14/01/2006
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Andrew, Mitchell (Ellis 45), Churchley, Walker, Kennedy, Paterson, McGowan, Freath (Hetherington 70), Haigh, Goodliff (Ho 55), Bull.

Brazil went into their 100^th game since joining the Tyneside Amateur League with a strong, confident squad. There were very few chances early on with Brazil having slightly the better of the opening exchanges. Shaun Haigh’s throw-in was flicked on by Les Goodliff right into the path of Matty Bull. Brazil’s record goalscorer’s first time shot came back off the base of the post, with the goalkeeper nowhere near. Goodliff himself then went close. The big striker picked up the ball inside Gateshead’s half of the pitch and used his strength to fashion a shooting opportunity. The shot was too high to trouble the keeper.

After twice failing to clear the ball, Brazil gifted Gateshead the lead midway through the first half. A second goal followed not long later. Dave Churchley, Brazil’s first player to reach a century of appearances, blocked a shot but no Brazil player reacted to it allowing Gateshead’s winger to run on and score.

Brazil continued to be the better team and had a great chance to get back into the game. Haigh took a long throw into the box. As Mark Kennedy was about to flick it on, he was shoved in the back. Bull stepped up to take the penalty in his new boots. The ball hit the underside of the crossbar and came down onto the goal line. A Gateshead defender got back to the ball first and got it clear. Moments later, Jonny McGowan, who had a good game in midfield, burst into the box and crashed the ball against the bar. So Brazil went into the break with a two goal deficit after having been the better team and hit the woodwork three times.

The second half was a different story. Brazil tired, perhaps due to their lack of match practice with the extended winter break, and Gateshead started to dominate the game. As a corner came in, Al Andrew made a save and Ewan Paterson cleared off the line but still Brazil could not get the ball clear and it ended up in the back of the net. A rash challenge gave Gateshead an easy fourth from the penalty spot before a bizarre mix-up gifted the visitors a fifth. To Brazil’s credit, they still competed and won a few corners as they pushed forward. In the 90^th minute, Bull put in a corner. As Haigh jumped to meet it he was pulled down by his shirt. Bull, the man of the match, made no mistake with his second penalty of the game.

07/01/2006
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Andrew, Hetherington, Churchley, Kennedy, Haigh, Harrison, Paterson, Freath, Ho, Norouzi, Day.

Brazil’s 2006 didn’t get off to the best start as they only just managed to get 11 men to make up a team. After kick-off was delayed as the water was cleared from the goalmouths, the home side took the early initiative. Brazil were put under a lot of pressure playing into the wind and, despite managing to hold off for about 20 minutes, went behind to two goals in quick succession. Just when a third goal would have killed off the game, the hosts had a fantastic chance after Brazil failed to clear the ball from their box. Dave Churchley managed to get his head onto the ball as the shot was fired in but it was still heading goalwards at high velocity. Al Andrew made an incredible reaction save, deflecting the ball onto the crossbar.

Just as Brazil were thinking of changing things round, they started playing well and got themselves back into the game. Lively striker Rob Day played a neat one-two with Mo Norouzi (who shattered Brazil’s record for the oldest player by making his debut as a 37 year old), skipped past the last defender and blasted the ball into the back of the net. Before the half-time interval, Brazil levelled the scores. Mark Harrison was chopped down after launching the ball high into the area. The tackle was so late that the referee didn’t see it but this turned out to be to Brazil’s advantage as a mix up between the centre backs and the goalkeeper allowed the ball to drop to Day. He rounded his man and tucked the ball away with his left foot.

Brazil started the second half as the better side and had several chances to go ahead. Steve Ho hit three shots just wide off the target and Mark Freath’s curling 20 yard effort was well tipped over by the keeper. Day, the man of the match, almost bagged Brazil’s first hat trick of the season when he curled a free kick inches past the post after Freath had been brought down just outside the box.

Waterloo took the lead against the run of play so Brazil pushed more men forward and got a quick equalizer. Freath dribbled into the box and squared the ball into the path of the onrushing Harrison. The lanky striker, stretching, crashed the ball against the underside of the bar and over the line. With Brazil having not played a match for 4 weeks and no substitutes, they unsurprisingly became stretched late on. Two more goals for the home side flattered them and sent Brazil home disappointed.

26/11/2005
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Wilkinson, Hetherington, Churchley, Walker, Haigh, Harrison, Paterson, Freath, Smith, Day, Bull.
Subs not used: McGowan.

With the Wallsend team involved in a crash on their way to Winlaton, the match kicked off 45 minutes late. Although this disrupted Brazil’s preparations, it did give time for Mike Harrison to arrive, after being called up at late notice. Harrison’s first appearance of the season was a good one, especially in the first half. Brazil also debuted a new signing in the form of Craig Hetherington.

Although the visitors had more of the possession in the first half, Brazil had the better chances. Rob Day broke away down the right. His pace took him past the last defender and then the keeper but his shot, from a tight angle, went just wide of the far post. Ewan Paterson sliced the pick of the chances wide (after it bobbled in front of him).

After the break, as the light started to fail, the game opened up a bit with more chances coming at both ends. Disappointingly for Brazil, the game’s only goal came from one of their corners. Matty Bull’s cross into the box was challenged for by Day and Bryan Walker. Whilst either one of them would have scored on their own, between them they only managed to head the ball straight at the goalkeeper. He initiated a quick break down the right flank. The winger carried the ball, unchallenged, for over 50 yards before firing the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Brazil kept competing and had enough chances to get something out of the game. Mark Freath tried to do it on his own as he carried the ball from the edge of his own box to the edge of the other box, going round at least six players en route. He later dedicated the run to the late, great George Best. Paterson had another chance to get on the scoresheet but his recent goalscoring run seems to have come to an abrupt end. The final chance was well set up in the box by Day and Freath who manged to lay the ball off into Bull’s path. Brazil’s top scorer would normally have buried the chance but it hit the bar. One explanation for this is the fact that his right boot was ripped so, in the spare 45 minutes before the game started, he swapped it for one of his manger’s spare boots. Not only was it a size too big but it is also renowned for sending the ball upwards.

Brazil’s defence, Walker and Dave Churchley in particular, should be proud of the fact that Wallsend’s top striker (who had scored 11 in seven prior to this match) failed to score for the first time this season. Lee Wilkinson was unsurprisingly named man of the match after pulling off a fantastic save from a corner in each half.

15/10/2005
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Andrew, Mitchell, Churchley, Walker, Haigh, Paterson, Freath, Honeywood, Ho, Smith.

With one player stranded in Athens and three others dropping out on the morning of the match, Brazil’s squad was depleted to just 10 men. Playing a 4-4-1 formation, Brazil were under pressure right from the start but defended solidly and stoically throughout the team. Unsurprisingly, it was the hosts that took the lead but it was in a somewhat fortunate manner. A shot that hit the post could have gone anywhere but it rebounded straight to West Jesmond’s striker in the crowded penalty area.

Chances were few and far between for the visitors but they did get themselves back into the game before the break. Bryan Walker over hit his attempt to play a 40 yard free kick into the box, so it turned into a shot. The keeper looked to have plucked it from the top corner but, as the players began to turn away, he somehow fumbled it and spilled it at the feet of the alert Ewan Paterson. Brazil’s smallest player levelled the scores just minutes before half time.

A soft goal immediately after the break put West Jesmond back in control and it needed Brazil to be at their most resolute in defence to keep the score down, especially after a heel injury to Mark Freath (not old age) stopped him from being able to run. This included an excellent double block on the line by Paterson.

Paul Smith had worked extremely hard as the lone striker. Some good build up play in the midfield gave Smith a chance but his shot was saved comfortably. With time running out, Brazil could have stolen a point. A counter attack up the left flank set Steve Ho free into the box. His shot was hard and on target but within reach of the large Jesmond goalkeeper.

The final goal wrapped up the victory for the home side. Al Andrew was unlucky as a sharp reaction save rebounded straight to Jesmond’s big Bosnian striker.

Dave Churchley was the man of the match on the weekend after his birthday.

08/10/2005
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Wilkinson, Mitchell, Churchley, Walker, Paterson, Freath, Armstrong, Harrison (Dibb 55), Haigh (Cuggy 75), Goodliff, Bull.

A below-par performance by Brazil saw their unbeaten run come to an end against a team they really should have beaten. A goal in each half was enough for New York who did just enough to win a poor match that was refereed poorly. It wasn’t that Brazil didn’t create chances – they had a lot more efforts at goal than New York did – but every shot was either off target or too close to James Katirai, Brazil’s ex-reserve goalkeeper who joined New York in the summer.

Matty Bull was man of the match.

Other news:
Tom Mitchell’s comedy troupe will be performing in Newcastle soon. Here are the details:
Belly Rub presents ‘You came, then’ at the Establishment, (upstairs in @ Home) 36 Moseley St, Newcastle. 01/11/05. Doors open 8.30pm. Show 9.00pm £4/£3 concessions (NUS card).

Some of Mitchell’s sketches will also be appearing on TV, 03/11/05, midnight, ITV1. The show’s called ‘Shoot the Writers’.