The Under 18's (Sponsored by Steve Brettle Fabrications Ltd) hopes of playing their last ever game together at Rockliffe Park, were taken away from them by some VERY poor refereeing decisions.
 
Nothing must be taken away from Greatham who battled well throughout the game and we wish them every success in the final, but the standard of refereeing was extremely poor, for a very important game.
 
Having played each other the previous week in a scintillating league game, both teams came into this one with high hopes of reaching the final, and began the game in the same way they had finished the previous one.
 
Coulby were very quickly into their stride and in the 15th minute of the game looked to have taken a deserved lead.
 
Danny Maguire was fed through just inside the area.  Steadying himself he released a shot from a tight angle, but the direction was slightly off and it went across the box instead.  However, Andrew Geddes came charging in unmarked at the far post to hammer home into an empty net.
 
Unbelievable though, the referee ruled it out for offside!!  This was the start of a number of mistakes the referee was to make throughout the game, but probably the costliest.
 
Coulby continued to control the first half with Matty Bailey a spectator in goal for the majority of it.  His back four of Matty Craven. Michael McAvoy, David Price and Charley Hutchinson contained the Greatham players throughout the half, restricting them to a couple of shots from a long way outside of the Coulby box.
 
Matty Bennison playing in a more advanced role was having some joy down the right hand side, and with Tom Murphy working tirelessly down the left, Coulby pressed and pressed for an opening.
 
A fantastic cross-field ball from Luke Smailes found Tom Murphy out on the left, and his quick feet produced another great ball into the area, but Danny Maguire was unable to make enough contact.
 
Jordan O'Brien made a bone-crunching, but totally fair challenge in the middle of the park, coming away with the ball.  He immediately played it to Luke, who in turn, played it down the line to Matty.  Matty put it into the box where Tom came from nowhere, but saw his shot go just over the bar.
 
H-T:  0 - 0
 
Following their dominance of the first half, Coulby firmly believed they had the momentum to take them to success, but the referee, yet again, conspired to break their hearts.
 
With both teams cancelling each other out, the first of a number of second half errors by the referee led to Greatham opening the scoring.
 
Jordan O'Brien was clearly fouled in the middle of the park, as the Greatham player made no attempt for the ball, but the referee played on!  Greatham quickly played the ball out wide, put a ball into the area, and their striker finished well.  Jordan questioned the referee about the clear foul, and the referee decided to book him for it - a double whammy!!
 
Worse was to follow for Coulby as within three minutes of conceding the first, Greatham grabbed a second, and a very taken goal it was too.
 
Coulby began to fight their way back into the game, with Michael McAvoy leading from the back!  On three consecutive occasions, he won a tackle deep in his own half, before going on a fantastic run deep into the Greatham half, before releasing Tom Murphy.  However, listening to the shouts of a very vocal goalkeeper, the referee inexplicably blew for offside - with Tom at least 5 yards the right side of the defender!!!
 
This was to be story of the next fifteen minutes, as almost every attack from Coulby was blown for offside by the referee, solely due to the shouts from the opposition.
 
With fifteen minutes remaining, Coulby brought on Josh Taylor upfront, replacing David Price and Coulby moved to a 3-4-3 formation, and almost had an immediate result.
 
Tom worked down the line, played it across the box, and Josh was quickest to react.  Moving the ball out from his feet, he shot towards goal, but the keeper did well to parry out for a corner.
 
With only a minute or so remaining, Coulby made one last push and got themselves a corner.  Luke Smailes swung it in, Danny Maguire flicked it on, and Andrew Geddes rammed it home.
 
Seconds later, the referee blew the final whistle.  
 
A disappointing result for the players and one that wasn't deserved after all the work they had put in.  However, we wish Jimmy and the Greatham lads every success in the final on 17th May when they face Redcar Athletic.
 
So, after 11 years as a team, it all comes down to one last match, a final league game of the season, away to Redcar Athletic next week.