Post by slush on Apr 18, 2007 6:28:14 GMT
Spot-on Graham spares Nicholson blushes!
Withernsea 1 – 3 Easington United
FOR the second time in quick succession, Withernsea’s management were left incensed over a couple of refereeing decisions that, in their mind, contributed greatly to defeat against their local rivals.
However, whereas members of the visiting contingent had some sympathy with their hosts, at least on the third goal, there is no doubt that on balance of play and chances created the Eastenders thoroughly deserved the three points.
Indeed, leading scorer Mike Nicholson must still be wondering how he not only failed to add more than just the solitary strike to his tally of ten goals for the season but he didn’t almost double it!
Six times in the first half alone, ‘Nicho’ found himself in glorious positions in front of goal only to be thwarted by good goalkeeping, a defender’s deflection or wayward shooting boots!
Manager Mack made two changes to the side held by Hornsea. Stu Campbell came in for the absent Kevin Milner at left back and Ian Barrow, troubled by an ankle injury since the first meeting against Withernsea, was replaced by Steve Harrod. Danny Medforth dropped into right back with Luke Jeffery pushed on to right midfield. Ollie Musgrove joined Barrow and Walmsley on the bench.
With sea-fret hovering close to the ground and a distinctly stiff breeze taking the edge off the temperature, Easington kicked off looking to improve on their patchy performance in the home game.
Within five minutes they had the perfect chance to do so; Darren Thompson seizing on a mistake by goalkeeper Phil Richardson but when the ball fell to Nicholson, the keeper redeemed himself by blocking his close range effort.
Five minutes later it was 1-0. A free-kick awarded out right was floated over by Steve Harrod and with Tommy Reynolds adjudged to have pushed Stuart Campbell, referee Cherry pointed to the spot. Andy Graham drilled the ball low to Richardson’s left.
On 15mins it could have been two; Appleyard’s long punt downfield being inadvertently headed by defender Mark Wilson into the path of Thompson but his attempted lob didn’t have enough on it to beat Richardson.
Two minutes later Harrod drilled well wide after cleverly making himself space and Richardson was soon called into action again, saving well from Nicholson after Rutter and Thompson had created the chance.
Skipper Rutter and Dan Potts were running the show at this point, allowing Gott and Hardcastle little time or room for manoeuvre and ensuring the traffic remained virtually one way to the Seasiders’ goal.
Richardson got down well to palm another Nicholson left foot shot away on 25mins and inside a minute more good approach play gave Harrod another sight of goal from distance – a gain his aim was awry.
On the half-hour Withernsea got their first real opportunity. A rare lapse in the midfield allowed Reynolds the chance to advance on goal but his attempted chip from 25 yards was too high.
A minute later Rutter threaded another superb pass through for Thompson but the striker fired wide of Richardson’s right-hand upright.
On 38mins, Nicholson and Campbell linked cleverly at a throw-in but the former could only blaze high from an acute angle and the same player was denied again two minutes later, seeing his close range effort deflected wide from a half-cleared corner returned to him by Campbell.
When Campbell and the lively Thompson then combined to lay on another excellent opportunity for Nicholson, only to see his shot from the pull-back saved at close range, the visiting supporters were beginning to get twitchy; particularly so when Bentley then volleyed inches over from Reynolds’ pass at the other end.
But two minutes before the break, Easington were gifted a second penalty after the second of two attempted whacks at the speedy Thompson. This time Graham’s dispatch was even more emphatic.
While the Seasiders were still reeling from this, Nicholson passed up the chance to really put the game to bed, firing wide of the near post after Thompson had put him clear.
The home side replaced Gott and Reynolds with Giles and Simon Wilson at the break, before completing their changes with the introduction of Wicks for Dunn on the hour.
A minute later the game was effectively settled – and this time the hosts had genuine reason to be angry. When Harrod’s attempted pass to Thompson found the striker in an offside position, assistant McWatters correctly raised his flag; however the ball came back to Harrod without reaching its intended destination and the player was allowed to continue alone by the referee; eventually teeing the ball up for Nicholson to finally find the target.
The Seasiders’ mood was deepened by the dismissal of Wicks for a second yellow card eight minutes from time and would have been further compounded had Nicholson not again been denied by the keeper and Graham had managed to find the target when sniffing his hat-trick from a Medforth corner.
Some consolation for the hosts came when Gell rose to head home Wilson’s 89th minute cross – a goal that had manager Mack fuming at his side for “lack of professionalism”. But, overall, this had been one of the Eastenders’ better days at the office in what has turned out to be a disappointing HPL campaign.
Withernsea: P Richardson, M Wilson, D Westoby, J Dunn (P Wicks, 60), N Stephenson, C Hardcastle, T Gott (A Giles, 46), T Reynolds (S Wilson, 46), J Gell, M Sutton, A Bentley
Easington: K Appleyard, L Jeffery (O Musgrove, 65), S Campbell, D Potts, C Smalley, A Graham, S Harrod (D Walmsley, 80), M Nicholson, D Thompson (I Barrow, 65), D Medforth, N Rutter
Referee: Mr. A. D. Cherry (Hull)
Att: 45
Withernsea 1 – 3 Easington United
FOR the second time in quick succession, Withernsea’s management were left incensed over a couple of refereeing decisions that, in their mind, contributed greatly to defeat against their local rivals.
However, whereas members of the visiting contingent had some sympathy with their hosts, at least on the third goal, there is no doubt that on balance of play and chances created the Eastenders thoroughly deserved the three points.
Indeed, leading scorer Mike Nicholson must still be wondering how he not only failed to add more than just the solitary strike to his tally of ten goals for the season but he didn’t almost double it!
Six times in the first half alone, ‘Nicho’ found himself in glorious positions in front of goal only to be thwarted by good goalkeeping, a defender’s deflection or wayward shooting boots!
Manager Mack made two changes to the side held by Hornsea. Stu Campbell came in for the absent Kevin Milner at left back and Ian Barrow, troubled by an ankle injury since the first meeting against Withernsea, was replaced by Steve Harrod. Danny Medforth dropped into right back with Luke Jeffery pushed on to right midfield. Ollie Musgrove joined Barrow and Walmsley on the bench.
With sea-fret hovering close to the ground and a distinctly stiff breeze taking the edge off the temperature, Easington kicked off looking to improve on their patchy performance in the home game.
Within five minutes they had the perfect chance to do so; Darren Thompson seizing on a mistake by goalkeeper Phil Richardson but when the ball fell to Nicholson, the keeper redeemed himself by blocking his close range effort.
Five minutes later it was 1-0. A free-kick awarded out right was floated over by Steve Harrod and with Tommy Reynolds adjudged to have pushed Stuart Campbell, referee Cherry pointed to the spot. Andy Graham drilled the ball low to Richardson’s left.
On 15mins it could have been two; Appleyard’s long punt downfield being inadvertently headed by defender Mark Wilson into the path of Thompson but his attempted lob didn’t have enough on it to beat Richardson.
Two minutes later Harrod drilled well wide after cleverly making himself space and Richardson was soon called into action again, saving well from Nicholson after Rutter and Thompson had created the chance.
Skipper Rutter and Dan Potts were running the show at this point, allowing Gott and Hardcastle little time or room for manoeuvre and ensuring the traffic remained virtually one way to the Seasiders’ goal.
Richardson got down well to palm another Nicholson left foot shot away on 25mins and inside a minute more good approach play gave Harrod another sight of goal from distance – a gain his aim was awry.
On the half-hour Withernsea got their first real opportunity. A rare lapse in the midfield allowed Reynolds the chance to advance on goal but his attempted chip from 25 yards was too high.
A minute later Rutter threaded another superb pass through for Thompson but the striker fired wide of Richardson’s right-hand upright.
On 38mins, Nicholson and Campbell linked cleverly at a throw-in but the former could only blaze high from an acute angle and the same player was denied again two minutes later, seeing his close range effort deflected wide from a half-cleared corner returned to him by Campbell.
When Campbell and the lively Thompson then combined to lay on another excellent opportunity for Nicholson, only to see his shot from the pull-back saved at close range, the visiting supporters were beginning to get twitchy; particularly so when Bentley then volleyed inches over from Reynolds’ pass at the other end.
But two minutes before the break, Easington were gifted a second penalty after the second of two attempted whacks at the speedy Thompson. This time Graham’s dispatch was even more emphatic.
While the Seasiders were still reeling from this, Nicholson passed up the chance to really put the game to bed, firing wide of the near post after Thompson had put him clear.
The home side replaced Gott and Reynolds with Giles and Simon Wilson at the break, before completing their changes with the introduction of Wicks for Dunn on the hour.
A minute later the game was effectively settled – and this time the hosts had genuine reason to be angry. When Harrod’s attempted pass to Thompson found the striker in an offside position, assistant McWatters correctly raised his flag; however the ball came back to Harrod without reaching its intended destination and the player was allowed to continue alone by the referee; eventually teeing the ball up for Nicholson to finally find the target.
The Seasiders’ mood was deepened by the dismissal of Wicks for a second yellow card eight minutes from time and would have been further compounded had Nicholson not again been denied by the keeper and Graham had managed to find the target when sniffing his hat-trick from a Medforth corner.
Some consolation for the hosts came when Gell rose to head home Wilson’s 89th minute cross – a goal that had manager Mack fuming at his side for “lack of professionalism”. But, overall, this had been one of the Eastenders’ better days at the office in what has turned out to be a disappointing HPL campaign.
Withernsea: P Richardson, M Wilson, D Westoby, J Dunn (P Wicks, 60), N Stephenson, C Hardcastle, T Gott (A Giles, 46), T Reynolds (S Wilson, 46), J Gell, M Sutton, A Bentley
Easington: K Appleyard, L Jeffery (O Musgrove, 65), S Campbell, D Potts, C Smalley, A Graham, S Harrod (D Walmsley, 80), M Nicholson, D Thompson (I Barrow, 65), D Medforth, N Rutter
Referee: Mr. A. D. Cherry (Hull)
Att: 45