Thursday 6th. October 2011

We are now running both the TJFA League Cup and the TJFA Challenge Cup in tandem, this in an effort to beat the weather which decimated fixture lists last season, causing chaotic backlogs of matches. This is the first season trialling this new Cup draw system and so far (fingers crossed) we have been rather successful. We now have quarter final games scheduled for November in some age groups and that has been a rarity in previous seasons.

Last weekend we managed to play 206 Cup games and 33 League fixtures which in total saw 1,391 goals being scored. There were five players who bagged themselves "double-hat-tricks" with six goals to their credit, but the top goalscorer from last weekend was Ben Edwards who plays for Richmond Town Under 13, all of his eleven goals came in the second round of the TJFA League Cup.

One of the big games last Sunday was over at Cargo Fleet in our oldest age group, the Under 18's, where the visitors were Greatham FC. In an entertaining League Cup third round match it was Greatham who got through to the quarter final stages winning by 4 goals to 2. Both of the Cargo Fleet goals from Daniel Quirk, but a hat-trick by Joe Evans and a strike by Neil Fannan enough to see Greatham through this tricky away fixture.

In a top mini-soccer Cup tie Mount Pleasant Rangers from Darlington travelled across to Billingham Town in the Under 9 Durham League Cup second round. Although Alex Snaith scored for Billingham, a couple of goals for Connor McCarthy and a third from Samuel Leftwich were enough to ensure third division Mount Pleasant progressed, against a second division team, to reach the next round.

There was an Under 16 Club derby up at Nunthorpe Athletic where the "b" team was playing the "a" side and, in a keenly contested League Cup second round tie, and it was the "a" team who progressed into the third round of the competition winning by 2 goals to nil. Jack Lidster and Ross Bradley on target for the winners in a match really well handled by the match referee, Scott Williams.

The Under 12 age group saw two very good sides drawn together in the League Cup second round as Boro' Rangers hosted their close rivals Marton FC "a". It was Boro' Rangers who progress in the competition winning by two goals to nil, with Isaac Walker and Christopher Lewis getting the all-important goals.

A really close game over at Coulby Newham in the Under 15 third round of the League Cup as New Marske made the short journey across. Coulby scored through Andrew Geddes, but strikes by Andrew Bashford and Lewis Henderson made certain New Marske reach the quarter final stage of the competition.

A very good result for Northallerton Juniors in the second round of the Under 12 Challenge Cup when they travelled over to Smiths Dock Park, the home of the South Park Rangers "Red" team. Although the lower division South Park team made them fight all the way, it was Northallerton who came away with a 4-2 win. Goals in that tie from Matthew Crowe and Ethan Gamesby for South Park with two goals each for Keegian Grisdale and Sam Rowley for Northallerton who now host Stokesley in the third round in early November.

I must admit I thought a closer game than the final scoreline suggested may be the order of the day over at Golden Flatts in Hartlepool, as they entertained their second division rivals Thirsk Falcons. Golden Flatts were in dominant mood though and they rattled in six goals without reply to move into the third round of the Under 12 League Cup competition. Sonny Lithgo grabbed himself a hat-trick with further goals coming from Owen Anderson, Bobby Carter and Lewis Ryder. Golden Flatts will now meet first division opposition in the shape of Redcar Town in the next round.

Finally from last weekend, a high profile league match between Whinney Banks YCC and Stokesley FC in the Under 16 top flight saw Stokesley just gain the upper hand winning by three goals to two. They are always quality matches between these two teams and this again proved no different as Sam Calvert and Sam Williams struck for Whinney Banks, but a brilliant hat-trick by Gerry Richardson saw Stokesley take all three vital points.

We have League fixtures coming up again for the next four weeks or so as we begin to see divisions starting to take shape, and, even allowing for the start of County Cup matches, there are again some mouth-watering clashes to look forward to in the League this weekend.

Probably my top pick would be the Under 11 second division game over in Darlington as Spraire Lads play hosts to Northallerton Juniors. Both of these sides are 100% at this early stage of the season but something has to give here. Spraire Lads defence may just hold the key, but this is a tricky looking match and could go either way.

In the Under 16 third division Thornaby Central travel across to New Marske. Again we have two 100% teams going head to head although New Marske have played one game more. This should be a really close game and I wouldn't like to guess the final outcome.

A couple of smashing games over in Thornaby as the useful TIBS "a" Under 10 team, who have won both of their opening League matches take on a classy Boro' Rangers side in the Under 10 North Riding first division, and then the TIBS Under 13 "a" team host Greatham FC in the second division. With very similar records to each other and with both teams boasting 100% records, the Under 13 game could be very special with a low-scoring draw my tentative guess as the final scoreline.

Another mini-soccer fixture which looks as though it will have all the ingredients for a great game takes place over at Wynyard Village, as Billingham Town make the very short trip across to their neighbours in the Under 9 Durham second division. Both sides have made bright starts to the season. Top of the table Billingham will take some stopping this term, as their early form suggests, having knocked in eleven goals against just one in their opening two League matches so far.

If you are on the look-out for a goal fest this weekend you might see quite a few over at Hartlepool, where the Pools Youth team take on Eaglescliffe Elementis in the Under 11 fifth division. Pools Youth have scored 15 goals in two matches up to now, but they will be tested by a 100% Elementis team who have also made a useful start to the season.

In our oldest age group the pick of the day has to be the game over at Stokesley FC where the "a" side host Greatham FC in the Under 18 first division. A bit of a shaky start to this campaign by Stokesley who will have to be at their best to gain the three points, against a Greatham side who have started this season very well indeed. Not one for the faint-hearted at this age level, and this could be an extremely close game.

Finally this weekend, two more 100% teams meet up over at Hardwick Youth as their Under 14's play host to Middleton Rangers. It could be the goal-scoring power of Hardwick which determines the end result as both teams have impressive defences, both having conceded only 3 goals each in their opening fixtures. However, Hardwick have scored an incredible 16 goals in their first couple of games and, with home advantage, will be looking to take all three points.

Other good-looking League fixtures this weekend would include:

Under 9 N/R - Div. 2 Whinney Banks YCC v Stokesley FC (12:30pm)
Under 10 N/R - Div. 3 New Marske "b" v Great Ayton (12:30pm)
Under 11 - Div. 6 Hardwick Youth v Redcar Town "b" (11:00am)
Under 12 - Div. 3 Kader Juniors v Barnard Castle (11:00am)
Under 14 - Div. 4 Thornaby on Tees v Billingham Synthonia (1:30pm)
Under 16 - Div. 1 Whinney Banks YCC v Stokesley FC (1:30pm)

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