign.

The Dons are currently 19th of 24 in League 1 and rely heavily on the keepers ability. Jordan has kept 5 clean sheets this term and only conceded 12 goals in 12 games. While his ability is not in question, his temperament and loyalty certainly are.

Emm

Gary White, Kevin Nolan and Kevin Byrne have all been selected for the Republic of Ireland U21's

Michael Murphy has also been called up and joins the N.Ireland U21's squad.

Against Salisbury, Nolan celebrates his call up to the U21 squad with a 2nd minute goal from a close range header and we still lead only 1-0 when they are reduced to 10 men early in the 2nd half. That we don't manage to extend our lead is largely down to good Salisbury defending. That and the fact that they literally just kicked us off the park in the 2nd half. They received 8 yellow and 1 red card for their troubles and both 19 year old left winger Kevin Byrne and striker Peter Jones required treatment after the game. Jones may be out for up to 3 weeks. Still, at least we are back to winning ways :thup:.