Only four games took place, which meant that 
Performance of the week? A close call, but I’m going to give it to
The Latics took the lead after only five minutes through Craig Fleming, and defended resolutely thereafter, the returning Kelly apparently having a blinder. Wolves unusually didn’t report the attendance; was it embarrassingly low, reflecting the level of discontent amongst their fans at the moment?
Leaders
Another good performance came from
Bury of course beat
So what about this policy then? As Captain Redbeard Rum once memorably remarked, “Opinion is divided on the subject.” All the other managers believe that reserve games are for bringing on promising youngsters by letting them play with their more-experienced fringe first team colleagues who themselves thus maintain sharpness and match fitness; Stan doesn’t.
Last season Ronnie Jepson was able to field more “balanced” sides. There is no doubt that Dimitri Papadopoulos learned a great deal from playing alongside Tony Ellis; similarly Joel Pilkington/Andrew Waine and Lenny Johnrose, Earl Davis and Mark McGregor/Mitchell Thomas. It’s no coincidence that our one balanced team this season produced the superb 2-0 away win at Wolves, a result that gave everyone a much-needed boost at the time. (Although the experienced players were included in part as a punishment for the inept performance at Reading the night before.)
True, the young Clarets have put in two fantastic performances in their last two games. Their attitude, application and discipline are all top class. For the first time in years we have some genuinely outstanding prospects. But I just hope their morale is not affected. It doesn’t matter how well you play if you keep losing, particularly when the door to first team opportunity seems, if not firmly closed, sticking badly. It was great to see Matty O’Neill on the bench at
We are now next to bottom with a fifth of the season gone. The next reserve game is nearly a month off as, yet again, we did not bother to enter the Cup competition which would have guaranteed another three games at least. When are players such as Andy Payton and Graham Branch going to kick a ball in a competitive match again? How do players returning from injury, such as Brad Maylett, Gordon Armstrong and Anthony Shandran get up to match fitness?
Relegation to the First Division North West would be a devastating blow to the club’s future development, particularly when one bears in mind the shocking news regarding the dismantling of the scouting system.
We seem to have abandoned a reserve team in favour of constantly playing the youths. Another cost-cutting measure? If I were a member of the coaching staff, I think I would be starting to worry.
Like some Loony Tunes character, in an attempt to save ourselves we seem to be frantically sawing away at the branch upon which we are sitting.
Funny? I don’t think so.
This week’s results:
Wolves 0
Bury 2
Next week’s fixture:
Monday, September 23rd:
Leading Goalscorers:
5 Paul Macari (
3 Kevin Gallacher (
3 Gareth Seddon (Bury)
3 Junior (
Top reported attendances:
720 W
594
496
402