Kickoff: 15:00 Saturday 11 November 2017
Competition: TWR Monkwearmouth Charity Cup - Round 1
Weather: cold, mostly overcast with clear breaks, 3°-8°
LOCATION REPORT
SatNav: SR5 3DX
Staff: fully staffed leisure centre
Parking: large on site car park, 200+ spaces
Public transport: bus #35 Hetton-Sunderland-Heworth
More information: club website
Entry: free
Refreshments: snack bar at leisure centre reception
Toilets: in leisure centre
Stands/Terraces: metal lean-on barrier along one side of pitch
Programmes: no
Floodlights: yes, 8 in total, 2 each side/end
MATCH REPORT
Approx crowd: 20
Full-time [h/t] score (colours):
0 [0] Hebburn Town Reserves (yellow/black stripes)
4 [3] Redcar Athletic (red/blue)
Bookings: 0
Sent Off: 0
NORVENMUNKI's COMMENTS
Although sometimes playing in Hebburn, the Town Reserves occasionally play home matches over in Castletown, which is a relative distance away towards Sunderland. This was the case today, for the Cup match against Redcar Athletic. The venue is a
huge leisure centre and sports academy, with impressive onsite facilities and a busy community spirit.
As I arrived, the home team players were milling around outside, smart and relaxed in club tracksuits.
I wander round for a while to inspect the place. The astroturf pitches are busy with little kids' league matches, the chilly afternoon air full of excited clapping and the area deep with frozen but dutiful guardians, their faces pressed against the high perimeter fences. Alongside the astroturf compound are two large grass pitches, which is where I presume the adults will be playing later.
I am early, so I fritter away some time, keeping warm in the car. As the kick off time approaches, I go back to the open pitch. However, nobody is here and the nets are not yet up. I see the referee and assistants are warming up, and realise that our game is actually being played on the astroturf too! The kids' nets have now been rolled back. It all looks a bit like an after-work knock-about.
There's no gatekeepers or entry fee, so I just venture into the fenced-off compound. It's one-sided, with a metal lean-on barrier along the entry side of pitch but no access to the other sides. If you do want to watch from the opposite flank then you too can watch through the fencing!
The players appear and take to the field. Today is Armistice Day, so before we begin there's an impeccably-observed minute's silence.
Then, the game commences.
Redcar, the visitors in red, are the faster starters. An early cross fizzes through the empty Hebburn box but the Reds' striker's outstretched toe is beaten by that of a scrambling defender.
Soon after, a clumsy Hebburn tackle in the middle of the park concedes a free kick in a dangerous position. The keeper acrobatically punches out the initial kick, but the second ball falls to a quick-thinking striker and he volleys home. 0-1.
Hebburn need to get on the ball, it's Redcar dominating so far. There's an early Hebburn substitution as the left-back waddles off. I didn't actually see him get his knock, but it's evidently too much to play on with.
The small-but-vocal travelling Redcar support wanders along the viewing area, coming to join me. They sense the likely flow of the game is towards this end, and apparently their views are obscured by the pop-up dug-out.
On the pitch, there's another Redcar attempt. It goes unconverted. So far, the Redcar keeper has barely seen the ball, let alone touched it.
Just as I note that, Hebburn make a rare foray forward, with a long ball to their lone striker, who cleverly checks his run to stay on-side, but his shot is straight at the keeper, who punches clear.
Redcar are mixing it nicely, spreading the ball around. Everyone seems comfortable on the ball and they are picking out passes intelligently. Hebburn, on the other hand, are hurrying, mistiming tackles. In glimpses, they show that they have the skills needed but they just need to calm down a touch and put their foot on the ball.
We're a quarter way through now. The referee whistles... a penalty to Redcar. The swift striker is clean through, and gets shoulder-barged to the ground; the home protests are limited, it's a nailed-on penalty. The spot-kick is coolly despatched to the keeper's left. 0-2.
From the restart, Redcar win back possession quickly and push forward again. It's just one way traffic. A rushed Hebburn clearance gifts Redcar another corner, which drops invitingly into the six yard box and bobbles around a bit. After a few moments of head tennis, a decisive Redcar header buries the ball in the back of the net. 0-3!
Hebburn heads are dropping. The bench is swearing. This is looking procedural!
Another Redcar effort flies high over the perimeter fencing into the field beyond.
Then, at last, a Hebburn attack. The pacy striker is tackled just inside the area, but there's no foul and no penalty.
Redcar immediately go down the other end and a long range shot produces a flying save from the Hebburn keeper, with the resultant corner coming to nothing.
I'm no expert on strategy, but I sense the visitors' dominance is partly down to tactics. Redcar have an extra man in midfield, and a sweeper behind, so Hebburn are just not getting through the middle. Seemingly, their best spells are when they are going down the flanks, using their pace. Maybe that strategy will pay off later in the game, as the older Redcar legs tire and the youthful Hebburn wingers still have some running? Still, they will have to stay in the game until then, mind.
It's 3:45 and the floodlights are slowly coming on: warming up gradually into sixteen strong white stars against the pale blue sky.
Half time arrives. 0-3. A fair reflection so far.
I grab a coffee from the very friendly guy at reception inside the leisure centre. The liquid is heated to a nuclear level, but it's just what I need. My fingertips are stiffening up!
Inside, there's a kid's party in the sports hall. Apparently the host has forgotten to bring a knife to cut the Birthday cake! (Now that's the kind of doh! thing that I'd have done!)
Soon, the teams are back out. The game recommences. Can Hebburn find some composure?
They certainly start brighter, making space and finding passes. Their composure on the ball is much better.
Momentarily, however, it's their temperamental composure that is questioned. The burly Redcar striker is sandwiched between two yellows and the referee rightly blows for a foul. The matter is trivial but the back-chatting Hebburn players get a further ticking off for clear dissent and are frankly lucky not to see a card. Chill out!
It's fifteen minutes in. The Redcar forwards are clean through, but the Hebburn keeper saves well with his knees.
Another Hebburn substitute comes on as the right midfielder is swapped. For me, he has been noticeably timid throughout so far, skilled but seemingly reluctant to put a foot in when he had a glimmer of a chance - which is kind of typical of the Hebburn trend.
Soon after, Hebburn are through one on one but the Redcar keeper punches into touch. The game is more even now: it ebbs and flows more than the first half ever did. I presume the Hebburn coach's half-time speech has at least stemmed the drain of attitude. It may not ultimately be enough to save the match, having given themselves so much to do, but this is better for sure.
A final Hebburn sub. Some fresh legs up front. Maybe they can snatch something now their craft is improving?
Redcar make a change too. The impressive right-back is replaced, perhaps to be rested. He certainly had his opponents in his pocket all match.
A strange thing happens. The ball is punted upfield by Hebburn and it pings off the guideline that spans the pitch for the net curtain! The referee stops the game for a drop ball.
It's properly dark now. The sky is an attractive indigo, the lights are intense against a cloudless background. The wind has dropped and my fingers are working better. Or maybe it was the thawing effect of the warm cuppa?
A barnstorming run from the Hebburn left-back takes him riding through several tackles, until he gets chopped down in full flow. The free kick is wasted, but a nice bit of buccaneering nonetheless.
Redcar are not so rampant now, and it's the Red defence that's earning its corn. A loose clearance goes straight to the recent Hebburn sub, who finds room for a crack from 25 yards out, which the Redcar keeper gets his fingertips to.
Hebburn have deserved a consolation on this second half performance: no points, just something to reflect on.
On cue, a deep cross from the left hangs at the far post but the onrushing Hebburn striker can't nudge it in, despite throwing his entire body at it.
The play is all with Hebburn now, the flow has swung fully. They're quicker to the loose balls, assertive in the tackle, looking up more, making space. Yet Redcar are organised in defence, and soaking up the pressure and deploying intelligent game-management.
This is born out on the stroke of 90 minutes, as Hebburn cleverly pour forward and have free men in the box, but a wayward pass is intercepted by Redcar and the burly striker glides into the vacated space, feeding his colleague, who places a pearler into the far corner.
That's the last meaningful action. 0-4. It's not an unreasonable result, although perhaps Hebburn could have nicked one for consolation.
The visitors exchange high fives, and look forward to Round Two. The home side trudges away: they can concentrate on the league. I retreat to my vehicle and the beauty of the in-car heater.
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