Competition: Northern Football Alliance Premier Division

AFC Dudley vs Heaton Stannington A

The lads kept their winning run going with a comfortable 6-1 win at bottom of the table AFC Dudley (formerly Bedlington Terriers). Played on a pudding of a pitch that was only playable after standing water had been brushed off it ahead of kick off, the lads settled the better and took an early lead from a set piece header, but then the pitch had its say and with the result that we were down to ten men with over 80 minutes still to play. After a period of adjusting to the man disadvantage, we settled again and started to play our football, and with numerous chances going begging as a result of a mixture of the pitch, being too unselfish or good goalkeeping from a familiar face, Willis Black, who had started the season with us. A second goal duly came and was quickly followed by a third as we approached half-time. It was more of the same in the second half as the whole squad got valuable minutes and legs were rested ahead of tougher games to come, and with the only blot on the copybook being the concession of a sloppy last minute penalty after a rare lapse in concentration. Still, three more points on the board and with the results of other teams in and around us going our way, a strong finish to our first season in the Northern Alliance Premier Division is in our hands.

Russell Ward

1 vs 6

Heaton Stannington A vs Hebburn Town Reserves

Following an unwelcome week off after our tremendous win at North Shields Athletic two weeks ago, we travelled to Bullocksteads Leisure Centre to navigate our way around this awful weather and get our home game against Hebburn Town Reserves played whilst we have some forward momentum. Having won 3-0 away at our opponents back in August, expectations were high, but so were the opposition’s desire for revenue. Setting up to contain in a defensive 5-4-1 formation, we initially struggled and our impatience in possession saw us give more half-chances on the break to our opponents than we created in the first half. After Ross Gilchrist saw an Olimpico cleared off the line, we began to ramp up the pressure as the first half went on and that culminated with a deep cross from Callum Doyle beyond the back post fizzed past across goal by Ross Gilchrist and when that proved too hot to handle for the keeper, James was the fastest to react and slot the ball home. That settled us, and from then on, we were on top until half time and for most of the second half after weathering an initial storm. As the space opened up, our strength in depth from the bench told, and after we took control of the midfield of the park, Charlie Digby’s perfectly executed whipped cross was expertly finished on the run by Harry Jones at the near post for only his second goal of the season. James Harper and Harry Poole both almost added another that would not have been undeserved in tricky windy and wet conditions, but a third win in the league in a row and another clean sheet sees us move to continue in the right direction and back up to fourth.

Russell Ward

2 vs 0

AFC Dudley

Barney Podbury

North Shields Athletic vs Heaton Stannington A

After scraping a 2-2 draw at home against them early in the season that we didn’t deserve, and then edging a five-goal thriller at their place in the Benevolent Bowl in November, we knew we were in a very tough game at North Shields, and especially with a few regulars missing. However, the lads saved one of their best performances of the season so far for the very cold and blowy conditions that presented themselves on the small 4G pitch at John Spence School.

A slow start saw us fall behind early as North Shields’ left winger reacted quickest to a second ball on a corner, but we gradually grew into the game as our midfield got on top and our front three started to cause them problems. It was therefore no surprise when Harry Poole tapped home a rebound in the 30^th minute, after a slick five man move following a turnover in midfield culminated with Dean Cochrane’s thumping header coming back off the bar from a teasing Tom Robson’s cross. In what was an end to end game, we continued to create decent chances and we eventually got our noses in front in the 63^rd minute when Harry Poole seized upon hesitation from the North Shields’ centre half, raced clear on goal and lobbed the ball coolly over the advancing North Shields’ keeper. With our tails up, we pressed home our advantage by quickly adding a third when Tom Robson planted the ball beyond the North Shields’ keeper from a Harry Poole through ball. Whilst North Shields continue to throw everything at us, their keeper’s day only got worse as he got sent off for a moment on madness when he raised his hands trying to recover a ball following an offside decision. Even then, we made things hard for ourselves by conceding a second goal from a set piece late in the game and there was still time for a dubious penalty call to go our way and Zamo to be called upon to make some more big saves. However, we held out for a huge win against the form team in the table who had climbed to second by the time that the game kicked off, and with every one of the lads outstanding and it not really being fair to single any one of them out.

Russell Ward

2 vs 3