MATCH REPORTS - Wearside League 2009-10

15 May 2010 - Cleator Moor Celtic 3, Scarborough Town 3
 
Scarborough Town created but squandered a hatful of chances as they allowed Cleator Moor Celtic to share the points in Cumbria on Saturday.  Town therefore finished the season six points ahead of runners-up Ryhope CW, while Cleator Moor ended the campaign in fifth position.
 
Town rested their senior players Georgie Rose, Mark Barber and Joel Ramm, giving the younger players a place in the starting line-up and allowing Robbie Hawkes to start a game for only the second time since October.
 
Town went straight onto the attack with Celtic managing to block efforts from Billy Logan and Wayne Brooksby but Josh Greening's shot bringing a first-class save from home keeper Craig Devine.  Brooksby then dribbled to the byeline and tried to set up Greening, but a Devine intervention saved the day again.
 
Cleator Moor finally built up some pressure and caused a scramble in the Town goalmouth with a shot from Barry Irving clipping the bar.  However Town stamped their authority on the game with two goals in two minutes.  On 17 minutes Hawkes was fouled and the free kick was quickly worked to Brooksby who chipped the ball cleverly into the far corner for the opener.  Within a minute a superb pass from Hawkes sent Greening away on the right and his low cross found Matty Brown in front of goal to tap in number two.
 
Town were playing excellent football but the final touch eluded them on several occasions.  Meanwhile Celtic broke away and brought a good save from Rob Clark at his near post.  As the first half ended, a shot from Danby came back off Devine but Greening put the rebound over the bar.
 
Town conceded in bizarre fashion as the second period commenced, Carl Cook taking control of a situation in the left back position but over-hitting a back pass from the touchline above the head of Clark into the Town net to gift Celtic a goal.  Town went up the other end trying to make amends, with Devine making a great save from Danby and Jamie Patterson having a shot blocked.  Greening then missed two golden chances from short range and Brooksby set up Billy Logan who drove the ball just wide.  On 61 minutes Town claimed their inevitable reward when a defence-splitting pass from Barber found Hawkes who bore down on goal and confidently tucked the ball inside the far post to make the score 3-1.
 
The home team finally managed the get down to the other end of the field, with a good effort being tipped over the bar by Clark.  However a long throw from the right found the head of skipper Craig Scott to pull a goal back.  Devine saved with his feet from Greening, but Celtic equalised against the run of play when Chris Thornton twisted and turned before scoring an excellent goal for 3-3 on 74 minutes.
 
Town piled on the pressure, with Celtic content to slow the game and waste whatever time they could.  Hawkes curled a shot just wide, Greening's effort was once again deflected by the keeper's feet, a Georgie Rose piledriver flashed just outside the post, and Brooksby brought a fantastic save from Devine with Barber's follow-up blocked by the overworked defence.  A superb passing move saw Hawkes burst clear on the left, Greening flicked the ball on and Brooksby hit his volley sweetly but Devine was there yet again.  Joel Ramm showed bravery to create two chances for himself which were both blocked, then Carl Cook progressed upfield and played the ball in front of goal to Logan who controlled the pass with assurance but then put his effort wide of the target.
 
Town's superiority over their opponents was clear to see, but a couple of careless moments at the back and a host of wasted chances up front had meant that Town had to be content with a share of the points.
 
Town: Clark, Patterson, Craig (Rose 55), Waterfield, C Cook, Logan, Danby (Barber 55), Brown (Ramm 55), Brooksby, Greening, Hawkes.
 
 
 

8 May 2010 - Wearside League - Scarborough Town 1 Ryhope CW 0
 

Town clinched the Wearside League championship with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over second-placed Ryhope Colliery Welfare.
 
Ryhope, who needed to win the game to keep their own slim title hopes alive, went straight onto the attack and a firm downward header from Mark Davison was superbly tipped over the bar by Town keeper Rob Clark.  From the corner, Ryhope were again first to the ball but centre-back Neil Moan headed over.  Town's first dangerous move came when Nathan Cook sent Josh Greening away, but his cut-back evaded the onrushing forwards.  Ryhope had a strong wind at their backs and were having the majority of possession, and Town needed a smart interception from Carl Cook to prevent Ryhope breaking through. 
 
On 25 minutes John Butler hit a low effort which Clark saved superbly at full length.  The midfield was proving to be a very competitive area of the field, with some of the Ryhope tackles a little late and earning them three yellow cards in the first half hour.  On 35 minutes a Ryhope clearance was blocked, and as Wayne Brooksby turned to shoot he was pulled off balance, but the referee awarded a corner instead of the expected penalty and the first half ended goalless.
 
A Greening flick sent Nathan Cook away but Ryhope keeper Jon Carmichael won the race to the ball.  John Butler was having a good game for the visitors and made a powerful run in from the left but Town averted the danger at the last moment.  The hard-working Joel Ramm chased a long ball and brought it under control, passing to Georgie Rose whose shot was just too high.  The match took a turn in Town's favour after 59 minutes when Richard Jordon fouled Nathan Cook in midfield and referee Dean Chapman deemed this worthy of a yellow card, so the previously-booked Jordon was sent from the field.
 
Town used a corner to work the ball into the box, but Rose's cross just evaded Ramm.  Then substitute Robbie Hawkes drove the ball wide after an incisive passing move down the left.  Ryhope remained very much in the game, with a long-range shot from Butler going over the bar and Mark Davison taking advantage of defensive hesitancy to break away and bring another good save from Clark.
 
The decisive goal came after 73 minutes, some neat footwork from Matty Brown allowing Dean Craig to progress to the edge of the Ryhope area before delivering a great ball which just evaded Ramm's lunge but went through to Greening at the far post to convert from close range.
 
Ryhope's Kenneth Linton ran on to a cross but shot wide when off balance, and Town's Billy Logan had a couple of half-chances which were smothered by the visitors' hard-working and efficient defence.  Nathan Cook tried a couple of shots from distance, then Hawkes and Logan set up a chance for Greening which went narrowly wide.  Town remained on the attack, with shots from Logan and Craig comfortably dealt with by Carmichael, as the final seconds ticked away and the referee's whistle signalled the league title for Town.
 
Town: Clark, Rose (Brown 62), Craig, Waterfield, C Cook, N Cook, Danby, Barber (Logan 72), Brooksby (Hawkes 62), Greening, Ramm.
 
Attendance 428
 
Referee: Dean Chapman (Stockton-on-Tees)
 
 

3 May 2010 - Shipowners Cup Final - Teesside Athletic 2 Scarborough Town 3
 
Town won the Sunderland Shipowners Charity Cup after a game which was very exciting despite a strong wind blowing straight down the pitch.

Josh Greening and Wayne Brooksby combined to earn Town an early corner, but Joel Ramm was crowded out before he could get a shot away.  At the other end Georgie Rose was dispossessed but Teesside were unable to take full advantage.  A long throw caused trouble in the Town defence before Rob Clark was able to take control of the ball.  Town were putting together some neat passing moves in midfield, but Teesside used the wind to their advantage and gained three corners in quick succession.

After a foul on Jamie Patterson, Mark Barber touched the ball to Greening whose shot from 25 yards went wide.  Brooksby then burst through the middle and seemed to be brought down on the edge of the box but the referee allowed play to continue.  Greening had Town's next chance but his effort was well saved by Teesside keeper James Fleming at close range.  A Town corner was worked across to Barber who shot wide.

Following a spell of Town dominance, Teesside took the upper hand for a period.  Andy Porritt went down the left wing and floated in a cross which Clark touched over the crossbar, then Andrew Bell let fly from 40 yards but saw the ball clear the bar again.  On 33 minutes, a good four-man passing move down the right gave Dale Mendum a chance which he tucked away neatly to give the home side the lead.  Porritt had another effort from long range which was just too high, then Dean Craig made a great tackle to prevent Teesside's leading scorer James Kesterton from getting a shot in.

After 41 minutes an astute pass from Barber found Brooksby whose shot came back off the crossbar but Greening reacted swiftly to tap in the equaliser.  Teesside stormed back with another long throw causing a scramble in the Town area, the referee awarding Town a free kick as Athletic put the ball into the net.

With the wind now at their backs, Town were able to keep Teesside penned in for long periods of the second half.  A long throw from Barber saw Joel Ramm's header blocked and Nathan Cook drive the loose ball over the bar.  Then an incisive run by Brooksby earned a corner which was worked to Barber but again the shot was too high.  Town finally took the lead on 65 minutes when good work from Ramm on the edge of the box gave Brooksby a chance to slot the ball confidently past Fleming.  Town skipper Rose was leading by example with total commitment, and got himself into two shooting positions, firstly a Brooksby run and Cook knock-on which Rose hit just wide of the goal, then a one-two with Ramm which Rose drilled straight at the keeper from the edge of the penalty area.

After good work from Greening, Fleming parried the ball and Joel Ramm's snapshot came back off the crossbar, then a curling effort from Dean Craig passed just wide of the post.  Against the run of play, Teesside worked the ball down the left wing and crossed for Mendum to score with an excellent header to make the score 2-2 on 78 minutes.  However Town went straight back in front, Matty Brown trying a 25-yarder which was tipped over by Fleming, and the resultant inswinging corner from Greening made use of the wind to curl into the net with the keeper helpless.A long throw-in caused the Town defence a few problems, but Town went straight back on the attack, with efforts from Joe Danby and Cook going narrowly wide.  Greening appeared to be impeded by the keeper as he latched on to a defensive mistake, but no penalty was given.  However Town had done enough and were deserving winners of the Cup.

Town: Clark, Rose, Craig, Waterfield, C Cook, N Cook, Patterson (Brown 60), Barber (Danby 69), Brooksby (Hawkes 84), Greening, Ramm.