Vauxhall Motors Story: September 2013

Hello folks and welcome to a new episode of the Vauxhall Motors Football Manager 2011 story! As you already know our League One campaign didn’t start too well: we won just one out of four league games and also got beaten quite heavily by Newcastle in the Carling Cup. We had five games coming up in the next month and I was expecting better results in September, let’s see whether our results improved or not.

Vauxhall vs Stockport (Johnstone’s Paint Trophy N 1st round)

Venue: Rivacre Park

Attendance: 707

Starting line up: Martin Hansen — Ken Harris, Daniel Pappoe, Oliver Nicholas, Grant Baddeley — Darren King, Matthew Ball, Graham Howson, Keith Higgs — Mark Cullen, Dale Hills

Team Talk: You can win today!

We had the chance to start the month with an easier game, the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy first round match against League Two side Stockport. However, our opponents were the favorites according to the bookmakers so we had to play well if we wanted to win. In fact, we started the game with a positive attitude and hit the crossbar before Darren King tapped in an Oliver Nicholas free kick header. We could have scored at least one more goal before the break but I was satisfied with the display.

Half time score: 1-0

Half time team talk: Pleased.

Half time substitutions: Peter Leven for Matthew Ball, Jacob Walcott for Keith Higgs, Derrick Williams for Oliver Nicholas

I had to make three changes at half time due to fitness problems and the team wasn’t playing as well as they did in the first half. We were under a bit of pressure after the break and Stockport netted the equalizer on 63 minutes, a gift from left back Baddeley who provided a perfect assist for the opposition striker. We resumed our attacking display after that goal but we only clinched the game during the final 10 minutes from two dead ball situations. First Daniel Pappoe powered in a corner kick header and then Graham Howson found the back of the net again with a perfectly taken free kick from the edge of the area. We’re through to the next round but I was hoping to see a more convincing display.

Full time team talk: Well done!

Man of the match: Daniel Pappoe

Flop of the match: Grant Baddeley

Match Stats

Video Highlights

Vauxhall vs Gillingham (League 1)

Venue: Rivacre Park

Attendance: 2,500 (capacity crowd)

Starting line up: Martin Hansen — Jacob Hronec, Daniel Pappoe, Oliver Nicholas, Grant Baddeley — Darren King, Mark Brown, Graham Howson, Jason Banton — Mark Cullen, Dale Hills

Team Talk: You can win today!

We had another good opportunity to win since the opponents were on a poor run of five matches without a win, I was expecting to grab the three points even if we were the underdogs. The first half was not very pleasing, we dominated the game but we only managed to create one clear cut chance. It was quite a big one though, Mark Cullen failed to score from seven yards with an empty net in front of him!

Half time score: 0-0

Half time team talk: You can win today!

Half time substitutions: Carlos Bogado for Darren King, Jacob Walcott for Jason Banton

I changed both wingers at half time and the move seemed to work, we were piling on the pressure and Dale Hills hit the post five minutes after the re-start. The young striker finally repaid my confidence on 65 minutes when he netted his first goal for the club, I was sure of the three points! We were in control of the game but somehow we were caught napping on a counter attack and Gillingham leveled the game 11 minutes from time! I was quite upset to see that and even more furious when Jacob Hronec got sent off five minutes from time! I wanted the win no matter what so I decided to play with only three defenders for the closing minutes of the game, I didn’t want to settle for a draw! The risk paid dividends two minutes from time when Mark Cullen was brought down inside the penalty area and Graham Howson confidently converted from the spot, we deserved to win this game!

Full time team talk: Well done!

Man of the match: Graham Howson

Flop of the match: Darren King

Match Stats

Video Highlights

Q.P.R. vs Vauxhall (League 1)

Venue: Loftus Road

Attendance: 9,001

Starting line up: Martin Hansen — Ken Harris, Daniel Pappoe, Oliver Nicholas, Alex Billington — Carlos Bogado, Matthew Ball, Graham Howson, Jason Banton — Mark Cullen, Darryl Duffy

Team Talk: You can win today!

It was the first tough match of the month, Q.P.R. were in third place and they also were on a five-match unbeaten run. I was quite curious to see my lads in action against such opposition but my curiosity turned to sorrow just 11 minutes into the game, the home side scored moments after we had missed a very good chance. The team was not very affected by that goal and we went on to miss another opportunity before our opponents hit the crossbar from distance. The game moved to a new perspective on the half hour mark when one of Q.P.R.‘s centre backs deservedly got sent off for a second bookable offense, now we had a better chance. It took my lads just one minute to level the game after the sending off, a good flowing team move was rounded off by Mark Cullen who bundled in from close range. We could have taken the lead moments later but another good chance went begging and we were punished for it on 36 minutes when the home side took the lead thanks to a very nice goal. Despite the scoreline, I was happy with the first half display.

Half time score: 2-1

Half time team talk: Pleased.

Half time substitutions: Dale Hills for Mark Cullen, Keith Higgs for Carlos Bogado

We were pouring forward like crazy after the break, Q.P.R. were under loads of pressure but we were wasting so many chances that I stopped counting them at some point. We had even more chances after I changed Graham Howson with Nathan Rooney but the good assists were constantly followed by dismal finishes… Luckily Daniel Pappoe hit the target again from a corner kick to rescue a point for us but we definitely could have won this game. The performance was very good though, everything worked pretty well except the finishing.

Full time team talk: Good result.

Man of the match: Nathan Rooney

Flop of the match: Keith Higgs

Match Stats

Video Highlights

Vauxhall vs Hartlepool (League 1)

Venue: Rivacre Park

Attendance: 2,354

Starting line up: Martin Hansen — Jacob Hronec, Daniel Pappoe, Derrick Williams, Grant Baddeley — Darren King, Mark Brown, Graham Howson, Keith Higgs — Mark Cullen, Dale Hills

Team Talk: You can win today!

It was supposed to be another easier game since Hartlepool were bottom of the table on an eight games without a win streak. Centre back Derrick Williams put us ahead before half time with a corner kick header, his first goal of the season, but our nearly total domination didn’t result in any more goals.

Half time score: 1-0

Half time team talk: Encourage.

Half time substitutions: Jacob Walcott for Keith Higgs

The second half started very well and Graham Howson converted another penalty kick, the foul was on left back Baddeley who made a surprising run inside the box. The game was ours, we were in full control but I was a bit disappointed to see my strikers being quite wasteful again. I couldn’t really congratulate the team after such a win, the opponent was much too weak, so I chose to ignore the players at the end of the game.

Full time team talk: none

Man of the match: Derrick Williams

Flop of the match: Keith Higgs

Match Stats

Video Highlights

Vauxhall vs Derby (League 1)

Venue: Rivacre Park

Attendance: 2,500 (capacity crowd)

Starting line up: Martin Hansen — Ken Harris, Daniel Pappoe, Oliver Nicholas, Grant Baddeley — Carlos Bogado, Mark Brown, Graham Howson, Jason Banton — Mark Cullen, Darryl Duffy

Team Talk: You can win today!

The final game of the month, a difficult one against 13th placed Derby. The team seemed to be playing pretty well again and we took the lead on 20 minutes when a very good team move was finished off by Graham Howson who found the back of the net with a fierce shot from inside the penalty area. That was his fifth goal of the season, he’s our top goalscorer! Another fine team move brought us the second goal before the break, this time Darryl Duffy provided the finish with a good half-volley. Derby had no less than seven players booked before half time, I was quite sure that we were going to have a numerical advantage in the second half.

Half time score: 2-0

Half time team talk: Pleased.

Half time substitutions: Nathan Rooney for Mark Brown, Dale Hills for Darryl Duffy, Jacob Walcott for Jason Banton

I decided to replace the most tired players at half time and the red card that I was expecting came in the 58th minute, one of their centre backs was sent off for a late tackle. We were in control but some sloppy defending allowed Derby to pull one back on 62 minutes. My boys were playing too well though, we were constantly creating chances and we finally converted one five minutes from time when a superb play from Carlos Bogado allowed Dale Hills to kill off the game. Bogado had a very good game as he also provided the assist for the second goal.

Full time team talk: Well done!

Man of the match: Carlos Bogado

Flop of the match: Jacob Walcott

Match Stats

Video Highlights

September Results

So, we went through September unbeaten and that lifted us into seventh place. Preston seem to be running away with the title but the battle for the playoff spots seems to be very tight.

October will have a few tough matches for us, we’ll meet 4th placed Shrewsbury and 6th placed Brighton.

That’s about it for now, things seem to be back on track but we played just one away game in September and most of the other games were against struggling opponents. I hope that my strikers will find their scoring boots soon, otherwise we might be in for a very frustrating ride this season. Thanks a lot for reading and don’t forget to enter the Goal Of The Month Competition, submissions for January will be closed in three days!