Hello friends and welcome back to another installment of my Football Manager Story.
The first game of March was at home against Walsall which started off at a frantic pace with both Baheng and West getting early chances on goal. It was Walsall though who took the lead as we failed to make a challenge on an attack allowing an easy shot to beat keeper Maxwell. We kept the pressure up and eventually force an equalizer in the 38th minute as Baheng beautifully controlled a through ball on his chest from Williams and hit it on the volley to make it 1-1. The second half saw Baheng bag a second as we hit the visitors on the counter attack led by West whose rebounded shot fell neatly for Baheng to tuck home. Barnett powerfully headed in a third minutes later from a corner but then we conceded a goal in the same manner close to the end. The game almost ended in a tie but GK Hansen who came on for the injured Maxwell pulled off a spectacular diving save to deny Walsall what was probably a deserving point.
The injury to GK Chris Maxwell would keep him out of the team for at least four weeks and so I went to our parent club Fulham who loaned their reserve GK Jesse Joronen for two months.
Our next game was against local side Hereford who were very much at the other end of the table but this was still a derby game of sorts. We got off to a great start with a goal from left winger Alexander Kacaniklic who headed in from a Shaun MacDonald cross after only 7 minutes. As the match developed it seemed that the flood gates would open any minute but they never did and it wasn’t until late in the second half that the presence of Fofana in the box created an own goal to double our lead. Baheng added a third two minutes from time to cap off the victory.
Our next three games were all to be at home and this provided a good opportunity to increase our lead at the top of the table. However, two of those games would be against sides eagerly pushing for promotion themselves.
We started against 14thplace Colchester which offered the opportunity to give some of the regulars a well-deserved rest. We got off to a nervy start with our Finnish GK Joronen being called into action immediately but eventually we calmed down and took the lead through Scott Wotten who headed in from a Rooney corner. When Colchester were reduced to ten men we had a great chance to add some goals to the scoreboard but both West and Mitrovic up front couldn’t find the killer touch. We didn’t add to our tally until late in the game when substitute Alex Smith whipped in a cross from the left for opposite winger Nzuzi to score with a glancing header.
The following game saw the visit of Bristol Rovers who I sent out my best eleven to face. Unfortunately it was one of those games if the goalmouth had been a foot wider we would have been 5-0 up at half time but as it turned out Bristol managed to get a point, coming from behind late in the game after Shane Williams had given us the lead just before the hour mark. It was a disappointing result and I didn’t hold back after the game in letting the players know exactly what I thought of their performance.
Over the last couple of months there had been speculation that I was about to leave Wrexham with Louis Saha the favorite to take over at The Racecourse Ground. I decided therefore to approach the board now about a new contract.
At first the talks didn’t go well but when I told them I was committed to the team and how important that was to the clubs ambitions they decided to offer me a two year contract. I was hoping for three years but the Chairman was reluctant.
The final game of the three home matches saw the visit of Brentford who we totally outplayed but couldn’t capitalize on the 66% possession we enjoyed by turning into goals. In what was a frustrating game we had to rely on Moses Barnett heading in from a free kick the equalizing goal to save us from an embarrassing home defeat.
In fact that wasn’t the final game of the month as I hastily arranged a friendly due to space in the calendar caused by international fixtures.
League Table
Fixtures
Despite not fully taking advantage of those home games we enjoy a nine point advantage over MK Dons and just require 5 points to be assured of promotion.
Next months report will feature our trip to Wembley for the JPT final and the conclusion of the League One title race.
Thanks for reading everyone!
Laxeyman
4 февраля, 2011 at 10:08
Hi Kevin, another really good month and promotion is all but secured now, along with the title, well done! You’re doing a great job and hopefully you can wrack up as many points as possible in the last 7 games. Good luck!
Kevin
4 февраля, 2011 at 19:45
Thanks Laxeyman
Almost there now :)
Johnny Karp
4 февраля, 2011 at 11:40
The title race is as good as over Kevin, you’ll grab those required points in no time! I’m not worried about those contract speculations, I’ve had them since the first season but I was always offered a new contract come June. Good luck for the JPT final, I hope that your players will relish the opportunity of playing at Wembley.
Kevin
4 февраля, 2011 at 19:46
Hi Johnny
I hope to grab those points too. I’m looking forward to that dayout at Wembley!
Sears
4 февраля, 2011 at 11:46
The title is yours Kevin, I can’t see how anyone could catch you now. Good luck in the JPT final as well :-)
Kevin
4 февраля, 2011 at 19:46
Hi Sears
Thanks a lot. It seems as the title is mine to lose now.
Jack
4 февраля, 2011 at 12:41
I can’t believe that the board had to be persuaded to off you a new contract! FM is ridiculous sometimes. Anyway that is a great month Kevin, you’d do well to lose the title from here. Good luck with the remaining games, lets make it a double!
Kevin
4 февраля, 2011 at 19:48
Hi Jack
Thanks for your support. I was a bit surprised to see the board reaction! Hopefully i can make it a double winning season :)
Sayam Khan
4 февраля, 2011 at 17:41
Great month there Kevin! The board should be ashamed they tried to ignore offering you a contract! what more do they want! Good look in the JPT final, i’m sure you will win it! :-)
Kevin
4 февраля, 2011 at 19:49
Hi Sayam
As I said to Jack I wasn’t expecting that from the board. I hope to win the JPT too!
Darren Smith
4 февраля, 2011 at 18:52
Hey Kevin, well done on a great run of results and what seems to be a title deciding few months. You look a dead cert for the title now and I can’t wait to see your JPT final…would be great to win that and leave League One on a high!
ps I sent you some advice on bringing up youth players a week or so ago after your request. Did you receive it OK?
Kevin
4 февраля, 2011 at 19:52
Thanks Darren
A double would be very nice indeed.Momentum is quite high so hopefully that will carry us through to success.
PS Yes received the advice and replied. Thanks. Hmm? Sent you a message from work.
hils
5 февраля, 2011 at 06:54
Hi Kevin,great month there!!!!!!! Hopefully you will continue your form!!!!! Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Lye
5 февраля, 2011 at 07:33
Hi Kevin,
It was a pretty good run as the last two games against promotion chasing side are not easy at all. Good job on establishing nine point lead over MK Dons. We will definitely see you in League 1 as you simply can’t lose it with 7 games left. Good luck.