The Turf faced Lanchester Cricket Club FC First at their home ground. The match kicked off at 10:30 am.
The Turf FC lined up in a 4-1-3-2 formation. Nick Dow took his position in goal, shielded by a back four comprising Andy Gowland on the right, Jamie Tincknell and Jack Dawson in central defence, and Jonny Thirlaway on the left. The captain Lewis Sullivan operated as a defensive midfielder, tasked with breaking up opposition play and providing support to the attacking trio of Lewis Currie on the right, Joe Currie in the centre, and James White making his debut start on the left. Up front, Ian Johnstone and Liam Henry were expected to lead the line, looking to convert chances into goals. The substitutes for the match included Seb Belka, Jak Booth, and Hubert Szordykowski.
The match began with an early setback for The Turf as Liam Henry was forced off due to an ankle injury in the 8th minute, making way for Seb Belka. Just two minutes later, Lanchester CC opened the scoring with a poor penalty decision as the defender was pushed into the ball as the ref blows for a penalty, putting The Turf on the back foot. The home side continued to apply pressure, and by the 15th minute, they doubled their lead with a goal from inside the box, as the ball was crossed into an unchallenged man in the middle, convering their second as he passes it past Dow, showcasing their attacking prowess.
The Turf FC's defensive frailties were exposed again in the 20th minute when a defensive mistake allowed Lanchester to score their third goal, a bobbled pass to Jack Dawson that'sslipped to an attacker to once again slot the ball home. The situation worsened for The Turf as Lanchester was awarded another penalty in the 25th minute, this time gor a blatant foul by Jonny Thirlaway, as the striker converts it to extend their lead to 4-0.
In a moment of respite, The Turf FC found the net in the 30th minute when Seb Belka tackles the pressing side, darting down the wing with the ball, crossing it into Ian Johnstone, who headed home the cross, giving the visitors a glimmer of hope. However, Lanchester quickly extinguished that hope, scoring their fifth goal immediately in the 35th minute due to another defensive error, as the ball is knocked into the box, Nick Dow has come to collect the ball and spilled it, only for the attacker to score from an unlikely position on the touchline.
As the first half drew to a close, Lanchester added two more goals, one in the 40th minute and another just before half-time in the 44th minute, leaving The Turf FC trailing 7-1 at the break.
The second half saw The Turf FC make tactical changes, with Jak Booth replacing Seb Belka in the 65th minute and Hubert Szordykowski coming on for Ian Johnstone in the 67th minute. These substitutions aimed to inject fresh energy into the side and tighten up the midfield, which clearly worked to the Turf's benefit.
In the 70th minute, Jonny Thirlaway managed to score a consolation goal for The Turf, tapping in from close range after a throw in from Sullivan, headed back from Hubert Szordykowski, onto Jonny at the back stick. This goal, however, did little to change the course of the match, as Lanchester maintained control and saw out the remainder of the game with relative ease.
Despite the heavy defeat, Lewis Sullivan stood out as a key performer for The Turf, demonstrating resilience and determination throughout the match.
