Well … the season is over and it has been an emotional journey, Morecambe survived at the expense of Barnet, Oldham dropped out of League One after 21 straight seasons and Wigan finally wrapped up the title. Here are the final match reports of the regular season from the D3D4 team.
MATCH REPORT: Rotherham United 1-0 Blackpool
A very warm springtime afternoon in South Yorkshire & a healthy 9512 crowd greeted the two teams on this last game of the regular League 1 season.
With fourth place secured for the Millers & the Tangerines comfortably in mid table there was very little to play for & the early play resembled a pre-season friendly with little action of any note. The first chance fell to the home side on 18 minutes when a loose ball fell to full back Josh Emmanuel but his 20 yarder flew over the bar. The Millers continued to threaten & Emmanuel’s full back partner Joe Mattock saw a fine header fly just over the bar.
Pool had an opportunity on the half hour from a free kick but Sean Longstaff’s effort was comfortably saved by Marek Rodak in the Millers goal. The Millers were continuing to press though with centre back Richard Wood & striker Michael Smith going close before the break.
HT Millers 1 Pool 0
Blackpool boss Gary Bowyer’s half time team talk seemed to work as his team started much brighter & they nearly opened the scoring on 50 minutes, forward Nathan Delfouneso nearly connecting with a Longstaff pull back but after enjoying their best spell of the game Pool found themselves trailing when on 58 minutes a hopeful cross was headed back by the Millers aussie midfielder Ryan Williams to fellow midfielder Will Vaulks who’s left foot shot found the net from the edge of the box.
Blackpool responded strongly with efforts from Callum Cooke & Colin Daniel bringing saves from Rodak. Delfouneso should have equalised when he hit a close range effort wide following good work by defender Clark Robertson. In a rare Rotherham attack a wonderful save by Blackpool keeper Christoffer Mafoumbi prevented Vaulks making it 2-0 but soon after Rodak surpassed even that making a miraculous double save from Kelvin Mellor’s bullet header & sub Mark Cullen’s follow up effort. There was still time for Pool’s Ollie Turton & sub Dan Agyei to miss presentable chances as Pool brought down the curtain on 2017/18 with an unlucky defeat.
A two leg play off with Scunthorpe now awaits the Millers with the first leg at Glanford Park next Saturday lunchtime (1230pm)
words Ian Bradley, D3D4 Rotherham United correspondent
MATCH REPORT: Northampton Town 2-2 Oldham Athletic
In 1997 Oldham Athletic fell into the third tier of English football for the first time in 23 years. It was supposed to be a quick dip down whilst the club reorganised. It was not a short stint and, following 21 years in League One, Oldham have been relegated to League Two. I have spent 20 years on this planet. Oldham’s tenure in League One is older than me.
I was born in October 1997, just as Oldham started their League One era. One of the first things I saw after being born was Boundary Park – as my dad lifted me up to show me the ground. Little did I know at that time that it was to become my second home. It is difficult to describe the sensation of being relegated to a non-football fan. It truly is heart-breaking to see the club you love fail in such a way. In the years I have been travelling around the country to following this club I have felt frustration or jubilation. This was a new sensation. I stood with my dad in stunned silence, whilst enduring a gut wrenching feeling of utter disappointment.
Going into the game, Oldham had one clear task; match Rochdale’s score. A win would have guaranteed League One survival. The fate of the Latics lay firmly in the hand of themselves. That was what proved most worrying. The performances of recent weeks in particular have shown that Oldham have little fight in them. Key relegation games against Gillingham, Rochdale and Wimbledon have all ended in draws.
It was expected that Oldham would be all guns blazing in this fixture, after all it isn’t too long ago that they celebrated a resounding 5-1 victory over Northampton, so it was disappointing to see a slow start to the game. Chances fell to O’Toole and Powell, whilst the Latics tried to unlock the Northampton defence at the other end – clear chances were at a premium.
To the relief of the away support, it was the blues who broke the deadlock after 30 minutes. A corner was swung into the box and after a small scramble, the ball fell invitingly for George Edmundson to stab home. A crucial goal provided by a youth graduate of the club – and his first senior goal for them.
In the 40th minute, Northampton decided they would drift away from the script when they won a penalty. Placide failed to clear his lines and Hoskins was tripped. Matt Grimes fired the resulting penalty into the top corner – a fine penalty that no keeper would have saved.
Things went from disappointing to disastrous for Oldham in the 4th minute of first half injury time when Ash Taylor stabbed home from close range. Placide made a good save to deny Barnett, but the save bounced off the post to Taylor who calmly put the home side ahead.
HALF TIME: Northampton Town (Grimes 42’ Taylor 45+4) 2 – 1 (Edmundson 30’) Oldham Athletic
Oldham desperately needed a response in the second half and it looked as if they’d got it. The visitors started to take the game to the home side and were rewarded in the 55th minute when Tom Hamer connected sweetly with a Jack Byrne free kick to head home from 8 yards, bringing the blues back on level terms. Another youth graduate with a goal.
The momentum should have been well and truly with the visitors. One goal would secure League One safety. The fight, however, was not there. It was if the players had been misinformed and thought a draw would be good enough. Davies, Doyle and Holloway all had decent chances to score but failed. The mentality of the players just wasn’t right. The team with everything to play for had less fight and spirit than the side that had already been relegated. There were no more clear-cut chances in the game for either side. The away fans fell silent and the score at Spotland showed no sign of changing. The clock continued to tick on and the final whistle blew in Rochdale. Oldham fans knew what was needed, but the Oldham players couldn’t deliver. The full-time whistle came. The boos rang out from the away end. Oldham Athletic were relegated to League Two
‘You’re not fit to wear the shirt’ was the song of choice from the fans. Never has that chant been more deserving. Oldham have not been relegated because of a lack of quality but because of a lack of consistency and, more importantly, because of a lack of desire. It says a lot that the 2 goal scorers were academy products – two young men with a connection and love for the club – the rest seemingly did not care. There will now be the inevitable post mortem over who is to blame for this shocking mentality.
Keep The Faith
FULL TIME: Northampton Town (Grimes 42’, Taylor 45+4) 2-2 Oldham Athletic (Edmundson 30’, Hamer 55’)
Northampton Town: O’Donnell, Moloney, Buchanan, Barnett, Taylor, Foley (Bridge 70’), Powell, Hoskins, McWilliams (Roberts 90+6’), O’Toole, Grimes.
Subs not used: Cornell, Van Veen, Poole, Turnbull, Luckassen.
Oldham Athletic: Placide, Moimbe, Edmundson, Hamer, Hunt, Pringle, Gardner (Benyu 73’), Nepomuceno (Davies 56’), Byrne, Doyle, Nazon (Holloway 83’).
Subs not used: De La Paz, Stott, Obadeyi, McEleney.
Attendance: 6,511 (1,453 visiting supporters)
words Chris Stringer, D3D4 Oldham Athletic correspondent
MATCH REPORT: Carlisle United 1-1 Newport County
In the final match of the Keith Curle era, a typical drab home draw was the result in a game full of fond farewells.
An early opener from Mark Ellis was cancelled out soon after Padriag Amond as the two headed goals were the only real highlights of the end-of-season affair. With the sun shining down on Brunton Park, both sides had next to nothing to play for and the sluggish pace of the game was indicative of that.
However, when skipper Danny Grainger went down the left-wing and won a corner, he whipped the ball in and Ellis met it with a bullet header. A man who has appeared to have a fragmented relationship with Curle during his time at the club ironically got the Carlisle opener. Despite a lack of sharp build-up play prior, right-winger Robbie Willmott beat Grainger (Who was substituted at the interval) with ease and diagonally crossed in a superb ball for Amond to head home past goalkeeper Jack Bonham who was helpless. An equaliser slightly lifted the Exiles as they pressured prior to the break.
The stopper was helpless again in the opening stages of the next period when he allowed the ball to go right through his legs as he shaped up for what ended up being an air shot, and luckily for him the ball only rolled across goal for a corner. The players began to tire and the dire football on display barely flattered to deceive.
The most poignant part of the game came during the closing stages as veteran Clint Hill was substituted off for what could have been his last ever playing appearance, never mind for the Cumbrians. The entire home and some away crowd rose to their feet and applauded him off as he hugged almost everyone he walked past on the way, a fitting send-off for a true professional gentleman.
No side really fancied going for it in the final minutes and even with the quality of Frank Nouble up top for Newport their pressure count. There was a sense that the players were not wanting an injury for their holidays rather than bothering to earn a new contract – difficult to ignore for the teams finishing 11th and 10th respectively.
A lap of the pitch after the final whistle of the season resulted in many players rightly speaking with fans but when Curle approached the main stand with pretty much everyone in the infamous Paddock staying behind to watch him go down the tunnel one last time, it was a sight to behold. Everyone was on their feet and in spite of constant bickering between one another throughout his time, all of the Blue army gave thanks to a manager who saved them from possible extinction but failed to gain promotion.
Curle will be remembered well by most supporters but the typical anxiety and frustration is what fans have to deal with in the foreseeable future. As ever, player contract negotiations will soon begin but it’s contrasting situations for these clubs. The season ended for them in less than entertaining fashion, as they both hope for productive campaigns next time out. It’s now time for Carlisle to find a new manager whereas Newport need to replenished squad, on a smaller budget, if they are to equal or better their impressive finish this year.
Man of the Match: Gary Liddle
Attendance: 5,311 [270]
Referee: Mark Heywood
words Nathan Ridley, D3D4 Carlisle United correspondent
MATCH REPORT: Coventry City 0-0 Morecambe
Shrimps Survive Being Sent To Coventry.
Today at the Ricoh Arena, Morecambe would drop out of the EFL after ten years if they did anything less than draw and Barnet beat already doomed Chesterfield at the Hive. Just as had been the case a decade ago when the town emptied as its inhabitants headed to the Play-Off Final at Wembley, loads of buses made their way south from the Lancashire seaside. On this occasion, they were provided free by the club.
The atmosphere even in the bars beneath the main stand prior to kick-off was electric, noisy and very positive. Did we dare to hope? Coventry themselves needed at least a point to qualify for a Play-Off position. But the mercurial team Jim Bentley has assembled this season outplayed the Sky Blues at the Globe Arena earlier in the season and deservedly won. The Shrimps have a pretty good history against a team almost always in superior positions in the League Pyramid: two wins and two losses in six previous meetings. But if Morecambe played anything like as badly as they did last Saturday – which was possibly the most spineless and inept performance I have ever personally witnessed from the men in the red shirts – they would lose today.
So which team would turn-up? The one which beat Coventry in Lancashire last December – or the shambles which was beaten by Barnet just seven days ago?
Fortunately for all Shrimps’ fans, it was the former. Morecambe played with a purpose and cohesion which they have rarely showed in recent months. The Long Ball game was abandoned and throughout the match – particularly during the second half – they had most of the possession. As the game wore on, Coventry were repeatedly jeered by their own supporters for playing the ball sideways and backwards as they struggled to make any inroads into a resolute wall of red in front of them. Having said that, City goalkeeper Lee Burge was a spectator for virtually the entire ninety minutes. He had only one shot to save, from Kevin Ellison, which he did well to turn away for a corner. Well – it should have been a corner but fussy and erratic referee Andy Davies didn’t give it.
At the other end, though, veteran keeper Barry Roche single-handedly saved the Shrimps from defeat today. He made a superb save to his left to push a ferocious drive from Captain Michael Doyle over the bar during the first half only to make a truly miraculous one with about five minutes of the opening period left when he somehow or other managed to keep a close-range effort from Jonson Clarke-Harris out of the net. And again, during the second period, Big Baz got down well to hold another cracker from Tom Bayliss which on another day might have found the net. But not today. With the exception – sadly from his point of view at least not for the first time it must be said – of Adam McGurk, every Morecambe player put in a shift today. Steven Old was outstanding at centre half and Sam Lavelle played with an assurance far beyond his years.
So Morecambe got the point they needed – and everybody was happy because City gained the point they also needed to get into the Play-Offs. Queue emotional scenes at the end all round the ground. Hats Off to the Sky Blues’ supporters for their fantastic response to the 748 of us who had made the trip southwards today.
I hope they win the Play-Offs personally. And a word of commiseration to Barnet. From our point of view, thank god they didn’t re-employ Martin Allen a game earlier than they did: if they had, things might have worked out very differently. But Barnet are a well-run club and – particularly if they persuade the Mad Dog to stay, they will be back. Good luck to them. But most of all – well done to Jim Bentley in particular and everything he has achieved on a shoestring at the Globe Arena. Was I alone in thinking that he was saying `Goodbye’ and not just “Cheerio” at the end of the game? Whatever, I said at the beginning of the season that this man would deserve Canonisation, never mind a Knighthood, if he managed to keep the most poorly-supported and resourced club in the EFL for another season. So well played Saint Jim. Tatty-bye for now from Yours Truly as well. See you next term… in League Two… Blimey, still can’t believe it…
Coventry City: 1 Lee Burge; 2Jack Grimmer (Y); 15 Dominic Hyam; 3 Chris Stokes; 30 Tom Bayliss; 6 Liam Kelly; 8 Michael Doyle (C); 26 Jordan Shipley (32 Kyel Reid 56 mins); 10 Marc McNulty; 18 Jonson Clarke-Harris (9 Max Biamou 80 mins).
Subs not used: 13 Liam O’Brien; 5 Rod McDonald; 17 Jordan Maguire-Drew; 24 Ryan Haynes; 38 Jordan Ponticelli.
Morecambe: 1 Barry Roche; 2 Aaron McGowan; 5 Steven Old; 21Gregg Wylde; 11 Kevin Ellison; 14 Luke Conlan; 8 Andy Fleming ; 16 Sam Lavelle; 15 Aaron Wildig (4 Alex Kenyon 82 mins); 24 Michael Rose (C); 28 Adam McGurk (29 Callum Lang 77 mins).
Subs not used: 12 Danijel Nizic; 3 Patrick Brough; 10 Adam Campbell; 17 Mitchell Lund; 22 Max Muller.
Ref: Andy Davies
15874 (748 from Morecambe)
words Roger Fitton, D3D4 Morecambe correspondent
MATCH REPORT: Coventry City 0-0 Morecambe
The sun was shining and the pub was packed with Cov City fans pre match and we were all looking forward to the big match ahead. So after some beers and banter off we walked to the Ricoh all refreshed and eager to watch the Sky Blues put Morecambe to the sword. But in a boiling hot arena we had to sit through ninety minutes of mediocre football, and at times I thought it was a pre-season friendly, as both sides looked happy to play out a goalless draw. But fair play to the visitors the point was all they needed and I felt pleased for their supporters who must have been edgy.
As for the City I felt they eased off in the second half and in the final fifteen minutes decided to pass the ball backwards instead of having a shot at goal.
Talking after the game to fellow City fans about our performance many thought both sides may have agreed to play for the draw? I’m not sure about that but then again it did look at times a bit tepid and we seemed content with a point instead of three.
Yet we go into the play offs and two matches against Notts County with the first game at the Ricoh on Saturday evening. But we will need to play a lot better than we did yesterday, and all the players will have to be on their game, as County are no mugs as was shown when they beat us just a few weeks ago. But the Ricoh will be rocking no doubt and filled with us nervous supporters getting behind our team hoping we get the win to take us to the second leg and full of momentum.
We have the fire power with McNulty who banged in a hat-trick at Cheltenham in a 6-1 victory last Saturday, and with Captain Doyle getting stuck in and controlling the midfield, we should give Notts County two tough games and I remain positive that we can get through to the Final at Wembley.
But I was positive that we’d hammer Morecambe yesterday and couldn’t find the net, so one minute I’m upbeat the next in doubt and unsure.
But I’ll be there for both games going through all the emotions and anguish that us football fans put ourselves through, and probably end up with a sore throat caused by shouting at the players and hopefully through singing in celebration!
Once again well done to Morecambe.
words Kevin Halls, D3D4 Coventry City correspondent