JARROW
ROOFING V THORNABY
Having missed the Saturday games due to a
weekend in Scarborough with the other love of my life I thought the FA Vase cup
run had fallen at the first hurdle. However due to the after-effects of the
Friday downpour the game at the Boldon Community Association Sports Ground was
postponed to tonight.
It means a 40 minute drive up the A19 and
eschewing the live TV coverage of England’s world cup qualifier in the Ukraine;
but life is all about choices and this one is not too difficult – I suspect
there will be more action in Boldon than Kiev. It is £6 to get in (I’m
considered a whippersnapper in these parts so no concession) and £1.50 for a programme,
“The Roofer”, which turns out to be bright, glossy and informative.
Spectators are sparse around the ground,
which has some unusual features that testify to its DIY construction by the
founder, chairman, treasurer and co-manager Ritchie McLoughlin. All along one
touchline there is cover, more a veranda than a stand, with a single row of bench
seats and room to stand behind. Opposite is a small grandstand with tiered
seating, badly weathered and with puddles still on the seats (although the
roof, appropriately, seems sound enough).
No cover needed tonight though as it is
clear but cool with a fresh autumnal breeze blowing as Jarrow in blue with
yellow trim face up to Thornaby in all red. Both teams play in the second
division of the Northern League so it should be an even match up.
From the start Thornaby look the more
comfortable in possession, but after seven minutes it’s Roofing’s centre
forward Appleby who creates the first danger. He gets forward and crosses from
the left; teammate Gardiner and Thornaby keeper Duff coincide at the near post,
but both fail to connect and the ball runs on to Marshall who taps into the
unguarded net from close range.
Thornaby continue to push forward and
Johnson, latching on to a good long ball, angles in on goal but can’t find a
way past Roofing keeper Regan who blocks well. A couple of minutes later Regan
takes a free kick on the edge of his box that carries to the other penalty
area; Thornaby centre half Bishop goes to meet it but inexplicably allows the
ball to squirm under his foot. Appleby accepts the gift by taking the ball
round the keeper and slotting home.
Thornaby are playing well despite being 2-0
down. Murphy and Pearson are slick in midfield; Edwards and O’Mahoney look
skilful out wide with pace, control and, in O’Mahoney’s case, an eye-catching
step-over. It is he who creates space on the right for a cross which he stands
up to the far post only for centre forward Melvin to blaze over.
Roofing are more prosaic in their play; once
again it is a big kick from Regan that creates danger when it is allowed to
bounce in the Thornaby box. The shot on target is saved for a corner; and when
that comes over it leads to a volley that skims the bar.
It’s end to end stuff now. Roofing’s keeper
and centre half get in a tangle on the edge of the box, but before Melvin can
capitalise keeper Regan blocks with his feet. Straight down the other end
another long ball bypasses the centre of the Thornaby defence requiring Duff to
save again. When it’s Thornaby’s turn to attack, neat play down the left gets
full back Morrison to the bye line and his pull back finds Melvin, who controls
the ball before hitting it sweetly into the net.
The 2-1 scoreline stays that way to half
time despite goalmouth action at both ends. Thornaby’s passing and movement
deserve better than to be behind, but their defensive errors got their just
desserts. Roofing are more muscular and direct; not just hitting long balls
(though they have proved effective) but getting crosses over at the earliest
opportunity.
The first ten minutes of the second half are
spent entirely in the Roofing half as Thornaby put everything into getting an
equaliser. Roofing weather the storm; with Kirkup and Leighton, in the centre
of the defence, solid and quick to snuff out chances.
Gradually Roofing regain a share of possession
and territory, and the game evens out. A flurry of substitutions mid-way
through the half seems to favour them and left wing McDonald in particular
becomes prominent in a couple of breaks, with shots across and over the goal.
As the game enters its last ten minutes
Thornaby try to mount a last push. The best chance comes from a disputed throw-in
which enables Johnson to take the defence unawares; but his attempt to knock
the ball past the advancing keeper is weak. A final Thornaby substitution leaves
just three at the back, and desperate efforts up front. Pearson is too
desperate with a lunging tackle which leaves Gardiner writhing and the Roofing
bench agitated. Yellow card about right; but Roofing’s Appleby thinks it deserves
a bit more and takes Pearson down from behind, earning his own caution.
It remains tense and tasty into added time,
when a clearance rebounds to Appleby, who is in the clear, though apparently not
offside. He repeats his first half trick of dancing round the keeper to score
easily and finish off the tie.
At the final whistle Thornaby continue to
complain about the third goal – was it not off side, shouldn’t the scorer have
been sent off for the cynical foul moments before – but the fact of the matter
is that it was their inability to score a second goal that really settled the
tie.
So Jarrow Roofing go on to the next round to
meet Willington, while I get into the car to catch the last minutes of the
England game on the radio. By all account it has been a poor game with few
shots and no goals. In contrast the FA Vase has dished up a competitive game
with some good football and plenty of goalmouth action; good choice!
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