After defeat in the Durham Trophy last week, United had another chance at a cup run, this time against West Auckland FC Reserves in the Monkwearmouth Charity Cup. After a full week without a match, the gym and the pitch both became home for the week, as various knocks were given time to rest, and on-pitch chemistry was given time to consolidate.
Off-pitch chemistry was also strengthened by a club golf day, as 16 of the squad took on the toughest that Roseberry Grange Community Golf Club had to offer. Despite the intention of a calm day out, the inability of the majority of the boys to control their slice meant that nobody was safe.
There were five changes from the team that played the week before: Oscar Cooke, Ossie O’Neill, Fred Walton, and Adam Browne all came into the starting line-up; whilst Ben Crew was awarded his debut for the club.
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With three minutes to go until kick-off, there was absolutely no indication that a football match was about to kick-off, which has been a bit of a theme so far this year. Anyone who walked in at that moment might have been fairly confused why 20 people were sat in a stand watching an empty field.
The players did finally emerge and, for our patience in the crowd, we were treated to both teams lining up in front of us before an concert of various handshaking sounds took place. All we were missing for a goosebumps moment was a cup anthem, but it might be a few years yet before this is commonplace at Durham United games.
United started very brightly, and it only took them six minutes to take the lead; Ellis Challinor pulled some quick footwork out from the back of his locker and crossed it all the way to the back post, where Ben Crew took one touch to steady himself, and one touch to get his Durham United career off to a dream start.
Three minutes later and United made it two. Adam Brown found Fred Walton on the edge of the box and, as he shaped to shoot, he instead played a reverse pass into Phil Kay. From the stands, I didn’t see that pass coming as I started to track an imaginary ball going towards the goal. Luckily, Phil did and he calmly slid it past the goalkeeper.
Phil was back in the action when he pulled off a lovely piece of skill - a drag back behind the legs - which found Walton in the box, but he was unable to convert. At half-time, Fred revealed his reason for missing the shot was that he was “bamboozled by Phil’s flicks.”
With United on top, West Auckland FC Reserves let their frustration show in the form of a horrible tackle. Oscar Cooke, on his first start for the side, was running down the wing when the opposition man jumped into a studs-up tackle just above Cooke’s ankle.
Lucky to get away with just a nasty ankle sprain, he was helped into the changing room and his day was done. I’m not sure that “Sorry, I didn’t mean to” offered much consolation.
I missed the rest of the half as I went to various parts of the sports centre to gather medical supplies, but I was promptly informed that Ben Crew had extended United’s lead to 3-0.
HALF-TIME: DURHAM UNITED 3-0 WEST AUCKLAND FC RESERVES
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For the same reason, I also missed the first five minutes of the second half which, not only resulted in me missing another goal, but specifically another Ben Crew goal.
But, having watched the footage back, it’s a shame that I did miss it. Jonah Blake hit a clearance high into the sky, and Phil Kay taunted all grassroots footballers by plucking it out of the air with remarkable ease.
He then slid in Walton down the right-hand side, who squared it to Crew at the back post for a simple tap-in.
More remarkable than that, however, is that I did see another Ben Cew goal just a minute later. An Ellis Challinor long throw was launched into the middle of the six-yard box, where Crew was positioned to steer in a header to the far post.
They say that you are most vulnerable when you’ve just conceded and, United proved this to be true on this occasion. Perhaps lacking in concentration - or perhaps still in shock that Crew scored four on debut in 55 minutes - United switched off defensively and were hit on the counter attack.
The West Auckland right-black played a defence splitting pass that wove its way between two defenders, before falling at the feet of the striker. Whilst Patrick Dixon made a fanstasatic save to keep out the first effort, he could do nothing about the follow-up.
Crew and Challinor were involved yet again for the 5th goal, as United were awarded a free-kick following a rash tackle on Phil Kay. Crew’s delivery was deep and Challinor did superbly well to not only keep the ball in play, but knock it into the danger area. Morgan Lant was there to finish the scraps as he scored his “one for the season”.
Walton, after some bright touches in the first half, continued to cause chaos down the right hand-side as he repeatedly drove in behind the defence. Eventually one of these runs made it into the box, where he was shouldered to the ground by a defender who was, by the judgement of the referee, not playing the ball.
Walton took on the responsibility of the spot kick himself and, if you thought Lant was an unlikely source, well, hold your breathe because, now Fred was on the scoresheet.
Ben Pearson, making his first appearance of the season, was introduced off the bench in the latter stages of the game, and wasted no time.
He caused an initial scare - after only one minute on the pitch - when he went through one-on-one, but the goalkeeper made a smart save to deny him. Anyway, that scare pales in comparison to the one I had that morning, when I opened the door to leave the house and found the postwoman standing on the doorstep.
Pearson made no mistake when he got his second opportunity following a lovely passing move. Lant weighted a ball over the top perfectly for Phil Kay to run onto and then the striker delivered into the box first time. Pearson took it on his chest, turned smartly and, after a good bit of pinball, popped it in the net.
So, after a difficult day out last week, United were back to winning ways. A heavily rotated squad shows that the quality in this United side goes deep and competition for shirts will be strong throughout the season.
Phil Kay finally got his first goal for the season and, having previously shown to be more than capable in every other part of his game, is set for a strong season. Ben Crew, after a brilliant week of training, could not have asked for a better start to his season and, with plenty more football to play, I’d suggest there’s much more where that came from.
FULL TIME: DURHAM UNITED 8-1 WEST AUCKLAND RESERVES
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Player of the Match: Ben Crew
Line-Up: Patrick Dixon; Oscar Cooke; Ossie O’Neill; Morgan Lant; Chris Wild; Ellis Challinor; Fred Walton; Alex Dinan; Phil Kay; Adam Browne; Ben Crew
Substitutes: Marko Porozovs; Jonah Blake (25’); Ben Pearson(75’; Goal 80’); Jamie Shaw (70’); Charlie Bramwell (55’)
Written by George Gompertz
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