Durham Under 12 Pumas

⚽️ Wynyard Village 0-2 DUFC Pumas ⚽️

What a way to finish the season! An absolutely brilliant performance from every single lad today — full of hard work, teamwork, determination, and quality football from start to finish. Proud coaches doesn’t even cover it! 👏💙

We started the game brightly, settling in quickly and moving the ball around really well with some sharp passing and quick decision-making. The link-up play across the pitch created plenty of chances early on, but we just couldn’t quite find the breakthrough.

At the other end, the defence and Tom A in goal were outstanding. Communication, positioning, and work rate were superb all game, dealing with pressure well and helping launch some dangerous counters of our own.

The opposition were awarded a penalty in the first half after a foul in the box — probably the right call — but thankfully for us, the penalty hit the bar and was cleared away quickly. A huge let-off! Both teams had chances, but it stayed 0-0 at half time.

The second half started exactly how we wanted — high energy, pressing hard, and playing some fantastic football through midfield and down the wings. The defence continued to stand strong, with Tom A confidently dealing with anything that came through.

Then came the breakthrough! 🔥

A brilliant piece of determination from Liam saw him battle all the way into the far corner before lifting in one of the best crosses we’ve seen all season. Tahmasub timed his run perfectly and powered home a great header to make it 1-0 with 10 minutes left! ⚽️

That goal only fired the lads up even more, although the opposition kept battling and created a few nervy moments of their own. But we hit them on the counter once again — Will kept the attack alive before the ball fell to Tahmasub, who smashed home his second of the game! 💥 2-0!

There were still more chances to come, with some excellent saves from the opposition keeper keeping the score down, but the final whistle blew with a deserved 2-0 win and a clean sheet to finish the season in style. 🧤

Massive well done to Milo and Orin for sharing Man of the Match after unbelievable work rates all game 👏 Although honestly, every single player put in a performance today — choosing MOTM was probably the toughest discussion we’ve had all season!
Special shoutout as well to Tom A for stepping up in goal again and putting in another excellent performance to secure the clean sheet 💪

Finally, thank you to all the parents for your incredible support throughout the season — rain or shine, you’ve been brilliant and it’s massively appreciated. Have a great weekend everyone!

…And don’t get too comfortable — training for 2026/27 starts next Friday 🤣⚽️

⚽️ DUFC Pumas 7-0 Jarrow St. Germain ⚽️

What a performance from the lads today — absolutely phenomenal from start to finish and without doubt one of the performances of the season! 💪🔥

From the very first whistle, the boys came flying out of the blocks, pressing high and putting Jarrow under pressure immediately. It didn’t take long for the breakthrough, with Zachary making a brilliant run before his effort took a deflection and found the net. 1-0! 👏

The pressure kept building, and after wave after wave of attacks, Tahmasub delivered a superb corner which Toby finished off at the back post for 2-0 (we’ll let Toby claim that one 😄).

Not long after, Oliver whipped a dangerous free kick into the box and Luca timed his run perfectly to make it 3-0 before half time. Clinical football ⚽️

At the back, the defence were immense all game. Milo, Orin, Toby, and Oscar were rock solid, with Tom A stepping up brilliantly in goal whenever called upon. The communication and teamwork throughout the side was outstanding.

The second half started exactly how the first ended — strong, aggressive, and full of energy. A penalty was awarded after some scrappy defending and Milo stepped up confidently to smash it home for 4-0 💥

The wings caused constant problems all game, with Archie and Xanda working tirelessly up and down the pitch. After a brilliant counter attack and a ball played in by Zachary, Archie reacted quickest to bury the ball for 5-0 ⚡️

Another brilliant corner from Tahmasub then found Archie again, who volleyed home brilliantly to make it 6-0 🙌

To their credit, Jarrow never gave up and kept battling until the end, but the lads stayed disciplined and defended superbly. Milo, Orin, and Oscar were outstanding at the back, while Oliver and Zachary worked tirelessly in midfield to break everything up.

The final goal came from a lightning-fast counter attack, with Zachary bursting half the length of the pitch but his strike saved by the keeper, before Xanda pounced to smash home a superb finish for 7-0 🚀

An incredible team performance from every single player today:
👏 Tom A — brave in goal, big saves, and a deserved clean sheet
👏 Milo — outstanding defensively, excellent penalty, and huge work rate
👏 Orin — dominant at centre-back all game
👏 Toby — composed, strong, and grabbed himself a goal
👏 Oscar — fearless tackling and brilliant defending
👏 Tahmasub — fantastic energy and two brilliant assists from corners
👏 Xanda — electric pace, relentless running, and a great goal
👏 Archie — strong on the wing and two superb goals
👏 Oliver — immense in midfield, superb free kicks, and controlled the game
👏 Luca — endless energy and a brilliant finish
👏 Zachary — dangerous all game and deserved his goal, and got two assists.

🏆 Man of the Match: Milo 🏆
Adapted brilliantly in an unfamiliar role, worked tirelessly from start to finish, defended superbly, and showed fantastic confidence all game. Fully deserved 👏

Special mention as well to Will, who joined the coaching team today — after that result, we might just hand him the job permanently
😄

Massive well done to all the lads for the teamwork, attitude, and effort today. Absolute pleasure to watch. Huge thanks as always to the parents for braving the weather and supporting from the sidelines 👏⚽️

Big thanks to our sponsor, Dowen Estate & Letting Agents - Durham

⚽ Match Report: Richmondshire Pro Player 5–5 DUFC Pumas ⚽

Well… where do we even start with this one 😅

The Pumas came flying out of the blocks, looking sharp, composed, and ready to dominate. It didn’t take long to show—Will launched a great ball forward and Tahmasub reacted brilliantly to slot home the opener. 0–1

Soon after, a bit of chaos in the box saw Archie stay alert and finish well (play to the whistle 👏). 0–2

At that point, it looked like it could be a very comfortable day… but football had other ideas.

Instead of pushing on, the lads lost focus—too much arguing, not enough playing. A free kick just outside our box gave the opposition a route back in. 1–2

Despite some great attacking play (including efforts from Oliver and Orin that were unlucky not to go in), we let our standards slip again and Richmondshire capitalised. 2–2 HT

💬 Half-time message:
Support each other. Stay disciplined. Let the ref do their job. Focus on football.

To their credit, the boys responded well after the break. Zachary showed great composure to restore the lead after a strong run. 2–3

Then Oliver stepped up with a superb free kick, lifting it over the wall and under the bar. 2–4

At this point, we were the better side again… but unfortunately, the same issues crept back in.

More arguing, more lost focus—and once again, we punished ourselves. Richmondshire took advantage twice to level things up. 4–4

⏱️ Final 5 minutes = absolute chaos

End-to-end football, both teams going for the win. Richmondshire edged ahead with a minute to go. 5–4

Game over? Not quite.

For the first time all match, the lads showed real togetherness and fight 💪
One last push, one last throw into the box… scramble after scramble… and Zachary smashes home a dramatic last-second equaliser!

5–5 FT

⚖️ The honest reflection:
A game we should have won.
A point we were relieved to take.

There were some excellent moments of football, but they were overshadowed by poor discipline and too much negativity between the players.

👉 Support your teammates
👉 Respect the referee
👉 Control what you can control

A little self-reflection for the lads today instead of picking a MOTM. A reminder that attitude matters just as much as ability.

🔁 We go again next week.
Hard work needed in training this Friday—but a great chance to put things right. 💪⚽

⚽️ Washington NSG 2–4 DUFC Pumas ⚽️

WE DID IT! 🎉 First win of 2026 and a fantastic all-round performance from the boys today 👏

A slightly shaky start saw us take a few minutes to settle, but once we found our rhythm, the football really started to flow. A great ball out wide from Xanda/Zachary set up Archie, who finished brilliantly from a tight angle to open the scoring 🔥

We kept the pressure on, with Tom A putting in some crucial defensive work to keep us solid at the back. Oliver then stepped up with a stunning free kick that flew into the top corner (despite the keeper getting a hand to it!) 💥 0-2.

From a well-worked corner, Archie found Tom G on the edge of the box, who calmly slotted home to make it 0-3. We continued to press, with Zachary unlucky to see a top-corner penalty denied by an outstanding save, and Xanda also testing the keeper from range.
Half-time: 0-3

We came out strong again in the second half, and Tahmasub produced a moment of magic—scoring directly from a corner to make it 0-4! ⚽️

However, that seemed to spark the opposition into life. A couple of goals followed after some pressure and a few lapses in concentration, bringing it back to 2-4 and making for a tense finish.

Credit to the lads though—they dug in, stayed strong defensively, and saw the game out despite some nervy moments and a scrappy final spell.

👏 Massive effort from everyone today—a result that’s been a long time coming!

🏅 Man of the Match: Tom A
An absolute rock at the back, making crucial interventions all game—and showing he’s not afraid of a challenge, no matter how much bigger the opponent is than him 💪🤣

Special mentions also to Oliver, Orin, and Oscar for outstanding performances 👏

Enjoy the win and have a great weekend everyone! 💙⚽️

A big thanks to our sponsors Dowen Estate & Letting Agents - Durham

DUFC Pumas 0–2 East Durham Blues

No win this time, but easily one of our best performances of recent months 💪

The boys started strong and kept that intensity right through the game. Defensively we were excellent—great teamwork, covering, and doubling up when needed. Loads of energy down the wings, solid control in midfield, and some really positive link-up play going forward. We created chances, took shots, and made some smart decisions in attack 👏

The difference came down to a couple of moments where we got drawn to the ball, leaving space on the far side—something we’ll keep working on. Credit to the opposition, they took those chances well.

Second half got a bit heated, but massive credit to our lads for keeping their composure throughout. They showed real character and respect, which matters just as much as the result - we'd far rather foster a culture of respect than win at all costs 🙌

🌟 Man of the Match: Oliver
Outstanding in midfield today—controlled the game, supported both ends of the pitch, and came so close to a brilliant free kick that rattled the bar!

👏 Big thanks to the referee Yousef for handling a tough game with professionalism.

💬 Special mention to Orin as well for showing real courage and standing up for a teammate. That kind of team spirit is what we’re all about ❤️

So proud of every single player today. Heads held high! We didn't take any points, but we can certainly take the moral high ground.

A big thank you to our kit sponsor Dowen Estate & Letting Agents - Durham

Have a great weekend everyone ⚽

⚽ DUFC Pumas 2-2 Wynyard Village ⚽

Another hard-fought draw for the Pumas today in a game full of chances for both sides.

We started a little slowly, but soon began creating some great attacking opportunities. A fantastic corner from Tahmasub found its way to Luca, who calmly slotted home to put us 1-0 up.

Not long after, some brilliant play down the wing led to a superb cross from Zachary, once again finding Luca in the right place at the right time to make it 2-0. A strong finish to the first half saw us go into the break with a deserved lead.

After half-time, we didn’t quite come out with the same energy as the first half, and the opposition pulled one back with a well-worked move to make it 2-1.

Around 10 minutes later, a long ball over the top sent their attacker through one-on-one with Will, leaving little chance for the save as they drew level at 2-2.

The equaliser gave Wynyard Village a huge boost, and the final 10 minutes could have gone either way. We created several great chances, but their goalkeeper was outstanding and kept them in the game.
With the very last play of the match, Luca looked certain to complete his hat-trick, only to be denied one final time by an excellent save from the opposition keeper.
Full time: 2-2

🌟 Man of the Match: Luca 🌟
An absolute blinder from Luca today. Two well-taken goals, brilliant passing, loads of strong challenges, and outstanding work down the wing from start to finish. Never stopped working for the team. Well done, Luca.

As always, a big thank you to our sponsors Dowen Estate & Letting Agents - Durham

Full Time: DUFC Pumas 1–2 Washington Lazio ⚽

A real rollercoaster of a game for the boys today, and a tough one to take in the end.

We started brilliantly and were on the front foot from the very first whistle. Some lovely passing through midfield and excellent movement up top eventually led to a fantastic cross from Zachary, which Xanda finished superbly to put us 1–0 up. A brilliant team goal and a deserved lead.

Unfortunately, as has happened a little too often recently, we eased off straight after scoring. That gave the opposition a bit more space, and they managed to level things up after finding themselves one-on-one with Will, who had very little chance from such close range. 1–1.

The next 40 minutes were proper end-to-end football, with Pumas just about having the edge. Strong defending at the back, great work down both wings, and some excellent balls from midfield kept the pressure on. We created several good chances, with efforts just missing the target or being kept out by their goalkeeper.

A few fouls from the opposition gave us some useful free-kick opportunities, and while it just wasn’t quite falling for us today, we still came close on a couple of occasions in a crowded box.

With the game heading towards the final whistle, we nearly snatched a winner from a late free kick, but the opposition broke quickly on the counter and managed to score from the rebound after an initial shot was blocked. Heartbreaking timing, and the match finished 1–2.

A really frustrating result, but plenty of positives to take from the performance. The effort, commitment, and quality were there for long spells, and sometimes football can be cruel.

Man of the Match: Oscar ⭐
A thoroughly deserved award after an outstanding display in defence. Absolute terrier at the back, worked tirelessly, and never once backed out of a challenge. Really proud of the determination and effort he showed today.

Heads up, Pumas — we go again next week 💪⚽

As always, a big thanks to our loyal sponsors Dowen Estate & Letting Agents - Durham

DUFC Pumas 2-4 Whitburn & Cleadon ⚽️

Brilliant performance from the lads today a huge step up from recent weeks against a very strong side 👏

We started well but went 0-1 down before Zachary levelled with a great run and composed finish ⚡️ 1-1. A couple of lapses let them go in 1-2 at half time.

Second half, we were slow to start and conceded twice more, but the lads never gave up 🔥 Oliver pulled one back with a great finish to make it 2-4, and we kept pushing right until the end.

On another day, with a bit more good fortune to get to the ball, we could’ve had a couple more goals ⚽️

Massive credit to the team work rate, attitude, and teamwork were top class 💙 Just need to bring that every week!

🌟 Man of the Match: Zachary relentless effort all game, chasing everything down 👏

Big thank you to our kit sponsor Dowen Estate Agents for your continued support 🙌

Enjoy the weekend everyone! 😊

FT: Jarrow Bulls 2-2 DUFC Pumas

Another strange game today. Feels like I could copy and paste last week’s report strong start, dropped off in the middle, and picked it up again in the final 15 minutes.

The lads came out flying, putting the pressure on early and getting their reward with a fantastic finish from Zachary to make it 1-0 ⚽🔥 Unfortunately, we switched off almost immediately after, and a lack of reactions to loose and second balls let the opposition back in before half-time. 1-1.

The same pattern continued into the second half. Despite warnings, a few lucky escapes, and some unbelievable saves (and double saves!) from Will 🧤💪, we didn’t tighten up and found ourselves 2-1 down early on.

Then came the response. The urgency finally kicked in, and the lads came alive creating chances, defending bravely, and showing real fight. Xanda struck brilliantly, saw it saved, but reacted quickest to bury the rebound and level it at 2-2 ⚽🙌

We pushed hard for a winner late on, but just ran out of time.

Another hard-fought draw, and if we’re honest, a bit of a relief in a game we should have won.

Massive shoutout to player of the match Will absolutely unreal between the sticks again. Kept us in it when we needed him most 👏🧤

Thanks as always to our kit sponsor Dowen Estate Agents for the continued support

⚽️⚽️⚽️⚽️

TeamSpirit

Washington Lazio 2–2 DUFC Pumas ⚽

A hard-fought draw for the lads today in what turned into a very strange game.

We started brightly and within the first couple of minutes it looked like we were set for a strong performance. Unfortunately around 5–10 minutes in we suffered two injuries in quick succession, which disrupted our rhythm and the game became very stop-start.

Washington Lazio managed to get a couple of chances from the edge of the box early on, and after a warning that our luck might run out, their third attempt found the net. 1–0.

Despite the setback we created some really good chances. Archie struck a beautiful shot that hit the inside of the post and bounced out, while Tahmasub, Oliver and Liam all had efforts that were either saved or just wide. It was great to see the lads being positive and getting their shots away.

The second half began much like the first with some brilliant attacking play, particularly from Xanda. But after about 10 minutes we lost a bit of shape and the opposition scored again after Will pulled off a fantastic save, only for the rebound to be tapped in. 2–0.

The response from the lads was brilliant. A free kick wide on the left saw Oliver deliver a fantastic ball that floated straight into the top corner to pull one back. 2–1.

That goal lifted everyone and we pushed forward, winning a couple of corners with some excellent deliveries from Liam, Archie and Tahmasub. The pressure finally paid off when Zachary reacted quickest to a loose ball and calmly fired it into the bottom corner. Fantastic finish. 2–2.

With a minute to go the lads realised the win was there for the taking and pushed forward again. A last-second free kick from Oliver almost snatched it, but their keeper made a good save to keep it level.

A point in the end and plenty of positives to take. Massive well done to our man of the match, Archie, who was outstanding today incredible work rate and unlucky not to score from a brilliant effort off the post. 👏

Also a special mention to the referee, who was excellent today easily one of the best we’ve had.

Finally, a big thank you to our kit sponsors Dowen Estate Agents for their continued support of the team.

GrassrootsFootball