Frankles

It's taken me the best part of a week to read all of this from start to Crewe and it's been great. Every step is still a surprise for me since I haven't read this before, but I'm hoping you might get a chance to play against Leo again one day in the top flight.

Great story!

Gricehead

Thanks Frankles. Guess it won't get your vote in Story most in need of Euthanasia in the Grumpies then?

Gricehead

It really is all change, as next up is the Vans Trophy against Darlington. In come: Elgert, Ifil, Collins, Foley Sheridan, Browne, Cameron, Kitson and Hill! Still a strong side! Hill takes the captains armband for this contest. 867 fans witness a very big day for our German full back Andreas Elgert. Taking advantage of Darlington's formation, Elgert got forward and received the ball from Browne, burying it with his right foot as though it was something he did every game. We all know it wasn't, in fact it's 50 games since he last scored! The height of the moment was dampened somewhat when Gary Fletcher equalised four minutes later, and that remained the scoreline at half time.

Hill was withdrawn shortly after half time. He's one player who will certainly have to buck his ideas up to earn a new contract! On came Riordan, looking to stake his own claim, but it was Bill Browne who successfully got onto the end of a cross by Kitson to retake the lead. Having dones his bit at providing, Kitson volleyed home a cross by Foley Sheridan to make the result safe. Great, another fixture to add to the list!

Vans Trophy, Northern Section 2nd Round. 11th January 2005.
Stalybridge 3 Darlington 1 Elgert 21 Browne 62 Kitson 76 / Fletcher 25

Hull at home in the next round. Last time we played them was in this very competition, and we beat them then. We're a stronger team, now. Go figure. Looking at our fixture list, the end of January looks pretty scary. Manchester United at home followed by Millwall away! For some reason, presumably Man Yoo's European commitments, there is a whole month between the first and second legs of the semi final.

Gricehead

Big, big defensive crisis ahead of the game with Luton on Saturday. Ifil twists his ankle in training on Friday, and Johnson is suspended, so Challinor is the only first choice centre back available. The question is whether I should bring in Howells or Hocking, or move Burns or Jaszczun in from the full back position. It's Challinor's 100th game, and youngster Howells wins the call to partner him. The rest of the team are the first choicers as in the Crewe game.

Super Seany Friars! That's what 6470 fans Stalybridge fans are singing just after the 5 minute mark. The Northern Irish man really is on fire at the moment, and his goal, provided by Harris, set this game off and running. For most of the rest of the half, we were under pressure from Luton's attacking pair of Chris Twiddy and Liam George. Nothing really came of it though, and we were quite comfortable at the break. The second half was a different matter though, and Twiddy will be kicking himself ten minutes in. His first shot was saved well by Batty, but he hit the second attempt over the bar when it would have been easier to score. And that really was the story of Luton's game. I was intensely relieved when the referee finally brought the game to an end. Man of the match to Dean Harris, crosser extraordinaire.

Division 2 Game 27. 15th January 2005.
Stalybridge 1 Luton 0 Friars 6

In the post match press conference, I try to slip in some comment about being happy to have reached 50 points and be safe. Somehow, I don't think it went down well. It is only January, after all!

Peacemaker7

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Gricehead:
Thanks Frankles. Guess it won't get your vote in _Story most in need of Euthanasia_ in the Grumpies then? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I've got a feeling you're gonna be a wee bit dissapointed come the night

Gricehead

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Peacemaker7:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Gricehead:
Thanks Frankles. Guess it won't get your vote in _Story most in need of Euthanasia_ in the Grumpies then? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

I've got a feeling you're gonna be a wee bit dissapointed come the night <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Who defines disappointment?

Gricehead

For the seventh week in a row we have a midweek fixture, but at least it's a home game. Swansea are the visitors, and Paul Ince's side are still struggling near the foot of the table. Back comes Ross Johnson for us, having served his suspsension. Foley Sheridan and Browne come into midfield, and Kitson starts up front.

Our lowest league attendance since the first home game of the season, 6451, witness what would probably have been one of our easiest wins. Would have been, had it not been for referee Richard Sironval. His decision to send off Jason Batty for an alledged offence at a corner has to rank as the worst I'd seen all season! Acuña had already put us ahead early on with a fine shot, but the penalty that accompanied Batty's red card made things level. Paul Hulse came on at the expense of Richie Barker, as we went one up front and looked to hold on to the point. I'd not taken into account the goal hunting skill of Dave Kitson, however, and the lone forward put us back in front 3 minutes later.

Credit to Hulse, who with only reserve team practice behind him did an excellent job throughout the second half when called upon. It was surprisingly straightforward though. Man of the match to the Chilean, for his goal and for setting up Kitson, as well as his usual solid defensive holding role.

Division 2 Game 28. 19th January 2005.
Stalybridge 2 Swansea 1 Acuña 4 Kitson 34 / Sidibe 31(pen) (Stalybridge's Jason Batty sent off, 31)

The result pleases the board, who seem pleased at anything these days! I'm more concerned with getting into the office to complain about the horrendous refereeing and to appeal Batty's sending off.

Gricehead

Two days pass before the FA get back with their decision. In a strange contradictory statement they say that the referee is right, but that I have good grounds for appeal. Helpfully, they reduce Batty's ban by a single match. He'll only miss two now.

Off to Darlington, for Tommy Jaszczun's 100th appearance. They are 19th, and this is the third time we've played them this season. Going by the previous encounters, there should be goals as we scored three both times. I make no changes for this one, not with Manchester United coming on Wednesday!

I think everybody is guilty of not having their mind on the matter in hand. It wouldn't surprise me if Tommy Taylor's teamtalk hadn't consisted of something to that effect. Certainly, Darlington came out the hotter, and the opening goal from Ian Hendon comes at the end of a concerted few minutes pressure. It was by no means a walkover for the side from the North East. We had a reasonable number of chances to equalise, but the final touch was never quite there. Maybe the number of games is finally catching up with us? Whatever, this is certainly a game worth forgetting.

Division 2 Game 29. 22nd January 2005.
Darlington 1 Stalybridge 0 Hendon 5

Northampton's 2-2 draw at Luton means we only drop 1 more point behind them. There's extra pressure on them, too, as rumour has it that Peter Weatherston may be getting snapped up by Chelsea. Watford have snuck up on the rails onto 54 points with us. Reading the divisional statistics bulletin, it's clear where our potential problem lies. Without Leo, we have no player in the top 40 scorers.

Gricehead

Sean Rogers submits a scout report for Manchester United which can only be described as a classic. It reads: Manchester United have a World Class team. Ruud van Nistelrooy is a prolific striker with great pace. The Stalybridge defence will have to pay close attention to his runs.
No shït, Sherlock! You could have figured that out by watching Sky!

The unfortunate Tommy Jaszczun picks up a bruised shin in Monday training, meaning he will miss the biggest game at the Bower Fold ever. With Ross Johnson Cup tied, and Morgan and Ifil injured, it will be a very makeshift defence that have to deal with whoever Martin O'Neill chooses to play up front. The back four are, almost by default, Elgert, Challinor, Ronnie Howells and Burns. The four in midfield are the usual suspects, with Ommel replacing Barker up front. Martin O'Neill is doing us few favours though. The attacking players in their 3-5-2 lineup would grace just about any world eleven: Yorke, Cole, Zidane, Scholes, Veron. Everyone has their weak point, though, and I've got a feeling that left wing back Quinton Fortune may be Manchester Uniteds. He's had very little action this season, either at first team or reserve level.

The official attendance at the Bower Fold is given as 6456, though I have suspicions that maybe the chairman is trying to cream off a few quid as there is no way that any seat is unoccupied tonight. You'd worry if it was! It's another miserable pennine night, though, and the game only gets the go ahead after a pitch inspection. As the teams run out, the crowd erupts, and the night sky is filled with blue and white balloons. They believe, they really believe. I just hope we can live up to their expectations.

But, as I feared, it's more a case of lambs to the slaughter. Scholes gets on the end of a Cole cross in the third minute, and Dwight Yorke gobbles up a cross by Zinedine Zidane in the eighth. Some of the players out there are looking like rabbits dazzled by headlights, and the elation has turned to desperation on the fans faces. Every single Stalybridge fan has a friend or relation who supports Manchester United, and you can bet they've been taking "small club" stick over the weeks building up to this fixture. Now it's looking like a hammering, and they'll not be relishing going to work on Thursday morning. It gets worse before the half hour work, as Andrew Cole's hard work pays off to make it 3-0. We do, eventually, manage to get a shot on target, and to be fair we have a reasonable amount of play in the last fifteen minutes of the half. Kitson pulls three decent saves from Barthez, and Challinor has a header palmed away. Indeed, Kitson causes the defence such a problem that Zidane is forced to hold him back and pick up a yellow card.

It's a group of disconsolate players that troop into the half time dressing room. There's not much we can do to lift their heads, they know they've been outplayed. So we tell them to forget the first half, forget the tie as a whole. Just go out and get something from the second half for the fans. Had Paul Scholes repeated his tricks from the first half early in the second, I fear to think what would have happened, but as it was he blasted over the bar, and the lads upped their game no end. Batty drew some inspiration from a double save at the feet of Andy Cole, and managed to keep a clean sheet for the rest of the half, whilst in the 86th minute Sergio Ommel got onto the end of a Liam Burns cross and headed the ball beyond a stationary Barthez. That's more like it! It was sufficient to earn a hearty ovation at the final whistle.

League Cup Semi Final, First Leg. 26th January 2005
Stalybridge 1 Manchester United 3 Ommel 86 / Scholes 3 Yorke 8 Cole 27

Ok, so at least we've got a money spinner to come in the second leg! It's going to be a challenge trying to motivate players for a trip to Millwall on Saturday though.

Gricehead

Off we head for our second visit to the Lion's Den. A slightly dejected team have had their spirits slightly raised by the return to fitness of club captain Chris Morgan. He comes straight into the side, with Johnson on the bench in case he breaks down on his comeback. Friars and Harris aren't fit, so in come fresh young legs in Foley Sheridan and Browne. My hopes are raised slightly when I see the Millwall teamsheet. It's more or less the same team that we faced earlier in the year.

It looks like we might be on target to repeat the trick, when Bill Browne converted a wayward cross from Mackie into an excellent strike at goal. That triggered a rare change of tactics, as we packed the defence to keep the Premier League team at bay. For the next 40 minutes, Batty had only one shot to save. Naturally, Millwall were starting to apply pressure, and the last five minutes of the half were spent almost entirely in the Stalybridge third of the field. Batty did us proud, though, keeping Kinet and co at bay. In fact, we might have extended our lead with a breakaway goal right on half time had Ommel done better with a free header.

I congratulated the guys on their first half performance, but as a tactical twist I sent them out to attack for the first five minutes. Let's see if we could get a second goal to kill off the tie! Again Ommel had the chance, and again he could only shoot over the bar. Straight down the other end, and Bircham made good progress down the wing, beating Browne and Acuña, before swinging in a cross. Batty rose and elected to punch, but the ball fell at the feet of Richard Sadlier, who showed Ommel how to do it. At 1-1 I was torn between pushing for another goal and sitting back and defending. It didn't really matter, as the ball was leaving our half too rarely to actually make a difference. The Chilean picked up a yellow card for holding onto a Millwall shirt, and twenty minutes later saw red for a trip on Bircham. That's the end of our attacking ambition, as we try and get back behind the ball, but the Premiership outfit took advantage whilst we were trying to reorganse. A layoff by Greek midfielder Charalabos Mouratidis left Kinet with a simple chance to score his first of the season. Collins had our last chance of the game, but volleyed wide under pressue from the Millwall defence.

FA Cup 4th Round. 29th January 2005.
Millwall 2 Stalybridge 1 Sadlier 48 Kinet 73 / Browne 2 (Stalybridge's Clarence Acuña sent off, 72)

Three defeats in a row. It's the first time that's happened since January last year. The Sunday tabloids are full of rumours that Carlisle want to sign the Chilean for £3,600,000. All those zeroes make me chuckle, but I'm not drawn into any comment.