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Under 12's - Match Day Reports

8/3/09 League
SAFC Foundation Reds 7 V 0 Riverside
Played at Ford Quarry on a fantastic surface, the best grass pitch we’ve played on. We were under the cosh from the start playing against the wind and held out for 10 mins due to a combination of some desperate defeunding and wayward finishing before we go 1-0 down as they headed in a corner that should have been better defended. Second goal a bit unfortunate as a cross from the right is allowed to run to the back post before Matt knocks it in under pressure from several attackers. Worse to follow as a long range shot comes back off the bar and the SAFC striker is first to react for a tap-in. 2 more goals follow to leave us no way back at 5-0 at the break. The lads stuck at it and played much better football in the second half hitting SAFC on the counter-attack, Nathan probably coming closest to pulling a goal back. MoM Nick Mitchinson who was again was fully committed and covered every blade of grass on the pitch.

1/3/09 League
Riverside 1 V 0 Willington
We lost 7-2 and 8-1 to these as we finished 10 points behind them in both winning promotion so this was a test of where we are now with Willington 2 points and 1 place below us in the table. Snoopy back from hols and started on bench, coming into midfield to add some bite and aerial ability. Played with the wind first half and again started strongly as we go 1-0 up in 9th minute with a good finish from Dan after excellent work from Nick. Continued to press but couldn’t add any goals before the break. Against the wind Tom and the back 4 stood firm, all of them having excellent games as we held on for another excellent win. MoM O’Connor for leading the back line superbly

22/2/09 League
Riverside 3 V 2 Plains Farm
Having lost 7-0 to these just before Christmas expected another defeat today but the effort on Thursday has done the lads a lot of good as they came out of the traps firing. Playing with a strong wind in first half we go 1-0 as a long shot squirms away from their keeper to give Dan a tap-in in second minute. Went 2-0 up through Nick Mitchinson although Tom W again kept us in it with some smart saves just before h-t. Against the wind second half expected the Alamo but we went 3-0 up when Dan was tripped from behind inside the box and Liam coolly slotted into the bottom left corner. Riverside played some lovely football but Plains pulled one back with 15 mins to go with a great strike from outside the box which gave Tom no chance. Pulled another one back after a slip at the back with 5 mins to go and we held on for a great win- Plains are the highest placed team we have ever beaten. All of the lads were superb today. MoM- Tom Goulding who was outstanding in first half

19/2/09 League
Swalwell Swifts 11 V 0 Riverside
Darren has returned and while Snoopy has signed he was away on holiday for this game played under the floodlights on Thursday night to catch up on fixture backlog. We only had 11 players while Swalwell had full squad out which they could rotate- they are an excellent outfit and showed their class tonight. The huge pitch also suited their game as they knocked the ball about well and went in 7-0 up at h-t. The boys plugged away but beaten by side that could well win the league. MoM Matthew Mcadam who never stopped all night.

8/2/09 League
Durham County 1 V 0 Riverside

After several postponements of this game we played on the 3G astro pitch at Deerness – fantastic surface which the lads loved playing on. Good, competitive game with both sides looking to play football. Riverside had most of the play in the first half and created a few chances while fortunately Tom was on form in goal to keep us in it. Under pressure after the break but Tom made 5 great stops. We concede a bit unluckily 5 mins from the end as a corner hits one of out players and drops perfectly for their lad to score. Great game to watch, a point each would have been a fair result. MoM Tom Wilson.

18/1/09 League
Nissan S’land Porto 8 V 4 Riverside

Light on numbers today with Darren and Chris off sick so we start without any subs. In freezing conditions we start against a very strong wind and found it difficult to mount any attacks, go a goal down which was a yard offside. Battled back well and defence was holding out until the second is conceded, again in an offside position (I’m starting to sound like Alex Ferguson). Again the lads were looking good going towards half time but conceded another 2 to give a one-sided picture at the break. With the strong wind behind us for the second half felt we could get back into it and we pulled 1 back through Tom Skelton’s near post finish from an excellent Liam corner. The lads’ tails were up and we pull another 1 back, Ben’s neat finish for his first for the club after good work from Nick. We then go 5-2 down before pulling another back to 5-3 through Michael with a feeling we could get something out of the game with 10 mins to go. That disappeared as we concede 2 soft goals before Nathan gets one through a bit of tenacity. Ran out of steam after that and lose 8-4 but a great effort against a team that are 4th in the league. MoM Tom Wilson who again kept us in it at times with good handling.

4/1/09 League
Plains Farm 7 V 0 Riverside

Nick stood in as captain today for Liam who was away. Despite discussing the need for a positive start before the game we again go 1-0 down to a goal in first 5 mins, although they had some good fortune in what looked like a cross looped high over Tom’s head giving him no chance. Some weak defending cost further 2 goals as we continued to be under pressure kicking up the hill. 5-0 at h-t seemed a bit harsh and we pressed well in the second half but just couldn’t find the killer pass to take advantage of good possession. Plains scored a couple of breakaway goals for what looks like a thumping win. Yet again a poor first half has cost us the game and needs to be put right if we have ambitions of staying in the division. MoM Nick Mitchinson who put in a captains performance and did not deserve to be on the losing side

16/11/08 League
Boldon Colts 9 V 5 Riverside

Had the luxury of 2 subs today with Michael back out of retirement and Darren recovering from glandular fever, although Skelly arrived late, thinking kick-off had been put back for Sky! We started slowly, going 1-0 down after 5 mins and 2-0 after 10 before pulling 1 back. Boldon peppered the shots in with a couple of their players able to hit them high from range. They did a get a couple of goals that looked off-side as they went in 7-2 at the break. Told the lads they would have to step up second half as the first wasn’t good enough and they came out and played much better, looking tighter at the back and in midfield and creating many more chances with some excellent passing moves. First goals of the season from Nathan Middleton and Jack Barnes and outstanding performances from Nathan and Chris Ball today, with Tom Wilson also showing very good handling in goal

9/11/08 League Cup First Round
Riverside 2 V 3 Humbledon Blues

After beating these in the League recently would have hoped to see a repeat but we were a bit short today with Liam unavailable and Lewis decided to move to Ouston in Div 3. With only 11 available for selection the boys had to work very hard, especially as we had to play on the senior pitch due to waterlogging on our usual pitch. Played up the hill against the wind first half but played some lovely football on the heavy pitch. Went 1-0 down to a very good finish but equalised with a strong run and shot from Dan being parried out to Michael for a tap-in, first goal of the season in a run-out up front today. After a strong tackle from Jack on edge of our box we break away across the half way line but play pulled back as their player stayed down. From re-start ball is passed back to Tom in goal but with a strong wind he can’t clear the ball to where it came from and we concede possession and another goal to go 2-1 down. In a cracking second half we continually press but cannot score and they get a breakaway goal before we pull back to 3-2 with 5 mins to go though Nick. If we played another 5 mins we could have won! Best performances of the season from Tom Goulding and Jack, with Macca putting in a good shift switching to centre half.

16/11/08 League
Boldon Colts 9 V 5 Riverside

9/11/08 League Cup First Round
Riverside 2 V 1 Humbledon Blues

19/10/08 League
Riverside 2 V 1 Humbledon Blues

Blues picked up their first point of the season last week, something we hoped to do today. Only 12 players available today but a new goalkeeper in Tom Wilson who has transferred in from Washington Utd and looked comfortable in training. Like our last home game, we started very brightly and really should have gone in to the break with a couple of goals in the bag and nearly paid the price when the centre forward was played onside but fortunately for us lifted his shot just over the bar. Pushed on in second half though after the newly introduced half time snack of Jaffa Cakes did the trick- Tom Skelton finishing off a fine move with a smart finish under the advancing keeper. Continued to press while the back four performed superbly to limit the chances at the other end. Darren Jopling made it 2-0 with his first league goal of the season. Slight gloss taken off the win conceding in the last minute but I think there was a technical offside as their scorer may have been ahead of the keeper when he received the ball- have to watch Match of the Day tonight! Excellent performance by everyone today – an excellent start to his season for Tom Wilson with best games so far from Jack, Skelly and Chris, and Liam MoM from centre half.

12/10/08 League
Easington Buzzards 11 V 0 Riverside

A thumping win for an excellent team, unfortunately we were on the receiving end of it! Buzzards won the league last year and play the game the right way. We were light on numbers as Robbie has decided to play elsewhere and Nick was unavailable today due to school commitments. Michael O’Neil has ‘retired’ but turned out today to help out. We went 1-0 down after 10 mins and another 2 followed in next 3 mins. We simply struggled to compete against a strong team and went in 5-0 down at the break. The lads clearly tired in the second half as the goals still rained in- they even missed a penalty and should have had another from what looked a more obvious foul than the one that was given- maybe the ref had some sympathy for us as he had had an excellent game. Only consolation after this is, as the Buzzards Manager said after the game, we have now probably played the best 4 teams in the league. Unfortunately we go bottom of the table after this defeat.

5/10/08 League
Riverside 2 V 6 SAFC Foundation Reds

Expected a tough game again today as SAFC finished 4th in the Prem last year. However, we started superbly and looked the better side in the first half, leading 2-0 a few mins before half time through Dan Charters and then a lovely finish from Chris Ball just after coming on for the injured Liam. Have to say we were cheated just before half time as their player ran the ball a yard over the bye-line before crossing to score. Made worse by the assistant coach telling him well done! Warned the lad they would be in for a tough second half and we were bullied into defeat by a very physical approach which the referee did nothing to counter. This was exacerbated when 4 mins from the end Jack was sent off for striking his opponent after first being picked and then punched which the ref again failed to notice.

21/9/08 County Cup
Riverside 1 V 6 Norton & Stockton Ancients

This game was played on the longest grass ever seen on a football pitch- malaria tablets had to be handed out before the game. Riverside got off to a great start with a thumping finish into the top right corner from Darren Jopling after 30 seconds. More pressure followed but the wind was taken out of our sails by the equaliser from a position inside our box where the scorer was at least 5 yards off-side. We fell behind to an excellent long range shot to go in 2-1 down at half time. Norton played some tidy football in the second half and pulled away from us with some well worked goals although we could have made it a lot harder if we had taken 2 or 3 good chances in the second half. And if only that off-side flag had gone up on the first goal……

Sun 31 Aug
Riverside 2 V 7 Swalwell Swifts

Our debut in the Premier Division against lat year's Div 1 Champions who
twice beat us comfortably last year. If ever there was a game of 2
halves this was it? The game was played on a pitch with grass so long we
were worried we'd have to send a search party out for a couple of the
lads! A shocking first half a we went 1-0 down in the fourth minute with
a free-kick from long range but we equalised with an excellent run and
finish from Daniel Charters. Held our own for a little while but
conceded a penalty which there goal-keeper despatched. We collapsed
after that and went down 7-1 by half time. The lads got the hair-dryer
treatment at half time and responded magnificently, every player raising
their game by 20% and working their yellow socks off. Won the second
half 1-0 with Lewis Quigley burying a penalty to bury his demons after
conceding the penalty in the first half (shades of Stuart Pearce!) won
by a great penetrating run by Nick Mitchinson (captain on the night in
absence of Liam). If the work rate of the second half can be maintained
we will soon pick up points. MoM Daniel Charters

Tues 2 Sept
Riverside 1 V 4 Nissan Sunderland Porto

Well, the grass was cut but the lines hadn't been re-marked so had to
use the U11 pitch! This game kicked off in monsoon conditions (haven't
seen much of that this summer have we?!) and against a team that
finished 3rd last year we started as we finished on Sunday. Couple of
changes to the team and formation tonight- captain Liam O'Connor back
from hols moved into midfield from right back to give the back four a
bit more protection and the extra body in there helped us as we stormed
into an early lead- a neat move finished by Daniel Charters at the far
post. Dazzler Jopling was also back from sickness (hangover?) to add
pace to the front line. Held the lead for some time before conceding 2
in quick succession before the break. Definitely still in the game going
into the second half Riverside carved out some decent opportunities
including a pin-ball effort where Jack and then Robbie had efforts
charged down. The effort told eventually as we conceded 2 towards the
end of the match to give a scoreline which looks a little unfair on the
performance. Look forward to more performances like this!
MoM- Everyone