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.