Hello my friends and welcome back to the Dorchester Town FM 2010 story. We managed to stay unbeaten in League One through the first two months so we were sitting second at the end of September, four points behind leaders Coventry. We had a tough schedule ahead of us as we had to meet most of the top teams in October, including Coventry and third placed Peterborough.
In fact, our first match of the month was at home with Peterborough, the strong promotion contenders that were lying just behind us in 3rd place. The crowd got to see a fairly even game until Peterborough took the lead on 23 minutes thanks to a stunning 35 yard free kick shot. My lads reacted pretty well and we had a good chance to get back level a few minutes before half time but failed to convert it. The players came out with a good attitude after the interval and Omar Koroma brought us the equalizer eight minutes into the second half with a splendid shot from 20 yards out. The team produced an excellent display until the final whistle, everything went just as it should have apart from the finishing. We wasted quite a few chances so the game ended all square although we really could and should have won it.
The next game was another tough one, away at 4th placed Millwall. I was quite happy with the first half display, the team was looking quite solid but failed to find the breakthrough until the 42nd minute when loanee striker Michael Garrity slid one in a few minutes after being denied by the keeper from a similar position. We found ourselves under a bit of pressure after the interval but goalkeeper Gabriel Nicolau worked wonders during the initial 10 minutes of the second half. Then we gradually took control of the game since the referee sent off Millwall‘s left back at the hour mark. We could have wrapped up the game quite easily but we missed a few chances again, our lack of concentration upfront was beginning to worry me. I was quiet happy with the defense though, we appeared to be rock solid at the back.
Next up, the Johnstone’s Trophy second round game against Wycombe. I felt that it was the right moment to rest some of the first team regulars for the tough battles ahead but at half time it wasn’t looking like such a great idea anymore. The first half was incredibly boring, no shots on target at all! The second half wasn’t much better either but Polish striker Szymon Kazmierowski managed to tuck one in six minutes into the half and that goal was enough to win the game. Not impressive by any means but I was happy that we were through to the next round and also that I had the chance to rest a few important players.
The most important game of the month was coming up, at home against league leaders Coventry. I expected it to be a tough match but just when I was preparing to pick my first eleven I was in for a shocking view: seven of my players were not available because they were away on international duty with their national teams! Don’t get me wrong, I was happy that they were selected for their national teams, but I was quite concerned that I wasn’t able to send them in for such an important game…
Anyway, I managed to send in a decent eleven hoping to keep our unbeaten record. Coventry had six points ahead of us and they also had an impressive record, they were unbeaten in eleven games and conceded only five goals in the process! And they also had all their players available, no international duty for them… The first half saw a hard fought game, rough battles for possession in midfield but very little entertainment upfront. We enjoyed better possession after the interval, our moves were more fluid and we finally took the lead on 59 minutes: captain Ryan Carolan made a majestic jump and headed in a corner kick! We took control of the game after that goal but failed to create any more chances. Coventry started to push forward when there were 15 more minutes to be played but they were leaving gaps at the back and we managed to exploit them twice in three minutes! First Aleksandar Mladenov made a great run on the right flank and found Matt Richards unmarked at the far post and then Peter Singh whipped in a good cross that Michael Garrity headed home. Our finishing got better just when we needed it the most, now we were only three point behind the league leaders! Go to the next page to read the rest of the story.
Go to the next page to read the rest of the story.
Sears
19 августа, 2010 at 23:20
Howdy Johnny,
All is well at Dorchester I see! 2 point lead from second spot, 5 point lead from third spot, I think if you continue this form you’ll create some breathing space in the next 2-3 months. Goodluck!
Johnny Karp
20 августа, 2010 at 07:33
Thanks Sears. I would surely love some breathing space but we’ll see if we’ll manage to get some or not.
mark
20 августа, 2010 at 03:04
Again you beat the odds and show your team are certainly not pushovers… three words…..Amazing,Amazing,Amazing!!
i have one request as can you how your board confidence in your next post?
Johnny Karp
20 августа, 2010 at 07:31
Thanks for the kind words Mark. I have written a note so that I won’t forget your request, will publish that in the next post for sure :)
Jin
20 августа, 2010 at 04:50
Johnny,can you send me your tactic?
thank you.
my email is kaiser577@126.com
Johnny Karp
20 августа, 2010 at 07:31
Jin, you can download the tactic from here: https://www.footballmanagerstory.com/2009/12/my-new-football-manager-2010-tactic/
ravenie
20 августа, 2010 at 07:47
So frustrating on my computer, everytime I look after I switch off the save I made is gone. I have not made a long running save because they keep disappearing. Can anyone help? Sorry SLIGHTLY off topic. Wow what a fantastic win over Coventry and they had 2 terrible results whiich can only benefit you..
Johnny Karp
20 августа, 2010 at 08:03
Ravenie, did you try copying the save game file to another location on your computer? I would suggest doing that on a regular basis and then you will have a backup just in case your file disappears again. However, I have never seen files disappearing from my PC, quite the contrary, they keep piling up :)
ravenie
20 августа, 2010 at 16:28
this has never happened before tho, im not sure how to do what u explained
Johnny Karp
20 августа, 2010 at 16:40
Let me understand what you’re saying: where do you look for the save?
Lye
20 августа, 2010 at 09:05
Still doing well mate, seems Coventry are having problems after being beaten by you. It is good news for you. Hopefully you can maintain the position there. Good luck.
Johnny Karp
20 августа, 2010 at 10:00
Thanks Lye. I hope we won’t go down like Coventry after our first league defeat, I’m sure we’ll get beaten sooner or later. I would prefer later :)
Kevin Mayo
20 августа, 2010 at 09:43
Hello Johnny
Well done on quite a superb month especailly that stunning win over Coventry with many of your regulars missing. That’s changed the complexion of the league and made you serious title contenders. Great stuff.
Johnny Karp
20 августа, 2010 at 10:01
Thanks Kevin, I was very pleased with that win over Coventry as I really wasn’t hoping for more than a draw considering the circumstances. That game showed that we have very good squad depth.
Plobdork
20 августа, 2010 at 10:18
wow johnny you always manage to win even when the odds are against you great win against coventry dorchester are going to be champions league champions some day:) :) :) :)
Johnny Karp
20 августа, 2010 at 11:25
Thanks mate, we’re surely going to win everything there is to win someday but we’ll have to show a lot of patience until then :)
Darren Smith
20 августа, 2010 at 11:59
Well done Johnny, you have remained unbeaten even after fielding an under par squad. You must be really happy with the way your team are performing of late. If you can keep up the form I reckon promotion is on the cards this year. Well done mate and goodluck for the next month
Johnny Karp
20 августа, 2010 at 12:16
Thanks Darren. I am quite happy with the team’s displays of late, especially with the defense. We conceded only one goal throughout the month and that is a very good achievement.
Laxeyman
20 августа, 2010 at 12:15
Another excellent month Johnny, well done! Your right in there for promotion, and I reckon you can do it as long as you avoid injuries. Good luck!
Johnny Karp
20 августа, 2010 at 15:44
Thanks Laxeyman, I hope we can do it with or without injuries :)
Jean Paul Borg
20 августа, 2010 at 13:33
Hey mate, you amaze me Johnny. Well done on beating Coventry with that under par squad. Don’t say that you can’t get unbeaten in a whole season, you can manage anything with some patience :) Thanks for all your advice. I am still going through my first league month of the first season with sassuolo.
Johnny Karp
20 августа, 2010 at 15:16
Thanks Jean Paul, I have the patience but I don’t know if the squad is good enough to go the whole season unbeaten.
Cal
23 августа, 2010 at 17:47
Good Job Johnny your team showed they are the most consistant and that is why you are winning the legue!
I cant believe a legue 1 team have 7 international player!!!
Johnny Karp
23 августа, 2010 at 18:07
Thanks Cal. They’re not world class internationals in top notch teams, Sierra Leone or Netherlands Antilles are not exactly Brazil or Argentina :) But I’m proud to say that I have a few youth internationals, including an English player! (Eddie Kelly, the right back).