mr goodwin fm career

This was a tough game. Queens Park set up exactly as I thought they would going for the 4-5-1. I elected to go for a 4-4-2 with advanced wingers to try and poke at their soft flanks

The game started with an exchange of passes each team controlling for two or three minutes and after everyone settled down Stefan Oakes made the most of a fortunate rebound went past the full back and crossed the ball in for Owen Ronald to power a header home.

A quick check of the rules and there is no away goals.

James Gray, who is a transfer target replied pretty swiftly. He was operating in the centre of the defence and the centre back found it difficult to pick him up.

From that point on it was all Queens Park. They dominated and I was looking forward to getting the men in at half time so I could bounce tea cups off their collective heads when a free kick from Lyskov was drifted in a Gibbs surged onto it and nodded home to make it 2-1 to Queens Park.

At half time I aggresivly told the men I wasnt happy and all but two reacted well. The two that didnt were told individually the same message and subsequently both reacted well.

I also changed the formation to mirror Queens Park’s and Queens Park started well and after five minutes we began to stifle them and eventually began to push back and probe them.

A cross from Oakes eluded everyone but was brought back toward the box by Kristian Butcher and he was muscled of the ball. I threw my arms up in exasperation only to notice that the game had been stopped for a foul in our favour and a penalty was awarded.

Gary Wales stepped up and slotted it home and it was 2-2. In honesty I didnt see too much wrong with the challenge but I wasnt going to chase the referee down and change his mind.

Immediately Queens Park shifted to 4-4-2 and I followed suit. They were after all now playing my game.

We were threatened by Queens Parks weakening team to be stretched but every time they threatened we dealt with it an stretched them right back and I felt a winner was to be had and it was delivered via the spot after Lyskov, on a booking, took out Eaglesham from behind, as the last man, in a goal scoring opportunity and didn’t get a second yellow.

Wales slotted it home and a fourth would make it comfortable but despite two further good chances did not arrive and I will settle for the 3-2 advantage.

My big concern has been so many players coming back from injury and long term suspension that we have not got the men’s match fitness back up to standard and they are coming around slowly but the second leg is on Sunday, should we reach the final the first leg is on Tuesday and the second is on Saturday.

This asking an enormous effort of the players and there is only one way to see if it is doable.