by Jeff King (With A Huge Nod To Anthony Johnson)
Durham County FA Under-18 Saturday League - Saturday 22nd March 2025
Coxhoe United Under-18s 1 v 5 Chester-le-Street United Under-18s
This was the final game of the regular season for the CLS Utd U-18 boys who were looking for a win to guarantee finishing at least joint top with the teams around them still having a few games to play.
They got exactly that and in doing so have given themselves a great chance of playing in the end of season play-off final game against the team finishing top of the other group. The final placings to be decided in the coming weeks.
The game saw a fairly even first 25 minutes with both sides having a couple of half chances however it was Coxhoe that took the lead on 30 mins. A long ball down the centre of the pitch was flicked on and a well timed run from the striker allowed him to run in behind and finish with a good across keeper Alex Lambert.
Five minutes later Utd were level after Sam Beattie carved out an opportunity to drive into the box unopposed and calmly place the ball to the right of the keeper. The equaliser meaning the sides went into the dressing rooms at half-time level.
On 55 minutes Liam Gribbin linked up well with Beattie for the latter to shoot from 15 yards comfortably beating the keeper to give us the lead.
United got a deserved third goal five minutes later when the hardworking Beattie chased down a lost cause forcing a mistake from the defender before crossing to Brooklyn Moss who showed great desire to get in the six yard box to head home.
CLS at this point looked in control of the game and deservedly went three up when substitute George Peacock followed up on a keeper mistake and shot from 20 yards into the bottom corner.
Gribbin capped off a solid team performance with a great header at the back post after Brandon Ngoyi Wansay whipped in a fine cross from the left to give the final score a very emphatic look and one United thoroughly deserved
TEAM : 1)Alex Lambert 2)Cole Robson 3)Brandon Ngoyi Wansay 4)Alex White 5)Harrison Price 6)Frankie Young 7)Shay Pye 8)Brooklyn Moss 9)Sam Beattie 10)Ethan Bell 11)Liam Gribbin
SUBS : 12)Ollie Linsley came on after 55 mins 14)Max Hepworth came on after 55 mins 15)Ethan Connelly came on after 40 16)George Peacock came on after 55 mins
SCORERS : Beattie 2, Moss, Peacock, Gribbin
MAN of the MATCH : Alex White - strong and commanding display from Alex today who alongside the whole back line were really good limiting a dangerous forward line to very few chances.
OVERALL COMMENT from ANTHONY JOHNSON : This was a great team performance across the whole squad who continued their great run of results to stay top of the division.
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