retired_jgirl87

21st February 2004:

Everyone is in a good mood as we prepare for the first game after the winter break. The weather is crisp and clear and we are anxious to get out on the pitch. Our opponents are Aluminium, who are bottom of the table, so we feel that our chances are very good for a win on the restart of the competition.

Mr Gorniak has named the line-up that has served us well for the last half dozen games before the break, although Tomasiak has forced himself into the starting eleven in place of Gawronski. The team is in a 4-1-3-2 formation as follows: Borkowski; Osinski, Nowak, Kowalski, Smolinski; Klepczynski; Jozwiak, Kowalczyk, Mathieson; Tomasiak and Folc.

It takes only 49 seconds for Radomsko to take the lead. Aluminium are still sorting out their defensive marking when Kowalczyk glides through the centre of their defence to collect Jozwiak’s pass and place the ball around the keeper from the edge of the box. Tomasiak runs onto Kowalczyk’s headed flick after 4 minutes, dribbles around the keeper and slots it in for 2-0, then scores his second of the match after 17 minutes when Kowalczyk unselfishly squares a pass to leave Tomasiak with a simple tap-in. Everything that Tomasiak touches turns to gold and he believes that he has his hat-trick after 24 minutes as he deftly deflects Klepczynski’s long range shot past the goalie. The linesman has other ideas though and it is ruled out for offside. Tomasiak doesn’t have long to wait for his hat-trick as I get a good pass from Smolinski in the 27th minute and sprint past the full-back before crossing to the near post where Tomasiak meets it with a bullet header. The Aluminium keeper somehow claws it away, but Tomasiak gets to his feet to smash home the rebound. Our supporters are loving this performance and Tomasiak is beaming as the crowd chant his name and salute our fourth goal. But there is still more to come as the hapless Aluminium defence are pulled to the right side of the pitch, then a superb cross-field pass from Klep lands at my feet on the left wing. I make it to the bye-line and cut the ball back for Tomasiak, but he steps over it, totally fooling the defence and leaving Folc with a simple finish. We round off the first half with a sixth goal in the 39th minute as Osinski finds Tomasiak on the right and he cuts inside before sending a searing low shot across the keeper and into the far side of the net.

Having taken a 6-0 lead into the half-time break, the fans would surely have expected several more goals in the second half. But like our match against LKS Lodz in Round 18 we failed to expand on our excellent start. There were a couple of half-chances which were not taken, but on the positive side Borkowski had only one save to make. After 76 minutes Dziuba replaced me as I started to feel the effects of my time in Belgium and the travelling back home. Gawronski also replaced Tomasiak who received a standing ovation for his four goal performance. Needless to say Tomasiak got one of Mr Gorniak’s famous bear-hugs when we returned to the dressing-rooms after the match.

Polish Division 2 – Round 20
Radomsko 6-0 Aluminium
Kowalczyk 1, Tomasiak 4, 17, 27, 39, Folc 37

27th February 2004: (morning)

I got a call this morning from Angie Postecoglou, the Australian Under-21 coach. He asked how I was and how I had felt after the games in Belgium. He went on to say that he had been happy with my form and that playing senior football in Poland was obviously helping my development. I asked him if he had any plans for using me further. He said that he couldn’t confirm anything definite, but that I was probably his back-up left winger for the upcoming Olympic Games tournament in Athens in August 2004. I felt a real rush of adrenalin at the thought of playing in such a major world event as the Olympic Games. Mr Postecoglou promised to try and see me play later in the season, or at least have his scout Tony Watson watch me again. I hung up the phone and did a little dance of joy in my lounge room.

27th February 2004: (evening)

It is time for our longest away journey of the season – a 450 kilometre trip to the north-west of Poland to Szczecin right on the border with Germany. The club has decided that we will travel by bus on Friday evening and stay in a hotel overnight so that we can have a light loosening-up run on Saturday morning before the match. We have 29 people on board with the players plus officials. I’m sitting with Smolinski who is becoming one of my newer friends and we are practising Polish and English. Kowalski starts singing an old Polish folk song and several of the senior players join in. Leszczynski gets out his banjo and tries to play along, but it is not really suited to the song. Someone calls out “Australian folk song”. I don’t know anything except Waltzing Matilda, so I start to sing that, but after a verse or so they all start to boo and hiss, then several soft drink cans fly in my general direction, so I shut up. And so the frivolity goes on for several hours until we reach Szczecin.

28th February 2004:

There are no changes to the team for the match against Pogon. Their stadium holds 25,000 people, but there are only about 3,500 fans in attendance, so it is no wonder that the club is bankrupt and in receivership at the moment.

Pogon start very brightly and we are on the ropes for the first 20 minutes. I spend much of that time trying to cover their right-back who is intent on overlapping as much as possible. Thankfully our defence is on song and any threatening attacks are firmly dealt with. Klep takes a knock to his left ankle and must leave the field after 15 minutes with Kurek coming on to replace him. Our first serious attack after 27 minutes results in the opening goal when Smolinski’s cross is headed down by Kowalczyk and Folc volleys in from twelve yards. Ten minutes later and Kowalski seriously misjudges a long pass allowing his opponent a clear run on goal. Borkowski races from the net in an attempt to clear the ball, but the Pogon striker is first to it and he slides it past our keeper for the equaliser. Pogon have been good value for their 1-1 half-time score-line and we know that we will have to be very determined in the second half to get a result today.

Borkowski keeps the scores level with three fine saves early in the second half. Pogon have a Brazilian pulling the strings in midfield and Kurek is having trouble shackling him. Folc picks up a thigh strain and Gawronski joins the fray in his place at the 61st minute mark. Balecki also comes on at the same time for Jozwiak on the right of midfield. These changes seem to freshen up our play and Balecki intercepts a poorly-taken free-kick before sliding an inch-perfect pass in to the path of Gawronski who runs on to the fire the ball past the Pogon keeper after 70 minutes. You can see the heads drop on our opponents as they go behind after all their possession and domination. It takes another 18 minutes however before we can kill off the game. Kowalczyk heads on a long clearance and Tomasiak is clean through. Tomasiak’s shot rebounds off the post and falls to Kowalczyk who is following up and he has no trouble in prodding the ball into the empty net. Finally in injury time we take the score to 4-1 when Gawronski’s shot is smothered by the keeper, but Tomasiak lunges in to scuff the ball over the line. It has been a courageous effort by Pogon, but we are very proud of the way we weathered the storm and took control of the match in the final stages.

Polish Division 2 – Round 21
Pogon 1-4 Radomsko
Folc 27, Gawronski 70, Kowalczyk 88, Tomasiak 90

retired_lomie

Ain't this the same story you posted on www.championshipmanager.co.uk?

retired_jgirl87

Everyone seems very keen to point out that they have seen this story somewhere else previously.

Yes, this has been posted by me earlier this year on two other boards.

Is there a problem with submitting a story that was written earlier and which the majority of people on this board will not have seen before?

I'm not trying to claim it is the world's best story, I'm not trying to scoop any awards or take credit away from anyone else, I'm just sharing something which I am proud of having written.

If the management here at CMS feel that it is inappropriate to post this story here, then I will cease immediately.

retired_embartl

Nah, nothing wrong at all IMO. I've never seen it before, and I'm not sodding off to that site either :p

Anyway, very enjoyable this - and your personal form seems to be matching the clubs KUTGW.

retired_jgirl87

Cheers BoN, thanks for your comments. :thup:

No-one else has said anything, so I'll keep on posting.

There is a brand new story from me coming up after I finish posting this.

retired_jgirl87

3rd March 2004:

A mid-week game against mid-table Stasiak Opoczno and this is the sort of game that we must take maximum points from. No changes to the team tonight for Mr Gorniak as we look to draw away from Podbeskidzie in second place.

Stasiak Opoczno make their intentions obvious straight away as they line up with a 3-5-2 formation designed to curb our wingers and pack the centre of midfield. Consequently there are few chances created in the first half with our closest efforts being a 25 yarder from Klep that skims the top of the bar and a rising shot from me on my weaker right foot that goes a foot or two too high. Kowalczyk is currently the division’s top scorer with 23 goals and he has been marked out for some rough attention by the opposition defenders. Twice he is caught by late tackles and a third one ensues midway through the opening half which wrenches his knee and forces him from the ground. I move to the attacking midfielder’s role and Dziuba comes onto the left wing. In injury time at the end of the first half I chase a through ball from Klep but it appears to be the keeper’s ball. However it suddenly strikes a divot and the keeper totally misses it. I sprint again and throw myself at the ball just as it rolls against the post. There is an almighty thump as I crash against the post and roll to one side. I can’t see the ball, but I hear the crowd let out a moan. I finally recover my senses and see the ball nestled in the side-netting, but unfortunately it’s on the wrong side of the goal. So it’s 0-0 at the break and we will have to work harder in the second half.

The curse of the right midfield position strikes again as Jozwiak damages his knee and is replaced by Balecki after 57 minutes. Stasiak Opoczno are not creating much in the way of chances, but they are certainly denying us with their determined defensive play. It will take something special to break their resistance and it is Balecki who provides it after 71 minutes. I take a corner from the right and curl it in with my left foot. It is a near-post effort which a defender clears back in my direction. I retrieve the ball and line up another cross when I see Balecki all alone about 25 yards from goal. I drive a pass towards him, but instead of trapping it, he takes it first time on the volley. It is a perfect connection and the ball rockets into the top corner giving the keeper no chance. After this there are several chances for us to make the game safe. Folc heads into the side-netting, Dziuba slices a shot wide and I fire straight at the keeper when a half-chance comes my way. Our fans are whistling, urging the referee to end the match when Stasiak Opoczno break away down the left. Osinski is out of position and the winger gets time to measure a cross which finds a team-mate just on the penalty-spot. A quick shimmy to one side and room is made for a shot which Borkowski gets a hand to, but cannot stop. Our pocket has been picked in the final minute and Stasiak Opoczno have made off with a precious point in a 1-1 draw.

Polish Division 2 – Round 22
Radomsko 1-1 Stasiak Opoczno
Balecki 71

6th March 2004:

One of our tougher opponents visits us for our second consecutive home match at Brzeznicka. Zaglebie are 4th on the table and arrive on the back of a 12 game unbeaten run. They were the early season favourites for the title and their current form shows that the bookmakers were not far off the mark in their expectations. Suspensions due to accumulated yellow cards have robbed us of Osinski and Tomasiak and they are replaced by Prokop and Gawronski respectively. Kowalczyk has not recovered from his knee injury so Dziuba starts on the left and I remain in the attacking midfielder’s role. Balecki starts for Jozwiak on the right side merry-go-round.

We are not at full strength and Zaglebie are a skilful and determined opponent. It is a battle in the midfield with little in the way of goal-scoring chances being created. Balecki makes the first real chance in the 13th minute as he beats two men on the right and sends over an inviting cross. Klepczynski arrives late and climbs high to send a header towards the far corner, but the Zaglebie keeper pulls off a fine save. Borkowski is called into action after 33 minutes as he palms away the first serious effort that Zaglebie have on our goal. We go into the break all square at 0-0.

The second half is similar to the first with dominating defences and an arm wrestle between the two midfields. Dziuba is replaced after a poor performance on the left wing and suddenly we have a breath of fresh air in the form of substitute Lato. After 61 minutes he breaks free and sends over a cross which eludes the defence and lands at my feet. I have time to line up a shot, but the keeper charges out and spreads himself well to block my effort. Minutes later and Lato finds me yet again, but the angle is tight and my shot hits the side-netting. I hold my head in my hands, wondering what we have to do to score. Balecki is finally getting on top of his marker on the right wing and is causing havoc just as Lato is doing on the left. After 72 minutes Balecki wriggles free on the right and crosses low to the near post. Gawronski moves towards the ball, but his jersey is pulled and the referee has noticed it. A penalty is awarded and I realise that it is my job to take it. I missed my last effort against Szczakowianka in December and that contributed to our defeat on that day. A miss today and I will have to hand the job over to someone else. The Zaglebie keeper tries to unnerve me by taking his time to position himself on the goal-line, but finally he is ready. I decide to hit it to the keeper’s left and start my run up. I strike it well and he dives the wrong way, so there is no chance for him to save it. The ball bulges the net and we are 1-0 up. A feeling of relief comes over me and I run to the fans behind the goal to celebrate. Zaglebie attempt to push forward, but they have surrendered the initiative to us and we are determined to hold on. There is another nerve-wracking 20 minutes to play though, but we maintain our hold on the lead to end Zaglebie’s unbeaten run and continue on as league leaders.

Polish Division 2 – Round 23
Radomsko 1-0 Zaglebie
Mathieson 72 (pen)

Mike..

The results continue to be favourable, the story even more so :thup:

Excellent work Spav, looking forward to the conclusion..... but not so much so that I'll be going elsehere to read it

shannon2007

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Spav:
Everyone seems very keen to point out that they have seen this story somewhere else previously.

_Yes, this has been posted by me earlier this year on two other boards._

Is there a problem with submitting a story that was written earlier and which the majority of people on this board will not have seen before?

I'm not trying to claim it is the world's best story, I'm not trying to scoop any awards or take credit away from anyone else, I'm just sharing something which I am proud of having written.

If the management here at CMS feel that it is inappropriate to post this story here, then I will cease immediately. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

As long as its your own work, its perfectly acceptable. The only thing that wouldnt be acceptable is if you had posted someone else's work as your own, so dont worry about.

retired_jgirl87

Thanks PM and flippers. :thup:

retired_jgirl87

11th March 2004:

The spring weather has started to arrive, so there’s a chance to get outdoors a bit more regularly. I’m walking down by the river and a guy with a familiar face walks towards me. He smiles as he approaches, so he must know who I am. It’s a chance to try out my slowly improving Polish language skills. I speak first.

Hej, jak się masz?
(Hi, how are you?)

Wspaniały, jak się masz?
(Great, how are you?)

Bardzo dobrze.
(Very well.)

Well, that bit is always easy. There is a pause as I wonder what to say next, but then he speaks.

Imię Anton.
(My name is Anton.)

Imię Gavin.
(My name is Gavin.)

We shake hands. I assume he is a Radomsko fan. He smiles at me because I’m sure he knows that I can’t exactly place who he is.

Then he puts his hands above his head and pretends to wave something.

Kangur!!

Of course, he is the fan that has the inflatable kangaroo. I often see him at Brzeznicka. He laughs now that he knows I have figured out who he is.

Powodzenia Sobota!
(Good luck on Saturday!)

Dziękuję. Do widzenia.
(Thank you. Goodbye.)

Do widzenia.

Anton walks past me, then turns and waves. I wave back, then continue on my way. I smile to myself as I realise that a conversation like that would have been impossible just a few months ago.

13th March 2004:

For today’s away match we have a 200 kilometre bus ride to the small town of Gorzyce deep in the Carpathian Mountains to the south-east. Our opponents are 8th placed Tloki who have a tiny stadium that holds only 1,800 people, although it is nearly full. We’re back to full strength for today’s game as Osinski returns at right-back, Kowalczyk in the centre of midfield and Tomasiak up front. Prokop, Dziuba and Gawronski all drop back to the bench as a result.

It’s a shocker of a start for us as Nowak dwells on the ball and is caught in possession deep in our defence in the 2nd minute. His opponent races clear and steers the ball under Borkowski as he advances from the goal. That has got Mr Gorniak up from his seat and Nowak gets a mouthful from him before we kick-off again. There is controversy a few minutes later as Folc picks up a long clearance by our defence. The linesman’s flag goes up, but the referee waves play on. Folc carries on and side-foots the ball past the Tloki keeper. We are all celebrating when the linesman runs onto the field and speaks with the referee. Klep races over to see what is happening, but the referee has already made his decision. The goal is overturned. There is much protesting, but apparently Folc was offside, although the referee initially thought that the flag was against Tomasiak, who was in a passive offside position in his opinion. We feel robbed and I can sense that our resolve to perform better has been hardened. In the 20th minute I flick Smolinski’s throw-in with my head onto Folc. I turn and run for the return pass which arrives perfectly at my feet. It’s on my right side, but I catch it perfectly and the ball rockets past the keeper. It crashes against the cross-bar and bounces down, but I can tell that it is not over the line. The referee can tell too and he waves play on. We continue to press forward and Osinski overlaps down the right to receive a pass from Balecki. He crosses towards Folc and I see a hand go up in the air. The ball strikes it, the whistle blows and we are awarded a penalty. It is the turn of the Tloki players to argue, but the decision stands. I step up to the penalty-spot and place the ball. No messing around today – I run up and place it to the left of the keeper who doesn’t even bother to dive. It’s a goal and it’s 1-1 after 27 minutes. A few minutes later and Folc takes a knock to the ankle, so he limps off and Lato comes on. I move up front and Lato goes to the wing. There is one chance for us to take the lead before half-time, but Tomasiak shoots straight at the keeper and it is scrambled away.

Early in the second half I head out to the right to take a corner. I signal for one of out set-plays. Everyone masses at the near post, but Klepczynski doubles around to the far post. It works a treat as Klep is unopposed as he rises high to head back across the keeper and into the corner of the net to give us a 2-1 lead. Tloki pile on the pressure in the remaining half hour, but we are determined and defiant. There are a couple of close calls though as Tloki have a goal ruled out for offside and Smolinski clears off the line with Borkowski well beaten. Finally the referee ends the game and we walk off with three more valuable points.

Polish Division 2 – Round 24
Tloki 1-2 Radomsko
Mathieson (pen) 27, Klepczynski 57