18/02/2006
North East Amateur Shield 1st Round
IJLW Brazil
Katirai, Ellis, Churchley, Walker, Mitchell (Hetherington 75), Paterson, Honeywood (Burgon 65), Creighton, Haigh, Day, Bull.
The visitors started superbly and took an early lead with some real Brazilian style passing football. Matty Bull played the ball out wide to the left, Shaun Haigh’s low cross was perfect for Rob Day to run onto and bury the ball past the home keeper. As expected, Wardley had their moments and equalised midway through the opening period but Brazil continued to play the better football and created the better chances. Haigh’s left-footed shot hit the inside of the post and Matthew Creighton also hit the post with a header.
After the break, Brazil withstood some good pressure from Wardley and defended superbly, biding their time. Craig Ellis, Dave Churchley, Bryan Walker and Tom Mitchell all had excellent games in front of James Katirai (Brazil’s eighth goalkeeper of the season) who made a couple of fine saves and won the man of the match award. As the half progressed Brazil started to dominate again. Karl Burgon made his debut and showed signs of his class with some lovely passes, particularly out to the left wing where there was a lot of space. Creighton hit the woodwork for a second time when he tried an audacious effort from just inside Wardley’s half. The keeper was stranded out wide after a poor clearance and the ginger midfielder saw the open goal. His shot was on target but just too high and it clipped the crossbar.
With time running out, Brazil certainly looked the most likely to grab a late winner. Bull swung in a succession of outstanding corners from the left and every time a Brazil player won the header; Haigh, Walker and Day all went close. In the last minute of normal time, Haigh ran into the box onto a low cross and hit a first time shot on target but it was too close to the keeper.
Brazil took their momentum into extra time and soon wrapped up the game. Some neat passes, Burgon to Ewan Paterson to Creighton, left the newly transferred player in space in the middle of the pitch. He made good use of his space and lined up a long-range shot which he fired into the top corner. A couple of minutes later, Brazil’s lead was made more comfortable. Creighton played a lovely ball out to the right for Day to run onto. He crossed to the back post where Bull was running in to poach his 30th goal for Brazil in his 50th match. Before half time, Day could have finalised the result following a move which was almost a replay of the opening goal but this time, as Haigh’s cross came into the box, he managed to scoop the ball over the bar.
It wasn’t plain sailing for Brazil as Wardley hit the crossbar with a 25 yard effort and then headed the rebound wide and, in the final period of the match, they missed a penalty. Brazil held on to record their first win of 2006 and move into the quarter finals of the Shield.