Newcastle Benfield (Home): Northern League Division 1: Saturday 10th December 2011

Result: Marske United 2 Newcastle Benfield 1    Scorers: Brunskill, Taylor

Burto made just one change to the team which had beaten Jarrow Roofing last week with Adam Wheatley replacing Jon Burton who dropped to the bench.  As Andy Raw is still around two weeks away from fitness, Anthony Roberts continued at right back. The first chance of the game came after only two minutes. Danny Brunskill was fouled and from Tommy Marron’s free kick, Benn Thompson headed wide.

Benfield’s first chance came after seven minutes when they were awarded a free kick 25 yards out.  The free kick was blocked but the ball fell to Paul Anthony on the edge of the box but he shot wide.

The game continued at a fast pace and moved from end to end with the next chance falling to Marske when Thompson headed on a free kick to Karl Charlton who shot wide from a tight angle.

On 17 minutes, the referee stopped the game to speak at length to the Benfield bench for both their use of foul language and their constant complaining about the referee’s decisions.

Three minutes later Adam Gell won the ball in midfield and played in Brunskill but his shot was well blocked by the Benfield defence, and on 26 minutes, United had their best chance of the half.  Charlton was sent clear on the left hand side and he advanced to the edge of the area and crossed the ball to the six yard box.  Thompson initially missed the ball but did well to regain it, but Benfield keeper Andrew Grainger did superbly to block the shot and turn the ball round the post for a corner.  The corner was delivered to the back post where Thompson did well to head the ball back across the goal to give Brunskill the simple task of nodding the ball home from on the goal line.

Straight from the kick off the visitors nearly equalised but Graeme Willey did brilliantly to tip Michael Chilton’s onto the post and out for a corner.  From the corner the ball fell to Frank Danquah after a mis-control from Kenny Boyle.  However, the shot went high and wide.

Marske doubled their lead on 33 minutes through a superb team goal.  A corner from Charlton was cleared to Marron who played the ball to Roberts who in turn played a superb pass into the right hand channel to Brunskill.  Brunskill then played the ball inside to Mark Taylor who was still up from the corner.  Taylor side stepped a Benfield defender who caught him and it would have been a certain penalty.  But to the defenders credit he stayed on his feet and shot from the edge of the box into the left hand corner to leave Grainger rooted to the spot.

There was high drama on 37 minutes when Charlton went down in the box and the referee pointed straight to the spot.  He was immediately surrounded by Benfield players who “persuaded” the him to speak to his assistant.  This he did, and then proceeded to change his mind and award a free kick right on the edge of the box. Carl Paterson, Benfield’s left back, was booked for his original protests and can count himself very lucky not to have been sent off for foul and abusive language. From the eventual free kick by Charlton, the ball fell to Thompson who played in Brunskill who hooked the ball over the bar.

Half-time:  Marske 2 v 0 Newcastle Benfield

Clearly, whatever the Benfield management team said at half time worked as the Newcastle side came out in the second half as a different team.

They had their first chance of the half after 53 minutes when Adam Scope shot wide from the edge of the box.  A minute later however, Scope made no mistake when a mis-hit cross from Danquah fell to him on the left hand edge of the box and he finished clinically in the bottom left hand corner.

Scope nearly equalised on 60 minutes when his shot was deflected onto the bar. At this point it was all Benfield and Marske were struggling to get out of their own half.

After 69 minutes, Willey flapped at a cross but the Benfield players shot was brilliantly cleared off the line by Adam Gell.

With 15 minutes to go, a Benfield free kick was headed backwards by Gell and Willey was forced to tip the ball over the bar.  From the ensuing corner Willey was called into action again as he tipped over a shot from Danquah.

With 10 minutes to go, Benfield were lucky to keep 11 players on the pitch when captain Kevin Leighton, who had already been booked, fouled Derek Bradley, but the referee chose to only warn him.

Shortly afterwards, Willey made a world class save as he turned a shot from Lewis Teasdale over the bar which looked all over a goal.

Benfield continued to dominate but Marske’s defence held strong.  Willey punched a ball clear but the Benfield player shot over the bar.

On 90 minutes, a long throw from Benfield was deflected wide for a corner and into injury time Willey saved again, this time from Scope.

The final whistle brought massive relief for the Marske faithful after a second half that Benfield dominated.

Full-time:  Marske 2 v 1 Newcastle Benfield

Marske’s first half performance was arguably the best of the season with the midfield four of Charlton, Bradley, Gell and Marron completely dominating Benfield. In particular Bradley had an excellent first half.

The second half was a completely different story as it was backs to the wall stuff and Marske were forced to defend throughout the half.  Despite conceding early in the half, they held firm with the help of some outstanding defending especially from centre backs Taylor and Leon Carling, and some amazing goalkeeping from Willey, including the save of the season so far.

Teams:

Marske United:  Willey, Roberts, Wheatley, Marron, Carling, Taylor, Bradley, Gell, Brunskill (J.Burton), Thompson, Charlton (McGill).

Not Used:  Ormerod, Jones.

Newcastle Benfield:  Grainger, Turnbull, Paterson, Antony, Leighton, Boyle (Burnell), Scope, McAvoy (Berj), Teasdale, Chilton, Danquah.

Not Used:  Lartey, Wilary, Peareth.

Match Sponsors M/O/M:  Mark Taylor