March 2014

Shrewsbury Town were the first visitors of the month to New Bucks Head, a team who we hadn't beaten in the three previous games against them, and who were putting forward a strong case for a play-off place. Paul Green replaced Max Wragg at right-back in the only change to the starting line-up, and it was us who drew first blood. Jake Simpson linked well with Lewis Alessandra on the right hand side to bend a cross into the box where Netan Sansara was lurking. Sansara met the ball with his head for his 3rd goal of the season. However Shrewsbury were back level just 3 minutes later, and then, thanks to a Tom Parkes own goal, were ahead after 31 minutes. A powerful effort from David Fox just over 5 minutes before the break gave us an equaliser, but the visitors grabbed what proved to be the winning goal on 73 minutes when Alex Stavrinou scored, to make the final score 3-2 to them.

This game was followed by another defeat, this time at the hands of lowly Chester City, who were dwindling away towards the bottom half of the season. Two goals in the first half proved too much, and we didn't manage a comeback, meaning we went home with nothing. This called for some major changes in the next match at home to 3rd placed Cambridge; Max Wragg returned and Sean Hines started in left midfield, meaning Netan Sansara switched to left back. Tom Parkes partnered Chris Robertson at centre half, with Callum Harrison dropping to the bench, and Ryan Charles came in for Lewis Alessandra, who had taken a knock in the previous game. Jake Simpson's 2nd goal of the season put us ahead after 12 minutes, only for Cambridge to cancel it out 7 minutes later. Simpson unfortunately had to be brought off on 34 minutes after twisting his knee but a Denis Behan double in the space of 3 minutes shortly before half-time, one a header from a Sansara cross, and the other a penalty, gave us a massive advantage. Ryan Charles added a 4th on 62 minutes and David Fox completed the rout with 25 minutes left to make the final score 5-1.

The Cambridge game was followed by two 1-0 wins; first against Barnet when substitute Richard Offiong scored in the 85th minute, and then against Forest Green with Sean Hines providing the only goal of the game; his first for the club. We then travelled to bottom-of-the-table Altrincham for our final game of the month. Michael Noone replaced the injured David Fox for the second consecutive game, whilst William Mellors-Blair played right midfield in place of Jake Simpson who was still out with a twisted knee. Goals from Ryan Charles and Denis Behan meant we went into half-time 2-0 up, and despite a second half goal from the home side, we managed to hold on for a win; our fourth in a row.

A successful March left us in 7th place going into April, and meant we were still in the race for the play-offs. Next month will see the climax of the league, but hopefully it won't be the end of our season.

February 2014

An away trip to Ebbsfleet was first up in February, a game in which we recorded a somewhat overdue win. It was goalless for 89 minutes, with neither side really dominating the game. Substitute Richard Offiong, on at half-time, received the ball from Ryan Charles on the edge of the penalty box and hit a powerful shot into the top corner to seal a late victory, and the three points.

The next game, at home to Southport, was without doubt the most frustrating game I'd been part of in my career. The stats showed we dominated, but the game finished 1-0 to them thanks to a very flukey goal; they got a free kick on the right hand side and Luke Chapman stepped up to take it left footed. He hit the ball, it went over everyone and ended up nestled in the far corner of the goal. At the time, I thought we'd be fine and get back into the game, but it wasn't to be it seems. Our next game against Macclesfield was arguably equally as frustrating as the previous one. They got an early goal after just 8 minutes, and we couldn't equalise nevermind take all 3 points, and for the second game in a row, we lost 1-0. It wasn't as if we were playing poorly; far from it in fact; we'd dominated both games in terms of shots and possession, and had several clear cut chances in each, but we just failed to find the back of the net.

The next game against Worcester called for a reshuffle of our striking partnership. Ryan Charles and Richard Offiong were replaced by Lewis Alessandra and Denis Behan, and the rest of the team was kept the same; after all, we we'd created lots of chances, it was just the finishing we couldn't do. However despite the change in attack, it was one of our defenders who opened the scoring for us. Tom Parkes received the ball from a Jake Simpson throw-in on the left hand side, took two touches to bring the ball inside and hit a right footed shot from 30-yards that whistled past several defenders and ultimately past the stranded Worcester 'keeper James Dormand, for his first goal for the club. Just 3 minutes later Lewis Alessandra doubled our lead with a low shot from Lewis Montrose's through ball. Then on 71 minutes, Jake Simpson, who incidentally was brilliant all match, crossed for Denis Behan who headed in at the far post. The change in strike partnership certainly worked as both strikers found their names on the scoresheet. We held on despite a late consolation from Worcester, to win 3-1.

The win meant we climbed up to 10th in the table, still only 4 points from Macclesfield in 5th place; it was still very tight, with only 10 points separating 5th and 17th place.

January 2014

Our first fixture of 2014 was an away fixture at Histon, who it's fair to say, were struggling in the league. Nevertheless, we were 2-0 down at half-time, once again conceding early goals; something we'd annoyingly done all season. So now we were stuck with the task of scoring three second half goals. After changing the team's mentality to attacking, we grabbed a goal back through a 25-yard strike from Ryan Charles. With Histon not offering much in terms of attack in the second half, we were allowed to press for an equaliser. Richard Offiong replaced Max Wragg with the formation altering to 3-4-3, and within 4 minutes of his introduction, Offiong had got on the end of a Lewis Montrose through ball to level things up for us. We definitely had the momentum, and with 7 minutes left on the clock, Montrose was again the provider, this time for Charles, who shot from the right hand side across the 'keeper for his second goal and the eventual winner. There literally is nothing better in football than a come back.

We were on a high, but our next opponents Stevenage were also on form and doing well in the league in 5th place. For 70 minutes, things were level, with us having arguably the best of the chances. However it was our visitors who opened the scoring with some slick passing that cut open our defence. After the goal, Richard Offiong was once again brought on, with the hope of recreating his super-sub performance in the previous game, along with Michael Noone who replaced David Fox in centre midfield. With less than 5 minutes to go, Offiong received the ball on the right hand touchline and played it back to Lewis Montrose in the centre of the park. Montrose then played the ball across to Michael Noone who hit it first time from 30-yards into the back of the net. It was a brilliant goal, and one that earned us a thoroughly deserved point.


We had to cast our thoughts onto the FA Trophy for the next game, as we faced Macclesfield in the 2nd Round of the competition. Once again though, we were 2-0 down at half-time, again adding to the leaky-defence-in-the-first-half stereotype we seemed to have. Michael Noone was brought on after the break and on 62 minutes, for the second consecutive game, produced a moment of sheer brilliance. Picking up the ball from Ryan Charles in almost the exact same position as he scored from against Stevenage, he hit a first time curling shot into the top corner that even Roberto Carlos would've been proud of. Richard Offiong was brought on shortly after we scored and less than 10 minutes after his introduction, he had drawn us level when Jake Simpson's cross was clumsily spilled by the Macclesfield 'keeper to the feet of Offiong, who had the goal at his mercy and simply tapped the ball into an empty net. It finished 2-2, setting up a replay at their place within the next few days.

The replay was an overall disappointing affair, to say the least. After we'd shown we were no pushovers in the previous match, the game at The Moss Rose in Macclesfield brought us right back down to earth. We lost the game 3-1, with Richard Offiong getting our goal. It meant we were now out of both the FA Cup and the FA Trophy, leaving us with no choice but to concentrate on the league for the rest of the season; starting with an away fixture at AFC Wimbledon. We were put on the back foot when the home side opened the scoring after 21 minutes, but Ryan Charles' 9th goal of the season ensured we travelled back to Telford with a point.

17th placed Gateshead were the next visitors to New Bucks Head, and we were out for revenge after their 3-0 drubbing of us earlier in the season. However it was not to be, and we lost the game 2-0. Burton Albion were our final opponents of the month; another team who were pushing for a place in the play-offs. Lewis Montrose missed out through injury, meaning Callum Harrison moved to centre midfield from centre back, with Tom Parkes filling his empty space at the back. There was also a new face in the starting line up; 17-year-old Sean Hines, a pacey left winger signed on loan from Crewe until the end of the season. Hines' inclusion meant Netan Sansara dropped back to left full back. Burton scored first after 22 minutes, but more or less straight away in the second half, Michael Noone pulled us level with another brilliant strike from 25-yards. It was his 4th of the season, and all the goals he'd got were from 25 to 30-yards; and this most recent goal was voted the Goal of the Month, with Ryan Charles' goal against Histon coming 3rd. Charles then put us ahead with his 10th of the season, and it looked as though we'd done enough to finish the month with 3 points, but unfortunately that wasn't the case; a goal-mouth scramble saw the ball roll to Charles Reece on the edge of the box and he managed to squeeze a shot through the mass of bodies and past Tommy Lee in our goal, to end the game at 2-2.

The results in January left us in 13th place in the league, although we were still only 4 points away from York in 5th; so all is not lost. I wouldn't mind a few wins in February though, just to get our morale going again!

December 2013

December proved to be an overall tough month for us in terms of fixtures, as we were up against both Rushden and Wrexham, both of whom were flying high in the league, and were becoming increasingly distant from the rest of the pack. A home game against Rushden, who at the point of playing us hadn't lost a game in the league, was first up. We conceded an early goal which put us on the back foot, but on the brink of half time, Lewis Montrose fed in Denis Behan who levelled things up with a low finish in the bottom corner. Then, on 60 minutes, Dale Hannah's cross was nodden down by Behan to the feet of Lewis Alessandra who hit a first time shot from the edge of the box for his 5th goal of the season, and to put us ahead. We were dealt a blow with 15 minutes left though, when David Fox was brought off with a pulled hamstring. It looked as though Rushden's unbeaten league form had come to an end, until in the 85th, some slack marking at the back post left Adam Griffin unmarked to head in. It was disappointing, but we would've took a draw at the start, so it wasn't the end of the world.

The 1st Round of the FA Trophy was next; with a game away at Gainsborough Trinity. Michael Noone stepped in for the injured David Fox in an otherwise unchanged side. It was Dale Hannah's last game for the club before he returned to Derby after his loan, and so everyone was hoping he could finish his spell with a win. A first half Denis Behan double put us in good stead, with substitute Richard Offiong adding a third in the second half. Gainsborough grabbed a late consolation, but we were on our way into the next round in a competition which, realistically we could win.

12th placed York City were the next visitors to New Bucks Head, and although they were in mid-table, they were on a good run of form. It showed as well; within 12 minutes we were 3-0 down, and performing badly; Michael Noone and Chris Robertson being the stand-out underachievers. However for the rest of the game, York seemed to take their foot off the gas, and neither side managed to hit the net after that. We even managed to have 12 shots throughout the game; 3 more than them.

Shortly before the next game, there was a slight change within the backroom staff. Ian Cox's contract was expiring at the end of the season and his new contract meant he would be my new assistant manager, replacing Larry Chambers whose contract was altered to become a coach.

Wrexham, who had overtaken Rushden as the league leaders, provided us with our final test of 2013, and arguably one of the toughest. Both sides had chances to score, whilst Lewis Alessandra had a goal disallowed in the second half, but it ended goalless; a good performance against a team who had been brilliant all season.

By the end of the month, we had slipped a couple of places to 9th place, but I was happy considering we'd got two draws against the top two sides. I'll leave you with a couple of screen shots.

This is the league table (baring in mind I took the shot the day before our game in hand, which is why we're in 13th - everyone else played on the 31st), and this is the squad. Here's to a successful 2014...

November 2013

Bottom-of-the-table Altrincham were the first visitors to New Bucks Head in November, and they were easily brushed aside in a convincing 5-0 victory, an identical scoreline to the previous game against Willenhall. Tommy Lee was injured in training between the two games, meaning Alex Cisak started between the sticks for his first appearance of the season. Tom Parkes and Dale Hannah returned to the starting line-up whilst Lewis Alessandra partnered Richard Offiong up front. It was Alessandra who got the first goal for us with a header from a David Fox corner. 5 minutes later, Alessandra's powerful shot was parried to the feet of Jake Simpson who cooly finished for his first goal of the season. Richard Offiong bagged two goals before the break and Dale Hannah's first goal for the club completed the scoring in the second half.

Grays Athletic, another team fighting for survival in the league, were our next opponents. Offiong's 58th minute goal, and 6th in 4 games, gave us the lead, but Grays equalised and managed to hold on for the draw. It was an overall even game, but one in which, in hindsight, we should've won.

The 1st Round proper of the FA Cup came next, as we were drawn at home to League Two's Northampton, 9th in the league at the time. A balanced first half with no goals kept us in with a shout, but the visitors grabbed a goal in the 65th minute to take the lead. It looked as though we we'd spent all our energy, but in the 87th minute, Dale Hannah was brought down in the box and Denis Behan converted the penalty to earn us a replay at their place. The only dampener on the result was the fact that Ryan Charles suffered yet another injury, this time a pulled hamstring, meaning he'd be out for upto a month. We drew 1-1 for the third game in a row in our next game against 5th placed Salisbury, with Richard Offiong grabbing our only goal.

The winner of the FA Cup 1st Round replay would go onto play AFC Bournemouth in the 2nd Round, and from the off, Northampton looked the better of the two sides. They scored after just 3 minutes, but we equalised through David Fox half an hour later. However, within 10 minutes of the restart, Northampton had scored twice, and added a fourth in second half injury time, meaning we were out of the competition.

A trip to Kidderminster Harriers, 4th in the league, was next in the fixture schedule. We hadn't won in 5 games, and needed a win to keep up with the other teams around the play-off places. However, we didn't start well; Kidderminster scored after just 10 minutes. But, with just over 5 minutes left of the first half, we were awarded a free-kick right on the edge of their box. Netan Sansara stepped up and curled the ball left footed round the wall and into the corner of the net for an equaliser. Our chances of winning the game were given a blow when Lewis Montrose received his second yellow card just a minute after we'd pulled level. Things were even between the two sides, until the 72nd minute when Kidderminster once again pulled ahead. We pushed on though, and were awarded an 83rd minute penalty when William Mellors-Blair was brought down, and Denis Behan converted for his 10th league goal of the season. Our ten men had fought back, but it wasn't enough. A 90th minute Kidderminster goal proved to be the winner, and we headed back to Shropshire with nothing to show for our efforts.

Netan Sansara got his 2nd in as many games as we finally got our long-awaited win, against Droylsden a week later. A goalless draw against Woking was the final game of the month, and left us in 5th place. We were only two points away from 3rd and 4th place, both of whom were on 37 points. Leaders Rushden and Diamonds were on 52 points and hadn't lost all season; they were our next opponents.

October 2013

Captain Lewis Montrose and Richard Offiong returned to the squad after injury for out first game of the month against Chester City. It was a game which we should've won, and one in which we had plenty of chances to do so; 12 shots to be specific, to their 5. Once again our defence impressed, but our attack just couldn't quite find the finishing touch to some good moves. Their keeper got Man of the Match, which shows how much he had to do, as the game ended goalless.

Ryan Charles was back from injury for the next game against Cambridge, but the striker lasted just 50 minutes before being taken off with concussion. Just 3 minutes after, substitute Callum Harrison fouled a Cambridge player in the box and they were awarded a penalty, which they subsequently converted. This was the way the game finished.

Max Wragg made the bench for the next match after missing 9 months through injury. The right back was voted our Fans Player of the Year last season, despite missing nearly 4 months of it with damanged cruciate ligaments. It was good to see him back in contention though. Dale Hannah missed the Cambridge game as he was on international duty with Scotland U21s, and he was still away for the Barnet game. Lewis Alessandra opened the scoring with his 3rd goal of the season after 7 minutes, and two goals from Denis Behan shortly after half time, both of which were provided by Lewis Montrose, sealed the win for us, despite a Barnet consolation with 20 minutes left to play. It was a comfortable victory in the end, and one that took us upto 6th place in the league.

Forest Green were our final league opponents of the month. Dale Hannah returned and took his place on the left wing, meaning Netan Sansara moved back to play left full back. In over 60 games for the club, Sansara had played left midfield for all of them, even though he's a natural left back. Hopefully he won't have forgotten how to play there. After squandering numerous chances, it looked as though we were heading towards yet another 0-0 draw. However, Richard Offiong was brought on for Lewis Alessandra in the 62nd minute, and less than 10 minutes later scored the goal which proved to be the winner, with a powerful finish in the corner from a Lewis Montrose through ball.

We ended the month with an FA Cup fixture. It was the 4th Round Qualifying and we were drawn against Willenhall Town away from home. They were a small semi-professional club from the West Midlands and one of the only teams left in the competition from below the Blue Square North or South. Max Wragg started his first game after injury, with Paul Green moving to left back. Dale Hannah and William Mellors-Blair missed out because of the terms of their loan, Michael Noone and Graham Coughlan started their first games of the season, with the latter partnering Callum Harrison in defence. We had a good start; Lewis Alessandra fed in Richard Offiong after just 5 minutes to open the scoring. This was followed 15 minutes later with a bizarre goal which was credited to Michael Noone. Offiong hit a shot from the edge of the box which was deflected by a Willenhall defender onto Noone, who I don't think knew much about it, and into the back of the net. Offiong did get his second of the game, and our third, in the 26th minute; Lewis Alessandra once again the provider. David Fox was brought on in the second half and scored his first goal for the club with a thunderous 25-yard strike into the top corner. Substitute Ryan Charles, back from injury, completed the scoring with 2 minutes of normal time left, with a back post header off a Michael Noone cross. We sailed comfortably into the second round.

Forgetting the Cambridge result, it was an overall good month for us, and we finished in 6th place, just one point away from Cambridge in 5th. Next month's fixtures are pretty varied; we play two teams from the top 5, two teams from the relegation zone and two from mid-table.

September 2013

After the disappointing performance against Gateshead that ended the previous month, we were determined to start September with a win against Burton Albion. On the bench for us was a familiar face; William Mellors-Blair, the right winger who made 12 appearances for us at the end of last season, had once again joined on loan, this time for the full season, to provide cover and competition for Jake Simpson. Callum Harrison replaced Tom Parkes at centre back in the only change to the starting line-up, and we were given the perfect start after only 50 seconds when Lewis Montrose played in Denis Behan who hit a curling shot into the top right hand corner from the edge of the box. Ryan Charles then doubled our lead with a neat finish; Montrose once again the provider. Despite an instant reply from Burton, and a second half injury to Charles, meaning he'd be out for six weeks, we were able to hold on for the 3 points.

A goalless draw away at struggling Southport followed, with an injury to captain Lewis Montrose adding to the disappointment. He twisted his knee and would be out for 3-4 weeks. On the plus side, our defence played well; Chris Robertson was beginning to show what a good player he is, and why he was signed in the first place, winning almost 80% of headers. Winning ways were restored in the next match against Ebbsfleet as we won 1-0 thanks to a Denis Behan header off a Tommy Lee free-kick, taken from just outside of our penalty area. Lee's assist, and a string of top saves earnt him the Man of the Match award. Richard Offiong damaged his elbow in the game, causing him to miss up to 3 weeks.

Mid-table Macclesfield Town were our next opponents. Lewis Alessandra partnered Denis Behan up front for only his second start of the season, whilst Callum Harrison started in centre midfield for the second game in a row in place of Lewis Montrose. The injuries to Offiong and Charles meant the substitutes bench included 16-year-old striker John Bailey, a product of our youth set-up. The game ended goalless, despite the introduction of Bailey with 20 minutes to go. The same starting line-up was selected for a home fixture against bottom of the table Worcester City, a game in which we proved far too strong for our visitors. It was amazing how we didn't win by more than 3 goals; we had 18 shots overall, whereas they only had one. Denis Behan's 7th of the season, Lewis Alessandra's 1st of the season and Chris Robertson's 1st for the club brought us the goals, in what was a convincing victory.

We finished the month with an away fixture against play-off contenders Shrewsbury Town. Earlier in the week, I had signed a very exciting 19-year-old left winger called Dale Hannah on loan from Derby County for 3 months on the advice of my scouts. Hannah went straight into the side to face Shrewsbury, replacing Netan Sansara. However the result was a bad one; we lost the game 2-1, despite drawing level in the second half through Lewis Alessandra.

An altogether impressive month left us in 7th place at the end of September, just one point away from the play-off places. Our defence, arguably the weak link in the team before the start of the season, is looking assured and solid, whereas the attacking side of the team still could do with kick-starting their season. But, I'm not complaining, and there's hopefully more of the same to come in October.

August 2013

We won our final pre-season fixture against Stourport 1-0, with Denis Behan getting the only goal of the game. It meant that we'd kept four clean sheets in the six friendlies, conceding only against Glenn Hoddle's Academy (once) and against Aston Villa (six times). Things were looking promising for our defence which, at the end of last season, I said was the main priority to sort out.

Before the first game of the season against Histon, 27-year-old goalkeeper Tommy Lee was signed, and went straight into the starting line-up for the match. Also included in the starting line-up was new central defensive partnership Tom Parkes and Callum Harrison, and David Fox started in centre midfield. We dominated the game, but unfortunately didn't manage to hit the back of the net as the game ended 0-0.

Only one change was made for the next game against York; as Denis Behan replaced Richard Offiong up front. Ryan Charles opened the scoring for us after just 3 minutes, and Behan's involvement proved worthy when the striker doubled our tally just 3 minutes later. Charles scored his second on 13 minutes, before York grabbed one back. However, Behan restored our three-goal advantage in first half stoppage time with a neat back post volley. He completed his hat-trick on 55 minutes with a header from a Jake Simpson cross, to make the score 5-1. This was the way it finished; a very assured performance from us.

Our first away fixture of the season saw us travel to Wales to face Wrexham. 27-year-old centre back Chris Robertson, who had been on trial, signed permanently before the game, and went straight into the starting line-up to partner Callum Harrison in defence. Tom Parkes moved to left back to replace Matthew Duffy, in what was the only other change. We went ahead twice, only for the home side to draw level both times. Ryan Charles' brace was cancelled out on each occasion, the second of which came in the 60th minute, meaning we were heading for what was a well-earned draw. However, Wrexham's Heidi Taboubi had other things on his mind, and grabbed the winner for his side with 6 minutes to go. There wasn't enough time for us to draw level, and the game ended 3-2 to them.

Right back Lee Vaughan, who had made a record 217 appearances for AFC Telford, was sold to Rushden shortly before the next game at Stevenage. Vaughan had found his first team opportunities limited ever since Max Wragg was signed, and in recent times had found himself behind Paul Green in the pecking order. He had become increasingly unsettled, and a move seemed the best option for both parties. The Stevenage game ended goalless.

We were back to winning ways the following Saturday, when Denis Behan's goal gave us a 1-0 victory against newly-promoted AFC Wimbledon. However we didn't manage to end the month on a high, as we lost 3-0 away to Gateshead. It was a poor team performance, with hardly anyone performing to their full capability.

Overall, August was a very mixed month for AFC Telford. Two wins, two draws and two defeats meant we ended the month in 12th place. Very average indeed. Hopefully next month the squad will have gelled together a bit more, and we can then push for the top half, which is where we belong really.

June/July 2013

The 1st week of July saw plenty of changes at New Bucks Head, with no less than seven players leaving. Ryan Young, Paul Dixon, Adam Vasey and Danny Carey-Bertram were all released from the club as their deal expired, along with three others. The only incoming player was 29-year-old former Colchester midfielder David Fox, who would provide Michael Noone with some stiff competition in the attacking central midfielder role.

June was fairly quiet as a whole. We were given about £30k to spend; more than enough for a Blue Square Premier side, so I spent the majority of the month scouring endless lists of players in an attempt to find someone who would make a significant difference to the team. Both my scouts were sent out to look for players in and around the UK, but there definitely was a distinct lack of talent on show. Maybe we were looking in the wrong places.

Our first friendly of the campaign brought us up against Glenn Hoddle's Academy. David Fox started the game in midfield, alongside 21-year-old Leicester defender Tom Parkes. Parkes had been bought on that very day for a hefty £16k, a club record but a fee in which I was fairly reluctant to hand over. Parkes had signed after making 19 appearances for the League One side last season, and would be the long-term replacement for the ageing Graham Coughlan. We won the game 3-1, thanks to goals from Ryan Charles, Lewis Montrose and Michael Noone.

We then had two friendlies in the space of a week, and we won both of them. The first was against Canvey Island, which finished 1-0 through a Jake Simpson goal, and the second was against Horsham, which we won 5-0 thanks to goals from Jon Adams, Denis Behan and a superb hat-trick from Richard Offiong.

22-year-old Callum Harrison was signed for £3k just before the next friendly at home to Aston Villa, our parent club. Harrison came from Sheffield Wednesday, managing 12 appearances for the League One side last season, and could operate in defence and, more capably, in midfield. I was hoping to convert Harrison into a centre back, as he had all the necessary attributes; height, strength and tackling. We ended up losing the Villa game 6-0, but we put up a spirited performance against a side who finished 3rd in the Premier League in the previous season.

A 2-0 win against Birmingham Reserves, with goals from David Fox and Lewis Alessandra, completed the month. There was still one scheduled pre-season fixture left, away at Stourport, and then it would be the beginning of our league campaign. We were due to play Histon (H) in the first game, followed by York (H) and Wrexham (A).

May 2013

Finishing 9th in our first season in the Blue Square Premier was regarded as an extremely good achievement by both the board and the fans. The board stated that they were "delighted with the leadership qualities" that I had demonstrated throughout the season, and hoped it would continue as well.

The final standings at the end of the 2012/13 season (click to enlarge)

Our league position graph at the end of the season (click to enlarge)

Jake Simpson was selected in the Blue Square Premier's team of the year, and he thoroughly deserved the accolade. In 39 appearances, the right midfielder scored 7 goals and provided 13 assists, at an average rating of 6.97. Ryan Charles also stood out, as he once again managed to reach the 20-goal landmark; becoming the club's all-time leading goalscorer in the process. Denis Behan and Richard Offiong had very successful first seasons with AFC Telford, as they managed 20 and 18 goals respectively. The undoubted unsung hero though was central midfielder Lewis Montrose. The 24-year-old had developed into an accomplished passer of the ball: he finished with a pass rate of 86% and contributed to 20 assists in 47 appearances. Right back Max Wragg performed well in his 33 games, coming out with an average rating of 7.15, despite having his season cut short through injury.

In pre-season, my main priority will be to strengthen the defence, as we definitely conceded too many for a top half side. There will also be a few players leaving; Simon Davis' loan deal finished and he returned to Crewe, Mark Arber retired and Paul Dixon's contract wasn't renewed.

April 2013

We made it two wins in a row with our first game of the final month of the season against Newport County, in a 2-0 victory. Denis Behan grabbed both goals; his 16th and 17th of the season, in a match which we dominated. Newport rarely threatened our defence, with no shots troubling Alex Cisak in goal. An away fixture at Rushden and Diamonds followed. Rushden had been in the play-offs for the majority of the season, and were currently occupying 5th spot, so it was going to be a tough game. However, Behan scored his 4th in 3 games to give us the lead after only 15 minutes. Rushden responded with 5 minutes left of the first half, and despite them losing a man on 60 minutes, that was the way it finished; 1-1.

We hosted Kidderminster Harriers next, who had beaten us 4-0 when we played them at their ground. This time it wasn't much better either; they scored an early goal, but Ryan Charles levelled things up for us in the first half. Alex Cisak then put the ball into his own net to give the Harriers the lead, and their victory was completed with a stoppage time goal in the second half. If I was to choose our 'bogey team', it would definitely be them.

Forest Green Rovers were our next opponents in a fixture that had to be rescheduled from last month due to a waterlogged pitch at their ground. It was a comfortable victory for us; Ryan Charles grabbing both goals in a 2-0 win. Two more wins followed this; away at Burton Albion (2-1, with goals from Charles and Richard Offiong) and home to Grays Athletic (2-0, with two goals from Charles). Incidentally, Ryan Charles' second goal in the Grays match was his 20th of the season, and 6th in 4 games. He really does seem to love the end of the season.

Despite a run of three victories, we still found ourselves in 9th place, and with only one game to go, we couldn't make the play-offs this year. This was disappointing but at the same time it was encouraging; if someone had said to me at the start of this season, "you're going to finish 9th", I would've bit their hand off, as the saying goes.

The final game of the season saw us travel to Altrincham. Simon Davis started at centre back, as it was his last game of his loan spell before he returned to Crewe. He left us with a bang though; Lewis Montrose laid the ball off to Davis on the edge of the box from a free kick, and the defender smashed the ball into the back of the net. It was his first goal for us, and unless I decide to bring him back on loan or permanently, it would be his last as well. Denis Behan doubled our lead on 64 minutes with his 20th of the season, and that was the way things stood. Davis received the Man of the Match award for his performance.

We finished the season in 9th place; a commendable and respectable position if I do say so myself. Once the play-offs have finished next month, I will do a season summary with screen shots.

March 2013

After the convincing win at Ebbsfleet, we hosted fellow play-off contenders Shrewsbury Town the following weekend. Adrian Nevins was missing due to a thigh injury so Graham Coughlan, an ex-Shrewsbury player himself, returned to the side to partner the in-form Mark Arber at centre back. It was an overall even match, and we should've come away with at least a point. However, Shrewsbury winger Damian Scannell dealt a cruel blow to us in the 93rd minute by rising at the back post and heading past Alex Cisak to win the match for his side. It was practically the last kick of the match. Very annoying, to say the least.

Jake Simpson returned to the starting line up after injury for our next game at struggling Chester City, after coming on off the bench in the previous match. Lewis Montrose grabbed his first goal for the club on 12 minutes with a neat close range finish, but the home side responded with two goals either side of half time. Ryan Charles levelled things up for us on 67 minutes with an effort from the edge of the box, but once again, Chester got their noses in front less than 10 minutes later. They held on, and we were denied even a point in a match which we had 18 shots to their 10, as well as 60% of the possession.

2nd in the table Aldershot were our next opponents. Just what we needed; a tough match after two disappointing, morale-denting losses. Two defeats in a row had turned into three by the end of the game, as we lost 2-1 despite taking the lead in the first half through Michael Noone. Aldershot equalised on 60 minutes, and got the winner on 81 minutes. Lewis Alessandra was also carried off with a twisted ankle towards the end of the match. This saw us drop to 11th in the table; our lowest league position of the season.

Our losing streak came to an end in our next game, though. Our opponents were Barrow, who were 22nd in the league, off-form and looking pretty likely for relegation. On paper, an easy victory. However, it was Barrow who opened the scoring on 18 minutes. Ryan Charles was brought on on 68 minutes, and our formation changed to 4-3-3. Almost immediately, the change had made a difference; Jake Simpson crossed for Netan Sansara who headed in from close range to draw us level. Despite the introduction of another striker, Richard Offiong, we just couldn't manage to grab a winner. Nevertheless, we had a point in the bag, and that was good for morale, if nothing else.

The final game of March was against Fleetwood Town, who found themselves clinging onto their Blue Square Premier life by the skin of their teeth, as they stood in 23rd place, a fair few points from safety. Graham Coughlan and Adrian Nevins started together at centre back for the first time since the 6th of February, William Mellors-Blair (whose loan had just recently been extended for another month) started on the right hand side of midfield, with Jake Simpson dropping to the bench, and Richard Offiong and Denis Behan started up front. It was the latter, Behan, who opened the scoring for us on 32 minutes, only for the away side to reply shortly after half time. Netan Sansara restored our lead with his second goal in as many games, and his 5th of the season, and substitute Ryan Charles made sure we came away with 3 points in the 4th minute of stoppage time, after latching onto Lewis Montrose's flick on. This goal was a milestone for the striker, as it was his 32nd AFC Telford goal; making him the club's all-time leading goalscorer since their foundation in 2004. Montrose came away with the Man of the Match award, after setting up two goals and making some key tackles in midfield.

March started off very badly, but the win against Fleetwood in the final game made sure we didn't go into April with our heads down and our confidence deflated. Next month will see the culmination of the 2012/13 season, and we currently sit in 9th place. Reaching the play-offs is still mathematically possible, but it would be pretty unlikely. I think everyone at the club will be pleased if we managed to finish in 9th, or anywhere above that, considering it is our first season in the league. We'll see what happens anyway.

February 2013

After the disappointing month we had in January, February started brightly with a win against 9th placed Barnet. The starting line-up included 20-year-old right winger William Mellors-Blair who had joined the club on loan from Walsall a few days earlier, and whose named sounded like it should be preceded with 'Lord' or 'Duke'. After only 50 seconds of the game, Ryan Charles headed in off a Netan Sansara cross for the opener and his 12th goal of the season. Barnet then levelled things up shortly after half time, but Denis Behan won it for us with 11 minutes of normal time to go.

An away fixture against Woking was next. They were 18th in the league, but were on a relatively good run of form. After two impressive substitute performances, Mark Arber started his first game for us at centre back, alongside Adrian Nevins. It looked as though we had the game under control when Netan Sansara scored after half time. However, the home side cancelled our goal out 20 minutes later, and that was the way it finished. At least we didn't lose anyway.

We did lose our next match at home to Gateshead, who were dwindling around in mid-table, and not really doing much in terms of pushing for promotion, so it was a bit of a disappointing result. We had a fair few shots (13) so on paper it looks as though we should've scored at least one, but I guess that's football for you!

We did manage to find the back of the net in the final game of the month against our old enemies Ebbsfleet, three times in fact. It was our fourth game against them this season, after we played them twice in the FA Trophy last month, and we hadn't managed to get the better of them on any occasion. However, this time was different; Richard Offiong ended his goal drought with a 25-yard finish on 11 minutes, and William Mellors-Blair got his first goal for the club just before half-time with a tap in at the back post. Denis Behan converted a penalty in the final few minutes to make the final score 3-0 to us.

We finished February in 8th place, 9 points off Shrewsbury who were occupying 5th place, the last play-off spot. I think the play-offs are still achievable, especially since we'll be graced with Jake Simpson's presence in March, after his return from injury. Hopefully we'll get a few wins together and put pressure on the teams above us, but we'll see.

January 2013

The new year began with a 2-0 defeat, away to our one-time Blue Square North compatriots Southport, who it's fair to say, hadn't had as good a season as us so far. We conceded an early goal after just 7 minutes, when Southport striker Scott Vernon scored with a powerful effort, and then conceded another with 20 minutes left, which left us with too much to do.

After the disappointment against Southport, we hosted top-of-the-table York City the following Saturday. Adrian Nevins and Richard Offiong were still missing, meaning Simon Davis filled in at centre back, with Lewis Alessandra and Denis Behan leading the attack. Ryan Charles had returned from injury, and made it onto the substitutes bench. It was Alessandra who opened the scoring, after 6 minutes, with a low shot following Lewis Montrose's through ball. Behan then doubled our lead on 38 minutes with a spectacular 30 yard effort. York pulled one back shortly after the break, but Behan doubled his tally and put the game beyond doubt on 64 minutes; getting onto the end of Jake Simpson's cross, which was Simpson's 12th assist of the season; a new record.

Ebbsfleet United were our opponents in the 2nd round of the FA Trophy. They'd had a similar season to ours; finding themselves in 9th place in the Blue Square Premier after occupying the play-off spots for the majority of the season. We went behind after 9 minutes, but Jake Simpson levelled things up for us 20 minutes later with a rebounded effort after Lewis Alessandra's initial shot. However, Simpson's game was ended prematurely when he fell awkwardly in the second half, spraining his ankle and as a result, ruling him out for 2 months. It was a massive blow for us; Simpson had been brilliant all season, and was certainly one of our unsung heroes. The Ebbsfleet game finished 1-1, meaning we had to replay the match four days later at their place. Jon Adams replaced the injured Jake Simpson, and Adrian Nevins returned and took his place at centre back. Ebbsfleet's Magno Vieira was once again our downfall, as it was the Brazilian's two goals that took the game away from us, and despite a consolation from Ryan Charles, it was them who progressed to the next round.

We only had the league to concentrate on after the defeat at Ebbsfleet, but at least there were no other distractions. Surely a clash against bottom-side Chelmsford City would provide us with a morale-boosting win? No, unfortunately not. We just couldn't hit the back of the net; but saying that, we only had five shots throughout the whole game though, whilst they had nine. It was a terrible performance in hindsight, and one the whole team would like to forget.

We went from playing the team at the bottom of the league one week, to playing the team at the top the next, as we faced Accrington Stanley (who had took over from York City as leaders of the pack). Some good news prior to kick off was that Richard Offiong had returned from injury, and would start up front alongside Lewis Alessandra. We were dealt a massive blow in the first half of the game; Max Wragg was stretchered off after 25 minutes, and scans later revealed that he had damaged his cruciate ligaments; an injury which could see him out for anywhere up to a year. Things went from bad to worse for us, when Accrington opened the scoring after 33 minutes. However, a Lewis Alessandra goal, his 5th of the season, brought us back on level terms on the stroke of half time. Things looked pretty equal for the rest of the match, but once again we were on the receiving end of some bad luck when Accrington scored with 3 minutes left of normal time; not long enough for us to come back. Very annoying, and we were beginning to be brought back down to earth pretty heavily after a fairly 'dream-like' start to our life in the Blue Square Premier.

To cope with Max Wragg's injury, two new players were brought in, with less than a week until the end of the transfer window. Ex-Lincoln City full back Paul Green and South African centre back Mark Arber were both released by their clubs at the end of last season, and were therefore signed on free transfers. Green slotted straight in at right back for the game against 16th placed Histon, whilst Arber was on the bench. The home side went ahead after 18 minutes, but two horrific pieces of defending in the second half meant Ryan Charles put us 2-1 in front. Both goals came from short back passes to Histon 'keeper Joe Welch; the first from left back Nathaniel Knight-Percival, and the second from their captain, Matt Langston. On both occasions, Welch was given hardly any time to control or clear the ball before Charles had tackled him, and passed it into an empty net. Maybe our luck hadn't run out after all. Actually, it had; after being on the field for a matter of minutes, Carl Tremarco fouled a Histon player in the box and the referee award them a penalty with 8 minutes left on the clock. They scored it, and things were level, and once again we couldn't come up with a winner, meaning the two sides shared the points.

We finished January in 8th place, which is good considering we'd been playing pretty poor of late. The month as a whole was disappointing, with the injury to Max Wragg a cruel blow to our ambitions. I can only hope that February will be much, much brighter.

December 2012

December didn't start too well, with a 2-0 defeat away to Grays Athletic. We had a few chances to find the back of the net, but somehow didn't manage it. Grays' Norwegian striker, the almost unpronounceable Petar Rnkovic, bagged a brace and the Man of the Match award. The following game against struggling Altrincham brought us back to winning ways, with Jake Simpson grabbing the only goal in a 1-0 win; his fifth goal of the season. We moved one place up to 7th after the victory.

We had an FA Trophy 1st round tie the next week, against Blue Square North side Nuneaton Town. Realistically, we were in with a chance of winning the competition; far stranger things have happened in football. I fielded a less-than-full-strength side, including rare starts for Alex Cairns in goal, Lee Vaughan at right back, Simon Davis at centre half and Jon Adams in centre midfield. The game also saw the return of Lewis Montrose after injury. We were 2-0 up after half an hour, thanks to goals from Richard Offiong and Denis Behan, and went into the break ahead. Despite a goal from the visitors in the second half, we held onto our lead and booked our place in the next round, in which we later learned we'd be facing Ebbsfleet.

Stevenage Borough were our next league opponents, in what turned out to be a bit of a goal-fest. Richard Offiong opened the scoring for us after 7 minutes with a close range effort. Veteran striker Paul Benson then equalised for the home side, but Offiong quickly restored our lead 5 minutes later. Two goals in 10 minutes for Stevenage then put them ahead; the first after a goalmouth scramble, and the second after a mistake by Simon Davis. However just 2 minutes later, and with 2 minutes left of normal time, Offiong completed his hat-trick and grabbed the equaliser with a curling shot from the edge of the box. The game finished, and Offiong went away with the match ball and was rightly given the Man of the Match award, after his second hat-trick of the season.

We finished 2012 with a game against mid-table Wrexham, who had won three matches in a row going into our fixture. It was the Welsh side who broke the deadlock; Lewis Codling scoring after 19 minutes. Then, on 56 minutes, Max Wragg picked up the ball on our penalty spot after a poor Wrexham corner, and lofted the ball 50 yards to where Lewis Alessandra was running. Midfielder Edward Moss missed the interception, and Alessandra was allowed to run through, cooly slotting the ball past the Wrexham 'keeper. Just 4 minutes later, we went into the lead when Jake Simpson's passed the ball into the net at the back from a Matthew Duffy cross. Our lead only lasted 8 minutes though, as Codling equalised with his second of the game. However, with 4 minutes to go, Max Wragg crossed for Netan Sansara who volleyed in for his 2nd of the season, and to seal our win.

We finished December, and the year, in 6th place; a point behind Shrewsbury in 5th. We're now into the second half of the season, and I think I'm speaking on behalf of everyone at AFC Telford when I say how impressed I am with our current league position. The transfer window re-opens next month, and there could possibly be a few new faces at New Bucks Head over the next few weeks.

I will leave you with a couple of screenshots of my profile, and history. Click on the pictures to enlarge them.

December 2012: Manager Profile

December 2012: Manager History

November 2012

A 2-1 home win against lowly Barrow began November, taking us up to 4th in the table. Goals from Michael Noone and Ryan Charles won it for us, after an early goal from the visitors. We then travelled to Fleetwood Town, who were also struggling and found themselves in the relegation zone. It was a game which we were expected to win, obviously, and an early goal from Richard Offiong, his 10th of the season, gave us the advantage going into half time. We had the lead until the 65th minute when Fleetwood equalised through former Faroe Islands international Claus Jorgensen, and then gave it all away 10 minutes later when they scored again. Although the stats showed we had wasted several chances, we just didn't really have enough fight towards the end to overcome our visitors.

Our next game gave us a chance to forget about the league, at least for a week or so, as we hosted Hartlepool in the 1st round of the FA Cup. They were obviously favourites for the game, but weren't doing anything special in League One, so we knew we were in with a chance. And it was us who drew first blood; Lewis Montrose played the ball to Ryan Charles' feet, who turned and shot from the edge of the box, and into the top corner. A perfect goal. However, we were brought right back down to earth in the first attacking move from Hartlepool's kick off, just 2 minutes later, when James Brown (Jeff Stelling would be making some sort of joke at this point) found the net to level things up. Things looked destined for a replay back up north when, with a minute to go our hearts were shattered when Ritchie Jones hit a first time volley from 25 yards after Adrian Nevins' failed clearance, and the ball whistled past a hapless Alex Cisak. With hardly any time left on the clock, a late surge was out of the question, and the final whistle went to signal our exit from the competition. However, it wasn't the end of the world; at least that was one less thing to concentrate on.

As if we weren't drained enough after the loss against Hartlepool, we found ourselves up against top-of-the-table Rushden at New Bucks Head. Things started badly; Lewis Montrose picked up a yellow card early on, meaning he'd miss our next game, but was then carried off injured with a twisted knee, leaving him out for upto five weeks. Rusden midfielder Ryan Brobbel then opened the scoring 2 minutes later. However Jake Simpson equalised on 26 minutes after his first shot was saved by Dale Roberts. We had a massive chance to take the lead on 51 minutes when Curtis Osano brought down Netan Sansara in the box, and we were awarded a penalty. Denis Behan stepped up, only to have his spot-kick saved by Roberts. Neither side had any real chances for the rest of the game; Michael Noone and Jake Simpson had the best ones for us, although they were from some distance and never really troubled the Rushden 'keeper.

An away trip to 4th placed Kidderminster followed, and it was an overal disappointing game, in which we were totally outplayed. Lewis Montrose missed his first match of the season through suspension (although he was injured so wouldn't have played anyway) so Adrian Nevins stepped up from centre back to replace him in midfield. We ended up losing the game 4-0, the biggest defeat I'd endured whilst manager of AFC Telford.

Lewis Alessandra returned to the squad, and the starting line up, for our final match of the month against Burton Albion. It was the 100th game of my managerial career, so that added a little more incentive to come away with three points. We had a good start; Ryan Charles netted after only 5 minutes but the visitors drew level shortly after. Charles was then taken off injured and replaced by Richard Offiong, leaving him out for upto 6 weeks. However, Offiong proved to be a more-than-capable replacement for him, as it was his two goals in the space of 3 minutes that sealed the win for us.

The victory left us in 7th place at the end of November, a standing which has been greatly helped by our superb home record, the best in the league; we'd played 11 at home and were unbeaten, winning eight and drawing three, whilst scoring 26 goals, and conceding just the nine. Next month brings my tenure at AFC Telford to its year anniversary, so everyone will be hoping to continue our good set of results.

October 2012

The start of October saw a new face, and an old friend, added to the coaching staff. Ian Cox, captain of my Harrogate team, was brought in as a coach and Steve Wynn's contract was terminated.

I was able to choose from a full strength squad for the first match of the month against Chester, who were sitting in the relegation zone in 22nd place. However it was the visitors who got the first goal; former Everton striker Nick Chadwick scored on 42 minutes to give his side the lead going into half-time. Shortly after the restart, Chester went down to 10-men, and then less than 10 minutes later we made the extra man count, with Jake Simpson firing in from the edge of the area to level things up. Lewis Alessandra, back from injury, replaced Richard Offiong after 65 minutes, and the striker took only 7 minutes to get himself on the scoresheet for what was his first goal of the season. Considering he was so clinical last season, it was pretty hard to grasp that he'd only just scored in what was his 13th game of the campaign, although the majority of those appearances were made as a substitute. Michael Noone then fed in Ryan Charles 4 minutes later to make it 3-1 to us, and the rout was completed with 2 minutes to go; Alessandra getting his second of the game.

Play-off contenders Aldershot were out next opponents, and to be fair, we didn't have the best of outings. After a goalless first half, the home side opened the scoring shortly into the second, and although we got a goal back on 71 minutes through an own goal, they managed to grab a winner with 15 minutes left, and we just didn't have enough fight to draw level. To add insult to injury, Lewis Alessandra twisted his ankle, an injury which would leave him out for up to 7 weeks.

The squad were determined to bounce straight back after the disappointing result against Aldershot, with Forest Green Rovers providing us with our next test. They were on form; they'd won their last three games, leaving them mid-table. An own goal broke the deadlock in the first having and gave us the lead, and Denis Behan's 10th goal of the season in the second half sealed the victory. We won by the exact same scoreline the following game, against struggling Newport County, with Jake Simpson and Richard Offiong getting on the scoresheet.

We were given a break from the league in the next game, as we faced Stafford in the FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round. Stafford were in 5th place in the Blue Square Premier, but despite this, we were 2-0 up after only 13 minutes, thanks to two goals from Richard Offiong. Stafford managed a goal back on 40 minutes, but our two goal lead was restored in the first minute of first half stoppage-time through Netan Sansara; his first goal of the season. Offiong completed his hat-trick, and indeed the victory for us, in the 74th minute with a spectacular curling effort from 25 yards. Predictably, he went away with the Man of the Match award, although it was a brilliant team performance, and we were given a home tie against League One's Hartlepool in the 1st round proper next month.

Right back Max Wragg was given the Player of the Month award, showing that it wasn't just our attacking players drawing all the plaudits. Wragg had had a solid month, with some very good consistent performances, and thoroughly deserved his award. We finished October in 6th place, with next month possibly providing us with much sterner tests; we played top-of-the-table Rushden, and also Kidderminster, who lie in 4th. This is as well as the FA Cup game against Hartlepool. I'm sure you'll admit though, AFC Telford are certainly showing they're no pushovers in this league.

September 2012

After an unbeaten August, September started with a defeat away to Accrington Stanley. Denis Behan's goal was not enough for us, as we lost 2-1 and slipped to 6th in the league. Our winning ways were restored a week later though, in a 3-1 victory at home to Histon. The visitors broke the deadlock after 5 minutes but Jake Simpson levelled things up shortly after with a header at the back post off a Carl Tremarco cross. Tremarco was making his first start of the season, in place of Matthew Duffy, and impressed throughout the game, narrowly missing out on the Man of the Match. Two goals from Denis Behan in the second half, his 5th and 6th of the season, ensured that we went home with 3 points in the bag.

A midweek game at Barnet followed, in wet and windy conditions. A neat finish from Richard Offiong and a close range effort, yet again, from Denis Behan, gave us the victory, either side of a solitary Barnet goal. Promotion contenders Ebbsfleet were our next opponents, and it looked as though we had the game under wraps after goals from Behan and Offiong gave us a 2-0 lead after 48 minutes. However, Ebbsfleet's Brazilian striker, Magno Vieira, grabbed a 4 minute brace to level things up, and leave us with just one point, in a game which we felt we should've won.

A very frustrating game against Woking followed. They were 18th in the league, and should've been a team we were able to beat, but after they opened the scoring from a free-kick in the first half, we seemed to be always on the back foot. Despite an equaliser from Denis Behan, his 6th in 5 games and 9th of the season, we just couldn't find the back of the net again and squandered several good chances. We finished the game with four strikers on the field; Lewis Alessandra and Ryan Charles, returning from injury, were brought on, but it still wasn't enough to get the win.

A trip up north to Gateshead was the penultimate game of September; and yet again it was a game that we should've won. After going 2-1 up thanks to goals from Ryan Charles and Michael Noone, we took our foot off the gas, so to speak, and let Gateshead come at us, and subsequently take the game to us. They scored two second half goals to give them the 3-2 victory, and the full set of points, much to my displeasure.

We hadn't won in three games, and to make matters worse; we were up against top-of-the-table Shewsbury, who up until playing us, had won 8 games out of 11, and lost just the once. Things didn't start off well for us; Shrewsbury's James Spray scored on 17 minutes, and then just after the break, got another one to double his team's tally. On 69 minutes, Richard Offiong and Lewis Alessandra were brought on for Denis Behan and Carl Tremarco, and I changed the formation to 3-4-3, in a bid to get two goals back. Literally two minutes after coming on, Alessandra combined with Lewis Montrose and Ryan Charles, who fed in Richard Offiong for his 4th goal of the season. This gave us some sort of hope. With 5 minutes of normal time to go, I told the team to go full throttle and go for an equaliser. It worked; in the 4th and final minute of stoppage time, Ryan Charles picked up the ball in the centre circle and once again played it through to Offiong who, in an almost identical finish, scored his 5th of the season, and the leveller for us. We came away with a point, although it did feel like a win, against a very good Shrewsbury team.

The draw meant we finished a fixture-congested September in 7th place, but next month's games are, on paper, easier than what we've just played. But then again, as everyone says, football is not played on paper, and as I know from experience, anything can happen.

August 2012

The big day had finally arrived; Saturday the 11th August 2012 saw us play our first game in the Blue Square Premier against Southport, who had won the Blue Square North the previous year. Our starting eleven included four of the six new signings, with Richard Offiong and Denis Behan on the bench. We opened the scoring after only four minutes; Ryan Charles continuing his good form from last season by scoring from close range. We looked comfortable throughout the game, and Southport rarely threatened Alex Cisak in our goal. With 15 minutes to play, we were awarded a penalty which Charles duly converted to double his own, and our tally. Offiong and Behan were brought on in place of Charles and Alessandra, and in the first minute of stoppage time, Behan headed in off a Jake Simpson cross for a debut goal and to make it 3-0 at full-time. Simpson had played well; he was the one fouled in the box for the penalty, and he contributed to two assists as well. A good all-round performance from the team which left us in 2nd place.

Our next game was against Stevenage; a side who this year were battling some major financial problems. Michael Noone opened his Telford account on 14 minutes after a scramble in the box, and Denis Behan got his second in as many games, in his first start for the club, shortly before half-time. More or less straight after the restart, Jake Simpson played in Ryan Charles who easily slotted the ball past the Stevenage 'keeper. Despite getting a man sent off with five minutes left, Stevenage managed to grab a consolation goal in the 89th minute, to make the final score 3-1 to us. Another convincing victory which took us up to the top of the table.

Wrexham were our next opponents, in what would be a much tougher match than the first two. They had narrowly missed out on the play-offs for the past three seasons, and were a side who could potentially cause us an upset. Things were level for 77 minutes of the game, until Alex Cisak fumbled the bal into his own net to give Wrexham the lead. This came shortly after Ryan Charles had been taken off with a pulled hamstring, meaning he'd be out of action for upto a month. Lewis Alessandra and Richard Offiong were both brought on, and an attacking 3-4-3 formation was put in place. Almost immediately after his introduction, Alessandra received the ball on the right wing, took it to the byline and crossed for Michael Noone who was stood unmarked in the Wrexham box. Noone calmly placed the ball into the net to seal the draw for us.

A 1-1 away draw at York City followed, with Denis Behan equalising for us from the penalty spot in the 70th minute. We had slipped to 5th in the table, but a home game with Chelmsford City gave us another 3 points and meant we finished August in 3rd place. Richard Offiong grabbed his first goal for the club in a 2-0 win, with captain Graham Coughlan getting the other.

I'm sure you'll agree; we've had a very good first month in the Blue Square Premier. 3 wins, 2 draws and no losses so far; hopefully we can continue the good form. The transfer window closes in the first week of September, and I'm hoping to bring in a centre back before that. 18-year-old Simon Davis was signed on a season-long loan from Crewe Alexandra as cover for Coughlan and Adrian Nevins, but ideally I would like a bit more experience.

June/July 2012

When the players returned from their break on the 25th of June, two new faces had already been brought in. Two strikers; 28-year-old journeyman Richard Offiong and 28-year-old former Ireland youth international Denis Behan both joined the club on free transfers. They were brought in to act as more-than-capable competition for Ryan Charles and Lewis Alessandra, who were both so good last year. The fixture list for the coming season had also been revealed; we started with two home games, the first against fellow ex-Blue Square North outfit Southport, and the second against cash-strapped Stevenage. This was followed by an away trip to Wales to play Wrexham.

Our first friendly came in the second week of July against League Two side Morecambe. The two new boys started on the bench, but came on at half time; Richard Offiong scoring the third in a 3-0 victory.

Steve Jagielka, Aidan Sherlock, Jack Watkins, Daniel Cable and Craig Gott were released on free transfers on the 1st of July, after their contracts had expired. Two more transfers were made after the Morecambe game; Right Back Max Wragg and Defensive Midfielder Lewis Montrose were both signed on frees, the latter coming in after an impressive trial, shortly before the next fixture at home to West Brom, our parent club. We ended up losing 9-0 on the day, although my excuse is I fielded a weakened side, which I did. Anyway, it was only a friendly. Lewis Alessandra strained his groin after coming on as a substitute, an injury which would see him miss the rest of the pre-season.

Australian Goalkeeper Alex Cisak and Michael Noone, a former Glenn Hoddle Academy player, were signed on free transfers and went straight into the side to face Stourport, our feeder club. We won the game 4-0, with goals from Ryan Charles, Denis Behan, Danny Carey-Bertram and Barry Madden (own goal).

We were on the receiving end of the same scoreline just three days later, against League One side Oxford United, but got back to winning ways against Taunton, where we won 2-0 thanks to goals from Richard Offiong and Denis Behan. The scoreline flattered our opposition though really; we had a total of 20 shots to their 4, so they were lucky to have only conceded two.

Our penultimate friendly came against the Glenn Hoddle Academy, in which we won 5-1, in a very convincing victory. Danny Carey-Bertram continued his impressive pre-season form by bagging two goals and the Man of the Match award. Netan Sansara and Denis Behan's brace completed the scoring.

Sheffield Wednesday were our final opponents before the competitive games began. We were holding them to a goalless draw until 15 minutes before the final whistle when they broke the deadlock, and then with two minutes to go, scored another to seal the win. An encouraging, if not disappointing game.

A bit of a mix-and-match pre-season in terms of results, as I'm sure you'll agree. I'm happy with the players I've brought in, although we could maybe do with a centre back to act as cover for Graham Coughlan (incidentally, the new club captain) and Adrian Nevins. I was surprised to see that we were tipped as promotion contenders at 14-1. Well, the bookies are rarely wrong, are they? Bring on the Blue Square Premier!