06/05/2006
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Wilkinson, Ellis, Churchley, Walker, Paterson, Creighton, Honeywood, Freath, Haigh, Katirai, Bull.
Subs not used: Sharples, Davison.

With the ground hard and uneven and the grass quite long, conditions were not conducive to a good game of football. The match started quite evenly with neither side finding a way past either defence on the small pitch. Unsurprisingly, it was a mistake that led to the first goal. Surprisingly, it was a mistake by the (otherwise) excellent referee. A shot from well outside the box went wide of the box and straight out of play without anyone getting a touch. The referee must have thought that it had taken a deflection or that Lee Wilkinson had got a hand to it as he gave a corner. A free header put the home side ahead. A few minutes later, the same player scored again from another corner from the same side.

Brazil responded well and created some chances of their own. Matty Bull won the ball off his brother (who was playing in defence for New York), beat the next defender and laid it off to James Katirai. His shot was well struck but blocked. Ewan Paterson gained possession and fed Matthew Creighton on the edge the box. His attempted lob left the New York keeper stranded but the ball came back off the crossbar. A deep corner by Bull was turned back into the danger area by Katirai. Bryan Walker met the ball firmly with his head but couldn’t keep it down.

After the break, Brazil continued to have the better of the game. Bull and Creighton both went close with free kicks before it looked like Shaun Haigh would continue his recent excellent goal scoring form. A superbly timed run beat the offside trap and, with just the keeper to beat, Brazil’s skipper looked odds on to score. Just as he was about to shoot he was carelessly hauled to the ground from behind by a defender. A red card was almost inevitable for the initial offence but it became even more certain after the defender reacted badly to something Katirai said. The New York player raced over to Katirai (his ex-team mate) pushing, hitting and threatening him. Katirai conducted himself superbly and didn’t react at all. Mark Freath and Dave Churchley quickly separated the players before any damage was done. The New York player was dismissed.

Brazil were starting to dominate with their numerical advantage until Bull went over on his ankle and was forced out of the game for a while. This lost Brazil’s momentum and New York grabbed a third on a counter attack. After Bull was back on the field, he nearly scored a late consolation. He got on the end of Wilkinson’s long clearance but saw his first time shot rebound back off the inside of the post.

After the game, New York’s dismissed defender was still looking to start a fight with Katirai (or anyone else that spoke or was even nearby) but Brazil’s players just left him to rant on on his own.

The most exciting Player of the Year race in Brazil’s history edged in Bull’s favour as his man of the match for this game takes him one clear of Churchley and Creighton with just one match left to play.