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Author: Michael James
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Week 218 – May 17th – Kent 2nd v Sussex 2nd – Part 2
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Week 218 – May 17th – Kent 2nd v Sussex 2nd – Part 1
This morning I went to Kent second ground at Beckenham, as it’s not often you can see a current England player for free entrance.
Jofra Archer was playing for the 1st time in England this season as prep for the World T20 Finals next month in the West Indies and USA.
Some pictures and videos from the morning play.
HT Crocombe bowling to BJ Dawkins 
Jofra Archer bowling to E Singh 
Jofra Archer being clipped to leg by E Singh. -
Week 218 – May 16th – Leeds United v Norwich City
Leeds United 4 – Norwich City 0 – HT 3-0 – (Agg 4-0)
I. Gruev, (7′)
J. Piroe, (20′)
G. Rutter, (40′)
C. Summerville, (68′)
Assists –
W. Gnonto, (20′)
J. Firpo, (68′)
What a performance!! What a night!! Come on Leeds.
Leeds United will play Southampton or West Bromwich Albion in the Championship play-off final after a thumping win over an outclassed Norwich.
Backed by a vociferous home support, Leeds set about their opponent’s right from the get-go
After a drab stalemate in the first leg on Sunday, the home side, who finished three places and 17 points above the Canaries, took a deserved early lead when Ilia Gruev’s long-range free-kick beat Angus Gunn at his near post.
Joel Piroe made it 2-0 when he headed in Willy Gnonto’s deep cross to the far post, with keeper Gunn caught in no man’s land, to leave the away side with a mountain to climb.
They should have pulled one back immediately but Josh Sargent was thwarted by keeper Illan Meslier one-on-one in what proved to be the only chance of note Norwich had all night.
It was 3-0 before the break when Georginio Rutter crashed a shot in off the underside of the bar after a breakaway attack.
Crysencio Summerville tapped home a fourth for the dominant home side after the interval after Gunn had parried a Gnonto shot out to Junior Firpo, who squared for the Dutchman to roll home.
The Whites will now have nine days to prepare for the play-off final at Wembley on Sunday, 26 May as they look to secure an immediate return to the Premier League.
Now we need to take that performance to the final and break our play-off curse.
Marching On Together.
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Week 217 – May 12th – Norwich City v Leeds United
Norwich City 0 – Leeds United 0 – HT 0-0
So the play-off start, can we get over the play-off curse?
Norwich and Leeds fought out a tense, cagey, goalless draw in the first leg of their Championship play-off semi-final.
Neither side fashioned many scoring chances at Carrow Road and the place in the Wembley final on 26 May will be decided in the second leg at Elland Road on Thursday.
Both teams limped into the play-offs, with Norwich winning just two of their final seven league games to scrape into sixth while Leeds managed just two wins in eight to blow their chances of going up automatically.
That poor form was reflected in a cautious approach by both sides with the Canaries’ Gabriel Sara and Leeds’ Sam Byram fluffing the two best chances in a game of few scoring opportunities.
Leeds’ poor form forced manager Daniel Farke into an unexpected change with Archie Gray replacing striker Joel Piroe, meaning a forward role for Georginio Rutter, while Jonathan Rowe boosted Norwich with his first start since January following injury problems.
Not surprising the 1st leg was tight, at least we haven’t conceded and will hope the 12th man (Leeds crowd) will get us over this hurdle and into the final.
Marching On Together.
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Week 217 – May 11th – First cut of the lawn 2024
Due to the weather we have had this year, this afternoon was the first time that I cut the lawn.
It was surprising how dry the lawn was considering the amount of rain we have this year.
The most disappointing thing, was how the lawn was looking after all the work I did previously. One part just feels like it’s full of weeds. Not happy at all.
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Well 217 – May 11th – Sparrow
Caught a sparrow on the bird seed we have out in the garden this afternoon.
Sparrow on the bird seed. -
Week 217 – May 10th – Blooming well
Blooming well.
The old faithful is blooming well again this year. -
Week 217 – May 8th – Garden plants
Some of the spring plants are starting to show as well as the old faithfuls.
The old faithful looking good. 
Lovely colours 
Deep blue or purple -
Week 216 – May 4th – Leeds United v Southampton
Leeds United 1 Southampton 2 – HT 1-2
J. Piroe, (21′) A. Armstrong, (18′) W. Smallbone, (35′)
Assists –
C. Adams (18′), K. Walker-Peters (35′)
Not the way we would wanted to finish the season, especially at home and against team we could meet in the play-off final.
Leeds will play Norwich City in the Championship play-offs and Southampton will take on West Brom after the Saints claimed a deserved win at Elland Road.
The third-placed Whites went into the game knowing they had to win and Ipswich lose to all-but relegated Huddersfield to secure automatic promotion.
But the Tractor Boys’ victory over the Terriers means both these sides must go through the play-offs to return to the Premier League.
The visitors went in front when Adam Armstrong confidently converted Che Adams’ low cross first time but Leeds quickly levelled through Joel Piroe’s thumping finish from the edge of the area.
Will Smallbone put the away side back in front after superb play by Kyle Walker-Peters to keep the ball in down their right and then tee him up with a measured pass.
Southampton came into the game on the back of three straight losses but were good value for their first win here in West Yorkshire since March 2012.
This victory completed the double for Russell Martin’s men against Daniel Farke’s side, in what could potentially be a dress rehearsal for the Championship play-off final on Sunday, 26 May.
Just a few weeks ago this match had looked like it could potentially be a decider for an automatic promotion spot for either side.
However, Saints slipped to three defeats and Leeds lost at home for the first time against Blackburn three weeks ago before being battered 4-0 at QPR last Friday to go into today’s game in need of a miracle.
The Whites are looking to go up through the play-offs for the first time at the sixth time of asking, while Southampton have had one unsuccessful play-off campaign before.
So we finish 3rd which is such a disappointment, after the way we played this year, until the pressure must have got to us with 6 games to go, we looked like we would be promoted straight back and now have to break the play-off curse.
We finished with 90 points, the first second-tier side since Sunderland in 1998 to win 90 points or more and not go up automatically.
Marching On Together
League position 3rd after 46 games
