Day 120

Shuker trained really well in October, I'm told, with modest improvements in just about every area. It's good to see the 29 year old still has life in him. Veteran Rui Marques, on the other hand, suffered significant degradation across his game, heading backwards in no fewer than 19 attributes that my staff track.

Barnes-Homer earned second place in October's Player of the Month award, thanks to a string of impressive performances that netted him three goals and two assists. The striker also picked up third spot on the Goal of the Month award, for a brilliant individual effort against Southport.

I took third on the October Manager of the Month tally, after previously being ranked second for September and third for August. I'd say I'm having a pretty amazing start to my managerial career. I wonder, is there any chance that I could get into the top three managers each month of the season?

The club, meanwhile, lost another £80,000 last month. The balance is now £187,521 in the red. That can't be good.

Ansah returned to full training today, but it was too soon for him to claim a place in the match squad. Olembé and Smith were only deemed fit enough for the bench. Kanouté dropped to the bench after a solid first run-out since his injury three days ago. Shuker, Bore, Gowling, Power, and Barnes-Homer all returned to the starting eleven. And Michael Woods, who was still feeling the effects of playing 90 minutes on limited match fitness, dropped out entirely.

We looked nervous out the blocks, but all nerves were quickly put to rest by Barnes-Homer in the 8th minute. The in-form striker slipped behind the Hayes & Yeading defence to bury Koroma's speculative through ball first-time into the back of the net. Sprinting away, he celebrated with a stylish ten-yard body slide across the wet grass behind the goal line.

A winding run from Koroma set up Russell around 20 minutes with a floating cross, but the winger's header was parried into the crossbar and hooked clear. Hayes & Yeading, meanwhile, pulled out another half-chance on the break. The slippery surface was not helping either side at the back.

Barnes-Homer struck inches wide with a great effort on the half hour mark, then picked up Shuker's pass after an incisive Koroma run to double both his tally and ours in the 33rd minute.

Pelé pulled one back for the home side in the 38th minute with a looping header from Moutaouakil's corner. Halstead got a hand on the slippery ball, but it wasn't enough to keep and it hit the inside of the roof of the net. Gowling may take the blame for getting in the way.

A mazy run from Koroma nearly restored our two-goal lead just before half time. Hayes & Yeading were weary of the striker's trickery by then, though, and they tripled-teamed him—forcing an early shot that was deflected out for a corner.

Sharp passing and good movement allowed Koroma to get the goal he deserved on 57 minutes, placing his shot into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Hayes & Yeading answered immediately, though. Substitute winger Daniel Wishart crossed low and hard to the far post, where fellow winger Andy Yiadom was on hand to supply a finish. 3-2 after an hour of play—it was turning into quite the goal-fest.

I dragged Gowling off for Kanouté before play restarted, hoping to stabilise our shaky defence. The young defender's first action was to get booked for a late challenge a minute later.

Russell made way for Olembé in the 73rd minute. It was the Cameroonian's first appearance since his outstanding display against Cambridge in a 2-2 draw back on September 10th—53 days ago. Power followed a minute later, with Atkinson his replacement. Richardson switched his focus from defending to supporting from the other central midfield spot.

Halstead saved well in the 76th minute to prevent an equaliser. The home side were giving us plenty of headaches.

Koroma tried an ambitious lob that went horribly wrong in the 85th minute. Then he got his second goal of the match early on in stoppage time, after being left unmarked at the far post on a long-range Shuker free kick.

Koroma took man of the match honours, although really they should be shared with his strike-partner Matthew Barnes-Homer. The two speedy forwards have struck up a potent partnership in recent weeks. I hope they can maintain this form.

We stay second in the league, two points shy of the top, after leaders Mansfield thrashed Barrow 4-1 to keep their flawless home record. We've now gone 11 games without defeat in the league. How much longer can the run go on?

I've had enough of these bloody managers getting slaughtered by our attack and then turning around and telling the media that they "don't like the approach [I] take" in my football. Not a fan of good, open, effective football, eh? Well, too bad. It works and it's entertaining to watch. I lashed out in response: "As long as Bashir is in charge, I think Hayes & Yeading are destined for relegation," I told the reporter.

This is war now. I'm not holding back any longer. If you speak shit about me or my players, I'm gonna tear you down...unless I think you have a fair point.