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Tuesday 7th September 2010
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Matches played Saturday 4th April 2009
Eddie Beedle making last ditch title challenge.
As the season enters its final phase, a shift in the title race in the Amateur League Premier Division is taking place after some indifferent results from long term leaders Sutton Fields Rangers have allowed Eddie Beedle and Pinefleet Wolfreton to resurrect their title challenges, and become new leaders Crown’s main rivals, though in Eddie Beedle’s latest game against Quaddy Rangers all the match points were grabbed with only seconds remaining to the final whistle – an experience Quaddy amazingly suffered for the third time this season!
Quaddy and Eddie Beedle started the game playing some neat football, with Quaddy creating more chances in front of goal, but their finishing was at best wayward, with Jamie Marshall being particularly off the pace.
John Laverack stood out for Quaddy in the first half but decided that other commitments prevented him resuming for the second period and Quaddy, who are presently suffering from an injury crisis, were forced to introduce an unfit replacement, leaving the side virtually a player down.
The indifferent attempts on goal in the first period ensured that the game had remained scoreless, but the situation changed five minutes after the resumption when Eddie Beedle were awarded a free kick about 25 yards from goal, and the kick, which was taken by Chris Tooley was hit with tremendous power and caught out keeper Mark Foster, who got his hands to the ball, but was beaten by the pace of the shot.
If the keeper was deemed to be at fault with the goal, he redeemed himself shortly afterwards with a tremendous reflex save when Beedle looked odds on to be adding to their tally, and immediately Quaddy attacked the Beedle goal and were awarded a penalty for a handling offence, and Mike Newdick confidently he walked up and stroked the ball into the bottom corner of the goal, sending keeper Danny Hill the wrong way.
Although the game seemed to be heading for a draw, both sides continued to play adventurously and Quaddy paid the price when a ball was whipped in from the right wing and Matty Carr bravely headed the ball in the goal to secure Beedle a late, late win.
With fixtures now coming thick and fast, only a limited time is available between reverse fixtures, and AFC West Hull were looking for quick revenge after their recent reversal against Pinefleet Wolfreton when they met at Cranbrook Avenue.
West Hull started much the better, as Pinefleet were, as usual, slow to get into their stride but West Hull failed to make their good start count and Pinefleet came more into the game and were unlucky not to take the lead when Liam Stafford hit the post from an acute angle.
Pinefleet eventually took the lead when Graham Waudby broke clear and his shot struck the post, and then fell kindly for Stafford who finished from close range. Pinefleet gave themselves an extra cushion when Waudby again broke clear and doubled their advantage.
The second half resumed with Pinefleet still on top and the win was soon sealed when Sean Drury volleyed the ball home from a Waudby corner.
The game started to peter out, until Phil Welsh went on a mazy dribble and broke clear to beat the advancing keeper, and make the game 4-0.
West Hull, to their credit, never gave up and pulled a goal back from a long shot that caught Darren Hemmings in the Pinefleet goal, in no mans land.
AFC Preston should have had their game against The Lair wrapped up, and three points in the bag, when winning by 5-2 with 15 minutes left but an injury to captain Simon Matson upset the balance of the side and Preston threw two points away by conceding three sloppy goals.
Preston believe that their best form is returning and are looking forward to the coming weekend’s local derby against Eddie Beedle.
With the Division 1 title seemingly in the bag, AFC Hull are finding difficulty taking that vital last step and defeat to second placed Swiss Cottage at Andrew Marvell School meant that celebrations were put on hold for another week at least.
AFC Hull were without keeper Craig Lindley and striker Tony Tummon due to injury, and were surprisingly given first use of the wind advantage by their opponents, who were prepared to defend in depth in the hope that they would benefit late in the game as tiredness became a factor.
AFC Hull started brightly and duly dominated but were unable to break down a resolute defence, save for an effort after twenty seven minutes when Sam Nicholson was put through on goal by Callum Harrison, but Nicholson’s lob was clawed out by Swiss keeper John Scott.
Swiss almost nicked a first half lead when a rare attack won them a free kick 25 yards out and Jamie Lines sent in a powerful left foot shot which beat the Hull keeper Gareth Lindley, only to see the ball rebound back off the bar.
With minutes of the half remaining, and still nothing to show for their general domination, AFC Hull's Sean McFaul came close to opening the scoring, but his short range shot went narrowly wide of the Swiss Cottage post, and on the stroke of half-time a McFaul free kick found the head of captain Jamie Gascoigne, who was unlucky to see the ball creep over the crossbar.
Seven minutes into the second half, Swiss Cottage took the lead – as their game plan came to fruition – when a long, wind assisted goal-kick allowed the speedy Ben Bassett to break free of the high defensive line of AFC Hull and outpace the defence and calmly place the ball past the keeper.
Mark Friston almost levelled the score on sixty-five minutes, as AFC Hull continued to dominate possession, volleying a half-cleared corner goal wards only for the Swiss Cottage custodian to parry the ball away for a corner kick.
Swiss went further ahead seven minutes later when half time substitute Shaun Scotthorne hammered a fine shot into the net from the right wing, after an initial shot had been parried by keeper Lindley.
With fifteen minutes remaining, AFC Hull were chasing the game and still creating chances, and Nathan Nichol’s shot from the edge of the area beat goalkeeper Scott but hitting the crossbar.
The resulting clearance led to a break by Swiss’s Craig Fitzpatrick and he fired in a low cross which hit retreating defender Chris Buckley on the chest and his attempted goal line clearance in fact ended up in the net.
Shaun Scotthorne completed the victory two minutes from time when a neat cross from Ben Bassett found him unmarked in the six yard box and all he had to do was tap the ball into the net. Hull did try their best to get at least one goal back but some fine saves by Swiss keeper John Scott kept them out.
AFC Hull face Hull Athletic, who are the only team who could prevent them taking League honours, during next week, and will doubtless be looking forget this setback and to put the title issue to bed should it still remain unresolved after this weekend’s fixtures.
Hull Athletic’s game with Geoff Wednesday was actually quite close, despite a final 4-1 scoreline.
Hull Athletic opened the scoring after ten minutes and five minutes later had extended the margin by a further goal, and could have made the game safe, but a penalty save by Wednesday keeper John Hawkes kept his side in contention, and this save assumed even greater importance when Richard Hook pulled a goal back.
A second penalty for Hull Athletic was converted, and heads finally went down, and a final goal was conceded.
As in the first meeting between these side, Hull’s Danny Robinson with a hat-trick, was again the lethal difference between the sides; Ezra Kitungano rounding off the scoring.
The Courts were short on numbers due to work and injuries for their fixture against Kingburn Athletic 3rd and manager Terry Clayton had little choice but to play himself in the centre of defence for the first time this season, but with a couple of regulars to help him out on the pace side!!
Things went well but midway through the first half, Kingburn took the lead with a disputed goal when a quick thinking Kingburn player put in a great ball for onrushing midfielder Matt Tuton to slot home.
Courts came back fighting and Chris Jopling took the ball around the last defender and fired home, only for the referee to rule the goal out for offside.
This made the Courts push even harder for an equaliser and when Chris Jopling intercepted a back header and looked up to pull the ball back outside the six yard box, a grateful Terry Clayton slid the ball home for what should have been his first of the season - only for goal to again be disallowed for an offside infringement.
This gave Kingburn a lift, as the stuffing was knocked out of the Courts team, and Nicky Toft took advantage when he got the ball on the edge of the box and curled a lovely shot over Paul Creasey in the Courts goal, making the interval score 2-0.
The Courts came out fighting again in the second period and when Ray Edmundson slid the ball across the area, Jamie Lamplough fired home an unstoppable shot from eight yards out.
Kingburn knew they had to battle to hang on, but for all the possession the Courts enjoyed after reducing the deficit, they could not breach the Kingburn defence again.
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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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