27/09/2003
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2
IJLW Brazil
Andrew, Bancroft, Churchley, Toms, Davison (Kennedy 60), Hinks (Slack 70), Belcher, McGowan (Toward 70), Haigh, Paterson, Goodliff.
Brazil were confident going into the match, having already beaten Wardley in the John Hampson Memorial Trophy this season. The home side started well and were rewarded in the fifth minute when Paul Belcher chipped the ball over the defence for Les Goodliff. His cross from the left was flicked on by Shaun Haigh and Ewan Paterson, at the back post, calmly controlled the ball on his chest before firing Brazil into an early lead. Brazil were playing the better football and settled into the game well.
The first turning point in the game came as early as the tenth minute. With lots of players jostling for position in the Brazil penalty area, as Wardley took a free kick, Alan Bancroft was dismissed for an alleged head butt and Wardley equalized from the penalty spot. Despite this major setback, Brazil continued to dominate the first half, although they were finding it much harder going. A reshuffled line-up left Goodliff on his own up front, but he was well supported by Paterson.
Brazil were defending well with Steve Toms and Dave Churchley dominant in the air. Gary Davison was getting forward from right back whenever he could and put in two great crosses that only just evaded the incoming forwards. With both sides defending well there were few good goal scoring opportunities until Jon Hinks slipped a delightfully weighted pass through the Wardley defence for Goodliff to run onto. Goodliff made no mistake as he fired the ball into the bottom corner to give the ten men the lead going into the break.
Wardley started better after the interval and started to exploit the gaps in the Brazil line-up. Al Andrew was forced to make a good save, going down to his left, from a free kick right on the edge of the box. However, it was Brazil that scored first again. Belcher’s free kick over the defence was headed home by Goodliff, with Churchley queuing up behind him. Man of the match Goodliff caught up with Paterson as he took his tally to four for the season, all against Wardley.
As the match progressed some of the Brazil players were noticeably tiring, which was understandable given the early red card. Wardley capitalised on this and scored a couple of goals to bring the scores level. The introduction of Peter Slack on Brazil’s left wing gave the home side’s attack some renewed impetus. He came extremely close to restoring Brazil’s lead when he cut inside and shot on his right foot. The ball lobbed over the keeper but rebounded off the back post.
Just as it looked as if the match was heading for a draw, Slack put over a great left footed cross which was met by the unmarked Paterson just six yards out at the back post. Caught in two minds, he decided to hit it first time on the volley and made an uncharacteristically poor connection. The ball went back across the face of the goal and Wardley had escaped. With time running out they had one final attack and scored an undeserved winner with the last kick of the match.