Match Reports 2 October 2007

NASA U15's earned a comfortable5-0 victory and managed to rest some players against Hall Drive. NASA's first goal was a great individual effort from John Allison, Tom Booth added a second with a good finish. Adam Nicholson headed home a Josh Sutcliffe corner to make it 3-0 at half time. Adam Todd produced another amazing run from his own half again to cross for Liam Beadnall to finish neatly with is head and Jamie Jewson smashed home a loose ball after a corner to complete the scoring at 5-0 to NASA Norton & Stockton Ancients U8's recorded their 1st point of the season, away at Spraire Lads in Darlington, drawing 2-2. Norton started brightly with Billy Sheard lively up front and midfielders Chris Hall, Adam Graham and Scott Norman all heavily involved. They deservedly took the lead when Hall stabbed in from a yard out. For the remainder of the half Norton looked comfortable with keeper Liam Edwards's getting good protection from defensive duo Thomas Richardson and Joseph McCluskey who was voted Norton's man of the match. Spraire came more into the game in the 2nd half and looked to have sealed victory with two late strikes. However McCluskey had other ideas and his brilliant run and finish earned Norton a point and himself the man of the match award. FT Spraire Lads 2 Norton 2 Team: Liam Edwards, Thomas Richardson, Joseph McCluskey, Adam Graham, Chris Hall, Scott Norman, Billy Sheard. Subs: Joel Moody, Jacob Yello, Jack Rouse.

Norton U11A's travelled across to Darlington to play TSC on a crisp Sunday morning. With unavailability and late arrival Norton were forced into changes. Lining up with a 4-4-2 formation Norton started slowly for the second week running and were a goal down within three minutes. A TSC free kick was floated into the box for an unmarked forward to finish well. This only seemed to spare Norton on and they took the game to their hosts playing some excellent passing football. From one move involving Ethan Oswald, Harvey Swann and Josh Rayner a Ben Kemp ball into the box was narrowly missed by Joe Randall. Norton were attacking at will but were finding it hard to create any clear cut chances due to the well marshalled TSC defence. But the equaliser deservedly came with 20 minutes on the clock. A well flighted Ben Kemp free kick found Harvey Swann whose first shot was saved but he gleefully followed up to rifle a right footed shot high into the net. For the next ten minutes Norton were camped in the TSC half. Josh Rayner was put through one on one but he shot straight at the keeper and Joe Randall struck the bar from three yards out. The referee blew the half time whistle with Norton well on top but the game was locked at 1-1. The second half got underway with Jason Vaughan replacing Ethan Oswald down the left. Harvey Swann lifted the ball over the top for the on rushing Vaughan but his shot was easily saved by the TSC keeper. At the other end Keelan Buckingham in the Norton goal looked assured making some good saves but most impressive of all was his handling of crosses and high balls into the box. With the game at a stalemate stage TSC sprang forward and a neat finish put them 2-1 ahead. Norton were again playing catch up and Aaron Thompson replaced the impressive Matty Foy at the back to hopefully get forward down the right. Joe Randall who was having a very quiet game went through but a last ditch tackle saw the danger averted. With Norton battling away but failing to create anything of note TSC broke through again to seal the game with a breakaway third goal. Dan Gardner came on for his seasonal debut replacing Joe Randall with Michael Graham going up front. Norton huffed and puffed for the last couple of minutes but TSC ran out 3-1 winners.

Team: K Buckingham, M Foy (A Thompson 45), B Phillips, M Graham, N Twizell, B Kemp, H Swann, E Oswald (J Vaughan 30), S Coleman, J Rayner & J Randall (D Gardner 55). The old adage "a game of two half's" springs to mind. Norton went a goal down early on then played some scintillating stuff for the remainder of the first half and should have went in at least a couple of goals to the good. Then as the second half started Norton switched off and allowed TSC back into the game. After creating some good chances and playing some good stuff in the first half the second was an anti climax as TSC scored two to run out winners. The game was very even and some good stuff was played by both teams in a tight game that could have gone either way. TSC took their chances and Norton didn't and this was to prove the difference. Keelan was excellent in goal, Matty came in a right back and had a great game, Ben was Ben at the back, and Graham was superb at the heart of the defence. In midfield Kemp and Harv ran the game in the first half but were not as influential in the second, Harv took his goal well and hopefully it will be the first of many this season. Ethan had a good game on the left and Sonni was his usual hard working, hard tackling self. Up front Josh had a decent game and should have scored when put through one on one and Joe was very quiet but also should have notched hitting the bar from three yards out. The three subs put themselves about when they got on Jason down the left, Aaron at right back and Dan making his first appearance of the season at centre back. Best for Norton were the imperious Michael Graham and the superb Keelan Buckingham.

With Norton not knowing much about this week's opposition the players decided to go for an early goal to put mount pleasant on the back foot and were 1-0 up within 3 minutes when Tom Wing opened up the scoring with a well taken goal, using the near perfect pitch passing the ball around Norton carved their way through mount pleasant and created multiple chances and were soon 2-0 up when Danny Watson opened his account for the day. Norton then followed up with Sam McNiff grabbing a goal, Danny Watson then added three more goals in quick succession and Jordan Ormerod rounded of the half with his first of the day, Norton totally dominated Mount Pleasant giving them no chance at all to put any mark on the game with the Norton keeper being a mere spectator for the first half with, Norton's fluent passing game keeping possession and winning the ball from Mount Pleasant's goal kicks Norton looked superb and deserved the 7-0 lead. The second half was kicked off by Norton and Norton were soon another goal better off when Jordan Ormerod got his second goal of the day, David Cooper then made it 9-0 and Danny Watson got his fifth goal of the day to take the Norton score line into double figures with the Norton players just expecting to score they were asked to continue to play football and create clear cut chances instead of having speculative efforts which they did in great style continuing to pass the ball round well and soon the benefit was clear when David Cooper added two more with Norton keen to score as many as possible the pace of one of Mount Pleasant's strikers saw him break through from the half way line and mount pleasant grabbed a couple of goals in the second half but it was all Norton, Tom Wing took the tally to 13-2 well into the second half and Jamie Graham rounded off the scoring for the day taking the score line to 14-2 realistically Norton could half scored more if some finishing was more accurate but 14 is a superb tally. The reason Norton scored so many goals was due to the team spirit within the lads. knowing that to create a goal is just as important as scoring one working together Tony Coleby in goal was excellent again, Norton's defence of Callum Musgrove, Lucas Connor, Oliver Crisp and Kieran Anderson put in a faultless performance offering support to the midfield and pushing forward Norton's midfield of Jamie Graham, David Cooper, Sam McNiff and Jordan Ormerod were outstanding with Jamie and Jordan putting balls into the box feeding Norton's forwards of Tom Wing and Danny Watson, Tom again playing his role superbly and of course Danny taking his goal ratio to 9 in 3. Norton's substitutes were used late in the second half and fitted into their positions really well, Qadeer Khan and Joshua Nertney came on and made next week's selection difficult. Norton also saw two debutants take to the field Danny Peart came on in defence and Tom Kelly dropped into the midfield and both performed well both a welcome acquisition to the team. Another great team performance by Norton totally dominating from start to finish.