The Cherries on top: Episode 14 – The difficult second album
A BIG thank you to everyone for reading so far, if you are new and want to go back to the beginning of the series click here.
Season 2
Here is the squad for life in Division 2. I might not have got all the players I wanted but we have some depth now and hopefully it won’t take long for the players to integrate.
I still want to try and bring in another striker if possible, but with all my bids for Cherno Samba and Jay Lucas being rebuffed it is starting to look unlikely. With around £2 million available I am conscious that wages and running costs will start eating into this the longer I leave it.
Myself and the chairman sit down to discuss the objectives for the new season. Despite finishing top of the 3rd division he is somewhat resigned to us not staying up, the message is to battle bravely against relegation.
Are opening league fixtures are Wigan (away), Peterborough (home), Huddersfield (away, League Cup), Mansfield (away) and Port Vale (home)
Wigan are first up, they were beaten in the playoff final last season so this is going to be a tough opening game. They recruited ex-Chelsea keeper Dimitri Kharine in the summer along with beating us to the signing of Justin Walker, lower league legend David Collins is on the bench.
For the Cherries, Barsom is ruled out for a month (groin) but Duff, Bart-Williams, Moukoko, Huckerby and Hadzi are all set for their league debuts.
It was honours even at half-time as Wigan opened the scoring after just 10 minutes, new signing Peter Fear heading in from a corner. Hadzi equalised with a fine debut goal following good work from Moukoko and Fortune-West.
The winner for Wigan comes just two minutes into the second half, Fear with his second goal from another set piece. Hadzi had a few more chances but even with the introduction of Boyle-Renner for the tired Moukoko we couldn’t get back level as Kharine rolled back the years with a 9/10 performance.
We failed to get the win so not the best start, but we have a lot of new players to integrate into the team.
I once again check the shortlist for interested strikers and I’m excited, another super Greek is interested, Anastasios Skalidis
He looks like a goal scoring machine so a bid of £825k with £100k after 20 international appearances is submitted to Chania and on the eve of our first home game in the second division, the bid is accepted and personal terms are offered.
While we wait for his decision we have Peterborough to entertain, they play an attacking 4-4-2 and their strike partnership of Leon McKenzie and Bradley Allen scored 32 goals last season. Thankfully today, McKenzie is on the bench.
Peterborough were 2–0 up within half an hour, both goals coming from set pieces as Daniel French and Alex Higgins (pretty sure not that one!) score unmarked from corners. Luckily we gave ourselves a lifeline before half time, Huckerby scoring his first cherries goal from a Victory free kick.
We came out swinging second half. Moukoko in all the action but it was Hadzi who got us back level just 8 minutes into the second half, heading in from a Ravneng cross. The win was sealed on 66 mins, Hadzi crossed but Moukoko’s header was saved by the keeper’s finger tips only for it to fall to Ravneng to tap in.
It’s great to get our first win under our belts although we had to work very hard, it was another shaky afternoon from Voulgaris as that’s 4 goals conceded in two games. Nevertheless a win is a win as we get news of an exciting new signing…
Skalidis signs!!
Look at this beautiful bastard, more 20/20’s than a case of Mad Dog, flair, finishing, acceleration, pace, technique, the kid has it all and what is even better than that — he doesn’t have a release clause.
We now turn our attention to the League Cup, we are up against Huddersfield. Due to the fortunes of both clubs last season, it’s Huddersfield who are classed as the underdogs having been relegated to Division 3 last season.
Roy Evans men play an attractive attacking 4–4–2 but their talisman, Chris Holland is injured and hopefully that can work in our favour? With a better squad, I decide to rest Lucic, Ravneng and Victory and give Skalidis and Gasperoni their debuts.
It ends up being a routine win for us and could have been more as Huckerby had the ball in net within the first minute, but the goal was ruled out for offside.
The game was won in the first half as Svensson opened the scoring on 17 minutes with a low shot. Skalidis scored on his debut after Boyle-Renner found him free in the box. Then on 34 minutes Duff scored his first goal for us, heading in a Huckerby corner.
Huddersfield didn’t have many chances, I can’t remember Voulgaris having to make a meaningful save. Which given the last two matches isn’t a bad thing for his confidence.
The board are delighted with the win and we are rewarded with another home tie in the second round against Watford.
Back to league action now and we travel to Field Mill to play Mansfield Town, they are an attacking side and have ex-Manchester United goalkeeper Kevin Pilkington in goal. I have Lucic and Victory back in defense to give us a more recognised back line and Moukuko comes back in to midfield.
A goal apiece at half-time despite Skalidis hitting the post after 15 minutes, it was Mansfield who opened the scoring. Christie lost his marker and scored on 28 mins, then Skalidis equalises with an amazing solo run into box to score an impressive league debut goal on 34 mins.
Mansfield start well in the second half and have a few chances so I changed it up on 65 minutes dropping Hadzi into midfield and stuck Fortune-West up top. The impact is immediate as Fortune-West forced a corner and Skalidis heads in a thumping header for his brace to put us ahead.
The game is sealed on 86 mins. Lever clatters into Moukoko inside the box and Fortune-West converts the penalty, denying Skalidis a league debut hat-trick in the process!
Despite the scoreline the game could have easily gone Mansfield’s way. But what a start from man of the match Skalidis, already 3 goals in his first 2 games! On another day he could have had 4 goals today.
I thought that the fixture problem would be sorted in division 2, but here we are with another Saturday to Monday turnaround as we are up against Port Vale in the league. James Hayter was one of the first players I sold as manager and he lines up against us today, with 0 goals so far this season.
Luckily for me Barsom is back in full training and he goes straight into squad for his league debut as we have players that have not quite recovered — not unsurprising. Ravneng, Gasperoni and Huckerby all come in to the side.
It’s a poor day at the office for Port Vale and this made for an easy game as they registered 0 shots on target. Goalkeeper Mark Goodlad had a particularly bad game as we clinically put them to the sword with 2 goals in each half.
Huckerby is involved with both goals first half, whipping in a corner for Skalidis to pick up where he left off against Mansfield. Then after skinning Eldershaw, he crossed the ball across box for Fortune-West to tap the ball in for his first of the season.
Second half and Barsom is pulling the strings on an impressive 9/10 debut. Two goals in as many minutes as he first slides a through ball to Boyle-Renner to smash into the top corner and then he finds Skalidis with a lovely ball to volley home for his brace to cap off the win.
5 goals already for Skalidis and back to back 10/10 performances for the young lad.
Gasperoni and Hadzi are called for international duty and are unavailable for selection, but with those two missing we are able to welcome back the now recovered players for our away game against Tranmere.
Despite Tranmere coming out of the blocks looking for the early goal we show no mercy and completely dismantle them with 5 goals in the first 45 mins.
Skalidis opens the scoring on 17 minutes heading in a Jamie Victory cross. Skalidis turns provider 3 minutes later as he squares the ball for Barsom to hit a low shot and score his first goal for the Cheeris in only his second start.
Moukoko gets the first of his two goals on 27 minutes as he score from a low cross from Bart-Williams. Then he pick up loose ball 5 minutes from half-time and rifles in a low shot.
On the stroke of half-time we put the final nail in Tranmere’s coffin as Skalidis gets his second, deftly finishing a Moukoko assist. A pedestrian second half followed with no-one able to get their hat-trick.
Another 10/10 performance from Skalidis and his third man of the match award in a row, to quote the game “I’m running out of superlatives to describe the impact he’s making”.
Despite the defeat in the opening game we finish August 2nd in the table, a great start but a long way to go. Fellow promoted sides Hull and Wrexham are 3rd and 4th, with Swansea 8th.
If you have enjoyed reading this episode, a clap would really help and if you’re really enjoying it a comment too.
