Thanks to In Cusack, for our last match report of the year:

On a raw December afternoon, Percy Main Amateurs rang down the curtain on 2024 by exiting the George Dobbins League Cup at the third-round stage. It was, in many ways, an undeserved defeat, with both goals arriving late in proceedings. Firstly, Jack Reid opened the scoring in the 86th minute, when he found the net directly from a corner, via the inside of the back post. Secondly, substitute Owen Clarke, in the last play of the match, streaked away, evaded an attempted block tackle from the onrushing Jack Snowdon, before walking the ball into an empty goal. It was a suitably gloomy finish to an afternoon that had seen the Percy Main clubhouse plunged into darkness before kick-off by an inexplicable power failure.

However, this had been an encouraging performance from the Main, for whom Matty Hayton made his competitive debut up front. In his one previous outing for the Villagers, he had notched all Percy’s goals in a thrilling 4-4 draw in a pre-season encounter with Esh Winning. Sadly, he did not have many opportunities to replicate such a performance. Another debutant for the Main was the gifted, experienced Northern League central midfielder Alex Berhan, who appeared for both Benfield and West allotment in the past. He almost gave the home side the lead after 11 minutes, when a well-struck free kick flew inches over the angle of bar and post. However, it was Wideopen who really should have opened the scoring, when centre forward Sallu Dawo was guilty of miss of the season, contriving to allow the ball to pass through his legs when stood in front of an open goal. In response, Percy Main twice went close before the break, when full back Tom Patterson unleashed a ferocious effort from outside the box that stung the palms of visiting keeper Matthew Fairhurst. From the subsequent corner by Mark McDonnell, Hayton powerfully headed the ball a fraction over the bar, leaving the score 0-0 at the interval.

As the temperature dropped and light faded, the pace of the game stepped up. A high octane opening to the second period saw play raggedly switch from one end to the other. Chances remained at a premium, though Snowdon twice excelled himself with close range blocks from Wideopen half chances. Just as penalties began to loom, Wideopen made their two incisive blows to the heart of Percy Main, allowing them to advance into the next round and the Villagers to brood on this loss until fixtures begin again in January with a crucial trip to bottom of the table Stobswood Welfare on January 4th

Percy Main MOM - Matty Aspey
Att: 48

Percy Main Amateurs F.C.

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