We had to get back in shape for the next game, a League Two derby against 2nd placed Crystal Palace. That’s right, our defeat against Torquay saw us dropping to third place but we were only one point behind Crystal Palace. We already beat them in the JPT game but their league form was quite impressive since they were on a seven match unbeaten run. The fans were totally behind us for the game, I think we had the biggest attendance of the season so far, 4212 people (the capacity is 5009). The team looked fairly confident during the first minutes of the game and we managed to take the lead in the 12th minute: a corner kick cross was headed by centre back O’Brien, the ball came off the underside of the crossbar but landed right on the goal line… where the other centre back, Martin Kelly, was ready to push it in. The crowd went wild but so did Crystal Palace, we found ourselves under pressure for a while but managed to cope with it. We lifted the siege in the 34th minute, a quick counter attack sent Koroma clean through and he slid the ball past the keeper to double our lead. The second goal brought the game back into our control, we were keeping possession well and our defense wasn’t under pressure anymore. Things got even better a few minutes after the break, Crystal Palace‘s defensive midfielder finally got sent off after making a long series of pretty rough tackles throughout the first half too. We took control of the game and totally dominated it right till the final whistle, we could have scored quite a few more. It was a very important result that pushed us back into the second place in the League Two table.
We had another derby coming up, the last game of the month was away at 3rd placed Stockport! We were tied with them at 30 points but our goal difference was slightly better. I was hoping to get a draw but we had a poor start, gave the ball away easily in midfield and Stockport launched a quick counter to take the lead only four minutes into the game. I wasn’t desperate though, I knew that my lads had the mental strength to react. In fact, we missed three clear cut chances until Omar Koroma finally scored in the 34th minute with a coolly placed finish of a great run at the defense. Stockport could have taken the lead again on a counter attack just before half time but we got away with it and the first half ended all square. We continued to dominate the game after the interval and the goal came as a natural consequence, a flowing team move was rounded off by Kazmierowski with a powerful finish from inside the penalty area. Stockport fought back and nearly got back on level terms 10 minutes later but the woodwork saved us. Captain Ryan Carolan was employed as a left back because my first choice player for that role, Fabio Daprela, was injured. Our captain stepped up again just when we needed him the most but this time he didn’t score with a corner kick header as he usually does, he used his left foot to blast in a superb shot from 25 yards out! And guess what, it was his first goal of the season! Stockport desperately pushed forward and eventually clawed one back but it was too late, we recorded a splendid win!
Those last two wins consolidated our second place but the situation is pretty tight at the top. The most important thing is that we’re 9 points clear of the 8th placed team so a play-off spot surely seems achievable at this point.
Our player of the month was striker Omar Koroma, he scored five goals in five appearances! He is starting to show the kind of form that I was hoping he would display and I guess if he will stay clear of injuries then he might have a shot at the league top goalscorer award. He is still young, 22 years old, born in Gambia but raised as a footballer at Watford. As you can see from his career stats he switched quite a few clubs but never found the right place to settle. At Dorchester he got his first real chance of playing first team football and he seems to have understood that this could be the point from where his career could take off.
We’ll be quite busy next month and there will be a few tough games to play: the cup ties against Gillingham and Southend (both League One sides) plus the League Two battles with promotion contenders Luton and Oxford.
Unfortunately I’m afraid you’ll have to wait for a while, the next update will probably be published next week. I am off to another trip, not on holiday but as part of my job. It will be a shorter trip than the last one, I should be back on Sunday, but much longer in distance since I will be flying all the way to… China! The plane doesn’t leave until tomorrow afternoon though so I’ll have plenty of time to reply to your comments until then :) Thanks for reading and don’t forget about Dorchester until I get back :)
Cal
26 июля, 2010 at 20:35
All in all a good month your doing really well in legue 2.
Hope you get promoted!!!!
Good luck!
Johnny Karp
26 июля, 2010 at 20:52
Thanks Cal! :)
Kevin Mayo
26 июля, 2010 at 21:09
Hi Johnny
Great month for you there though an unlucky loss against Torquay in a hard fought game. Koroma looks like he’s going to do a decent job for you and the team is well tucked in there amongst the leaders. Safe trip to China and back of course!
Johnny Karp
26 июля, 2010 at 21:19
Thanks Kevin, I’ll try to scout some players over there in my spare time, maybe on Chinese TV :)
Sears
26 июля, 2010 at 21:28
Hi Johnny, you sure do travel a lot in that job of yours! Have a safe trip! Great month again with Dorchester, I’m sure you’ll get promoted now.
Darren Smith
26 июля, 2010 at 21:57
Well done Johnny! Thats another fantastic month…hey I wish their was a football manager bookies, because I’d be cashing in. I had a sneaky feeling your side had the quality for at least top 6. I hope you can continue the great form and provide us with some more high scoring games ; )
Laxeyman
26 июля, 2010 at 23:49
Well done Johnny, another fantastic month, and some high scoring games too! The play offs is a very realistic possibility, I think you’ve got a decent chance of even winning it. Have a good trip, it’s a pretty long one!
Johnny Karp
27 июля, 2010 at 06:17
@Sears
Thanks mate, I guess I do travel more than the average working man :)
@Darren
Thanks, maybe they’ll have bets on Football Manager games soon :)
@Laxeyman
Thanks, I hope we’ll manage to win those high scoring games from now on though. Or at least I hope we won’t concede four goals in a game anytime soon.
markjulian
27 июля, 2010 at 10:40
Hello, looks like you’re doing quite well there. I’m a bit shocked to see Crystal Palace in League Two but they have gone down a bit in recent times.
By the way, I was just interested in getting more followers for my recent blog. I am playing as Aston Villa.
The address is http://footballmanagervilla.blogspot.com/
Anyone on the website who is interested please have a look, i am in the process of putting the first post up so it maybe a day or two.
Thanks
Mark
Johnny Karp
27 июля, 2010 at 10:46
Thanks Mark, good luck with your blog.
Ana Garcia
27 июля, 2010 at 11:30
Nice going again Johnny, promotion is a real target now!
Good luck with the rest of the season, and of course have a nice and safe trip to China.
Johnny Karp
27 июля, 2010 at 11:52
Thanks a lot Ana, I hope I’ll still remember the players when I’ll get back :)
Chris @ Chester
27 июля, 2010 at 19:58
Excellent month there johnny. What is it that you do for a living?
Lye
28 июля, 2010 at 01:46
Hi mate, i am highly hopeful that you will win promotion even though its still early. Your team has produced amazing form. By the way, which part of china will you be going?
java
28 июля, 2010 at 17:06
Dorchester are in their way to the promotion Johnny. Ehh… China? what will you do there sir? Learning Kung-Fu? :D
Majk
30 июля, 2010 at 21:33
Someone’s been watching the trailer for the new Karate Kid. :)
java
31 июля, 2010 at 07:54
Naah, Karate Kid isn’t my favorite film. I prefer Shaolin Soccer. They combined football with Kung-Fu. :D
Johnny Karp
1 августа, 2010 at 13:12
@Chris @ Chester
Thanks mate. I’m a journalist.
@Lye
Thanks Lye, I hope you’ll be proven right about the promotion. I just got back home, I went to Shanghai.
@Java & Majk
No Kung-Fu unfortunately…