North Durham Academy was host to the match on 23 February 2025, where East Stanley showcased their attacking prowess with a staggering 14-0 victory. The match kicked off at 10:30 am, with referee Ged Boyle officiating the proceedings.
The Turf FC lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Nick Dow took his place in goal, shielded by a back four comprising Andy Gowland on the right, Jak Booth and Lewis Sullivan in central defence, and Jonny Thirlaway on the left. The midfield duo of Joe Currie and Ian Johnstone were tasked with controlling the centre of the park, while Brad Jones and Lewis Currie operated as right and left attacking midfielders respectively, while debut player Lewis Coleman started as CAM for the day, supporting lone striker Ben Walton.
The substitutes for The Turf FC included Kevin Lowe, Jack Dawson, and Hubert Szordykowski, who would be called upon later in the match as tactical adjustments were made.
The match began with East Stanley WMC First quickly asserting their dominance, however the Turf held strong for an impressive first 20 minutes of the game, like in so many games, but the defending strength and strategy was short-lived after the first goal was scored. With the wind blaring towards us, the Turf struggled to clear their lines on multiple occasions, bolstering East Stanley's attack as the ball was carried into the net various times off strong gale-force winds. That is not taking anything away from the opposition as they played some excellent football throughout, but their first few goals were nothing short of lucky.
The Turf struggled to respond against the pressing attackers and blistering winds pushing us further and further back, facing a true uphill battle. And as the first half carried on and more goals were being conceded, it was obvious that heads were going down and the effort from the players was quickly diminishing. The relentless pressure continued, and as the first half drew to a close, East Stanley found themselves leading 6-0 at the break.
The second half commenced with East Stanley showing no signs of slowing down. With the wind against them, they pushed on as a team and truly demonstrated just why they are such a prolific team. In a tactical move, Kevin Lowe replaced Lewis Coleman as Lewis Sullivan pressed on into midfield, as The Turf sought to regain some control.
However, East Stanley continued their onslaught, scoring their seventh goal in the 50th minute from close range. The relentless attack continued, and five minutes later, they added an eighth goal, again from inside the box, leaving The Turf reeling.
In the 60th minute, East Stanley struck again with a ninth goal, this time from outside the box, demonstrating their complete dominance. The Turf made a substitution as Jack Dawson came on for Jak Booth, but the changes did little to stem the tide.
As the match progressed, Hubert Szordykowski replaced Ian Johnstone in the 65th minute, but East Stanley remained in control, scoring their tenth goal shortly thereafter from inside the box. The Turf's woes deepened when Nick Dow had to be substituted due to injury when a cross was fired in, as Dow has come to punch the ball clear, but unfortunately landed hard on his shoulder and needing to be replaced, with Kev Lowe taking his place in goal.
The floodgates opened further as East Stanley converted a penalty in the 70th minute, marking their eleventh goal of the match. With the scoreline now heavily against them, The Turf struggled to mount any meaningful attack, and East Stanley capitalised, scoring their twelfth goal in the 75th minute from close range.
In the closing stages, The Turf FC's situation worsened as Ian Johnstone came back on for Andy Gowland, who had also succumbed to injury from a collision with the Stanley goalkeeper. As time clicked on, East Stanley continued their thrashing as two more goals sealed a humiliating defeat for The Turf, who started off with such promise.
