At this stage of the save I finally get my first prediction of future potential other than “A Lot”. Rae is predicted to be good enough for Conference South, the sixth level of the FA pyramid. I think he’ll be better but if by the time we get to Conference South his Pace is 11 or lower I’ll jettison him. Maybe I’ll keep him longer if he can get his Jumping Reach and Strength up to be a good Target Man.
(Pennington’s Judge Player Ability and Judge Player Potential are 13 (out of 20), hence my reluctance to fully believe him.)
For our Mansfield match I do some rotation to a) get Parker experience at DL, and b) Friend has yet to start a match.
FA Trophy First Round
vs. AFC Mansfield, 23 August 2017
Formation: 4-4-2 Standard
Starting XI: Friend, Maguire, Day, Carroll, Parker,
Pearson,
Barlow, Smith,
Duckett, Macey,
O’Donnell
Subs: Webb, Johnstone, Clark, Spearing, Jefcoate,
Jones,
Cullen, McAdam,
Martin,
Taylor, Rae
O’Donnell has a chance to put us in the lead at 14 seconds but his header goes wide. That would have been epic. Twelve minutes later he redeems himself as he and Duckett combine on a breakaway. Four minutes later Mansfield ties it up with a beautiful header off a lovely cross. Damnit. The scorer out-jumped Day, which is not a good sign. I swear the crosser’s name was Duffus. (rofl) At 31’ Pearson lobs a long-ball to Macey who is one-on-one with the keeper and manages not to screw things up. Phew! At 40’ Duckett sends in a prayer from the left corner that flies over everyone, but as it was a sky-high lob it gave Pearson enough time to fly in and get his second goal of the season. (Some luck was involved because Pearson crossed the field to Duckett and Doofus had a chance to head it but missed.)
My half-time speech is met with mixed review as I told the team to not be complacent and Duckett and O’Donnell give me the red thumbs down. Luckily six players including our captains respond positively so hopefully they don’t screw the pooch. I switch to Control and make the necessary adjustments. In the 68’ Cullen sends in a free kick way to the left almost at the byline. In the resulting melee the ball finds Jones near the top of the arc and he sends in a high, fast ball and the game is ours. Two minutes later another free kick from Cullen, this time from the right mid-area. It goes to the far post where Jones sends a header to the post but gets a rebound for an even tighter shot that goes in. I switch us to Defensive but in 86’ Parker hoofs it forward from deep to Taylor who waltzes on in for an easy goal.
POM: Eddie Macey (1 goal, 2 key passes)
The Days Between
For the Second Round we travel to Haverhill Rovers who are at the same pyramid level as Brixton and are predicted to finish 20th (of 23 clubs) in their league.
First league match today! Let’s go Guns of Brixton!
Southern Counties East
At Hollands & Blair, 26 August 2017
Formation: 4-4-2 Standard
Starting XI: Webb,
Maguire, Day,
Carroll, Jefcoate, Pearson,
Barlow,
Smith, Duckett,
Macey,
O’Donnell
Subs: Friend,
Johnstone, Clark,
Spearing, Parker, Jones,
Donaldson,
McAdam, Martin,
Taylor,
Rae
I actually manage to get a reaction from the squad from a pre-match pep-talk. About freakin’ time! Smith continues to be a dominant force and steals the ball at 6:00 just in front of our area. He boots it forward to a streaking O’Donnell who is alone, he rounds the keeper and our league campaign is off to a flying start. Just over three minutes later, history repeats but this time it’s Pearson and Macey, and Macey nutmegs the goalie. Just before half Jefcoate sends in a cross to the near post and Macey scoots past their DR to get us a trio.
Smith is hella tired so I pull him at half for McAdam. At 56’ Macey gets his hat trick with a power shot from the top of the arc. I bring in Spearing and Donaldson immediately thereafter to get them some Sharpness. At 65’ I take off Maguire and Macey for Johnstone and Rae. However, before the changes take effect we move the ball up the field methodically and Macey heads over to the right corner, sends in a low cross to the near post, and O’Donnell back-heels the ball in from a tight angle. Amazing! Should be the goal of the month. A few minutes later O’Donnell get
his hat trick from a cross from Rae. Though I don’t like to take advantage of the 12 subs rule, I do bring Benny off for Taylor, and swap Rae to the left side. In the 79’ their left DC gets his second yellow; I maintain the Defensive game play. Needless to say, at a +6 Goal Differential, we are top of the league. Correction. Three teams have played two games already and won both. So we are “6th” for now.
POM: Eddie Macey (3 goals, 1 assist, 2 key passes)
