Birtley Town Hawks faced Sunderland Farringdon Detached Madrid at the Downhill Football Hub on 6 May 2025, in a neutral cup semi final match that ended in a disappointing 4-1 defeat for the Hawks. The match kicked off at 7:00pm and saw Birtley dominate their opponents, who capitalised on defensive errors to secure a flattering scoreline.
Birtley Town Hawks lined up in a 2-4-2 formation, with Fletcher Tranter in goal, flanked by central defenders Harrison Younghusband and Ben Routledge. The midfield quartet consisted of Walter Johnson on the right, Harry Morrison and Jack McKay centrally, and Leo Patterson on the left. Up front, Harry Kean and Alfie Elmy were tasked with leading the attack. This setup aimed to provide a solid defensive base while allowing the midfielders to support the forwards in creating goal-scoring opportunities.
The substitutes for Birtley included Kayden Dailey, Jacob Davison, Isaac Morales, Seb Davison, and Noah Hodgson, who would be called upon as the match progressed.
The match began with an early setback for Birtley, as an own goal from a poorly defended corner gifted Sunderland the lead with their first attack just five minutes in. The Hawks were left reeling from this unfortunate start but took control, dominating the match without creating many clear cut chances themselves.
In the 16th minute, Birtley was forced into an early substitution due to injury, with Kayden Dailey replacing Walter Johnson. Shortly after, in the 21st minute, two more substitutions were made: Jacob Davison came on for Harry Kean, and Isaac Morales replaced Alfie Elmy, as Birtley looked to inject fresh energy into their play.
The Hawks were continued to dominate the match, but as the half-time whistle blew at 30 minutes, they found themselves trailing 1-0.
The second half saw Birtley make further changes, with Alfie Elmy returning to the pitch in place of Noah Hodgson and Harry Kean coming back on for the injured Harrison Younghusband. These substitutions aimed to bolster their attacking options and regain some control in midfield.
The match continued in the same vein as the first half and Sunderland capitalised on another defensive mistake from Birtley, doubling their lead in the 35th minute with a well-placed shot into an empty goal.
In the 50th minute, Walter Johnson re-entered the fray, replacing Harry Morrison, while Leo Patterson came back on for Jacob Davison. Birtley was determined to mount a comeback, and their efforts bore fruit just five minutes later. Alfie Elmy scored a crucial goal in the 55th minute, finishing from inside the box after a well-timed assist from Walter Johnson, igniting hopes of a revival.
However, those hopes were quickly dashed as Sunderland responded immediately, scoring again in the 56th minute due to another defensive error. Just two minutes later, they struck again, extending their lead to 4-1 with a right-footed shot from outside the box, leaving Birtley with little time to recover.
Despite their best efforts, Birtley Town Hawks could not find a way back into the match, and the final whistle confirmed a disappointing exit from the cup. The performance of Ben Routledge stood out amidst the defeat, earning him recognition as the player of the match for his resolute defending.
