The Turf FC hosted The Duke Of Wellington FC at Delves Lane Community Association Pitch on the morning of 14 September 2025, with kick-off at 10:30am in a league home match.
The Turf FC lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, aiming to balance defensive solidity with attacking flair. Andy Gowland took his place in goal, protected by a back four comprising Brandon Fitzgerald at right back, Damo Freeman and captain Lewis Sullivan as central defenders, taking the places of Jamie Tincknell and Dan Cave respectfully, and Jonny Thirlaway on the left. The midfield trio featured Lewis Currie on the right, Ian Johnstone centrally, and Joe Currie on the left, tasked with both defensive duties and supporting the attack. Up front, the team deployed a three-pronged forward line with Eithan Thomasson on the right wing, Scott Thompson leading the line as striker, and Ryan Hardy on the left wing playing as interchanging attackers. The substitutes named were James White and Ben Walton.
The match began with The Duke Of Wellington FC asserting early pressure, with Gowland being called into action early on with a couple of strong saves, however this level of goalkeeping wouldn't last as a poor choice to come for the ball in the 25th minute led to Gowland being stranded in no-man's-land after slipping, before the Duke striker curls the ball around the helpless Gowland, and finding the net, giving the visitors an early advantage. The first half continued with The Duke Of Wellington FC maintaining control, however things began to heat up as CB Damo found himself in confrontation with a Duke striker, that required both sides to intervene before the game could continue. The teams went into the break with The Turf FC trailing by a single goal.
After the interval, The Turf FC finally found their footing with some great play of their own, as they sought to respond quickly and were rewarded in the 55th minute when Scott Thompson providing a precise assist inside the box to Lewis Currie after a defensive mistake by the away side, the ball fell to Scott Thompson, who passed the ball off to Currie, who finished confidently to level the scores. This goal injected fresh hope into The Turf FC’s performance and suggested a potential comeback.
However, tactical changes soon followed as James White replaced Damo Freeman at the hour mark, signalling a shift in approach. Thing's immediately grew tougher without the centre back as Joe Currie was taken out of midfield as a replacement. The Turf’s left back, Jonny Thirlaway, received a yellow card for a bad tackle five minutes later, which disrupted their rhythm and forced caution in defence. Thirlaway was subsequently substituted off for Ben Walton in the 75th minute, another tactical move aimed at shoring up the backline.
The Duke Of Wellington capitalised on these moments of instability. Just five minutes after Walton’s introduction, they regained the lead with a close-range header from a corner, showcasing their aerial threat. The visitors then extended their advantage further in the 75th minute with a simple tap-in, after Gowland made a good save down to his left, but spilling the ball into the path of an attacker, who slotted it home to make the score 3-1.
The onslaught continued as The Duke Of Wellington FC struck again in the 80th minute with a volley just inside the area, leaving The Turf FC defenders and goalkeeper helpless. Despite the mounting deficit, The Turf showed resilience and managed to pull a goal back in the dying moments of the match. Ian Johnstone delivered a well-placed corner, which Lewis Sullivan met with a close-range header to make the scoreline 4-2.
Ryan Hardy was named man of the match for his tireless work on the left flank, consistently troubling the opposition defence and providing a spark throughout the game. Nevertheless, The Turf FC were unable to overturn the deficit as The Duke Of Wellington’s clinical finishing and tactical discipline secured them a victory on the road.
