10/12/2005
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Andrew, Paterson, Churchley, Walker, Kennedy, Harrison, Freath, Honeywood, Ho, Day, Bull.

Red Star started well and enjoyed the majority of the possession with the wind and slope working in their favour. A well organised Brazil side defended solidly and didn’t allow the visitors to capitalise. When Al Andrew was called on in the Brazil goal he responded well; parrying a curling free kick out to the right and tipping the ball over the crossbar from an in-swinging corner.

When Brazil got the ball down and passed it around they looked like a far better team than their visitors but they had no clear chances early on. The breakthrough came from Bryan Walker’s long pass into the box to Matty Bull. Brazil’s top scorer took the ball past his marker and was brought down under a clumsy challenge. The referee awarded a penalty without hesitation and Bull gently tapped the ball straight down the middle of the goal into the back of the net.

The return of Mark Kennedy gave Brazil a boost at the back. The big defender was on top form, belying the fact that he had not played for over three months. It was, however, off Kennedy’s head that Red Star came closest to scoring. Andrew, taken by surprise, sprung into action to keep it out.

With the game still in the balance, Dave Churchley made a managerial masterstroke at half time. The wingers, Mark Harrison and Steve Ho, swapped flanks and Brazil never looked back. In the second half Brazil played as well as they had ever done and created chance after chance without allowing Red Star a single shot on target. Simon Honeywood, who has got better with every game he’s played, was outstanding in midfield alongside the ever impressive Mark Freath.

Bull skipped past a defender and smashed the ball against the underside of the bar. The diminutive Rob Day out jumped two defenders to get his head onto the rebound but again it came back off the bar. Ho, following in, put the second rebound over the top with his weaker right foot.

After a period of sustained pressure, the second goal came from a defensive error. Day took advantage of a miss-control by the centre back and lifted a curling shot over the advancing keeper to score his first goal for Brazil. Bull wrapped up the victory, making no mistake in converting Ewan Paterson’s superb through ball.

The dominant Walker was named as the man of the match for the first time this season.

Other news:
The Tyneside Amateur League Christmas raffle draw was made on Friday 2^nd December. All ticket stubs and money (or unsold tickets) need to be returned as soon as possible so that the prizes can be distributed.

29/10/2005
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Wilkinson, Ellis, Churchley, Walker, Haigh, Echevarria (Freath 60), Paterson, Oiller, Harrison, Smith, Bull.
Subs not used: Cuggy.

With Brazil struggling for numbers again three new players were blooded as only 11 men were available for the start of the match. Craig Ellis and Matt Oiller both made good, solid debuts and Carlos Echevarria made his first appearance of the season. Ellis’s appearance shattered Mark Freath’s record as Brazil’s oldest player in a competitive match.

Brazil were the better side from the start but chances were few and far between. Good work by Matty Bull gave Paul Smith two chances but he couldn’t hit the target. Probably the best chance of the half fell to Bull but Brazil’s leading scorer shot just wide of the post. At the other end, Inter Dental rarely threatened although they were quite unlucky to have their penalty claims turned down when Lee Wilkinson clashed with the striker who had just got the ball first.

The second half followed a similar pattern to begin with but Mark Harrison’s increasing influence on the game began to show. The introduction of Freath, contrary to doctor’s orders following the removal of his tonsils, gave the hosts a timely boost. Bull crossed into the box, Smith battled with two defenders and set up Harrison who topped off a fine second half performance with his first goal of the season. Smith was involved in the crucial second goal as well as he was fouled 25 yards from goal. Bull stepped up and curled the free kick into the top corner. This goal took Bull’s tally for the season into double figures.

Ewan Paterson, playing through the pain of a back injury, rounded off Brazil’s biggest win of the season. The little winger scored his second in consecutive matches when he ran onto Bull’s cross from the left and volleyed it into the bottom corner.

Inter Dental had a few opportunities but, although neither of them had one of their better games, it was quite a comfortable afternoon for Bryan Walker and Dave Churchley at the centre of Brazil’s defence.

An excellent save late on was enough to earn Wilkinson the man of the match award.

Other news:
Don’t forget Tom Mitchell’s comedy sketches will be appearing on ITV1 show “Shoot The Writers” at midnight on Thursday night. This will be preceded by a live show at the Establishment (upstairs in @ Home), Moseley Street, Newcastle on Tuesday evening. Doors open at 2030 and the show starts at 2100. I hope to see you there!

12/02/2005
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Wilkinson, Creighton, Churchley, Walker, Kennedy, Katirai, Paterson, Freath, Haigh, Bull, Goodliff.

The visitors never looked like scoring all afternoon, after Lee Wilkinson made a good one-on-one save early on. Brazil’s control of the game grew steadily and they created numerous chances. James Katirai latched onto a loose ball and struck a powerful curling shot which came back off the crossbar. Moments later he nearly scored again. Les Goodliff sent an excellent cross in from the left wing but Katirai could only half connect as he ran into the box with the goal begging.

A corner by Matty Bull fell to Mark Kennedy, eight yards from goal. The full-back appeared to suffer from vertigo in the opposition box and he skied the half-chance well over the bar. Matthew Creighton’s mazy run opened up the Gateshead defence and he supplied the pass to set Bull free. Brazil’s top scorer made no mistake as he hit a low shot into the far corner to give the home side the lead.

Brazil continued to dominate in the second period and, even with the right flank unguarded (as Katirai stopped playing for a while to throw up seven times), Gateshead never threatened. Bull’s attempted lob looked set to kill the game off but only the crossbar could deny the man of the match his second of the encounter. Goodliff’s shot from the rebound was well saved by the keeper’s feet.

As the game moved into its final quarter, with Brazil still just leading by a solitary goal, it was a time for heroes to stand up and be counted. Dave Churchley won possession for Brazil and passed to Ewan Paterson. He beat two men and supplied the ball which allowed Mark Freath to take advantage of a goalkeeping horrowshow to give Brazil an unassailable two goal lead and make the three points safe.

Other news:
Maximo Park’s first “proper” single will be available in all good record shops from Monday 21st February. Go out and buy it – or buy it online if you’re feeling lazy! Brazil striker Paul Smith and the rest of the boys in the band will be making an appearance at Newcastle’s HMV at 5pm on that day, before performing at The Cluny later on in the evening.