Newton Aycliffe Youth Seniors 6 v Newfield Hilda Park 0
Home game against Newfield, a side Aycliffe played preseason but not in the league. Newfield had picked up some decent results recently and Aycliffe knew it would be a good test. The forward three were asked to press the visitors back four, as they play out from the back. Aycliffe did this and nicked the ball, seeing chances falling to Steven Dawson and Jack Mortimer which they didn’t convert. Corners were going to provide more opportunities to score and the first decent corner saw Cameron Martin tap home for the opening goal.
The next corner Kieran Maughan headed home, but the Ref disallowed the goal. Then Jack is set away and gets behind the defender and he makes no attempt to play the ball and trips Jack, potential straight red but ref produces a yellow. The lads were getting frustrated and needed a second goal. The high press worked when Steven won the ball back, finding Andrew Burrows who found Jack, Jack’s shot came off the keeper and defender to score our second. This was quickly followed by Jack grabbing his second from a great free kick.
After the break, Jack was brought down and dusted himself down to bag his hat trick. This was followed by a shot from Niall Douglas that the keeper spilled and Corbyn Mitchell followed in to bag the fifth. When a free kick was also spilled, Niall Douglas followed in to add our sixth. Then came the biggest cheer of the afternoon as the evergreen Dougie Grant came on to make his debut for the team, Dougie has been training with the team to keep fit and always said he would love a run out and he got his wish. Not the greatest performance, but three points in the hunt for the title. Elsewhere, Aycliffe’s two closest rivals both lost. MOM: Cameron Nicholson.