Just one to go…….

Not a great points scoring round if truth be told. The only predictor to back a 1-2 loss was canukterrier who gets 5 points.

At the top the gap is now 5 points, which means it would take a spectacular collapse by AndySk to NOT win this now. (Or a random points deduction)

Sheffield United at Wembley next (in case you’ve not heard), usual PL rules for Cup games apply with the scoreline and goalscorers after 90 minutes the one that counts.

Match report

Town’s opponents-Milton Keynes Dons (AKA Franchise FC)

The overall League record is:

Best and Worst Gates:

There have been only twelve games to date against MK Dons. The original Wimbledon’s results have now been expunged from Franchise FC records.

On 23rd October 2004 the first game came at home and Abbott(2)1 pen and Mendes scored for Town. The penalty and Junior’s goals came right at the end of the first half. Town slackened off in the second half and a Chorley penalty late on rubbed out the clean sheet.

The return match was not so good. Booth put Town ahead on the half hour but McLeod equalized almost immediately and right at the death Platt netted the winner for Franchise.

Next season the away match came first and once again Town blew a lead. Abbott scored early on and Booth added a second just after the hour mark. Then the defence went to sleep and Rizzo(81) and McLeod(83) saved a point for Franchise.

Ample revenge was earned at the Galpharm, however, with goals from McIntosh, Taylor-Fletcher and Worthington sending Town in 3-0 ahead at half time. The result was never in doubt and Town finished with a flourish with Mirfin(77) and Collins right at the end giving Town its best score since the 5-3 home win against Stockport County in March 2005 and the biggest margin win since the 7-1 hammering of Crystal Palace way back in the last century in August 1999. In fact Town had not scored 5 goals in any game since until the thrashing of Brighton early in 2009/10.

In 2008/09 the home fixture was watched by the best crowd ever for matches between the teams and Town turned in a totally inept performance and was well beaten 1-3 with only a late Roberts consolation goal to show for what was the worst effort of the young season. Outplayed in the early part of the return match Town did quite well apart from one slip which coast a goal near the hour mark. A late Butler equalizer saved a point which was very nearly 3 points when a Flynn shot hit both posts before going out.

In 2009/10 Town finally managed to beat Franchise on their own park in the best away performance of the season to date. Twice trailing the lads never gave up and Rhodes, Robinson and Kay ensured that the points came to Huddersfield in a fine 3-2 win. The return match, the last of 2009 saw Town outplay Franchise in the first half and lead through a great Pilkington goal after Smithies had saved a harshly given penalty. The visitors showed more ambition in the second half but Town held on though it turned ugly at the end with two Franchise players lucky to stay on the field. It was the first “double” by either side. The “gate” was 13,494 which was the best ever for games between the two teams.

In 2010/11 on a cold November evening Franchise came to Town having lost 1-4 at home on Saturday while Town had been playing miserable stuff for a few games with two 0-1 league defeats just behind them. In true Jekyll and Hyde fashion Town turned on the style and ran out 4-1 winners (Kaye, Roberts, Rhodes(2)), although Franchise put on a very poor display. Late on Town went to Stadium MK and after weathering the first 20 minutes an Arfield wonder strike set them on their way. Bennett saved a penalty and Peltier scored a second before half time. Arfield missed a penalty before Cadamarteri put the game beyond doubt. A late slip up let Franchise in and the game ended 3-1 but Town had completed a second double against them.

In 2011/12 Town went down to Franchiseville and was great in the first half to go in 1-0 from an Arfield goal. Second half Franchise came back and equalised, then near the end a brutal attack on Lee resulted in the home side reduced to 10 men only for Novak to make a hash of his penalty to throw 2 points away in a 1-1 draw. The return match featured Kallum Higginbotham in his debut on transfer from Falkirk. He played well and assisted on McCombe’s goal just before half time. Then Town suffered its alarmingly familiar lapse, gave up a goal and yet two more points were lost from a winning position in another draw, 1-1.

So here we go again, another play-off session. I do not put great store in the Franchise loss to Walsall any more than I do on Town’s win against Yeovil. There are many faults in the Town squad and Franchise is far from perfect. It will be tough for both sides and I feel that another 1-1 draw is likely on Saturday.

Plenty of points handed out in this round with no fewer than 6 predictors (Schofield7, LordOfTheManor, nickhudd01, andyb59, OtleyTerrier & Sid 63) picking up the top score of 6 points for getting the 2-0 scoreline and one of the scorers correct.

At the top of the table WTD closes the gap by 2 points to continue to put the pressure on eventual winner AndySk.

Normal Prediction League service continues through the play offs.

Town’s opponents-Yeovil Town

Overall Record

Best and Worst Gates

The first meeting, at Huish Park, on 21st October 2003 saw an early goal for the home side cancelled out by a Stead goal just before half time. The home side scored another goal early in the second half and that was that. Holland, Sodje and Worthington all found their way into the referee’s bad lads book.

On 2nd March 2004 at the Galpharm the blue and whites gained revenge with goals from Abbott just before half and Schofield immediately after the break and on the hour mark. Yeovil scored a late consolation goal.

In 2005/06 the away fixture went Town’s way with Booth getting an early goal and Hudson adding a second before the break. Yeovil came back with a goal just after the break and Town had to hang on for the win; Hudson then got sent off right at the end. The return fixture was a disaster; after a great start with a Graham goal after only 8 minutes the Somerset side came back with 2 Jevons goals to take all the points.

Earlier last season Town twice came from behind thanks to Hudson and GTF but Yeovil ended up worthy winners to give them an edge at the MacGalph by 2 wins to 1. The return fixture was even worse; a shambolic first half saw a totally inept Town trailing by 0-3. A GTF goal in the second half restored some pride but Yeovil thoroughly deserved their “double”.

On opening day 2007/08 the Terriers got revenge for the previous seasons defeats with a Beckett goal. The gate was poor for opening day, possibly because the visitors brought very few and possibly because of holidays. This was followed up by an even btter result at Huish Park where the Terriers won 2-0 with Beckett(P) and Collins scoring. This was ample revenge for the previous season when the scores totaled 3-6 while in 2007/08 it was 3-0 as Huddersfield won its first “double”. It was also the first time that Town had gone 3 games without conceding a goal and the first time all season that the side had actually averaged MORE than 1 goal per game at 1.0357!

In 2008/09 the home match is best forgotten. Yeovil was a very poor side but the Terriers were only marginally better and lacked the ability to score goals. A 0-0 scoreline was about all either team deserved. The return match was even worse, the Terriers never looked like scoring and in first half injury time Schofield, playing against his old club, set up the only goal of the game, in front of the lowest crowd to watch the two sides at Huish Park.

Early in 2009/10 the sides met at the Galpharm after Town had lost a thrilling League Cup away match at Newcastle by 3-4. It was rather a case of “After the Mayor’s show etc.” Town looked distinctly “off” and fell behind after 5 minutes. About 10 minutes later Smithies saved a penalty and the Terriers recovered going on to win 2-1 thanks to Robinson and Collins. As Clark said sometimes you have to grind out results. The return match saw a much changed Town side with Eccleston(loan), Trotman(loan) and Heffernan, all new boys starting. Eccleston was the hero scoring the only goal in a 1-0 win after Yeovil had a penalty which was blazed over the bar thus giving the Terriers their second “double”.

Like the previous season the sides met early at the ‘Pharm and the Terriers were awful for most of the first half and left the field 0-2 down to a chorus of boos. Then it all changed and the home side exploded for what ended a comfortable 4-2 win thanks to Arfield, McCombe(2) and Roberts(P). The return match saw Peltier sent off early on and Town did not play well in the first half and went in at half time 0-1 down. The second half was completely different, Town dominated and Kay scored on 59 minutes to earn a good 1-1 draw. The gate was the lowest to date at only 3,620.

In 2011/12 Town went to Huish Park at the end of October in second place to Yeovil’s 24th rocl bottom placing. As often happens in such games the home side stretched Town, hitting the bar twice and the Terriers struggling. A late goal by Anton Robinson, his first for the blue and whites finally settled the game 1-0 to extend the unbeaten record to 41 games. The gate was even lower than last season with only 3,486 bothering to watch with 533 from Huddersfield in that number.

The Glovers have won four times on their travels this season, Hartlepool 1-0, Wycombe 3-2, and MK Dons 1-0 and Oldham 2-1 on successive Saturdays in March, other than that they have drawn 9 and lost 9. The Terriers have not been great against lowly sides and have served up rubbish with alarming regularity of late. I do not expect a sparkling game or many goals. Probably the end result will be another 1-1 draw, I just hope that the lads really turn up and prove me very wrong.

7 predictors (ChaddyTerrier, DewsburyTerrier, Otley-Terrier, canuckterrier, Otleyblue, foxtrot555 & Kindon9) all went with the 1-1 scoreline yesterday to pick up this rounds top score of 5 points, with none of them predicting that Lee Novak would get the Town goal.

Predictor Of The Month – April

Those 5 points for Otleyblue means that they have top scored for the month with 14 points to earn that magical extra bonus point!

Town’s opponents-Walsall

The first ever meeting was in the FA Cup Round 5 in 1938/39. A crowd of 33,543 turned up at Leeds Road to see Town win 3-0 thanks to goals from Price(2) and McCall. Town went on the beat Blackburn Rovers after a replay only to lose 1-2 to Pompey in the Semi Final at Highbury. The next cup meeting came in 1975/76 in Round 1. This time 5,506 went to Fellows Park and saw Town win yet again, but this time only 1-0 with Rod Belfitt notching the vital goal.

League meetings have been few and far between, despite the fact that the Saddlers are 20 years older than Town. The first meetings came in the old Division 2 during Town’s long stay in that Division. In 1960/61 Walsall was promoted and met Town for two seasons before dropping back to Division 3. The first game was at Leeds Road on 23rd September 1961. Town won handily 4-2 with Stokes earning a hat-trick and Sharples putting the ball into his own net; the crowd was 15,100. The return match on 10th February 1962 ended up 2-2 with McHale and Balderstone doing the honours for Town; this time 10,864 watched the game. The following season Town scored the biggest win either way with a 4-0 thumping of the Saddlers at Leeds Road. Watched by 12,310 Massie(2), O’Grady and White scored for the home side. This followed a week after a 1-1 draw away which drew the best ever away gate of 13,505; Stokes scored for Town.

The next set of games came in the Division 3 part of The Great Slide. Town did not fare well, in 1973/74 the games went 2-2 and 0-2 and the following year 3-2 and 0-2.

The Division 4 championship season of 1979/80 saw the next meetings as Walsall had been relegated the previous season. Both matches ended up 1-1 and Walsall went up with Town. For the three season stay in Division 3 the results were mixed; 1-2-0 5-4 at home and 0-2-1 3-5 away. Town went up at the end of 1983/84 and we did not meet again until 1989/90. That season, in Division 3 saw Town win the only double either side has won so far. The games ended 1-0 and 3-2.

In 1999/2000, a decade later we met again in Division 1 (Now Championship) and the Saddlers came off best. They drew 1-1 at the Mac and won 2-0 on their own park.

We next met in the 21st century in 2004/05 when Town won handily at the Galpharm and then succeeded in throwing away a 3-1 lead at the Bescot to end up on the losing end of a 3-4 score. Town won the home fixture the following season 3-1 thanks to Boothy’s 100th goal for Town and a brace from Abbott. That win took them to the top. The return game was a must win for both sides and Town, after a miserable home loss a few days before played some good stuff and three strikers found the net, Graham, Abbott (only on the field for 10 minutes!) and Booth in a 3-1 win giving them the second double and relegating Walsall.

In 2007/08 the away game ended 0-4. The whole Town team was utter rubbish and Ritchie sounded defeated in the post game interview. As a gutless effort it was possibly even worse than the 0-3 loss at Northampton a few games earlier. The return fixture came in the penultimate match under Gerry Murphy’s guidance after the sacking of Ritchie. It was a nothing game for either side and Schofield and Booth scored in a 2-0 win.

The home game in 2008/09 ended up 2-1 for Town after a Roberts penalty and last gasp winner by Collins, who else? A good first half was followed by a poor second half in which Walsall dominated until Collins popped up for the winner. Near the season end in a pride only game the Saddlers were on top and took a 2-0 lead only for Booth to hit two goals in two minutes just before half time resulted in Town being fired up and loan man Kelly scored the winner just after the hour mark to end up 3-2. This was Town’s third win away and produced the third ‘double’.

In 2009/10 Town went to The Bescot and again put in a poor show. After taking the lead through Robinson early in the second half, Butler gave away yet another penalty and then Mattis, a former player scored the winner for the home side to make it 2-1, their first of the season. The return fixture came late on when the Saddlers were playing for pride and Town for a play-off place. The Terriers led from a 20th Minute penalty (Robinson) following a red card for a Walsall defender. In injury time Rhodes added a second. Then in the space of 25 minutes in the second half Town fell apart and trailed 2-3. Cue a thrilling finish when Kay equalised in injury time to be followed by Novak, a 76th minute sub for Rhodes, scoring the winner 3 minutes into injury time!

In 2010/11 Walsall came to Town at the end of October in 23rd place. They were awful and despite Town being down to ten men after 24 minutes when Lee was sent off Pilkington, as usual, scored what proved to be the only goal on 35 minutes. The away game came on 15th January and the Terriers got off to their usual slow start giving up a goal on 14 minutes. Kilbane and McCombe then put Town in control by the 25th minute. A daft goal conceded just after half time caused some concern but Captain Clarke and sub Rhodes saw Town safely to a 4-2 win and another “double”.

In 2011/12 Walsall came to the Galpharm sitting 20th to Town’s 2nd for a home banker game. As usual with Town things did not go according to plan and while having most of the play actually scrambled a 1-1 draw with Novak scoring and ending rather luckily still level after the Saddlers missed a late chance. The only positive was that Town equaled Forest’s record of 42 regular league games without defeat.
The Saddlers are still not totally safe from relegation so they will be anxious to get a win on Saturday. Town’s performances have been poor for quite a while now as Grayson juggles his players to try to find a winning formation (so far without much luck). Town is only playing for 4th or 5th place and with the record of home play-off games reading a lousy 7 0-5-2 8-11 (although AFCB were beaten on PKs, AET) there is really no advantage in playing the home leg second so that it matters very little whether Town finish 4th or 5th. So Grayson can experiment again and let’s hope he can find the magic formula. I reckon the Saddlers game will end up 1-2 as there has not been a drawn match away since 1981/82 and Town really has nothing to play for.

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Town’s Opponents-Preston North End

The overall League record is:

FA Cup
Home 1 1 0 0 4 0 +4
Away 1 1 0 0 2 0 +2
Neutral 2 1 0 1 1 1 0
Total 4 3 0 1 7 1 +6
LgeCup
Home 2 0 1 1 2 3 -1
Away 1 0 0 1 0 3 -3
Neutral 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 3 0 1 2 2 6 -4
LwrDiv
Home 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1
Away 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Neutral 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
Total 1 1 0 0 1 0 +1

Best and Worst Gates:

FA Cup Best Worst Average
Neutral 1937/38 = 93,357* 1921/22 = 53,710** 73,534
League Cup
Home 1965/66 = 9,774 1978/79 = 3,435 6,605
Away 1978/79 = 6,841
Lower Div Cup
Home 1993/94 = 1,379
Away
Neutral

Stamford Bridge **, Wembley*

Preston is a very old club, formed in 1888 some 20 years before Town came into existence.
Town has a long history of games against Preston. Since the most famous were the two Cup Finals I shall deal with Cup competitions first.

The first Cup Final was in 1922 at Stamford Bridge when Town won 1-0 thanks to a Billy Smith penalty. The route to the final had been hard for Town involving replays in rounds 1, 2 and 3 before winning round 4 and the semi final at the first attempt. The sides next met in February 1932 at Leeds Road in a fifth round tie won convincingly 4-0 (Ward F (OG), Mangnall (2) and Luke scoring in front of a crowd of 44,291. Next came the 1938 Cup Final when the 1922 result was reversed and Preston won with a disputed penalty at the end of extra time. The dispute was not about the foul but rather the position of the foul. Having watched a clip of the incident I am not convinced that it was actually inside the area, it appeared to have occurred just outside. The last FA Cup meeting was in Round 4 at Deepdale in Round 4 on 27th January 1951 when Town won yet again, this time 2-0 (Metcalfe(P), Taylor) A good crowd of 39,552 turned up to watch.

In the League Cup the Lilywhite have been in control, winning 1-0 at Leeds Road in Round 3 on 13th October 1965 and again in August 1978 at Deepdale in Round 1 on 12th
August by 3-0 and in the second leg Town could manage only a 2-2 draw with Holmes(P) and Ripley scoring for Town..

The only Lower Divisions meeting was in 1993/94 when the game was drawn 0-0 at Leeds Road in Round 2 but Town won 5-3 on penalties to proceed, eventually losing on penalties to Swansea in the Final at Wembley.

The league games began in 1912/13. On 13th October the first game took place at Leeds Road (est9,000 gate) where Elliott scored for Town in a 1-1 draw. At Deepdale the Lilywhites won that 2-1 with Elliott scoring for Town once again. North End was promoted as champions that season. Town actually had a home record identical to that of Preston with a much better goal average but the side was woeful away losing 11 of 19 games and finishing 5th. North End was a yo-yo team at this time dropping back after only one season only to bounce up again, in second place, in 1914/15. Town drew at Deepdale on opening day, note the date – 5th September – 1-1 (Islip) with an estimated 10,000 gate. The return match ended up 3-1 for Town (Shields(P), Mann and Fayers) on 2nd January watched by about 7,500.

When Town won promotion in May 1920 there began a 5 season series, until the Lilywhites were once more relegated. This series saw Town win all 5 home games without conceding a goal (1-0, 6-0, 2-0, 4-0 and 1-0) at the same time earning three “doubles” with wins in 1920/21 1-0, 1923/24 3-1 and 1924/25 4-1. Town drew the away league match in 1921/22 1-1 and the only defeat came in 1922/23 when the side went down 0-1.

Preston returned to the top flight beginning in 1934/35 and this led to an eight year series, interrupted by WW2 with the edge going to Preston who won “doubles” in 1934/35 (3-4, 0-2), and 1948/49 (0-2, 0-2). Town’s next “double” came in 1948/49 1-0, 2-0.

After two seasons in Division 2 Preston came up in 1951/52 and saw Town relegated for the first time ever at the end of the season having outscored Town by winning 5-2 at Deepdale but losing 0-2 at Leeds Road.

Town’s 3 year return to Division 1 in the mid 1950s saw a strange set of results where Town prospered away but struggled at home. In order from 1953/54 through 1955/56 the scores, Leeds Road first, were 2-2, 2-1, then 0-4, 3-2 and finally 2-2, 2-1. Thus began Town’s 14 year sojourn in Division 2 where Preston joined them for the last 9 years which has been the longest continual sequence to date. Town never lost both games but managed to win both games in 1966/67 1-0, 2-1 and in the promotion year of 1969/70 by 3-2 and 3-1 both games coming in 1969.

There were only four games in the 1970s. In Division 2 both games ended 0-0 in 1972/73 and Preston won both games 1-0 at Leeds Road and 4-0 on their park in 1974/75 as Town completed the Great Slide into Division 4.

The sides met briefly in the early 1980s until Town returned to Division 2 in 1982/83. Town was not very successful in these games failing to win any. In 1981/82 an early season away draw 1-1 was gained but In February the home match was lost 2-3 with Fletcher scoring both goals for Town. In the promotion season both games ended in draws, 0-0 at Deepdale and 1-1 at Leeds Road.

Town fell back into Division 3 at the end of 1987/88 in for 5 seasons the games were played once more. While the blue and whites had a home record of 3-0-2 5-4 the away effort was poor without even one victory 0-2-3 5-8.

The only meetings since both ended up 0-0. In October 2000 at the end of last century Town drew at home and early in this century drew again away in April.

As for gates, the cup games have been detailed above, but in the league there have been both highs and lows. At home the best gate was on Boxing Day 1936 when 33,899 saw Town triumph 4-2 (Richardson, Beasley(2) and Macfadyen). The three games in the mid 50s when Town graced the top flight all the gates were 23/27,000 yet Town did not win any of them. Away at Deepdale the best gate was in 1948/49 at 36,153 where the Lilywhites won 2-0.

At the other end of the scale the worst gates were verging on the abysmal. Only 4,381 bothered to watch Town lose 0-2 at Leeds Road on 3rd April 1990 and the following season only a few more, 4,646, turned out at Deepdale to see the 1-1 draw on 24th November 1990 when Iffy Onoura scored for Town. The last meetings in the Century turning season saw almost average gates of 13,161 at the Galpharm (average 13,304) and at Deepdale 15,185 went (average 16,279

On 22nd October 2011 the sides met for the first time in 11 years at the Galpharm in a top table clash. Town was simply too strong for the visitors and after Rhodes scored on 4 minutes as a result of goalkeeper’s error the result was never really in doubt. He scored again on 42 minutes and completed his second successive hat-trick before the hour mark. Preston got a consolation goal but Town were worthy 3-1 winners.

North End has not fared well of late, winless in 6 and since beating Hartlepool at home in early February (1-0) they have had 5 home draws and a defeat scoring 3 and conceding 5. Based on this record Town should have a good chance of winning. That is all the positives there are, however. Town’s record at Deepdale is poor with slightly less than 24% in wins. Add to this the crap that the players have served up recently and I cannot generate much optimism. I’ll stick my neck out and suggest that Town will earn a point in a 1-1 draw. I hope the lads prove me absolutely wrong and storm to a great win.

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Well hasn’t this been a ’special’ Easter weekend?

One predictor did manage to get the maximum 5 points for predicting we’d capitulate 2-0, congratulations to Keggi for that.

As you were at the top, mind the gap……