New Marske 4 - Billingham Wanderers 3
The game against Wanderers started on a bitterly cold and windy day, at last November weather seemed to have arrived.
The first attack of note came from Wanderers who pushed down the left before winning a corner. The corner came in but wasn't dealt with very confidently, however it was eventually cleared up to Frank who raced forward winning a corner for us. The wind didn't help as the resultant corner came in and went out before any player got on the end of it.
The first goal wasn't long in coming as frank after coming close just before got away and put the ball into the net. 1-0 to New Marske. Shortly after the Wanderers number 3 managed to talk himself into a booking, after being spoken to by the ref early on. Once the game restarted Wanderers came close, when Liam couldn't get the ball clear and ended up having it taken of him. Wanderers raced away and before the player with the ball could be closed down, he hit his shot goalward, but luckily for us he shanked it well wide.
On 20 minutes we had a shock in store when Wanderers equalised after we lost the ball in midfield. The ball was played forward and a looping shot over Dean ended up in the net, making the score 1-1. Wanderers were looking more confident in their play as we struggled to play against the wind in the first half.
As the half went on the weather wasn't improving as it started to cause havoc with the game. What we needed to do was to get the ball down on the ground and play football, but too many balls were being hit into the air. We finally did get the ball down, and Matty hit a lovely ball forward for Frank who got into the box and was tripped by a defender. He managed to carry on past the keeper before falling over, as the referee blew for the first foul and awarding us a penalty. Frank got up to take it but somehow screwed the ball horribly wide of the post, which left the score at 1-1.
Seconds later we nearly went ahead again when Joe broke free and hit his shot straight at the keeper. The miserable conditions certainly weren't helping play, and another corner for us once again went in and out before finding any player. A nice ball in by Matty to Joe nearly worked an opening but the keeper managed to clear it. Frank broke away again but his first time shot went well wide of the goal.
Frank nearly rounded the keeper, but instead Wanderers broke away, winning a free kick about 7 yards outside the box when David brought the attacker down, in a very dangerous position. Wanderers didn't make the most of it, when the free kick was hit straight into Deans arms for a comfortable save.
Half-time: New Marske 1 - Billingham Wanderers 1
After battling against the wind in the first half, we were hopeful of mounting some real pressure onto Wanderers in the second half, but as is the nature of football things didn't go quite to plan.
Obviously the half time team talk involved keeping the ball down in the second half as this was the way we started the second half. And it paid dividends when four minutes into the second half we went 2-1 into the lead. Matty looked like he'd held onto the ball too long, but managed to slot a lovely ball through for Frank to run onto, before putting the ball into the back of the net. 2-1 to New Marske.
We were pushing on looking for another goal, but were stopped by the ref's whistle as we were pulled up for offside. Wanderers were starting to play further upfield as they hoped for a goal to get back into the game, allowing Frank and Joe room to hopefully run into. However we were starting to struggle to pass the ball as the wind continued to blow.
A foul by Greg just inside our half saw Wanderers quickly move the free kick wide left where Andy came flying in to clatter a Wanderers player just outside the box. The free kick although in a dangerous spot was struck well wide of the goal. We should have gone 3-1 up when Frank raced away on the left and drove into the box. The Wanderers defender unsuccessfully tried to bring him down, before hitting his shot wide off the keeper but also wide of the post.
Conor and Hubby were withdrawn from the game as Danny and Josh came on to replace them. We came close again when great work by Joe saw him get the ball to Josh who fed in Frank, whose shot went wide of the goal. A good move that deserved a goal. An even better chance followed when Jack won the ball on the half way line before hitting a superb ball to Joe. His control was good but unfortunately his shot wasn't as it went tamely into the keepers arms.
We were certainly making plenty of chances, but the final finish was just lacking. Wanderers did have a break away but good pressure by the defence saw the ball fall to Dean. A free kick was awarded to us about five yards from the goal line outside the box on the left saw Danny line up the free kick. Before he could take it however, the referee called Jack and a Wanderers player over after 'a bit of manouvering' in the penalty area. The final outcome was a talking to for Jack and another booking for the Wanderers player. The free kick was finally taken heading toward Jack, who scooped it goalward and onto the bar.
Despite all our chances we couldn't get the goal to give us more breathing space, but would we regret the missed chances? Well the simple answer was yes. Shortly after a free kick came into and found a Wanderers player outside the box. David didn't close him down as he hit the ball high toward Dean and into the net. 2-2.
David was the saviour soon after when a ball was hit goal-wards past Dean and looked to be creeping in at the far post, until David appeared and cleared the ball away. We were suddenly looking as if we were half asleep, shaken by the goal. We did managed to get our composure back and once again started to get some more pressure around the opposition box. A quick break saw Frank and Joe break free, although they did look well offside to me, as the Wanderers keeper did well to push the final shot around the post for a corner. The corner was knocked out for a second corner, where a much better ball came in, and was flicked toward the back post where Jack hit his shot wide of the goal.
it was turning into a strange old game as we broke away again from what looked like an off side position. Frank got into the box and was clattered by a Wanderers defender. What looked like an obvious penalty was waved away by the ref, much to the relief I assume of the Wanderers defence and management.
Although we had had more than enough chances to have made the game safe inexplicably we went behind. An attack down the right saw the ball whipped across the box toward and a high looping shot looked to have been well saved by Dean, but instead the ball fell agonisingly under the bar to make the score 2-3 to Wanderers.
With about 7 minutes to go it looked like we had blew our chance, but strange as the game was we were soon level again. Frank broke away and his shot was parried back out to Danny whose first time shot hit the back of the net as we all gave a sigh of relief. the score was now 3-3. The game was becoming more physical as both sides strove to get the next goal in the game. It was end to end but both attacks were flagged for off side.
We weren't left to rue all the missed chances as Frank broke clear again and picked Joe out with a lovely ball, and his first time shot nestled into the back of the net to finally break the Wanderers hearts. There was one last chance in the game when a free kick was awarded to Wanderers 10 yards outside our box. The free kick was lined up by a Wanderers player who looked like he might have a powerful shot on him, but he didn't quite time it as it crashed into the defensive wall and was cleared. Seconds later the final whistle sounded to bring to and end a strange old game.
Final Score: New Marske 4 - Billingham Wanderers 3
MOTM:- : Frank Duke
Other images from the game...
