Post by slush on Oct 21, 2008 15:04:40 GMT
Eastenders suffer black day in the Grays Cup
HPL Grays League Cup Round 1
Hessle Rangers 5 - 2 Easington United
TWO goals inside the last two minutes confirmed successive first round cup exits for the Eastenders as Hessle Rangers followed up Pocklington’s East Riding Cup win of a week earlier to knock Dave Mack’s side out of the Grays League cup.
Trailing 3-2 but very much the dominant side after the break, Easington were caught out on the counter-attack when substitute Shaun Ransom broke clear to beat stand-in goalkeeper Danny Medforth at his near post. A minute later, Tom Brigg’s 30-yard snap-shot from the inside left position arrowed its way past a floundering Medforth to confirm Hessle’s passage into round two.
And yet it wouldn’t be too far wide of the mark to say that the Eastenders were the better side in this tie! With another patched-up squad that included several positional changes – Medforth in goal, Luke Jeffery at left back and Dave Walmsley in a holding central midfield role – they proceeded to play the better football against opponents content to bring their height advantage into play via “route one” and at set-pieces.
And it was from such sources that Hessle scored twice in the first nine minutes, as part of a frantic opening that also saw the Eastenders get on the score sheet.
Just three minutes in a long throw into the visitors’ box wasn’t dealt with by the Eastenders’ defence and Lewis Keating was given the easy option of heading past Medforth from barely six yards out.
The Easington reply was almost immediate. After Gavin Thurkettle had headed a Craig Havercroft free-kick narrowly wide, the same players combined to set up the equaliser on 7 minutes; Thurkettle taking the ball short from a Havercroft corner and whipping in a delightful cross that the arriving Ben Holtby powered home at the near post.
In turn though, Easington’s joy proved short-lived. A Hessle corner was not dealt with and when Medforth could only parry Johnson’s downward header, Keating was in the right place to grab his and Rangers’ second.
Despite again going behind, the visitors now assumed a measure of control. Thurkettle struck a fierce snap-shot just over from 25 yards before going even closer following a fine turn and run.
Meanwhile, at the other end, aside from Medforth having to move smartly to tip away Keating’s dangerous looking cross, overall the Easington defence looked to have atoned for their early errors. However, they were left wanting again on 38mins, Briggs finding space at a corner but heading wide.
Easington had lost Holtby on the half-hour mark, following a knock to his recently healed ankle, with Chris Frost making an earlier than expected appearance. And it was the sub who had the final chance of the half when cutting in from the left before shooting just wide of Garness’s upright.
Having appeared quietly confident of turning things round in the second half, United made a strong start and Frost again cut in to good effect but again fired wide.
Six minutes in Rangers countered to increase their lead. A fine angled pass from skipper Mark Dale picked out Mike Hoff to the right of the area, he in turn beat Jeffery all ends up before delivering an inviting cross from which Jon Spence couldn’t miss.
Thankfully, the locals’ response was again quick and they reduced matters with an excellent goal. A flowing move down the right saw Frost again do the full back for pace before delivering a cross that found its way to Havercroft out on the left, he in turn fed the ball back to Walmsley who struck a fine drive into the keeper’s top left corner from some 25 yards out.
Within another minute Easington could have been level, Havercroft’s 20-yard free-kick beating the Rangers wall but also the post.
Walmsley made way for Barnett with fifteen minutes remaining and the sub went agonisingly close to scoring with his first touch, the ball just eluding him as it pinged down off the bar after Frost had yet again cut inside his man to beat Garness all ends up with a blistering drive. It was the closest they would come.
The two late goals put a somewhat flattering outlook on Hessle’s win and even at 5-2 chances continued to come at the other end. In injury time Neil Rutter had strong claims for a penalty tuned down and then glanced another Havercroft free-kick only inches wide with nobody able to apply the finishing touch.
The Easington skipper then figured in the final moment of note when he was on the receiving end of Johnson’s crude aerial challenge, which saw the Hessle striker pick up a second yellow card and leave the field a minute or so ahead of his victorious team mates..
Hessle: J Garness, D Wilkin, M Dale, T Briggs, D O’Dell, R Downing, M Hoff, C Holmes, L Johnson, J Spence, L Keating (Subs: M Barker, S Ransom, N Bloor, A Morris, A Rhodes)
Easington: D Medforth, M Hart, L Jeffery, D Walmsley (A Barnett, 75), N Rutter, A Graham, C Havercroft, C Lenham, P Farndale, G Thurkettle, B Holtby (C Frost, 31)
Referee: Mr. S. V. Barber (Bridlington)
Att: 21
HPL Grays League Cup Round 1
Hessle Rangers 5 - 2 Easington United
TWO goals inside the last two minutes confirmed successive first round cup exits for the Eastenders as Hessle Rangers followed up Pocklington’s East Riding Cup win of a week earlier to knock Dave Mack’s side out of the Grays League cup.
Trailing 3-2 but very much the dominant side after the break, Easington were caught out on the counter-attack when substitute Shaun Ransom broke clear to beat stand-in goalkeeper Danny Medforth at his near post. A minute later, Tom Brigg’s 30-yard snap-shot from the inside left position arrowed its way past a floundering Medforth to confirm Hessle’s passage into round two.
And yet it wouldn’t be too far wide of the mark to say that the Eastenders were the better side in this tie! With another patched-up squad that included several positional changes – Medforth in goal, Luke Jeffery at left back and Dave Walmsley in a holding central midfield role – they proceeded to play the better football against opponents content to bring their height advantage into play via “route one” and at set-pieces.
And it was from such sources that Hessle scored twice in the first nine minutes, as part of a frantic opening that also saw the Eastenders get on the score sheet.
Just three minutes in a long throw into the visitors’ box wasn’t dealt with by the Eastenders’ defence and Lewis Keating was given the easy option of heading past Medforth from barely six yards out.
The Easington reply was almost immediate. After Gavin Thurkettle had headed a Craig Havercroft free-kick narrowly wide, the same players combined to set up the equaliser on 7 minutes; Thurkettle taking the ball short from a Havercroft corner and whipping in a delightful cross that the arriving Ben Holtby powered home at the near post.
In turn though, Easington’s joy proved short-lived. A Hessle corner was not dealt with and when Medforth could only parry Johnson’s downward header, Keating was in the right place to grab his and Rangers’ second.
Despite again going behind, the visitors now assumed a measure of control. Thurkettle struck a fierce snap-shot just over from 25 yards before going even closer following a fine turn and run.
Meanwhile, at the other end, aside from Medforth having to move smartly to tip away Keating’s dangerous looking cross, overall the Easington defence looked to have atoned for their early errors. However, they were left wanting again on 38mins, Briggs finding space at a corner but heading wide.
Easington had lost Holtby on the half-hour mark, following a knock to his recently healed ankle, with Chris Frost making an earlier than expected appearance. And it was the sub who had the final chance of the half when cutting in from the left before shooting just wide of Garness’s upright.
Having appeared quietly confident of turning things round in the second half, United made a strong start and Frost again cut in to good effect but again fired wide.
Six minutes in Rangers countered to increase their lead. A fine angled pass from skipper Mark Dale picked out Mike Hoff to the right of the area, he in turn beat Jeffery all ends up before delivering an inviting cross from which Jon Spence couldn’t miss.
Thankfully, the locals’ response was again quick and they reduced matters with an excellent goal. A flowing move down the right saw Frost again do the full back for pace before delivering a cross that found its way to Havercroft out on the left, he in turn fed the ball back to Walmsley who struck a fine drive into the keeper’s top left corner from some 25 yards out.
Within another minute Easington could have been level, Havercroft’s 20-yard free-kick beating the Rangers wall but also the post.
Walmsley made way for Barnett with fifteen minutes remaining and the sub went agonisingly close to scoring with his first touch, the ball just eluding him as it pinged down off the bar after Frost had yet again cut inside his man to beat Garness all ends up with a blistering drive. It was the closest they would come.
The two late goals put a somewhat flattering outlook on Hessle’s win and even at 5-2 chances continued to come at the other end. In injury time Neil Rutter had strong claims for a penalty tuned down and then glanced another Havercroft free-kick only inches wide with nobody able to apply the finishing touch.
The Easington skipper then figured in the final moment of note when he was on the receiving end of Johnson’s crude aerial challenge, which saw the Hessle striker pick up a second yellow card and leave the field a minute or so ahead of his victorious team mates..
Hessle: J Garness, D Wilkin, M Dale, T Briggs, D O’Dell, R Downing, M Hoff, C Holmes, L Johnson, J Spence, L Keating (Subs: M Barker, S Ransom, N Bloor, A Morris, A Rhodes)
Easington: D Medforth, M Hart, L Jeffery, D Walmsley (A Barnett, 75), N Rutter, A Graham, C Havercroft, C Lenham, P Farndale, G Thurkettle, B Holtby (C Frost, 31)
Referee: Mr. S. V. Barber (Bridlington)
Att: 21