Darlington Spraire Lads Mens

Darlington Spraire Lads 3 vs 4 Bishop Auckland Bay Horse

Friendly game sees players rolled out in prep for next season by both teams. Positives and negatives as Spraire lose a 3-1 HT lead.

1 Min - Immediate impact by two trialists today as the ball is played over the top to K.Trialist, whos shot was blocked and it fell to B.Trialist who hits the follow up shot past the keeper and into the next.

5 Mins - Bishop send their first corner in to find a player free at the back post to nod one past J.Trialist. Old issues strike again.

6 Mins - Anything you can do... Spraire immediately respond in similar fashion as Charlie Graham swings across over everyone and there is Jack Leach-Owen to freely nod in at the back post.

32 Mins - Dan Stead receives the ball and delivers a delicious ball over the defence into the path of Jack Leach-Owen who gets to slide a shot past the advancing goalkeeper.

HT DSL 3 - 1 BBH

48 Mins - formation and substitutes sees Spraire revert to a previously used formation and don't get into gear as Bay Horse push through the score early into the 2nd half

56 Mins - It's all gone Pete Tonge as a ball lifted forward sees Nick Stranks pushed in the air, missing the header attempt and Bishop lift a shot over our keeper.

55 Mins - Nicky Stranks day just gets better as he has a discussion with the ref following a foul which included the ref claiming last week he had issues with Nick, we haven't played a game since February and not in the league this ref officiates in. Yellow card, 10 minute sin bin. Joy

70 Mins - Just to rub salt into the wounds we revert back to the starting formation and still concede.

90 Mins - Cherry on the cake. A fired up , sliced up Jack Leach-Owen flies into a challenge with an opposing player and somehow gets a red card from the referee with 30 seconds left.

With tournament season due and friendlies starting in July plenty time to tweak, scout and refine Spraire for next season.
🟡⚫️🟡⚫️

The Spraire Lasses are looking for players. The under 14s are BACK! Information below for any aspiring players to come and join them. From first time Kickers to seasoned junior pros all are welcome.

Next up on the retained for 2026/27 list it's Charlie Graham
How he saw himself last season in the below old photo of him vs how he was last season on "tactical" holidays. Fiery, the hard hitting midfielder has stated his aims for next season is 50% availability for games & maybe one less red card.
... we'll take it....

Making his return next season is (Hardly A) Player/Manager Jay Burgess. Remember when this was meant to be a 4 month interim? Neither does he. Now the sunday league Mike Bassett is back for another years shouting, gesturing and scrabbling to avoid being played.
🟡⚫️🟡⚫️

League season over? Nah we have to start for next season already.

Following has re-signed for next season:
Martin Chambers

Golden C**k FC 3 - 4 Darlington Spraire Lads

Final competitive game of our season summed it up in 90 minutes. Slow start, loose passes, cards and penalties & Martin Chambers proving why he's most popular within the squad.

14 Mins - Spraire haven't started the game with any oomph leading to a ball over the top being closed down by the Golden C**k striker and returning keeper Andrew C**ker. Players collide with Andrew taking studs to the side of his head. Whilst everyone blows up at the referee the ball is passed into the net from 20 yards.

39 Mins - Anything you can do. Starting to grow into the game Spraire string a couple passes with a ball over the top from Dan Stead chased down and slotted past the onrushing goalkeeper by Eden Pugh. Lovely finish from the hard working forward.

HT 1-1

50 Mins - From a corner we have former Spraire player Liam Wright forcing Stewart C**ker into his brother and keeper, ensuring Andrew couldn't reach for the ball and allowing a tap in on the line.

62 Mins - Golden C**k extend there lead with a lax moment at the back allowing a shot to beat Andrew again. 3 - 1 down and opportunities not being taken.

Between this and the next goal Spraire do win a penalty for a questionable position as Josh Andrassy is brought down "inside" the box. Owing to the poor pitch markings. We won't name and shame but Dan stead then missed the penalty.

82 Mins - Spraire have a corner brought in and failed to clear by Golden C**k leading for an opportunity for Eden Pugh to make it 2 for Spraire and 2 for Pugh too. Game On!

84 Mins - A handball in the box gives Spraire another penalty oppertunity, this time with bigger pressures. Cometh the hour, cometh the man. Eden Pugh steps up to fire home for his and Spraire's 3rd as the morale goes through the rough for the men in yellow.

91 Mins - We need a hero and boy do we have one! Throw in and inter play between Mick Lavelle and Martin Chambers gives Martin a chance to cross the ball. To which this intellectual genius disguises his shot as a deep cross, lobbing the goalkeeper into the far corner. Absolute scenes!! Multiple Limbs! And a celebration fit for the man himself.

Mission Accomplished. Battered and bruised players galore. As a neutral would have been entertaining.

Man of the Match - Eden Pugh. Once in the game the man was in the right spot the majority of the game.
Thank you to everyone who has been apart of this season. From players to management and individuals who watched and assisted. Now whats next........

Darlington Young Bulls 4 - 0 Darlington Spraire
Division 2 Cup

Well this season is limping towards it end for Spraire. A second cup weekend, A second week with a scratch team. A Second weekend of defeat for the Lads.

12 Mins - The lads weren't even out of neutral as the pace of Young Bulls wingers allow multiple runs in behind. On this occasion a shot is fired at deputising goalkeeper Jay Burgess who parries it into the path of Modou Lamin Ceesay who hits it back past the keeper.

29 Mins - The makeshift midfield of Andrew C**ker and Eden Pugh are overrun again as the ball is worked to the box where it falls to Matthew Miller to bend one into the net.

HT 2-0 YB

63 Mins - Another attack for Young Bulls sees the ball poked through. Stewart C**ker makes a challenge on a player who flings himself in the box, ball falls to Arron Maughen who hits it in at the near post, suspiciously offside.

77 Mins - Similar attack leads to Arron Maughen being clipped by Stewart cocker, ref plays advantage before Maughen shoots wide before the referee brings it back for the penalty anyhow. Former Spraire Lad Noah Burnip sends Jay Burgess the wrong way rounding off the scorers for the day.

M.O.T.M - Jordan Kneeshaw. Could have been a lot worse of a day for Spraire without the one nicknamed Tank. But praise for everyone who turned up to try put a shift in.

Darlington Spraire Lads 2-3 Skerne Park
It's been a while hasn't it?

Alan Rusk Trophy this weekend at the 5th attempt, Thank you to mother nature for that.
Glad to see the back of our biggest bogey team this season with a depleted squad and spirited performance across the pitch.

7 Mins - A positive start and pouncing on early jitters by Skerne Park allow a passage of play down the left as Dan Stead slides the ball to Jack Leach-Owen who runs at the Skerne Park keeper and slots it home.

36 Mins - Skerne Park win a free kick which is whipped in across the box, curling with the wind and heading for the goal. Unfortunately, Jordan Kneeshaw gets in between striker, keeper and himself as it hits him and goes in.

40 Mins - Another set piece from Skerne Park pumped into the box initially punched away by player/manager Jay Burgess, collected by a Skerne Park player who dances past a Spraire defender before beating the crowd with a shot into the back of the net.

HT DSL 1 - 2 SP

58 Mins - A move that starts with keeper Jay to Martin Chambers who chips the ball down the line, flicked on by Billy Hinchliff who finds Jack Leach-Owen once again running through the backline and hitting it past the Skerne Park keeper.

63 Mins - Skerne Park attack down their right wind past Stew and Drew C**ker before a ball across the box is slotted home past the despairing Jay Burgess as they take the crucial lead.

Despite attempts and end to end attacks the final score ends with defeat once again to Skerne Park.

1 league and 1 cup game currently scheduled, lets hope we can extend the run in the league 2 cup. Stay tuned for who is next for Spraire Lads