Post by slush on Mar 30, 2007 11:48:01 GMT
Foster’s blast from the past as Stiffs rise from the dead!
Easington Utd Reserves 4 – 4 Skidby Millers
A STORMING fight back earned John Clarke’s Reserve side a share of the spoils at Low Farm. In a game reminiscent of some of the magical comebacks of the ‘Wilson Era’, Craig Foster bagged a brace (and claimed a hat-trick!) as the Stiffs came from 4-1 down to snatch a point in injury time against Skidby Millers.
Ironically, while manager Clarke was understandably delighted with the point, he was left bemoaning the fact his side hadn’t taken all three. He was also critical of his team’s overall display, saying “The lads were still living on last week’s win for most of the first half and we didn’t start to play until we went 4-1 down”.
With Potts, Medforth and Thompson recalled to the senior squad and Luke Jeffery also included for the trip to Barton, Clarke added three of the previous week’s Casuals side to his line-up. New signing Paul Morrow, youngster Matty Purse and former skipper Darren Dawson were named on the bench with Jamie Cousins taking Potts’ place in the Stiffs’ midfield.
Clarke continued with the 3-5-2 system that had worked against Old George; Tom McLaughlin then Mark Richardson employed in the Potts role in front of the back three.
The first half was played at a frantic pace with Easington passing up a glorious early opportunity on 7mins when Foster was put clear but shot weakly at the goalkeeper.
Five minutes later McLaughlin and Metcalf combined well to give Luke Smith a sight of goal but he steered his shot wide of the mark.
Skidby also looked dangerous going forward and the Stiffs were grateful for McLaughlin’s goal-line clearance on 19mins. It was a sign of things to come and around the half-hour mark the Millers started to ask a lot of questions of the hosts’ rearguard.
Ten minutes before the break they gained their reward when the ball was worked down the left and from the pull back was swept home spectacularly on the turn for 1-0.
Mark Richardson had the chance to immediately restore parity when Fisk and Barnett – not for the first time – linked well down the left to put the midfielder clear but he snatched at his shot early and the danger passed.
Three minutes before half-time Skidby doubled their advantage with another quality goal from the scorer of the first, this time a smart turn and shot from the edge of the box giving Rawlings no chance.
On the stroke of half-time the Stiffs came so close to reducing arrears when Foster’s header from a Cousins corner was palmed onto the bar by the keeper, Metcalf’s follow-up shot was blocked and McLaughlin fired the loose ball over.
Stung by their manager’s half-time words, Easington came out all guns blazing after the break and five minutes in they scored. Barnett and Cousins combined well to play Smith through and he beat the advancing keeper with the coolest of lobs for 1-2.
The home side’s joy last all of thirty seconds. Immediately from the restart, they failed to clear a ball on the edge of their box and a merry Miller pounced to strike an unstoppable shot from thirty yards.
Minutes later it was almost 4-1 when another visiting attack resulted in a shot that flashed just wide of the upright and on 65mins the visitors did have their fourth, Rawlings inexplicably throwing the ball out while still on the deck, giving Richardson no chance and it was returned with interest to put Skidby into a seemingly unassailable position.
Morrow and Dawson now entered the fray and five minutes later it was the Millers’ keeper’s turn to be red-faced; his clearance from Smith’s chase landing at the feet of Foster some thirty yards out and the veteran striker showed great awareness to deftly chip the ball back over him for 2-4.
A minute later only the slightest of deflections prevented Richardson’s free kick from making it 3-4 and from the resulting corner Dawson’s effort was desperately hacked off the Millers’ line.
With fifteen minutes left Easington reduced matters further. A free-kick from out on the left was only half-cleared as far out as Morrow whose resulting whipped cross found Foster at the far post, his rasping drive struck the underside of the bar, came down and hit a Millers defender on the line before going in.
Easington now sensed a point – if not more – and on 77mins they went close again. Another corner saw Dawson head against the bar with Barnett’s follow-up again cleared off the line and Metcalf firing the third attempt wide.
Five minutes from time it appeared the Stiffs’ best hope had gone when Metcalf’s throw-in allowed Foster to turn his man and fire in a shot that the keeper could only parry straight into the path of Barnett just three yards out; but with the goal at his mercy the youngster blasted the ball high over the bar.
With the Millers playing for time, the locals launched one last attack in the 91st minute. Again it was a Metcalf throw that started things, Foster then feeding Smith who did well on the right before putting over a cross that was just too high for the gathered throng. The ball was retrieved by Morrow and the youngster deliverd a superb cross from which Foster glanced home at the near post to send the Farm Faithful into raptures.
Reserves: C Rawlings, A Metcalf, B Fisk (P Morrow), T McLaughin (D Dawson), A McNaught, D Campbell, J Cousins, M Richardson, C Foster, L Smith, A Barnett (Sub: M Purse)
Easington Utd Reserves 4 – 4 Skidby Millers
A STORMING fight back earned John Clarke’s Reserve side a share of the spoils at Low Farm. In a game reminiscent of some of the magical comebacks of the ‘Wilson Era’, Craig Foster bagged a brace (and claimed a hat-trick!) as the Stiffs came from 4-1 down to snatch a point in injury time against Skidby Millers.
Ironically, while manager Clarke was understandably delighted with the point, he was left bemoaning the fact his side hadn’t taken all three. He was also critical of his team’s overall display, saying “The lads were still living on last week’s win for most of the first half and we didn’t start to play until we went 4-1 down”.
With Potts, Medforth and Thompson recalled to the senior squad and Luke Jeffery also included for the trip to Barton, Clarke added three of the previous week’s Casuals side to his line-up. New signing Paul Morrow, youngster Matty Purse and former skipper Darren Dawson were named on the bench with Jamie Cousins taking Potts’ place in the Stiffs’ midfield.
Clarke continued with the 3-5-2 system that had worked against Old George; Tom McLaughlin then Mark Richardson employed in the Potts role in front of the back three.
The first half was played at a frantic pace with Easington passing up a glorious early opportunity on 7mins when Foster was put clear but shot weakly at the goalkeeper.
Five minutes later McLaughlin and Metcalf combined well to give Luke Smith a sight of goal but he steered his shot wide of the mark.
Skidby also looked dangerous going forward and the Stiffs were grateful for McLaughlin’s goal-line clearance on 19mins. It was a sign of things to come and around the half-hour mark the Millers started to ask a lot of questions of the hosts’ rearguard.
Ten minutes before the break they gained their reward when the ball was worked down the left and from the pull back was swept home spectacularly on the turn for 1-0.
Mark Richardson had the chance to immediately restore parity when Fisk and Barnett – not for the first time – linked well down the left to put the midfielder clear but he snatched at his shot early and the danger passed.
Three minutes before half-time Skidby doubled their advantage with another quality goal from the scorer of the first, this time a smart turn and shot from the edge of the box giving Rawlings no chance.
On the stroke of half-time the Stiffs came so close to reducing arrears when Foster’s header from a Cousins corner was palmed onto the bar by the keeper, Metcalf’s follow-up shot was blocked and McLaughlin fired the loose ball over.
Stung by their manager’s half-time words, Easington came out all guns blazing after the break and five minutes in they scored. Barnett and Cousins combined well to play Smith through and he beat the advancing keeper with the coolest of lobs for 1-2.
The home side’s joy last all of thirty seconds. Immediately from the restart, they failed to clear a ball on the edge of their box and a merry Miller pounced to strike an unstoppable shot from thirty yards.
Minutes later it was almost 4-1 when another visiting attack resulted in a shot that flashed just wide of the upright and on 65mins the visitors did have their fourth, Rawlings inexplicably throwing the ball out while still on the deck, giving Richardson no chance and it was returned with interest to put Skidby into a seemingly unassailable position.
Morrow and Dawson now entered the fray and five minutes later it was the Millers’ keeper’s turn to be red-faced; his clearance from Smith’s chase landing at the feet of Foster some thirty yards out and the veteran striker showed great awareness to deftly chip the ball back over him for 2-4.
A minute later only the slightest of deflections prevented Richardson’s free kick from making it 3-4 and from the resulting corner Dawson’s effort was desperately hacked off the Millers’ line.
With fifteen minutes left Easington reduced matters further. A free-kick from out on the left was only half-cleared as far out as Morrow whose resulting whipped cross found Foster at the far post, his rasping drive struck the underside of the bar, came down and hit a Millers defender on the line before going in.
Easington now sensed a point – if not more – and on 77mins they went close again. Another corner saw Dawson head against the bar with Barnett’s follow-up again cleared off the line and Metcalf firing the third attempt wide.
Five minutes from time it appeared the Stiffs’ best hope had gone when Metcalf’s throw-in allowed Foster to turn his man and fire in a shot that the keeper could only parry straight into the path of Barnett just three yards out; but with the goal at his mercy the youngster blasted the ball high over the bar.
With the Millers playing for time, the locals launched one last attack in the 91st minute. Again it was a Metcalf throw that started things, Foster then feeding Smith who did well on the right before putting over a cross that was just too high for the gathered throng. The ball was retrieved by Morrow and the youngster deliverd a superb cross from which Foster glanced home at the near post to send the Farm Faithful into raptures.
Reserves: C Rawlings, A Metcalf, B Fisk (P Morrow), T McLaughin (D Dawson), A McNaught, D Campbell, J Cousins, M Richardson, C Foster, L Smith, A Barnett (Sub: M Purse)