08/03/2003
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Andrew, Davison, Churchley, M McClure (Bancroft 75), Kennedy, Paterson
(Slack 65), Toms, Belcher (Woods 65), Haigh, Gavan, Harrison.

This was the replay of the fixture abandoned at 2-2 in November, when Tim Lambert seriously broke his ankle. This game began the way the original did with Saints putting Brazil under some early pressure. Brazil, playing with a high defensive line, were happy to allow Saints’ strikers to stray offside almost every time the ball was played over the top. As Brazil’s midfield caught up with the pace of the game, Saints’ creative duo in the middle became a lot less effective and Brazil started to build some attacks of their own. The opening goal was still against the run of play, however. Steve Toms played a one-two with Paul Belcher, who was playing a more defensive role than usual, before pushing a perfectly weighted through ball into the path of Shaun Haigh. Toms ran on for the return pass but Haigh’s pace had taken him clear of the Saints’ full back and he lifted the ball over the advancing keeper from a tight angle to put Brazil ahead.

Saints, who are joint top of the league and seeking promotion, responded
well and forced a couple of saves from Al Andrew. On the one occasion it looked like Andrew was beaten, Gary Davison was on hand to clear off the line. Saints’ strikers, particularly the little number nine, continued to get caught in the offside trap and when they escaped it Dave Churchley had enough pace to clear the danger. Mark Kennedy appeared to be enjoying the extra freedom he found playing at full back and combined well with Haigh down Brazil’s left flank. Brazil were starting to feel like they could contain Saints and could have doubled their advantage. Mark Harrison got clear of the defence but was chopped down from behind just outside the penalty area. Belcher’s free kick was on target but didn’t have the power or direction to beat the keeper. A couple of minutes later, Toms, who had an excellent first half, made a superb run through the defence to get onto a cross field pass but couldn’t control his shot with his left foot and it sailed high over the crossbar.

Saints found their way back into the match 10 minutes before half time. The left winger got behind the defence and pulled a low cross back across the face of the goal. Mike McClure had no choice but to try to intercept it but he ended up toe-poking it into his own goal. A foul on Haigh gave McClure a chance to redeem himself. Belcher dummied to shoot but squared it to McClure but the young Irishman couldn’t keep his first time shot down. The scores were level at the break.

Saints’ half time introduction of their player-manager up front turned the game in their favour. They dominated more than they had in the first half as some of the Brazil players started to tire. Andrew was called on to make a good one-on-one save before Saints did take the lead, 15 minutes into the second half. A good run off the ball and a neat finish by the player-manager put the home side ahead for the first time. Saints expected to run away with game after taking the lead but this didn’t happen. This perhaps shows how
much Brazil have improved as a team over the course of the season. The defence continued to hold out and the introduction of the substitutes helped to add more energy to the midfield. Tom Woods, making his Brazil debut, worked hard in the middle and put himself about. Peter Slack wasn’t involved as much but when he got the ball at his feet he showed some nice tricks go past his opponents. With a quarter of an hour remaining, Saints’ player-manager scored again. He managed to get goal side of the defender at the back post as a deep cross came in from Brazil’s left. The finish was a tidy first time volley.

Alan Bancroft, Brazil’s second debutant of the afternoon, made an explosive start to his Brazil career as he crashed through a Saints player in making a challenge. Having clearly made a connection with the ball, the referee, who was amongst the best Brazil have had this season, did not blow for a foul which enraged both the Saints players and supporters. Brazil were beaten though and Saints pushed forward looking to improve their goal difference. Andrew made a second good one-on-one save, Slack cleared off the line at the back post from a corner and Churchley blocked a volleyed shot from close range. A rare counter attack by Brazil saw Slack run inside Harrison and between the defenders but Harrison’s tired back-heeled pass was behind him and straight to the defender. Saints still wanted more goals and their player-manager, on a hat trick, ran at the Brazil defence turning one way and then the other. Churchley, who was man of the match, kept up with him and never gave him the space he required to get a shot away so when he did shoot Churchley blocked it.

With just two league matches remaining this season Brazil are looking to get
some supporters along to watch, particularly for the away tie against The
Bush Wallsend, on 22nd March.