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Tuesday 7th September 2010
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Matches played Saturday 20th September 2008
Preston seniors off to slow start again.
AFC Preston have an experienced side, which over the last couple of years, has developed a habit of starting the season very slowly, despite playing attractive football, and against Amateur League Premier Division newcomers SC Electrical, the problem again surfaced and their opponents took advantage to register their first win at senior level.
SC Electrical played nice tidy football and held their own in the early exchanges, but created only limited chances. The difference between the sides crucially, however, proved to be Electrical’s ability to convert the openings which did fall to them, into goals.
SC Electrical opened the scoring following a corner kick when Lewis Poucher hit a sweet half volley into the net from the edge of the area, but this was one goal which did produce a response from Preston, Mark Wardell soon bringing his side back onto level terms.
Ten minutes before half time, following good work down the right between James Sharp, Joe Clutterbrook and Mike Wordingham, Electrical regained the lead when Clutterbrook finished off the move with a rare headed goal.
The second half saw Preston come more into game forcing Electrical to fight a rearguard action, but a fine defensive display kept Preston at bay. SC Electrical sealed the points with ten minutes remaining with a fine lob from a tight angle by John Riley.
Quaddy Rangers continued their good start to the season, but had to come back from a goal down against Blackburn Leisure, whose account was opened by Phil Ainley.
Quaddy managed to level the scores by the interval, but were unable to impose themselves on the game, and at the break re-organised the side and moved Leon McDougal and Mike Newdick into the centre of the defensive back four, where they gelled as though they had always played together in that position.
Blackburn gave maximum effort, but when they began to tire, Quaddy found more space and two further goals secured a deserved win.
The clash of Pinefleet Wolfreton and Crown was an early season encounter of two teams who have done well in the past two seasons, and on the basis of this display, will probably be in the title mix again this season.
Crown who started the better, slipped effortlessly into their stride, and forced Pinefleet onto the back foot, and they were rewarded when awarded a free kick which was floated into the area and Rob Pearce rose highest to head in from close range.
After the goal Crown continued to press and Darren Hemmings in the Pinefleet goal did well two save well twice from close range, and in doing so instilled confidence into his team-mates and, as the half progressed, Pinefleet slowly started to get into the game and were unlucky not to equalise when Gary Marsden struck the bar after a mazy run.
The second half saw Pinefleet continue were they had left off and Crown were feeling the pressure, but the game almost turned back in their favour when a 25 yard snap-shot, which would have taken the game away from Pinefleet, rattled the crossbar, with Hemmings totally beaten.
The high standard of play continued, well marshalled by Referee Steve Barrett, with Pinefleet continuing to control the majority of the play, and they got their reward when Gary Marsden finished from an acute angle at the third attempt, recording his first goal for the club.
Shortly before the final whistle, Pinefleet opened up Crown again and though Andy Waller missed from close range, Dave Laycock was on hand to bury the rebound, and once again become Pinefleet’s matchwinner.
Raine FC discovered that they may be in for a hard season after facing Kingburn Athletic Reserves, who rattled in seven goals to record an encouraging win, while Eddie Beedle’s first week win was little more than a distant memory as they succumbed to a surprisingly heavy reversal at the hands of Sutton Fields Rangers.
In their first home game of the season on the Hull University 3G pitch, AFC Hull faced Hull Athletic, who were cock-a-hoop after a first week win.
AFC Hull opened the game brightly, applying early pressure with good passing and movement creating a number of chances, and in the 13th minute opened the scoring when a corner was whipped in by Louis Clark and met by the head of centre back Callum Harrison, whose effort was parried by Athletic keeper Sean Leaman but only to the feet of front man Nathan Nichol who tapped the ball home.
AFC Hull continued to apply pressure and after 17 minutes, after a quick break, Nichol's drive was blocked but the rebound was finished by winger Mark Friston, now active again after his traumas of last season, from 8 yards.
There was no letting up in the pressure and AFC Hull went three up on 22 minutes when a quick break led striker Tony Tummon to the by-line at the six yard box and he scored from the tightest of angles through the keepers legs, but this proved to be his last contribution to the game as he limped off with a strain.
Athletic pulled a goal back on the half hour mark through Gareth Jones and to get back into the game, completing the scoring for the half.
Hull Athletic started the second half brightly, but this pressure opened up the game and AFC Hull were given the opportunity to extend their lead from the penalty spot but Friston saw his effort saved.
The home team made up for this miss on 63 minutes when Callum Harrison sent a powerful header past keeper Leaman, and after this goal AFC Hull continued to press and pacy striker Sam Nicholson grabbed a brace of goals on 75 and 87 minutes, following quick breaks.
Geoff Wednesday must have run over a black cat, or similar, as their luck this season seems to have deserted them. Last week, they had bad luck with injuries, and this week against AFC West Hull B, in a very even match, shots were peppered in on West Hull’s goal from all angles and distances, but all hit or shaved the woodwork, whereas two mistakes were punished, and a well finished drive secured the points for West Hull.
Only the second week of the new season, and PaullWanderers were missing five players due to work or injuries, but those available were up for the difficult task against Pinefleet Wolfreton Tigers.
The start of the game was delayed for a minutes clapping - the players choice to show their respect for Mr Pinefleet, Dave Hopkin, who sadly passed away recently, and will missed by many, and certainly never forgotten.
Paull put Pinefeet on the back foot from the off, and created three chances which were allowed to go begging – the sort of opportunities which Paull was putting away for fun pre-season, and the missed chances proved costly when, in the 22nd minute Pinefleet took the lead with their first chance of the game.
Paull kept working hard and Pinefleet were pegged in their own half, and felt hard done by, when, in the 35th minute, Terry Thompson was through on goal, only to be halted by the on-rushing Pinefleet keeper Rob Baker, but at the expense of only a yellow card.
Paull did score in the 40th minute with a well worked goal, which starting from defence and one touch passing carried the ball into the Pinefleet goalmouth, where Mark Darnell found himself responding to James Sexton’s call as raced up from defence and Mark delivered the ball to James's head and he placed the ball into the top corner of the goal.
The scores remained tied for only two minutes as Pinefleet came back at Paull and scored far too easily - and only with their second chance of the game, while the reality of the half was that Paull should have been out of sight!!
The second half saw Pinefleet dominate the game from the first whistle and Paull were only allowed short spells of possession. Pinefleet looked like scoring with every attack, and did add a further three goals, their final tally including a hat-trick by Paul Routledge.
Paull did create one second half chance, when Damian Bullingham hit the bar, but the whole of the second period was really about Pinefleet.
Willerby Holiday Homes and AFC Piper enjoyed a close encounter in Division 2 in which Piper were leading by a narrow 2-1 margin until a disputed third goal two minutes from time finally settled matters.
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Match Reports
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24th April 2010
17th April 2010
10th April 2010
3rd April 2010
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