Post by slush on May 2, 2008 19:53:32 GMT
Match Preview
HPL Premier Division
Westella & Willerby v Eastenders
Sat 3 May - Blackburn Sports Ground, Brough - Kick-Off: 2.00pm
Manager Mack has included Andy Graham and Steve Harrod in a provisional 15-man squad for Saturday’s final away game in the HPL, against Westella & Willerby at Brough.
Graham looks set to start alongside Tony Hunt at the back with Danny Medforth reverting to right back, although that switch depends on the latter overcoming a groin problem that has troubled him in the days leading up to the game. Dan Potts looks set to move back into midfield. The rest of the starting eleven looks likely to remain unchanged, with Harrod joining Dave Mack, Darren Thompson and Adam Metcalf on the bench.
After four successive defeats and no win in eight, Mack is still trying to remain positive and again looks to the progress of the current youngsters as his main source of satisfaction. He says, “If I’m being totally honest, the first half last Saturday was probably our most disappointing display since the youngsters came in but, even on the back of this, we managed to turn things round slightly after the break and could so easily have come away with something.”
With just two games to play the Eastenders are already resigned to their lowest league finish for five years. Currently placed 11th, two wins could theoretically earn them a top seven finish but this also depends on results elsewhere going in their favour. Still, none of the First team management is getting unduly concerned. The way the current crop of youngsters has adapted to HPL football and the prospective return of several of the long-term injured over the summer has convinced Mack and assistant Tony Hunt that there are plenty of reasons for optimism. In the meantime, wins against Westella and Malet would help put everybody in the right frame of mind for the Club’s defence of the South Holderness Cup, which begins at Withernsea on Tuesday 13 May.
Westella & Willerby are in a similar situation to Easington – and not only on account of the current uncertainty surrounding their league status next season! Having reached the semi-finals of the East Riding Senior Cup only to lose out to Hall Road Rangers, manager Dave Anderson has used the last half-dozen or so league games to have a look at several members of his County League squad ahead of next season.
This show of faith was repaid with a four-match unbeaten run that only came to a halt via a 1-2 defeat at Barton Town OB Reserves last week.
A win for Easington would be their second at the ground this season (they beat Hessle there in February) and it would lift them over their opponents into the top ten; victory for ‘Ella would help avenge September’s 3-2 defeat at Low Farm.
Squad: K Appleyard, D Medforth, P Morrow, D Potts, T Hunt, A Graham, J Cousins, N Rutter, J Mee, C Frost, A Barnett, D Thompson, S Harrod, D Mackay-Dundas, A Metcalf
HPL Premier Division
Westella & Willerby v Eastenders
Sat 3 May - Blackburn Sports Ground, Brough - Kick-Off: 2.00pm
Manager Mack has included Andy Graham and Steve Harrod in a provisional 15-man squad for Saturday’s final away game in the HPL, against Westella & Willerby at Brough.
Graham looks set to start alongside Tony Hunt at the back with Danny Medforth reverting to right back, although that switch depends on the latter overcoming a groin problem that has troubled him in the days leading up to the game. Dan Potts looks set to move back into midfield. The rest of the starting eleven looks likely to remain unchanged, with Harrod joining Dave Mack, Darren Thompson and Adam Metcalf on the bench.
After four successive defeats and no win in eight, Mack is still trying to remain positive and again looks to the progress of the current youngsters as his main source of satisfaction. He says, “If I’m being totally honest, the first half last Saturday was probably our most disappointing display since the youngsters came in but, even on the back of this, we managed to turn things round slightly after the break and could so easily have come away with something.”
With just two games to play the Eastenders are already resigned to their lowest league finish for five years. Currently placed 11th, two wins could theoretically earn them a top seven finish but this also depends on results elsewhere going in their favour. Still, none of the First team management is getting unduly concerned. The way the current crop of youngsters has adapted to HPL football and the prospective return of several of the long-term injured over the summer has convinced Mack and assistant Tony Hunt that there are plenty of reasons for optimism. In the meantime, wins against Westella and Malet would help put everybody in the right frame of mind for the Club’s defence of the South Holderness Cup, which begins at Withernsea on Tuesday 13 May.
Westella & Willerby are in a similar situation to Easington – and not only on account of the current uncertainty surrounding their league status next season! Having reached the semi-finals of the East Riding Senior Cup only to lose out to Hall Road Rangers, manager Dave Anderson has used the last half-dozen or so league games to have a look at several members of his County League squad ahead of next season.
This show of faith was repaid with a four-match unbeaten run that only came to a halt via a 1-2 defeat at Barton Town OB Reserves last week.
A win for Easington would be their second at the ground this season (they beat Hessle there in February) and it would lift them over their opponents into the top ten; victory for ‘Ella would help avenge September’s 3-2 defeat at Low Farm.
Squad: K Appleyard, D Medforth, P Morrow, D Potts, T Hunt, A Graham, J Cousins, N Rutter, J Mee, C Frost, A Barnett, D Thompson, S Harrod, D Mackay-Dundas, A Metcalf