My Football Manager 2017 project is now in full swing, as it’s time for another month of Counties Championship fixtures!
August’s opening batches of league games saw a fair few surprises, not least in the South division. Can Gareth Southgate and West Sussex pick up where they left off, or will the London clubs start to establish themselves as favourites?
And what does September have in store for our other high-flyers? Let’s find out…
NORTH DIVISION
ROUND 6 (10 September)
Danny Welbeck scored his TENTH goal of the season for Greater Manchester, but it was his strike partner who stole the show in Cumbria. With the scores goalless at half-time, Scott Hogan came off the bench to beat Scott Carson four times in a 5-1 demolition. Boy, that escalated quickly!
The Mancunians now had a one-point lead at the top of the North division after West Yorkshire dropped points in a dire goalless draw with Tyne & Wear. Merseyside moved into 2nd after seeing off North Yorkshire 2-0, while former England beanpole Peter Crouch’s brace against East Yorkshire saw Cheshire go 4th.
Northumberland’s up-and-down start continued in County Durham, as they won 3-2 in a match where all five goals were scored within 20 madcap first-half minutes. No such excitement in Lancashire, where Phil Parkinson’s side were held by South Yorkshire.
ROUND 7 (17 September)
This division is just too easy for Welbeck. In Greater Manchester’s seventh game of the season, the 25-year-old claimed his third hat-trick, making light work of East Yorkshire. Marcus Rashford also found the net twice as Gary Neville’s side consolidated top spot.
West Yorkshire slipped up again, failing to beat Connor Ripley and a resilient North Yorkshire defence in a derby draw. Their rivals South Yorkshire were also kept goalless by Northumberland, whose goalie Fraser Forster kept out a 19th-minute penalty from Jamie Vardy.
August was awful for Tyne & Wear, but September was proving sweeter after Kazenga LuaLua and Sammy Ameobi netted in an easy victory over bottom side Cumbria. County Durham and Lancashire were each narrowly winning 1-0 away to Cheshire and Merseyside respectively.
ROUND 8 (24 September)
I think it’s safe to say Greater Manchester mean business. Though Ravel Morrison’s early opener was soon cancelled out by County Durham’s Harry Chapman, the visitors went on to record a fourth straight home win. Midfielder Adam Clayton put in a spectacular performance – even without Bono, The Edge, or the other one.
West Yorkshire’s results this month were starting to read like a typical Boring James Milner tweet. Nonetheless, their ‘bland’ skipper converted a simple penalty as they regained 2nd place from Merseyside. There were also celebrations for South Yorkshire (who beat Cheshire 3-1) and North Yorkshire (who compounded Cumbria’s misery).
East Yorkshire couldn’t emulate their fellow Yorkies, falling prey to the evergreen Michael Carrick and a resurgent Tyne & Wear outfit. Northumberland had also hit form, and they broke into the play-off spots after leapfrogging Lancashire.
With seven wins out of eight, Greater Manchester have shown why they are the team to beat in this division. West Yorkshire and Merseyside are also going strong, but Northumberland really are the surprise packages so far. The north-eastern underdogs have recorded some impressive wins to claim 4th place.
MANAGER OF THE MONTH: Gary Neville (Greater Manchester).
PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Danny Welbeck (Greater Manchester).
EAST DIVISION
ROUND 6 (10 September)
A breathless East Anglia derby witnessed seven goals. Some two-goal magic from Chris Martin had put Suffolk into a commanding 3-0 lead at half-time, but Norfolk fought back well after the resumption. Alas, it wasn’t quite enough, and Paul Warne’s side went down 4-3.
Essex continued their winning start in Bedfordshire, though it took Dwight Gayle 63 minutes to break the deadlock. They retained a three-point lead on Hertfordshire, who were unconvincing winners at Rutland. Viktor Marusic scored the Rutles’ first Counties Championship goal early in the second half.
Derbyshire moved into 3rd position, thanks to a brilliant Ashley Hunter hat-trick in a 5-1 destruction of Nottinghamshire. Northamptonshire came from 2-1 down to inflict a sixth straight defeat on Lincolnshire, and Leicestershire scrapped to victory over Cambridgeshire.
ROUND 7 (17 September)
Essex were back to their free-scoring best when they returned to Southend-on-Sea. Gayle’s double was complemented by a Charlie Daniels hat-trick and an Alex Pritchard header as they destroyed Cambridgeshire 4-0. The visitors won 6-2 on the yellow cards count, though… so I guess that’s something, right?!
The East division’s terrible twosome each suffered their seventh defeats on the bounce. Lincolnshire were ripped to shreds by Cauley Woodrow’s hat-trick for 2nd-placed Hertfordshire. Rutland went down with more dignity, as captain Doug Bader scored a consolation after Leicestershire had gone 3-0 up.
Norfolk are also still awaiting their first league win, as Jed Steer’s valiant goalkeeping couldn’t deny Northamptonshire the points. A 2-1 win over Derbyshire saw Suffolk climb up to 3rd, but Bedfordshire suffered back-to-back losses after being outclassed by Nottinghamshire.
ROUND 8 (24 September)
And so we go to a thrilling round of East division football, which witnessed seven goals in six matches. Three of those were scored by Hertfordshire against Norfolk, whose defender Blaine Hudson was sent off for a cynical foul on Sheyi Ojo. In fairness, Herts also had a player sent off – midfielder Tom Carroll.
Essex claimed an eighth win, as Josh Cullen’s 17th-minute goal was enough to beat Leicestershire. Bedfordshire halted Suffolk’s mini-run through Keshi Anderson’s goal and Ciaran Clark’s defensive excellence.
The other three matches were all draws. Lincolnshire and Rutland cancelled each other out to get their first points, while Cambridgeshire vs Nottinghamshire was also goalless. At least Derbyshire and Northamptonshire each managed to find the net, though Northants lost their star midfielder Michael Jacobs to a hamstring tear.
There’s still a long way to go, obviously, but you’ll have to go some to catch Essex or Hertfordshire now. Suffolk and Bedfordshire find themselves in the play-off places as well, though anyone could conceivably catch them over the coming weeks. (Okay… maybe not Lincolnshire. Or Norfolk. Or Rutland.)
MANAGER OF THE MONTH: Chris Hughton (Essex).
PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Cauley Woodrow (Hertfordshire).
SOUTH DIVISION
ROUND 6 (10 September)
In the battle of London’s finest, South struck the early blows against North, leading 2-1 at the break. The northern hosts were inspired by Harry Redknapp’s half-time words, though, as Harry Kane and Jermain Defoe turned the game on its head in the final 15 minutes.
West Sussex’s unbeaten record crumbled in Kent after defenders Adam Webster and Mickey Demetriou put clinical point-blank finishes into their own net. They remained top, though, as Buckinghamshire took just the one point from a stalemate with Berkshire.
Oxfordshire captain Alex Pearce was sent off after just 24 seconds for a two-footed lunge on East Sussex’s James Norwood – but the visitors somehow held firm for a 0-0 draw! Hampshire and Surrey recorded the third goalless tie of the round, while the Isle of Wight got a maiden point on the board, drawing 1-1 at Wiltshire.
ROUND 7 (17 September)
South London licked their wounds and defeated Buckinghamshire, though only after a late comeback in Charlton. Bucks had led for 77 minutes through Simon Church before a Wilfried Zaha breakaway inspired the hosts, who sealed victory with an injury-time Lewis Grabban penalty.
West Sussex needed someone to score to retain their unlikely lead – and against Wiltshire, Will Wood did. East Sussex were on the wrong end of a 1-0 scoreline, falling to Andy King’s winner for Berkshire five minutes from time. Oxfordshire also left it late, as Matty Taylor stunned Surrey in the 89th minute.
North London were nowhere near their best against the Isle of Wight, but Defoe still got them the points. Kent and Hampshire shared the points in their game after penalties from Glen Johnson and Sam Vokes. (Yes, Glen Johnson takes Kent’s penalties. He’s scored three already.)
ROUND 8 (24 September)
I know North London have had some disappointing results already this season, but this surely takes the biscuit. Having led Kent 3-0 after an hour, Redknapp’s charges somehow contrived to throw victory away – conceding to John Akinde, Ryan Bertrand and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. Hardly triffic, was it, Harry?
South London did look like title contenders, though, as Zaha scored again in an ill-tempered 1-0 win over Surrey. Manager Alan Pardew danced to the summit following West Sussex’s 2-0 loss to Buckinghamshire. It was a Pyrrhic victory for Bucks, whose captain Sam Baldock damaged his Achilles tendon and was likely to miss the rest of the season.
The bottom two clashed in the Isle of Wight, where Greg Luer’s double earned East Sussex their first victory. Charlie Austin went one better than Luer in Berkshire’s 4-0 pummelling of Oxfordshire. Danny Ings also celebrated a hat-trick of goals (and Matthew Targett a hat-trick of assists) as Hampshire hit Wiltshire for six.
The South division is very competitive – certainly at the top. South London are ahead of North London and West Sussex only on goal difference, but 6th-placed Buckinghamshire are only a couple of points adrift. With no wins to their name, it’ll take a monumental effort for either Wiltshire or the Isle of Wight to enter the play-off picture now.
MANAGER OF THE MONTH: Harry Redknapp (North London).
PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Jermain Defoe (North London).
WEST DIVISION
ROUND 6 (10 September)
The West division’s last unbeaten record was shattered in the first round of September. Sam Allardyce’s West Midlands suffered a surprise defeat in Worcestershire, with flamboyant winger Joe Lolley scoring the decisive goal on the stroke of half-time.
Devon closed the gap on the West Midlands, as Sam Gallagher’s winner against Gloucestershire lifted them up into 2nd. Also going level on points with the leaders were Staffordshire, whose attack proved too strong for Dorset. Shropshire missed an opportunity to do the same, drawing 1-1 at Somerset.
Herefordshire got their first point against Warwickshire, but it should’ve also been their first win. Having led 2-0 after just seven minutes, they eventually crumbled under the weight of constant pressure and only managed a 2-2 draw. Second-from-bottom Cornwall also endured frustration as they lost to Bristol.
ROUND 7 (17 September)
Sparks flew in Birmingham, where the West Midlands and Devon scored twice apiece in the first 20 minutes. Neither could strike the decisive blow in the next 70, such is football. Also, WM striker Daniel Sturridge returned to form by twisting his knee late in the first half.
With the top two having taken points off one another, Staffordshire capitalised. James Wilson’s strike got the better of Warwickshire and lifted Dean Smith’s team to the top of the West division. It was also a successful afternoon for Shropshire, thanks to a couple of Steven Fletcher penalties against Worcestershire.
Still feeling sore from failing to win their last game, Herefordshire collapsed to a 4-1 defeat at Somerset. Their rivals at the bottom of the table – Cornwall – lost for the fifth straight league game, this time to Gloucestershire. Bristol made it three wins on the spin in their fightback against Dorset.
ROUND 8 (24 September)
Two in-form sides collided in Bristol, and the result was a 1-1 draw. Staffordshire had been set to retain their lead at the top of the table after teenage midfielder Oliver Shenton half-volleyed a Jamie Hanson flick-on home. It wasn’t to be, though, as Jacob Maddox pinched a late equaliser for Keith Curle’s Bristolians.
After a week off the top, West Midlands got back on their perch thanks to substitute Omar Bogle’s hat-trick in a 4-0 win over Dorset. As for fellow high-flyers Devon, they lost by four goals against Somerset after a vintage display from Scott Sinclair.
Warwickshire officially had only two shots on target but still prevailed 3-1 over Gloucestershire, whose boss Ian Holloway ranted about OPTA in his post-match press conference. Meanwhile, there were a couple of 2-0 wins for Shropshire (vs Cornwall) and Worcestershire (vs Herefordshire).
Just like in the South, three teams are tied on points at the top of the West division. The West Midlands’ firepower gives them a slight edge over Shropshire and Staffordshire, but there can be no room for complacency. Warwickshire and Devon are both breathing down the frontrunners’ necks.
MANAGER OF THE MONTH: Jason Dodd (Somerset).
PLAYER OF THE MONTH: Ashley Barnes (Somerset).
I’d say things are taking shape pretty nicely. Greater Manchester and Essex have stormed to the top of their groups, but the other two divisions look very competitive. It all bodes well as we head into the autumn.
League action will resume next Monday, but ahead of that, there’ll be a County Cup update this Friday. We’re about to enter Round 2, where the big boys enter the fray – and with that comes the potential for major cup upsets! Don’t miss it.
Fuller FM 
You must be logged in to post a comment.