Post by slush on Apr 27, 2007 12:58:35 GMT
Howden flattered in Farm thriller
Easington United Reserves 2 – 5 Howden Amateurs
ALTHOUGH defeated by what sounds a comfortable margin at the close, Eastenders Reserves boss John Clarke was full of praise for his young side’s display against title-chasing Howden Amateurs.
Indeed, had it not been for a couple of defensive howlers and a smattering of controversial decisions by referee Mr. Godfrey, the Stiffs could well have been looking at a result to match their efforts against the visitors’ rivals Old George.
On another glorious afternoon for football, the hardy Farm Faithful of thirty or so were treated to a game between two sides who like to pass the ball. It has to be said, on the evidence of the two encounters with them, Howden look a better side than their Goole rivals – even though it’s the latter who appear most likely to take the championship crown.
Chris Rawlings was called into action in the first minute, spooning away a far post header after the visitors had put together the first of many fast, flowing attacks. It was the first of several fine stops in a busy half for the Easington keeper.
Not that it was all one-way. ‘Bezza’ Barnett and Tom McLaughlin both went close for Easington but when another well-worked move culminated in a fine Howden finish on 20mins, it appeared the locals might be in for a caning.
Not so and after several promising forays had come to nought, just before the break they levelled. Jamie Cousins’ left-wing corner received a touch at the near post and Dan Potts was on hand to stab home from six yards out.
Employed in his favoured holding role, Potts was one of two changes to the starting line-up of the previous week. The other came in the back three where Paul Morrow was given the chance to build on his encouraging appearance at Old George.
Morrow was one of seven teenagers in the squad and an indication of how far these youngsters have come since the start of the season can be seen in the way they responded to a disastrous start to the second half; Howden taking a 2-1 lead after Rawls’ initial parry saw Metcalf beaten to the loose ball by the giant-like visitors’ number 14!
Within minutes the Stiffs thought they’d equalised when Potts timed his run superbly to meet another Cousins’ corner with a thumping header that went in off the underside of the bar. To most people’s amazement, however, the referee awarded a Howden free-kick for a push.
Undeterred, Easington came at their opponents hard. Prompted by ‘old hands’ McNaught and Potts, they carried the game to the visitors. Metcalfe and Cousins probed effectively down the flanks, Barnett and Smith were bundles of energy up top, while in the centre of the park, McLaughlin was outstanding.
With Clarke introducing quality from the bench in Senior, Thompson and Foster, the game looked to be swinging Easington’s way, particularly after Cousins had latched onto the goalkeeper’s half-clearance from Barnett to curl the ball superbly into the top corner for 2-2.
Unfortunately, while frantic defending (including three goal-line blocks) and athletic keeping kept the hosts at bay, the locals shot themselves in the foot at the other end when Rawls dropped a routine cross at the feet of a grateful Howden striker.
Pressing forward in increasingly desperate fashion, the Stiffs were caught out again on the break but the two-goal deficit might well have been halved had referee Godfrey not missed what appeared a clear shirt-pull on Morrow inside the box as Easington again put the Howden goal under siege.
The visitors wrapped up the points in farcical fashion – a cross from the right looping in at the far post – before the game was called to a halt 20 seconds from time following what appeared to be a serious injury to Howden’s Chris Duguid. It later transpired he’d suffered extensive knee ligament damage after landing awkwardly at a header.
So, another defeat and with wins for Sculcoates and Reckitts, the picture at the bottom continues to cause concern – something that will cease to be so should the League rubber stamp the offer of points from those teams unwilling to visit Low Farm at this stage of the season.
Reserves: Rawlings, Fisk, Morrow, A McNaught, Metcalf (Foster), McLaughlin, Richardson (Senior), Smith (Thompson), Barnett, J Cousins
Easington United Reserves 2 – 5 Howden Amateurs
ALTHOUGH defeated by what sounds a comfortable margin at the close, Eastenders Reserves boss John Clarke was full of praise for his young side’s display against title-chasing Howden Amateurs.
Indeed, had it not been for a couple of defensive howlers and a smattering of controversial decisions by referee Mr. Godfrey, the Stiffs could well have been looking at a result to match their efforts against the visitors’ rivals Old George.
On another glorious afternoon for football, the hardy Farm Faithful of thirty or so were treated to a game between two sides who like to pass the ball. It has to be said, on the evidence of the two encounters with them, Howden look a better side than their Goole rivals – even though it’s the latter who appear most likely to take the championship crown.
Chris Rawlings was called into action in the first minute, spooning away a far post header after the visitors had put together the first of many fast, flowing attacks. It was the first of several fine stops in a busy half for the Easington keeper.
Not that it was all one-way. ‘Bezza’ Barnett and Tom McLaughlin both went close for Easington but when another well-worked move culminated in a fine Howden finish on 20mins, it appeared the locals might be in for a caning.
Not so and after several promising forays had come to nought, just before the break they levelled. Jamie Cousins’ left-wing corner received a touch at the near post and Dan Potts was on hand to stab home from six yards out.
Employed in his favoured holding role, Potts was one of two changes to the starting line-up of the previous week. The other came in the back three where Paul Morrow was given the chance to build on his encouraging appearance at Old George.
Morrow was one of seven teenagers in the squad and an indication of how far these youngsters have come since the start of the season can be seen in the way they responded to a disastrous start to the second half; Howden taking a 2-1 lead after Rawls’ initial parry saw Metcalf beaten to the loose ball by the giant-like visitors’ number 14!
Within minutes the Stiffs thought they’d equalised when Potts timed his run superbly to meet another Cousins’ corner with a thumping header that went in off the underside of the bar. To most people’s amazement, however, the referee awarded a Howden free-kick for a push.
Undeterred, Easington came at their opponents hard. Prompted by ‘old hands’ McNaught and Potts, they carried the game to the visitors. Metcalfe and Cousins probed effectively down the flanks, Barnett and Smith were bundles of energy up top, while in the centre of the park, McLaughlin was outstanding.
With Clarke introducing quality from the bench in Senior, Thompson and Foster, the game looked to be swinging Easington’s way, particularly after Cousins had latched onto the goalkeeper’s half-clearance from Barnett to curl the ball superbly into the top corner for 2-2.
Unfortunately, while frantic defending (including three goal-line blocks) and athletic keeping kept the hosts at bay, the locals shot themselves in the foot at the other end when Rawls dropped a routine cross at the feet of a grateful Howden striker.
Pressing forward in increasingly desperate fashion, the Stiffs were caught out again on the break but the two-goal deficit might well have been halved had referee Godfrey not missed what appeared a clear shirt-pull on Morrow inside the box as Easington again put the Howden goal under siege.
The visitors wrapped up the points in farcical fashion – a cross from the right looping in at the far post – before the game was called to a halt 20 seconds from time following what appeared to be a serious injury to Howden’s Chris Duguid. It later transpired he’d suffered extensive knee ligament damage after landing awkwardly at a header.
So, another defeat and with wins for Sculcoates and Reckitts, the picture at the bottom continues to cause concern – something that will cease to be so should the League rubber stamp the offer of points from those teams unwilling to visit Low Farm at this stage of the season.
Reserves: Rawlings, Fisk, Morrow, A McNaught, Metcalf (Foster), McLaughlin, Richardson (Senior), Smith (Thompson), Barnett, J Cousins