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Sunday 5th September 2010
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Matches played Saturday 31st January 2009
Kingburn & Pinefleet tie remains on knife edge while Geoff Wednesday rein back AFC Hull title gallop.
With the forecasters advising that extreme, dismal weather was around the corner, it was essential that the improvement brought about by a few drier days was capitalised upon, and though not all pitches were ruled to be playable, the chance was given for games to go ahead on heavy, but safe surfaces, generally free of standing water.
The pitch at Marist Rugby Union ground on Cranbrook Avenue was one such ground which had seen an improvement though a heavy pitch greeted the sides for a League Senior Cup Quarter final first leg tie in which Pinefleet Wolfreton were looking to avenge a recent league defeat inflicted on them by visitors Kingburn Athletic Reserves.
The conditions took their toll from the start and the game proved to be a midfield battle, with Kingburn creating the first real chance but they found Pinefleet keeper Sean Drury in top form and he somehow clawed away a close range header.
With the elements in their favour, Kingburn were able to push forward, but once again were unable to beat Drury who he made another good save.
Pinefleet started to get a foothold in the game and took the lead after Kingburn keeper Keith Simmonds spilled a cross for Gareth Monkman to tap in from close range, enabling Pinefleet to go into the break possibly fortuitously ahead.
The second half remained a midfield slog as the pitch became increasingly heavy, but the score only remained unchanged through keeper Simmonds redeeming himself with two outstanding saves from efforts by Liam Stafford.
After 90 minutes the close scoreline was a fair reflection of the game, and everything is to be played for in the second leg, when, hopefully, playing conditions will make free flowing football possible.
Quaddy Rangers were looking to put last week’s disappointment behind them when visiting Thorngumbald to face Eddie Beedle, but a boggy playing surface made for a battle against the elements as well as the opposition and constructive football was difficult and the game started very slowly.
With 20 minutes on the clock, Danny Thompson volleyed Quaddy into the lead with a shot from 20 yards into the top corner, and the visitors held the advantage through to the half time break.
Possibly the break did Quaddy no favours, as they resumed as though half asleep, and Beedle quickly took advantage, and Matty Carr brought the scores level. Worse was to follow, and Quaddy were punished for their lacklustre performance, as five minutes later Craig Copley put Beedle in front.
Quaddy increased their efforts as they chased the game, and both sides did their best to pass the ball constructively but the inevitable happened as Quaddy ventured forward, and they were caught overstretched in defence and Ryan Copley added a third goal to make the game safe for Beedle.
Mark Foster is always an effective last line of defence for Quaddy, and on this occasion earned himself the man of the match accolade as he pulled off save after save to keep his side in contention.
After recording their first win of the season last week, Geoff Wednesday faced the sternest task possible when their next Division 1 fixture pitched them against league leaders AFC Hull, whose past form was a direct contrast – a fourteen game winning run.
AFC Hull were missing regular central defenders Jaime Gascoigne and Callum Harrison, and full back Damon Brook was fit only for the bench, but the side welcomed back Rio Buckley from injury, and paraded new signing Scott Buckley.
Geoff Wednesday were the first to pose a goal threat, keeper Craig Lindley being called into action after eight minutes when a Wednesday through ball caused problems for the AFC Hull back line.
Four minutes later, AFC Hull could have opened the scoring themselves, but debutant Scott Buckley's speculative twenty-yard strike was tipped over the bar by Wednesday’s alert keeper John Hawkes. Louis Clark was the next player to cause the Geoff Wednesday defence concern, his dangerous cross having to be headed out for a corner by the home defence.
Geoff Wednesday were playing a dangerous game with the offside trap, and ten minutes later Scott Buckley caused more trouble when springing the trap, but his shot went wide of the mark.
On the half-hour mark, Tony Tummon again beat the defensive line with an excellently timed run, and found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Keeper Hawkes committed himself and left Tummon with time to place the ball into the net, but he misdirected the ball onto the far post, allowing a scrambled clearance by a hastily retreating defender.
AFC Hull were further frustrated with the refusal of a penalty appeal for hand ball, and again on thirty-five minutes, when, following an run excellent from midfield by Mark Friston, he released a through-ball for the lively Scott Buckley, but he could not get a shot away before being closed down by the home defence.
With halftime fast approaching, Wednesday launched an attack, and the referee awarded a free kick on the edge of the visitors' box, and the resulting kick, which took a deflection, needed a marvellous save from 'keeper Craig Lindley to keep the ball out of the net, Chris Buckley subsequently punting ball to safety.
Seconds later, Louis Clark came close to opening AFC Hull's account, hitting the Wednesday bar with an ambitious cross-cum-shot, but his next action was as villain on the stroke of half-time, when he caught and brought down Wednesday’s new boy, Danny Garside in the penalty area and the referee pointed to the penalty spot. Garside picked himself up and although Craig Lindley guessed right, he was unable to keep out Garside’s spot-kick.
Stand-in team manager Sean McFaul read the riot act to his youngsters during the half-time break, and AFC Hull started the second half much more brightly than they had finished the first. Three minutes into the half, a Jason Watson run was barely stopped by the Wednesday defence, and the resulting loose ball fell to Scott Buckley, whose shot again went narrowly wide from distance.
The equaliser was not to be delayed too long, as, after 51 minutes a high forward ball from Rio Buckley allowed top-scorer Sam Nicholson to get free of the Wednesday defence and head a looping ball over a stranded goalkeeper and onto the back of the net.
Mark Friston and Dale Carty were giving the Wednesday defenders plenty to think about with shots on target, and beating the offside gamble, but each time keeper Hawkes was up to the task.
After sixty-eight minutes, Carty was in action again, crossing the ball for Scott Buckley who struck his shot narrowly wide. Wednesday responded by taking advantage of a defensive lapse to remind their young opponents that the game was not all one way, but despite having created time and space in front of goal, the shot that followed was high and wide.
Impressive debutant Scott Buckley came off with a leg injury after 73 minutes, being replaced by Damon Brooks, and immediately Carty sent over a cross which was met by the closely marked Mark Friston, whom the referee adjudged to have been pushed and pointed to the 12 yard mark for the second time in the match. Sam Nicholson stepped up for the penalty and scored to maintain his 100% record from the spot this season, edging the visitors in front a 2-1 lead, it appeared at just the right time of the game.
Wednesday knew they needed the right man for the job, and with two minutes remaining, threw veteran player manager Joe Johnson into the fray.
This proved to be a master stroke, as he found himself unmarked, in space, in front of goal, one on one, and struck the ball past Craig Lindley to make the scores level.
The home team's celebrations at earning a point suggested that, for them, this could be a turning point in the season, with Joe going home contented, while the effects on AFC Hull’s title challenge were minimal with other results going their way.
Paull Wanderers were concerned at the loss of four players due to work commitments, one of whom was keeper Liam Smith, for their difficult game against Anlaby Park, but with veteran striker Terry Thompson taking over between the sticks, and manager Mark Sexton necessarily ringing the changes, the team responded as he had hoped and were on fire for the duration of the game, denying their well organised, title challenging opponents any chance to get into their stride.
Michael Ward has been a revelation for Paull since returning to action and was a constant menace to the Anlaby defenders with his good running, and after 37 minutes opened the scoring, and should have doubled his tally before the break, but just missed out when his feet got stuck in the wet mud on the pitch!
Paull felt confident that their solid defence would see them home, but equally, were pleased to extend their lead after 55 minutes following some quick thinking by Karl Smith who took a quick free kick, hitting the ball into the top corner of the net as the Anlaby defence continued preparing their defensive wall.
Paull could have scored more goals – Ward being the main culprit - as Anlaby were caught short of numbers in defence as they sought to get back in the game, but the reality for Paull was that they were delighted to score twice and keep a clean sheet and now look to kick start what has hitherto been a disappointing season.
When Goodwin FC visited Kingburn Athletic 3rds in Division 2 earlier in the season, a very close game produced a goal-less draw, and a similar tough encounter was anticipated for the return game.
The first half saw Goodwin produce some excellent football and dominated the visitors to take a two goal lead, the calalyst for which was Ricky Hall who was playing in a new role on the right of midfield and transformed the team.
Kingburn keeper Gary Rawlings produced some excellent saves including a shot from Leon Salter, which was, unfortunately, parried into the path of Hall who converted well. Hall grabbed his second five minutes later and Goodwin were on a roll.
The second half saw Kingburn battle to get back into the game, but resolute defending by Goodwin kept them out.
Ricky Hall got the chance to complete his hat-trick when Goodwin were awarded a penalty well into the second half, but he failed to connect strongly with the ball and keeper Rawlings saved. Goodwin played well as a team throughout, with Brian Feeney selected as man of the match for his dominance in the air and control of midfield.
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