Darlington Youth Wearside 6 Harton Bulldogs 3

At the time of kick off Darlington Wearside Youth U13 were top of the Russell Foster U13 (Sunday) Premier league with Harton Bulldogs U13 being second with the same points but Darlington having the better goal difference. Darlington 57 against Bulldogs 37. The last two meetings between the two teams had also seen Darlington Youth being the victors having put 11 goals past Bulldogs to their 1 against us. 7 – 1 in the cup and 4 – 0 in the league. So, apart from the league position Harton Bulldogs had a lot to aim for.

As always coach Daren Robertson opted to play Jaxon Briggs, Thomas Nesbiatt and Keiran Devlin in defence with Thomas Fletcher in front of the back three.

Having learned (from their previous meetings) of the Darlington short passing style of playing the Harton Bulldogs coach had opted for a game play of keeping two players almost permanently in the Darlington half and the tactics seemed to be to kick the ball up field with the hope of the forwards getting the ball. This was successful on 9 minutes when the lofted ball was chased on by the Bulldogs two forwards. The ever alert Darlington goalkeeper Alex Bates raced out of his box and produced a great tackle with his feet which saw the ball cleared to safety. The ball was collected by Darlington’s Ryan Smithwhite (in the Harton half), who shot wide.

The Bulldogs goal kick again found itself into the Darlington half and again goalkeeper Bates found himself as a makeshift sweeper.

The clearance went to Darlington’s Thomas Nesbitt who passed a long ball on to Daren Robertson who then found Ryan Smithwhite. Smithwhite passed the ball across the Bulldogs goal but this was intercepted by the Bulldogs keeper who put the ball out for a Darlington corner.

The corner was sent into the Bulldogs box only to be cleared again with a boot up field and again Bates was required to act as sweeper.

The ball forward from Bates saw Darlington’s Ryan Smithwhite fouled on the right side just outside the Bulldogs box. Smithwhite took the free kick and the ball bounced off the roof of the Bulldogs net.

The game progressed much in this fashion for the first 30 minutes with Darlington attempting to play their usual game and Bulldogs relying on the long kick up field. The Darlington coach Daren Robertson shouted instructions for his team to keep their shape, keep on plugging away and ‘a goal would come’.

However, on 31 minutes a goal ‘did come’, against the run of play and not to the good of the Darlington team.

Another long ball from the Bulldogs half found itself at the feet of the Bulldogs number 12. The Bulldogs number 12 and number 4 chased down on the Darlington goal and this time goal keeper Bates was given no chance as the Bulldogs number 4 sent a strong lofted shot over his head into the back of the Darlington net.

Darlington Wearside youth U13 0 – Harton Bulldogs U13 1.

However from the re-start Darlington went straight back on the attack and on 31 minutes a Darlington corner fell to the feet of Dominic Agnew. Agnew passed the ball to Keiran Wakefield who put the ball into the Bulldogs goal.

Darlington Wearside Youth U13 1 – Harton Bulldogs U13 1.

Darlington continued to gain the upper hand and challenged the Bulldogs defense. Again on 38 minutes this was rewarded when another Darlington corner taken by Lucas Reed fell to the feet of the Bulldogs goal keeper. The goalkeeper could only clear the ball to the edge of his box where it was collected by Darlington’s Jamie Dodds. Dodds passed a short ball to Finn Illingworth who sent the ball goal wards along the ground. The ball bobbled and deceived the goal keeper for Darlington’s second goal.

Darlington Wearside Youth U13 2 – Harton Bulldogs U13 1.

Harton continued their long ball attempts but Darlington’s Thomas Fletcher was having a good game in the Darlington mid-field.

The first half ended with the score Darlington Wearside Youth U13 2 – Harton Bulldogs U13 1.

The second half again saw the Bulldogs game plan being the big kick up field with the hope of the ever present two forwards latching onto the ball with very little build-up play involved in their tactics.

On 38 minutes a clearance by goal keeper Bates found Dominic Agnew in the Bulldogs half. Agnew chased the ball to the corner and crossed over to Lucas Reed but again the ball was lofted back into the Darlington half to be cleared again by Bates. Darlington’s Keiran Devlin collected the clearance, passed to Keiran Wakefield who passed to Dominic Agnew to Jaimie Dodds who passed to Jaimie Gibson for a shot. Again the Bulldogs keeper made a great save. The keeper sent the ball back into the Darlington half of the field and Thomas Nesbiatt put in a great tackle to send the ball out for a Bulldogs corner. The corner was taken quickly and passed out to the edge of Darlington box. The Bulldogs forward took a quick lofted ball over the players in the box which deceived the Darlington goal-keeper for Bulldogs second goal.

Darlington Wearside Youth U13 2 – Harton Bulldogs U13 2.

Darlington continued to have the upper hand in the out field exchanges and had several attempts at the Bulldogs goal saved by the Bulldogs keeper.

Bulldogs did not change their game plan at all and relied on the long ball up field. The two Bulldogs forwards were very fast and the Bulldogs coach had obviously given his team a good brief “ when you get the ball, kick it up field”. “ Forwards just stay up field and wait for the pass”. This was how the game progressed and again on 43 minutes another Bulldogs ‘punt’ found the Bulldogs number 4 one on one with the Darlington keeper. The Darlington keeper collected the ball inside his box and the Bulldogs number 4 chased down on the keeper. The number 4 punched the ball out of the keeper’s hands and kicked the ball into the net. This infringement was missed by the referee and, despite appeals from the keeper the goal counted.

Darlington Wearside Youth U13 2 – Harton Bulldogs 3.

Harton Bulldogs then opted to keep the two forwards up field but then also kept three defenders on their back line.

However the Darlington coach instructed the team to develop their game from the goal keeper forward, keep plugging away and keep to the game plan.

The third Bulldogs goal seemed to spur on the Darlington team and they upped their level of commitment.

Several times they had chances which went wide or were intercepted by the Bulldogs goal keeper.

On 64 minutes this persistence paid off when there was a ball cleared from Bates in the Darlington box, the ball fell to Daren Robertson on the edge of the Bulldogs box. Robertson passed to Jaxon Briggs who rounded the Bulldogs goal keeper to make the scores level.

Darlington Wearside Youth U13 3 – Harton Bulldogs U13 3.

From the Bulldogs re-start Darlington were quick to the tackle and were awarded a throw in. The throw in found Ryan Smithwhite. Smithwhite passed to Jaxon Briggs. Briggs produced a great cross to the feet of Jamie Gibson in the Bulldogs box and Gibson scored Darlington’s 4^th goal. This all in the space of 1 minute.

Darlington Wearside Youth U13 4 – Harton Bulldogs U13 3.

On 66 minutes Bulldogs were awarded a free kick from 30 yards out. The Bulldogs forward took the free kick which landed directly at the feet of goal keeper Bates. Bates made no mistake and safely smothered the ball. Bates passed the ball to Ryan Smithwhite on the edge of the Darlington box. Smithwhite passed up field to Daren Robertson who passed to Jamie Dodds. Dodds again found Jaxon Briggs who made no mistake and buried the ball into the Bulldogs net on 68 minutes.

Darlington Wearside Youth U13 5 – Harton Bulldogs U13 3.

By this time the Darlington team had the bit between their teeth. On the Bulldogs re-start from that goal Finn Illingworth was quick off the mark and stole the ball off the Bulldogs winger. Illingworth crossed the ball from the Bulldogs left wing into Jaxon Briggs who passed the ball to Tommy Hunt for the 6^th and final goal of the game on 69 minutes.

Darlington Wearside Youth U13 6 – Harton Bulldogs U 13 3.

This was a great display with the Darlington Wearside Youth U13 team ‘sticking to their game plan’. The long ball punt up field tactics of the Harton Bulldogs team did create some problems, especially with their two very fast forwards. The Darlington back three and goal keeper kept their concentration and the out field players kept pounding away at the Bulldogs defence. After going behind on 43 minutes (albeit with a suspicious goal) the Darlington team upped their level of commitment. The last 15 minutes saw the Darlington team have the upper hand and this was rewarded by goals on 64; 65; 68 and 69 minutes, such was the dominance in the latter stages of the game.

This was a great result and now puts the Darlington team ‘officially’ on top of the Premier Division with 33 points still with two games in hand over the Harton Bulldogs.