Part 12: Chapter the Tenth: The ides of March.

Chapter the Tenth: The ides of March.
January 18, 2014-March 15, 2014

Our schedule is fairly accommodating from now until the end of the regular season. We've got one more weekend where we play two games in three days, but other than that we should be able to keep our players fit and rested.

At Boston Utd, January 25, 2014
Skrill North



We're a different team after a week of rest and recouperation. We're finally able to play our first team together rather than rotating many of them out of the starting 11, and the result is a resounding drubbing of Boston United. We could easily have scored 5 or 6 goals given the way we played in this match.

Boston Utd 0-2 Tackleford City

At Guiseley, January 28, 2014
Skrill North



Another away victory where we played well offensively, but we were lucky that Guiseley didn't make more of their many chances. It's only sheer luck that we kept a clean sheet. Still, it's hard to complain when several of the team's best players have been rotated out to keep them fresh and we still win 3-0.

Guiseley 0-3 Tackleford City

vs. Workington, February 1, 2014
Skrill North



We control the game through the first half, giving up a single shot on goal while creating numerous chances. We're wasteful, however, and only up by one when Duchamps gets sent off for the second time this season in the 82nd minute. The dismissal comes after I had expressly told him to make sure he didn't get carded again at halftime. I switch to a defensive posture, but Workington still ties up the match in the 90th minute, and we slump to a draw.

Tackleford City 2-2 Workington



I give the team the old hairdryer treatment after the game, and I fine Duchamps. It is unacceptable that he has now earned two red cards, especially after I individually warned him to watch his step after his booking in the first half. The Football Association suspends him for a second game, as well.



He has the unmitigated gall to be shocked that I'd fine him for letting the team down. Teenagers. Bah.



Altrincham hit a rough patch, and we find ourselves only six points back. I wonder what could have happened to them?



Ouch. That would explain things. Only a couple of the injured players will be back soon, and they have three games to play in the next two weeks. We need to capitalize on their injuries if we're to win the league.

At Barrow, February 15, 2014
Skrill North



This is our first game in two weeks. I was tempted to play a friendly between the Workington fixture and this one to keep the team in full match condition, but didn't want to risk injuries. Barrow play us evenly in the first half, and can't keep it up in the second as their wheels come off. Starting with an own goal just 4 minutes into the second half, all the way through the point where Oriogun makes it 4-1 in the 70th minute we play excellent football and come away with a well deserved win.

Barrow 0-4 Tackleford City



Jim McCarron's vesting option triggers. He probably won't play much next year, especially if we get promoted, but he's been a good influence both on the field and in the clubhouse and he's inexpensive, so this works out for us. It does remind me that Anth Hotte has a similar clause in his contract, which means you won't be seeing much of him because not only do we now have better options but I don't want to trigger the additional year.

vs. Oxford City, February 19, 2014
Skrill North



We fall behind 1-0 early, and cannot unlock the Oxford defense all game. It looks like we'll go without scoring for the first time all season until the 88th minute, when a rebound drops directly in front of Stefan Robinson not 5 feet from the net. A draw is better than a loss, but we miss another opportunity to make up ground on Altrincham.

Tackleford City 1-1 Oxford City

vs. Leamington, February 22, 2014
Skrill North



Leamington is in dead last place, with only 19 points after 31 games. They'd need to nearly double their points just to get out of the relegation zone. This is a good thing, as their name still looks like Learnington to me, and I'd rather never have to deal with them again. We don't let the boot off their neck, jumping out to a 2-0 lead after 20 minutes that we never relinquish.

Tackleford City 2-1 Leamington

vs. Hednesford, March 1, 2014
Skrill North



Hednesford is in 17th place, but their head coach won the manager of the month award for February and they've played much better since the turn of the new year, digging themselves out of the bottom ranks over the last 10 games. Their defense is sharp in the first half, only allowing us three shots. Unfortunately for them, two of those shots go in. We once again can't manage a clean sheet and hang on after a poor second half for the win.

Tackleford City 2-1 Hednesford

At Vauxhall Motors, March 8, 2014
Skrill North



Another 2-1 win. Nothing especially interesting about it, except it does move us within 3 points of Altrincham as they fall 3-2 to Barrow.

Vauxhall 1-2 Tackleford City



Our next match is at Altrincham, and will determine whether we have a chance to unseat them from the top of the table, and avoid the dangers of a playoff against the 3rd-5th position teams. This is as important a game as we'll play all year.



One of our former players is talking shit about Williams, who has been good but not great since coming in to cover for the injured Hester two months ago, and is currently suffering a goal drought.



I have a chat with him to ease his mind.




I also have a team meeting to let them know how happy I've been with their performance, to try and improve their morale going into the next game. It appears to work like a charm, but the proof will be in our performance.

At Altrincham, March 15, 2014
Skrill North



We ain't yeller. From the whistle we're going straight at our title rivals. Altrincham responds by playing a brutal, physical game. Before the end of the first half both Rosetti and Duchamps have been injured by harsh challenges and Altrincham has racked up three yellow cards. We let them score in the final minute of the first half, and from there it's all uphill for us.

During the halftime talk I tell the players to have some pride and that they're letting themselves down, and we come out blazing on the attack after the half. We equalize in the 49th minute on a header by Andy Morris, and take the lead on Karim Amrani's first ever goal for the team just 10 minutes later. I order a more defensive posture, knowing that Altrincham needs to come at us if they are to have any hope of staying in first place. Even so, their attack succeeds in the 83rd minute, with the just barely onsides Altrincham striker beats Morris and ties the game at two-all. We've pissed away another late lead, and we remain three points back of first place, no longer in control of our own destiny.

Altrincham 2-2 Tackleford City



It's not like we're in bad shape. We've qualified for the playoffs regardless of what comes next, and three points back with seven to play is hardly insurmountable. Even if we do fail to win the league title we've got a very strong chance at promotion via the playoff. But all of those leads that we've squandered are looming pretty large right now.