North on Mersey mission
COUNTY’S BOYS WIN TITLE - BUT GIRLS DEFEATED
NORTHUMBERLAND’S Under-18 Boys secured silverware in the last match of the season with a 2-1 victory over Merseyside in the Northern Counties Championship Finals.
However, there was disappointment for the county’s under-16 girls as they lost their Northern Counties decider to Lancashire 2-0.
Ashington CFC agreed to host the boys’ final against Merseyside, who had knocked North out of the national ESFA Trophy earlier in the season.
This time North made a dream start in their first attack as a cross from Mark Jacques (Monkseaton) deceived the Merseyside goalkeeper, who could only tip it on to the bar.
Connor Walker (Monkseaton) was on hand to score from close range.
North were in control and a spell of interpassing led to a powerful shot from Walker going narrowly wide.
Merseyside gradually came into the game and slack defending offered a chance to their ever-dangerous centre-forward Kielty, who made the score 1-1.
A free-kick for the visitors from distance then went narrowly wide.
Kielty escaped again and crossed for a point-blank header which was saved by North goalkeeper Will Hogarth (Ponteland), who recovered to deflect the shot on the rebound over the bar.
This proved to be a pivotal moment in the match - because a minute later Merseyside lost possession in their own half.
That allowed Jake Jensen (Monkseaton) to thread a pass through to Jack Butler (KEVI Morpeth), who advanced into the penalty area and, under heavy pressure from a defender, kept his composure to clip the ball past the oncoming goalkeeper and into the net.
The second half offered opportunities to both teams and Hogarth did well to palm a deep cross out for a corner, while at the other end a long ball was headed down by Jake Cairns (Monkseaton) for Jamie Beckwith (Ponteland) to volley over the top.
A cross then gave Vinnie Proudlock (QEHS Hexham) a half chance but the awkward bounce forced a miscue, while Merseyside retaliated when two North defenders failed to intercept the ball - allowing Fitzgerald to strike a fierce shot from the left which was heading for the top corner until Hogarth produced another top-class save.
North’s girls travelled to Leyland to meet a very strong Lancashire side which had inflicted their only previous defeat of the season in the national ESFA Trophy semi-final.
Lancashire opened the scoring through Mary Collier, who cut in the from the left and slotted the ball inside the far post.
With 15 minutes remaining, Jayden Maxwell (Benfield) almost broke through - only to be crowded out.
A well-struck shot from 25 yards then tested the Lancashire goalkeeper again.
Wth two minutes left, a clash of heads led to North’s Grace Ayre needing lengthy treatment before being helped from the field.
After that period of disruption, the North defence finally succumbed again in injury time, Kadie Morrison scrambling home at the far post to make the final score 2-0.