Update – 21st Feb 2010

The first team have introduced a Player of the Month competition. All scores will be out of ten and will be judged by Paul and Dave.  A trophy will be presented to the successful player each month.  January Player of the month went to Jamie Huddlestone who put in some very capable performances at left back.  Not bad for a 16 year old!  Scoring for February is tight at the top with Tommy Glasscoe currently taking top spot, closely followed by Rooney, Juddy and Sinky.  With only one game to go this month (weather permitting) it’s going to be very close.  Good luck to all!

Senior player’s scores for January/February HERE

Regards
Dave Anderson

Update – 6th July 2009

The Brinklow 1st team have been promoted to Division 2 of the Coventry Alliance. The Reserves have been entered in Division 5.

Cup Competitions entered for next season:-

1st Team
CET Junior Cup
Foleshill Charity Cup
Bedworth Nursing Cup (TBC)

Reserve Team
Coventry Benevolent Cup
Boyd Carpenter Cup

Update – 10th November 2008

1st team report in the Telegraph from last week - HERE

Manager’s Update – 13th October 2008

Coventry Alliance Division 3 – Brinklow 3 : 2 Copswood Res
Saturday 11th October 2008
(Kris Bedder, Ian Judd, Justin Neal)

Report from Paul Huddlestone:-

This game was played against a load of Bullies who were able to get away with their obvious bullying tactics by a very week referee who only got his book out to caution Brinklow players who complained about the many reckless challenges.

Yet again this game should have been dead and buried by half time, but chance after chance went begging to leave Brinklow having to dig deep to come back and take the points. Brinklow dominated for large periods creating six or seven clear cut chances in the first half but only managing to convert one. Which I must say though, was dispatched under the advancing keeper with great skill and calmness by Kris Bedder. This should have calmed the Brinklow side down, however with several reckless challenges coming in from the Copswood team, Brinklow had to settle to go in at the break with the scores level after conceding their second consecutive penalty.

The second half didn’t change either, with the Copswood “bullying” tactics continuing to spoil and frustrate, and also relying on excellent goal keeping to stay in the game. It was Copswood however who took a surprising lead midway through the second period, with the Brinklow defence having pushed too far up the field leaving their Centre forward a free run at goal to slot home. Going into the remaining 15 minutes Brinklow made their substitutions and changed to a 3-5-2 formation but still couldn’t break even due to some outstanding goalkeeping and sloppy finishing and also with Justin Neal hitting the post for the second time in the game.
Moving into injury time, the Brinklow management threw one last throw of the dice to gain the equaliser by pushing man mountain centre half, Marc Woodward up front. The change worked immediately, with Woodward flicking on for Ian Judd to curl round the keeper into the top right hand corner of the net to give what both teams thought was a point. However the Brinklow management weren’t happy with the point and when told by the referee that there was a minute and a half of injury time left to play, they urged the team forward for the winner. What a final minute to the game! Woodward and Neal combined down the left flank with the ball eventually falling to Neal who thundered a riffle of a shot past the motionless keeper for the Brinklow team and large home support to celebrate in style.

Don’t leave it too late next time lads, the old ticker won’t take it!!!

Managers Update - 12th October 2008

Coventry Alliance Division 3 - Folly Lane III 2 : 1 Brinklow
Saturday 30th August 2008
(Ashley Marks)

Report from Paul Huddlestone:-

What an injustice!!

After a superb pre-season, Brinklow went into this first league encounter riding high with confidence and when Folley Lane kicked off they immediately lost the ball to a hungry Brinklow midfield. That is the last Folley saw of the ball for the next 30 minutes with Brinklow totally dominating all over the park and creating chance after chance to open our league account. However, it was a rare break away by Folley which saw their centre forward put clean through and con the referee into giving a penalty. Half time 1-0.

The second half was played in exactly the same fashion with Brinklow dominating proceedings only to concede the most bizarre goal I’ve seen in ages, with not one but two, Brinklow defenders dummying the ball into the corner of the net! Brinklow became ragged at this point, however they managed to pull a goal back through a goal line header by Ashley Marks to set up a frantic last 10 minutes.

A lesson learnt in how to win a game you have no right to win. And if “dummying” was an Olympic sport, then we would be world champions!

Coventry Alliance Division 3 - Brinklow 3 : 0 Cov Jag
Saturday 13th Sept 2008
(Justin Neal, Andy Sorrell, Andy Mayne)

Report from Paul Huddlestone:-

Brinklow didn’t play as neatly in this game as they did against Folley, however after a dour first 45, they managed to see off the opposition quite comfortably in the first 10 minutes of the second half. Straight after kicking off the second half, a long punt down field by the untroubled Danny Bell deceived the Jag defence with Justin Neal racing on to head over the advancing keeper. This settled the Brinklow side down and soon after they doubled their lead with a fine opportunist strike from the edge of the area by Andy “Monster” Sorrell. The end of a competitive contest came shortly after with stand in Skipper Andy Mayne slotting home for a deserved three points to see Brinklow off the mark.

Very scrappy, but learnt the lessons from the week before to grind out the points.

Coventry Alliance Division 3 - Coundon Ct Res 0 : 2 Brinklow
Saturday 27th Sept 2008
(Justin Neal, Ashley Marks)

Report from Paul Huddlestone:-

Brinklow travelled to middle of the table Coundon knowing that another three points would see them start to mount a very early challenge on the league. On a bobbly surface it was hard to get the ball down and play carpet football but the Brinklow pressure eventually gained its rewards with a superbly drilled in corner by the impressive Dave Sinclair being met by a bullet header from Justin Neal from the six yard line. An early goal was asked for by the management for the second half, and that’s exactly what they got. A scrappy period of play led to Ashley Marks picking up the ball 30 yards out and unleashing an awesome volley into the roof of the net. This must have somehow unsettled the midfielder who then managed to get sent from the field of play for a second bookable to leave the Brinklow side down to 10 men for the remaining half hour. With a simple re-shuffle, Brinklow managed to keep control of the game with Coundon very lucky not to concede several more as they tired towards the final whistle.

Result never in doubt for whole 90 minutes.

Coventry Evening Telegraph Junior Cup Rnd1 - Brinklow 3 : 2 Potters Green Res - AET
Saturday 4th Oct 2008
(Andy Mayne, Dave Sinclair (pen), Ian Judd)

Report from Paul Huddlestone:-

What an extraordinary game to witness, with Brinklow “winning the game”, “losing the game”, and then going on to “win the game”! On a very blustery day at the leisure centre Brinklow dominated the opening period and deservedly went into the lead with a superb 35 yarder from Andy Mayne beating the keeper into the top corner. Chance after chance again went begging with Brinklow being thwarted by the exceptional young Potters’ keeper and being very disappointed not to have put the game out of sight by half time.

With the blustery wind moving round to the Potters backs, Brinklow were put under considerable pressure in the opening throws of the second half. However with Men of the match Mark Woodward and Martin “Rooney” Bunning dominating at the heart of defence Brinklow, Brinklow managed to force their way up field to yet again see the talented Potters’ shot stopper coming to their rescue time after time. Moving into the final stages Potters managed to secure a fortuitous penalty to level the scores and then a minute later tap in after a long shot was palmed away by Danny Bell in the Brinklow goal to send the travelling contingent wild. With the thought of going out of the cup at the first hurdle Brinklow immediately rallied with Justin Neal forcing a penalty which was coolly dispatched by Dave Sinclair to send the game into extra time.

Going into the first half of extra time with the wind behind them Brinklow decided to push a defender up from the off and it soon paid off with Ian Judd slotting past the keeper excellently after great work from Kris Bedder and Justin Neal created the space and through ball. This seemed to put pay to any of Potters’ aspirations of progressing to the next round with Brinklow seeing out the tie in a very professional manner. Showed great character and gaining in experience every week.