Yesterday (Sun 11 Feb) afternoon, the DFC Foundation's Think With Your Feet squad took on their third eleven-aside challenge. After creditable draws against Teesside Emeritus and Real Social Dads, the team travelled to Whitworth Park Academy in Spennymoor to take on Darlo ManvFat.
The WhatsApp group had been buzzing all week, mainly with people constantly asking what time was the meet time and what was the postcode despite it being pinned to the top of the group but eventually everyone arrived and referee Andrew Scullion (thanks Scully) blew his whistle at 2.15pm on the dot.
The Red and Blacks (TWYF) started very brightly and were a goal up within the two minutes as gaffer, kit-washer and organiser Barry Thompson,managed to beat his man and put a left foot shot beyond the despairing dive of Chris the MvF Goalie. The lead was doubled shortly after, when Thompson beat the offside trap only for Chris to pull off a great save, sadly for him the left-footed wing genius Danny Heather was there to delicately chip over the onrushing keeper. Adam Lynas on his third appearance as captain then made a great run past a couple of defenders, sat the keeper down only to inexplicably miss the target with the goal gaping open. However, he soon made amends for that with a great one-two with Thompson bagging his second of the afternoon.
Some robust challenges were taking place in midfield with ManvFat traitor Carl Mansfield taking the brunt of some of these - rightly so. The defence were playing really well, Cavey, Neil, Chris and Sonny making sure their dangerous front three had no time on the ball or space off it. Owen Agnew was causing all sorts of problems on the right hand side - both for them and for us. Whilst the TWYF Haaland (due to his rather beauitful hairstyle) Kev Mallen was bossing the midfield and running the game.
About twenty-five minutes had elapsed when Thompson was challenged with one that should have been in the Six Nations rugby rather than on the football pitch and a penalty was awarded. Declan Lyall was very optimistic coming to ask the gaffer, if he could take it when the gaffer was on a hat-trick, that question was treated with the contempt it deserved and the hat trick was assured. Mallen then got on the score sheet with a deflected shot from a corner and Thompson scored his fourth of the afternoon with an acrobatic scissor kick into the corner of the net.
All credit to the Darlo MvF boys who kept going and scored on the stroke of half time. Chrissy Gunnell decided to give his right winger Dec, a hug rather than mark a man and the MvF team broke down the left and scored what was the best goal of the entire game.
HALF TIME
TWYF 6 DARLO MVF 1
Some strong words of encouragement were given at Half Time and Heather, De Luca, Richards, Hodgson, were granted a rest with Stones, Simonds, Stoker and Blewitt all coming on for the second half. The second half started much more slowly than the first and it took a long time to get going. Eventually the game sprang into life with Thompson grabbing his fifth of the game and eleventh in three TWYF games thanks to a tremendous run down the right by Agnew. More goals followed a superb individual effort from Mallen, a finish into an empty net by Heather thanks to good pressing by Lynas and a debut goal from Simonds from a rebound after the goalkeeper denied Thompson a double hat-trick. At some point in those goals, MvF scored a superb goal from outside the area though in the inquest afterwards many thought Blewitt could have jumped and saved the ball.
FULL TIME
TWYF 10 DARLO MVF 2
It was a great game and huge credit goes to the opposition who played together for the first time and didn't stop all afternoon. Thanks also to Scully who reffed the game for us.
MOTM was given to Kevin Mallen and there were no complaints. Well done everyone!
Team: Hodgson, Gunnell, De Luca, Mansfield, Cave, Richards, Agnew, Lynas, Thompson, Heather, Mallen Subs: Blewitt, Lyall, Stones, Simonds, Stoker
