The first competitive game of the season had finally arrived on a beautiful Sunday morning and the destination was Coxhoe for an all premier league tie being played at the sports center ground.
With Richard Hilton scoring in the ashes test at Chester-Le-Street and Paul Bladen busy with work Marc Hall was in charge of the team with Martin Hubber his right hand man.
They both had a few tough decisions to make with a couple of players arriving in shocking states but somehow those players pulled around and gave a very good performance on the pitch mentioning no names.
Sacriston played there usual 3-5-2 formation with them only missing Quinn and Thornton who had both injured there legs, with Quinn hopefully being fit for Thursday and Thornton still a further few weeks away.
Once the game kicked off both sides saw the wind playing a factor with long balls swaying all other. Sacriston managed to take the lead twenty minutes gone when Embleton’s corner was met on the head by Gregory, who powered his header in from eight yards out with no defenders picking him up. It wasn’t long until the home side where back into the game when a cross from near the byline found the Coxhoe forward Young who was big and powerful unmarked in the box and from 10 yards out took one touch and slotted it past Potts. The first half saw both teams having about the same possession and it wasn’t until a nothing cross into the home teams box saw two players jump and the Coxhoe player handled the ball and the referee took his time and awarded a penalty kick. Ward slotted the ball into the net but was made to retake it after the referee thought someone encroached into the box, thankfully he scored again and took Sacriston one up at half time.
The second half Sacriston were a lot brighter and should of scored a few goals early on with Ward missing the best chance from six yards out hitting it straight at the keeper. At the other end Coxhoe nearly leveled when the Coxhoe captain found himself one on one with Potts who managed to tip his effort onto the post and the defense managed to clear the ball away and two minutes later Potts saved well again but a more simple save with the shot from fourteen yards out smartly saved by his legs, these were home sides best opportunities of the second half. Apart from high bombs which Daniel O’Brien dealt with brilliantly all game Coxhoe didn’t have any real brightness in the team and little imagination rather keeping the ball at the back passing it about then more times than not arguing between themselves when they were getting nowhere.
The three central midfielders Gregory who was holding, Draper who was winning every header from goal kicks and Embleton who was looking to create at any given opportunity were showing there years of experience and all three of them led by example.
The third goal finally came with 10 minutes to go when substitute Woods found Ward in the box who calmly scored from eight yards out to give Sacriston clear daylight. Things were soon to get nervy when Coxhoe were awarded a penalty when Boyd fouled the opposition player in the area when he had nowhere to go and Burton the penalty taker sent Potts the wrong way.
With Coxhoe trying to push on with the last couple of minutes of the game left, Potts managed to claim the ball and saw Ward and Woods sitting on the half way line, a big kick sent Woods clear of the opposition who were trying to play off side and he knocked the ball past the keeper and very slowly into the back of the net and send Sacriston into the next round.
Thursday sees a return to Coxhoe in the league and hopefully the majority of players will be available.
