AFTER notching their first win of the season last time out, WIFC racked up a convincing 7-2 win at MK Dons this morning. After 5 defeats on the spin since the start of the 2015/16 campaign, WIFC’s 20th season of IFA football, the Internet ‘Orns have struck 12 times in the two wins to get the season back on track.

Manager Richard Walker rallies the troops pre-match

After a fast start during which Tom Smithson and Dave Sitkowski both went close, WIFC took the lead after Smithson was tripped in the box and Ben Pegram slotted home the resulting spot kick. WIFC were indebted to a Jez Hinds save as MK attacked from the restart and it was soon 2-0 as the home keeper dropped a high Pegram cross and Mark O’Connor bundled home the loose ball.

Mark O’Connor continued his goalscoring start in style

WIFC kept up the early pace and O’Connor scored again shortly afterwards, sliding in to convert a low Smithson cross, while Smithson and Dan Butterick both drew good saves from the home keeper. WIFC completed a strong first half display when Dave Soloway powerfully headed home a Pegram corner.

The challenge for the second half was to keep performance levels high, but it took a dubious goal from the home side to spark WIFC back into life. A superbly worked free-kick restored the 4 goal advantage when Jimmy Davis’s smart chipped free-kick set Lamar St Cyr away, his cross diverted for a deserved first goal for the club by Smithson.

Jimmy Davis capped his latest return from injury with a fine display in midfield

MK Dons added a second when a long ball was converted by the centre forward but as legs tired and gaps opened, WIFC were able to add two more. Davis finished smartly after good work from Solway, then O’Connor completed consecutive hat-tricks when he tapped in after being teed up perfectly by Richard Murphy.

John Sitkowski’s excellent display, after being moved inside to centre half after an early injury to Moz Clarke, saw him win the inaugural ‘Morecambe Pennant MOM’ award

Hampton & Richmond await next weekend, while the 2014/15 awards will be dished out that evening at the traditional venue, Ali Baba’s in Watford.

Team. 4-4-2, `R to L.
Jez Hinds; John Sitkowski, Moz Clarke, Stu Nicholls, Dave Sitkowski; Ben Pegram, Dan Butterick, Lamar St-Cyr, Richard Murphy; Tom Smithson, Mark O’Connor. Subs Cleveland Brandy, David Morren, Dave Soloway, Jimmy Davis.

All the results and stats from 2015/16

Overall Record

Results and Scorers

Appearances

Scorers

WIFC will close their 2014/15 campaign with a trip to the North West tomorrow, to take on the fans of Preston North End on their hallowed Deepdale turf. The match is being played as part of PNE manager Simon Grayson’s efforts to raise money for Prostate Cancer, with both teams making a contribution to the fund which currenty stands at over £20,000.

Deepdale will host the IFA teams of Watford and Preston tomorrow.

The game holds a further significance for the Preston supporters team, who celebrate their tenth anniversary in 2015. ‘Watford were our first ever opponents back in 2005 and as we celebrate this, our tenth year as an IFA side and our 50th year as a supporters team, it’s right and fitting that Watford will again be our opponents to mark this occasion’ explained PNE manager Steve Cowell. ‘We will follow the Watford boys back down the M6 as we make our way to London for Sundays League One Play Off Final V Swindon. To say we’re looking forward to this weekend is an understatement’ added Cowell.

Plenty of fresh faces on show for both teams in that initial 2005 meeting

For WIFC’s part, the game is a fitting end to one of the best seasons for years. Currently 3rd in the national league, the team is once again going from strength to strength as the Internet ‘Orns finish their 18th season of IFA football. ‘We are delighted to have been invited’ said WIFC’s Dave Messenger. ‘We’ve had many an enjoyable game with Preston since being their first opponents and are looking forward to another on the famous Deepdale turf tomorrow. It’s also a feather in the cap for our brilliant fixtures organiser Tom Beck, who has been instrumental in getting this game on.. our 24th of the season and we’re suitably delighted to have made the new mark for league games’.

Action from one of the many good games between the two sides

The game will be the 12th meeting between the two sides since that 3-3 draw back in August 2005. The 2008 WorldNet final was the most memorable, as two regular IFA league sides contested the final of the IFA’s showpiece tournament for one of the few times in the history of the event. Preston won by the single goal, while Watford were left wondering what might have been had Paul Watt converted a second half penalty.

The huge ‘what if’ moment as Paul Watt lines up his spot kick in the 2008 Worldnet final

A full record of WIFC’s games against Preston is below.

Details of Simon Grayson’s fund-raising for Prostate Cancer can be found on the link below;

https://www.justgiving.com/Simon-Grayson2015/

WIFC finished another great year of IFA football with a 4th win in 5 games against a typically spirited Dagenham & Redbridge side at a frosty Met Police this Saturday. Ross Connor got the Internet ‘Orns off to a flier when he tapped in a Steve Eustice cross after just 5 minutes, and Connor doubled the lead with his 12th of the season soon after, when he finished sweetly following an excellent cross-field pass from Joel Moody. Dave Soloway completed the first half scoring when he scored his 4th in 3 games and 6th of the season from close range at the second bite of the cherry, following a good stop to his initial effort.

The second half saw more chances and it was Moody who scored the 4th, though the visiting keeper will feel he could’ve done better with the low strike. Soloway also had the ball in the net twice more though both were ruled offside. At the other end, with Tom Beck closing in on a first clean sheet, the visitors efforts were rewarded when Ben Bateman slice into his own net. WIFC restored the 4 goal cushion when Mark Brennan’s left foot finish completed the scoring.

ASKED to give all they had to deny a talented West Bromwich Albion side the room they craved to operate in, Watford IFC responded in quite magnificent fashion to manager Richard Walker’s instructions. No one personified the high-tempo pressing game which kept the scores locked at 0-0 for nearly an hour more than Stuart Nicholls – who led the way from the front alongside Ross Connor.

Richard Murphy and Rob Stone provided effervescence and top-notch graft in midfield while Matt Ainsley and Brad Simmons impressed in the full-back positions. Just before Boing FC notched their first of five high-quality second-half goals, Warren Flanagan – in WIFC action for the first time in over a year – enjoyed the host’s best chance when put clean through but slipped the ball just wide of a post.

It was one-way traffic once visitors Albion broke through but there were opposition compliments aplenty at full-time for a defiant WIFC display which epitomised the spirit and togetherness shown in recent weeks.

Man of the Match Stu Nicholls led from the front

Position – Right Back
DOB – 26/3/1996
Debut v Barnsley September 2013

Matt is another of the players who is ridiculously close to being younger than WIFC itself – he was a mere 14 months old when the club started. Despite this, he’s been welcomed into the fold along with his Dad, Jerry and has improved vastly since his debut, winning his first MOM award at Gillingham during 2014/15. While at Nottingham Uni, Matt made a useful start to his stint with the WIFC pikey student mantle, eating a load of sauces to win some loose change in a pub before the Charlton game.

Matt’s Q and A

Describe yourself in a sentence
(They obviosuly don’t teach reading at Nottingham Uni, Matt didn’t answer this one. Idiot)

What was the first WFC game you went to and what can you remember about it
Can’t remember first game however first away game was Macclesfield in the third round of the fa cup. Won 2-0

Finest ever WFC memory
Finest memory was beating Leicester in the play offs

Worst away trip
Bristol City on a Tuesday night drew 0-0. Smith missed a penalty.

WIFC Playing highlight
Ipswich home

Favourite WIFC moment
London Cup final

All-time favourite Watford player
Helguson

All-time favourite Watford XI (not the best players – your favourites)
Foster, Hodson, Dyche, DeMerit, Taylor, Smith, Buckley, Abdi, Young, Helguson and Forestieri.

Red shorts or black?
Black shorts.

Position – Right Back/Striker
DOB – 26/3/85
Apps – 14
Goals – 1
Worldnets – 0
Debut v Southampton July 2014
Nicknames – Mikey, Speedy

Mike joined WIFC at the back end of the 2013/14 season with brother-in-law Ross Connor, and quickly got off the mark at Stevenage in his 2nd game. Since then, he’s been deployed more often at full-back and has given a series of solid displays, quickly becoming a regular and valued member of the squad.

Mike’s Q and A

Describe yourself in a sentetce
Speedy is a legend. ( so I’ve been told )

What was the first WFC game you went to and what can you remember about it?
Blackpool away Sept 2013 – being there for Ross connor bday weekend with the lads, that was a good weekend

Finest ever WFC memory
The double penalty save by Alumina and then the winning goal to get to Wembley.

Worst away trip and why
Not had one yet

WIFC playing highlight
My first goal at Stevenage

Favourite WIFC moment
Ed taking a tumble, but taking 5mins to fall over

All-time favourite Watford player
Tommy Mooney

Red shorts or black ?
Black shorts

Which actor would play you in ‘WIFC – The Movie’
Danny Dyer

Position – Striker
DOB – 1/9/1988
Debut v Southampton – July 2014
Nickname – Rossco

With two goals on his debut, and 12 before Christmas in his first full season, Ross got his short but goal-laden WIFC career off to a flying start after making his debut in 2014. He also became the second WIFCer to have to leave the field to attend to his kids’ toilet issues in a game at Hampton, following in the illustrious footsteps of Ian Grinstead.

Ross’ Q and A

Describe yourself in a sentence
Tall, dark and devilishly handsome!

What was the first WFC game you went to and what can you remember about it?
It was during the 1998 season, but the only fixture I can remember from back then was the play off final win in ’99. A certain Nick Wright springs to mind…

Finest ever WFC memory
Without doubt the Deeney goal v Leicester. I was actually at the theatre with my fiancée when it took place and so never saw it live (I still curse her!). I managed to go the whole day without hearing the score, only to come home and watch it at midnight. I proceeded to turn off the tv when Cassetti gave away the pen and went to bed sulking. I was woken up by my fiancée the next morning who forced me to watch the end of the match. Safe to say I was probably the only Watford fan vigorously celebrating that wonderful goal the day after it happened.

Worst away trip and why
Have only been to a few. But purely because it was my birthday weekend, Blackpool away 13/14. All over them but couldn’t hit a cows arse with a banjo. Tom Ince comes off the bench to grab a late winner for them. Only highlight of the occasion, abusing Barry Ferguson!

WIFC playing highlight
I would have to say playing in my debut. Two goals from centre midfield, not a bad start!

Favourite WIFC moment
Purely because, if I didn’t laugh I would cry. 1 minute left to go against Bury, the game stands at 2-2 and I lay the ball across the goal for Ally Hill to tap into an empty net from less than a yard out, only for him to scuff it into the air for the goalkeeper, who had previously been sprawled on the floor, time to stand up, regain his composure and casually catch it with two hands. Shameful really.

All-time favourite Watford player
Fernando Forestieri

All-time favourite Watford XI (not the best players – your favourites)
Ben Foster, Nigel Gibbs Jay Demerit Gabriel Angella Paul Robinson, Tommy Smith, John Eustace, Almen Abdi, Ashley Young, Troy Deeney, Fernando Forestieri.

Red shorts or black?
Black. Period.

Which actor would play you in ‘WIFC – The Movie’
Kit Harrington.

All the results from 2014/15

Overall Record

Results and Scorers

WIFC battled to a well-earned 2-2 draw against Bury B last weekend, extending the unbeaten run since the start of the season to 3 games for the first time since 2005/06. The home side got off to a dream start when a visting defender put through his own net under pressure from Ally Hill.

Goalmouth action from the draw against Bury B

The visitors levelled through Jamie Sanders, who then doubled the lead before the break as both sides worked hard in warm conditions. After the break, WIFC worked for the equaliser and defended stoutly, getting their rewards when Richard Murphy finished from close range after some great work by Stuart Nicholls. There was still time for the Internet ‘Orns to almost snatch the win, when Ross Connor fed Ally Hill, who was denied at point blank range as the final whistle blew.

More goalmouth action

The new season continues at the weekend, as WIFC travel to Gillingham before moving onto Charlton for the Watford game.