Following the successful game last month against the NUFC Academy U13 and U12 select the NUFC academy invited the Darlington Wearside Youth U13 back to their ground to play against their full U12 Academy Elite squad.

Having learned their lessons from the last game where they seemed to have taken the Darlington team ‘lightly’ and possibly underestimated how good the team are the NUFC academy had decided to have this return match against their Elite squad.  The strength of the elite squad (although a year younger) was evident as they produced a good start to the fixture.  The fixture was to be one game of 25 minutes per half and a game of 12 ½ minutes per half.

For the first ten minutes the Darlington team had slightly more possession of the ball and made the most of the play but the football was not in their usual ‘smooth’ flowing style and they appeared to be playing more as individuals as a team.  This slow approach was punished on 10 minutes when, against the run of play an NUFC player crossed the ball from the Darlington by-line into the edge of the box where the NUFC forward placed the ball with a great shot into the top left corner of the Darlington goal, giving the goal keeper no chance.

Darlington Wearside youth U13 0 – NUFC U12 Academy 1.

This was a wake up call for the Darlington team and they then started to string together their more flowing football and on twelve minutes they were awarded a corner kick.  The corner was delivered by Dominic Agnew into the NUFC goal mouth and Lucas reed jumped higher than everyone else and sent a powerful headed ball into the NUFC net.

Darlington Wearside Youth U12 1 – NUFC U12 academy 1.

The game continued with both teams producing some good attacking and defensive play and although the Darl;ington team had the majority of the play it was not until the 20^th minute that Thomas Naisbett produced a great thirty yard lob up the field into the NUFC half by the left corner.  The ball was collected by Jamie Gibson who gave an accurate through ball to Jaxon Briggs who did what he has been doing all season and sent the ball into the back of the NUFC net.

Darlington Wearside Youth 2 – NUFC U12 academy 1.  This was the score going into the first break.

The second half saw much the same as the first with both teams battling hard and chasing every loose ball.  On 44 minutes an NUFC forward had a powerful shot at the Darlington goal which saw Alexander Bates dive at full stretch and double handed palmed the ball away from the goal.  This proved to be the only major attempt at goal by either team and the game ended with the score Darlington Wearside Youth U13 2 – NUFC U12 academy 1.

Although the NUFC U12 Academy gave a good account of themselves in this first game the Darlington team overall were the stronger team and could/should have won this encounter by another three or four goals.

The second ‘game’ (2 x 12 ½ minutes) started much the same as the previous game and on five minutes saw the first shot of the game going to the NUFC team with a shot just inside the Darlington box.  This shot was safely gathered to his body by goal keeper Alexander Bates.

On ten minutes the ball was passed into the NUFC box and found the feet of Kieron Wakefield.  Wakefield found himself surrounded by the NUFC goal keeper and three defenders.  Wakefield spun this way and that and each turn found him facing a NUFC player.  Wakefield persistence paid off when he beat a defender and saw a slight gap which he ‘jinked’ into and slotted the ball away for a well deserved goal.

Darlington Wearside Youth U13 1 – NUFC U12 Academy 0.

Not to be outdone the NUFC team chased into the Darlington half from the kick off and again an NUFC player had a shot from the edge of the Darlington box.  Again Bates was alert and collected the ball and developed the Darlington response from the back.

The remainder of the game went much the same as the football for the whole night with both teams giving no quarter and both teams showing some great touches of skill and game play.

The second game of the evening ended with the score line of Darlington Wearside Youth U13 1 – NUFC U12 Academy 0.

This was a good test for the Darlington U13 team even though they played an opposition a year younger.  However, over the whole of the playing time the Darlington team were the stronger team and the more skillfull team and could have won both ‘games’ by a bigger margin. The NUFC U12 team were a good test for the Darlington team and maybe this will promote a possible challenge from the NUFC U13 Academy squad.

Overall a good result which still leaves the Darlington Wearside Youth U13 unbeaten this season.