Post by slush on Apr 11, 2007 6:37:40 GMT
Erratic Eastenders stutter to Seaside success
Easington United 1 – 0 Withernsea
THE main talking points of this extremely scrappy affair at Low Farm concern what the visitors saw as two crucial decisions that went against them. And it’s fair to say that those in the home dugout would have felt similarly disappointed had the same decisions gone against their side.
However, although a blustery wind, a depleted squad and hard-working opponents prevented his team ever reaching the level of performance put in at Barton the previous week, Easington boss Dave Mackay-Dundas felt they just about did enough for victory.
He said, “When you look at the chances created, their keeper has pulled off three good saves from one-on-ones, we’ve put two chances over the bar and Kev has had only one real save to make at the other end. But Withernsea applied themselves well and I can see why they’ll feel disappointed to have come away with nothing”.
The manager’s relief at the result will have been increased by the fact he’d seen four players drop out in the days leading up to the match and had resisted temptation to pull replacements out of John Clarke’s reserve squad ahead of their important cup clash.
In addition to the injured Kamis, the manager had lost Musgrove (ERCFA Juniors), Harrod (working) and Wilkinson (making himself unavailable) before assistant Dave Walmsley was, as expected, again ruled out by ongoing personal commitments. Therefore, Mack himself donned some kit along with youngster Luke Jeffery to form “the bench”.
To add to the manager’s woes, Andy Graham was plagued by a troublesome back and appeared to struggle early on. This proved a factor as Withernsea, looking for their first win in nine HPL meetings between the two sides, enjoyed the brighter opening.
It was during this time that referee Steve Wade was asked to make the first of the two calls that could be said to have had a bearing on the game’s outcome. It involved the non-award of a penalty when Andy Graham appeared to impede James Gell in the box, the referee insisting afterwards that both players had simply collided while eyeing the dropping ball.
This aside, despite plenty of possession, the Seasiders rarely troubled goalkeeper Kevin Appleyard and always looked susceptible to punishment at the other end, particularly from set-pieces.
After an over-hit back pass had almost put Thompson in inside the opening five minutes, the Eastenders’ remaining threats in the first half saw Medforth head wide of the far post, after skipper Neil Rutter (making his 300th Easington appearance) and Kevin Milner had linked well on the left; Mike Nicholson was denied by Richardson from close range after Medforth’s ball into the box had not been cleared; and Rutter blazed over the bar when well placed on 39 minutes.
Urged to dictate terms more after the break, the Eastenders started in more purposeful fashion and four minutes in they should have scored. Again the danger was created by a set-piece, Medforth’s corner being met by John Batch and teed up for Rutter but the skipper again couldn’t keep his shot down.
Two minutes later, Dan Potts’ fine work in midfield put Nicholson in the clear but with time to pick his spot his snatched lob drifted wide of the near post.
The Seasiders made a double switch on the hour, Gott and Wicks replacing Sutton and Simon Wilson but it was still the hosts who held sway. And on 65mins they passed up another glorious opening, Batch this time volleying over from six yards out after another ball into the box had caused problems.
A minute later Easington took the lead, in somewhat contentious circumstances.
Medforth’s free kick from the right was dropped into his own net by Richardson, with those in the visiting technical area – but noticeably not the players on the pitch – appealing that Eastenders striker Darren Thompson had impeded him. To his credit, the referee again explained his decision afterwards, saying that in his view and that of his assistant, the ball had already been spilled before Thompson challenged legitimately for it. Who’d be a referee, eh?
Luke Jeffery replaced the injured Barrow immediately following the goal and proceeded to do well in an unusual right midfield role. Strangely, though, having finally gained the breakthrough, Easington allowed their opponents to now force them onto the back foot and a speculative 30-yarder had Appleyard checking his angles before the ball dipped just over the bar.
Despite relinquishing territorial advantage, Easington continued to cause a threat on the counter and Nicholson should have done better twelve minutes from time when again put clean through; the leading scorer being denied by Richardson and when the loose ball fell to Jeffery the youngster’s follow-up was hacked off the line.
Five minutes from time, Appleyard flung himself to his left to pull off a great save from Gell’s thumping free-kick. With it went Withernsea’s last chance and in injury time manager Mack should have marked a rare appearance with a goal but, like Nicholson before him, he allowed Richardson to deny him with another fine stop.
The win lifts the Eastenders back into the top four, albeit for the short term. The performance, however, will need to be drastically improved upon if anything is to be taken from Saturday’s home game with Hornsea and the return against Withernsea a week later.
Easington: K Appleyard, C Smalley, K Milner, D Potts, J Batch, A Graham, I Barrow (L Jeffery, 67), M Nicholson, D Thompson (D Mackay-Dundas, 82), D Medforth, N Rutter
Withernsea: P Richardson, M Wilson, D Westoby, J Dunn, N Stephenson, C Hardcastle, A Giles (S Beedham, 85), M Sutton (T Gott, 60), J Gell, S Wilson (P Wicks, 60), A Bentley
Referee: Mr. S. Wade (Hull)
Att: 41
Easington United 1 – 0 Withernsea
THE main talking points of this extremely scrappy affair at Low Farm concern what the visitors saw as two crucial decisions that went against them. And it’s fair to say that those in the home dugout would have felt similarly disappointed had the same decisions gone against their side.
However, although a blustery wind, a depleted squad and hard-working opponents prevented his team ever reaching the level of performance put in at Barton the previous week, Easington boss Dave Mackay-Dundas felt they just about did enough for victory.
He said, “When you look at the chances created, their keeper has pulled off three good saves from one-on-ones, we’ve put two chances over the bar and Kev has had only one real save to make at the other end. But Withernsea applied themselves well and I can see why they’ll feel disappointed to have come away with nothing”.
The manager’s relief at the result will have been increased by the fact he’d seen four players drop out in the days leading up to the match and had resisted temptation to pull replacements out of John Clarke’s reserve squad ahead of their important cup clash.
In addition to the injured Kamis, the manager had lost Musgrove (ERCFA Juniors), Harrod (working) and Wilkinson (making himself unavailable) before assistant Dave Walmsley was, as expected, again ruled out by ongoing personal commitments. Therefore, Mack himself donned some kit along with youngster Luke Jeffery to form “the bench”.
To add to the manager’s woes, Andy Graham was plagued by a troublesome back and appeared to struggle early on. This proved a factor as Withernsea, looking for their first win in nine HPL meetings between the two sides, enjoyed the brighter opening.
It was during this time that referee Steve Wade was asked to make the first of the two calls that could be said to have had a bearing on the game’s outcome. It involved the non-award of a penalty when Andy Graham appeared to impede James Gell in the box, the referee insisting afterwards that both players had simply collided while eyeing the dropping ball.
This aside, despite plenty of possession, the Seasiders rarely troubled goalkeeper Kevin Appleyard and always looked susceptible to punishment at the other end, particularly from set-pieces.
After an over-hit back pass had almost put Thompson in inside the opening five minutes, the Eastenders’ remaining threats in the first half saw Medforth head wide of the far post, after skipper Neil Rutter (making his 300th Easington appearance) and Kevin Milner had linked well on the left; Mike Nicholson was denied by Richardson from close range after Medforth’s ball into the box had not been cleared; and Rutter blazed over the bar when well placed on 39 minutes.
Urged to dictate terms more after the break, the Eastenders started in more purposeful fashion and four minutes in they should have scored. Again the danger was created by a set-piece, Medforth’s corner being met by John Batch and teed up for Rutter but the skipper again couldn’t keep his shot down.
Two minutes later, Dan Potts’ fine work in midfield put Nicholson in the clear but with time to pick his spot his snatched lob drifted wide of the near post.
The Seasiders made a double switch on the hour, Gott and Wicks replacing Sutton and Simon Wilson but it was still the hosts who held sway. And on 65mins they passed up another glorious opening, Batch this time volleying over from six yards out after another ball into the box had caused problems.
A minute later Easington took the lead, in somewhat contentious circumstances.
Medforth’s free kick from the right was dropped into his own net by Richardson, with those in the visiting technical area – but noticeably not the players on the pitch – appealing that Eastenders striker Darren Thompson had impeded him. To his credit, the referee again explained his decision afterwards, saying that in his view and that of his assistant, the ball had already been spilled before Thompson challenged legitimately for it. Who’d be a referee, eh?
Luke Jeffery replaced the injured Barrow immediately following the goal and proceeded to do well in an unusual right midfield role. Strangely, though, having finally gained the breakthrough, Easington allowed their opponents to now force them onto the back foot and a speculative 30-yarder had Appleyard checking his angles before the ball dipped just over the bar.
Despite relinquishing territorial advantage, Easington continued to cause a threat on the counter and Nicholson should have done better twelve minutes from time when again put clean through; the leading scorer being denied by Richardson and when the loose ball fell to Jeffery the youngster’s follow-up was hacked off the line.
Five minutes from time, Appleyard flung himself to his left to pull off a great save from Gell’s thumping free-kick. With it went Withernsea’s last chance and in injury time manager Mack should have marked a rare appearance with a goal but, like Nicholson before him, he allowed Richardson to deny him with another fine stop.
The win lifts the Eastenders back into the top four, albeit for the short term. The performance, however, will need to be drastically improved upon if anything is to be taken from Saturday’s home game with Hornsea and the return against Withernsea a week later.
Easington: K Appleyard, C Smalley, K Milner, D Potts, J Batch, A Graham, I Barrow (L Jeffery, 67), M Nicholson, D Thompson (D Mackay-Dundas, 82), D Medforth, N Rutter
Withernsea: P Richardson, M Wilson, D Westoby, J Dunn, N Stephenson, C Hardcastle, A Giles (S Beedham, 85), M Sutton (T Gott, 60), J Gell, S Wilson (P Wicks, 60), A Bentley
Referee: Mr. S. Wade (Hull)
Att: 41