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Old 31-12-2016, 20:40   #1
Div3North
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2016/17 Prediction League; Game 24 v Hartlepool Utd (home)

Accrington Stanley

V

Hartlepool United

2016/17 Prediction League; Game 24 v Hartlepool (home)

I took the dog out for a walk this afternoon, and I popped in the local about 5.00 o’clock. As I got in the TV was on, and the football scores were being read. The announcer said “Crewe Alexandra 0 Accrington Stanley 1” and the dog set off round the vault – rolling over and over, jumping on the tables, careering around, knocking drinks flying and tripping up the patrons; eventually he stopped and lay down under the table. The landlord said, “Does he always do that when the Stanley win?” I said, “I’ve no idea, I’ve only had him 18 months ....................”

Notts County have lost their last 8; Newport have lost their last 6; Cheltenham have lost 6 of their last 8 (4 points); we’ve lost 7 of our last 9 (4 points); Morecambe have lost 6 of their last 8 (4 points); Orient have taken 7 points from their last 7; Hartlepool won on Friday – eventually, but it got a bit sweaty on 95 mins when Morecambe got it back to 3-2 – and have 7 points from 7; Mansfield and Crewe haven’t won in five (2 points for the Stags, 1 for the Alex): current form teams are Wycombe (7 wins and two draws in 9) and Cambridge (5 wins, 1 draw from 6, having been plumb last after 8 games with 3 points, but having got 32 in their last 15) and Colchester (who were second-bottom of the League after 17 games, but have 5 wins and one draw in their last six, with 14 scored, 3 conceded, and 4 clean sheets, and now sit in 9th, two points off the playoffs ........while Cambridge are 7th)

I notice that the Conference North play tomorrow (Sunday), but of more interest was the fact that the fixtures are the reverse of the Boxing Day games (which included Chorley winning at AFC Fylde); I always loved the fact that the Christmas Day/Boxing Day games of many years ago pitted the same two sides against each other, home and away, and I can remember times when the home side won the first game 7-2 and then lost the return 5-1 ................ Happy Days! If they can do it, why can’t the EFL? Let’s start a petition ..................

The Monkey Hangars are 18th, with 26 points (6 wins, 8 draws and 9 losses) from their 23 games; since we lost at their place on 22nd November they’ve lost 2-0 in the League at Wycombe, 4-0 at Port Vale in the FA Cup Round 2, 5-0 at home to Cambridge, drawn 0-0 at Pompey, lost 1-0 at home to The Peoples’ Republic of Blackpool, and beaten Morecambe 3-2 .............. five of their last 6 goalless (who does that remind you of?) .......... they’ve not signed or sold anyone that I can trace, except that their Assistant Manager Curtis Fleming – who played as a defender for Middlesbrough – has joined Ian Holloway’s QPR as Chief Coach, having previously been with him at Palace ......... Leading scorers for the Pool are Podge with 8, MF Nathan Thomas with 7, strikers Billy Paynter and Lewis Alessandra with 4 each, and four players with two each, including the wonderfully named Nicky Deverdics (which wouldn’t be hard to mis-type!)

We lost to them twice in 2006/07 (1-0 away and 1-2 at home); in 2013/14 we drew 0-0 at home and lost 1-2 away; in 2014/15 we drew 1-1 away and won 3-1 at home; and in 2015/16 we won both games – 2-1 away, 3-1 at home ............if you add in the 2-0 loss in November, it’s P9 W3 D2 L4 GF11 GA11 Pts 11 .............lots to play for, then!

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick off time, which is 3.00pm on Monday 2nd January 2017; for those who like statistics, Chimer and I have now been doing the PL for 6 seasons and 24 games of this season (not counting re-arranged games) .............. 6 x 46 = 276, plus 24, makes this the 300th PL round under our stewardship, and we’ll have to look into making a celebratory cake .............. but don’t hold your breath!

Good luck to everyone! ..........Keep the Faith! ...................... Happy New Year! ........ And thanks for playing!


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