Post by slush on Jan 19, 2007 10:54:08 GMT
Smalley does it again
Easington United 3 – 0 Hedon United
TWO Craig Smalley ‘specials’ enabled Easington United to complete a ‘derby double’ over Hedon United in a wind-affected return game at Low Farm.
The Eastenders repeated October’s 3-0 win at Drapers Lane with all the goals coming in the first half, during which Easington enjoyed the elements at their backs.
In truth, this was hardly an inspiring game. The conditions did their best to ruin things; a strong wind and heavy pitch combining to make good football difficult.
This was shown by the fact that a quarter of an hour had passed before either side created a worthwhile opening; which came when Steve Harrod (one of two changes to the Easington line-up) made space on the right and whipped in an inviting cross that Wilkinson and Nicholson just couldn’t get on the end of.
Two minutes later Rich Howard almost gave Hedon the lead but curled his shot into the side netting after the home defence had been caught napping.
Easington took the lead on 21mins; Daniel Medforth converting from the penalty spot after Craig Palmer had caught Harrod’s trailing leg.
Wilkinson fired over from 20 yards before Medforth almost forced an ‘own goal’ with a wind-assisted free kick into the Hedon box.
Easington were building up a head of steam and it eventually told, thanks to Craig Smalley’s latest entries into the ‘goal of the season’ competition.
Having scored a stunner at Hessle Rangers back in October, Smalley repeated the feat twice in the 32nd and 44th minutes.
Both goals came from corners that the Hedon defence failed to clear. First, he latched onto a defensive header about twenty yards out on the right side of the penalty box and struck a tremendous volley that pinged into the net off the far post.
Then, right on the stroke of half-time, the full back was in the right place to meet another clearance, thirty yards out in front of goal, and this time beat goalkeeper Pete Martin with a shot that flew into the top corner.
Playing into the wind after the break, the locals expected something of a Hedon fight back and this looked on the cards when Appleyard was forced to save Alex Hopkin’s close-range effort just three minutes in.
Stu Campbell’s persistent headache forced him off five minutes in, allowing Jamie Cousins his longest taste yet of HPL action with captain Rutter dropping into the back four.
The game was now opening up nicely. On 52mins Damien Cane crossed from the left to Hopkin whose header was turned away well by the diving Appleyard.
Next it was Easington’s turn. Rutter’s fine pass put Nicholson in on goal and, having ridden an attempted foul in the box, he fired in a shot that Martin did well to deflect over the bar.
From the resulting corner, Hedon broke quickly and Paul Farndale saw his shot saved comfortably by Appleyard.
The Eastenders keeper then had to react quickly to keep out Cane’s long-range effort but, as the game entered the final quarter, the home side wrested back control.
Kevin Milner should perhaps have done better when driving wide from a Cousins cross and Hedon’s hopes of retrieving anything from the game went with the 84th minute dismissal of Craig Palmer (the ex-East Ender appearing to get the rough end of some mistaken identity). From the resulting free kick, Milner’s delivery deflected into the path of Wilkinson but he scuffed his shot and Martin saved well.
Referee Mr. Cherry had not enjoyed the best of games and he wasn’t to cover himself in glory in the final few minutes. First he dismissed the Hedon coach from the dugout before appearing to rescind his red card and then was powerless to act following an unsavoury looking incident at the death involving Batch and Watson.
Easington: K Appleyard, C Smalley, K Milner, M Nicholson, J Batch, S Campbell (J Cousins, 51), I Barrow (A Metcalf, 51), N Rutter, P Wilkinson, D Medforth (O Musgrove, 80), S Harrod
Hedon: P Martin, S Crane (C Scott, 60), S Wrightson, A Watson, K Arnott (D Gatti, 75), C Young, R Howard, P Farndale, A Hopkin, C Palmer, D Cane (Sub not used: G Dougal)
Referee: Mr. A. D. Cherry
Att: 31
Easington United 3 – 0 Hedon United
TWO Craig Smalley ‘specials’ enabled Easington United to complete a ‘derby double’ over Hedon United in a wind-affected return game at Low Farm.
The Eastenders repeated October’s 3-0 win at Drapers Lane with all the goals coming in the first half, during which Easington enjoyed the elements at their backs.
In truth, this was hardly an inspiring game. The conditions did their best to ruin things; a strong wind and heavy pitch combining to make good football difficult.
This was shown by the fact that a quarter of an hour had passed before either side created a worthwhile opening; which came when Steve Harrod (one of two changes to the Easington line-up) made space on the right and whipped in an inviting cross that Wilkinson and Nicholson just couldn’t get on the end of.
Two minutes later Rich Howard almost gave Hedon the lead but curled his shot into the side netting after the home defence had been caught napping.
Easington took the lead on 21mins; Daniel Medforth converting from the penalty spot after Craig Palmer had caught Harrod’s trailing leg.
Wilkinson fired over from 20 yards before Medforth almost forced an ‘own goal’ with a wind-assisted free kick into the Hedon box.
Easington were building up a head of steam and it eventually told, thanks to Craig Smalley’s latest entries into the ‘goal of the season’ competition.
Having scored a stunner at Hessle Rangers back in October, Smalley repeated the feat twice in the 32nd and 44th minutes.
Both goals came from corners that the Hedon defence failed to clear. First, he latched onto a defensive header about twenty yards out on the right side of the penalty box and struck a tremendous volley that pinged into the net off the far post.
Then, right on the stroke of half-time, the full back was in the right place to meet another clearance, thirty yards out in front of goal, and this time beat goalkeeper Pete Martin with a shot that flew into the top corner.
Playing into the wind after the break, the locals expected something of a Hedon fight back and this looked on the cards when Appleyard was forced to save Alex Hopkin’s close-range effort just three minutes in.
Stu Campbell’s persistent headache forced him off five minutes in, allowing Jamie Cousins his longest taste yet of HPL action with captain Rutter dropping into the back four.
The game was now opening up nicely. On 52mins Damien Cane crossed from the left to Hopkin whose header was turned away well by the diving Appleyard.
Next it was Easington’s turn. Rutter’s fine pass put Nicholson in on goal and, having ridden an attempted foul in the box, he fired in a shot that Martin did well to deflect over the bar.
From the resulting corner, Hedon broke quickly and Paul Farndale saw his shot saved comfortably by Appleyard.
The Eastenders keeper then had to react quickly to keep out Cane’s long-range effort but, as the game entered the final quarter, the home side wrested back control.
Kevin Milner should perhaps have done better when driving wide from a Cousins cross and Hedon’s hopes of retrieving anything from the game went with the 84th minute dismissal of Craig Palmer (the ex-East Ender appearing to get the rough end of some mistaken identity). From the resulting free kick, Milner’s delivery deflected into the path of Wilkinson but he scuffed his shot and Martin saved well.
Referee Mr. Cherry had not enjoyed the best of games and he wasn’t to cover himself in glory in the final few minutes. First he dismissed the Hedon coach from the dugout before appearing to rescind his red card and then was powerless to act following an unsavoury looking incident at the death involving Batch and Watson.
Easington: K Appleyard, C Smalley, K Milner, M Nicholson, J Batch, S Campbell (J Cousins, 51), I Barrow (A Metcalf, 51), N Rutter, P Wilkinson, D Medforth (O Musgrove, 80), S Harrod
Hedon: P Martin, S Crane (C Scott, 60), S Wrightson, A Watson, K Arnott (D Gatti, 75), C Young, R Howard, P Farndale, A Hopkin, C Palmer, D Cane (Sub not used: G Dougal)
Referee: Mr. A. D. Cherry
Att: 31