2013 Prediction League; Game 42 v York City (away)

[Div3North]

York City

V

Accrington Stanley

2013/14 Prediction League – Game 42; v York City (away)

Peter Murphy ………..90th minute ………………..You heard it here first!

Anyone care to hazard a guess how many goals York have conceded in their last 11 games? As a marker for you, Rochdale have conceded 4 – none in their last 5 games - we’ve conceded 9 and Torquay have conceded 13 (having lost 7 of those eleven 1-0) ………and by the way, did you see the piece of spectacular optimism from Gulls’ Boss Chris Hargreaves this week;

• “Speaking after Saturday's 1-0 defeat by title-chasing Scunthorpe, Hargreaves told BBC Radio Devon: "Of course we can get out of this - five wins.”

Well they do say that God loves a tryer ……..how he feels about the criminally insane I’m not sure …………… Anyway, back to York; the answer to this week’s conundrum is, believe it or not, ONE! One goal conceded in their last 11 games, during which they’ve won 4-0 at Plymouth, 1-0 at Pompey, Mansfield and the Wombles, drawn 0-0 at Rochdale, drawn 0-0 at home to Burton, Southend and Cheltenham, and beaten Torquay 1-0, Wycombe 2-0 and Exeter 2-1 at Bootham Crescent . The goal, for the record, was scored (on March 1st) by Exeter’s Scot Bennett on 29 minutes …since then, York have played 691 minutes (11 ½ hours ) without their net, as it were, rippling ……….Four goalless draws, four 1-0 wins, one 2-0 win, one 2-1 win, and a 4-0 to round it all off; it’s no wonder, I suppose, with that quality of defending, that they’ve now moved into the Playoffs, lying 7th with a record of 15 wins, 15 draws, 11 losses, 46 scored and 38 conceded, and 60 points – two behind Southend in 6th, and one ahead of Oxford (8th) and two ahead of Plymouth (9th) ………… Mind you, that’s probably all about to change – Nigel Worthington won Manager of the Month!

Over the season, in League games, they’ve kept NINETEEN clean sheets …… and they’ve failed to score themselves 17 times ! And don’t mention the Cup competitions; they lost 4-0 at Plymouth in the Capital One, 4-1 at home to Scunthorpe in the PaintBox, and 3-2 at home to Brizzle R in the FA Cup after a 3-3 draw away ………..4 games, 14 goals conceded; work that one out if you can!

They’ve done some Squad-Strengthening in the transfer/loan market; Charlton GK Nick Pope (21) and Middlesbrough winger Ryan Brobbel (21) – for the second time – came in on loan; ex Posh striker Shaquille McDonald (18), who joined Peterborough on a four year deal in the summer and left after 7 months , signed on the York dotted line; MF Russell Penn (28) – once of Burton and Cheltenham – did the same, as did two from Mansfield – striker Calvin Andrew (27), ex Luton and Palace, and released by the Stags, and the former captain of Port Vale’s promotion side John McCombe (24, defender, watch out for him coming up at corners ), whose stay at Field Mill was about half a season. Ex striker Richard Cresswell retired at the beginning of December with eye and knee issues (I know the feeling! ) at the age of 36, having finished his career (142 goals in 652 appearances) where he started, and having played for Sheff Wed, PNE, Leeds, Stoke and Sheff Utd in between; he’s just gone back this week as “Development Consultant”, with - I quote – “Commercial, Academy and Community Functions”; it’ll take him until Christmas to work out his job description, I’d have thought …………….

They have a total of 51 goals in 46 games to date; leading scorers are ex-Burnley and Stanley striker Wes Fletcher (22), with 13; Ryan Jarvis (who made his League debut for Norwich when Worthington was the Canaries’ Manager) joined from Torquay (good move, son), having played for Leyton Orient and Walsall in between, and has nine goals to his name; and Ryan Bowman (22, a striker, formerly on the books of Carlisle, Darlington (whatever happened to them? ) and Hereford, follows close behind with 8.

We met them, you’ll remember, last Boxing Day at Fortress ScoreFirst, and they did – Fletcher converting a 35th minute penalty, but George Bowerman getting us level ten minutes later; 1-1 – the same score as the away fixture last season, and better than our 2-0 home defeat over Christmas 2012; P3 W0 D2 L1 F2 A4 Pts 2 ……………………….Rubbish!

Business end of the season now; anyone think Torquay can win 5 out of 5 and stay up? Nor do I Northants? 43 points. Despite their win at our place they’ve a tough task – Burton today, then Wycombe (away), Pompey at home, the Daggers away and finally Oxford – all bar the Daggers with a lot to play for ; Wycombe (on 46, three points and a more favourable goal difference better off) play Newport (away), the Cobblers at home, and then Fleetwood away, Bristol Rovers at home (there’s another 6-pointer) and end up at Torquay (which might be their saving grace); Bristol Rovers and Exeter both have 4 points on Northants, plus a better goal-difference by 12/14 goals, so effectively a five-point buffer ………… Cobblers or Wycombe? Do we actually mind, as long as it’s not us? Maybe we don’t, that much …………

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which – as you’ll all know – is Saturday 12th April at15.07, in memory of the 96. We should lose, which usually means we won’t ……….C’mon you Reds!

Good luck to everyone …… Remember; passion overcomes logic! …………Keep the Faith! ….…..and thanks for playing!

[DAV007]

York 2 - 0 Stanley

[ossy kid]

1-1 please

[accybeme]

York 0 Stanley 0 please

[cashman]

1-0 Stanley fer me.

[Wynonie Harris]

4-2 to the Stanley please!

[AccyMad]

2 - 2 for me please ( & hopefully a better spectacle than last season at their place but if it's a rubbish game & we take something from it that'll do)

[Tom D]

0-0 please

[football19]

York 3 - 0 acci

[Outback Ozzy]

york 1 - stanley 2 for me please

[sherry]

Stanley 1 York 1

[Revived Red]

I'll go for the 1 - 1 draw also. Thanks D3N.

[Chubbyman]

Originally Posted by DAV007

York 2 - 0 Stanley

DAV007 I hope you've got it the wrong way round.......

Accrington 2 - 0 York

[JIMSLAD]

2-2 please

[MikeA]

I'll have a 5-1 Stanley win, please...