Post by slush on Oct 5, 2006 11:11:13 GMT
Ellis ‘Balks’ Easington
Pocklington Town 2 – 1 Easington United
EASTENDERS boss Dave Mackay-Dundas invited his players to hold a frank exchange of views in the immediate wake of their second successive defeat last Saturday. And he will hope the result of this half-hour meeting bears fruit with a return to winning ways when champions Reckitts visit Low Farm this weekend.
Not that the locals’ first ever defeat at The Balk was accompanied by a particularly poor performance.
Whilst not forcing Town goalkeeper Rob Kunkel into serious action all game – Dave Walmsley’s stunning goal aside – Easington played some of their best football to date and probably dominated matters territorially.
They were eventually made to pay, however, for errors at either end of the game.
The Eastenders came into the match without both hitherto regular strikers Jackman and Thurkettle and winger Barrow. The aforementioned Walmsley thus earned his first start alongside Steve Harrod, also yet to complete ninety minutes this season, while Ollie Musgrove came in on the left flank with Mike Nicholson switching to the right. Daniel Medforth earned a return to the squad at sub.
For their part Town were forced into a late switch when striker Rich Millett sustained injury in the warm-up and was replaced by Dan Boneham, back in for his first game after joining Tadcaster Albion during the summer.
And it was Boneham who created the first piece of alarm in the Eastenders’ ranks; his surging run down the right on 5mins culminating in James Rudd volleying against Kev Appleyard’s bar.
Mark Abblett was next to try his luck, firing wide from 25 yards, before central defender Shaun Roberts gave Town the lead on 16 minutes. Appleyard failed to deal with Rudd’s in-swinging free kick and Roberts was left with the easiest of tap-ins.
The game largely became a midfield battle from now on with Easington gradually clawing their way back and they were rewarded on 25mins.
Chris Senior’s free kick was headed back across goal by Andy Graham to Mike Nicholson whose attempted shot ricocheted out as far as Walmsley on the edge of the box; the player asst-boss unleashed a stunning volley that crashed into Kunkel’s net via the underside of the bar.
On the half hour, Harrod showed lovely footwork to create himself an opening from John Batch’s layoff but could only drag his shot wide.
Town were forced into a substitution on the stroke of half-time, while manager Mack made one of his own during the interval, replacing Senior with Smalley at right back.
Three minutes into the second half, the hard-working Batch volleyed over from 20 yards before Walmsley nipped in ahead of Kunkel but couldn’t keep his header down from Campbell’s cross.
On 65mins came Easington’s best chance to win the game. Not for the first time Potts and Batch found space through the middle, releasing Harrod who in turn slid Nicholson in behind the left full back. When Nicholson drilled the ball across goal, Batch’s first attempt was blocked before Harrod blasted the follow-up against Roberts, the ball ballooning over the bar when it appeared a goal must come.
Both sides made further changes on 74 minutes, with manager Mack completing the substitutions two minutes later when sending on Medforth to add support to the hard-working front pair.
Pock threatened next, Rudd being played clean through only to be denied by a fine diving stop from Appleyard; immediately play was transferred to the other end but nobody was on hand to attack Nicholson’s teasing cross to the far post.
On 84mins came the decisive goal. An excellent cross from the lively Kevin Goodwin picked out Owen Ellis, ghosting in between Graham and Hunt, and he headed powerfully past Appleyard.
Harrod’s turn and shot over a minute later was the nearest Easington came to mounting a late response.
Pocklington: R Kunkel, R Gibson, M Bayram, M Watkinson, S Roberts, C Lochman, K Goodwin, M Abblett (W Johnson, 44), D Boneham (J Sumner, 74), O Ellis, J Rudd (Subs not used: R Millett, S Silburn)
Easington: K Appleyard, C Senior (C Smalley, 46), S Campbell (T Hunt, 74), D Potts, K Milner, A Graham, M Nicholson, J Batch (76), D Walmsley, S Harrod, O Musgrove
Referee: Mr. A. Lewis (Hull)
Att: 30
Pocklington Town 2 – 1 Easington United
EASTENDERS boss Dave Mackay-Dundas invited his players to hold a frank exchange of views in the immediate wake of their second successive defeat last Saturday. And he will hope the result of this half-hour meeting bears fruit with a return to winning ways when champions Reckitts visit Low Farm this weekend.
Not that the locals’ first ever defeat at The Balk was accompanied by a particularly poor performance.
Whilst not forcing Town goalkeeper Rob Kunkel into serious action all game – Dave Walmsley’s stunning goal aside – Easington played some of their best football to date and probably dominated matters territorially.
They were eventually made to pay, however, for errors at either end of the game.
The Eastenders came into the match without both hitherto regular strikers Jackman and Thurkettle and winger Barrow. The aforementioned Walmsley thus earned his first start alongside Steve Harrod, also yet to complete ninety minutes this season, while Ollie Musgrove came in on the left flank with Mike Nicholson switching to the right. Daniel Medforth earned a return to the squad at sub.
For their part Town were forced into a late switch when striker Rich Millett sustained injury in the warm-up and was replaced by Dan Boneham, back in for his first game after joining Tadcaster Albion during the summer.
And it was Boneham who created the first piece of alarm in the Eastenders’ ranks; his surging run down the right on 5mins culminating in James Rudd volleying against Kev Appleyard’s bar.
Mark Abblett was next to try his luck, firing wide from 25 yards, before central defender Shaun Roberts gave Town the lead on 16 minutes. Appleyard failed to deal with Rudd’s in-swinging free kick and Roberts was left with the easiest of tap-ins.
The game largely became a midfield battle from now on with Easington gradually clawing their way back and they were rewarded on 25mins.
Chris Senior’s free kick was headed back across goal by Andy Graham to Mike Nicholson whose attempted shot ricocheted out as far as Walmsley on the edge of the box; the player asst-boss unleashed a stunning volley that crashed into Kunkel’s net via the underside of the bar.
On the half hour, Harrod showed lovely footwork to create himself an opening from John Batch’s layoff but could only drag his shot wide.
Town were forced into a substitution on the stroke of half-time, while manager Mack made one of his own during the interval, replacing Senior with Smalley at right back.
Three minutes into the second half, the hard-working Batch volleyed over from 20 yards before Walmsley nipped in ahead of Kunkel but couldn’t keep his header down from Campbell’s cross.
On 65mins came Easington’s best chance to win the game. Not for the first time Potts and Batch found space through the middle, releasing Harrod who in turn slid Nicholson in behind the left full back. When Nicholson drilled the ball across goal, Batch’s first attempt was blocked before Harrod blasted the follow-up against Roberts, the ball ballooning over the bar when it appeared a goal must come.
Both sides made further changes on 74 minutes, with manager Mack completing the substitutions two minutes later when sending on Medforth to add support to the hard-working front pair.
Pock threatened next, Rudd being played clean through only to be denied by a fine diving stop from Appleyard; immediately play was transferred to the other end but nobody was on hand to attack Nicholson’s teasing cross to the far post.
On 84mins came the decisive goal. An excellent cross from the lively Kevin Goodwin picked out Owen Ellis, ghosting in between Graham and Hunt, and he headed powerfully past Appleyard.
Harrod’s turn and shot over a minute later was the nearest Easington came to mounting a late response.
Pocklington: R Kunkel, R Gibson, M Bayram, M Watkinson, S Roberts, C Lochman, K Goodwin, M Abblett (W Johnson, 44), D Boneham (J Sumner, 74), O Ellis, J Rudd (Subs not used: R Millett, S Silburn)
Easington: K Appleyard, C Senior (C Smalley, 46), S Campbell (T Hunt, 74), D Potts, K Milner, A Graham, M Nicholson, J Batch (76), D Walmsley, S Harrod, O Musgrove
Referee: Mr. A. Lewis (Hull)
Att: 30