With both sides locked together in the league, and fresh off the back after penalty shootout heartbreak last weekend, we were looking for revenge as we played host to a strong Haltwhistle Jubilee side that we had beaten us 3-1 at their place a few days before Christmas. Unfortunately however, the result didn’t reflect the performance as a combination of missed chances, superb goalkeeping from the opposition shot-stopper and some basic defensive errors saw us end up on the wrong side of a 4-2 reverse. This was in spite of the fact that we had the better of the first 44 minutes, only for a lapse in concentration just before half-time see a catalogue of errors culminate in an own goal. Despite suffering that setback, the second half quickly followed the same pattern as we were denied by the woodwork, then by the opposition keeper and finally by some wayward finishing before we were caught on a counter and found ourselves down by 2-0. A third and then a fourth soon followed in a crazy period where our senses deserted us, and at which point subs were introduced and the boys gathered themselves before rallying. Harper swiftly slotted a penalty into the top corner after Charlie Nagel had been brought down and that same combination was then twice denied in a matter of minutes as chance after chance came and went. Charlie Nagel eventually netted the goal his performance deserved from a Zac Evans corner, but it ultimately provided only to be a consolation, and especially where a third goal in injury time was controversially ruled out. Lessons learned for the players and the management team, but a performance nonetheless to be proud of. We go again on Wednesday.

Russell Ward

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