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MATCH REPORT:
Newcastle Benfield (Away): FA Vase, 14th November
2009.
F/T 1-2 (W)
Scorers: Thompson, Brunskill
The management were
going to opt for a brave 3-4-3 formation against
the Northern League champions, but Rob Jones’
late arrival to the match meant they had to
change their plans.
Instead they stuck
with playing 4-4-2. Owen Dixon replaced the
unavailable Glenn Wesson on the right of
midfield, and Micky Waller returned to the club
to fill in for the cup tied Richie Ward in
defence.
The game started on
an even keel and it was Marske who created the
first chance after seven minutes. Danny
Brunskill showed great strength to win the ball
and send Owen Dixon away down the right.
Dixon’s low cross into the box was cut out by
home keeper Andy Grainger.
A minute later
Benfield broke to win a corner, but Kevin
Leighton couldn’t put his free header on target.
Our vastly
experienced, yet somewhat slow defence were
totally outpaced on nine minutes, but Stephen
Young shot over from 20 yards.
We had a great move
forward on the break after 14 minutes as Benn
Thompson headed Brunskill’s high ball over the
top on for Dixon to chase down the right. The
young winger got forward and put in a decent
cross that Thompson was just beaten to by the
last defender.
A route one ball
caught us napping on 17 minutes as Mark Taylor
missed the initial header to clear and Young got
behind Anthony Roberts to cross. Stewart Morris
beat Stuart Jackson to the ball and his
deflected shot found its way past Brendan
Ledgeway into the back of the net.
The home side were
first to everything for the next 20 minutes or
so, and young Josh Myers picked up his sixth
booking of the season for a crunching tackle on
Leighton after 31 minutes.
Despite a lot of
possession, Benfield failed to create much in
the final third, and Marske managed to equalise
on 36 minutes. Micky Waller took a throw in
down the line to Brunskill’s feet, and the big
striker turned his marker before crossing to
Thompson who powered a header past Grainger from
ten yards out.
We had a good spell
following our goal and came close to taking the
lead soon after. Myers combined with Dixon to
get away down the right flank and into the box,
but he failed to pick out a yellow shirt with
plenty of bodies forward.
Dean Nicholson
failed to trouble Ledgeway with a shot late in
the half following a good build up.
Half-time:
Newcastle Benfield 1v1 Marske United
We made a much
better start to the second half. Dixon won a
free kick on the right after 50 minutes and
Brunskill’s ball into the box was headed
goalwards by Thompson. Jackson casually got on
the end of it but volleyed across the face of
goal.
In their first
venture forward, Jackson’s attempted clearance
was blocked by Michael Chilton but rebounded
wide of goal, and a minute later Nicholson sent
a teasing cross across the face of goal.
Brunskill hit the
side netting after getting on the end of a
Thompson flick on, then a minute later Dixon
danced past two defenders before getting brought
down by the last man. The referee only gave a
caution to the relieved looking defender.
Marske were
beginning to take control, and Thompson hit the
top of the bar on 63 minutes with a header after
Dixon’s long corner was headed back across by
Jackson.
Benfield made a
couple of early substitutions and Lewis Tait was
given an early yellow card following a high
challenge with Dom Gamble.
The home side were
now camped in their own half, and having to
resort to playing a long ball game that Taylor
and Roberts were easily coping with.
Andy Swalwell put
in a fantastic teasing free kick on 75 minutes
that was headed behind for a corner.
Benfield made their
final substitution on 80 minutes as Andy Dugdale
replaced Shaun Bell, not before having a bit of
banter with the noisy Marske support.
A quickly taken
free kick into the feet of Brunskill on 82
minutes saw the forward get to the byline but
his cross failed to find anyone.
Benfield were
rattled, and the Marske United faithful could
smell a victory.
The winning goal
duly came on 84 minutes following another
quickly taken free kick from Swalwell to
Brunskill. This time he turned his marker and
coolly found the back of the net with a low
drive.
Andy Raw
immediately replaced Waller to add some fresh
legs, as unsurprisingly Newcastle Benfield tried
to throw everything at us for the final five
minutes.
Ledgeway blocked a
free kick from Chilton on 86 minutes and had to
follow it up with a brave save at the feet of
Nicholson after the winger was first to the
rebound.
With so many
players forward, Myers found himself in space on
the half way line and started a long lone run
forward, but Grainger got out well to smother.
Rob Jones and Derek
Bradley came on for the final couple of minutes,
and when the final whistle finally blew, the
deserved celebrations commenced.
Full-time:
Newcastle Benfield 1v2 Marske United
Another fine
performance and another fantastic victory in
which the 12th man played a big part.
From back to front,
the players were fantastic and looked more like
the reigning Northern League champions than the
home side did.
Teams:
Newcastle
Benfield: Grainger,
Lumsden (Tait), Freyne, Buzzeo, Leighton, Carr,
Morris (Scope), Bell (Dugdale), Young, Chilton,
Nicholson.
Not Used:
Henderson, Antony.
Marske
United: Ledgeway,
Waller (A.Raw), Jackson, Swalwell, Roberts,
Taylor, Dixon (Bradley), Myers, Brunskill,
Thompson (Jones), Gamble. Not Used:
Helm, Kasonali.
Attendance:
99
Referee:
G.Liddle (Darlington)
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