For their final game of 2024, Ferryhill Athletic made their longest journey in the league to face league newcomers i2i International Soccer Academy at Northumbria University last Saturday, reports Chris Orton. However, Santa wasn’t very kind to Athletic with the visitors going down to a 4-2 defeat.
Traffic issues forced a slightly delayed kick-off, but both teams came out battling in the chilly conditions in the impressive surroundings of Northumbria University. i2i’s cosmopolitan team played some impressive passing football, but Athletic were more than a match for them for most of the game.
Early on, Reece Wilkinson had a terrific shot tipped over the bar, but the home team took the lead seven minutes in through Moore. Wilkinson twice hit the side netting for Athletic as they continued to press, and it was shortly after this that Kieron Richardson scored a bullet header from Wilkinson’s excellent ball in.
Alex Quinn worked very hard throughout the first half and headed just wide shortly before half time. i2i played very fast and impressive football, but were better going forward than in defence. All of the team worked hard, but Matty Ashcroft-Brown and Will Houlahan in particular worked their socks off throughout, with Ferryhill always looked dangerous from corners.
Houlahan shot wide fifteen minutes into the second half, but i2i regained the lead soon after Boudiab scored from a free-kick. Billy Snaith notched up another for Ferryhill, scoring after a goalmouth scramble. By now, Athletic looked to be running out of steam and were very unlucky to concede two goals towards the end of the game to leave the game 4-2 at the final whistle, a score that really wasn’t a very fair reflection of the game overall.
While it was a disappointing way to end the year with the side’s promotion bid suffering a setback, Athletic arrive at the mid-season break in third place in the Wearside League First Division, just four points off the top and three points off second place, albeit having played a game more.
Matches are now paused for Christmas with games set to resume on 4 January. The opposition for that fixture has yet to be confirmed.
Ferryhill & Chilton's local community newspaper.
