25/02/2006
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2
IJLW Brazil
Katirai, Mitchell, Churchley, Walker, Haigh, Hetherington (McGurk 55), Creighton, Freath, Harrison, Day, Bull.
For the second week running, Brazil made the perfect start and scored within 10 minutes. Mark Freath’s superb through ball found Rob Day in the box. As he skipped past the defender he was tripped leaving the referee no alternative but to award the visitors a penalty. Matty Bull stepped up and, as usual, the ball hit the back of the net. The lead didn’t last long, however, as the home side were also awarded a penalty. Brazil were playing by far the better football and deservedly regained the lead just before the break. Bull, Brazil’s dead ball expert, swung in lovely free kick from the right, behind the defence but out of reach of the keeper. Brazil had men queuing up to get on the end of it at the back post but, luckily, it was Day that got to it ahead of Mark Harrison. He smashed it into the roof of the net with his left foot.
Early in the second half P&G again levelled the scores and again it was from the penalty spot. This time however it was a much more dubious decision. Brazil responded by bringing on Ste McGurk for his first match since returning to Brazil from New York as Harrison switched flanks. The visitors continued to dominate and soon restored their lead. As a corner was cleared, Dave Churchley chipped the ball back into the box. Bryan Walker flicked it on to Day who finished neatly past the advancing keeper. The result was made safe a few minutes later when Freath (who had a superb game, despite feeling the effects of the common cold) burst forward towards the P&G goal. He negotiated a couple of challenges before being the vicitim of a truly awful late sliding tackle. Luckily for Brazil (and Freath in particular) he got back to his feet relatively unscathed and justice was served when Bull curled the free kick over the goalkeeper for his second goal of the game.
After that the game died out as a contest but Brazil continued to play some lovely football. McGurk beat his man before picking out day with a good low cross. Day, in the right place at the right time again, completed his hat trick (Brazil’s first of the season) with his only left foot. The scoring didn’t finish there. Brazil went on to score a sixth (the second time they’ve scored six at P&G) and record their biggest win of the season. Bull looked like he’d lost the ball but somehow managed to get it back off two defenders and get goalside of them. He resisted the temptation to shoot for his own hat trick and instead unselfishly picked out the unmarked Day who bagged his fourth of the afternoon. This goal was man of the match Day’s 10th for Brazil, meaning that he is only Brazil’s fourth player ever to reach double figures in the four years since the club joined the Tyneside Amateur League.
On the same day, the draw was made for the quarter finals of the North East Amateur Shield. Brazil were handed an away tie at Gateshead Three Tuns.
Other News 1:
It’s now official that Ryton AFC Reserves will never be allowed to play again in the Tyneside Amateur League. The League received a letter from Durham FA confirming that Ryton had no right to appeal against the decision to expel them from the league.
Other News 2:
In June, Brazil’s vice-captain, Bryan Walker’s girlfriend will be running the Race for Life to raise money for Cancer Research UK, as will long-time Brazil fan, Kate Hessey. If you would like to sponsor them you can do so by following the following links:
http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/clifford
http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/katehessey