A FRIENDLY FISTING | CHILTON CLUB FC 12-1 FOUNTAIN FC

On 18 January 2026, The Fountain FC travelled to West Chilton Terrace in Chilton, Co Durham, for a 10:30am friendly against Chilton Club FC in a game that proved a tough test for The Fountain’s defence and resilience.

The Fountain lined up in a 4-2-1-3 formation, deploying fresh GK Callum Collins in goal. The back four consisted of Brandon Fitzgerald at right back, Damo Freeman and Lewis Sullivan as central defenders, and Nathan Sterling on the left. In midfield, Ian Johnstone and Joe Currie held central roles, with Lewis Currie positioned just ahead as an attacking midfielder. Up front, the trio featured Scott Thompson on the right, Favour Ekomemen leading as the striker, and Owen Hardy on the left. The formation was designed to balance defensive solidity with attacking width and creativity through the midfield. The substitutes named were Jonny Thirlaway, Andy Gowland, Ben Walton, Rowan Latimer, and Lewis Murphy.

Before the match began, the Fountain gifted defender Jamie Tincknell the guard of honour for his service to the team, having had his final game due to knee surgery, though he will remain on our sideline regardless, cheering the boys on with his boom-boxing voice.

The match began disastrously for The Fountain as Chilton Club FC opened the scoring inside two minutes with a close-range header from a corner kick, setting the tone for a dominant display. Just four minutes later, Chilton doubled their lead with a right-footed finish from inside the box into the top corner, leaving The Fountain’s defence scrambling early on.

Chilton would go on to score three more goals within the first fifteen minutes, but they were called offside for the Fountain held a good line. Despite attempts to regroup, Chilton continued to press and added a third goal in the 25th minute when the ball is lofted over the defence, leading to a 1v1 chance against Collins in goal, as the Chilton man slots the ball home for the third of the day. Two minutes later, a frantic goalmouth scramble saw Chilton extend their advantage further. The early pressure took its toll on The Fountain’s backline, and at the 30-minute mark, Damo Freeman was forced off seemingly injured, replaced by Jonny Thirlaway.

Chilton’s relentless attacking continued, with a fifth goal arriving in the 41st minute from another team move. Just before half-time, a defensive error gifted Chilton a sixth goal in the 44th minute from an unpolished goal kick, compounding The Fountain’s woes. The home side struck again in added time before the break, scoring their seventh goal from inside the box.

At half-time, The Fountain faced a daunting 7-0 deficit. The break saw immediate tactical changes as goalkeeper Callum Collins was substituted for Andy Gowland, while Ben Walton replaced right back Brandon Fitzgerald, and a debut start for Rowan Latimer, who came on for left forward Owen Hardy, signalling a shift in personnel aimed at stemming the tide.

However, Chilton wasted no time in extending their lead, scoring an eighth goal inside five minutes of the restart. The visitors’ defensive frailties were further exposed in the 54th minute when the ball was crossed into the box, but swerved last second and slotted past Gowland, who failed to get a hand to it. The Fountain responded with two more substitutions at the hour mark: Damo Freeman returned to replace Ian Johnstone as Lewis Sullivan pushed further upfield, and Lewis Murphy came on for left back Nathan Sterling.

This was the moment the Fountain finally started playing some football, creating good chances and playing with the ball at their feet. The Fountain managed a moment of pride in the 65th minute when Scott Thompson fired in a spectacular goal following a short pass assist from Joe Currie. The strike was a rare bright spot in an otherwise difficult afternoon.

However, disaster would strike again, when a ball back to Gowland was passed out simply from the back, but failed to spot a striker behind his defence, who snatched the ball to score again in the 70th minute. The home side added two more goals late on, one from outside the box in the 80th minute and a penalty converted in the 85th minute, rounding off a comprehensive 12-goal tally.

With a modest crowd of 30 spectators witnessing the encounter, Chilton Club FC’s clinical finishing and sustained pressure proved overwhelming for The Fountain FC.

In summary, The Fountain FC’s 4-2-1-3 formation and tactical adjustments could not prevent a heavy defeat on the road. Chilton Club FC’s early goals and constant attacking threat left little room for recovery, though Scott Thompson’s stunning strike offered a glimpse of fighting spirit amid a challenging fixture.