We lost!
Forget it!
Move on!

Al 'it's only a game' Clow

Can somebody tell me what time we are meeting tomorrow? I've lost Saul's telephone number.

Cheers

Jamie

Al ‘It’s all coming together at last’ Clow

Saulio.

Next stop a Quarter-final against the Acorn that takes us back up to High Green/Hoyland. Who knows eh?

Al ‘4 matches unbeaten/it’s a funny old game’ Clow

Don’t want to play this up too much lads as I know Saul is trying to keep it ‘low profile’ but………….. we won!!!

Thought it showed what a great bunch of guys we have playing for the club. The game was played in excellent spirit, despite my shocking assault on Pete, and it served as a useful workout for those of us who went on the ‘booze-up’ afterwards. A big thanks to C for reffing and letting the game flow by missing most of the offsides and free-kicks!

Let’s leave it at that?

Al "Call me humble" Clow

The standard has been set boys!

Al "Back in a job" Clow

We just have to keep doing what we've been doing and I'm convinced we'll be OK. Take each game as it comes etc. etc.

Well Pardew's gone so it could be me next, especially if HSBC gets taken over by a big Icelandic Bank!

See everyone at training/Saturday

Al 'no back-passes from me' Clow

As you know, we have already lost to our next opponents, Railway Tavern, this season (no one is to mention the infamous back pass). What you might not know is that they now sit 2pts and one place above us in the table. Hence, I am sure you don't need me to tell you that a win is a must if we are to stay clear of the relegation zone.

Hope to see you Saturday all ready and raring to go.

Al ’I've got a one week stay of execution’ Clow

You know how things are likely to pan out when you find out the Changing Rooms have been burnt down by the local ‘hoodies’, to be replaced by a Metal Box with no windows or running water, the pitch resembles a badly ploughed postage stamp and you just about manage to scrape together a fit team!! (But enough of the positives). We actually battled and scrapped really well in my view and should have been a couple up in the first-half. We continue to play good passing football regardless of the conditions or opposition. Getting in front early is perhaps the key?
To lose to a disputed offside goal (I think Derek made certain the ref was left in no doubt as what most of us thought!) and an 88th minute o.g. is difficult to swallow. A determined, ‘gritty’ equaliser from Knaggsy should have been enough to get the point we deserved. However, I am confident it will come together and hopefully against the ‘All Stars’ from Stocksbridge PS Vets on Saturday. Lets keep positive and get the result we need, and deserve.
Al ’only 2 games before the chop’ Clow

Al 'I've got 3 games to turn it round' Clow

Surprise, surprise it’s another away draw!

Rumour has it that the draw had to be delayed while the Wragg League secretary “warmed up” the number 3 (HSBC) ball so that when it went into the velvet bag the drawer’s were left in no doubt as to who were to be left until last.

However, the details of the draw are as follows:

Hallam Malin / Telecom Sports v Wickersley Old Village
Gawber Road v Telstar
Clowne Town v HSBC Vets
Silkstone United v Stocksbridge PS Vets

So it’s a trip into Derbyshire on Saturday 3rd February, unless Sky Sports intervenes, to meet our opponents from Division 1B.

Saulio was left to rue what might have been. A lucrative home draw may have given the club a vital cash injection and allowed us to buy some new black socks so that we could field four subs if sporting the lucky white kit in the future.

Scouts will be dispatched to watch the opposition in the coming weeks to report back to the camp ahead of the crunch fixture. A full and detailed player by player analysis will be prepared and left in the toilets, to be stolen, ahead of the Old Edwardians league game at the end of this month.

It’s a difficult one to read as Clowne are struggling in the league having just registered 2 victories to date from 11 games. However, they seem to have a resolute defensive unit as the goals against column isn’t too damaging.

However, Clowne have found their feet in the cup. A first round victory over Oughtibridge Cock Inn (3 minutes walk from my home) was followed by a 5-3 victory over high flying Oxspring United also from Division 2B.

In the 3rd round this weekend just gone, they proved to be giant killers turning over the previously unbeaten Bradway Over 35’s on their patch in a 4-2 scoreline.

It's a decent draw for both teams. Both will look at the tie as a winnable and intriguing fixture and the mouth watering prospect of a semi-final appearance for the winners.

As for the remainder of the ties well Gawber v Telstar will probably see the home side progress.

When a date is made for the postponed Hallam v Telecom Sports match it could be a close call. The two sides played out a 2-2 draw earlier in the season. However, Hallam will be fancied having home advantage and then they’ll be up against the current leaders of Division 1B. I still fancy Hallam to make it through to the semis.

The final tie sees Silkstone entertain Stocksbridge. Hard one to call as Silkstone look likely to have their league campaign extended into August with the backlog of fixtures they’re still to play. I’ll go for Stocksbridge, purely as the place as nothing else going for it.

So that will probably mean, with a bit of luck, two Premiership teams and two teams representing Division 2A in the last four.

We are the lowest placed league team still in the competition. However, no one should underestimate the spirit of the Buoys.

Elsewhere, in the Sid Butterworth Trophy HSBC 1st team look to have an excellent chance to bring home some silverware to the Stadio Della Doreo – we all wish them well in their game v The Acorn. However, perhaps if they do get knocked out they might lend their poor siblings their shiny new red kit….

BTW, it came off my chest (left tit to be precise) and not my arm for the Italian's 2nd.

The third round of the League Knockout cup once again took us on our travels this time to Catcliffe and the Norfolk Arms, currently lying in mid-table in Division 1A.

I think the pre-match omens were good from the moment that Pacey Pete, Butch and I worked out how to put the heating on in the changing rooms. The opposition’s psychology of freezing our nuts off before kick-off was thwarted.

Saulio made two changes from the team that won convincingly last time out at The Nags. Mark Harby’s absence opened the door for a return at left back to Alec. Saulio also sacrificed himself to allow Wadds to take up a central midfield position alongside Chris H.

The pitch was long and flat which, again, seemed to give positive vibes. The three subs were joined by groupies Kev and Steve standing on the very convenient bank to oversee the proceedings.

The Buoys started the much brighter of the two teams. Pacey Pete, even without his lucky shorts, was dragging the opposition’s defence all over the pitch leaving huge gaps for Darren to run into.

Therefore, it was somewhat against the run of play when the hosts took an unexpected lead. A long ball/clearance from the defence saw the No.10 latch onto the pass, hold off the attentions of Ian, round Butch and stroke the ball into the empty net.

Perhaps it served a wake up call or normal service was resumed as it wasn’t long before the Buoys were back on level terms. The Italian was put clear on goal and although the keeper closed him down quickly his chip/shot was rolling agonisingly wide when Banjo appeared like lightening at the back post to slide home the equaliser.

Soon afterwards we lost Ian at the back as he outfoxed himself trying to control the ball and subsequently pulled his hamstring. Therefore, this gave way to a first appearance for the Buoys for Jamie slotting in alongside Torrs.

It wasn’t long before the free-flowing football that the fans have come to expect resulted in a second goal for the whites. There were loud appeals for handball as a ricochet came off Banjo’s arm to land at the Italians feet. However, he placed a beautiful right footed shot from the edge of the box in off the right post – a cracker.

It wasn’t long before it was 3-1 as a great cross from the left by Wadds dipped over the covering defender and the Italian powered home his second of the game with a bullet header.

It all seemed to be going well, a bit too well and perhaps just for entertainment value Nick firstly placed the ball high into the trees when in a great position to kill the game. Soon afterwards the home team’s left back went on a Maradona-esque run, i.e. no one put in a challenge, played it out wide and a great curling cross was met by Kevin Francis to nod home to make it 3-2 at the break.

Wadds then laid it on the line in the half-time team talk. We employed the 51st variation of a midfield formation and strategy for the same game in attempt to stop the amount of space the opposition were getting and to get the defence out from their ever deepening position.

It certainly worked as in the second half Norfolk Arms were stifled as a creative force. However, our forwards did seem to be getting a bit more isolated and the game was even-stevens for the opening period.

There was a rare chance for Norfolk but Butch raced off his line to smother the danger. Butch was subject of an injury scare to his left arm when Banjo very scarily volunteered to go in goal should the need arise. The look of fear alone on mine and Saul’s face at this statement inspired Butch to persevere…

However, replete with spats, a Tommy gun, sharp pressed suit and trilby (not to mention Kev’s shin pads) the Italian finished off the opposition almost single-handedly. First he took a page out of Pacey Pete’s book to fire in another beauty from the edge of the box. A right foot curler over the keeper and into the top corner to chalk up his hat-trick.

A fourth, and a 5-2 scoreline, wasn’t long in coming as he was on hand to finish off a bit of a scramble in the goal mouth from an original chance that I think Pete had.

The introduction of Saulio and I didn’t disrupt proceedings as Pete added a sixth for a well deserved goal to cap another great performance from the number 9.

And so the match ended with another convincing scoreline and performance from the Buoys of 2A. Everyone did their job and the understanding of how we play as a team is evident.

The only consolation the home team could take was that they’d been beaten by the better team and that they had several yellow cards, mainly for endless dissent, to reflect upon for the rest of their league campaign.

The heady heights of the cup Quarter-Finals await and who knows we may EVEN get a home draw next time round (and Chris H may EVEN get that elusive first goal…)
The three games to date have shown that there should be no fear in whoever we are drawn against. Three teams from higher divisions have all been dispatched. Therefore, if the cup form carries on into the league then, should promotion be achieved, there’s no reason to fear the future.

The availability of a ‘squad’ to choose from is a bonus too. The recent additions of Nick and now Jamie have given us some much needed strength and having some real competition for places will serve us well in the coming months.

Well done to everyone and onto Penistone…

6th Away v Norfolk Arms
13th Away v Penistone Church Reserves
20th Away v Gawber Road
27th Home v Old Edwardians

As there is an imbalance in the number of fixtures we’ve played at home to date it’s inevitable that we’re going to be on the road quite a bit for the remainder of our league campaign.

First up however is the pleasant distraction of the cup. A trip to Norfolk Arms is in store on the 6th January in the 3rd round of the competition.
Our opponents are currently in mid-table of Division 1A and it’s always hard to forecast how the difference in leagues translates when 11 line up against 11.
However, there should be no fear in the task ahead, we’ve nothing to lose and to date we’ve put in two cracking performances at Stocksbridge Steels Vets, registering a comfortable 6-3 win and then the excellent 3-1 win at Outu Kumpu in December. Having run off a bit of rust in the 5-2 defeat to the 1st team in the friendly at Dore on 30th December it should help us be sharp and focused when the game starts in earnest. I believe it to be a 1pm kick-off, I may even make it on time…

The 13th January sees us travel north to Penistone.
The home match saw us get a point from a fairly competitive game that ended 1-1. I still can’t believe that the team that turned up at the Stadio Della Doreo that day were the same team that had taken some hammerings in the weeks prior to the fixture. Again it’s a hard one to call. We’ve heard reports that the pitch resembles a farmer’s field so our normal fluent, continental style of play, build up and execution may suffer and we may have to resort to going more direct. However, it’s definitely a game we should be looking to win to keep our noses ahead of the chasing pack for that coveted 2nd place come the end of the season.

The 20th January sees us travel to the seemingly unstoppable Gawber Road.
Whoever they were before they’re definitely in the wrong league. Unbeaten to date, scoring goals for fun they’ve more or less already assured themselves of promotion with just over half the season played.
The fixture at the Stadio Della Doreo was however not as straightforward as they may have had up to that point. A 2-0 scoreline to the opposition but I remember ‘Lucky Shorts’ Pete having a chance in the second-half at 1-0 to get an unlikely equaliser. However, at times it was also like the Alamo in defence with a bank of nine bravely fighting off the attacking hordes. It was a game I remember for never having run so much in my own half of the pitch. However, it was a gritty performance and if we post the kind of display we’ve proved we are capable of then we may just be able to stop the final league table from reading Played 22 Won 22 for the home side.

The 27th January sees us enjoy the comparative luxury of pitch 3 at Stadio Della Doreo.
We entertain Old Edwardians. We won 3-1 on a warm September afternoon down the Bawtry Road. OE's players certainly knew how to complain to the referee that day but the result was never in doubt as we were in control for the majority of the game. I don't see any recent evidence to suggest that it shouldn't result in 2 more points for the Buoys.

So, I don’t want to tempt fate but we should be looking to win at least two of these games as a minimum. However, the key as always is the availability of players and the luxury of having at least 2 substitutes to introduce to freshen things up or cover for injury. On our day we’ve shown we can beat anyone and with the team having a bit of rhythm and momentum then there’s no reason why we can’t push on in both the league and cup competition.

All the best and let’s make it a Happy New Year 2007.