Post by slush on Jul 12, 2006 6:44:20 GMT
Ferriby lesson will aid Eastenders’ education
THE result was never going to be the most important thing to come out of Easington United’s opening pre-season game, which is good news given the harsh lesson handed out by Brian France’s impressive looking North Ferriby side on a balmy summer evening at The Farm.
After having taken a surprise early lead through Ian Barrow, the Eastenders competed well for almost an hour before four goals in fourteen second half minutes (including two within sixty seconds) killed off any hopes.
A pragmatic Dave Mackay-Dundas said afterwards, “We actually played some really good stuff in patches but ultimately paid the price for silly mistakes in dangerous areas.”
He added, “The biggest disappointments for me were in our inability to cope with their aerial threat – I’ve never seen us bossed so much in the air before – and the poor quality of our play at set-piece situations, particularly corners and throw-ins.
But it’s what we take from this game and how we learn from it that will really stand us in good stead for the league season coming up.”
With Stu Campbell and Adam Metcalf unavailable, along with assistant-boss Dave Walmsley, Mackay-Dundas then lost new boy Cathal Coyle just an hour prior to kick-off due to work commitments.
Making their first appearances at the Farm, as part of a sixteen-man squad, were Steve Harrod and former Ferriby Reserves youngster Chris Spinks.
For his part, visiting boss Brian France included a couple of last season’s HPL Division 1 title-winning reserve side in an otherwise full-strength squad that included the prolific Gary Bradshaw and Mike Price, back after a trial spell with Notts County.
Opening up with the Jackman-Thurkettle partnership up front, Easington gained the perfect start when the former out-stripped two opponents down the left before sending over a low cross that was missed by the Ferriby defence before being swept home by Ian Barrow.
The visitors’ reply was almost instantaneous, new signing Rob Haw lashing a shot just wide of Appleyard’s upright.
Joe Lightowler then saw Kevin Milner deny him an equaliser with a goal-line clearance, while at the other end Jackman’s pace and strength kept the visitors constantly on their toes.
In the event it was Danny Moore who tied things up on 24 minutes, latching on to Mark Griffin’s pass and finishing emphatically with the locals’ defence appealing in vain for offside.
On 35 minutes Lightowler made it 2-1, sweeping home from Chris Bolder’s knockdown of a Mike Price free-kick.
The Eastenders lost skipper Neil Rutter with a jarred knee moments later but Andy Graham almost restored parity on the stroke of half-time when Antoni Pecora was forced to palm his 35-yard free kick over the bar.
There was more bad news for Mackay-Dundas at half-time when an Achilles problem forced Tony Hunt out of the action. However, spirits were raised when Steve Harrod’s quick turn and snapshot drifted just wide of the post.
From then on, though, it became the Foot and Bradshaw show.
Back at Church Road from a spell with Conference side Scarborough, Foot switched from defence to midfield at half-time with good effect. Meanwhile, striker Bradshaw announced his arrival off the subs bench with a goal 11mins into the second half, his shot going in at the near post past a bemused looking Appleyard!
Within five minutes it was 4-1, Price drilling home from a short corner and Easington supporters feared the worst when goals from Foot (69mins) and Bradshaw (70) threatened to open the floodgates.
To their credit the locals continued to battle and might have had some reward when Thurkettle appeared to be hauled to the ground in the box late on.
A nice post-script came from Brian France who acknowledged the result hadn’t really been representative of the game. Along with Chairman Les Hare, he also complimented their hosts on the set-up at Low Farm.
It’s to be hoped the success of the fixture – a crowd in excess of a hundred, healthy programme sales and a roaring trade at the Tea Hut not to mention some fine post-match banter in The Granby – will be reflected in a return visit next year.
Eastenders: K Appleyard, C Smalley, K Milner, D Potts, T Hunt, A Graham, I Barrow, N Rutter, G Thurkettle, P Jackman, M Nicholson; SUBS - S Harrod (for Thurkettle, 30), D Medforth (for Rutter, 35), C Spinks (for Barrow, 46), C Senior (for Smalley, 46), O Musgrove (for Hunt, 46), Thurkettle (for Jackman, 60), Barrow (for Milner, 75), Smalley (for Nicholson, 75)
North Ferriby: A Pecora, A Thompson, M Price, J Waltham, P Foot, B Morley, D Moore, C Bolder, J Lightowler, R Haw, W Clifford. SUBS - M Griffin (for Haw, 17), N Allison (for Thompson, 46), G Bradshaw (for Lightowler, 46), L Wainman (for Griffin, 46), L Moulds (for Moore, 59), L Widdowson, (for Bolder, 61), Griffin (for Morley, 80)
Referee: Mr. S. Stevenson (Beverley) (Assts): Mr. P McWatters, Mr. P Hugman
Att: 102
THE result was never going to be the most important thing to come out of Easington United’s opening pre-season game, which is good news given the harsh lesson handed out by Brian France’s impressive looking North Ferriby side on a balmy summer evening at The Farm.
After having taken a surprise early lead through Ian Barrow, the Eastenders competed well for almost an hour before four goals in fourteen second half minutes (including two within sixty seconds) killed off any hopes.
A pragmatic Dave Mackay-Dundas said afterwards, “We actually played some really good stuff in patches but ultimately paid the price for silly mistakes in dangerous areas.”
He added, “The biggest disappointments for me were in our inability to cope with their aerial threat – I’ve never seen us bossed so much in the air before – and the poor quality of our play at set-piece situations, particularly corners and throw-ins.
But it’s what we take from this game and how we learn from it that will really stand us in good stead for the league season coming up.”
With Stu Campbell and Adam Metcalf unavailable, along with assistant-boss Dave Walmsley, Mackay-Dundas then lost new boy Cathal Coyle just an hour prior to kick-off due to work commitments.
Making their first appearances at the Farm, as part of a sixteen-man squad, were Steve Harrod and former Ferriby Reserves youngster Chris Spinks.
For his part, visiting boss Brian France included a couple of last season’s HPL Division 1 title-winning reserve side in an otherwise full-strength squad that included the prolific Gary Bradshaw and Mike Price, back after a trial spell with Notts County.
Opening up with the Jackman-Thurkettle partnership up front, Easington gained the perfect start when the former out-stripped two opponents down the left before sending over a low cross that was missed by the Ferriby defence before being swept home by Ian Barrow.
The visitors’ reply was almost instantaneous, new signing Rob Haw lashing a shot just wide of Appleyard’s upright.
Joe Lightowler then saw Kevin Milner deny him an equaliser with a goal-line clearance, while at the other end Jackman’s pace and strength kept the visitors constantly on their toes.
In the event it was Danny Moore who tied things up on 24 minutes, latching on to Mark Griffin’s pass and finishing emphatically with the locals’ defence appealing in vain for offside.
On 35 minutes Lightowler made it 2-1, sweeping home from Chris Bolder’s knockdown of a Mike Price free-kick.
The Eastenders lost skipper Neil Rutter with a jarred knee moments later but Andy Graham almost restored parity on the stroke of half-time when Antoni Pecora was forced to palm his 35-yard free kick over the bar.
There was more bad news for Mackay-Dundas at half-time when an Achilles problem forced Tony Hunt out of the action. However, spirits were raised when Steve Harrod’s quick turn and snapshot drifted just wide of the post.
From then on, though, it became the Foot and Bradshaw show.
Back at Church Road from a spell with Conference side Scarborough, Foot switched from defence to midfield at half-time with good effect. Meanwhile, striker Bradshaw announced his arrival off the subs bench with a goal 11mins into the second half, his shot going in at the near post past a bemused looking Appleyard!
Within five minutes it was 4-1, Price drilling home from a short corner and Easington supporters feared the worst when goals from Foot (69mins) and Bradshaw (70) threatened to open the floodgates.
To their credit the locals continued to battle and might have had some reward when Thurkettle appeared to be hauled to the ground in the box late on.
A nice post-script came from Brian France who acknowledged the result hadn’t really been representative of the game. Along with Chairman Les Hare, he also complimented their hosts on the set-up at Low Farm.
It’s to be hoped the success of the fixture – a crowd in excess of a hundred, healthy programme sales and a roaring trade at the Tea Hut not to mention some fine post-match banter in The Granby – will be reflected in a return visit next year.
Eastenders: K Appleyard, C Smalley, K Milner, D Potts, T Hunt, A Graham, I Barrow, N Rutter, G Thurkettle, P Jackman, M Nicholson; SUBS - S Harrod (for Thurkettle, 30), D Medforth (for Rutter, 35), C Spinks (for Barrow, 46), C Senior (for Smalley, 46), O Musgrove (for Hunt, 46), Thurkettle (for Jackman, 60), Barrow (for Milner, 75), Smalley (for Nicholson, 75)
North Ferriby: A Pecora, A Thompson, M Price, J Waltham, P Foot, B Morley, D Moore, C Bolder, J Lightowler, R Haw, W Clifford. SUBS - M Griffin (for Haw, 17), N Allison (for Thompson, 46), G Bradshaw (for Lightowler, 46), L Wainman (for Griffin, 46), L Moulds (for Moore, 59), L Widdowson, (for Bolder, 61), Griffin (for Morley, 80)
Referee: Mr. S. Stevenson (Beverley) (Assts): Mr. P McWatters, Mr. P Hugman
Att: 102