Some Hayes are Better than Others

After the 5-5 goalfest with Bath, we now had to host 3rd place Staines. Staines were on a good run of form and we knew that this would be tough for us, but if we could just bang some goals in, we might just grab the win.

The first half was an even trade of blows, with the half time score being 2-2. Could this be another goals galore?

We took to the field in the second half knowing that if we played as did in the first half, we might just come away with a win. Staines took the lead after 72 minutes but we bagged a late 85th minute equaliser. The lads thought that the best idea would now be to hold out until the final whistle, but Staines had other idea, banging in 2 quick goals to condemn us to a 5-3 defeat. 10 goals conceded in 2 games, with 2 different keepers, was a worrying confirmation about how weak the back line has been for us this season.

Need to sort out your defence Abberto

Coming towards the end of the season now, with just 8 games remaining, we traveled to Sutton United, eager to travel home with 3 points in the bag. I have to concede now that, being 9 points away with only 8 games remaining, we're probably not going to reach the playoffs, at least not this season. Still, if we can get around 18 of the remaining 24 points, I'll be happy!

The game did not start well for us, going 1-0 down after only 5 minutes and things went from bad to worse as we conceded again the 16th and 23rd minutes. 3-0 down at half time and the aim of 18 points from 24 was looking like a foolish idea. The team were barked at during half time, and 3 subs were made immediately.

The team talk seemed to work, as we clawed our way back into the game, being 4-3 down with just over 25 minutes to go. The the lads did the unbelievable, they bagged two goals in the final 10 minutes to turn a 3-0 half time deficit into a 5-4 full time victory!! I couldn't have been any more proud, and Joe Ansinyah showed again just how invaluable he is to the team when he is playing at the top of his game!

I think so. I changed the tactics to just go for goals, attempting to outscore the opponent each time.

Wow another high scoring game

With just 7 games left, we hosted Farnborough this afternoon. The lads were still buzzing after their incredible comeback, and more goals were expected today, with Ansinyah feeling particularly hungry!

At half time, it was looking very similar to previous games. A poor performance in the first 45 minutes as we found ourselves 3-1 down at the break. Surely we couldn't turn it around as sensationally as last time?

With no goals in the second half we lost the game 301, although we had a goal disallowed for offside and a penalty appeal shot down. Mid table mediocrity was welcoming us with open arms!

Unlucky to lose against Faranborough Hope you do better next game.

Plenty of goals conceded of late! Hopeing there is light at the end of the tunnel!

Our next fixture was at home to Hemel Hempstead. Sitting just 2 points behind us but with a game in hand, they were determined to get the 3 points, but we needed to be strong and not allow that.

After a rather tense first half, the score was 1-1. We weren't playing particularly well, and I think the fitness levels were really being brought into question at this stage of the season.

The second half was a dull affair with just the one goal, this time to our opposition, condemning us to a 2-1 loss. This season has not gone well at all!

Well, with our season nearing a close and our performances nowhere near consistent, we received the bad news the Joe Ansinyah will be out for 5-6 weeks, missing the final 5 games that we have. Hopefully, the others can find their scoring boots!

With just 5 games to go, we welcomed Basingstoke at York Road for our next league fixture. We needed a win to stop our slide down the table, especially as it was possible points wise (althought not very probable) that we could finish bottom of the league.

A drab first half ended goalless, with neither team showing any signs of breaking the deadlock. Only one shot on target in the first 45 minutes, even though there were 17 shots in total.

The second half was a much more lively affair, with Basingstoke taking the lade in the 61st minute and doubling their lead in the 83rd. Another shocking performance from us and I can already see this being my only season at Hayes and Yeading. With no new contract being offered just yet, I'm very doubtful that the board will want to waste their resources.

Hope the club stick with you.

Given the disappointing result in our last game, the Hayes and Yeading board requested a meeting to discuss the performance, again with non attendance resulting in contract termination. On this occasion, I wasn't willing to take the blame!

We went into our next fixture, away at Whitehawk, knowing full well that this could be my last as manager. I was already checking out the job columns in the local papers to see vacancies, just in case the sack came!



After a tightly contested first half, we went into the break with a 1 goal advantage at 2-1. The game wasn't won there though, and we knew we had a lot to do in the next 45 minutes to not throw this lead away.

The second half was just as tight as the first, with both teams having chances to add to their tallies. With no goals coming, fans were jubilant in the 88th minute when Hayes and Yeading thought they had made it 3-1, only to be disallowed for offside, leading to a very nervy final few minutes. However, the boys did fantastically well, holding on for a 2-1 victory, and a brief moment of release from the mounting tension.

After that great result over Whitehawk we hosted Bath City. The last time we met, the result was 5-5 and whilst I wouldn't have minded the lads scoring 5 again today, I didn't fancy the prospect of conceding as many goals.

The first half went relatively well, resulting in 1-1 after the first 45 minutes. Things were looking good and it was a wonder that we hadn't scored more.

The second half was a lot closer, but we persevered and the final result was a well deserved 2-1 victory. I don;t remember the last time we won two on the bounce!! Things were looking up, even though these may be my last few games.

Surprised to see the board agreeing with you

Good win over Whitehawk.

Indeed. Only got a handful of games left so should get them completed tonight

Our penultimate game of the season came with a journey to Concorde Rangers, a team who had been performing consistently well throughout the season and were sitting top of the table. With only one game remaining after this, we wanted to finish as strongly as possible. I felt I owed it to the fans, as a thank you for their patience and as a farewell, considering that the board had still not offered a contract renewal to myself.

Having looked at the table, Concorde Rangers need a win to all but secure automatic promotion, and I expected them to be pushing all out. But, as we have seen at points during this season, if we turn up and perform well then we have more than a good chance of bagging the spoils!

The game started off quickly, with Concorde Rangers going ahead within the first minute. Things were not looking good for the Hayes lads, especially when another goal went in after 17 minutes. Concorde were pushing hard for automatic promotion and we just didn't have the answers. We did manage to grab a goal to reduce the deficit to one, but this was null and void when Tony Stokes of Concorde Rangers bagged his hat trick on 44 minutes. 3-1 down at the half time whistle, and we needed to perform better in the second half without a doubt.

The second half was a lot more even, with both teams having chances to grab more goals. However, Hayes and Yeading just couldn't handle Tony Stokes who grabbed a fourth goal, ruining any chance of a comeback. My penultimate game was going worse than I could have expected. The stats were pretty even, but our opponents were a lot more clinical and fully deserved their win!

This is it. Final game of the season against bottom of the league and already relegated St Albans. This was my final chance to show the board why they should extend my contract, even if just for another season.

I approached the board and requested a new contract but was advised that due to the poor financial situation of the club, nobody was being offered a new deal at present. Could my poor handling of club finances be my undoing here?

Already dubbed 'El Sackio' by the media, this was surely to be my last game, and I really wanted to go out on a high. I set my tactics to Overload and just pummel the opposition with shots. One slight saving grace was that Joe Ansinyah had returned. Although not fully match fit, he was starting this game and I had high hopes for the lad.

The first half was all Hayes and Yeading. We were shooting from anywhere and everywhere in the hopes of grabbing a goal, and that man Joe Ansinyah bagged the first in the 27th minute. This proved to be the only goal of the half, giving us a slender 1-0 lead.

The team were sent out for the second half with just one piece of information ringing in their ears 'KEEP SHOOTING'!!! Despite all our efforts, we still only scored one more in the second half, with centre back Cox grabbing a goal in the 87th minute. A mere consolation goal was then scored by St Albans, but we had won our final game of the season 2-1.

And that was it. The season was complete, and we had finished in a low position of 14th.

After beginning with the season with hopes of a top half finish, we didn't play at all well enough in many of our games. Admittedly, a lot of this was down to poor tactical decisions by myself and also a lack of activity in the transfer market, mostly regarding loans. If Hayes and Yeading were to keep hold of me, the next pre season would be a big indicator of how we were looking to perform next time around. But it could all be too little too late!

With the end of the season coming around, managers were losing jobs left right and centre. After having a team meeting, I let the team know that next season we were aiming for a respectable league finish. The team all reacted well, so all that I had left to do was save my job!!!

I was then informed by the board that my job was under serious threat and ANOTHER board meeting was called. This was my last opportunity to save my early career.








So there we have it, I still have a job (just about) and I need to get 8 points from our next 5 competitive fixtures. This should be easily achievable and, with some good squad improvements, we can exceed this!

Well done on keeping your job to date, eight points in five should easily be achievable!

Now in pre season, we've been trying to bulk out the squad. We're currently £363 per week over our wage budget and the board want this to be sort sooner rather than later. I will try to move one or two players on in the meantime!

We're also desperately trying to get some loanees into the squad but this is proving difficult. Also, our best player by far, Matthew Harriott, has left after his contract expired and he wasn't interested in signing with us again.

This is going to be another long, tough season!

Hope you reach the target to keep your job

***Job Offer***

A little development here, as Dorchester Town offer me the chance to interview for the managerial position that they have. Well, pity I didn't want a new job at present. Still, nice to know that there are clubs that would like me as a manager.

Our second season kicked off with a game at home to Tonbridge, a team that joined the league just this season. This was to be the first game of 5, and I needed a win to make a good start at getting the 8 points required to keep my job!

The expectations for this season were as follows:



The game started off perfectly, with us taking the leading in the 2nd minute. We doubled this lead in the 15th minute and added a third, unfortunately disallowed for offside. The half time whistle came and we had a good half time lead. We were dominating the game and were headed towards our first win in our first game of the season!

The second half began and we conceded very early on, cutting our lead to one goal. However, centre back Dean Inman scored to make it 3-1. Danile Wishart made it 4-1 and the final whistle went. One game down, one win!!! Great start to the season!

After winning our first game, we hosted Bishop's Stortford, aiming for 6 points out of 6.

4 minutes in, a sensational goal from Beadle gave us the lead, before Williams doubled after 8 minutes. This game was heading the same way as our first fixture and we were looking good for it. By the time the half was over, we were 4-0 up. This was the great start that we needed for the season!!

The second half we decided to slow things down. We didn't want the team to start using a seasons worth of fitness in the first few games. With only one goal in the second half, we finished the game as victors, 4-1. Two wins from two games and I now only needed 2 points from the next three games to convince the board that I am still the right man for the job.

Our next fixture was away at Oxford City. We were looking for our third consecutive win, something I hadn't managed at all since being the boss of this team!!

The first half was drab and goalless. Few chances for both teams, none of which were clear cut. We needed to sort the second half out if we were to grab a full 9 points out of 9.

The second half was very unfortunate, resulting in a 3-1 defeat. We obviously need to improve our away performances, but there were still positives to take from the game.

Our next fixture was at home to Staines. After the loss in the last game, I had 6 points from 3 games and needed two points from my next two games. A Win here would obviously be enough, ad we got off to great start with a goal in the 11th minute. However, that advantage was soon cut out when Staines equalised after 13 minutes and then grabbed another goal, giving them a 2-1 lead at half time. The lads knew that a win was needed and were reminded of this at the break.

The game started once again and we started pushing for the equaliser. However, a straight red card four our right back Vanderhyde in the 77th minute. Reduced to 10 men, we could do nothing but conceded another goal, condemning us to a consecutive defeat, 2-1 on this occasion.



So, after being told by the board that I needed 8 points from the next 5 games, I was currently on 6 points from 4 games. I absolutely must get a win in the next game, or it looks like curtains for me, and I'll be looking at the jobs section of the local papers for my next venture!

D Day

So, my last chance to fulfill the boards request of 8 points from 5 games came at our away fixture against Basingstoke, a team struggling towards the bottom of the league in these early stages. Could this game be my last as manager of Hayes and Yeading, or could I ensure that my journey continues at this club??

Previous meetings between the two of use seemed to give no indication as to how this game would go.



8 minutes in and we took the lead, loanee Sheriff grabbing a goal. The celebrations didn't last too long though, as we were pegged back in the 17th minute with an own goal courtesy of centre back King. Half time arrived with the score locked at 1-1, but with the Hayes and Yeading boys looking more like getting the next goal.

The second half started as the first had finished, with our opposition unable to handle our attacks, and our persistence paid off in the 57th minute with a 20 yard beauty from Beadle. Substitute Collins then scored the final goal in 87th minute, giving us a 3-1 win, ensuring the I had achieved 9 points from our first 5 league games of the season.




So our first month of the second season didn't go too badly, with 3 wins and 2 losses in our league campaign, leaving us in 6th place in the league. Not a bad start at all, but still a long way to go in the season.