The opening game of the season saw Newton Aycliffe Sports Club FC host Kirk Merrington Half Moon at Moore Lane in what turned out to be a great opening game for the Wear Valley Sunday League Division 2.
Kirk Merrington applied the early pressure on the home team forcing a number of corners which the Sports Club had to defend within the first ten minutes. However it was a long clearance from captain Mark Craggs on fifteen minutes which fell to Chase McMullen who neatly slotted home to make it 1-0 to the home side.
The Half Moon quickly hit back just moments later with a similar goal, hit over the top and slotting home to make it 1-1 on the 20 minute mark. The home side tried to take advantage with a free kick outside the area, which unfortunately came to nothing.  Just before the half hour mark, the away side snatched the lead with a similar goal to the others, long ball over the top down the right hand side and smashed home on the near post.  With time running out in the first half, the home side managed to grab the equaliser with Owen Carlin cutting in from the left hand side to fire home.
A number of substitutions were forced due to injuries at half time by the Sports Club. Warren Richardson came on for Matty Alder, Tommy Young for Mark Craggs and Anthony Campbell for Owen Carlin. The opening ten minutes were pretty even with both sides trying hard to take advantage, but it was Chase McMullen who put the home side ahead after Warren Richardsons through ball found the strike who cheekily lifted the ball over the top of the keeper and slotted home on the hour mark. It took ten minutes for the away side to draw level with a cute strike from the edge of the box beating keeper Shaun O Hara.  The away side took just another 2 short minutes to take the lead making 4-3 on 75 minutes.
David Teder was to make it 4-4 on 75 minutes cutting in from the left hand side to draw the home side level.  Substitute Anth Campbell then made it 5-4 with a great 20 yard run taking it past 3 defenders before slotting home. Campbell repeated the same move again leaving defenders for dead before firing home to make it 6-4 with 10 minutes to play.
Kirk Merrington made the last few minutes interesting scoring from a deep cross which seemed to have crossed the line, but with the defence and keeper appealing, the away side slotted home for 6-5.  The Sports Club held out for the 3 points to take the well earned victory into next weeks Deby game against the Navy Club.
MOM: Kyle Allen. Scorers: Chase McMullen (2), Anth Campbell (2). David Teder.