01/04/2006
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Katirai, Ellis, Churchley, Walker, Kennedy, Dixon, Paterson, Creighton, Marquiss, McCourt, Bull.

In the only Tyneside Amateur League match to survive the weather, Brazil had to make some last minute phone calls to get eleven players together. The pitch, which was on the verge of being unplayable, was not conducive to Brazil’s slick, flowing, passing game so it was no surprise that they struggled early on, as they came to terms with the conditions. The home side took the lead with a break down the right. James Katirai saved the first shot but could only parry it to Gateshead’s second striker who put his side ahead. Katirai made a good save with his face after a shot bounced unevenly off the ground and some very good defending from Craig Ellis helped to keep the score down.

Midway through the half, Brazil began to find their feet and the passes started to connect. Matty Bull got onto the end of Jim McCourt’s flick on, burst past the defence and fired the ball into the back of the net but the goal was ruled out for offside. A couple of minutes later Bull broke free again. This time he wasn’t offside and his powerful right footed shot beat the keeper easily but they way the pitch dropped away down the slope meant that the ball crashed against the crossbar. The deserved equaliser didn’t take too long in coming though. Dave Churchley’s free kick set Bull free down the right. His perfect cross was met on the volley by the left foot of John Marquiss who had ghosted in at the far post. Before the interval, Brazil took the lead from the penalty spot. Bryan Walker’s throw into the box was about to be flicked on by Mark Kennedy but two Gateshead defenders jumped on his back and shoved him to the ground. Bull buried the spot kick straight down the middle of the goal.

The second half was always going to be difficult for Brazil; playing uphill, into the wind with the sun in their eyes and no substitutes. Brazil had a few chances (Bull brought a good save out of the keeper with a left-footed shot from a tight angle and McCourt twice had time to shoot in the box but missed the target) but as they tired Gateshead brought on three fresh players and made the advantage tell. The hosts were forced to work hard for their victory and Brazil were left to think about how things could have been different. Ewan Paterson’s endeavours in the muddy centre of the pitch earned him his first man of the match award of the season. Scouts from Wardley Durham Ranger were present at the match but they will have learnt little ahead of Wednesday’s encounter as it will be a very different Brazil side on that occasion.

25/03/2006
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Wilkinson, Ellis, Churchley, Walker, Mitchell, Paterson, Creighton (Kennedy 70), Freath, Haigh, Katirai (Harrison 45), Day.

The withdrawal of Matty Bull before kick off with a staircase injury rocked Brazil but they still went out full of confidence. It was just an off day though with Brazil seeming to be second to almost every ball. Rob Day and Matthew Creighton both went close for the visitors but it was Wallsend that took the lead. This boosted their confidence and they were passing the ball around as if they had an extra man on the pitch. A poor refereeing decision gave the hosts a two goal cushion with a penalty.

In the second half Brazil were better but still only second best. Whilst Wallsend passed the ball around well and enjoyed going forward they still looked very vulnerable at the back. On another day, Day could have scored five or six but on this occasion he didn’t. The highlight of the game was a superb run by Shaun Haigh but at the end of it he was caught in two minds whether to shoot or cross and the result turned out to be a good example of neither.

A third goal wrapped up the victory for the hosts but, to their credit, Brazil continued to work and look for the elusive goal. Ewan Paterson’s superb corner fizzed across the six yard box but three Brazil players couldn’t get a touch. Day continued to cause the defence all kinds of problems and force the keeper into a number of good saves. Towards the end, Lee Wilkinson managed to get enough of a block onto a shot to enable Dave Churchley to get back and clear it off the line to stop the score line from becoming embarrassing. Bryan Walker was man of the match.

11/02/2006
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Hull, Ellis, Churchley, Walker, Paterson, Freath, Creighton, Katirai (Norouzi 70), Haigh, Day, Bull.

Adrian Hull made his long-awaited debut in goal for Brazil, who also welcomed back James Katirai and Matthew Creighton after several disagreeable months at New York.

Brazil looked good when they got the ball down on the ground but went behind when Waterloo’s striker was left unmarked at a corner. Rob Day levelled the scores when he tackled the last defender and fired the ball past the keeper. Brazil could have gone ahead when Shaun Haigh’s excellent through ball found Matty Bull’s run just outside the box. Brazil’s top scorer shot early and his shot beat the keeper but was just wide of the upright. Two more defensive lapses gave the visitors a 3-1 advantage but Brazil fought their way back into the game with a goal just before half time. Bryan Walker’s accurate free kick into the box was volleyed goalwards by skipper Haigh. The keeper could only parry it and Bull reacted quicker than any of the defenders and tucked the ball into the corner of the goal.

A goal behind at the interval, Brazil were confident of getting something out the match having played the first half uphill, into the wind with the sun in their eyes. During the break, the wind changed direction and the sun went down behind the rugby clubhouse taking away much of the advantage the hosts were hoping for.

After conceding an early goal, Brazil dominated the second half and had several chances. Bull’s clever short free kick set up Mark Freath whose shot was dragged just wide of the post. As Brazil cleared a corner, Freath picked up the ball deep in his own half and carried it upfield towards the Waterloo goal. Just as he was getting within shooting distance he was hacked down from behind. The caution handed out to the Waterloo chopper was no consolation for Brazil not scoring from the chance. A poor goalkick, straight to Day, gave the little striker a chance for his second goal of the game which he took well despite being fouled from behind during his approach to the goal.

Man of the match Creighton couldn’t quite earn his side a point in his comeback game as his last minute long range effort was well saved at the near post.

04/02/2006
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Haigh, Ellis, Churchley, Walker, Mitchell, Hetherington, Paterson, Honeywood, Harrison, Day, Bull.
Subs not used: McClure

In a similar type of performance to the previous week, Brazil played some very good passing football but came off second best in the result. Without a recognised goalkeeper it was always going to be a struggle to keep a clean sheet and this proved to be the case, despite some fine saves by Shaun Haigh and Simon Honeywood (who took over the custodian duties after the second goal).

Brazil did create more chances than the previous week and should really have scored. Bryan Walker, Rob Day, Ewan Paterson and Matty Bull all missed the target from fairly close range.

The highlight of the contest was a run by Mark Harrison. Haigh rolled the ball out to the lanky winger who headed off upfield round (and through) several challenges. As he got into the box, the keeper came out and just managed to block his shot.

Dave Churchley was the man of the match for the second successive match.

28/01/2006
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Wilkinson, Ellis, Churchley, Walker, Kennedy, Marquiss (Elderkin 80), Mitchell, Paterson, Freath, Haigh, Bull.

Playing five across the midfield, Brazil dominated the early stages of the game and played some very attractive football when they got the ball on the ground. Although Brazil had the better of the play, chances were few and far between as Matty Bull was quite isolated up front on his own and he was fouled almost every time he received the ball. The closest the visitors came to scoring in the first half was from an excellent left wing cross by Shaun Haigh. Bull’s header was on target but didn’t have enough power to beat the keeper.

Blyth took the lead against the run of play when the referee awarded them a penalty for a foul committed 2 yards outside the area. A second sloppy goal gave the hosts a two goal lead going into the interval.

Brazil started off the better side in the second half and went close to reducing the deficit twice. John Marquiss latched onto a loose ball just inside the box but his left-footed shot was just too high. Bull curled a free kick over the wall; the large goalkeeper had to be at full stretch to keep it out.

Brazil tired as the game reached the latter stages and the league’s leading goal scorer took advantage for the league leaders, by converting a goalmouth scramble.

The 80^th minute was a good one for Brazil fans; it saw the return of original squad member Chris Elderkin after six years away from football.

Dave Churchley’s man of the match award put him back ahead of Lee Wilkinson in the all time records.

14/01/2006
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Andrew, Mitchell (Ellis 45), Churchley, Walker, Kennedy, Paterson, McGowan, Freath (Hetherington 70), Haigh, Goodliff (Ho 55), Bull.

Brazil went into their 100^th game since joining the Tyneside Amateur League with a strong, confident squad. There were very few chances early on with Brazil having slightly the better of the opening exchanges. Shaun Haigh’s throw-in was flicked on by Les Goodliff right into the path of Matty Bull. Brazil’s record goalscorer’s first time shot came back off the base of the post, with the goalkeeper nowhere near. Goodliff himself then went close. The big striker picked up the ball inside Gateshead’s half of the pitch and used his strength to fashion a shooting opportunity. The shot was too high to trouble the keeper.

After twice failing to clear the ball, Brazil gifted Gateshead the lead midway through the first half. A second goal followed not long later. Dave Churchley, Brazil’s first player to reach a century of appearances, blocked a shot but no Brazil player reacted to it allowing Gateshead’s winger to run on and score.

Brazil continued to be the better team and had a great chance to get back into the game. Haigh took a long throw into the box. As Mark Kennedy was about to flick it on, he was shoved in the back. Bull stepped up to take the penalty in his new boots. The ball hit the underside of the crossbar and came down onto the goal line. A Gateshead defender got back to the ball first and got it clear. Moments later, Jonny McGowan, who had a good game in midfield, burst into the box and crashed the ball against the bar. So Brazil went into the break with a two goal deficit after having been the better team and hit the woodwork three times.

The second half was a different story. Brazil tired, perhaps due to their lack of match practice with the extended winter break, and Gateshead started to dominate the game. As a corner came in, Al Andrew made a save and Ewan Paterson cleared off the line but still Brazil could not get the ball clear and it ended up in the back of the net. A rash challenge gave Gateshead an easy fourth from the penalty spot before a bizarre mix-up gifted the visitors a fifth. To Brazil’s credit, they still competed and won a few corners as they pushed forward. In the 90^th minute, Bull put in a corner. As Haigh jumped to meet it he was pulled down by his shirt. Bull, the man of the match, made no mistake with his second penalty of the game.

07/01/2006
Tyneside Amateur League Division 2

IJLW Brazil
Andrew, Hetherington, Churchley, Kennedy, Haigh, Harrison, Paterson, Freath, Ho, Norouzi, Day.

Brazil’s 2006 didn’t get off to the best start as they only just managed to get 11 men to make up a team. After kick-off was delayed as the water was cleared from the goalmouths, the home side took the early initiative. Brazil were put under a lot of pressure playing into the wind and, despite managing to hold off for about 20 minutes, went behind to two goals in quick succession. Just when a third goal would have killed off the game, the hosts had a fantastic chance after Brazil failed to clear the ball from their box. Dave Churchley managed to get his head onto the ball as the shot was fired in but it was still heading goalwards at high velocity. Al Andrew made an incredible reaction save, deflecting the ball onto the crossbar.

Just as Brazil were thinking of changing things round, they started playing well and got themselves back into the game. Lively striker Rob Day played a neat one-two with Mo Norouzi (who shattered Brazil’s record for the oldest player by making his debut as a 37 year old), skipped past the last defender and blasted the ball into the back of the net. Before the half-time interval, Brazil levelled the scores. Mark Harrison was chopped down after launching the ball high into the area. The tackle was so late that the referee didn’t see it but this turned out to be to Brazil’s advantage as a mix up between the centre backs and the goalkeeper allowed the ball to drop to Day. He rounded his man and tucked the ball away with his left foot.

Brazil started the second half as the better side and had several chances to go ahead. Steve Ho hit three shots just wide off the target and Mark Freath’s curling 20 yard effort was well tipped over by the keeper. Day, the man of the match, almost bagged Brazil’s first hat trick of the season when he curled a free kick inches past the post after Freath had been brought down just outside the box.

Waterloo took the lead against the run of play so Brazil pushed more men forward and got a quick equalizer. Freath dribbled into the box and squared the ball into the path of the onrushing Harrison. The lanky striker, stretching, crashed the ball against the underside of the bar and over the line. With Brazil having not played a match for 4 weeks and no substitutes, they unsurprisingly became stretched late on. Two more goals for the home side flattered them and sent Brazil home disappointed.