Gateshead dominated the first half of the fixture, missing a number of good opportunities but taking a deserved lead before the break when Joe Turnbull (Joseph Swan) slotted in a neat through ball. Gateshead had further opportunities to kill the game in the second half with substitute Connor Anderson (Emmanuel) causing problems minutes after being introduced. Chester came back into the game and were on top in the closing stages and scored an agonising equaliser two minutes from time after Scott Johnson (Lord Lawson) appeared to be fouled.

In extra-time Gateshead hearts were broken when the referee harshly awarded a spot-kick for handball after the ball was fired at Johnson from close range. Chester converted the kick and held on to win 2-1 and secure a place in the final.

Team managers Bruce Vause and Dan Beresford would like to thank all the players and parents for their efforts over the last four seasons. It has been a pleasure to coach a fantastic group of players and watch them develop as players and young men. We hope that they continue to achieve great things in life and football.

In four seasons this group of Gateshead players have won the following:

2010 U13 Hardy Trophy Winners

2011 U14 KO Cup Runners-Up

2011 U14 Tyne-Wear League Runners-Up

2012 U15 Tyne-Wear League Winners

Year 7 League Cup Final Result

St.Thomas More 5-0 Heworth Grange

Year 8 League Cup Final

St.Thomas More 5-2 Cardinal Hume

Year 9 League Cup Final

St.Thomas More 1-0 Joseph Swan

Thanks to our cup final sponsor the ‘Education Network’ who provided the medals and man of the match trophies!

The Year 10 and 11 cup finals will take place at Ryton & Crawcrook Albion FC on Thursday 2nd May from 4.15pm.

Earlier in the season the two sides met in the Tyne-Wear League and South Northumberland inflicted a rather embarassing 8-0 defeat on the Gateshead lads. Since then team manager has rebuilt his squad and with a lot of hard work from the players the team have really improved and have finished the season strongly.

Gateshead made a blistering start to the final scoring twice inside the opening five minutes and deservedly recorded an impressive 5-1 win to take the trophy. Joe Mole (Heworth Grange) scored a hat-trick, and further goals were added by Cameron Salkeld (Cardinal Hume) and Ben Hedley (Emmanuel).

Congratulations to all involved, there is a team photo on our Twitter account @GatesheadSFA and will hopefully get some on the website soon!

The dates for the finals are as follows:

Friday 19th April- Year 7 St.Thomas More v Heworth Grange 4.30pm kick off

Friday 19th April- Year 8 St.Thomas More v Cardinal Hume 6.15pm kick off

Tuesday 23rd April- Year 9 St.Thomas More v Joseph Swan 4.30pm kick off

Thursday 2nd May- Year 10 Joseph Swan v Whickham/Charles Thorp 4.30pm kick off

Thursday 2nd May- Year 11 Thomas Hepburn v Heworth Grange/Lord Lawson 6.15pm kick off

Good luck to all schools involved.

The Education Network have donated the winners and runners-up medals for each final and have also sponsored a man of the match trophy which will be awarded at the end of each cup final.

We are extremely grateful to the Education Network for their kind support.

The game will be played at Mortimer School in South Tyneside with a 4.45pm kick off on a 3G pitch.

South Northumberland comfortably beat Gateshead earlier in the season in a league fixture, but since then Gateshead have made real progress and will hoping to cause an upset in the final.

Good luck to Lee Rankin and his squad!

St.Thomas More’s Year 8 side are enjoying a fantastic season and are in with a shout of winning five trophies! They are in a good position to win the Gateshead School League and League Cup, they are also through to two DCSFA County Cup Finals. They play in the U13 TUC Cup Final on Monday 25th March against St.John’s (Bishop Auckland) at Maiden Castle (4.30). Three days later they travel to Manchester for a Quarter-Final tie in the ESFA Schools Cup and then are involved in another County final after Easter. Their Joicey Cup Final is against English Martyrs (Hartlepool) and will be played on Tuesday 23rd April at Herrington CW (5pm kick off).

Joseph Swan’s Year 10 side are also through to the U15 County Cup Final against Longfield Academy (Darlington). This final will be played on Wednesday 27th March at Maiden Castle, 4.30pm kick off.

Good luck to both sides as they continue their quest for silverware and continue to fly the flag for Gateshead Schools Football.

A lot of effort from staff at Gateshead and Chester-Le-Street associations went into making sure this semi-final was played ahead of a scheduled final against South Northumberland on Thursday. The original venue at Wrekenton Blue Star was waterlogged so the game was eventually switched to Gateshead Stadium 3G, but the match duration was cut short due to booking constraints. The effort to get the game on was well worth it and both sides put on a fantastic advert for school football in difficult conditions.

Gateshead started the game well and dominated the opening fifteen minutes, Cameron Salkeld, Ben Heads and Owen Nevins were controlling possession in the midfield and starting to threaten Chester’s back-line. Despite the territorial control the Gateshead lads seemed reluctant to shoot from range and couldn’t quite work a goalscoring opportunity.

Chester had rarely been in the game until midway through the half, a long ball was allowed to drop in the Gateshead half and the lively Chester Le Street number 9 found the back of the net. The goal encouraged the visitors and seemed to rock the home side. Chester suddenly came alive and their number nine found the net again with a smart near post finish to make it 2-0 at the interval.

In the second half, Gateshead changed shape and personnel and started to throw bodies forward in search of a lifeline. Ben Hedley capped an impressive display with Gateshead’s first goal as he bent a finish into the bottom corner to give Gateshead hope. Gateshead continued to press hard and Daniel Hailes was presented with a golden opportunity to make it 2-2 but he was denied by an excellent save. In the last minute of normal time a long free-kick dropped to Luke Birkbeck, who slotted in to send the game into extra-time.

Both sides had chances to win the game in extra-time, but the match ended up being decided by a penalty shoot-out. There was controversy in the shoot-out as the match referee made Chester Le Street re-take a missed penalty, but the Gateshead keeper saved again without encroaching. This gave Gateshead the advantage and the final penalty flew in to spark jubilant celebrations.

This cup final appearance certainly did not look likely in September as the U14 side suffered a couple of heavy defeats and were struggling. However, fast forward a few months and Lee Rankin has turned this side around with the help of the players who now seem full of commitment and enjoyment.

Gateshead were scheduled to play South Northumberland in the Durham County SFA Knock-Out Cup Final on Thursday 21^st March but the game has now been postponed due to a waterlogged pitch at Maiden Castle. The County are yet to confirm when the fixture will be replayed.

Goals: B.Hedley, L.Birkbeck

MOM: B.Hedley.

On Monday 18th March Gateshead Under 14′s host Chester Le-Street in the DCSFA Knockout Cup Semi-Finals. The match will be played on grass at Wrekenton Blue Star FC with a kick off time scheduled for 4.30pm. The winners will play Newcastle/South Northumberland in the final on Thursday 21st March at The Graham Sports Centre, Maiden Castle, Durham (4.30pm).

Good luck to both sides!