Youngster (again)

With my last save being lost after a computer crash, I starting over the challange I have given myself. Starting in the Skrill South with Gosport and only signing player eligible for the U18 team.

This time I am using a tactic I "borrowed" fromsomebody else. I had (very) good results with a fun game I tried, so now I will use it for the "real" game. Details about the tactic can be found 51310 (no striker).

Tactic:






Squad:

After offloading all players at the club when I started, I have signed a full squad of U18 players to start with.

My pre-season went as expected, with bringing in a lot of new players and let them getting used to a new tactic you can't expect much results. And that is what we got, not much results.

First month didn't go to badly. We started of with a good won over Dover, followed by a high scoring game against Basingstoke which we unfortunatly couldn't win. We battled our way to two more points against Bath and Doncaster before we got a small loss against Bromley.

I have seen some pleasing football from the team. The results could have been better if we improved on our finishing and win more battles for the second ball. But the way we are playing I don't expect us to fall into relegation battles. Currently we lie at 14th spot, but the gap to the drop zone is still very small. My biggest concern is that I already picked up some major injuries preventing us from settling in nicely.

Second month started with a good win against Maidenhead, and we battled to an other point against Boreham Wood. A very bad first halve against Tonbridge cost us the points. We came back with a easy win in the FA-cupmatch against Lewes. We hang around 15th spot but everything is still close.

Thrird month was action packed. We started of badly getting crushed by Bishop's Storford, then we save a point late against Sutton Utd, altho it was a match we should have won earlier. Next matched we saved or FA cup run late with a last minute equalizer, to finish it off in the replay. Then we managed a very good win against Ebbsfleet, only to be slaughtered by league leaders Eastleigh. An other round in the FA cup against Cheshunt, again after replay, brought us to the main rounds. We hang around at 16th spot still but we have a game in hand.

November was a disappointing month. A weak display against Whitehawk and Chelmsford left us with one point from those matches. We followed with a good draw against Aldershot. We got a lucky win against Staines followed by an weak draw against Walton Casuals. The replay against Aldershot we again got a draw but they did the shoot-out better. In the end a good result, but so close to an upset. We ended the month with a loss following a dramatic display against Farnborough, and an even worse display in the replay against Walton Casual.

In the league we dropped to the 17th position and have to be carefull not to get into trouble.

Doing well mate! Love the concept!

December was a must better month. We started of on a high winning in a heavy scoring game against Hayes & Yeading, we continued with an unlucky loss against Concord Rangers. Next two matches gave the six point winning easily against Maidenhead and stealing the victory agains Eastbourn Boro in extra time. Last match we came back from two goals behinde to nick a point against Basinkstoke.

The good run of results make us climb to the 14th spot and keep us in touch with the teams ahead.

Form is definitely up and down buddy! But hopefully you can keep it going!

Our good form continued in Januari. We started off getting 4 points of the two matches against Havent & W. The our worst prefomance giving a way a two goal lead against Sutton Utd. Followed by a win over Whitehawk. The our best preformance this season beating the (run-away) league leaders Eastleigh away from home. We rounded the month off with a positive draw against Weston-super-Mare.

The good run brought us up to the 8th spot and in touch with the play-off spots.

Great start this, love the concept. Is the rule that you can only sign players eligible for youth team or also that you can only play them? Just thinking ahead for when some of your current players age a bit!

Interesting tactic too

Its only signing youngsters, you can still play them when they age and decide to stay.

The tactic is based on midfielders moving into space, which work good because the opps. defensive line is moving up because they dont have a striker to defend.

Febuari started of good with a win over Farnborough. But after that we where hammered by Chelmsford. After that we a good win over Weston-super-Mare, and we resceud a point against Ebbsfleet after falling two gaols behinde.

We dropped to 10th place but all remains very close with only 10 points between 2nd and 14th spot.

Interesting ideas you are going with Gosport

Doing well here! Keep it up buddy, looking at a safe midtable finish for sure

March is a month for jubilations. Our good run continued to an extend we won all matches in the month. And all matches we went ahead and dominated the whole match. Only the Tonbridge had a bump when we got a red card and Tonbridge crawled back twice within a goal. But the players safely guided in the win.

Ofcourse did the good run bring me the MotM award and we moved up to the 2nd spot. Unfortunatly was Eastleigh already running away before my team came to full steam.

Ofcourse we couldn't keep our form up that way. We started with a win over Concord rangers, but only because we scored a screamer near the final whistle. Next match we where hopeless against Eastbourne Boro, and the game was lost when the netted the one. Next match wasn;t flawless either, we went behinde twice, but manage to get the win in the end, which was pleasing. We ended the league with two boring draws.

In the end we finished 3th, much higher then expected. And into the play-offs

First play-off match we where brilliant winning comfortable away from home 2-5

The return match against Boreham Wood passed without anything special. We won it, but to be fair it was a very boring match. (Un)fortunatly we didn't manage to win the play-off finals. We played poorly and got a justfull defeat. And probably for the better as I dont believe the team was strong enough to compete on the higher level. My goal for next season will be promotion as we have grown a year and can put in an extra year of training. Considering our secong season halve I think top spot is a possibility.

What a great turn of form in the latter part of the season! so unlucky not to go up but it puts you in a very good position for next season hopefully!

March was incredible! Strong first leg to the playoffs too!

Good luck

Pre-season is gone and we are ready to go for the 2nd season. I lost two players who didn't want to sign a new contract and moved to an other club. And I offloaded the last over 18 player that was with the club from the start as he was on laon last season. Last player that left was a goaly who didn't break into the first 11 and was unhappy about it. For the two players who I lost from my starting 11 I signed 2 new (highly) talented players Harri Metcalf and Oliver Balfe

The matches started of in the most wors way, getting totaly crushed by Crawley. Followed by an other loss against Leicester U21, after that we started to pick up some momentum and hopefully we can carry that into the season, as I am aiming for 1st spot this year.

The season started off with lose of points, we went on top twice but Eastbourn Boro got lucky twice to get a point. After that we went on full steam winning the other matches in the month. I want to point out the preformance of Jamie Forbes who came up through our own youth set up last season.

In the league we sit at 2nd place waiting for the leaders to make there first mistake.

Great start to the new season buddy!

September also passes without losing. We started off with a big win over Concord Ranger. Against Sutton Utd we went down 2-0 but we got back to claim the win. Next we had a draw against Hayes & Yeading, before we hammered Dover for the FA Cup. Followed by a good win over Boreham Wood. We ended with a draw against Farnborough.

A good month in total which brought me MotM, unfortunatly the last draw knocked me of the first spot. So still lying in second.

Unlucky with the first season and good start to this one!

An other very good month where we keep defeats out of the door. We started of with an easy cup win over non-league Barnstaple, following with a good win over Hampton & Richmond. Next was a very good win over Skrill Premier Woking. We went and win two more before we drawn the last game of the month Glouchester. But this time it was good enough to rise to the top of the table.

A month packed with matches. We started of with an excelent win over Staines, pushing us further in the FA cup. Which was needed to get our finances back on track. This was followed by three weak halves. Costing us two matches. The FA throphy match brought us back on track with a good win over league rivals Brackley Town. Agains Weston-super-Mare we needed to go infront four times to secure the points, but the team presisted and did what had to be done. Havant & W gave us a scare when the came back from being 2-0 down. But the team picked up the pace and ran away comfortably. Final match the fatige was showing, and we couldnt quiet cope with Aldershot. Eventho we did come close in the end.

Dispite the two losses we managed to keep first spot in the league.

In december the fixture list was packed as usual. We got of on an amezing start getting to the 3th round of the FA cup. We get a match with Hull next, so there it will probably end it. Next was league rival , we left them no chance and brought home the three point 1-4. We continued our good form with a win over Tonbridge. Next was a weak preformance against Oxford City, but we got a point from that match. With the starters rested we lost against Bath, but the normal starting eleven got two more good wins to end the month on a high.

We kept the top spot, we have a small gap but the rivals have games in hand.

Doing well buddy, the title is now yours to lose!

Great to see you sitting high and top of the table, definitely as Sean says, yours to lose!