by Jeff King (with thanks to Anth Johnson/Micky Barron)
Durham County FA Under-18s Saturday League - Saturday 14th September 2024
Chester-le-Street United 0 v 1 Newcastle Blue Star
A game United's youngsters were well in and could well have got something from. They will learn quickly at this and indeed any level that taking chances is what the game is all about when it comes to results.
It was a much improved performance on the whole by the lads today after last weeks draw away to Morpeth. However the youngsters will quickly learn the importance of being more composed and clinical in the final third when out chancing teams.
The first 15 minutes was fairly even without either side creating a great deal. United should have gone ahead on 20 minutes.
Good combination play from Carter Bell, Hepworth and the impressive Connelly down the left resulting in Ethan Bell forcing a good save from the keeper with Liam Anderson just missing out on the rebound home from 3 yards.
No 9 Bell went close again minutes later but just dragged his shot wide of the left post. A third chance of the game should have seen Chester comfortably ahead as another strike from Bell just went inches above the crossbar after a great through ball from Price.
Blue star had a couple of half chances in the first period from longer balls in the box but only had one clear chance which forced a fantastic one handed save from Lambert. The game being goalless at half time.
The second half was more even with most of the play being in the middle of the pitch with chances at both ends few and far between.
The away side went one up on 58 minutes with a deserved penalty after a United defender got caught the wrong side of the man who went down just inside the box.
Two great opportunities for United to get back into the game midway through the half went begging as both Hardy and then Jackson went close from 6 yards. These were the last realistic chances for Chester as the visitors held on for all 3 points.
Much credit has to go to United's boys today as put in a good team performance. It was encouraging to see that with so many youngsters in the team playing at the U-18 age level they are more than a match for the more experienced teams each week.
Commenting after the game the Coaching Team had this to say starting with Anthony Johnson.
"Disappointing thing is we aren’t far away and are in all the games just need to be more clinical when out chancing teams. We’ll get there."
"Good shout by Micky Barron to change formation slightly today to pack the middle which helped us cope physically with having the extra bodies in there. Something we can take forward into next weekend."
As for Micky Barron his feelings were.
"We had chances to win but can’t take them but it was a much improved performance from last week. We are relying on a young group . It will take time but we will be a good team when they develop both physically and technically/tactically."
TEAM : 1 Lambert 2 Garvey 3 Hepworth 4 White 5 Price 6 Connelly 7 Anderson 8 Hardy 9 E. Bell 10 Jackson 11 C. Bell
SUBS : 12 Whyte 14 Pye 15 Barker
MAN of the MATCH : Ethan Connelly with another composed performance in the centre of midfield.
תגובות