DEANO STRIKES BACK – RETURN OF DEANO!
Hello all and I hope everyone’s feeling good.
It has been a while folks, and a lot has happened since we last had time to update you with my diary. Benno has had be locked away for the past month, permanently playing with the tactics board and only letting me out for games.
Since the last diary it has certainly been an entertaining few weeks with some excellent results and performances for us.
Sunderland RCA sticks in my mind as a particular turning point in the season. We had played Bedlington at home during the midweek and we were stung with ANOTHER last minute goal. It was tough for me and Paul to pick the lads up as they had given absolutely everything, but had nothing to show for their efforts at the final whistle.
We went 3-0 down to RCA at home, and they were dominating every area of the field. RCA have some very good players, including Adzey McGuinness who opened the scoring who we have since signed. Me and Paul made three changes with 20 minutes to go, including subbing Razza who left the field to a great ovation having just pulled a goal back, as we wanted to try and see the game through and not to let RCA end up with four or five goals.
Instead, we scored some excellent goals, showed some fantastic courage, and got a point. We played some excellent stuff with 20 minutes to go, and I have no doubts at all that if the game had another five minutes to play then we would have ended up with all three points.
We brought back Deano Walker from Washington, where he spent a successful loan spell which included notching a hat-trick in one game. Dean signed for Hebburn on the same day as me back in October 2010 and joins me as the longest serving player at the club. He has scored some important goals for this club, one in particular against Morpeth at home last year which earned us three massive points.
We also secured signing of Adam McGuiness from RCA. Adzey is a very experienced left-back with a terrific left foot. In the three games he has played for us since becoming a Hornet, he has been superb and long may that continue.
Our next three games were pretty strange…
We had a very tough trip down to Billingham Synthonia where we got a point after a very poor opening first-half. We managed to equalise through Jewelsy and could have won it at the end, but a point was a very good one to win upon reflection.
We then travelled to Celtic Nation, and although our bus trips are always very good, an enjoyable experience and full of banter, this was pretty different after our first league defeat away from home and a very average performance. We all accepted it, we all agreed to put it behind us and move on, which I’m very happy to say we have been able to do.
The home game against Norton ended 3-3 after what Paul said was “a fantastic first-half and a shocking second”. From all accounts, it should have been three points, but I wasn’t at the game as I was on boyfriend duty in Amsterdam with Shaunagh! I know, I know…it’s a hard life at times!
There was no rest for the wicked as three days later one of the best teams in recent years in our league, and indeed at this level of the game in the whole country, Whitley Bay visited us.
They were in sublime form, pushing aside Bishops, Shildon and Team North in their last few games. We expected a very tough game as they have, in my opinion, the best player in the league in Paul Robinson.
We asked for passion, organisation, heart and determination, as well as obvious quality on the ball. From the first minute we got it.
There were some unreal performances from individuals and the 4-1 scoreline didn’t flatter us. It was a huge win and three massive points for us, which only two years earlier when I made my Hebburn debut, I would never ever thought would happen!
We rolled into Heritage Park on a good run of form and it was my first visit to the ground. I was amazed at the tremendous standard of it. It’s a well run club is Bishop Auckland and they now have the ground to match their club.
Bishops had scored in every game and have some very good players. They very rarely lose at home and are looking for promotion this season. But we delivered another solid away day, with performances from all involved, and a last minute winner by our nervous little man Gardiner nicked all three points.
A special mention to my best mate, Dan Regan, who made a sensational save with 15 minutes left to play and kept us in the game at times throughout. Six points out of six in one week against two sides like Whitley and Bishops equals a great week for all involved at the club.
We took a side to Chester-le-Street in the Durham Challenge Cup on Tuesday and had lots of players missing with injuries and work. We still fielded a strong side and got a 3-2 win which was fully deserved.
Fair play to CLS, they stuck in and almost took the win to progress in the competition but goals from Tony, Kirky and Jewelsy saw us through. If we had shown a little more quality in the final third then it could have been 6 or 7 goals for us by half-time. We’ll take the win and move into the next round against Jarrow or Durham. Could this be another successful cup run for the club? Maybe so.
Its always nice to receive good feedback and we got that on a fans forum from a supporter at CLS. The banter was excellent on the night, all kind hearted which helped the game to be enjoyable for all.
This is a perfect example of the league we play in, full of passion, heart, quality and a pleasure to watch.
Me and Paul have met some great people since being at Hebburn Town, both at the club and at others, and we are hoping this continues, starting with the very tough game at home to Marske United FC on Saturday.
See you all then!
Deano
