New Durham AFC Girls

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🟡⚫ MATCH REPORT – COUNTY CUP QUARTER FINAL ⚫🟡

📅 28/02/2026
🏆 County Cup – Quarter Final
📍 Home – Farringdon (3G Surface)
✅ ND 2 – 0 Darlington Railway Athletic

With the recent weather taking its toll on the grass pitches, ND hosted this quarter final on the artificial surface at Farringdon 🌧️➡️⚽

Darlington arrived in formidable form — top of their league and unbeaten all season 🔥 A serious challenge from the first whistle.

The tempo was relentless ⚡
On a tight pitch both sides battled hard, with constant interceptions and strong challenges flying in 💪

ND enjoyed most of the possession in the opposition half, while Darlo looked to counter quickly. Each time they tried to break, ND’s defence stood firm 🛡️ — reading danger early and limiting them largely to long-range efforts.

Grace threatened throughout and went close several times 👏
Brooke nearly produced a goal-of-the-season contender from midfield, her long-range strike crashing back off the post 😮‍💨

⸻

⚽ 13’ – Annie opens the scoring

A goalkeeper’s kick was brilliantly intercepted by Grace on the edge of the box. She drove into the area but was closed down by a defender and the keeper diving at her feet.

The ball broke loose…

Annie reacted quickest and calmly slotted home left-footed into the open net! 🥶⚽

1–0 ND! 🟡⚫

⸻

⚽ 32’ – A crucial second

Just after the restart ND struck again — and it proved a massive moment.

Elicia whipped in a low corner with real pace. The Darlo defender at the front post swung at it but sliced it into her own net. The keeper had absolutely no chance.

A really tough goal for Darlington to concede at that stage — they were still very much in the game.

2–0 ND.

⸻

Darlington’s best chance came in the second half with a clean strike from around the penalty spot.

But Faye stood tall 🧤🔥
A brilliant save with her feet preserved the clean sheet.

Late on, Darlington switched to three up front and five at the back, leaving space in midfield. ND recognised it immediately 👀

Our midfielders used that extra second on the ball brilliantly, setting attacks down both wings ⚡

The finishing didn’t quite match the build-up, but on another day there could easily have been more goals.

⸻

💨 Work Rate 👏

On a tight pitch the girls covered serious ground:

📊 Team average: just under 4KM
🏃‍♀️ Top performer: just over 5KM

An incredible shift from every single player 🟡⚫

⸻

🌟 Girl of the Game 🌟

Impossible to choose just one — this was a full squad performance 🤝

The award was shared across the entire team 👏

Special mention to the defensive work rate in keeping a clean sheet against such a prolific opposition 🛡️🔥

It was also brilliant to see the girls passing confidently in tight spaces — something they’ve been working hard on in training. The improvement is clear to see 💛⚽

⭐️Away Player of the Game ⭐️

BROOKE 🙌🏼

⸻

🏆 Semi-Final Draw… 👀

The remaining teams:
🟡 ND Wasps
🔵 Hartlepool FC
🔴 Billingham FC

An exciting draw ahead… whoever it is, we’ll be ready 💪

🟡⚫

⚽️Match Report ⚽️

21/02/2026
🆚 Opposition: Jarrow Lionesses (Away – Astro)
🏆 Result: W 3–2

⸻

🔥 Another thriller against Jarrow… and another game that had EVERYTHING!

On a small, tight astro pitch there was barely an inch to spare. Both teams worked tirelessly, the tempo was high and space was at a premium. ND edged the possession battle, keeping the ball mainly in the Jarrow half and winning a number of corners — but clear-cut chances were hard to come by.

Jarrow defended superbly and looked dangerous on the counter, always ready to spring forward at pace. ⚡

⸻

⚽ The Action

⚡ 7’ – ND Strike First (1–0)

The breakthrough came early. A forward pass found Annie, tightly marked by two defenders. Showing great awareness, she cleverly laid the ball back a few yards to Elicia, who hit it first time with her right foot — a low, driven strike into the bottom right corner. Clinical finish. 👌🔥

😬 17’ – Jarrow Capitalise (1–1)

Ten minutes later, a mix-up between keeper and defender allowed the Jarrow attacker to nip in, steal possession and slot home. Game on.

😤 Jarrow Turn It Around (1–2)

Some slack defending allowed Jarrow to pass their way through. Their striker struck the bar, ND momentarily paused thinking it was offside — but it wasn’t. She reacted quickest to the rebound and tapped in. Suddenly ND were behind.

⸻

💥 Right Before Half-Time… (2–2)

Just when it felt like momentum had swung, ND responded brilliantly.

Elicia whipped in a dangerous corner that sailed beyond the crowd in the middle. At the back post, Grace timed her run perfectly and smashed a half-volley into the roof of the net! 🚀⚽

2–2 at the break. Anyone’s game.

⸻

⏱ Second Half – Tension Rising

Both sides battled hard. The pitch felt smaller by the minute. Every pass, every tackle, every clearance mattered. It was fast, physical and fiercely competitive. 💪

It genuinely looked like it might end level…

⸻

🌟 61’ – The Winner!

Jarrow won a corner — cleared.
ND break and win one of their own.

Elicia steps up again. The corner arcs high… it sails to the back post — just like before…

AVA HAS LOST HER MARKER! 👀

The ball drops kindly and Ava side-foots it calmly into the net! ⚽💥

Scenes! 3–2 ND!!

An unbelievable winner and three huge points secured. 🙌

⸻

📊 Match Stats (From the Girls’ Trackers)

🏃‍♀️ Average Distance Covered: 3.8KM per player
💨 Average Sprint Speed: 12+ mph

On a tight pitch with constant transitions, that work rate shows the intensity and commitment from every single player. Outstanding effort levels across the squad. 👏

⸻

⭐ Standout Performances

🔥 Elicia: 1 goal, 2 assists – involved in every single goal.
⚽ Ava: Match-winning goal (and always a threat — after scoring 3 in the last 4–4 thriller vs Jarrow!)
🛡 Grace: Brilliant composure and finish for the equaliser.

🏅 Girls of the Game: Brooke & Beats 👏👏

⸻

It always seems to be tight against Jarrow — and this was another classic. Determination, resilience and big moments when it mattered most.

💙 Massive effort from every single player.
📈 Momentum building.
🏆 Three points on the road.

Let’s go ND! 💪⚽🔥

⭐️ FIRST FULL WEEKEND OF FOOTBALL FOR THE LASSES ⭐️

🟡⚫ U12 RFYL Premier Division

New Durham AFC U12 Girls 3 – 0 Herrington (Home)
13/02/2016

New Durham returned to winning ways with a commanding 3–0 victory at home to Herrington in difficult conditions, with much of the league programme disrupted by waterlogged pitches that have resembled aquariums in recent weeks 🌧️🌊.

After a slightly nervy opening few minutes, ND settled into their rhythm and began to dominate possession. The passing and movement became sharper, and Herrington found it increasingly difficult to get out of their own half as the first half wore on 🟡⚫.

The breakthrough came on 17 minutes ⏱️. A well-delivered ball into the box caused uncertainty between defender and goalkeeper, and Annie reacted quickest, nipping in between them to calmly prod the ball into the net for 1–0 ⚽🟡.

Just eight minutes later, ND doubled their advantage. The ball was worked back to Brooke outside the box, and she struck a superb side-footed effort, low and hard, into the bottom corner from distance — a confident finish to cap off a strong spell of pressure ⚽🔥.

ND went into the break firmly in control 💪🟡⚫.

The second half saw more attacking intent, and on 49 minutes Sophia extended the lead ⏱️. Her long-range strike looked comfortable for the keeper, but in slippery conditions the ball slipped through her hands and just over the line to make it 3–0 ⚽.

Herrington showed spirit throughout and nearly found a way back into the game with two notable chances. A lovely passing move from back to front ended with a shot drifting wide, and shortly after, a midfielder spun her marker and broke clear through the centre. With a long run at goal and the ND defence unable to close her down, her effort sailed wide — a let-off for ND, who rode their luck in that moment.

Late on, ND thought they had added a fourth, only for the referee to rule it out for offside 🚩.

Full-time: 3–0 ✅
An excellent all-round team performance, with strong defensive organisation, composed midfield play and clinical finishing 🟡⚫.

⸻

🟡⚫ League Position Update

In a season heavily impacted by poor weather and postponed fixtures, ND continue to push near the top of the U12 Girls Premier Division table 📊. With games in hand across the division and pitches regularly waterlogged, consistency has been key — and this result keeps ND firmly in the mix as the league campaign resumes.

Back to winning ways and building momentum at just the right time 🟡⚫⚽

🖤💛 Match Report | 24/01/2026 💛🖤
⚽ Boro Rangers (Boro) 5–2 ND ⚽

ND Goals:
⚽ Grace (12’)
⚽ Grace (42’)

The girls lined up on a dull, smoggy January morning for the long trip south to Boro Rangers — the second visit of the season after that breathless 5-4 cup semi-final win that had everyone on the edge of their seats. You’d hope for something a little calmer this time… but football, as we know, rarely reads the script. 🌫️⚽

And honestly? ND just never quite woke up.

Within the opening couple of minutes, Boro were in. ND caught cold, still rubbing the sleep out of their eyes, and suddenly it was 1–0. A few minutes later, a familiar story — a pass slipped straight through the lines, ruthless finish, 2–0. From the gantry you’d be saying, “That’s far too easy.” And it was. 😬

Shell-shocked is the phrase. ND did manage to get a foothold, but quality was hard to come by across the pitch. Too many loose passes, not enough composure, and Boro sensed blood. By the time Grace produced a moment of real class — rifling the ball into the net with conviction — ND were already chasing the game. The half ended 3–1, and you didn’t need to be in the dressing room to know the half-time team talk would’ve been… animated. 🗣️🔥

Second half? Same story, sadly. Boro Rangers’ number 14 sauntered past the ND defence and smashed home their fourth. From a pundit’s point of view, you’re looking at shape there — it just wasn’t right, and Boro exploited it time and again. ⚠️

To ND’s credit, there was no hiding. Grace popped up again with an ice-cold finish for her second — making it look far easier than it actually was. That’s a striker who keeps believing, no matter the scoreline. 🧊⚽ But Boro had the final word, adding a fifth on the counter to cap a strong performance.

Let’s be clear: Boro are a very good side. Their finishing was superb, and number 14 caused real problems all match. This was always going to be tough. Losing isn’t the hard thing to take — it’s that ND looked a shadow of their usual selves. Sloppy passing, disjointed shape, and just not enough intensity.

The positive? These games are lessons. Reset, learn, and go again. 💪🖤💛

Player of the Match (Home & Away): Grace. ⭐
Relentless running, totally unfazed by the chaos around her, and two clinical finishes that kept ND in the conversation longer than the performance perhaps deserved.

As one wise voice would say — “Sometimes you’ve just gotta take it on the chin, learn, and come back stronger.” 🖤💛⚽

⚽️ We finally got our Playa Data trackers up and running ⚽️

⭐️ The teams average stats for training on Tuesday night...training on half a 7v7 pitch and running an average of over 4 miles! Great work rate from the girls! ⭐️

🖤💛 U12s Match Report | ND vs Whickham Fellside 💛🖤
⚽ Under 12s Girls Premier Division
After not kicking a ball since 13/12/2025 thanks to an extended Christmas break full of snow, rain, snowmen ☃️ and sledging 🛷 (but no football!), the ND girls were finally back in action on Friday night under the lights on a 3G pitch, moved to guarantee the game would go ahead.
🥶 It was absolutely freezing – the kind of cold where even the referee looked worried his whistle might stop working because of frozen spit – but that didn’t stop the girls producing a huge 4–2 win against a strong Whickham Fellside side.

⚡ Match Summary
The game was played at a frantic, scrappy pace, but ND quickly showed they were ready. From early on, Whickham’s high defensive line looked vulnerable, and on 10 minutes Annie hit the post after being released by a superb long pass from Brooke.
That warning wasn’t ignored…
🟡 17 mins – GOAL (1–0 ND)
A long kick from keeper Scarlet – her first assist of the season – bounced awkwardly on halfway, the Whickham defence misjudged it, and Annie showed great determination to chase it down, nudge the defender off balance, and finish low past the keeper.
🟡 28 mins – GOAL (2–0 ND)
Excellent work down the right wing from Beats, cutting the ball back inside and squaring it across the box for Grace, who took one touch and calmly finished from close range.
👉 Half-time: ND 2–0 Whickham Fellside
ND were well in control, winning most of the 50/50s and spending the majority of the half in the Whickham half.

Whickham came out strong after the break and pulled a goal back to make it 2–1, but ND responded brilliantly and never lost their composure.
🟡 52 mins – GOAL (3–1 ND)
From a low corner, Grace returned the earlier favour, picking out Beats, who side-footed the ball across the keeper into the far corner.
🟡 58 mins – GOAL (4–1 ND)
A fantastic dribble down the left from Ava, a low shot parried by the keeper, a desperate defensive swing… and Beats was quickest to react, finishing confidently from just inside the box.
Whickham did grab a late second goal – and both of their goals were very well-worked moves and finishes – but ND’s defence were excellent overall, limiting the opposition to half chances for most of the game.
⏱️ Full Time: ND 4–2 Whickham Fellside

🏆 Player Awards
⭐ Girl of the Game (ND): Brooke – outstanding all-round performance, vision, and work rate
⭐ Girl of the Game (Whickham Fellside): Annie – a constant threat and took her goal superbly

📊 League Context
This win is a big one in the U12s Girls Premier Division, keeping ND right in the mix near the top of the table 💪
With games in hand after the long weather break, this result builds momentum and confidence as the season restarts.

🖤💛 A massive well done to all the girls – grit, teamwork, and quality on a freezing Friday night. On to the next one! 💛🖤⚽

⭐️ FIRST GAME OF 2026 FOR NDAFC GIRLS ⭐️