Another Harrowing Misadventure (Ages Challenge)

[Faramir]

2.1.07

Queens Park won the 3-way bidding to get Kevin Howe under contract, so we completed the sale to the Division 3 side for 3K today.

As if Raith didn't have enough weapons- they added another today. They completed a 30K purchase of winger Jonathan Forte (originally of Sheffield Wednesday). Forte has blazing speed and I look at his skills with a bit of envy, because I know how well he would fit on our club.

***

7.1.07

East Fife came to me wanting to loan Derek Ure for the next 4 months. I pointed out to them that Derek is among our leading scorers and that we really could not afford to loan him out to them.

[Faramir]

18.2.06

Hill Battles Back For Draw

Mark Russell picked a fine time to score his first goal for Harrow Hill as his goal was the equalizer as Hill fought back for a 2-2 draw against Histon at Bridge Road. Hill had drawn first blood in the match when Robert Dickinson fired a well placed shot past Lee Hulyer after an excellent pass from Sean Coburn early in the first half. Histon evened the match at 1-1 late in the first half when Scott Gordon deflected a corner kick past Craig Farr. Histon moved in front early in the second half when Daniel Flack made a nice pass to pick out Simon Portrey at the far corner of the net. Portrey, who had slipped into the play unnoticed by the Hill backline, had a simple tap-in. Russell scored the equalizer midway through the second half when Coburn sent him a through ball and he burst past the backline before skimming a low shot past Hulyer. Both sides had chances to win it, but Hulyer and Farr kept things steady for the 2-2 final.

"Though we earned the draw, I have to say I was disappointed with our backline today," commented Heartwood.

"We weren't very steady. I thought Farr could have had the first goal too..."

"It was unusual for him not to make that save," agreed Heartwood.

"Still, we finally saw Mark Russell score- maybe he will go on a binge now."

"That would help us a lot if he did."

[Faramir]

25.2.06

Welling Holds Hill

Welling, deep in a battle in the relegation mire, managed to gain a 3-3 draw against Harrow Hill at Park View Road. Welling took advantage of young Alex Jennings in his debut for Hill, but really the backline didn't aid the youngster as much as they should have. The early lead went to Welling when Luke Townsend slipped away from Lewis Tozer to flick a header past Jennings. Hill answered quickly as Robert Dickinson took a superb lead pass from Ash Carew and fired a shot past Andew Yarnold. Welling took the lead again midway through the half as Lee Gledhill boomed a 25 yard free kick past Jennings. Dickinson again answered for Hill as he took a through ball from Nicky Hawkins as made it a brace and a 2-2 halftime score. Hill took their only lead in the match early in the second half when Dickinson broke down the right. As Yarnold lined up on him, Dickinson slotted the ball across for Lee Roache and he scored to help make his debut for Hill a successful one. Hill clearly missed suspended Samuel Okikiolu and Jamie Day found space to rifle a shot just inside the far left post to equalize. Both sides had chances to win the match, but neither was able to get their best opportunities on net. Manager James Heartwood was clearly disappointed that his side hadn't managed to close out struggling Welling.

"Yes, I am unhappy. Partly with myself, since the choice of Alex Jennings in net wasn't good. Partly with our backline, as they never really seemed to have any defensive cohesion today," exclaimed Heartwood.

"I don't think the choice of Alex was a bad one. Craig obviously needed a rest, and today seemed a good time."

"Yes. I wish Paul Catley had been ready to go though."

"Pretty soon. He is back in full training, but the fitness just isn't there yet."

[Faramir]

25.2.06

"We still look pretty good for the playoffs Jim," said Pearson looking up from the paper.

"I think we can get there. Though we have to start finishing off these matches."

"Weymouth is uncatchable at this point."

"I have to agree with you there. They have only lost two matches all season."

***

4.3.06

Hill Routs Yeading

Visiting Yeading received an unhealthy dose of the Hill 1-2 combination as Robert Dickinson and Lee Roache accounted for all 5 Harrow Hill goals in the 5-1 trouncing. Dickinson got things started for Hill midway through the first half as he took a nice pass from Billy Nott and hammered a shot past Gavin Kelly. Yeading answered that goal when Steve Wales put a rebound in the goal after Hill failed to clear the ball during a scramble in their six yard box. It didn't take long for Hill to answer as Roache slid a pass through to Dickinson and he zoomed past two defenders before rocketing a shot past Kelly. Dickinson returned the favor less than two minutes later as his pass set up Roache to fire a shot inside the far post. Dickinson finished off the hat-trick early in the second half as Nott was again the architect- this time on a free kick. Dickinson made another wonderful pass and Roache drove between Yiadom Yeboah and Nevin Saroya before making it a brace with a scorching shot. Both Dickinson and Roache left to standing ovations from the Larksfield Road faithful as Hill closed out a strong win.

"That was a terrific effort from Robert and Lee," said a pleased Heartwood.

"The combination of those two is just what the press described- lethal. Roache's pace helps open up the defense for Robert."

"Both of them show extraordinary finishing around the net. Let's hope they keep that up."

[Faramir]

11.3.06

Hills Bumps Basingstoke

Lee Roache continued to demonstrate what a fine addition he is to Hill as his brace was enough for the visitors to send The Camrose fans home muttering as they edged Basingstoke 2-1. A fine pass from Craig Timmins set Roache up to drive a shot past Rob Bullivant and send Hill off on a flyer as they scored in the first minute of play. Hill had many chances to add to the lead, but wasn't able to make the Basingstoke backline pay for their mistakes. Hill was obviously rueing those missed chances when Uwabunkeoyne Agbodo deflected a cross from Ian Reed past Craig Farr midway through the second half for his 10th goal of the season. Hill moved again to the attack, seeking the win, and it was a brilliant through ball from Jamie Chandler that found Roache bursting past Jason Bristow. Roache's rising shot caught the upper right corner of the net for a dramatic match winner in the last five minutes of play. Hill played strong defense to finish out the close 2-1 win.

"You know, the most surprising thing I took away from this match was how comfortable Craig Timmins looked on leftwing. He really is a nice find, and having him means we don't have to overwork Robert Burns," said Heartwood.

"I agree Craig has looked good there. The thing that impressed me the most today was Lee Roache's finishing. On both of his goals he absolutely put both shots away- Bullivant never had a chance on either of them."

"I was happy to sign Roache mostly because he is on the verge of being an explosive striker. He matches up well with Dickinson, they complement each other very well."

[Faramir]

12.3.06

"Press day today, eh Jim?" said Pearson with a sly grin.

Heartwood grumbled, "I am fed up with it, but yes it was another wonderful 'press' day."

"Well, some good news for you. Jamie Chandler was delighted about your comments and not only is he buoyant, he is really talking you up in the dressing room."

"I would hate to lose him, but I couldn't see standing in the way if some major club offers us enough for him."

"What was the question that you blew up on?"

Heartwood shook his head, "They asked me if I was leaving to take over Lewes."

"Lewes? With us in 2nd place and them in 21st and lucky if they avoid relegation?"

"Yes. Seems a silly question doesn't it."

***

18.3.06

Hill Erases Eastleigh

Harrow Hill continued their fine run of play with a decisive 5-1 victory over Eastleigh at Larksfield Road. Playing without resting Robert Dickinson, Hill still had little problem executing offensively. Robert Burns was the architect with pretty pass that Lee Roache put away to make his 2nd straight match where he scored in the first minute of play. Eastleigh played with determination and did a better job clamping down defensively. They evened the match as Tyrone Bowwers smashed a 20 yard free kick past Paul Catley just past the midway point in the first half. Hill calmly answered that goal as Burns again crossed to Roache and Roache again buried a shot in the goal past Mark Hampshire to make it a brace and a 2-1 halftime lead. With Darren Gwyther limping badly going off at halftime, Misiu Mlynowski came on to spark Hill in the second half. Mlynowski deflected a cross from Roache past Hampshire in the opening moments of the second half. Roache then caused a penalty as Bradley Thomas was forced to take him down, earning a redcard in the process. Lewis Tozer converted the penalty kick for his 1st Hill goal to make it 4-1. Ash Carew then made a terrific short pass in the six yard box and Mlynowski snapped it into the goal for his brace that capped off the scoring in the impressive 5-1 win. The lone sour note was Roache's unnecessary 2nd yellow card that will earn him a one-match suspension.

"Impressive effort again. I just wish Lee Roache had played things smarter at the end of the match," sighed Heartwood.

"It wasn't a very wise choice," agreed Pearson.

"Misiu Mlynowski had an inspired match- it was good to see him contribute like that."

"I think he was just happy to be out there. He hadn't played in awhile."

"Peter Cawson was fantastic out there today, he really earned the MOM honours."

"That was much better than he had practiced. He was very smooth with the ball all match. It was good to see him play that well."

[cruiseylee]

Hi faramir ive just been glued the last few hours reading thru this story! its brill! But where did roache and timmins come from? you didnt say u had signed them and there was a gap earlier where u brought in a piece from another story?

[Faramir]

cruiseylee- hmm, looks like I forgot to mention getting Roache and Timmins, both were free transfer purchases at the time. That gap you are referring to (if you mean one on this page) is actually part of this story- Heartwood and Pearson discussing the current state of the team (good way to mention most of the important players to make it easier for readers to follow along).

***

25.3.06

Cambridge Comeback Downs Hill

Cambridge City overcame a 1-0 deficit to score twice late in the second half for a dramatic 2-1 fightback win over Harrow Hill. Hill had taken the first half lead with 25 yard free kick by Sean Coburn, but only Craig Farr's fine play had kept the home side off the scoreline. In the opening moments of the second half, Lewis Tozer received his 2nd yellow card and Hill was short a man against the rallying Cambridge side. Tozer's departure forced Hill Manager James Heartwood to employ David Jackson on the backline in place of Tozer and this ultimately had disatrous results for the visitors. A long cross found Jackson woefully out of position as Robbie Simpson rifled a shot inside the far left post to equalize at 87 minutes. Cambridge took advantage of Jackson again in injury time as a looping cross sailed over him and Mark Molesley flicked it past Farr to send the City Ground fans home very happy.

"Wasn't that a little harsh on David Jackson?" asked Pearson.

"It's rare I criticize a player and though David was a bit out of his usual position- there are certain expectations when your side is down a man and on the road. One of those is you stay back. On both of those plays David roamed forward- like he was defensive mid or central mid- and both times they went right over him."

"Well, he was not playing his normal position."

"I know that, and that is why the criticism is both fair and unfair at the same time. Mostly what I was criticizing was his total loss of concentration when the match was on the line."

[Faramir]

31.3.06

"I was relieved to hear that you signed a new contract," said Pearson to Heartwood.

"Well, they actually offered me less money- because of our current financial straits- but I did accept. They offered a three year contract, but I said how about a 1 year contract at the lesser wage- then you can evaluate whether we can do a new one. They agreed."

"However it worked, I am glad you are staying."

"They did want us to cut our weekly wages- they put forth a current budget of 3900/week and we are at 4100/week, but some of that will change after the season when several contracts run out- especially Samuel Okikiolu."

"Are we planning on trimming the squad more than that?"

"Maybe. I will decide more after our match tomorrow with Weymouth. Unless we beat them, they will win the Conference South easily, so this is do-or-die time for us. We may not catch them in any case, since they have 13 points- but the only way we have a chance is by beating them."

"If we don't?"

"If we don't, well...we are dialed in for a playoff spot already- so we will give some of the players more evaluation time- the ones who haven't seen a lot of time yet like Scott Harber and Adam Hitchen."

[Faramir]

1.4.06

Hill Stuns Weymouth

Harrow Hill played a superb second half as they fought back to hand top rated Weymouth only their 3rd loss of the season in Conference South play. Weymouth took advantage of a bad choice by Lewis Tozer in the first half to take the lead. Tozer sent a ball out to the left, obviously thinking Danny Smith was there. Smith wasn't, having moved up the pitch, and that allowed Wayne Purser to pick up the loose ball and launch it past a stranded Craig Farr midway through the first half to earn the visitors the lead. Hill played a solid first half, but could not solve Arran Lee-Barrett, who stopped both Lee Roache and Ash Carew on good chances. Hill showed verve to start the second half as they carried the play against Weymouth's backline. A superb cross by Sean Coburn went past Robert Dickinson, who was the focus of the defenders, to unmarked Carew and he snapped his shot inside the left post to equalize at 56 minutes. Hill kept piling the pressure on the suddenly unsure visitors and Trevor Challis pushed Carew in the area. Robert Dickinson stepped up and calmly stroked the penalty kick past Lee-Barrett and Hill had the lead. Weymouth tried to rally, but found difficult going in the midfield as Billy Nott and Carew seemed to be everywhere and continually blunted their attack. The final whistle found Hill with a strong 2-1 win that narrows their gap between Weymouth and themselves to 10 points.

Heartwood was beaming, "You know the difference in this match and our first one with them?"

"No, what?" asked an also broadly smiling Pearson.

"The boys played with confidence. We weren't afraid of them, we were respectful. They played like they knew it was in themselves to be able to beat them."

"That's true. Weymouth was so uncertain in the second half, because they had gone so long without facing a club that had confidence against them."

"Now, I don't know that we can catch them- with only 7 matches left- but that match was certainly one we can build on."

"Are we going to start featuring the lesser used players."

Heartwood sighed, "Yes, I think we have to do that anyway. Realistically, I don't think Weymouth will lose another match and we need to know what we have on hand here to evaluate for both the playoffs and the summer."

[Faramir]

4.4.06

Sutton Stops Hill

Sutton United used timely scoring from young Dominic O'Shea as they battled Harrow Hill to a 2-2 draw at Gander Green Lane. O'Shea gave Sutton the lead in the first half when he slipped coverage from Adam Hitchen to deflect a Eddie Akuamoah cross past Craig Farr in the opening moments of the match. Hill answered when Robert Dickinson slipped past two defenders and MOM Paul Jenkin chipped him a pass that allowed him to equalize. Hill started strongly in the second half and grabbed the lead, despite Dickinson leaving with a slight injury, as Sean Coburn hit a curling 25 yard free kick past Danny Honey. Honey made the save of the match moments later when he dove back into the play to get his fingertips on a shot from Pat Lynott that appeared destined for the open net. O'Shea made it a brace with a dramatic equalizer as he Geoff Pitcher fed him a pass with space in the six-yard box. Neither side could gain further advantage as the final whistle sounded on the 2-2 draw.

"Argh. Injuries," said Heartwood through clinched teeth.

"What's the verdict?"

"Robert Dickinson is out for a month with a groin strain. Misiu Mlynowski is out for two weeks with his toe. Craig Farr might be out a couple weeks due to the gash he took under his eye. It wasn't a good report."

"Weymouth won again, so our pursuit of them is pretty much over now."

Heartwood nodded, "We will keep playing the lesser used players- until the match or two before we start playoffs."

[Faramir]

8.4.06

Hill Singes St.Albans

Harrow Hill used timely scoring and a strong defensive effort to dump visiting St.Albans 2-0 at Larksfield Road. Despite the loss of Robert Dickinson and Craig Farr, Hill didn't miss a beat offensively. A nicely worked play off a corner found Lee Roache zipping a cross to the far corner where Paul Jenkin flicked it in for his 1st ever goal at Hill. Billy Nott was the architect of the second goal when his beautifully timed pass sailed through to Jenkin and he made it a brace with a wicked shot into the right side of the net. Hill tried hard to add to the lead in the remainder of the first and second half, but their shooting was inconsistent and the misses piled up as they comfortably closed out a clean sheet for Paul Catley.

"Nice work by Paul Jenkin there," observed Pearson.

"I hadn't really thought much about him of late. I am changing my mind on that now."

"Did you realize we clinched a playoff spot with the win?"

"We did? That's great. Weymouth won again, so the Playoffs is where we are headed.

[Faramir]

15.4.06

Hill Tumbles Thurrock

Harrow Hill finally finished off Thurrock at Ship Lane with a pair of late goals to cement their 3-0 road win. Hill looked much more dynamic than Thurrock throughout the match, but managed only a goal from Lee Roache to lead 1-0 at halftime. Roache had finished off an excellent pass from Hill skipper Sean Coburn for the goal. Thurrock demonstrated heart in the second half, but could not force the play as Hill dominated the midfield behind animated performances from Ash Carew and Joe Foote. The match stayed close until the last minutes of play. Mark Russell, on for a tiring Paul Jenkin, swooped in free from the right side and rocketed a shot past Mark Skinner. Roache finished off the scoring when he made it a brace after he drove in a rebound following Skinner's parry of another blast from Russell. Paul Catley turned in the clean sheet effort for Hill.

"Another worthy effort. I was very impressed with both Roache and Nicky Hawkins today," offered a pleased Pearson.

"If Lee hadn't scored his 2nd goal, I think Nicky would have been MOM today. He was in excellent form."

"It was good to see Joe Foote play well too, after not playing for awhile."

"Joe should still work out Ok for us- if he develops any skills to go along with his size."

[cruiseylee]

Hi faramir, I was just wondering how you edit a team into the conf N/S? I went to editor but cant work it out?

[Faramir]

cruiseylee- I just selected the club I wanted to swap out- Eastborne Boro- and flipped Harrow Hill into their place. It took a couple tries when I first did that to figure out how to accomplish it.

***

16.4.06

"It's official Bob, David Jackson goes on free transfer to Sutton."

"Not a big loss for us, he wasn't playing anyways."

"His contract ran out during the summer, it was easier to just let him go now when they came asking about him."

***

17.4.06

Another Draw for Hill

Harrow Hill managed only a scoreless draw against 20th place Farnborough in front of a packed Larksfield Road crowd. Hill had numerous chances to win the match in both the first and second halves, but their shooting and heading were both off the mark today as they didn't trouble Chris Gowan too much during the match. Gowan had a couple terrific saves in the second half, but it was Hill's Alex Jennings who earned the MOM honours with a dazzling series of saves late in the first half when Farnborough temporarily wrested control of the match from Hill. Hill will have to take their chances in the Playoffs this season as streaking Weymouth won again to clinch the Conference South title.

"It was a good effort, but we lacked finishing touch today," stated Pearson.

"You're right the touch wasn't there, but the thing that disappointed me the most was seeing Darren Gwyther and Mark Russell both pass up excellent chances to take shots at open nets. Russell's was especially bad- he could have won the match in the late moments by just throwing a shot at the net."

"It's hard to second guess him, he thought we still had a bit more time, so he tried to take it around him first- unfortunately, Gowan was mobile enough to get back and parry the shot away."

[Faramir]

22.4.06

Hill Edges Bishop's Stortford

Harrow Hill dominated their match at Woodside Park, but looked on course for a scoreless draw until scoring the match winner midway through the second half. The first half may have been scoreless, but it was played mostly in Bishop's Stortford end. Matthew Reed, ably supported by his backline, kept things spotless heading to halftime. That pattern continued in the second half, as the home side managed only two shots on goal the entire match. Hill finally found a way to get the goal midway through the half. Pat Lynott sent a long searching pass that found Mark Russell breaking down the right side. Reed made an excellent parry of Russell's blast, but Lynott had hustled up the pitch and knocked the rebound past Reed for the lone goal. Hill played solidly after the goal and Bishop's never threatened to rally.

"Another nice effort on the road," observed Heartwood.

"The boys are working hard, whether at home or on the road. We do seem to concentrate a bit better defensively on the road though."

"Pat Lynott earned us a win with his hard work- getting all the way back into the backside of the play after making the pass that sprung Russell."

[Faramir]

25.4.06

Hill Reigns Over Regis

Harrow Hill made a strong statement heading into the Playoffs as they bumped off Bognor Regis 1-0 at Nyewood Lane in a battle of the 2nd and 3rd placed sides in Conference South. The lone goal in the match came when MOM Joe Foote smashed a shot off the right upright in the opening moments of the second half. Before Jason Matthews could react, Mark Russell pounced on the ball and pushed it into the goal. Hill demonstrated their committment to defense after taking the lead and though the home side controlled the ball much of the remainder of the second half- they could only manage a few long range attempts that Craig Farr easily gathered. The lone bad news from the match was Hill's loss of Jamie Chandler for the remainder of the season. Chandler was carted off the pitch and reportedly suffered a hip injury that will keep him out until next season.

"Losing Jamie Chandler hurt, especially on the eve of the playoffs," sighed Heartwood.

"True, but you needed to send him to the specialist. There was no sense in the injection and taking a chance..."

"Yes. We still have pretty good cover in Danny Smith."

[Faramir]

Hill Knocks off Newport

Harrow Hill closed out their stunningly successful regular portion of Conference South play with a 3-1 win over visiting Newport. Paul Jenkin gave the Larksfield fans something to cheer about in the first half when he fired a well-placed shot past Andrew Delve to send Hill to the dressing room leading 1-0. Lee Roache made it 2-0 early in the second half when a nice lay off from Jenkin allowed him to score his 10th goal of the season. Newport stayed in the match as Tim Wilkes converted a penalty kick midway through the second half following a trip in the area by Samuel Okikiolu. It mattered little as Hill quickly capped the scoring when Pat Lynott drilled a shot into the goal after a touch pass from Ash Carew set him up at the far post. The win proved costly to Hill as Danny Smith went down injured and Hill now has no healthy leftbacks as they prepare for the Playoffs.

"Well, Weymouth was unbeatable this season- but I am very proud of our 89 points," said a pleased Heartwood.

"It would have been good enough almost any season except this one to take Conference South- we would have taken Conference North by 20 points," replied Pearson.

"Now, we have to get ready for the playoffs. With both Jamie Chandler and Danny Smith out at leftback I see three options."

"What? I thought it would have to be either of our rightbacks- maybe Steven Webb more likely- moving over."

"That is one I considered. I also considered moving Nicky Hawkins out there and Samuel Okikiolu back into the starting lineup. But, both of us forgot that Craig Timmins came up as a leftback- we have both been thinking of him as a winger since he got here. Craig came to me and reminded me that he originally was groomed as a leftback and had a lot of experience there. So, I think the best option is to play Craig there- make sure he sees a lot of training time there before the Playoffs start."

"Ok, glad he took the initiative to remind us- that is a nice 3rd option."

"Carshalton is our opponent, they will host the first leg."

"No easy task, they are a club we had trouble with during the season."

[Faramir]

4.5.06

Hill Takes First Leg

Harrow Hill leaned heavily on excellent play from keeper Craig Farr as he blanked home side Carshalton and they scored an important away goal to win the first leg at War Memorial Sports Ground 1-0. Hill looked like the young club they are in the first half as they frittered away scoring chances and made silly mistakes in allowing Carshalton to dictate the tempo of play and generate good scoring chances. Farr stood tall as he made several key saves in keeping the match scoreless. Hill seemed to settle into both the intensity and tempo of the match in the second half, but timely tackling by Carshalton skipper John Moss helped ruin a couple good chances. Steven Webb earned his MOM honour not only by fine backline play, but by a beautiful run with the ball before he slotted a pass to unmarked Ash Carew. Webb's dribble drew the defender away and Carew slipped into the area unmarked. Webb's fine pass allowed Carew to drill a shot inside the far left post past Stuart Searle for the lone goal in the match. Hill played tougher defense after taking the lead and the home side never managed to get another really good scoring chance.

"Well, it is the start that we were hoping for," stated Pearson.

"Pretty much exactly that. Though we didn't play well in the first half, we were back to the type of club we have been all season in the second half."

[Faramir]

8.5.06

Hill Win Through to Final

Harrow Hill survived their 2nd leg match against Carshalton as they won 2-1 at Larksfield Road to progress to the Conference South Playoff Final. Hill took advantage of an early penalty kick as Lewis Tozer converted the kick after Daniel Verity tripped Lee Roache in the area. Hill made things a bit too exciting for their fans as Graham Webb slipped past Samuel Okikiolu to flick a free kick past Craig Farr at 22 minutes. Hill steadied almost immediately in an obvious sign of the growing maturity and applied immense pressure on the visitors. Stuart Searle was brilliant in the Carshalton net as he kept his club's hopes alive with a string of excellent saves. The Larksfield faithful breathed a bit easier when Lee Roache fired a sizzling shot past Searle midway through the second half to make the final aggregate 3-1. Hill defended staunchly after that and didn't allow another good chance against Farr in closing out the win.

"I guess you were right Jim. That switch of Nicky Hawkins to leftback and Samuel Okikiolu in to the center worked a charm," said Pearson.

"It just seemed the change to make- it gets our best defensive backline players out there at the same time."

"I see we have Bognor Regis in the Finals."

[Faramir]

10.5.06

Betis edged Ajax 2-1 to capture the Euro Cup.

***

13.5.06

Hill Scores Rapturous Win- Gains Promotion

Harrow Hill demonstrated the same heart and determination they have shown all season, this time on the bigger stage of Old Trafford as they edged Bognor Regis 1-0 to win the Conference South Playoff Final and gain promotion to Conference National. Both clubs battled through an evenly played first half. Though Bognor Regis outshot Hill 4-1, there was a feeling that Hill was so close. Robert Dickinson had appeared to be going in free, but hesitated on the chance and saw a saving tackle ruin the chance before he got his shot off. Hill's backline of Steven Webb, Samuel Okikiolu, Lewis Tozer and Nicky Hawkins again stood tall in support of Craig Farr. Farr came up with two big saves late in the first half to keep things scoreless. Hill came out and showed execution in the opening moments of the second half when a pretty passing sequence saw Lee Roache lay the ball off and Robert Dickinson hammered it past Jason Matthews for what would be the only goal of the match. With the lead, Hill turned the match over to its active midfield and led by MOM Ash Carew they caused all manner of problems for Bognor Regis as they attempted to rally. The final whistle sent the Hill contingent into a frenzied celebration and they joined the players on the hollowed pitch to celebrate the unlikely promotion to Conference National play next season.

"Brilliant season, eh?" asked Heartwood.

"Just lovely- great to go up," answered a buoyant Pearson.

[Lord Crumb]

Carshalton in the Playoff Semi's!

They normally hang around the relegation zone in my version of the game, which is where they belong. Must have signed a few really good players to not only survive but prosper.

Well done on making the conference, you'll be on the backfoot a lot for the first few games, luckily there should be some nice rejects from the Premiership to ease your passage.

[Faramir]

LordCrumb- I was happy just to get through- no matter who was there. Because this is using the Ages Challenge, I will preview that I strayed a bit from tried and true approaches for me- which should offer an interesting story

***

15.5.06

"Can I have a bit of your time Bob?"

"Sure Jim. What do you need?"

"Before you leave for summer holiday, I wanted to get your thoughts on the club."

"Ah, before we start any player movements. Certainly."

"A quick summary of your thoughts on each is fine- how about keepers?"

"Two very good ones in Craig Farr and Paul Catley. Alex Hards may turn out Ok, but I don't have confidence in Alex Jennings- yet."

"Fair enough- how about our backline?"

"Losing Samuel Okikiolu will hurt, but we have an excellent core group of Jamie Chandler, Lewis Tozer, Nicky Hawkins and Steven Webb. Good cover at both fullbacks in Danny Smith and David Carns. Adam Hitchen impressed me more as he got to play, so I would say he is decent cover in the middle, but we could use more depth there."

"Midfield, Wings?"

"Robert Burns and Sean Coburn are pretty dynamic wingers- but don't we have an offer on Sean?"

"Yes, but not likely they will meet my demands to land him."

"It would be good to keep him. I don't think our cover on either wings is all that great. Center mids are fine with Ash Carew, Billy Nott and Pat Lynott. Scott Harber looks better and better too."

"Some news on that regard, we will have an addition. 17 year old Lee Sawyer just signed on with us after being released by Chelsea."

"I know we scouted him a lot last year, all I remember was pretty good on him."

"How about forwards?"

"Robert Dickinson is pure class. Keep him unless we get an outlandish offer. Lee Roache is pretty good, but you like him more than I do. Mark Russell and Paul Jenkin are the two youngsters to keep, they are both developing nicely. Misiu Mlynowski has also shown flashes of potential and Darren Gwyther isn't as bad as I thought before. Not a bad group to tell you the truth, especially when we got all of them on free transfer."

"Thanks Bob, have a good time off. I will keep you up to date on any other happenings in the next few weeks."

***

17.5.06

Real Madrid won the Champions Cup with a 2-1 Extra Time win over Juventus.

[Faramir]

18.6.06

"I was beginning to wonder if you were alive Jim," chuckled Bob Pearson.

"Oh, very much so. Just hasn't been happening- at all- and I didn't want to bother you and your family on break."

"No player movement at all?"

"Other than releasing Jonathan Harris and Anthony Millerick- no, no movement."

"Not for lack of trying?"

"Well, I have been keeping a close eye on things- especially the transfer list- but most of them aren't interested in coming here to play."

"Always a hazard for us."

"The good news is we received 150K in TV money for the season. That allowed the Board to increase our weekly wage budget to 4400/week. Our current payroll is at 4100/week, but Samuel Okikiolu will come off that soon, which will push us back under 4K a week."

"Any transfer budget?"

"40K to start with, plus if we do sell anyone we can keep some of that."

"Do you have any offers out there?"

"None coming or going right now. I stuck prohibitive price tags on Dickinson and Nott for now. I am not planning on making any offers until we see who gets released at the end of the month, because I hope to grab off some help from there."

"I heard some rumours about friendlies..."

"Would you believe it? We are hosting Nottingham Forest and Millwall among others. Those should add a little bit to the coffers."

[Faramir]

28.6.06

"I can't turn it down Bob, where else can a club like ours get that kind of money?"

"I know you can't. But it is going to shoot a hole in our midfield that will be pretty tough to fill."

"Well, hopefully Lee Sawyer will be the one to fill it- I think he might be able to do it."

Hill Sells Nott

The rumours swirling around Larksfield Road today have Harrow Hill agreeing to sell there promising young center midfielder Billy Nott to Gillingham. Reportedly, Hill Manager James Heartwood accepted a transfer offer of 1.3 Million from Gillingham for the exceptional Nott. Apparently Nott is loathe to leave the club that offered him a chance, but he is also ambitious and very pleased at the prospect of moving up the ladder to League 1 Gillingham.

***

1.7.06

"Was there any fallout in the club- from the sale of Billy?" asked Heartwood.

"None that I can see. I think several were envious of him to be honest. Nobody was grumbling about it."

"It put us on great financial footing. We are 1.5 Million in the black now, with a transfer budget of 400K. The Board also has approved an increase in the weekly wage budget of up to 11.3K/week."

"What are we currently at?"

"3.8K a week."

"Wow. That is some nice maneuvering room. Are you out there trying to spend the largesse?"

"Not really. First I want to see if we can land a few of the many youngsters just released from major club youth programs. I have offers out to a bunch of them- but realistically some of them are going to get offers from bigger clubs, so if we get a few of them- we will have done well."

[Faramir]

4.7.06

"One youngster signed on with us Bob. He will be here this afternoon."

"Who would that be?"

"Matthew Hampson, a 17 year old forward who was released from the Wigan youth program. He is very quick to the ball and has a balanced set of skills for a youngster. Rob thought he would be an excellent addition for us."

"I know you trust Rob more than our other scouts, so he must be a promising youngster."

***

5.7.06

"Another young center defender will be joining us this morning."

"Is that the one you told me about yesterday?"

"Yes, Stuart Wall. He is 19 and just released from the Coventry youth program. I like him a lot and think he will help provide leadership beyond his abilities in defense."

[Faramir]

8.7.06

"More additions today Bob. Welcome ones..."

"And?"

"A pair of forwards for you. 18 year old Aaron Burns- recently of Manchester United..."

"Ah, I remember Aaron. Fleet footed youngster. His speed will play well for us."

"...and 18 year old Jordan Robertson, who was released by Sheffield United."

"I don't remember him."

"Robertson is pretty quick to the ball and has a good array of talents."

"I am sure he will fit in then. Who else?"

"Two very young players. 15 year old rightback Tim Spencer and 16 year old center mid Paul Cross. Both signed their first professional contracts to play at Harrow Hill."

"It will be interesting to try and get the youngsters into our mix. If they have the talent, I am sure we can do that though."

***

12.7.06

"Our fans enjoyed the match," stated Bob Pearson.

"It would have been nice if we had been able to pull off the draw, but losing 2-1 to Millwall was still a credible effort."

"Our starting unit seemed a bit in awe of them."

"You're right, they stood around and watched too much."

"I thought the second unit did well."

"They played hard. Mark Russell took full advantage of his scoring chance- that was good to see."

"Why did you hold Robert Dickinson out of the match? That surprised a lot of people."

"Sorry, Bob. I received a request to hold him out. Blackpool put a bid that in total is around 1.2 Million. 120K up front and then another 35K a month for 24 months. They also included a 40% sell-on clause and an offer for a friendly."

"Wow. Not that I wanted to lose Robert- after all, how many 30 goal scorers are available- but that is a lot of money for the club."

"I had to accept it Bob. Not only was the money good enough, but Robert is 22- will be 23 during the season. If we didn't accept this offer, we might not be dealing from a position of strength in selling him before his contract expired."

Pearson nodded, "Yeah, I can understand why you did it. Now the difficult part will be replacing his offense."

Heartwood shrugged, "It won't be easy, but I have hopes that out of Aaron Burns, Jordan Robertson and Matthew Hampson we can find another gem."

[Faramir]

16.7.06

"That wasn't as much fun as the Millwall match," muttered Pearson.

"They sliced and diced our defense in the first half. Huddersfield had too much pace for us," answered Heartwood.

"It would have been nice to score."

"It could have been worse than 3-0, but yes it would have been nice to score on them."

***

19.7.06

"Losing 2-0 to Nottingham Forest wasn't embarrassing," said Pearson.

"Well, I hope our backline is learning from these lessons. I wanted them exposed to superior pace and execution- so they realize that they can't dawdle with the ball and that they have to work together and remain aware of the backside of the play."

"The lessons are sinking in, but we don't match up with the quality of players like Andy Cole and Scott Dobie."

"I know that, like I said this is about learning and understanding. Conference National level won't provide the same level of players- there are still going to be a few- but if they can learn the lessons against the quality of the clubs we have friendlies with- then we should be much better off once we begin play."

[Faramir]

23.7.06

"What did you think of young Alan Wilkins yesterday?" asked Heartwood of Pearson.

"I was pretty impressed with him- he fit right in on his first day of training."

"For a 16 year old, I thought he showed a lot of poise."

"You said this is his first professional contract?"

"Yes, he hadn't managed to latch on with anyone last year."

"He has more polish than I expected, given that. He should help us up front this season."

***

23.7.06

Pearson spoke in a quiet voice, "I agree these friendlies are great experience for them, but not winning or drawing any of them is taking a toll on morale."

Heartwood nodded in agreement, "That is why we close with a friendly against our neighbour Cinderford."

"We showed some good things against Brentford today."

"3-1 wasn't a bad scoreline- they have a huge pace advantage on us."

"There were some good passing on offense today."

"Some bad passing too. We wasted a bunch of chances."

***

25.7.06

"I don't understand why you wanted him though," stated Pearson.

"Because both Rob and Spencer thought he was an excellent player - and he was willing to sign with us. Both of those factor into bringing Adrian Nevins here- and also because we can use the extra depth in our center defense."

"Well, that may be true- but how are we going to juggle all of them for playing time?"

"We also have a new forward. 18 year old Stephen Opaka signed on with us."

"I saw Rob's report on him. If he is as good as all that- he should help us. We have too many forwards now too though."

"Don't worry Bob. It will work out."

[Faramir]

27.7.06

"Two more additions arriving today Bob."

"Not more forwards I hope?"

"No, a couple midfielders. Tom O'Donnell is a very promising 16 year old who signed his first contract with us. According to Rob he could develop into quite a playmaker if things break right. The other one is someone you know- 19 year old leftwing Derek Duncan."

"Derek signed with us? That's great! I always liked his talent and thought he didn't get a fair shot at Leyton Orient."

"He and Burns will work on the left wing with Timmins a utility player and gameday sub for anything on the left side."

***

30.7.06

"I don't believe Robert (Dickinson) enjoyed the homecoming all that much," smirked Pearson.

"Well, I do believe he expected to do better- and to make the point that we shouldn't have sold him. Instead he got to see Aaron Burns earn the starting nod to begin the season at forward."

"I wouldn't have believed that we could crunch Blackpool 4-0."

"Burns was terrific finishing today- that is what I have been waiting to see from him in the friendlies. He and Opaka will be sharing duties, but Burns has earned the first start."

"Not only Aaron, but the whole club played great today."

"We really played well defensively. It is starting to get there."

"One more friendly?"

"Yes, just Cinderford left and then the season starts."

[Bodis]

Great stuff Faramir I just pulled an FM all nighter and read your story in between matches. KUTGW and good luck in the conference.

[Faramir]

Bodis -- Thanks much for the good wishes

Hope your all-nighter turned out well

***

2.8.06

"That was a good way to close out our friendlies," observed Pearson.

"Well, it should have been more than the 1-0 scoreline, but it was nice to see how well we played against a club that has the same pace as us. All that time playing higher level clubs seems to have paid dividends."

"The only bad part was Aaron Burns."

"Apparently, he isn't injured- but that hard knock he took may still keep out of action for our first Conference National match."

***

3.8.06

"What is our starting lineup for the trip to Shrewsbury?" asked Pearson.

"Craig Farr- keeper. Backline of Steven Webb- Lewis Tozer- Nicky Hawkins- Jamie Chandler. Leftwing will be Derek Duncan, Rightwing will be Sean Coburn. Central midfielders will be Ash Carew and Lee Sawyer. Forwards will be Mark Russell and Jordan Robertson."

"Aaron Burns won't be ready?"

"No, we will have to let him take some time to get back to full fitness. It isn't worth chancing an injury this early in the season by pushing him too much."

[Faramir]

8.8.06

"The offer came out of the blue Bob," said Heartwood. "I would have given you more warning- if I had any more."

"It's just here we are on the brink of the season- and we might lose a key defender."

"400K is too much to turn down for Steven Webb. It wasn't just one club- Hartlepool and Swansea both have bids in. I don't really want to lose Steven either, but I can't turn down that much money offered for him."

"I guess it might be a good thing that you went out and signed Tim Spencer. He would be adequate cover behind David Carns there."

"Let's wait and see if Steven makes the move- it is up to him now."

***

11.8.06

"Steven picked the Swansea offer. They have a press conference tomorrow to announce the transfer purchase," said Heartwood.

"Well, he turned out to be an excellent signing on free for us. I wished him well when I spoke to him today," replied Pearson.

"I did as well. We may have a replacement for him soon though."

"Replacement? I thought we were replacing him with Carns and Spencer."

"Rob called me and suggested that we pursue Tranmere's James Vaughan. He is on the transfer list and Rob thinks he is fully capable of bettering Steven's performance at rightback."

"Bettering? That is high praise from Rob. When we will know?"

"Not until after our first match."

[Faramir]

12.8.06

Gay Meadow Isn't in Draw

Harrow Hill battled favored Shrewsbury to a draw in a match that saw Hill much the better for long stretches in the match. The Referee was clearly out to make a point about rough play in the match as he handed out a total of 11 yellow and 2 redcards in the spirited match. Both sides saw a player sent off, though Shrewsbury's Jonathan D'Laryea went off much sooner than David Carns. Both sides failed to execute with aplomb as there was missed passes aplenty and neither side managed many good scoring chances. Hill clearly had the best chance of the match when Mark Russell burst through their center, but Joe Hart made the save to frustrate Russell. Hill's Lewis Tozer earned MOM honours as he and Nicky Hawkins did a superb job of keeping the traffic around the Hill net under control all match. Derek Duncan and Jordan Robertson both showed good pace in their debuts, but not much in the way of impact playing.

"I am not unhappy with the draw, but it was a match we could have won," pointedly commented Heartwood.

"True, but it was also a match we could have lost. They really picked up their play when D'Laryea was sent off- the boys weren't expecting them to attack with such determination."

[Faramir]

15.8.06

Notts County Thumps Hill

It took the home side until the second half to get going, but once the Notts County offense got into gear they were able to smite visiting Harrow Hill in handing them a 3-0 loss at Meadow Lane. The first half was scoreless thanks to solid play in the Hill goal by Craig Farr and support from the backline. Those two key ingredients didn't exist in the second half as youngster Tim Spencer made a bad choice to challenge and Lewis Tozer wasn't able to get over before Steve Scoffham flicked a header past Farr. Minutes later Tozer made things worse for Hill when he pushed the ball into his own net while trying to get control of it. Lewis McMahon capped off the win for the home side when he got free in the area to score in second half injury time in finishing off the scoreline.

"That was a rather grim effort," sighed Pearson.

"Scott Harber had three excellent scoring chances early in the second half- if he hits any of them this might have been a different match."

"True, but our backline didn't play very well in the second half."

"Yes, well we obviously still have work to do."

[Faramir]

19.8.06

Gravesend Buries Hill

Harrow Hill showed a better effort hosting Gravesend at Larksfield Road, but the results mirrored the midweek match as they lost 2-0. If Hill could find the right players who could put their shots on net, they might stand a better chance, but today Jordan Robertson missed over the net three different times when dealt good scoring chances. Gravesend victimised the Hill backline as Jay Saunders swooped in unmarked to drive home a rebound early in the first half. In the second half it was Charlie McDonald who flicked a header past Paul Catley after Nicky Hawkins missed heading away the cross. Hill could never stretch the twine and was left with a disappointing loss in their first home match of the season.

"Well, we aren't playing anywhere close to the level we need to- to win matches," said Heartwood.

"It would help if we could score- we haven't had a goal yet in three matches."

[Faramir]

26.8.06

Hill Back on the Beam- Dumps Southport

Harrow Hill finally recorded their first win of the season as they put together all the elements that had made them a success last season and trounced Southport 4-1 at Larksfield Road. Jordan Robertson, eager to make up for his misses last match, took a terrific through ball from Tyrone Berry and chipped past a diving Steve Reeves for his 1st Hill goal early in the first half. Robertson then added a second goal when a good touch pass from Lewis Tozer set him to make it a brace. Southport rallied to draw a goal back in first half injury time when Steve Daly flicked a header past Craig Farr on a long cross from Chris Lane. Pressure from Aaron Samuel caused Steve McKeown to send a backpass to keeper Reeves much sooner than either anticipated and the Larksfield crowd roared with delight as it skipped past Reeves and into the net for a disastrous own-goal. Hill then closed out the visitors as Derek Duncan, capping an MOM performance, whipped a cross that found Lee Sawyer able to deflect it into the far, right side of the net for his 1st goal as that capped the scoring in the match.

"Whew. Nice to finally see the club we thought was here," commented Heartwood.

"If we can get back to showing the type of execution we did today- we will do some more damage- we really moved the ball well today."

[Faramir]

28.8.06

Halifax Handles Hill

Halifax scored three goals in the second half to roll past Harrow Hill 3-0 at The Shay. Hill offered a credible defensive effort in the first half, with some good defensive coverage and tackling helping Paul Catley to keep things tidy. On the offensive end, Hill could make little headway against the Halifax backline. The second half found Hill hoping to hit on the counterattack. Instead, Lee Roache dawdled with the ball and it was taken away to put Kenny Cooper and Mark Jackson in cleanly behind the Hill backline. Catley had no chance as Cooper slotted it to Jackson for the goal. Halifax then put the match on ice just past the midpoint mark of the second half. Justin Bowler launched a cross to the far post and it sailed in past Catley for a fluke goal. Cooper then added the exclamation point with a strong header past Catley to finish off the 3-0 win.

Heartwood sighed, "I was hoping our second unit was almost as good as our first- but offensively we did very little today."

"Defensively, we were fine until halftime. They caught us out on the first goal and things went bad from there."

[Faramir]

29.8.06

"It is painful but clear that many of our additions aren't going to help as much as I hoped," stated Heartwood.

"Give it time to gel Jim," answered Pearson.

"I will, but I am scouting to see if we can add some others and also I think it is time to start sorting the roster out a bit."

"Ok, but are you sure the upheaval won't prevent the gelling?"

"We are struggling now- I don't see us struggling worse than this..."

***

30.8.06

"Now that was a surprise," commented Heartwood.

"Who was that?"

"The Manager of the Romanian National side- he is calling Craig Farr up to the side."

"What?"

"I didn't realize it either, but Craig has dual citizenship. He is going to be training with their National side."

"Wow."

"Oh, more news. I have signed another keeper- 18 year old Karl Dryden."

"Do we really need another one?"

"No, but I like his balance of skills and I think he might work out Ok?"

"Any other transfer news- as we reach the deadline?"

"I put in a bid on 21 year old Shola Oyedele from the MK Dons. He can play any position on the backline and he looks like he could really help us right now."

"When will you know on him?"

"He has the contract offer- if he decides before the deadline, then we will know."

***

31.8.06

"He agreed to the contract, Shola will be here tomorrow."

"Ok."

"Bob, he is more comfortable at fullback, but can play the center too. For now, we will use him as gameday sub until he has more experience here."

"I understand, I will try to give him time at each spot."

"Also, we completed the sale of Ryan Shawcross today."

"Who and how much?"

"Rushden purchased him for 50K. He is going to be good, but not within the defensive system we play- he needs a much more structured attack to be part of."

[Faramir]

2.9.06

Hill Slams Stafford

Led by a brace from Hill skipper Sean Coburn, Hill cruised to a convincing 3-0 win over Stafford Rangers at Larksfield Road. Despite intense pressure in the first half, Hill only managed to lead 1-0 at halftime thanks to a 25 yard free kick from Coburn that hooked inside the left post past Stafford keeper Barry Marchena. Hill continued their pressure in the second half, but was still leading only 1-0 when Coburn repeated his first half feat by drilling another 25 yard free kick past Marchena for a brace. Tyrone Berry put the punctuation point on the win with his 1st goal at Hill off a corner. The surprise starter in the Hill goal- newly signed Karl Dryden- earned a clean sheet in his debut.

"Now *that* was more like we need to play every match," said a pleased Heartwood.

"Good defense and a few goals works out well," agreed Pearson.

[Faramir]

6.9.06

Hereford Hammers Hill

Hereford showed much better execution as they easily defeated Harrow Hill 3-0 in front of their delighted Edgar Road faithful. Sam Sutton got them going early when he chipped a shot past Karl Dryden. They added another goal as Graham Evans scooted past Stuart Wall and snapped a shot past Dryden. Following Dryden's allowing Sutton to make it a brace with a 35 yard shot, he was removed and Paul Catley came on to tend for the remainder of the match. Hill managed little offense and fully deserved the final scoreline."

"Hmm, well we paid the price for not fielding a full squad," said Heartwood.

"They took advantage of Karl Dryden quite easily."

"Yes, it isn't often that I pull a keeper like that- but I felt I had too."

[Faramir]

9.9.06

Hill Edges Crawley

Harrow Hill used a brace from Jordan Robertson to edge a determined Crawley side 2-1 at Larksfield Road. The lead belonged to Hill in the opening moments as Ash Carew's good pass found Robertson with room to snap a shot past Scott Ward inside the left post. Hill controlled the flow of play throughout the first half, but failed to capitalize on their chances. Newcomer Shola Ayebole, who had been yellow carded earlier, failed to challenge Crawley skipper Steve Burton in the Hill area and he fired his shot past Karl Dryden to equalize early in the second half. Derek Duncan was the architect of the winning goal as he danced past a defender before slipping the ball through to unmarked Robertson. Robertson made it a brace as he buried his low shot at the 79 minute mark. Crawley came close, but Dryden came up with the save of the match when he stopped Chris Porter at point-blank range in second half injury time to preserve the close win.

"Whew! That was a tough one," offered Pearson.

"We played just well enough- with Jordan Robertson's finishing- to win it."

[Faramir]

16.9.06

Hill and York Play to Draw

Harrow Hill and York battled to a scoreless draw at Larksfield Road, but the match wasn't without its moments. Hill played a solid first half, but York had the better chances in play and shots. Craig Farr, returning to the lineup after his stint with the Romanian National side was very sharp in net for Hill. The complexion of the match changed when Mark Hotte brought down Jordan Robertson late in the first half. Hotte was the last man and found himself on the way to the showers with a redcard. Hill failed to take advantage of the extra space and short-changed their attack due to poor passing in the second half. York looked set to steal a win when Nicky Hawkins was charged with handballing in the area on a late corner. Farr earned his MOM honours when he saved Richard Evans' penalty kick to preserve the draw for the home side.

Heartwood grimaced, "If we could have passed as well in the second half as we did in the first we might have been able to take advantage of the extra space."

Pearson nodded, "It didn't help that you had to pull both Jordan Robertson and Stephen Opaka out of the match because of their fitness- that helped ruin the cohesion."

"I know. I didn't want to, but it is too early in the season to be risking major injury. I guess we should be thankful for the draw- and Craig Farr- because that really should have been a loss."

[Faramir]

17.9.06

"Ok, Robert Burns will miss at least 4 weeks, maybe a couple months, with his ribs," said Heartwood.

"It didn't look that bad when it happened, but I guess the reports from the x-rays weren't very good. They were worried about one of his ribs puncturing a lung," replied Pearson.

"We should be Ok with depth for the moment, though make sure that Craig Timmons gets a lot of time there and not in fullback training."

"Will do."

***

19.9.06

Burton Bumps Hill

Burton took advantage of their one good scoring chance and managed to stymie Harrow Hill in edging them 1-0 at Pirelli Park. Hill showed both heart and determination, but found Burton keeper Dan Crane too difficult to solve in the match. The lone goal of the match came when Jon Shaw was able to push a rebound shot past Craig Farr after Farr's initial save on Shaun Harrad late in the first half. It was clear that Adrian Nevins had not marked Shaw closely enough as he lurked to score. Hill had several superb chances in both halves, but Crane made big saves against Donovan Simmonds, Aaron Burns, Tyrone Berry and Matthew Hampson on the way to his clean sheet. Hill saw David Carns sent off with a disputed redcard at 66 minutes, but never faltered and still attacked with 10 men- coming close to equalizing twice. Hill's leftback Danny Smith was voted MOM honours.

"Not much I can say about it. We played well enough to earn a better result," commented Heartwood.

"The boys still need to learn you play the full half- both halves- that is how you win. We let down for a moment defensively and got punished for it when Shaw scored."

"I was happy with the way we played after Carns was sent off- we kept after them."

[Faramir]

23.9.06

Hill Bridges Buxton

Harrow Hill scored a dramatic last moment win over Buxton at The Silverlands to advance to the 3rd round of FA Cup Qualifying play. The home side provided most of the first half highlights as Hill looked very sluggish on the attack. Coming out of halftime, Hill appeared to shake its doldrums and started attacking with more verve. The execution of Hill's attacking was still spotty and they cost themselves several good chances with inconsistent passing. The match winner came just as second half injury time began. Craig Timmons took the ball down the left and sent a curving cross into the middle. Tom O'Donnell leapt and deflected the cross past Lyall Beazley for dramatic goal in his debut. O'Donnell also earned MOM honours for his heroics.

"That was a good evaluation match, if nothing else," stated Pearson.

"I was pleased we were able to win it. There were some solid efforts out there today."

"Besides O'Donnell, I liked the flashes we saw of Alan Wilkens up front."

"He was only OK to my eyes, but he did play good when 'on-the-ball'.

[Spav]

Faramir, just catching up here after a bit of a break. It seems like you've had a fine first season with Harrow Hill and that the second term is starting to get a bit more consistent as well. Keep up the good work.

[Faramir]

Spav- Thanks again for your comments. I will be trying a somewhat radical approach in this story- but it hasn't appeared yet, so you can take that comment as a preview of things to come in the future

***

26.9.06

Woking Wins Late Over Hill

Despite a fine effort overall, Harrow Hill lost 1-0 to Woking at Kingsfield when Neil Wainwright scored the lone goal of the match in second half injury time. Though Woking held control over much of the flow of play in the match, Hill were the ones with the best chances. Hill's chances all came to naught though as they only managed to put one shot on net out of their 7 total. Mark Russell, Jordan Robertson and Aaron Burns all were close on chances for Hill- but none managed to stretch the twine behind keeper Shwan Jalal. The winning goal came on a counterattack after a corner in the Woking end. Moses Ashikodi made a nice chip pass that allowed Wainwright to fire in a sharp angled shot past Craig Farr. It was a disappointing ending for the game Hill side. Hill's Jamie Chandler wound up with MOM honours.

"We still should have scored. We set things up nicely, but our finishing was atrocious," grumbled Heartwood.

"Not only our finishing, but we just plain passed up several chances. We need them to shoot when they get good chances- not give the ball away on bad passes."

[Faramir]

30.9.06

Hill Washes Out Worksop

Harrow Hill easily defeated Worksop 3-0 at Larksfield Road in a match they dominated from opening to ending whistle. After a couple close misses in the early going, Hill took the lead when Craig Lever was yellow carded for tripping Jordan Robertson in the area. Hills' young 16 year old forward- Alan Wilkins- helped carve out a name for himself by calmly driving the penalty kick past Mark Davidson for a goal in his Senior debut. Shortly after it was Robertson, who shook free of his marker, that drilled a shot into the right corner of the goal after a good pass from Ash Carew found him with space. Robertson made it a brace late in the first half when he stepped out of the crowd and deflected a corner from Sean Coburn past Davidson to make the halftime lead 3-0. Hill appeared content to protect the lead in the second half, though Robertson missed close twice on chances to make a hat-trick. Craig Farr finished with a clean sheet and Robertson deservedly earned MOM honours.

"Excellent match for us. We haven't played that well too many times this season," observed Bob Pearson.

"It was a nice win," admitted Heartwood. "Especially with them just above us in the table."

"Now if we can only get them to play attacking like that more consistently."

"I think it will come Bob, but remember how young this club is- inconsistency is likely the norm for awhile."

[Faramir]

1.10.06

Harrow Hill Players Sweep September Honours

Harrow Hill swept both Player of the Month honours for September. Sean Coburn, Hill skipper, was named Player of the Month over Ian Cornock of Southport and Tony James of Hereford. Coburn also was 3rd in Goal of the Month balloting for his free kick against Stafford at the beginning of the month. Jamie Chandler was selected for Young Player of the Month, edging out teammate Ash Carew and Tony Stokes of Dag & Red.

"They both deserved the honours- you could see both their leadership as they helped right the ship here," commented Heartwood.

"We are close to getting the right components together to start playing well- very close," replied Pearson.

"I hope so Bob. We could really use a good string to help get us above the relegation muddle."

[Faramir]

4.10.06

Weymouth Outclasses Hill

Weymouth continued to demonstrate they have the upper hand on Harrow Hill as they edged them 1-0 at Larksfield Road in a match where the scoreline could have favored the visitors by more. Shaun Carey scored the lone goal of the match in the 8th minute when Trevor Challis intercepted a poor clearing pass by James Vaughan and sent it right back into the six yard box. Carey took the ball and whipped a low shot past Craig Farr into the far left corner of the net. Weymouth had several chances to build on the lead as Hill's play was very spotty throughout the first half, but Craig Farr did well to keep the margin at 1-0. Hill showed more life and finally gained scoring chances in the second, but their abominable shooting left them with no shots on net out of their good opportunities. Weymouth closed out the clean sheet for Arran-Lee Barrett and Carey earned MOM honours.

"We deserved no better," muttered Heartwood. "We played sloppy, we played badly."

"Our passing was atrocious. I can't believe we just couldn't execute the simplest of passes today. Despite that, we did play a bit better in the second half."

"It was a better show of our heart, but our execution was completely lacking today."