I'm continuing to compile match reports for Percy Main Amateurs. Here's my latest set for you to peruse -:
Percy Main Amateurs 2
Cullercoats 3: Saturday 30 October
At
half time, the players trooped off with Percy Main Amateurs leading 1-0,
courtesy of Jordan Thompson’s close range finish in the 14th minute.
The consensus among the assembled Percy faithful was that Cullercoats had got
off lightly in a half of almost incessant Villagers’ pressure, with visiting
custodian Taylor Blaney being largely responsible for the closeness of the
score, courtesy of a series of outstanding close-range blocks, parries and
saves. How different was the atmosphere at full time, when Cullercoats
celebrated their triumph that came courtesy of the Main’s second half
disintegration, which offered up three gift wrapped goals occasioned by a
defensive horror show that saw PMA fall to their fourth successive home defeat
and fifth in a row in all competitions.
How
different things had seemed in the early stages. Within 10 minutes, the
returning Main hit man Paul Collinson had twice been instinctively denied by
the gloves of Blaney, as the Villagers forced a series of right wing corners.
Perhaps Blaney’s best save was the one when he reacted brilliantly to parry
Thomas Kalthoeber’s piledriver. It was therefore no surprise when Thompson
broke the deadlock, tapping in to an unguarded net at the back post. It seemed
a question of how many the Main would score at this point, but Cullercoats
finally got a foothold in the game, calming and slowing down proceedings. They
also fashioned one chance, when Matty Coaley hit a speculative thunderbolt from
nigh on 30 yards that pinged off the top of the bar.
The
second half began in a remarkably ragged fashion, with neither team able to
find any kind of rhythm. It was perhaps fitting tat the Cullercoats equaliser
in the 58th minute came from an absolute howler in the home defence.
A period of aimless keep ball was ended by James Cooper intercepting a loose
ball, running on and firing home from the edge of the box. Moments later, the
visitors almost went ahead when a free for all in the home box saw Cullercoats
hit the post and then smash the ball high over an open goal. Despite Collinson
almost getting on the end of a long clearance by Reece Monaghan, swathed in a crepe
bandage to protect four stitches in a head wound, the momentum had shifted
decisively towards the visitors. Cullercoats took the lead after 76 minutes,
when substitute Jay Errington pounced on a loose ball that the Main had spurned
several chances to clear.
Remarkably,
the Main came again. Collinson drove into the box and ad his legs swept from
under him. He got up and was preparing to take the inevitable penalty when an
altercation developed with a Cullercoats player who was intent on delaying the
kick. The outcome was the referee brandishing a red card that curtailed
Collinson’s home coming. Thankfully Stephenson kept his cool and rolled the
kick home. Just when Main thought they had got away with a point, another
defensive calamity provided a final kick in the teeth. Errington, stood in
splendid isolation at the back post, drove the ball home via the far upright
after collecting a misplaced clearing header to settle the contest in
Cullercoats’ favour.
Percy Main Amateurs 1
Seaton Delaval Amateurs 1: Saturday 6 November
After
last week’s defensive debacle at home to Cullercoats, Percy Main Amateurs began
this week’s contest in determined fashion. Twice in the opening couple of
minutes, Delaval keeper Ethan Custance was called upon to keep his side level,
with sprawling saves from the lively Kai Charlton. However, it was the visiting
Amateurs who took the lead after 6 minutes with a Goal of the Season contender.
Burly opposition centre forward Malik Kalimba hit a first time, side foot,
cushioned volley from 14 yards out that flashed past Reece Monaghan before he
had time to react. When such an audacious piece of skill is enacted by the
opposition, there is no place for recriminations; all you can do is nod your
head in appreciation and applaud.
Once
the lead had been established, Delaval sat back and invited the Villagers to
come at them. This the home side did, but with more enthusiasm than skill.
Custance, belying his slender frame and lack of inches, took on the role of
sweeper keeper, racing from his goal to hammer clearances away. The Main
attempted to obviate this threat by switching to a short passing game, though
this allowed Delaval to harry the hosts out of their stride. Far too often in
the first period, ponderous Percy players held on to the ball for too long, or
took extra, unnecessary touches in the hope of finding a killer pass. When the
shots did come in, they were too often weak and misdirected, resulting in the
visitors leading at the break.
It
was a reinvigorated Percy Main that came out after the interval and slowly, but
surely, began to turn the screw on their visibly wilting opponents. It was
Custance who came to Delaval’s rescue on numerous occasions. He eye-catchingly
spread himself to deflect Dylan Taylor’s goal-bound effort behind for a corner
after 55 minutes. The equaliser was soon to arrive, however; on 59 minutes the
impressive Finlay Baty floated in a superb corner, right on the head of Thomas
Kaltoeber, who precisely nodded the ball beyond the despairing leap of Custance
for a thoroughly merited equaliser
From
that point on there was only one side likely to win it. Twice Taylor and
Charlton saw their on-target shots desperately deflected behind for corners. A
series of questionable offside decisions also stalled the Percy momentum when
in good positions. So, despite doing more than enough to win the game, Percy
Main had to settle for a point. Next week, PMA are away to Newcastle Chemfica
in the Northern Alliance Team Valley Carpets Challenge Cup at Newcastle
University’s Longbenton Sports Ground on Coach Lane. The postcode is NE7 7XA
and kick off is 1.30.
Newcastle Chemfica 4
Percy Main Amateurs 0: Saturday 13 November
Newcastle
Chemfica ended Percy Main’s interest in the Northern Alliance Premier Division
Team Valley Carpets Challenge Cup at the first hurdle, in decisive fashion.
While it is inarguable that the Main were well beaten by Kennie Malia’s side,
the final score was very harsh, especially on Percy’s Kai Charlton who led the
line tirelessly and deserved at least a goal for his efforts. Sadly, it was not
an occasion for romantic notions of the beautiful game, and the home goal
remained intact.
The
game had started in far better circumstances, with the Main almost taking the
lead on 5 minutes when Cameron McHarg heading against the outside of the post
following a corner. Unfortunately, this bright opening counted for nothing when
Chemfica opened the scoring on 16 minutes when Oliver Ure pounced on a loose
ball and worked an opening on the edge of the area, before firing in a low shot
that whistled past Reece Monaghan. The Main almost got back on level terms with
a similar move to the Chemfica opener, except that Joe Kelly’s drive was held
at the foot of his near post by Jak Wells. It was a decent save, but not as
impressive as Monaghan’s instinctive block with his feet from a venomous Joseph
Connor strike, as the half came to an end.
The
optimists among the travelling Main faithful collectively believed this stop
would prove crucial in the second period. Unfortunately, the more pessimistic
Percy disciples’ feelings of gloom were to be vindicated as Chemfica doubled
their lead on 55 minutes, after Luke Molloy had spurned a glorious chance by
driving wildly over when presented with an open goal in the opening seconds of
the second half, when Joseph Davy nodded into an unguarded net after Monaghan
had parried Ure’s angled drive. This effectively ended the game as a contest,
with the Main increasingly frustrated in their attempts to create meaningful
chances. Indeed, only one team looked likely to score, meaning Monaghan was
regularly occupied, pulling off a series of fine stops.
Sadly,
the roof fell in when McHarg was dismissed after 73 minutes, for hauling down
an on-rushing Chemfica striker. The Main survived the subsequent free kick, but
their numerical disadvantage was ruthlessly exploited by the home side, when
Lufter Karim tapped home from straight in front of the net on 82 minutes. The
final indignity came in injury time when an unmarked Shane Walton nodded home
at the back post, turning a defeat into a thumping.
Percy
Main are next in action on Saturday 20 November, away to Haltwhistle Jubilee in
a Northern Alliance Premier Division game. The kick off is 2pm and the postcode
for those intending to travel, is NE49 9EH.
Cullercoats 1 Percy Main
Amateurs 4: Saturday 18 December
The
second game of the Thompson-Walker-Deagle era for Percy Main saw the first
victory; an emphatic success away to local rivals Cullercoats, where the Main
produced a second half as dominant as it was attractive on the eye. Over the
years, many great goalscorers have graced the hallowed claret and blue of the
Villagers, but never before has a player who hit the headlines for notching the
winner in a Wembley final turned out for the club. Fittingly John Campbell, the
former Oxford, Torquay, Darlington, Whitby, Benfield and Heaton Stannington
striker, slammed in a hat trick on his debut.
However
the Walker wizard, alongside strike partner Jonathan Wright, once of Hibernian,
in perhaps the most left-footed front pairing in history, was eclipsed for the
Man of the Match award, as was the utterly impeccable Dean Deagle who produced
a stellar performance at left back, and the all-action, strong running, selfless
creativity of Billy Walker. No, the star performer for the Villagers was Adam
Green, whose titanic showing in midfield enabled the defence to be afforded much
protection and created many opportunities for the attack. He literally did not
put a foot wrong all afternoon.
Of
course, this being Percy Main, it wasn’t plain sailing from the start. After a
short delay to proceedings to clean up the mess of a thoughtless dog walker,
Cullercoats tried t impose themselves from the start, causing Reece Monaghan to
distinguish himself with a brilliant, instinctive tip over from a full-blooded,
close range volley by Jonny Watson. It was only a temporary respite though, as
Richard Jull capitalised on a free kick in a central position, just outside the
area, curling in a delightful finish that left Monaghan helpless.
The
Main were level with 90 seconds, when new signing Mark Waite pounced on a loose
ball in the Cullercoats area to drive the visitors level. A quiet period of
attritional midfield play saw chances at a premium as the two sides cancelled
each other out, when John Campbell began to exert his influence on the game.
Running onto a glorious crossfield pass, Campbell took the ball in his stride
and proceeded to execute a beautiful dink over the onrushing home keeper,
Taylor Blaney after 35 minutes.
The
second half saw a noticeable increase in the tempo of the game, in combination
with a clear step change in the level of performance from most Percy Main games
this season. The Villagers simply seemed tougher, more organised and determined
to win the game. Undoubtedly, the introduction of several experienced, quality
signings were the difference today. After a couple of reasonable shouts for
penalties, Campbell pounced again on 65 minutes, slotting home into the bottom
corner after Green’s eye of the needle through ball had split the Cullercoats
defence wide open.
Jonathan
Wright was denied by a quality stop by Blaney, with Campbell unlucky not to
complete his hat trick after thumping the rebound against the outside of the
post. He was not to be denied, claiming a treble after intercepting a short
back pass and firing beyond Blaney’s despairing leap on 81 minutes to complete
the scoring on a highly successful afternoon by the coast.
Prudhoe YC 3 Percy Main Amateurs
2: Friday 7 January 2022
On
a freezing Friday evening in the Tyne Valley, Percy Main Amateurs played their
first game of 2022. While the Villagers were ultimately to leave Kimberley Park
empty handed, the performance showed just how far the club has come since Derek
Thompson and Geoff Walker assumed control at Purvis Park. Last October, Percy
Main suffered an awful, almost humiliating 5-0 home defeat when Prudhoe came to
visit. The gap between the sides on that occasion was a yawning chasm, but this
game showed the Main are playing catch up at a rate of knots.
With
Reece Monaghan unavailable with COVID, former Benfield and Whitley Bay keeper
Sean Korsbo made his debut for Percy Main. In the early stages he had very
little to do, affording him a perfect view of Jonathan Wright’s stunning opener
on 22 minutes. The striker found himself unmarked in central midfield with the
ball at his feet. Shifting it on to his trusty left foot, he unleashed a
venomous strike that Prudhoe keeper didn’t even see.
After
the opening goal, the Main enjoyed a period of territorial dominance, so it was
something of a shock when Prudhoe hit back with 2 goals in as many minutes. On
35 minutes, Harry Mitchell’s effort squirmed under Korsbo. If the keeper was at
question over that one, he was utterly blameless when Brad Rogers put the home
side in the lead with an effort almost as spectacular as Wright’s opener within
60 seconds. Prudhoe then assumed control and the Villagers had to regroup to
stay in touch.
After
the break, Percy Main came again, with Lee Johnson exerting influence in
midfield, but chances were at a premium. Indeed, the next goal came from
Prudhoe, when the impressive Matty Law received the ball on the right edge of
the area, swapped it onto his left and unleashed an unstoppable effort into the
roof of the net. The Main refused to lie down after this set back and Wright
halved the deficit with an accurately placed free kick with 12 minutes to go.
Sadly, despite their best efforts, the Villagers couldn’t find an equaliser,
though there was no disgrace in this defeat.
Rutherford
4 Percy Main Amateurs 0: Saturday 15 January
Without
the services of John Campbell and Jonathan Wright, both of whom were at St
James Park for some unaccountable reason, Percy Main Amateurs suffered a heavy
defeat at the hands of former boss Gareth “Beanie” Allen’s Rutherford side that
was at least partly explained by the shot shy Villagers’ lack of options in an
attacking sense.
Having
not faced the North East’s second oldest football club during the last two
COVID-blighted seasons, the Main set about their hosts with some relish in a
fast paced opening that was typified by Brandon Studholme’s teasing cross shot
that hit the outside of Rutherford keeper Matthew Pattinson’s post before
bouncing clear. Indeed, Percy placed young Pattinson under severe pressure that
he was perhaps fortunate to deal with, especially after dropping the ball at
Morgan Patterson’s feet, escaping only when a fortuitous whistle put a
temporary halt to proceedings. At the other end, the returning Reece Monaghan
was relieved to see an effort from a tight angle by Rutherford’s Owen Whitmore
hit the inside of the post, before rebounding into the keeper’s arms.
Perhaps
the most impressive home performer before the break was former Main full back
Aaron Kah, who enjoyed much freedom down the right and almost put his team
ahead, firing narrowly wide on 35 minutes. The opener was only seconds away
though. In the absence of a qualified assistant, Main’s Moses Igiehon was
pressed into carrying the flag. This game being under the aegis of the Durham
FA required him to only signal for throw ins, leaving the referee to adjudicate
on all offsides. As a result of such confused complexities, a suspiciously
offside Aristotle Guerin collected a through ball and fired Rutherford ahead.
Seconds before the break it could have been 2-0, but Monaghan tipped over a
venomous close range effort by Nick Gibson.
After
the break, a full complement of match officials were present, with the new
assistant assiduously flagging the Villagers offside from almost every attack,
paying tribute to the ruthlessly efficient defensive discipline of the hosts.
Percy Main’s frustrations grew when the impressive Lee Johnson pulled up with a
hamstring strain, necessitating his replacement. Unfortunately the
reorganisation of the Main’s line-up was an on-going process when Rutherford’s
burly striker Stephen Hall pounced on a knock down to slide in a second from
close range. At this point, there wasn’t an obvious two goal gap between the
sides, but the cruel nature of the game saw Rutherford run away with the points
after a deflating third goal, courtesy of Charlie Watson’s speculative effort
that went through a crowd of bodies and squirmed under Monaghan’s body to make
it 3-0 at the midpoint of the second period.
To
their credit, Percy Main did not give up and Billy Walker was denied by a full
length dive by Pattinson. The Mains stand out performer was Mark Waite, who
drove the side forward all game, with a fine array of passes, but even his best
efforts were thwarted when Watson collected a loose ball in the box and fired
an unstoppable effort into the roof of the net, to make the final score
Rutherford 4 Percy Main 0.
