Mr Whitehouse introduces the first PE department video blog of the year, focusing on the mixed fortunes of the Year 9 and Year 11 boys football teams, and reflecting on the recent success of the U16 girls hockey team.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=66cUOCV_qL8

The Year 7s had a tough start to their school campaign, losing 9-1 away to Valley Gardens on Friday evening.  It was the first time they had ever played together, so they were always going to be up against it against a strong Valley side with a couple of years experience at this level already.  Ollie Baker got Marden’s only goal not long before half time to pull the score back to 3-1, and the visitors always looked quick and threatening going forward, but the home side’s supreme fitness and quality won out in the end.

The U12s will have another chance to register their first points on the board this Wednesday when they entertain Monkseaton Middle School at home.

Whitley Bay – 1 : 2 – Marden

Yet more footballing success – Mr. Topping’s Year 10 Boys team put on an assured display to beat Whitley Bay High School 2-1 away from home, with goals from Brogan Heads and Jack Pearson.  Well done lads!

Can the Year 7 Boys round off a great week for Marden’s boys and girls football teams in their first game of the season tonight away to Valley Gardens?

The U13 girls played this on Thursday evening in their first two matches of the Malcolm Berry cup, beating St Mary’s 10-0 with goals from Amy Feetham x6, Daisy Rowe x2 and Emily Pearson x2 (including an excellent looping shot from outside the box straight over the keeper into the top corner).

They then played Churchill in a shortened game, winning 6-0. Emily Pearson opened the scoring with a free kick that went straight through Churchill’s defence, with Carly Dixon adding a second. Amy Feetham scored two, before a long range effort from Daisy Rowe following up a corner made it 5-0. Amy Feetham completed her hat-trick to round off an excellent MOM display.

Well done to all girls who took part!

Marden High – 6 : 1 – Marden Bridge

After a winless run during their time in Year 7, Mr. Prytherch’s Year 8 boys grabbed their maiden victory at the first time of asking this term, with a resounding 6-1 thrashing of Marden Bridge at home on Wednesday night.

A tense opening saw Aaron Gordon’s looped effort evade the away goalkeeper to open the scoring and another was added before half time when Ben McDermott drove home from the edge of the box after good build up play between Aaron Gordon and Dan McGee.  McGee then added a third himself, scampering through from the right to dink a left footed effort into the far corner.

The away side came out fighting in the second half and earned a penalty when Sol Elliott was unlucky to handle in his area attempting to deal with an awkward bouncing ball. The resulting spot kick was dispatched for 3-1, but Marden’s U13s held their composure and regained their three goal advantage when defender Laurie Robson’s hopeful ball upfield was misjudged by the keeper and bounced over his head for a fourth.

A smart fifth soon followed, with excellent defensive work from Lewis Follin and Oli Symons releasing the lively McGee to square for Aaron Gordon to expertly tap home his second of the game.  The scoring was complete when man of the match Symons, playing in a defensive midfield role, towered above the defence to head home a superb outswinging Ben McDermott corner.

All in all it was a confident and assured display, avenging a 5-2 defeat by the same team last year.  Well done to everyone involved!

TEAM: Grant Craig, Sol Elliott, Jack Snell, Adam Hay (c), Laurie Robson, Oli Symons, Lucas Sutherland, Leodhais McPherson (replaced by Lewis Follin), Aaron Gordon, Dan McGee, Ben McDermott

Marden’s U16 hockey team were victorious in a North Tyneside tournament at the Parks on Wednesday night, winning the tournament on goal difference after the following results:

0-0 draw vs. John Spence U16s
4-0 win vs. John Spence U15s
0-1 defeat vs. Kings Priory U15s
2-1 win vs. Kings Priory U16s

The victory means that Marden are North Tyneside Under 16 Champions – well done to all girls involved!

Squad:
Chloe Bridges (Captain)
Alex Shaw
Sammy Malik
Ellie Burn
Megan Jackson
Amy Hedworth
Lucy Smith
Lucy Taylor
Jasmine Battersby

The Year 9 Boys Football Team bowed out of the ESFA U14 Cup at the first attempt, after a 6-0 reverse at home to St. Thomas More Catholic School of Blaydon.

After a goalless first 25 minutes, Marden finally succumbed to the away team’s pressure, conceding a well worked tap-in and then an unlucky deflected effort before going in at the break 3-0 down after another finish from inside the box.

Luke Monaghan had nearly given Marden a shock lead when he pounced onto a through ball, only to have his effort tipped round the post by the visiting goalkeeper, and last season’s top scorer went close again late in the half when his close range flick was cleared off the line.

Will Kelly also went close on a few occasions, bravely clashing with the goalkeeper who held firm and managed to record a clean sheet – the first time in fifteen attempts that this Marden team has failed to score in a school match.

The quality of the visiting team was confirmed with three smartly taken second half goals, and it could have been worse were it not for a fine shot-stopping display from Aidan McDonald in the Marden goal, with a little help from his charmed crossbar.

Overall, it was a deserved defeat, but this St. Thomas More team had made it through to the semi-finals of this Nationwide tournament last year (that’s the top 4 out of several hundred schools), and the Year 9s could not be faulted for their effort right until the final whistle.

The first league fixture of the season for the U14s, at home to Burnside, is coming up on Wednesday 9th October.

Marden – 5 : 2 – Biddick

The Year 11 boys progressed to Round 3 of the ESFA U16 Premier League School’s Cup with a 5-2 win over Biddick Sports College of Chester-le-street on Wednesday evening.

After a pre-match downpour, Marden raced into a 3-0 half time lead after a brace from Dan Sharman and another from Sam Tupling. Biddick pressed in the second half as they shot downhill with the wind, getting a goal back before Mark Strasshine restored the three goal cushion with a neat left foot finish.

A cracking free kick from the away side reduced the arrears again, before Josiah Riley put the tie beyond doubt and sent Marden through as 5-2 winners. They will discover their 3rd Round opponents when the draw is made on Monday 30th September.

Well done Year 11.