Page 63 - Phonebox Magazine May 2013

PEARLS OF FOOTBALL WISDOM FOR THE U18 SUNDAY COLTS SQUAD
“Listen Lads!”
‘’Listen Lads this is how we are going to play the game today’’ And after 11 years we would like to believe they have listened.... and learned. (the last team talk from our coach Tim Ray included references to tennis and bullfighting though even I cannot remember why!)
A potentially tough game against Scot on 7th April proved to be just that. Although we won 5-1 there is little doubt that Scot have some very good players but unfortunately they can be ill disciplined. 2 players were sent off late in the game for verbal abuse. Indiscipline is something our squad has never experienced with probably 3 red cards and a handful of bookings during the 11 years of games.In our opinion discipline is important not only to keep the shape of the team but also to ensure we keep 11 players on the pitch!
On the 14th April we had a much easier assignment against the bottom team. Our centre forward Tom McGeary opened the scoring bursting through the middle and placing the ball in the corner with his left foot. Will Knowles also scored twice with his left foot and Josh Barnes continued his prolific season but William Ray scored what we thought would be the goal of the game when lashing the ball into the top corner following a clever corner routine. However that effort was eclipsed when Alex Smail dribbled past 3 players and calmly placed the ball in the bottom left corner. With the game won we pushed our excellent centre halves Sam George and Joe Attwood into attacking positions and even gave Ryan Smith, one of our goalkeepers, a run out on pitch. Joe Attwood took full advantage and scored his first goal of the season for the sunday team with a well placed header whilst Ryan stretched to put the ball in the net only to be (cruelly) ruled offside. 4 points from our remaining 3 games will secure the Division 1 Title leaving us to concentrate on the cup final on weekend 18/19th May
Late March and early April saw Newport Pagnell Town back on winning form, with four consecutive victories.
A 2-1 away win at Sleaford in the only UCL Premier Division match that survived the weather on a snowy day in late March was followed by a 2-1 home win over Kempston in the local derby on Easter Monday.
Newport then defeated Desborough twice in eight days. They hung on to win 3-2 at Willen Road after holding a 3-0 half time lead and letting the visitors back into the game in the second half, and then completed the double with a 2-0 win away at Desborough the following Saturday. Darren Dykes scored both goals against Kempston and one in each
of the other three games, taking his total for Newport to 97 over the past four seasons and raising hopes that he will reach 100 before the end of the season. Jack Croxford, moving up from the Reserves, made his mark with goals in both the away games at Sleaford and at Desborough.
At the time of writing this, with four games still to play, Newport are sixth in the UCL Premier Division. With home and away games to come against Quorn, who are one place and one point above them and with only two points covering the teams from fourth to seventh places, Newport could still finish anywhere from fourth to seventh.
The Reserves have had mixed results, with a 2-1 win away at
Leverstock Green, a 5-0 defeat at Royston and a 0-0 draw at home to Berkhamsted – a rarity at Willen Road, where we usually see goals.
Final home first team fixture at Willen Road (UCL Premier Division): Saturday 4 May, 3pm: Harborough Town See the club’s web site, www.nptfc. co.uk for up to date news and details of Reserves and Under 18 fixtures.
Phonebox Magazine 63
NEWPORT PAGNELL TOWN FOOTBALL CLUB