26th July, Dunston FFC 2 Kingstonian  0, Pre Season Friendly.

Both teams served up a good friendly today at Fed park in conditions that were too hot for cricket.  The visitors started the better and had the Fed on the back foot, forcing 2 early corners and after 6 minutes Jack Burns was forced to cut out a dangerous low cross which could even have been goal-bound.  2 minutes later Fergal Harkin had the first chance for the Fed when he cut in from the right and his low shot was well saved by keeper Garrard.  There was a moment of danger for the Fed after 12 when Conroy tried a cross from the right that dipped dangerously but just over.  K’s were awarded a free-kick in a dangerous position when Lodge’s pace proved too much for Burns, however Dilloway’s effort was harmlessly over.  In the 17^th minute Bulford was wrongly (in my opinion) adjudged to have beaten the offside trap but any controversy was avoided when he shot straight at the keeper.  Fed were starting to get a foot into this game and a minute later Wells got in a good position but once again his effort was easily dealt with by the keeper.  After 22 Cattanach played in Bulford who this time fairly beat the offside only to shoot wide.  After 33 minutes Fed squandered a great chance – they were awarded their first corner of the match when Thompson headed a long Poskett kick over his own goal-line  The keeper seemed to have collected the corner well but it slipped out of his grasp to Jack Burns who  shot over from 12 yds.  After 36 Bulford got into space on the left and with no-one in the middle found Harkin on the far right whose first time volley was wide.  A minute later Fed had a goal chalked off when Bulford’s strength won the ball and he shot into the bottom left only to find the Asref had harshly flagged for an infringement.  Very few people in the ground thought there was a foul but in fairness the liner was the closest to the incident.  Whilst still disputing the decision Fed were almost caught on the hop when Lodge got into space and forced a great save from Poskett.  The Fed hit back and Harkin crossed from the right and Wells headed against the ground and Garrard was forced to save for a corner.  Within a minute Harkin won another corner which was headed at the edge of the area to Thompson who shot just over.  An entertaining half in such conditions.

The K’s also started the 2^nd half the better although the heat seemed to have taken effect and the pace slowed.  Rundell had the first chance of the half when he forced Poskett to parry a save back to the forward who this time shot high and wide.  Chances were rare as both teams cancelled out each other in midfield and as per the first half Fed grew stronger as the half continued.  There were few signs of a goal until the final 10 minutes when Harkin did not give up and won the ball on the goal-line on the right, cut inside and hit a low cross which the keeper seemed to have covered but it slipped past him giving Wells the easiest of tap-ins.  Lodge attacked the Fed from the restart winning a free-kick.  When the free kick came to nothing and Fed went straight back upfield and doubled their lead – once again Harkin cut in from the right and this time instead of a low cross deceived the keeper at the near post.  Fed seemed to have more gas in the last 10 and the K’s never really threatened again.  A good friendly – a couple of untimely tackles but mostly played in good spirits.  We wish the K’s a good night in the Toon and a safe home journey.

Fed:  Poskett, Burns, Cattanach, Robson, Hedley, Moat, Harkin, Dixon, Thompson, Bulford, Wells (Subs Pattinson, Allport, Dunn, Castledene, Barratt)

K’s  Garrard, Reeks, Burns, Coke, Thompson, Dilloway, Lampton, Conroy, Neal, Lodge, Rundell (Subs Sheridan, Naughton, Hams, Goddard)

Stats:  Attempts Fed 11 K’s 9; On Target Fed 6 K’s 3; Corners Fed 7 K’s 3; Fouls committed Fed 14 K’s 6; Offsides Fed 2 K’s 3

Fed Up News Man of the Match – I was gearing towards Bulford until Fergal’s last 10 minutes swung the game so Fergal Harkin

19th April 2008, Newcastle Benfield Bay 3 Dunston FFC 0, League,
Very occasionally the score line lies and this was one of those occasions. The game was dominated by a strong wind in which Fed failed to take their chances, Benfield made the most of theirs and there was a brilliant performance by the home keeper Grainger. Fed had the wind in their favour for the first half and seemed to have taken advantage – Cattenach cut in from the right and put in a cross which hit the post and was cut out for a corner. After 13 minutes Laws played in Harkin whose effort looked goalward but was blocked for a corner. Fed had another glorious chance a minute later when keeper Grainger miskicked to Laws whose effort was cleared off the line. Doddsworth got the first chance for the home team when he headed a right handed cross into the hands of Clark. After 24 minutes Fed had a couple of great chance when first Harkin cut in from the right and forced a good save from the keeper and the rebound fell to Burns but Grainger was again alert and pushed over for a corner. After 31 Burns in a good position totally miskicked but as everyone in the ground laughed the ball fell to Pickers but once again man of the match Grainger saved again for a corner. Having been on the back-foot for all of the game Benfield started to get into the game and Rasmussen forced a save from Clark. The half time whistle went and Fed seemed to have wasted their chances and so it was proven..........

Pickering had the first chance of the second half when he cut in from the left, shot but his effort was well covered by Grainger. The second half was uneventful but after 66 the game changed when a free-kick from the right flicked off the head of Kane Young and gave the home team what must be said an undeserved lead. I thought Fed still had a chance but within 5 minutes a long ball was flicked into the path of Anthony who made no mistake in beating Clark and the game was in effect over. Fed still tried to get back into the game and after 70 Harkin tried a shot from the edge of the area but once again found Grainger equal. Fed’s efforts to get on terms were punished though when a long ball from the right found Doddsworth who headed past everyone and the game was well over. Fed even had the chance of a consolation goal but Grainger once again made an amazing save from Preen’s header. 3-0 was not a fair result but Benfield took their chances – we didn’t and Grainger was superb.

Fed: Clark, Cattenach, Dunn, Taylor, Irwin, Young, Harkin, Laws, Preen, Burns, Pickering (subs Stephenson, Allport, Campbell, Pattinson

Benfield: Grainger, Riordan, Fuller, Bangura, Forsyth, Lumsden, Rasmussen, Anthony, Hamilton, Doddsworth, Atkinson (subs: Brown, Buzzeo, Graham, Marshall, Scope)

Stats: Attempts Fed 13 Benfield 7, On target Fed 6 Benfield 3, Corners Fed 7 Benfield 6, Fouls committed Fed 10 Benfield 9, Offside Fed 1 Benfield 1

Fed up News Man of the Match – Ben Cattenach

26th April 2008, Dunston FFC 3 (Burns, Laws (P), Pickering) Spennymoor Town 2, League Fixture,

Fed finished off the season with a hard earned 3 points which Dunston clinched 6th position in the league. “A game of two halves” is a well worn cliché which was never so true as today. Moors kicked towards the car-park end with the advantage of a strong wind which died out as the afternoon wore on. The game started slowly with both teams testing each other out and Jamie Clarke got into space and hit past his namesake (without an ‘e’) but the offside flag was already shown. Fed took the lead with the first chance of the match after 9 minutes when a good one-two from Cattenach and Harkin resulted in Ben getting to the goal line and putting in a low, hard cross which was undefendable and Pickers converted at the near post. After 12 minutes Moors, who had been largely ineffective at this point, should have levelled matters when Waite forced a diving save from Clark and the ball fell to Matthew Richardson who seemed to have the easiest of conversions but somehow hit wide. After 16 a loose ball fell to Preen at the edge of the area who hit just wide. Fed were having the better of the play but were almost caught after 31 when Storr rose well to a right touch-line free kick but Clark saved well. 2 minutes later Fed should have doubled their lead when a good individual run by Harkin found Preen, who in turn found Stephenson, whose first effort hit the post and his rebound beat the keeper only to trapped on the line and Spenny survived a little longer. Moors’ survival line lasted only until the 36th minute when a clever corner kick resulted in Harkin finding Young who forced a great save from Lawson and the danger seemed to have gone when Burns shot low and hard into the left hand corner to give Fed a deserved 2-0 lead. After 41 another loose ball fell to Jack Burns who, this time 30 yards out, forced a save from Lawson. In stoppage time Stephenson got through on goal only to be pulled back in the act of shooting and although the ref saw nothing the ASREF signalled for a penalty. It was probably only the fact that the ref didn’t get a clear view avoided what was a clear red card. Laws sent his son (Lawson – get it) the wrong way and 3-0 was about a fair reflection. The way Fed were playing I (and a couple of the Spenny fans I spoke to) expected a 5 or 6 nil.

Immediately after the restart Fed came close from a corner and 5 or 6-0 could have been realistic but within a minute Clarke headed a left side cross into the path of Richie Storr who shot on the turn in very similar fashion to his goal in the reverse fixture and Moors were back in the game. This was the turning point in the game and from here on Fed could do nothing right. Within a minute Clarke received the ball 6 yards out but was closed down before he could get in a shot and it was game on. Fed could have sealed matters after 58 when a good piece of work on the left resulted in Stephenson playing in Harkin who rounded the keeper but just too wide to convert. After 67 minutes Spenny were awarded a free kick on the edge of the area for hand-ball. The visitors surrounded the ref for a penalty but this became irrelevant when Clarke hit an unstoppable free-kick into the top right and Spennymoor looked good for at least a draw. With 10 minutes to go a cross was the left was mis-kicked into the path of Clarke who could not direct his chance and his scuffed effort hit the bar and was cleared to safety. The final 10 minutes were played in the Fed half although clear chances were not there and Fed fans hearts were in their mouths when a 95th minute free kick was awarded on the edge of the area but was straight into the hands of Clarkie. In the end a good game of football which Fed probably (just) deserved to win. In the end both teams should be commended for a good game of football.

Fed: Clark, Cattenach, Dunn, Laws, O’Bern, Young, Harkin, Burns, Preen, Stephenson, Pickering (subs: Robson, Allport, Pattinson, Taylor)

Spennymoor: Lawson, Raw, Bishop, Beasley, Wilkinson, Richardson, Waite, Robinson, Clarke, Storr, Richards, (subs: Ward, Roulston, Jarvis, Hysen, Ainsley)

Stats: Attempts Fed 11 Moors 12; On Target Fed 7 Moors 6; Corners Fed 7 Moors 3; Fouls committed Fed 15 Moors 10; Offside Fed 1 Moors 5

Fed Up News Man of the Match – Ben Cattenach – closely followed by Steve Preen whom I know reads this report – hello Steve. Hall of Fame Award – I spoke to ex keeper Hutchie in the Bridle path tonight.
 

2007-08 Season Match Reports,     All Reports By Mr. Dave O'Neil