Belief is massive in sport. If you have belief, you have a chance but if you doubt yourself, you’re struggling, big time.

I’ll not lie, the first 15 minutes and last 5 minutes of the warm up was spent geeing the players up, telling them they’re good players, a good team, that they have quality and reminding them that they’ve beaten teams from higher divisions multiple times this season. By the time they went out, I think they’d just about believed us but it wasn’t until the first time we attacked and almost scored did the players truly believe they had a chance.

Once the game settled, I think the game was mostly played in the Blaydon half and we were attacking well, especially down the right hand side with Chloe and Liam causing the Blaydon back line all kinds of issues and with the midfield three of Joseph, Lewis and Thomas moving the ball well. It was a combination of these players who set up the first goal for Liam whose pace took him clear for a cool finish into the bottom corner.

Blaydon made a change to combat Chloe and Liam which is a massive compliment, doubling up and trying to get players with pace around them. This worked somewhat and the size of the pitch/lack of games was starting take its toll a little and just before half time Blaydon equalised with a fortunate mishit finish into the bottom corner.

1-1 at half time

Towards the end of the first half, our shape was getting pulled around and attracted to the ball leaving a big switch of play open, this needed to be rectified and the key to this is communication from central players/wide players in the opposite side. These are learning points we can take out of games and use to build and move forward with.

Into the second half and our shape was slightly better until another rather fortuitous goal from the Blaydon number 5 who managed to force this way through from midfield having benefited from a some lucky deflections along the way. Its was harsh on Rutherford and Mason in particular who’d played very well to this point and didn’t deserve to have conceded two goals.

Rutherford pushed forward for an equaliser but it was Blaydon who got the next goal with a good finish, a little dink over Mason after a good move.

The next goal went to Rutherford and Liam who finished well once put through and it was game on. The next goal was going to be crucial and it almost came to Rutherford and Liam but the Blaydon keeper made a good save and kept the shot out.

Up the other end, Blaydon got another slice of luck with a cross flying into the top corner and it was 4-2 and tie over.

After the game Blaydon certainly knew they’d been in a cup tie and I hope the Rutherford players now have the believe the coaches and parents have in them.

As I said at the start of the report belief is huge but so is commitment, and we have that in spades, from players, parents and coaches. The level of commitment has never been doubted. We have players playing out of position, such as Joseph Dobson playing a right centre back, Thomas Ingham playing as a defensive midfielder, Leon playing in central midfield, Lewis having to drop in a play centre back and then there's Chloe and Liam who have to put an almighty shift in every week as our only right sided player and striker. It safe to say that some of these positions aren't ours or the players first choice but this is the reality of the situation. So a massive thank you is in order to all the players for their effort, we appreciate it and couldn't ask for more. Stick with us, things will come good again. Player of the match this week was Thomas Ingham for his discipline in and out of the possession, the calmness and overall retention of the ball, well done Tom.

Well done, it’s been a great cup run and unlucky not to go further, take heart and on we go to the league.

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