Last updated at 13:17, Friday, 05 June 2009

A HECTIC end of season schedule saw Prudhoe Reds U14s playing football on nine days out of 19, including a semi-final and two cup finals.

First up was the Blackpool soccer tournaments on May 9 and 10, where the Prudhoe lads won four and drew one of their group games to reach the quarter-finals, only to lose on penalties to the eventual winners Barham, from Humberside.

Next up was the NACYP County Cup semi-final on the Tuesday, May 12, with a hard fought 2-0 victory over a strong Newcastle City side, with goals from Johnny White and Nick Cairns, notching his 50th of the season with a 25 yard screamer.

One day rest and then on to the cup final on the Thursday. However, it was a game too far, as the tired Prudhoe legs failed to make an impression on a very good Wallsend Boys Club side who won 4-0.

Nonetheless, this was a magnificent achievement for the Prudhoe lads in getting to the last two of the County Cup.

Back to league business the following Sunday, and a good 3-0 win was secured at Blyth Town with two goals from Nick Cairns and one from Liam Read.

There was no time to relax though as the lads had to play for the sixth time in 10 days and face the powerful Hexham Greens side the next day in the final of the NFA West Division Cup.

The boys, however, found the energy from somewhere to put in their best all round footballing display of the season on the big Wentworth pitch and in a tremendous game of football which was a credit to both teams Prudhoe came from 1-0 down to equalise through Nick Cairns to cancel out a superb headed opener from Hexham’s Samuel Armstrong.

With six minutes remaining, Prudhoe sent on George Honeyman as a late sub and he showed his class with his first touch of the game to finish in style from a fine through ball from Hugh Donnison to claim the West Division Trophy for this team for the fifth consecutive year since they were Under-10s.

The luxury of two days rest was followed by a league match against Cramlington Cobras which ended with a 3-0 win to Prudhoe with a goal from James Straughan and two from Johnny White.

The following Sunday the lads knew that they could secure third place in the NABC league Division Two with a win against Blyth Town and in a tough game they emerged 4-2 winners, the goals coming from James Straughan, Steven Henderson and Richie Simpson (2).

The final and 31st game of a long season on Thursday, May 28, saw the lads lose a typical end of season affair 3-1 to the Division Two winners Newcastle City with their goal coming from usual keeper Colin Coulson, enjoying a second half cameo as a striker. The lads can now enjoy a well earned rest hoping that their third placed finish will prove enough to gain their fourth consecutive promotion.

First published at 09:42, Friday, 05 June 2009
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk