The Maintenance of Headway

 The final set of Percy Main programmes articles & match reports from 2022/2023 now follows -:

Haltwhistle Jubilee: 25-03-23

Percy Main 2 Seaton Delaval Amateurs 1

Percy Main climbed to the rarefied heights of fourth place in the Northern Alliance Premier Division following their second successive home victory, hot on the heels of the 7-1 demolition of Whitley Bay Reserves the week before. In terms of chances created, The Villagers could perhaps have equalled, if not exceeded, last week’s goal haul in the first half alone, as the woodwork came to the rescue of the visitors. Last week’s hat trick hero Alfie Livermore was repeatedly denied by the frame of the goal, while Jordan Stephenson placed several efforts inches wide of either post.

After Livermore had been a shade off target with two early snapshots from the edge of the box, Delaval came within a whisker of taking the lead on 15 minutes. A titanic scramble in the box saw the ball rebound from the inside of the post and into the centre of the box, where numerous efforts were blocked by desperate Main defenders, before the ball was finally cleared. Played switched to the other end of the pitch, resulting in a simple chance for Stephenson, who incredibly sidefooted wide of an empty net. This was only a temporary reprieve for Seaton Delaval, as Harry Twinn put Percy Main ahead on 20 minutes with a smart finish from a tight angle. Despite the desperate efforts of a Delaval defender, the officials were in no doubt the ball was over the line and, in the absence of VAR in the Northern Alliance, the goal was given.

Immediately afterwards, Livermore’s brilliant curling effort struck the base of the post and Stephenson’s follow-up effort sneaked just the wrong side of the far post. Delaval themselves were close to scoring, when an unmarked Liam Laidler poked an effort wide. Livermore was once again denied when his glorious dipping effort smacked the top of the bar as The Main ended the half well on top.

The litany of missed chances continued after the break, with Livermore a shade wide from the edge of the box. These misses seemingly came back to haunt The Main when Delaval, temporarily reduced 10 men while Kai Sample spent a stint in the sin bin for dissent, drew level. Callum Elliott in home goal, parried a free kick from the edge of the box, with Laidler reacting quickest the bury the loose ball. However, never has the truism that a team is at their most vulnerable just after they score, been better illustrated than by the Percy response. Straight from kick off, the Villagers swept forward and Mark McDonnell saw his effort from the right palmed away by keeper Jamie Wright, straight into the path of Ben Bradburn who gleefully smashed it home. Wright made amends with a stunning block from Twinn at his near post, before Delaval lost their composure in the closing stages.

First to incur the referee’s displeasure was Oyindamola Ajayi, who saw red after a clash with Main sub Nicky Whitelaw. Wright again distinguished himself with a superb tip over following a misdirected defensive header, before being dismissed for violent conduct, after hurling the ball at Main sub Kieran Brannen, who also saw red for a second yellow card. A further Delaval player was sinbinned for dissent and when play restarted, Stephenson almost put the icing on the cake with a glorious long range shot that smacked the post with the replacement keeper an immobile spectator. Seconds later, the final whistle sounded and Delaval’s Jaden Cahill-Taylor was shown the final red card of the day for expressing his displeasure rather too vehemently for the referee’s liking. However, these late incidents should not distract from the quality of The Main’s attacking play, especially in the opening period.

Newcastle Blue Star: 03-04-23

Percy Main 5 Haltwhistle Jubilee 0

The second half of this game must rank as one of the most complete performances seen at Purvis Park in many a long year. Percy Main produced a second half showing that was as near faultless as could be imagined at Northern Alliance Premier Division level against a determined and resolute Haltwhistle side, who never threw in the towel when the goals rained in. Indeed, the Main’s keeper Callum Elliott once again turned in a magnificent display that included at least four saves that bordered on the miraculous. Without his superb glovework, the final score may not have been as emphatic as it was, though we must recognise that the quality of play that flowed from back to front and across both flanks, deserved to be rewarded by the 5-0 result.

Alfie Livermore, who again proved to be a constant threat from the very first whistle, put the home side ahead after 7 minutes. Collecting a quick free kick on the left hand edge of the area, he stormed into the box and unleashed a fierce shot low across keeper Nathan Byerley and into the bottom corner of the net. The surprising thing was that this was the only goal in the first period, as the Villagers sought to play the ball along the deck across the back line, almost like a tribute to Channel 4’s Football Italia from back in the day’s when veteran libero Dean Ellis was a lad. Haltwhistle responded with dogged defending and robust tackling, though Elliott was called into action and distinguished himself with a fine save, holding a stinging volley from Rob Peart into his midriff.

In the second period, the floodgates well and truly opened after 53 minutes when an unmarked Matt Aspey nodded in a free kick from Carl Collins at the back post. Immediately from the restart, Haltwhistle won a free kick on the edge of the Main area for handball. Elliott again drew the crowd’s generous applause with a stunning one handed block at the junction of bar and post. Minutes later and the Main keeper was at it again, tipping a seemingly certain goal round the foot of the post. This was to prove crucial as from the Main’s next attack, Harry Twinn drove in a venomous low effort that went through keeper Byerley because of the sheer brute force of the strike, to make the score 3-0. Byerley was on his mettle soon after, denying Livermore’s subtle curling effort.

With just over 10 minutes remaining, Jay Errington was introduced and, after sending a range finder onto the roof of the net, he made it 4-0 with a beautiful downward header from Livermore’s inch perfect cross. These young lads are playing some exquisite attacking football, but never forget the contribution of Callum Elliott in nets, as he made his fourth brilliant save, turning a fierce low effort from the luckless Peart round the post on his right hand side this time. The scoring was completed on 85 minutes, when an unchallenged Jake McDine nodded in a Mark McDonnell corner to round off a perfect performance from Percy Main. This is a performance that will live long in the memory of those lucky enough to witness it.

Seaton Delaval Amateurs 2 Percy Main 2

On a chilly, overcast afternoon that mocked the recent turning of the seasons to British Summer Time, Percy Main and Seaton Delaval played out an absorbing contest that ended in a deserved point apiece after a 2-2 draw. Wheatridge Park is an attractive and atmospheric location, and it served as a fitting venue for this hard fought encounter, where the visitors twice led from Alfie Livermore goals, but were twice pegged back by a determined home side, spurred on by an exemplary performance from the talented veteran Keith Graydon, who notched a brace of equalisers whose distance probably amounted to less than a couple of feet.

After an even opening period, Delaval fashioned the first chance of the game after 8 minutes, when home captain Liam Laidler saw the ever excellent Callum Elliott block his low effort at the near post. Immediately afterwards the Main custodian was back in action, parrying a Damien Stevens shot with his legs. The Villagers showed themselves as an attacking force on 20 minutes when Livermore strode into the box, only to lose his footing, allowing the back to run to Kieran Brannen. His attempt was held under the crossbar by Luke Hinchcliffe. Clean handling was a feature of both keepers’ performances, with Elliott claiming and clutching another Stevens shot soon after.

Percy ought to have taken the lead on the half hour when Jordan Stephenson scuffed his shot wide, after being played in following a quick free kick by Carl Collins. However, the Main did find a breakthrough on 38 minutes, when Livermore scored with a deflected effort, having been released by another astute pass by Collins. Delaval sought to regain parity and Elliott was again called upon to foil Laidlaw, with Euan McLaren sending the loose ball into the side netting from a tight angle, meaning the visitors held a slender one goal advantage at the break.

Delaval came out determined to take something from the game in the second period and it took a semi-miraculous clearance from on the line by Mark McDonnell to preserve the Main’s advantage. Stevens then was denied twice, firstly by sliding inches away from a cross in the six yard box and then by a flying Elliott at full stretch. This was only a temporary respite, as Laidler finally found himself on the scoresheet, bundling the ball home at the back post from very close range. In truth, the goal had been coming and it was no less than the home team deserved. However, following this, the Main reorganised themselves and came again with confidence. After working an opening for himself and flashing the effort just wide, Livermore played a decisive part in the Villagers going ahead for the second time on 75 minutes. Driving into the box from the right, he was barged over and got up to take the inevitable spot kick, sending Hinchcliffe the wrong way from 12 yards.

The home team would not be beaten though, and McLaren bravely forced the ball home for an equaliser from almost on the line with ten minutes remaining. From then on, the game became stretched, as both sides made determined efforts to win. Livermore broke rapidly and was denied by Hinchcliffe’s block, before Grayson’s audacious attempt at lobbing Elliott from almost halfway was thwarted by the keeper’s agility and safe handling. There were to be no further goals, and both sets of players left the pitch to warm and generous applause, recognising the quality of the play they had just witnessed.

Alnwick Town: 24-04-23

Newcastle Independent 3 Percy Main 3

Undoubtedly, Percy Main Amateurs have been involved in some exciting games in 2022/2023, but surely none have quite stirred the blood as much in terms of topsy turvy fortunes as the pulsating afternoon’s entertainment served up at Coach Lane in the 3-3 draw with Newcastle Independent.

After a week of incessant rain caused the postponement of many other Northern Alliance games, it was a pleasure that both sides were able to utilise the perfect 4G surface at the Northumbria University facility. While traditionalists may decry the sterile nature of such pitches, none could argue that this game was hampered by the artificial turf. Within 20 seconds, debutant Main keeper Elliott Kalthoeber, deputising for the absent Callum Elliott, was called into action, saving from home centre forward Liam Henderson. Play soon switched to the other end and Harry Twinn sent a flashing drive inches wide. Unfortunately, it was Independent who broke the deadlock on 4 minutes, when Henry Harvey fired the home side into an early lead. However, same as on countless other occasions this campaign, the Main were in no mood to lie down and surrender. Carl Collins was inches over the bar following a half cleared corner on 10 minutes, but parity was restored when Ben Bradburn expertly fired a low strike into the corner from the edge of the box on the quarter hour.

For the remainder of the half, both sides carved out good opportunities, generally from frantic exchanges in the penalty area. Several times young Kalthoeber showed his bravery in blocking loose balls, while the Independent back four put their necks on the line to stifle dangerous efforts from Percy. While the hectic pace slackened the closer we got to the break, the atmosphere remained akin to a powder keg, with several players from both sides teetering on the brink of fury.

The second half began with Independent retaking the lead. Despite a suspicion of offside in the build-up, Jordan Lavender finished astutely with a clever chip into the roof of the net, past an unsighted Kalthoeber. This was only a temporary setback as the Main again levelled, when Jordan Stephenson pounced on a loose ball in the box to fire home, after Independent’s custodian Rob Hodgson had made a decent stop. Soon after, Percy took the lead, courtesy of a superb individual effort by Kieran Brannen. Collecting the ball on the left of midfield, he drove in field and towards the area, before ramming home an unstoppable effort past Dryden’s despairing drive. It could have been 4-2 moments later, when Hodgson pulled off an eye-catching save to tip Bradburn’s effort over the bar.

Instead of seeing the game out, the Main were pegged back by a thirty minute cameo of outstanding talent by Independent’s Wilson Kneeshaw. Firstly, we waltzed from front to back before smacking the crossbar with a powerful effort that was scrambled away after a few alarms. On 76 minutes, he tied the game up when his astute through ball evaded everyone, including the despairing Kalthoeber, before dribbling apologetically home. Stung by this reverse, the Villagers came again, and Jay Errington nodded a Twinn cross just wide. Hodgson was twice tested from distance in injury time, holding an effort from Stephenson and then, with the final touch of a splendid game, going full length to tip away a strong effort by Josh Nicholson.

 

Burradon & New Fordley 5 Percy Main 0

A much changed Percy Main side travelled to second top Burradon & New Fordley and, despite giving a good account of themselves, especially in the second half, found themselves on the end of a five goal hammering on a lovely, sunny evening. The die was cast from the first whistle with the home side turning on the pressure and winning a couple of early corners that caused panic in the Main defence. Having scrambled these away, the visitors fell behind in the third minute when Lee Waugh fired in a low free kick across keeper Elliot Kalthoeber.

Percy Main has gifted a half chance in the opposition box when keeper Thomas Shanley cannoned an attempted clearance off Rob Ridley, but the ball did not drop kindly for the visiting player. This was to be the Main’s only real chance of the first half, other than a speculative attempted lob from Mark McDonnell that Shanley comfortably dealt with, and within a minute Kalthoeber had made a brilliant instinctive save from a point blank header that he deflected onto the bar. Sadly, Burradon did not allow themselves to become frustrated and, following their next attack, it became 2-0 when Danny Sayer controlled a through ball and fired home, despite a Herculean effort from Kalthoeber. It became 3-0 on 28 minutes, when Waugh tapped home from the centre of the ball, effectively ending the game as a contest.

The second half saw centre back Josh Nicholson replace the injured Kalthoeber in goal and the introduction of Harry Twinn, fresh from playing a College game earlier in the day over in Cumbria. Both of them did well; Nicholson made some instinctive and somewhat unorthodox stops, while Twinn did not put a foot wrong during his time on the pitch. Indeed, the Main put in a fine showing after the break and were unlucky not to score, especially when Kieran Brannen struck the base of the post after a mazy run through the home side’s defence. Burradon has some excellent players, one of whom is Sayer, and he outpaced the Main rearguard before driving past Nicholson, who was rendered a bemused observer as the score reached 4-0. The final action saw Burradon make it 5-0 when Hall’s low ball across the box was inadvertently deflected past Nicholson to make the final score 5-0.

Percy Main 0 Alnwick Town 0

Percy Main Amateurs concluded their home programme of fixtures with a low-key goalless draw against Alnwick Town at Purvis Park on a chilly Monday evening. Without the services of Alfie Livermore and Jay Errington, both resting in preparation for their Northumberland Senior Cup final appearance for Blyth Spartans against Morpeth Town at St. James’ Park the following evening, the Main lacked the pace and guile to break down a resolute and well-organised Alnwick defence. Indeed, during a stop-start opening half that was blighted by a series of minor, niggling injuries to players from both sides, there was no real pattern to the play, though it has to be said that Alnwick were the dominant outfit.

Callum Elliott, on his return to the Main goal, made his usual contribution with some fine stops. After 18 minutes, he went full length to palm away an effort from Lewis Fairbairn, with the ball eventually being cleared by Harry Twinn, causing some real discomfort to a female Percy supporter who took the full force of the ball to her hip. Thankfully, she soon recovered and was able to marvel at a pair of further brilliant saves by Elliot, firstly when he tipped a close-range Fairbairn effort onto the underside of the bar and then a brilliant reflex block from Simon Farrier. Towards the end of the half, the Main’s Kieran Brannen was sent to the sin bin for dissent, before a deep corner from Twinn caused alarm in the Alnwick defence, but the home side could not force it home.

After the break, with Percy Main restored to their full complement after Brannen’s indiscretion, the game settled down to a more even encounter, though with little threat from either side in the final third. The closest either side came to breaking the deadlock was a free kick from Carl Collins for the Villagers that whistled just over the angle of bar and post. In the end, a point apiece was a fair return for both sides in a game that neither truly deserved to win.