League Cup - Chapel A Celtic (Home) 10.11.07

First things first - they showed up, and the game was played. The league cup is a knock-out cup so, we win and we're in the quater's, we lose and we're out! Oh yeah, we're the underdogs (perenially some might say), they are in the premiership, not 'The Premiership', just the premiership; the league above us.

Listen, i'm gonna cut to the chase: we lost and we lost 6-1. This is bad news, and whilst i may have blown the drama of reading this for some, there's still a lot to be said about the game. The energy, effort and commitment we demonstrated was exceptional! The temprament we played with was impeccable too, which is a real big deal given some of the tantrums and petulance we've leaked thus far this season. For all those things we can be very, very proud of ourselves!

What cost us the game was, not only an organised opposition who were fairly fluid and responded quickly as a team to things, but also what this led to for us. We seemed paniced in possession, unable to control it or pass it in a measured fashion. As i've already said, we did work damn hard to regain possession, but with it we seemed hesitant and in two minds.

Though off the back of a 6-1 defeat it may seem ridiculous to say; the defence were tireless, the six goals are not down to them or our keeper (Matt Lewney working his chops off again), but rather down to that mystical law that "anything can happen in the cup". At half time we were 2-1 down (thanks to an unquestionable and unsavable James Clarke volley) and 15 min into the second half we had no choice but to push forward and try and create an equalizer, since technically we were already out of the cup by then. We switched from a 4-4-2 to a 3-5-2, shortly afterwards they scored a third which really put us under pressure. Whilst we threatend a lot, we didn't convert, and our desperation in pushing forward left us open to counter attacks at the back. We switched formation again to a 4-3-3, but to no avail.

It was good to see Danny Hayton make a come back for 20 min, he was looking well, and it was good that even in the face of a five goal defecit we did not stop pushing.

These however, are the facts: we are out of the League Cup, while Chapel A Celtic proceed to the quaterfinals, we wish them all the best.

Wakefield Baptist Church 1-6 Chapel A Celtic.

League Cup - Chapel Allerton Celtic (Home) 20.10.07

The next round of the league cup (that's right, we're still in it!) and we're to face premiership team Chapel A. Sadly, due to some sort of, or perhaps several, communication cock-ups, we get kitted up and head out to the pitch, only to stand there alone because Chapel A are a no-show!

A little bit of re-planning later and those of our number who are due to be working in the afternoon get off, while a group remain for a little bit of training and then get to the Redbeck for the biggest breakfast you've seen. While eating we fantasise about a by into the quater-finals.

Wakefield Baptist Church 0-8 Redbeck.

Ps. This fixture will be replayed, probably on 10th November.

League Cup - AS Normanton (Home) 13.10.07

October 13th, two weeks without a game, now we're back to face a team new to the league, a team without a win, Richard Thornton back in goal, this game has to be ours...right?

Right! In less then 10 minutes we go 1-0 up from an Andy Amoss free-kick. Simple, refined, understated; victory is calmly assured, as predicted.

Wrong!
1-1: It seems they want to play too.
2-1 to them: This is not right.
3-1: What the heck is going on?
4-1: We're being whipped by the whipping boys! Even the team who can't win are beating us, oh no! ...We're the whipping boys!

Time for some real drama. Let's take this back.
4-2: James Clarke
4-3: Tom Jones
4-4: James Walker and time for a break I think; half-time.

The second half is slower, but no less tense, we control the tempo, we have got ourselves back in charge. Knowing this is a cup game is knowing that the next goal is most likely a winner, unless it opens floodgates of goals, a la first half.

GOAL!!!

An exact replica of his first free-kick form Andy Amoss (Danny Hayton looks on enviously, and curses his new limp). 5-4 to us and about 20 minutes to go.

Now all we have to do is make sure there are no defensive mistakes whatsoever. You can almost feel the intensity of concentration we all feel as we go in for challenges, track our runners and intercept balls. We do not want to take this to extra time and penalties, we have to win this in the first 90 min.

Finally comes some respite, James Clarke has scored his 2nd and this gives us some breathing room. With 7 minutes to go there's no way they can score 2 goals as well, not after the game we've had...right?

Right.

Wakefield Baptist Church 6-4 AS Normanton