Bradshaw’s Come & Get Me Plea

Last season’s Players’ Player of the Year Edward Bradshaw has told locoboys.co.uk that he’d relish the chance to pull on the Loco shirt once more.“It’s the socks”, he said, “They feel soft against my calf muscles and

Bradshaw is back in Bournemouth during October before starting his new job in London at the end of the month. Currently without a club, the midfielder could be available for up to three of the month’s fixtures.

Bradshaw actually said, “I understand the squad is missing a few players at the moment and if asked I’d love to play for them again. The side have started the season well so I know it would be difficult to command a place in the side, especially as I’m only around for a few weeks.



“But if Paul and the rest of the lads had no problems with me stepping into the fray I would jump at the chance. It was an honour being voted player of the year and although the figure on the trophy looks a bit like Bomber, it takes pride of place on my mantelpiece.”


[Editor browses stats pages] Bradshaw played lots of games last season scoring nearly as many goals.

Sundays Game vs Mazars

Mazars F.C V’s Ferndown Locomotive F.C. League Game away at Heathlands. Kick off is at 10:30. Meeting at the shop at 09:15, or at the venue at 09:30.Available Team: Terry Steve Mike Westy Rob Scott Sam Andy Bomber Skinny Salva Kenny Cash Kyle

Were away this week at Heathlands, meet at my house 9:15, or be at the ground by 9:30 latest. Please let me know if going straight their.

I’m looking forward to this game it will be our first real test, Mazars are a good team Scoring 100 goals last year conceding 26, This season they have lost their first league game, Beating a div 4 side in the Robbins and losing to a div 6 side in the brivatti,in all games conceding 2 or less goals or winning by 1.

Injury Update: Stanly is out after the knock he picked up last week, Ali is out for 4 weeks, hopefully pete should be back within 2-4 weeks. Stu is back for next weeks game.

Latest from the top!!

Just a quick note from me to first of all amaze you that I’ve worked out how to post an article and secondly to talk about our start to the seasonWe all know pre-season went pretty well and were hopeful the “real thing” would be just as positive.

As we come to the end of September, I’m disappointed that Paul has not won Manager of the Month and that tells you how we’ve done.

Other than the game at Shoulder of Mutton our performances have been excellent and to be honest our squad has been missing some key players every week so far so we should be happy with what we’ve achieved.

That said, with all due respect, we’ve not played anyone of note yet and I think we’ve a much tougher month ahead of us, starting this week against a very very good Mazars side.

The acid test for this side will come when we lose our first game as no doubt we will at some stage this season. The way we react to it and stick together as a unit will define our chances of success. That said, there is no reason we can’t keep this run going. Our football this week was brilliant at times and we are getting players back from injury and holiday now so lets be positive and keep this run going.

UTLIAD

Great performance lads!

What can I say lads, I was really pleased with the way we got to grips with the Second Half of the match on Sunday. In the first of my columns, I’ll be discussing last weeks game…I don’t want to make this sound too much like a match report, because I write them already, however I just want to emphasise how I think the team pulled a superb performance out of the hat on Sunday. Although we came up against a new team in West Park Athletic, we did give them a lot of respect, and we need to do that in these games - no match is ever a walk-over. With tough tackling and strength man-for-man across the pitch, I think their side got a bruising, and we certainly showed them that we by no means complacent! Cash especially got stuck in with some absolute honking challenges.

Looking at the first half, you’ll notice that our game fell apart for a period in middle of it, and that happened because where we got a bit of pressure but on us, so we hoofed it up the pitch in panic - we don’t need to do this. We should have confidence in our own ability, and trust all out other players. Like I said at half-time, the defence’s first option should be to look for a midfielder to lay the ball in to, and if that option isn’t there, then by all means whack the ball upfield.

By thumping it up the pitch, there’s less of a chance we’ll maintain possession. They’ve got 4 defenders, we’ve got 2 strikers, so subsequently the Loco mifield has to make up a lot of ground between where the ball was (before the hoof) and where the ball ends up (after the hoof) - therefore we rarely get chance to win the second ball, as we’re nowhere near it.

By playing simply football up the pitch, it enables the whole team to move together as a unit up the pitch, and we did that in the second half - it was brilliant to see. Simple balls into the midfield, balls back into defence, and we spread the play, used the width, and played some superb one-twos - and managed to get the ball silkily from end to end. I know it take s alot of effort and movement to do this, but we’ll all benefit from doing it. Obviously a simple punt forward gets the ball from A to B, but it’s not about territory its about possession.

Was very proud to be playing around what we could have once called a “makeshift” team, but on that performance, it was far from make-shift. It’s going to superb when players like Steve, Stu, Salva, Bomber etc all come back into the fold, because it’ll make competition for places higher, and as a result, people will start to up their work rate.

I’ll give a MOM after each game, (of course is an unofficial one), but Kenny this week I thoguht was instrumental. He’s been the best player by a long way this season, and he’s deserved his goals too - he’s even feeling so confident that he can shower after games now - bloody hell. He, also, like many of us, have been demonstrating a lot of the skills shown that we learned in training with Ian - simple returns of passes from throw ins, control is better, and there is slowly but surely some better heading coming in throughout the team.

The foot can’t afford to come off the gas at all - I’ve got a feeling with the squad we’ve got there’s a bloody good chance of winning stuff this season - lets do it.

Groin update

In the first of my updates on the Official Ferndown Locomotive FC web-site, I can break the news to you that I’ll be back… in four weeks!The groin is on the mend and the physio is hoping to have me sprinting in four weeks. That leaves me to get match fit (was I ever match fit?) and then all I have to do is battle for my place on the park.

In the meantime the secretarial skills are improving and I am already friends with the lovely ladies at the BFA office, and they’re very glad I’m not Rob coming to complain about dodgy refs!

Ali.

Money Latest

Now that my memory has returned (apart from the five minutes immediately after mistaking Rob’s head for a football (easily done I guess) - here’s the latest…An update on who is in credit and who (aka Salva) owes us money.

Everybody’s balance is zero unless otherwise stated:
Rob: ?19
Darren: ?4
Will: -?5*
Salva: -?13
Terry: -?15*
Cash: -?15*
Kyle: -?15*

* - denotes signing on fees.

Cheers, Jon.

Website gets Better & Better

Welcome to my my new section of the Official Ferndown Locomotive FC web-site called “Gaffas Gambits” - nice one Sam!! This should be fun! Me tring to work out how to write in my new column, I’ll be starting up as Dear Deidre next offering Bomber advice on nail colour and men [Sam where's the damn spell checker?!?!]

I’ve had the dictionary out twice already, prizes given for spotting the boss’s most spelling mistakes!

Whats this thing you have to do with paragraphs all about? Sam have I done it right?! [Yes you have Paul - Sam]

I wont go and on I’ll leave that to the Chairman…. My section will mainly consist of where and when we meet, available players, injury updates etc.

You all had better read it because I’ll be testing you!! Bye for now.

The Gaffa.

Ferndown progress in Cup

Locomotive put in an exhilarating second half display against West Park Athletic on Sunday to progress to the Third Round of the Robbins Cup.Ferndown Locomotive came up against new side West Park Athletic on Sunday in the Second Round of the Robbins Cup. The match was always going to be a tricky one, with West Park being a newly formed side, and Locomotive being short of many team regulars including Salvatori, Bomber, Ali, Kyle, Tug, Steve, Stu, Scott… need I go on! However the performance that was witnessed on the day has shown that whichever eleven are playing for Loco, we certainly have strength in depth to produce good performances.

The first half saw Loco start playing a 4-4-2, with Terry in goal, Jon at right back, Robbie on the left, with Westy and Stanley in the middle. In midfield we had Andy and Lee on the flanks with Dave and Cash in the middle; and up front we had Kenny and Mike. The game started well enough for Loco with an early goal for the away side which settled the nerves. It was a superb deep cross from Rob Frank on the left which found the head of Andy Smith, who nodded it deftly into the corner on the goal past the stranded keeper - a great start.

Minutes later it was two, as a deep cross found Kenny at the back post, and the ensuing kerfuffle was put to bed by Jon Sharkey, who netted from close range after the ball went free - good position from one of the original Loco Boys, this made it 2-0. Seconds later it could have been three when Dave had a left-footed strike from a full 30-yards which crept just over the bar.

Loco started to get a tad complacent after this, and we briefly let the home side get back into the game, and they rightfully netted on 35 minutes when they capitalised on some poor midfield marking to cut through and tap the ball past Terry into the corner of the net. This delighted all and sundry at Wingfields, however it only served to make the away side increasingly strong, and we managed to play out the rest of the half being strong and compact - yet finding space a every opportunity.

Loco started the second half playing much better. The whole half was superb from goalkeeper to strikers, and it was Loco stalwart Rob Frank that increased the Ferndown goal tally from the spot. The penalty kick decision was awarded after Kenny was felled in the area, and Rob stepped up to blast home (at the second attempt after there was some encroaching in the area) into the left side of the net. 3-1 to Loco.

The midfielder for Loco wee proving very strong and it was refreshing to see the team utilising it at every opportunity rather than lumping it to our strikers. We played the easy ball all the time, and we built up patiently, with Darren on the left (deputising for an injured Stanley) and Andy on the right being used equally well. Andy was instrumental in many of Loco’s attacks, and it was his persistance that won Loco a corner, which, taken by Lee, was played to the far post, where Kendall was on hand to powerfully head home into the left side of the net - well done Mr Mersh!

Then later it was two, a powerful attack through the middle of the park saw Cash release the ball to Mersh who was one on one with the keeper, and he kept his head and side-footed the ball into the corner of the net - a superb finished for one of the most improved players this season for Loco. So 5-1 was the score, and it could have been six…

Cash went on a run (crazy but true) and he took it past numerous players, however ran out of legs at the death, opting to fall over rather than shoot! A funny moment, but all the same it was great to see the player using his strength and ability to forge the chance.

So, in all, well done lads - good performance - heads on for our toughest match yet next week.

Shoulder hard as Loco win 4-3

Loco played their first away game of the season on Sunday against Shoulder of Mutton at Kinson’’s Roko fields, and emerged 4-3 victors after a tough match.The game started well enough, however it deteriorated into a hoof and hope style which hadn?t been seen for a long time, however the three points were won, and we can take heart that it was only three errors that let the opposition in ? poor clearances, and bad positioning. More on that later?

Ferndown started very well, and within 3 minutes we scored the opener, as Sam Davis sprayed a ball wide to Andy Smith who controlled well, laid the ball onto Kenny, who then placed the ball back in the path of Kyle Eaton, who struck the ball low into the net from just outside the box, leaving the keeper for dead.

Loco controlled the game well for the next 10 minutes, however after that it fell apart. It still remains unclear how we did so, but man-for-man, the home side muscled up, and were stronger on every part of the pitch. Indeed, their little striker was causing a menace up front, and it was his persistence that led to Shoulder?s equaliser. The ball was bobbling about in the box, and a miscued clearance by Terry, resulted in the ball spinning off cruelly into the back of the net.

As we were approaching half-time, Loco upped it slightly ? and two mistakes from their defence gifted Ferndown two goals in the space of 3 minutes. The first one came as Rob at left-back played a weighted lob over the back four, and Kyle ran on to it, challenging the keeper, and then beating him, leaving a simple tap in.

The third Loco goal was similar, as a defensive mix-up granted Kenny the chance to score, and score he did ? a well placed strike from the edge of the area into an empty net after the keeper fumbled it. So, at half-time there were four goals, three of which came from errors.

The comedy of errors continued in the second half. Loco failed to get a grip of the game, and Shoulder were coming into the game increasingly. They pulled one back on 61 minutes when the ball was played forward by Shoulder, and Mike Brannan miscued a clearance, and it went into the back of the net, beating all and sundry ? whether their striker got a touch is debateable. However it was another soft goal to concede.

The home side?s best passage of play though on 70 minutes resulted in a great goal for them. They were bossing the play, and sweeping move saw their right winger get the ball and cross into the box for their midfielder to volley home into the back of the net. Terry was out of position for the goal, and the Loco defence were not to be seen ? in fact, the whole team were to blame considering they seemed to cut through us like a knife through hot butter (or whatever the phrase is).

Paul Cashmore came on for Loco and shored up the midfield to replace an injured Bomber, and his impact was instant, sending a great ball through to Andy, who managed to fire goalwards, however the ball was eventually cleared. Jon Sharkey also appeared, and was put to good use on the right, one of his finest moments being an excellent cross which found the head of Dave, only to be planted wide of the target.

Kyle wasn?t getting any kind of service up front, therefore he had to create it himself, and the one opportunity he had to do so, he hit the post, after a great turn and run, superb stuff.

Loco however managed to score the winner on 81 minutes when Andy was set free down the right-hand side. He did extremely well to fire the ball towards goal from the by-line, and although the keeper managed to parry it, it fell to Sam Davis on the 6 yard line to volley home into the corner of the net. Phew.

Loco had a couple of scares at the end of the game, including a chance which saw Rob and Jon have to make goal-line clearances in the space of 120 seconds ? however we held on to secure the three points.

In all, it was a poor performance by Loco. After two games on the slick King George surface, playing on a bobbly and dry pitch did not help our passing game. Therefore we had to resort to playing the long ball at the best of times, therefore our whole ethos of playing short passes went out of the window. This made it hard for the midfield to get a grip of the game, and it meant that Kyle didn?t get much surface. One thing we can look on as a positive, was that all three goals came from our errors - on a usual day, these wouldn?t have been made. Obviously we can?t blame conditions too much, and we need to come up with a way of playing on these types of pitch ? we will be seeing them every other week. This week we got away with it, next week, we might not. Still, three points in the bag ? and maybe that kick up the backside is just what we need!

Chairman expresses delight

Today, Ferndown Locomotive FC Chairman Rob Frank has penned an exclusive article for the web-site, talking about the start of the season, and things to come for the Loco Boys.Rob said: “Paul made it clear during the close season that he wanted to improve the strength in depth of the squad and I think we’ve done that. If you look down the spine of the team you can see we’ve added real quality in Terry Ingram, Will Craig and Kyle Eaton and having just added Paul Cashmore to that following his recovery from injury I think Paul has both the biggest and easily the best squad, at his disposal this club has ever had”.

“Pre-season went well and the influence of Ian Davis as 1st team coach has given players a massive lift. We were also hoping some of our youngsters would really step up to the plate this year and they have all delivered so far. Mike Brannan has looked a far more confident player this year and looks like he really believes he is an automatic choice now, Andy Smith is technically much improved and physically stronger on the ball, Kenny Mersh has been an absolute revelation and is sure to get the goals he deserves soon and Sam Davis has improved his all round team game as a result of being given the captaincy”.

“The key is to get everyone fit and available and playing at their best. A couple of our senior players like Sean Barker and Lee Arnold who didn’t really play at their best last year seem to be showing signs that they are back to top form”.

“One major bonus for us is the surface at our new ground, King George, which is allowing us to play some lovely passing football”.

“All in all I think Paul has built a cracking squad, we’ve started the year well, I know he is determined to win at least one trophy this year and I think the whole committee believe it is a strong possiblity if we keep the performance at the level we have shown so far”.

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