Captains for the match are Jay Parkinson and Bren Crilley with Bren getting first pick. Both sides set up with decent balance and the game was predictably tight in the early exchanges with a double save from Jay who redirected a shot with his ankle toward his own goal but managed to dive backwards like a Stuka at Dunkirk and save the ball from a certain goal.

Bren’s whites picked up the pace and a quick fire goal followed with Bren starting the move with a throw out after a yellow attack, and all players having a touch, spreading play from left to right for Chris Stewart to finish after a pin point cross.

The next 20 minutes passed in a blur as Peter Hart (whites) managed a decent air shot with a graceful pirouette suited to the Christmas spirit of Dancing on ice and Gary Parker (yellows) constantly engineering attacks with accurate passing and strong running from midfield. It was inevitable that an equaliser for the yellows followed. Chris, hero turned villain, with a soft back pass under pressure, poked in through the ample legs of the hobbling Geordie in goal by Dave Owen for the yellows.

With the scores balanced and the yellows staring to dominate, a goal against the run of play turned the match on its head followed by further clinical finishing for the whites by Jonny Greenall and Tom Kophamel, including a special individual goal from Tom, taking on all comers cutting in from the left byline to plant a top corner net buster from a tight angle. Paul Hackett (yellows) turned cat preventing further goals with two over the bar saves and Laurie tipped in with some brilliant saves as the Whites started to dominate, but the yellows continued to press.  Stout defending by Tom’s backside and some decent saves by Bren kept the whites on course for a flattering 4 goal margin win as the yellows ran out of time despite finishing the stronger and deserving better for such dominance in the last ten minutes. 

In balance the game was won by a huge team effort which was aided by all players putting themselves in front of Jays shots (of which there was many!) and clinical finishing. 

Man of the match was difficult to chose with both teams having players deserving of the acclaim. Loosing captain Jay ran himself into the ground but couldn’t find the finish and Chris Stewart (whites)worked tirelessly covering all blades of grass, with Harvey Baird marshalling the midfield and Pete Hart having moments of Brazilian magic, skipping past Gary on the line before devolving into a Newcastle player with a wayward pass. However it is Jonny’s two goals and two assists that can’t be ignored in a very complete and selfless performance for the whites and as such he is my Man of the Match.

The yellows will rue missed chances in an even game with a much larger margin in the score line than the game actually deserved.

My first game in the league as a Captain and glad for the victory.