Stokesley Sports Club (Away): Northern League Division 1: Saturday 29th October 2011

Result: Stokesley Sports Club 1 Marske United 3    Scorers: Charlton 2, Thompson

Manager Paul Burton had to make late changes to the submitted team sheet before the game as there were again no-shows from several players.  In the end the team had only two changes from the one that came so close to beating Bishop Auckland a week earlier.  Anthony Ormerod returned in place of Jonathan Burton, whilst Adam Wheatley returned in place of the injured Leon Carling.

Captained by former Boro player Nathan Porritt, the home side also included former Marske United favourite Owen Dixon on the left hand side of their midfield.

Danny Brunskill was first to have a effort at goal but wasted an excellent chance when he fired high over the bar on five minutes following a woeful piece of defending by Danny Jones.

The game settled into a level affair with both sides wasting some decent opportunities.  Dixon blasted high and wide in the middle of a promising move for Stokesley, before Marske squandered a couple of free kicks in decent positions and the Brunskill shot wide with his first touch when in space just outside the box.

The league’s bottom side shocked their hosts when they took the lead on 18 minutes.  Porritt waltzed past the Marske midfield way too easily and slotted through a clever ball to Sangha Indy who slipped the ball beyond Graeme Willey.

The goal acted as a wakeup for Marske who began to take the game to their hosts.  On 24 minutes Adam Gell went close following more panic in the Stokesley defence, but his shot at goal took a deflection and was kept out by Justin Hutchinson’s legs who had already dived in the opposite direction.

Two minutes later Marske were back level following a root one move.  Willey collected a cross into the box from Porritt and quickly launched down field towards Karl Charlton.  The winger showed a couple of excellent touches to bring the ball down and get past his marker before firing past Hutchinson from just outside the area.

Inspired by the goal, Gell twice went close for Marske in the minutes that followed.  First he drilled a low effort narrowly wide from the edge of the box, then soon after forced a good low save out of Hutchinson from even further out.

 Half-time:  Stokesley SC 1v1 Marske United

The second half started as a dull and uninspiring fashion but sprang into life in the 58^th minute as Marske took the lead.

Brunskill and Chris McGill combined wide on the right and McGill’s cross into the box was headed down inside the near post by Charlton.

But Marske’s cause wasn’t helped on 65 minutes with the sending off of defender Lee Donachie.  Intent on making his feelings known to the referee he was given a yellow card for dissent, but stupidly didn’t leave it there and seconds later received a straight red car for foul and abusive language after reacting to a comment from a supporter on the sidelines.

Burto reshuffled immediately, moving Gell to full-back and replacing Charlton with Benn Thompson.

Soon after United made two further changes with Steve Cochrane and Rob Jones both entering the pitch to sure up the midfield.

Marske went close to adding a third goal on 78 minutes as Thompson sent Jones away down the right flank.  He cut the ball back from the byline towards McGill who poked a low effort towards goal from close range, but Hutchinson did well to get down a push the ball wide for a corner.

Marske made the game safe in the dying seconds of the game after soaking up plenty of Stokesley pressure.  All three substitutes combined to create the goal after Steve Cochrane had initially won possession.  He played the ball out wide to Jones who got the better of the left back and centred for Thompson to stab home.

Full-time:  Stokesley SC 1v3 Marske United

The result certainly outweighed the performance as Marske were made to look very ordinary for long periods by a side who are still yet to register a win this season.

Teams:

Stokesley SC:  Hutchinson, Grier, Robinson (Ewruse), Jones, Woodall, Upton (Redman), Foley, Edwards (Butterworth), Indy, Porritt, Dixon. 

Not Used:  Holbrook, Melvin.

Marske United:  Willey, Raw, Wheatley, Ormerod, Donachie, Taylor, Bradley (Cochrane), Gell, Brunskill (Jones), McGill, Charlton (Thompson).  Not Used:  J.Burton, Carling.