New Marske 1 - Thornaby-on-Tees 1
After the excellent away win last week against Billingham Wanderers, we were looking to keep the impetus going with a home game against Thornaby-on-Tees on a very cold Sunday afternoon.
Straight from the off we put Thornaby under pressure with some nice brisk passing, but the first chance at goal fell to Thornaby as they were awarded a free kick outside our box. The shot came in but was well wide of Dean's goal. A second free kick followed shortly after, just inside our half from a foul by Danny. The ball was put into our box and proceeded to bounce around as we struggled to clear it.
Our first shot came as Johnny played the ball forward to Ryan. He laid the ball back for Danny who hit a weak shot goalward. Good work by Frank, battling for the ball was eventually cleared, sending a Thornaby player clear on their right. His shot beat Dean and looked to be going in, until Jack appeared and cleared the ball off the line. David crunched into a challenge on a Thornaby player as he tried to clear the ball, and it was clear that we were up for this game.
Albert Steptoe (on the right) watches on as both sides try to win the header
Disaster struck after 7 mins. Thornaby broke clear on the left after Joe dived in for a challenge but failed to make it. Finding himself in space the attacker took a couple of strides and thumped the ball wide of Dean onto the post and into the net. 0-1 to Thornaby. The lad who scored the goal was finding a bit of space as he waltzed around challenges and was looking a threat. Could we turn the game around?
A free kick to us on the left, just outside the box was taken by Jack. With the wall looking quite a bit closer than 10 yards, he crossed the ball towards the back post, intended for Joe. Unfortunately the ball sailed well over his head and out of play. We came close shortly after when a cross came in and Frank and the Thornaby keeper bravely challenged for the ball. Frank took a knock as the ball fell to Ryan, but his goal-bound shot was saved by the keeper.
Johnny was having a fine game as he broke away with the ball as Thornaby failed to make the most of another free kick. He weaved his way down the pitch ending with a cross into the box for Greg, whose shot went well wide.Another great run by Johnny saw him put a beautiful ball onto the head of Ryan. His header looked in all the way until the very impressive Thornaby keeper tipped it away for a corner. Amazingly the referee gave a goal kick!
We were starting to push on more as Ryan crossed a ball in that frank just failed to get on the end of. We were playing some brilliant football as we mounted more and more pressure, with Johnny torturing the Thornaby defence down the left. Thornaby managed to relieve the pressure as they broke away down the left. the attacker knocked the ball past Dougy and crossed it into the box. Jack stretching, managed to get a foot to the ball, but it spun up horribly towards goal, with Dean wrongfooted by the deflection. Luckily for us the ball went over the bar rather than under it. The corner came in, but beat everybody as it went out on the opposite side of the pitch for a throw-in.
Great attacking header to get the ball clear
Once more we got ito the Thornaby half, and a header by Frank sent Ryan clear. He looked in plenty of space, but he rushed his shot and it bobbled towards the keepers waiting arms. He obviously hadn't realised just how much time he had. Another free kick was awarded to us, fairly central just outside the box. Johnny took it, but it was a very poor free-kick, straight at the nearest defender who simply headed it away.
Thornaby looked like they were through again as Joe dawdled on the ball and had it taken off him. The Thornaby player hit it forwards to two players free, but Jack on seeing Joe lose the ball, raced towards the man, catching the two free players off-side. A quick break by us from the free kick saw Greg flick the ball over a defender, to set Johnny clear. He raced away and put another great cross in, this time seeing it cleared off the back of a Thornaby defender for a corner. Ryan's dangerous corner looked as if it was put into the Thornaby net by a Thornaby player, but luckily for Thornaby it went narrowly wide of the post for another corner. This corner was hit to the back post where Jack saw his header go narrowly wide of the post.
We were exerting some great pressure, but Thornaby had somehow managed to withstand it. From a Thornaby goal kick, Ryan picked the ball up and played what looked to be a lovely ball into Frank. It didn't fall quite right as he mis-controlled it as the chance passed. Thornaby broke clear down the right this time as David had the ball taken off him. The ball came in and after a couple of poor attempted clearances, we finally managed to do it correctly and get it clear.
Thornaby attacked down the left next as a weak challenge by Dougy dodn't halt them, and Joe was forced to head the ball clear for a throw. Shortly after a great ball by Danny found Ryan just outside the box. He was brought down and the referee awarded a free kick. Ryan on the floor, rolled and crawled his way into the box, presumably looking for a penalty but the referee wasn't having any of it! A good try though Ryan. Conor took this free kick, and struck it pretty well low to the keepers left. He held onto it and was challenged by Ryan. The referee blew for a free kick to Thornaby, as the keeper must have had the ball in his hands, before Ryan took it away.
Thornaby pack the box while defending a corner, as the New Marske central defenders fancy a header at goal
Once more we piled forwards and a header this time from Danny once more looked like it was going in, only for it to strike a defender and go out for a corner. From the corner the ball fell to Johnny who struck the ball goalwards, only into the keepers arms again. Thornaby were having to withstand severe pressure as we continued to pound them, and a great ball by Jack set Johnny away again. He found Frank, who slid the ball to Ryan. Ryan beat his man but the ball once more wouldn't go in.
Thornaby got a respite just before half-time as they got the ball forward as the referee brought the first half to a close. Although we were 0-1 down Thornaby had done well to withstand the pounding we gave them for much of the first half. If we continued the second half in the same manner it was surely only a matter of time before we got the goal our play deserved.
Half-time: New Marske 1 - Thornaby-on-Tees 1
The start of the second half saw Dougy be replaced by Andy. Straight from the off in the second half, Danny robbed a Thornaby player of the ball. He ran into the box and struck what looked to be a hard low cross. A Thornaby defender deflected the ball past the keeper and into the net of the post, to make the score 1-1.
New Marske do a good job of holding the wall at bay, but the keeper manages to hold onto the free kick
Danny once again robbed a player on the right and fired his shot wide of the keeper and wide of the goal. The game in the second half was end to end, and dean was called on to make a save and parry the ball wide. Conor picked the ball up and played a great ball out to Johnny, who found Andy running in on goal. His shot didn't find the goal as it went high over the bar.
Another break saw Frank through and round the keeper, or so it appeared, but the keeper got a hand to the ball to deflect the ball out towards Conor, who knocked the ball forward to run onto, when he got wiped out by a Thornaby defender. Thornaby were looking a bit rattled as we continued pushing forward but we still couldn't get the clear cut chance we were looking for. Danny was next to try his luck when he dribbled around four Thornaby players, but the final shot was poor.
A ball over the top once again set Frank away in a race with the keeper. As they met they both launched a foot at the ball and the Thornaby keeper came off worse as he was left holding his ankle. After having treatment the Thornaby keeper was unable to continue as he walked in some pain off the pitch. After having such a good game, we were hoping this could be the turning point of the game. Conor was the first player to try and test the new keeper, but his shot was very weak and didn't cause him any problem.
The Thornaby defence is beaten for pace, but the keeper was on his toes, as he was all game
The wind was really starting to whip up as we pushed Thornaby back. A cross by Danny found Johnny who hit his shot straight into the arms of the Thornaby keeper. The game was flowing from one end to the other and Conor nearly gave Thornaby a chance as he gave the ball away just outside our box. Before Thornaby could take the chance Joe came in with a strong challenge to clear the ball. Cruching challenges from both sides were going in, resulting in Johnny taking a knock. The next Thornaby break looked like they were going to get through until Jack stopped them.
Ryan was next to have a go with a loveley run forward. The problem was, we couldn't find the killer pass around the box, we were playing some really good football to get there though.Ryan again battled brilliantly through three or four challenges to drive us back deep into the Thornaby half. That was Ryans last meaningful action of the game as he was subbed to allow Ben Leaper on.
A free kick to Thornaby was struck towards the back post where an unmarked Thornaby player saw his header go narrowly wide of the goal. Both teams were going for the win in a thoroughly entertaining game. Johnny lost the ball in a dangerous place, but before Thornaby could break an excellent tackle by David sent Johnny away. The keeper came out as Johnny got past him and saw some desperate defending keep the ball out. It was rivetting stuff.
Frank finally got the chance he was waiting for as a ball forward played him in. The keeper came out to close him down, and made a great save when it looked like Frank was going to score. The ball fell to Johnny who put his shot past the post. Shortly after Danny sent Frank away again. Once more the keeper came out to close him down. This time Frank lobbed the ball over him, and agonisingly also inches over the bar.
Bravely putting a head in to clear the ball from danger while defending a corner
Ben looked as if he was through on goal until the referee adjudged him to be offside. We were creating some great chances but could we get one to put us into the lead. The wind was playing havoc as it whipped across the pitch. A great effort by Danny nearly found the back of the net as he put the ball goalwards. The keeper slipped and could only watch as the ball went inches the wrong side of the post.
Another sub was brought on as Matthew replaced Conor, to try and get this elusive goal. A free kick just inside our half saw Joe forced to head the ball clear for a corner to Thornaby. It was cleared and we broke away up the other end of the pitch. Some superb passing created another effort at goal that crashed onto the bar, just before the final whistle was blown, to bring to an end a fantastic game of football.
Final Score: New Marske 1 Thornaby-on-Tees 1
MOTM:- : Johnny Wright