Post by slush on Oct 14, 2007 6:22:10 GMT
Last gasp goal denies brave Casuals
East Riding Junior Country Cup Round 1
Flamborough AFC 3 – 2 Easington United Casuals
EASINGTON United Casuals’ hopes of progress in the East Riding Junior Country Cup were dashed in the cruellest of manners of Saturday, courtesy of a goal three minutes into injury time that earned hosts Flamborough a place in round two.
Prior to this the Driffield League side – whose approach to the game suggested a belief that victory was a foregone conclusion – had been forced to scrap every inch of the way by another “Dad’s Army” eleven beset by injuries and absence.
With Sam Broom and Mick Robinson both tempted out of retirement to help shore up the locals’ rearguard and asst-mgr McNaught back off his hol’s, stand-in boss Threv Biglin had just the one sub at his disposal. Indeed, ‘Maccer’ and he elected to start with ten due to Will Ineson’s straight-from-work-dash not quite getting him to the ground in time.
With such a frantic pre-match “preparation”, several members of the squad turned to memories of the Reserves’ Country Cup trip to Filey Athletic a few years ago for inspiration. However, the quality of opposition this time around was somewhat stronger and it soon transpired that the Casuals would be requiring an athletic young keeper to keep their hosts at bay.
Step forward one Stephen Eldon. “Spring Chicken”? Perhaps not. On his day still a very good goalkeeper? Definitely. Helped by his doughty defenders, Eldon’s tremendous display, including one particularly memorable double-save, allowed the Casuals keeper preserve parity until 25 minutes in.
Having been finally breached, the locals quickly responded – within three minutes to be precise; ‘Old Banger’ showing fine awareness at a free-kick to deftly set up Rich Clubley for a far post finish.
Into the second half and the hosts continued to bring the best out of Eldon while Easington also went close to sneaking ahead. In the event the Driffield League side regained the upper hand midway through – whilst Easington were temporarily reduced to ten men following injury to “Threv” – only for the Casuals to again reply; Sam Broom feeding Chris Smith who struck home a beauty for 2-2.
Fifteen minutes to go and it was game on again. But as the drizzle quickened and the mist thickened, it was the home side who made the decisive breakthrough from a corner to deny the Casuals an extra thirty minutes they thoroughly deserved – if not one they had been particularly looking forward to!
East Riding Junior Country Cup Round 1
Flamborough AFC 3 – 2 Easington United Casuals
EASINGTON United Casuals’ hopes of progress in the East Riding Junior Country Cup were dashed in the cruellest of manners of Saturday, courtesy of a goal three minutes into injury time that earned hosts Flamborough a place in round two.
Prior to this the Driffield League side – whose approach to the game suggested a belief that victory was a foregone conclusion – had been forced to scrap every inch of the way by another “Dad’s Army” eleven beset by injuries and absence.
With Sam Broom and Mick Robinson both tempted out of retirement to help shore up the locals’ rearguard and asst-mgr McNaught back off his hol’s, stand-in boss Threv Biglin had just the one sub at his disposal. Indeed, ‘Maccer’ and he elected to start with ten due to Will Ineson’s straight-from-work-dash not quite getting him to the ground in time.
With such a frantic pre-match “preparation”, several members of the squad turned to memories of the Reserves’ Country Cup trip to Filey Athletic a few years ago for inspiration. However, the quality of opposition this time around was somewhat stronger and it soon transpired that the Casuals would be requiring an athletic young keeper to keep their hosts at bay.
Step forward one Stephen Eldon. “Spring Chicken”? Perhaps not. On his day still a very good goalkeeper? Definitely. Helped by his doughty defenders, Eldon’s tremendous display, including one particularly memorable double-save, allowed the Casuals keeper preserve parity until 25 minutes in.
Having been finally breached, the locals quickly responded – within three minutes to be precise; ‘Old Banger’ showing fine awareness at a free-kick to deftly set up Rich Clubley for a far post finish.
Into the second half and the hosts continued to bring the best out of Eldon while Easington also went close to sneaking ahead. In the event the Driffield League side regained the upper hand midway through – whilst Easington were temporarily reduced to ten men following injury to “Threv” – only for the Casuals to again reply; Sam Broom feeding Chris Smith who struck home a beauty for 2-2.
Fifteen minutes to go and it was game on again. But as the drizzle quickened and the mist thickened, it was the home side who made the decisive breakthrough from a corner to deny the Casuals an extra thirty minutes they thoroughly deserved – if not one they had been particularly looking forward to!