Newcastle Chemfica Amateurs 1-4 Heaton Stannington A

Northern Alliance Neville Cowey Cup Group One

Saturday 10 April 2021

After an unlucky exit from the Minor Cup last Saturday on penalties, the Stan reserves played their second match of 2021 and their first in the Neville Cowey Cup group stage, the competition for Northern Alliance Division 3 teams. On a dry but bitterly cold afternoon at the Longbenton Sports Ground on the grass pitch that Chemfica Reserves use as their home, there were 2 changes with last week’s subs Munir and Forster replacing Dunne and Walker with Bruce moving up front.

The match started relatively quietly and although both teams were trying to attack, the Stan had more of the ball. There was a great move by Harper and Jones after 8 minutes but some good defending stopped Jones getting a shot in. 2 more Stan attacks came to nothing before Forster tried a long shot in 15 minutes which the home keeper easily caught. Then a joined up attack saw shots by Munir, Harper and Bruce blocked. In 18 minutes, a Stan free kick from far out bounced awkwardly and over the bar. Chemfica then had a free kick which resulted in a shot that Ripken easily picked up. The Stan and the referee, who is now probably trying to forget the match, both thought the visitors had taken the lead in 20 minutes when Bruce forced the ball into the net in the crowded box. With only one official presiding, the referee had to consult the home linesman who had his flag up and was convinced that the ball had gone out of play before being crossed into the box. The referee changed his mind and the match remained goalless. Chemfica then had only their 2^nd attack but Ripken caught the resulting shot. In 28 minutes, a long ball to Jones saw his shot blocked successfully by the keeper before Harper forced a corner. 3 minutes later Harper supplied the advancing Bruce who shot just wide. Harper’s shot was then deflected for a corner when he should have done better and from it Harris headed wide. The Stan kept the pressure on with Chemfica only having 2 rare unsuccessful moves forward although the 2^nd was blocked by a good tackle by Doyle. The Stan were finally in the lead after 36 minutes when Munir took the ball into the box and passed to Harper who tapped it into the net. 3 minutes later and Harper was supplied again by Bruce but his header was caught by the keeper. After Harris had headed the wrong way from a corner, Chemfica had a rare attack but Ripken easily caught a long range effort. The 1^st half was one sided as most of the play took place in the home half although the Stan should have scored more than their solitary goal.

The 2^nd half started with 2 Stan attacks blocked and 2 corners. In 48 minutes, Munir got another assist when he ran down the middle with the ball and into the box and crossed to the advancing Jones who slotted the ball away for 2-0. The Stan kept attacking which included shots by Harper and Bruce but the home keeper and his defence worked well to block them. In 55 minutes the home side had a long range but rare effort which Ripken caught. The home keeper then blocked a Munir effort at the other end before Ripken had to make a double save and this was the 1^st time in the match that he had been really threatened. In 59 minutes, a joined up Stan attack saw Bruce’s shot put just wide by the home keeper. The 2 initial subs were then involved in the action as Dannatt shot wide through the crowded box and in 70 minutes the ball was crossed into the box and when the keeper dropped it under pressure which allowed Walker to score although the ball had gone out of play in the build up but this time the linesman didn’t flag. In 72 minutes it was 4-0 when Harper scored under pressure in the box. He then had an easier chance to score for his hattrick but sliced his effort wide. He then had another effort blocked before shooting wide before being replaced by the 5^th sub, Stan legend Kevin Carr in 74 minutes. The home side got a consolation goal in 80 minutes when they got a surprise penalty which they converted. In 82 minutes, good work by Carr saw him supply Uweru but his shot was easily blocked by the keeper. Walker then shot over when he should have passed to Carr. The Stan kept attacking with Carr supplying Dannatt whose shot was blocked. Although the Stan found their scoring boots in the 2^nd half, and still dominated the play, Chemfica did get more into the match but without really threatening the visitors. The Stan though were worthy winners and should have won by a far greater margin. Although they have only played one match, they sit 3^rd in their group of 7 teams.

Stan: Ripken; Doyle; Forster; Anjos; Harris; Riley; Bruce; Poole; Jones; Harper; Munir. Subs (all used): Walker; Da Costa; Dannatt; Uweru; Carr.

Kevin Mochrie

Cramlington United 0-0 Heaton Stannington A
(Cramlington win 10-9 on penalties)

Northumberland Minor Cup 3rd Round, Saturday 3 April 2021

The Stan reserves were in county cup action against Cramlington United who play 2 divisions above them in Northern Alliance Division 1 and who had in their team Northern League players including the Stan’s David Mason and Benfield’s Jake Turnbull. As the Stan first team will not be playing again until the 21-22 season, due to covid this was the first Stan match of 2021 and the reserves 10^th competitive match of the season.

 

A sunny Easter Saturday afternoon at Northburn saw the home side start on the attack but Ripken and his defence dealt with them well. After 5 minutes, Poole’s 30 yard free kick was dropped by the home keeper and he just managed to stop it going onto his own net. Cramlington had a similar free kick 3 minutes later which Ripken caught. The Stan were putting the pressure on now and should have had a penalty, but it was the home side who had 2 free kicks after 12 minutes with one cleared and one going over. 3 minutes after that a long range effort beat Ripken but went just wide. The Stan were pressurising again and Mason went off injured for the home team after 20 minutes. The Stan had 2 corners, the first resulting in a great shot by Harris that was saved. Cramlington countered but were blocked by good defending. In 30 minutes, just after a Stan player was held back in the home box, a longball to Harper saw the home keeper get to it just before him. The ball came back in and Bruce shot just wide under pressure when he should have scored. The Stan pressure continued, including good work by Bruce, although it was Cramlington who came closest with a long shot in 36 minutes. It was back to the Stan again although the final ball was letting them down. The Stan deserved to be in the lead at half time but it remained 0-0.

 

The 2^nd half started with Stan pressure although Cramlington should have shot and scored in 50 minutes when Ripken got down and used his feet to block a forward for a corner from which the home side shot over. 4 minutes later and Ripken came out to block again. Both teams were trying to get forward and Turnbull had his 1^st run of the match in 58 minutes but was eventually blocked by the Stan defence. In 61 minutes, a long ball was sent to Jones but the home keeper just got to it 1^st. Harper was then blocked followed by Bruce being brought down 35 yards out. The resulting free kick from Poole went over. Munir and Foster then joined the action with the former especially working hard to get the ball forward. In 66 minutes, Turnbull advanced down the right wing and crossed the ball to an advancing team mate who sliced his effort over when he should have scored. In 69 minutes Ripken was out of his box to make a great tackle to stop an advancing home player. Doyle, who defended well throughout the match for the Stan, then made a great tackle to stop another attack and started a counter move. Cramlington were now having a period of pressure and had the ball in the net but it was off-side. Turnbull was getting more dangerous but the Stan defence were dealing with him. In 77 minutes, Poole supplied Harper who shot wide when he had the chance to score. Doyle made another great tackle at the other end before the Stan had a shot again through Bruce. In 80 minutes, with 3 defenders behind him, Ripken came out of his box and brought Turnbull down who made the most of it. The keeper was booked but the resulting free kick came to nothing. With 5 minutes to go, the average age of the Stan team dramatically increased when club legend Joe Wear came on and almost immediately made a great tackle. Although Cramlington put the pressure on, the Stan defended well for the last few minutes as well managing 2 efforts through Harper. Although the home side had more of the ball in a slightly quieter 2^nd half, and Turnbull appeared to wake up for the last half hour, the Stan still deserved to win but as it was still goalless at full time, the match went straight to penalties.

 

Both teams scored all of their 5 penalties to send the shoot out into sudden death. Both teams scored again to make it 6-6 before each keeper saved to keep the score at 6-6. The next 3 rounds of penalties were scored by both teams to make the score 9-9. The home side scored their 11th penalty but the Stan’s Munir had his saved to allow Cramlington to narrowly win 10-9 on penalties.

 

Exactly 35 years after the Stan won the Minor Cup, they were very unlucky not to progress and this young team did themselves and the club proud against higher ranked and more experienced opposition. They showed a confidence greater than their years, especially Ripken in goals, and with some more clinical finishing they can go far.

 

Stan: Ripken (Y); Doyle; Dunne; Anjos; Harris (Y); Riley; Walker; Poole; Jones; Harper; Bruce. Subs (all used): Munir; Forster; Wear.

Kevin Mochrie