Sixer Says: Lawyers’ defence found lacking as Development Squad hit five

Malcolm Dawson writes….it’s not often you can see two full internationals for three quid but Pete Sixsmith, myself and a smattering of the Hetton Irregulars did today at Ironworks Road, Tow Law. Santiago Vergini and Charalampos Mavrias started with the majority of the Development Squad against a Tow Law side who, it has to be said, could well struggle in the EBAC Northern League Division 2 in the forthcoming season. If you’ve never been, Tow Law’s ground enjoys unprecedented views of the Durham Dales but is prone to cold winds even in the height of summer. Saturday afternoon was no exception. It may have been July but it could easily have been October as dark clouds scudded over and those fans in shorts regretted their lack of lower leg insulation. Kevin Ball was there. Chris Waddle wasn’t. Pete’s match report follows illustrated by a few of my pictures.

TOW LAW 0 – SAFC Development XI 5

Imagine that you are a 27 year old professional footballer. Not any old footballer but an international player who has appeared alongside Lionel Messi, Angel de Maria and Carlos Tevez. You have played at the San Siro, at La Bombareno, the home ground of Boca Juniors and at Old Trafford. You have just completed a permanent transfer to the richest league in the world, the English Premier League, albeit with a seemingly permanently struggling club. You have tested yourself against fellow countryman Sergio Aguero, golden boy Harry Kane and the pacy Alexis Sanchez. You have settled well into an alien environment. Life looks good. So, how come you end up at Ironworks Road, Tow Law?

Santiago Vergini, a regular under Gus Poyet, has been told by Dick Advocaat that there is no future for him at Sunderland, despite the club forking out £2m to sign him permanently. The new Head Coach decided after an abject display against Crystal Palace that he had seen enough and did not pick him again. The transfer was part of the loan deal with his previous employers and, unlike the Ricky Alavarez deal, it was watertight. Club and agent were paid, Santiago got what I imagine was a decent signing on fee – and he ended up at Tow Law.

From Santa Fe to Tow Law
From Santa Fe to Tow Law

For those whose geography of South Durham is patchy, Tow Law is a long village that sits on a ridge above Weardale. The A68 bisects it, it has areas known as Dan’s Castle and Inkerman, is the terminus of the Arriva Route 1 and has a football team that reached Wembley in 1998, losing to Tiverton Town in the FA Vase final. For many years, they could do what Sunderland had done up until 1958, and proclaim that they had never been relegated – until that is, they finished in the bottom three in 2012 and were consigned to the Northern League Second Division, alongside Ryton and Crawcrook Albion, Darlington Railway Athletic and West Allotment Celtic. They almost exited the other way last season, finishing perilously close to a place in the Wearside League for 2015-16.

Tow Law can be accurately described as cold. Consett is positively tropical when compared with this ridge hugging village and it was a brave man who stepped onto the Ironworks Road terracing without a fleece, on what was in the balmy environs of nearby Crook, a pleasant afternoon.

By it were windy!
By it were windy!

The Development Squad consisted of a two players who have made full appearances for the first team as Charis Mavrias was included. He is another from the Di Fanti/Di Canio era who has looked decent at times but who will never make it in the Premier League. There is talk of him returning to Greece to play in the domestic league there but I can’t imagine him wanting to dash back to the poverty, misery and chaos that exists in the birthplace of democracy.

All the way from HMNB Faslane - Tow Law's first sub keeper.
All the way from HMNB Faslane – Tow Law’s first sub keeper.

Mikael Mandron also played and he scored four of the five goals which sentenced the Lawyers to their second successive pre-season 5-0 defeat, the other one coming against Wearside League runners up Horden CW in mid-week. His first was a simple tap in from point blank range after a bit of a scramble in the Tow Law goal area. The resulting injury to the diminutive keeper led to his substitution and though his replacement was somewhat taller was also distinctly rotund.

Mandron's second - you can just about see Mavrias
Mandron’s second – you can just about see Mavrias

Mandron’s second was more stylish as clever footwork created the space for him to lash home a powerful drive from the edge of the penalty area. He grabbed a third from the penalty spot not long afterwards but the player who caught the eye was the young American, Lyndon Gooch, who turned in a very impressive first 45 minutes. He drove forward with pace and used the ball well. He has admirers amongst those of the Hetton Irregulars who turned up and he has the potential to improve. He departed at half time along with Vergini and Mavrias and several others as the game became an extended training session.

Mikael Mandron from the spot
Mikael Mandron from the spot

We did get to see an impressive 45 minutes from Republic of Ireland goalkeeper James Talbot, who creates a good impression every time I see him. He has good handling skills, runs his box well and moves the ball quickly. He is another one to watch. Mandron’s fourth came from an angled shot in the second half which found the bottom corner of the goal as the keeper struggled to get down quickly.
The home side also made a few substitutions and their third keeper of the day was even shorter than the first, and appeared in what were either Edgar Davids type specs or swimming goggles. His lack of physicality became apparent when he was sold short by a back pass from one of his own defenders and he was easily dispossessed by a strong tackle which gave the Development Squad their fifth goal.

Summertime and the livin' is easy in Tow Law
Summertime and the livin’ is easy in Tow Law

Tow Law made a few bob out of the game and produced excellent pork and stuffing buns at half time. Old friends were seen for the first time this season and there was much discussion about the prospects for the coming season and about the decision to play all home Under 21 games on a Sunday afternoon. Several of the Irregulars are god fearing, church going folks and may have difficulty making the games, but where there’s a will, there’s a way and I am sure that our paths will cross at Eppleton in August.

Next game up is at Consett on Tuesday. Will Santiago and Charis be there? Watch this space…….



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3 thoughts on “Sixer Says: Lawyers’ defence found lacking as Development Squad hit five”

  1. Greenwood played the first half, was replaced by Blinco but then came back on – rolling substitutes (see Tow Law keeper for a fine example of this) were agreed on by both clubs.

  2. I’m afraid I don’t know who scored the fifth goal – maybe Pete does – but the Official SAFC site say it was Rees Greenwood. But it also says he was replaced by Jordan Blinco at half time. Both those statements can’t be correct as the fifth goal came late in the second half when the bespectacled keeper was Tow Law’s third of the match.

    Unfortunately all the other reports I have read (in the Echo and elsewhere) repeat the inconsistency. Am I the only person who gets irritated by things like this?

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