Darlington FC Foundation played their inaugural 11aside football match yesterday evening at Redcar College. The opponents were Teesside Emirus who play together regularly initially forming from the Man V Fat projects. The Foundation team was selected from those who had been regularly attending our flagship project Think With Your Feet.
After much prematch WhatsApp chat, the game got underway in a disastrous fashion with a couple of defensive errors leading to the Foundation being 2-0 down after 5 minutes. The 3-5-2 formation was ditched and a solid 4-4-2 ensued. A good run down the right from Danny Heather led to a penalty to the Foundation. Despite the best efforts of the Captain for the night Adam Lynas to take the ball, the gaffer said no and duly dispatched his first of what would prove to be a memorable night.
HT Teesside Emirus 2 DFCF 1
A raft of changes were made just before half time and the same team came out to start the second half, except for Emily Stoker, who forgot she was on the pitch. Phil (the Poolie) entered the fray and quickly booted one over the par (typical!) However a throw-in from Carl Mansfield found Thompson who kneed the ball into the path of Lynas for a well-deserved equaliser. Teesside then went on to establish a 4-2 lead, one being a soft penalty for handball from Joe Stoker. Thompson was then found in the box again and was crudely sithed down to make it 4-3 but yet again the defensive frailties of the Foundation came to pass and Teesside broke to make it 5-3. Thompson hit the post from a perfect Lynas freekick and Lynas hit the bar from 30 yards from a freekick. It looked like it wasn't the Foundation night and that more prayer was needed from the gaffer!
But with time running out the gaffer then unleashed a thunderbolt with his left foot from about twenty-five yards out which found the top corner. There were just seven minutes left to find an equaliser. In these seven minutes a melee ensued after a disgraceful challenge on Ash, who also found himself on the sidelines due to the understanable reaction. The final kick of the game brought further drama after the quiet Hungarian Quaker Owen Agnew played a delightful through ball to Thompson who completed his hat-trick.
Well done everyone
FT
Teesside Emirus 5 DFCF TWYF 5
Thompson 3 (assists Lynas, Agnew, Heather)
Lynas 2 (assists Thompson 2)
TEAM
Ben
Ash
Luke
Toby
Carl
Chris
Dec
Owen
Jack
Adam
Barry
Danny
Kyle
Emily
Joe
Lewis
Sean
Phil (the Poolie)
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