Milton Keynes Irish

[Rhodes]

On 08/10/2020 at 04:24, Rhodes said:

he takes his men back to Tithe Farm to meet Broadfields United for an FA Vase Second Qualifying Round tie having won 6-0 at Thame Rangers in the First Qualifying Round, they then travel to Forde Park for a midweek league fixture with Langford on Wednesday (14 October)

An excellent five days work for Milton Keynes Irish First team, firstly they make a quick impromtu return to Tithe Farm, the scene of a a recent 5-1 League win over Rayners Lane, this time to take on SSML Premier Division Broadfields United in an FA Vase Second Qualifying Round tie, returning to Manor Fields with a 2-1 success with goals from Jack Clarkson and substitute Dom Lawless (see report), despite going a goal behind. As a result of that the Club walked away with the 'Team Of The Week' award on Ollie Bayliss's BBC Three Counties Non League Show on Sunday with boss Terry Shrieves right hand man Glyn Creaser being interviewed and spreading the gospel about the Club who will now entertain Essex Senior League Stansted on Saturday 31 October. Then last night the side made the trip to Forde Park to take on Langford in a League fixture, coming away with an impressive 5-0 win with goals from George Shrieves, Kaelen Shand, and a superb hat trick from Mason Spence, a frustrated Langford ended the game with nine men. Meanwhile the Reserve team entertained Irchester United Reserves at Manor Fields last Saturday and sufferered their fourth successive Uhlsport United Counties League Reserve Division defeat, losing 2-0, having won their first three fixtures of the campaign, this Saturday (17 October) they travel to Bugbrooke St Michael Reserves who joint lead the table. Lastly the Club's Milton Keynes Irish Athletic side, who compete in the North Bucks & District League Intermediate Division, entertained Twyford United last Saturday at the Walnut Tree Sports Ground and enjoyed a 3-1 win to remain top of the table after five games, Craig Daubney, Luke Little and substitute Cole Rawson netted. This Saturday they travel to the Lace Hill Community & Sports Centre to take on Joe Cooper's Buckingham United Reserve side and then host Great Linford the following week (24 October):

https://mkirishfc.co.uk/broadfields-1-2-mk-irish/

[Rhodes]

Milton Keynes Irish's team sheet for this afternoon's SSML Division One fixture against New Salamis at Manor Fields and I am just wondering whether it will be framed and put up on the boardroom wall following the 2-1 win with goals from Mason Spence and George Shrieves, also see the match programme and a match report. New Salamis didn't give up without a fight and pulled a goal back on 75 minutes however despite hammering on the door it was a deserved win for Terry Shrieves men to make it four successive wins. On Tuesday evening they are in action again and entertain London Tigers before making a tricky looking trip to Enfield Borough next Saturday (24 October) who beat beleaguered Hillingdon Borough 10-0 this afternoon. Unfortunately the Reserve side went down 2-0 at Bugbrooke St Michael Reserves in a Uhlsport United Counties League Reserve Division fixture however the Milton Keynes Irish Athletic side also did the Club proud today by winning 5-1 at the Lace Hill Community & Sports Centre against Buckingham United Reserves and proudly top the Division by three points:

https://issuu.com/mkirishfc/docs/mk-irish-programme-new-salamis-final

https://mkirishfc.co.uk/mk-irish-2-1-new-salamis/

 

[Rhodes]

On 17/10/2020 at 21:14, Rhodes said:

On Tuesday evening they are in action again and entertain London Tigers

Another win for Terry Shrieves men last night beating London Tigers 3-1 at Manor Fields (see match programme), it wasn't quite as emphatic as was expected with the visitors even taking an early lead however first half goals from George Shrieves, Mason Spence and Shane Uings were enough to take the points. The Reserve side were also in Uhlsport United Counties League Reserve Division action last night and met with their  sixth successive League defeat at Kempston Rovers Reserves, a groundhopper from another Forum was at the game (see below). On Saturday (24 October) the First team travel to Enfield Borough where they will enjoy the billiard table like surface at Summers Lane whilst the Reserves entertain high flying Northampton ON Chenecks Reserves, the table topping Milton Keynes Irish Athletic side have a North Bucks & District League Intermediate Division fixture against Great Linford at the Walnut Tree Sports Ground:

https://issuu.com/mkirishfc/docs/mk-irish-programme-tigers

Kempston Rovers Reserves 4 - 0 Milton Keynes Irish Reserves HT 2 - 0
Hillgrounds, Kempston, MK42 8SZ
United Counties Reserves Division.
Admission £2
Attendance 38, approx HC...and several flying bats throughout....I am reliably informed that the collective name for a group of bats in flight is a Cloud!
Tea £1
Kempston is just North of Bedford, and is within 1 mile of Bedford's South Wing hospital, (I worked at the hospital for over 7 years and never realised how close Hillgrounds was!). There is a small club car park, and also free car parking on Hillgrounds Road itself. The turnstiles are just beyond the clubhouse, and there are plastic flip seats on the side of the clubhouse, raised up for a good view of the pitch. Up 5 steps is the tea hatch. Beyond the main pitch are 2 cages with 3G pitches and also a junior pitch. Hard standing on all 4 sides and beyond the far goal are 5 picnic tables.
It was hard to do a head count, as random players were walking through the ground to get to the 3G cages on the far side for their evening games.
Kempston took a while to start covering the gaps in the field, but opened the scoring at 21 minutes, there were plenty of shots on goal from then on, and the MK GK did well. Kempston really could, and should have scored more.

[Daily Dose]

The Irish have certainly found the winning formula. Is it down to having better players? A good management team? A bit of both.. it’s good to see and MK team finally doing well that can go up the pyramid. 
MK has so much potential to be able to produce a few good teams!!

[Winslow Boy]

4 hours ago, Daily Dose said:

The Irish have certainly found the winning formula. Is it down to having better players? A good management team? A bit of both.. it’s good to see and MK team finally doing well that can go up the pyramid. 
MK has so much potential to be able to produce a few good teams!!

Not a vastly different team than last year, they have some good players and some experienced players. Shrieves who was a top non league player and had a very good spell as manager of Newport Pagnell and Creaser who played for Wycombe in the conference, that’s an excellent management team for this level. They set the team up simply and well, they have goals in them and don’t often give many away. They will always struggle for proper support like most MK sides, will they last 5-10 years? History would say not, I hope so. MK needs a good non league team. 

[mkfootball20]

Great win by MK Irish over a strong Wroxham side yesterday. They will be looking forward to the draw on Monday and hoping for Home fixture. 

Report below by Dom Domaingue

https://mkirishfc.co.uk/wroxham-3-3-mk-irish-3-4-pens/

All the penalties below thanks to a ground hopper. 

https://twitter.com/RussWWFC/status/1335359251372445696

Edited December 6, 2020 by mkfootball20

[Rhodes]

6 hours ago, mkfootball20 said:

They will be looking forward to the draw on Monday

Well it will be Colney Heath, Ampthill Town, Leighton Town or North Greenford United won't it

[Daily Dose]

After viewing the winning penalty footage, I’m not sure what was wrong with the celebration. A few fist pumps to the crowd. Definitely a touch of sour grapes from their supporters.

Irish travelled a huge distance to play team from a higher level. Playing against an ex prem player. Having suffered mild jeering and to win with the last kick of the game. It must have been a very emotional experience.

well done to the players and management.

[Winslow Boy]

6 hours ago, Daily Dose said:

After viewing the winning penalty footage, I’m not sure what was wrong with the celebration. A few fist pumps to the crowd. Definitely a touch of sour grapes from their supporters.

Irish travelled a huge distance to play team from a higher level. Playing against an ex prem player. Having suffered mild jeering and to win with the last kick of the game. It must have been a very emotional experience.

well done to the players and management.

Also had Simon Lappin another ex Norwich player. It sounds like a case of being able to give it but not take it. You have to be big enough to take it on the chin, happens to us all. 

[Rhodes]

Not the SSML, or the Uhlsport United Counties League Reserve Division or, for that matter, the North Bucks & District League Intermediate Division but over 150 nice photographs, courtesy of Sports Shots, of Milton Keynes Irish Sunday v Bletchley Shamrocks 'A' at the Walnut Tree Sports Ground on Sunday 6 December (2020) in a Milton Keynes Sunday League Division Two fixture. Bletchley Shamrocks 'A' won the game 3-2 having led 3-0 at the interval, Matt Jefferson and Craig Bannister netted for the home side:

MKSL D2; MK Irish Sunday 2-3 Bletchley Shamrocks - Sports Shots

MK Irish Sunday v Bletchley Shamrocks MKSL | Flickr

[Rhodes]

On 06/12/2020 at 14:48, mkfootball20 said:

Great win by MK Irish over a strong Wroxham side yesterday. They will be looking forward to the draw on Monday and hoping for Home fixture. 

Report below by Dom Domaingue

https://mkirishfc.co.uk/wroxham-3-3-mk-irish-3-4-pens/

All the penalties below thanks to a ground hopper. 

https://twitter.com/RussWWFC/status/1335359251372445696

What was the view on the draw, it could have been worse however Fakenham Town top the Eastern Counties League Division One North having dropped just two points all season and have taken care of Diss Town, and three Step Five Club's, Swaffham Town, Crawley Green and Hashtag United, in the FA Vase, no doubt Terry Shrieves will be speaking to Craig Bicknell and Craig Meyrick before the tie asking for a dossier on Fakenham Town.

[mkfootball20]

5 hours ago, Rhodes said:

What was the view on the draw, it could have been worse however Fakenham Town top the Eastern Counties League Division One North having dropped just two points all season and have taken care of Diss Town, and three Step Five Club's, Swaffham Town, Crawley Green and Hashtag United, in the FA Vase, no doubt Terry Shrieves will be speaking to Craig Bicknell and Craig Meyrick before the tie asking for a dossier on Fakenham Town.

Like you said could have been worse, a home draw would have been great but it is what it is. Two evenly matched sides, both step 6, but at the top end of their respective leagues, both knocked out 3 step 5 sides to get to this stage. Neither side have ever made the 4th round so it should be a great game.

[Rhodes]

2 minutes ago, mkfootball20 said:

Neither side have ever made the 4th round so it should be a great game

Er, aren't you forgetting Buckingham Town who reached the Fourth Round three times, the Fifth Round four times and the Quarter Finals twice, your Manager was involved in a lot of the ties in the early to mid eighties

[Rhodes]

On 25/09/2020 at 04:06, Rhodes said:

What a dreadful night for Milton Keynes Irish on Tuesday (22 September) with the First team going down 5-3 to Ampthill Town and the Reserves losing 6-2 at Newport Pagnell Town Reserves in the Uhlsport United Counties League Reserve Division

Very good quality video footage from that United Counties League Reserve Division fixture at Willen Road on Tuesday 22 September, courtesy of Newport Pagnell Town, 

 

Edited December 28, 2020 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Not directly Milton Keynes Irish related but something to hopefully cheer us up on this awful day and I've just heard that Colin Bell has sadly died to rub sea salt into the wounds. A nice therapeutic video of a Grand Union Canal trip from Wolverton to Fenny Stratford:

 

Edited January 5, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

Don't all rush at once but Milton Keynes Irish have nice enamel badges available, shouldn't the date read 1883 though and not 2020 as that was when Buckingham Town were formed:

[Rhodes]

On 09/12/2020 at 14:50, Rhodes said:

What was the view on the draw, it could have been worse however Fakenham Town top the Eastern Counties League Division One North having dropped just two points all season and have taken care of Diss Town, and three Step Five Club's, Swaffham Town, Crawley Green and Hashtag United, in the FA Vase, no doubt Terry Shrieves will be speaking to Craig Bicknell and Craig Meyrick before the tie asking for a dossier on Fakenham Town.

Unfortunately Eastern Counties League Division One North Fakenham Town were a bridge too far for Milton Keynes Irish in the FA Vase Third Round however it was slightly disappointing to go out of the competition to a fellow Step 6 side having impressively taken care of three Step 5 sides in Broadfields United, Stansted and particularly 'the mighty' Wroxham. Here are over 100 photographs from the tie at rural Clipbush Park on Saturday 19 December 2020: 

Edited January 22, 2021 by Rhodes

[Rhodes]

On 09/12/2020 at 20:44, Rhodes said:

Er, aren't you forgetting Buckingham Town who reached the Fourth Round three times, the Fifth Round four times and the Quarter Finals twice, your Manager was involved in a lot of the ties in the early to mid eighties

I am assuming that Milton Keynes Irish, and Terry Shrieves in particular, haven't forgotten their roots and ties to Buckingham Town. Here are some interesting photographs, and a match report, from Buckingham Town v Oadby Town in a 2012/13 United Counties League Division One fixture, at a dilapidated looking Manor Fields on Saturday 6 April 2013, the visitors won 3-0 in a one sided contest: 

Zenfolio | Rob Campion Sports Photography | Buckingham Town FC

Match Report: Buckingham Town 0 - 3 Oadby Town : 1st Team (pitchero.com)

[Rhodes]

Oadby Town v Buckingham Town, this time in a 2013/14 United Counties League Division One fixture, at Wigston Road on Saturday 18 January 2014. Runaway Champions that season Oadby Town won 9-1 on a hellish afternoon for the visitors although they still managed to finish a respectable eleventh in the table, Aaron Murrell scored the solitary goal when equalising on ten minutes prior to the floodgates opening: 

Zenfolio | Rob Campion Sports Photography | Oadby Town FC (18/01/2014)

Match Report: Oadby Town 9 - 1 Buckingham Town : 1st Team (pitchero.com)

[Rhodes]

Unfortunately both the SSML and United Counties League seasons have been 'curtailed' as was announced this week, the United Counties League are currently preparing supplementary competitions for all Divisions based on information it has received from its Club's following the questionnaire exercise conducted prior to the disappointing announcement by the FA on Wednesday that Steps 3-6 will be curtailed. This applies to the Reserve side of Milton Keynes Irish who ply their trade in the Reserve Division of the United Counties League where they were lying in sixteenth place prior to the curtailment after twelve League fixtures however that only tells half, or even a quarter, of the story as having won their first three, albeit all at Manor Fields, they then proceeded to inexplicably lose the next nine:

Edited February 27, 2021 by Rhodes