After a superb start to the season, I was hoping we could continue our run when we welcome Wealdstone to the Beveree Stadium. Hampton and Richmond Borough - FM18 Challenge | Part 3
After a superb start to the season, I was hoping we could continue our run when we welcome Wealdstone to the Beveree Stadium. I have decided to rotate the wide midfielders meaning Nolan replaces Linton and MacDonald replaces McAuley.
Our first defeat of the season. We lose 2-0, but it was a poor match in truth.
We were the dominant side in truth, but we were so wasteful throughout the match.
Pearce, Stone and Jones and Bradley all missed clear-cut chances.
Wealdstone took the lead after 24 minutes through Liam Nash with his second goal of the season.
We were still the dominant side at this point and could have scored two goals ourselves beforehand, but we couldn’t find the finishing touch.
Not a bad performance, just a wasteful one where you ask what could have happened if. This performance is also going to see both full-backs rotated for the next game.
Soganile will come in for Lidington with Barrows replacing James.
Unfortunately, one of our better performers in Joshua Roe had to come off at half-time due to a lack of energy.
Both centre midfielders have worked extremely hard for me so far this season so Venney will come in to give Roe a rest in the next match.
Line-up: GK: Crump (6.7), FBR: James (6.4), FBL: Lidington (6.3), DC: Jones (6.3), DC: Bradley (6.6), MR: MacDonald (6.9), ML: Nolan (6.7), MC: Roe (6.7), MC: Mellor (7.2), FC: Stone (6.3), SC: Pearce (6.6), Sub 1: Venney for Roe at half-time in MC (6.7), Sub 2: Barrows on for James in FBR (6.6), Sub 3: Linton on for Nolan in ML (No rating).
Stats: H&R Left Hand Side
- Shots: 20-15
- On Target: 7-5
- Fouls: 11-8
- Yellow Cards: 1-0
- Possession: 53%-47%
With my next match being away at Woking (13th) I am sticking with my principle of the counter mentality.
Hopefully, we can get at least a point or get all 3 to get us back into winning ways.
Mellor will play this game with Roe on the bench, but Mellor will not start against Whitehawk just two days later.
Unfortunately, tragedy has struck as my right midfielder McAuley is out injured for 5-6 weeks with a twisted ankle.
MacDonald is going to have to play well as there are no more players in that position unless they are in the reserve squad.
Unfortunately it seems when we are expected to win we can’t.
Another defeat, 2-1. This time it was deserved. Very, very poor from everyone.
Defenders were all over the place, and the marking and tracking of runners was terrible with Richards and Cox both scoring tap-ins where the ball had got through when it really shouldn’t have.
Very poor also attacking as hardly any chances created apart from the goal.
I made the mistake of playing Soganile. I don’t think he is good enough anymore to play at the level I want to so I’ll and get rid of him.
In reality, we were lucky not to lose my more.
Soganile, Nolan and Mellor won’t be starting against Whitehawk on Tuesday with the latter (Mellor) needing a rest and the first two’s poor performances.
The one positive is that Steve Stone is now off the mark for the season as he headed in for his first goal of the season.
Line-up: GK: Crump (6.8), FBR: Barrows (7.0), FBL: Soganile (6.5), DC: Jones (6.3), DC: Bradley (6.9), MR: MacDonald (6.8 with 1 Assist), ML: Nolan (6.3), MC: Mellor (6.7), MC: Venney (6.6), FC: Stone (6.9 with 1 Goal), SC: Pearce (6.4), Sub 1: Nathan Linton for Nolan in ML (6.9), Sub 2: Roe for Mellor in MC (6.7).
Stats: H&R Right Hand Side
- Shots: 13-4
- On Target: 6-2
- Fouls: 15-16
- Yellow Cards: 2-0
- Possession: 63%-37%
With my next match being at home to 18th place Whitehawk, I desperately needed a win to get our season back on track.
If we didn’t win, I would be disappointed. However, before this match, the FA Cup 2nd qualifying round draw was made, and we drew away to Dorking Wanderers of the Isthmian Premier League.
We will be playing this match late in the blog.
Well, we made hard work of it, but we won the game.
A good match saw us take all 3 points with a 3-2 win.
We started well with Ollie Pearce finishing a counter-attacking move with a goal after 20 minutes.
Our lead was doubled in the last minute of half-time thanks to Linton who had a superb match.
Unfortunately, we had switched off and allowed Whitehawk to score two goals and equalize.
However, we kept going and Ollie Pearce got his second in the 74th minute to make it 3-2, and we saw off the match well.
Line-up: GK: Crump (6.8), FBR: Barrows (6.2), FBL: Lidington (6.6), DC: Bradley (6.6), DC: Jones (6.7 but forced off injured after the 58th minute), MR: MacDonald (7.4 with 1 Assist), ML: Linton (8.0 with 1 Goal and 1 Assist), MC: Roe (7.3), MC: Venney (6.8), FC: Stone (7.4 with 1 Assist), SC: Pearce (8.8 with 2 Goals), Sub 1: Fagbola for Jones at DC (6.7), Sub 2: James for Barrows at FBR (No rating), Sub 3: Nolan for Linton at ML (No rating).
Stats: H&R Left Hand Side
- Shots: 12-15
- On Target: 7-7
- Fouls: 12-16
- Yellow Cards: 0-1
- Possession: 50%-50%
He is out for the rest of the season (10-12 months) with Damaged Cruciate Ligaments.
Just as he was starting to improve overall.
Next is our last league match of the blog where we play home to bottom of the league Truro before going into our FA Cup qualifier.
We should win both matches, and I would be very annoyed if we don’t.
The Truro match was 0-0 at halftime with us being the better side.
Linton had also hit the post twice in the space of 5 seconds.
We continued this dominance until the final whistle but couldn’t find the finish, and we draw 0-0. Frustrating we couldn’t win but not unhappy with the performance.
Line-up: GK: Crump (6.8), FBR: James (6.9), FBL: Lidington, DC: Fagbola (6.4), DC: Bradley (6.4), MR: MacDonald (7.3), MC: Roe (9.0), MC: Mellor (6.8), ML: Linton (7.2), FC: Stone (6.9), SC: Pearce (6.6), Sub 1: Venney for Mellor in MC (No rating), Sub 2: Nolan for Linton in ML (No rating).
Stats: H&R Left Hand Side
- Shots: 18-10
- On Target: 6-2
- Fouls: 4-4
- Yellow Cards: 1-0
- Possession: 52%-48%
This is how the league table looked after nine games.
Our final game of the blog is here, and it is away at Dorking Wanderers in the FA Cup.
We should get back to winning ways here, and I am going to rotate the squad a bit which shouldn’t cause any problems.
This is what we are going within the FA Cup.
Should do well enough to give us the win. Well, that was ridiculous.
Hit the post three times, have a penalty against which weren’t a penalty, complete domination, what do we do, lose 2-1 and crash out of the FA Cup.
Not even annoyed at the team, just wasn’t meant to be and I fear this could be the start of a fierce decline.
