24/03/2025
It’s a Semi
Darlington RA 23’s sponsored by Industro Engineering Services came out on top in a fiercely fought Quater final v Roundhill.
It was always going to be a difficult game as both teams had manfully drawn the previous game a few weeks earlier 2-2.
RA were the better team in the first 20 minutes but never really created and chances up until Brent Hogan was brought down in the Roundhill box with the ref well position to award a spot kick. Brent stepped up and smashed the ball about 100 yards above the goal and took out one the satellites orbiting the earth! This seemed to spur Roundhill and they took control of the game without really threatening.
The 2nd half was a bit of an arm wrestle with a midfield battle with both teams giving no quarter. Roundhill took the lead after 60 minutes with an unfortunate deflection from a free kick trickling into the goal off the defenders backside (no names as it was as unfortunate as it was embarrassing)
RA rallied and were rewarded an equaliser when left back Kieran Harland shot from an acute angle the ball hitting the post and Ben Jackson guiding the loose ball in off his knee! RA were soon in front when staring a counter attack from his own half Alex Carter racing through the pitch like a galloping thoroughbred before coolly lobbing the keeper from the edge of the box.
The last five minutes was “strange” RA trying to run down the clock in the corners but not too successfully, Roundhill counter attacking and pulling off a great dive that even Tom Daly would struggle to replicate before forcing a series of corners that RA repelled excellently.
A hard fought game that could go either way but a semi-final awaits for a young, newly formed team who are getting better by the week. Great performance from all the players! Well done lads, you deserved it…
