Salop finish 18th and 2 points clear

In the end, survival was enough. (Table by ESPN FC.)
A new manager, after the previous manager arranged his own departure in quite a dignified way, whilst we were some points behind the rest at the bottom.
Elsewhere, Arsenal fans’ arrangement of a St.Totteringham’s day for the first time in 20 years when Arsenal were to finish below them in the league seemed a bit of a mistake.
Notts Co. have survived in the Football League, but Notts County Ladies have folded.
Finally, Nottingham Forest are only just safe with one game to go.  I’m desperate for a Forest vs Salop match, but not in the third tier.  Please, Forest.

Super Whalley

Pressure for relegation threatened Salop.
But better play than home to Walsall and a surprise to go behind.
Distress at 2 Northampton forwards who seemed to run into clashes and be the first to hit the ground.
Second half, and Salop winger Whalley decides to run and run at the full-back, who I think had committed six fouls before he got his second yellow card.  This during a purple patch and when Whalley hit a sharp inswinging cross from the corner of the box, it had goal written all over it – Sadler rose to nod in from 3 feet.
It seemed then only a matter fo time before a winning goal, but Salop struggled to control the ball and keep it down, and even though a second Cobbler got a second yellow for repeated fouls, time had run out.
Results elsewhere all went Salop’s way so now 3 points clear of the drop – can the escape be made at the next home game?
Bizarrest thing of the day: Salop fans adapting the Supertramp song – “Logical” – as a tribute to Shaun Whalley.

Years 9s only draw with year 8s

Well, it was better than losing 7-1, but after being gifted a goal after 3 minutes, and winning the ball back without even tackling, not sure a draw was that great a result.

Salop end 14 month run

A remarkable away win against a second in the league club.  Result of the day.

Won by two on-loan players from tier 1 clubs.
A lay-off 50 yards out, a run down the wing into the corner, a dribble leaving players in wake, and a glance in from 5 yards.

Salop’s community programme cover

A great photo on the programme cover; and a celebration of the community activities of the football club (like all clubs do I think).
The match featured 2 clubs in the relegation zone, so important for Salop to win.
A league table for games since the arrival of Paul Hurst as manager shows Salop 12th, but more than that, some of the forward play was good to watch, and with the team getting to know each other more, there is potential for even better. 

Wanting to go home at half-time

Weird.
Sheff U blocked their own certain first goal.
They took the lead anyway.
They got a penalty with one of ours sent off, when our defender got to the ball.
They missed the penalty.
They got a second goal, dominated and we had a second sent off – chasing a ball running away from him.
For the first time in 44 years, I was thinking of leaving at half time.
We got a corner in the second half (taken Sherringham style; see photo) but Dodd’s effort was cleared.
But essentially the ball was just outside our own box, with miss after miss.
And then we got a break, a throw in, a cross and Dodds scored.
For the last 15 minutes, we had hopes of an equaliser.
Weird.

Mike Edwards and Michael Edwards

Mike Edwards and Michael Edwards.
Still in the Notts County squad, Mike Edwards was gracious enough to say he’d seen some of my stuff on google.
I told him how I’d seen him at the Gay Meadow as 17-year-old full back for Hull City (3rd March, 1998 (check)).
And again he was gracious enough to talk about Shrewsbury Town and the various experiences he’d had (Salop used to be good at home).
Maybe I should try being nice.
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Of course, the name “Michael Edwards” is so common that there are more “Michael Edwards” than Telford United’s home attendance.
But it is quite a challenging name – “Edwards” means “guard of God” and “Michael” means “God-like” – a bit too challenging.
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The photo is a bit blurred, but in the subsequent photo, I’m afraid I was far too concerned about whether it would be in focus.  Hey ho.

TO BE UPDATED.