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Tuesday 7th September 2010
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Matches played Saturday 12th September 2009
Preston and Quaddy setting the standard??
The first day of the 2009-2010 Amateur League season was greeted with bright, warm sunshine and a slight wind as teams set about removing the cobwebs which had accumulated over the last few months, and games were generally tight, but with no previous form to be guided by, it is impossible to know the value of the final match results.
AFC Preston are notoriously slow starters to the season, and on the excellent playing surface at Sandhill Country Park, they faced Quaddy Rangers who are arguably the most improved Premier Division side of recent years, and the early form of both sides suggested both had enjoyed good pre-season preparations and no rustiness was evident.
From the open flowing football, chances were created at both ends and only a lack of sharpness in finishing, and some excellent keeping, kept the game scoreless. Into the second half Preston were able to put their opponents, some of whom were a little surprised by manager Nigel Taylor’s opening team selection, under increasing pressure as their higher fitness level prevailed, but Quaddy showed resolve and their defence managed to clear any danger time and time again.
Danny Garner produced an excellent display for Quaddy, and a scoreless draw was considered a fair result, and if both teams can continue playing to this standard, they could be fighting it out between them as to who wins the league!
Perhaps that is a bold assumption, and Pinefleet Wolfreton, who came close to not continuing this season, will have different ideas, having belatedly assembled a very strong looking squad, and their first game against SC Electrical served notice of their intentions as they romped to a very encouraging 5-1 victory.
A brace of goals from Dave Towers was supported by single strikes from Graham Waudby, Jason Watson and Andy Pegden.
Kingburn Athletic Reserves and AFC West Hull were involved in an enthralling hard fought contest at Pickering Park which saw Kingburn take the lead after 12 minutes when Mark Clark scored from open play, but this advantage was pegged back close to the half hour when West Hull completed a good attacking move.
Kingburn regained the lead when Paul Cracknell made a run from defence and found himself in the box with only keeper Paul Davies to beat and scored with a chip over the keeper’s head from 15 yards out.
A quirk of the fixtures pitted Premier Division newcomers AFC Hull and Swiss Cottage RBL – both promoted from Division 1 - against each other at Swiss’s new home venue of the Royal British Legion playing fields in Bilton, and both were looking to recapture the form of the majority of last season, which tailed off a little in their final games of the campaign – possibly after achieving their goals - and relaxing.
Held over suspensions deprived AFC Hull of the services of Sean McFaul, while last season’s top scorer Sam Nicholson was unfit with a knee injury, but on the plus side keeper Craig Lindley bolstered the side after having been doubtful with a foot problem.
AFC Hull began the game firing in all cylinders, and a long Alex Albrow throw was hastily cleared away for a second-minute corner. The resulting set piece found Ian Tuttle some fifteen yards from goal, and he struck the ball home to give the visitors a one-nil lead, and the best possible start to the season.
Eight minutes later, Tuttle almost doubled the Hull's lead, but his goal-bound shot was punched away by John Scott in the Swiss Cottage goal.
Alex Albrow's long throws on the narrow Bilton pitch caused chaos in the Swiss defence and AFC Hull dominated the first half but successive efforts from Tuttle, Tony Tummon and Damon Brookes failed to find the mark.
As half time approached, memories of last season's visit to Swiss began to surface, where despite the Reds' total dominance of the first half, Swiss Cottage had run out comfortable second-half winners.
To try to allay any chance of a repeat, AFC Hull sought to add to their score, and with seven minutes of the half remaining, a Mark Friston lay off found Damon Brookes in space, and Brookes struck a vicious shot goalwards but narrowly wide.
Seconds later AFC Hull attacked again, determined to get some reward for their dominance and Ian Tuttle struck the ball hard and low only to be denied by a wonder save from Swiss custodian John Scott, and the break arrived with only the narrowest margin between the sides.
AFC Hull were straight back on attack after the resumption and a Tony Tummon strike was cleared off the line, and minutes later a Graham Donaldson shot sailed narrowly over the bar, after he had received the ball from Louis Kirk.
With fifty-three minutes gone, Swiss Cottage almost equalised with their first telling shot of the match, after a long free kick found a forward’s head, and he must have thought he had scored until the lightening quick reflexes of Craig Lindley took the ball away from goal at full stretch.
As the second half progressed, Swiss Cottage grew in confidence, with their long balls caused problems in the AFC Hull defence. AFC Hull still continued to create the vast majority of chances, but all efforts were saved by Swiss keeper, Scott.
After sixty-five minutes, Louis Kirk and Ian Tuttle combined brilliantly to break through the Swiss Cottage defence, but the shooting opportunity eventually fell to Tuttle's weaker right foot, allowing the 'keeper the chance to save.
Three minutes later it looked as though all Hull’s dominance had been in vain when an in-swinging corner fell to Swiss Cottage's Ben Bassett and he headed the ball into the back of the net from close range
AFC Hull continued to press forward in an attempt to re-establish their lead, but were starting to leave their tiring defence exposed to the Swiss Cottage long ball responses. With nine minutes remaining, Ian Tuttle made his way through the defence only to strike agonizingly wide of goal.
It was beginning to look like a case of two points dropped for AFC Hull, when with four minutes remaining, an Ian Tuttle cross found Tony Tummon with time on the edge of the box and Tummon took a touch before blasting the ball past John Scott to restore the visitors' lead.
Two minutes later, Damon Brookes almost made the game safe for Hull with a powerful near-post shot, but Swiss's man of the match John Scott scrambled to save.
The final drama of the game came in stoppage time when the referee Paul Andrews spotted an infringement a yard outside the AFC Hull penalty area, but the opportunity was wasted after the first Swiss Cottage player dummied the free kick, and the second hit the ball tamely into the Reds' defensive wall.
After their League Cup success last season, the players at Paull Wanderers could not wait for the new season to get under way in Division 1, and with four new signings on display, started the game against promotees Willerby Holiday Homes like a house on fire, passing and moving really well, but as happened so often last season – enjoyed all the play but with no reward!!
Two out of three good first half chances fell to Liam Frazer, a reward for his non-stop running, but he was denied by keeper Dave Leece, though the ball on one occasion rebounded to him and he headed it back goal ward where it produced penalty claims for a handling offence against the Willerby centre back, but these were waved away, and only a corner was awarded.
Paull keeper Liam Smith was little more than a spectator in the first half, and he almost saw his side score just before the break when Danny Wilbor’s volley was well save by keeper Leece.
The second half saw the introduction by Paull of veteran Terry Thompson – for his 18th season – replacing the injured Damian Bullingham, and the half proved to be wide open with both teams having spells with the ball, but with no end product, thereby ending 0-0, with reflections afterwards deciding overall this was a fair result.
Cross Keys Cottingham received an early boot in their game against Anlaby Park, with a brilliant 20 yard screamer from Darren Norton after ten minutes, after which the game settled down.
Anlaby drew level as half time approached through Shaun Cardwell, and took a fortuitous lead in the second half when a cross from Cardwell struck Cottingham’s Rich Murphy on the head and finished up in his own net.
Cottingham lost keeper John Hawkes after banging his head in a one on one situation, and sub Danny Munro became the emergency keeper, but was unable to get near Anlaby’s third and decisive goal, again scored by Cardwell.
Darren Norton brought the scores closer with his second goal for Keys two minutes from time – but knew little about it as the ball struck the back of his head!!
Division 2 newcomers Hull Corinthians played their first game against Kingstown FC at Bude Road, and the start proved a disaster for player/secretary Zak Peart, who was injured after just 15 minutes and, with an initial of diagnosis of injured knee ligaments, faces a lengthy sidelining.
If there was any consolation, then a comfortable win provided it, as Corinthians left winger Ian Smith created first half havoc for Kingstown, helping himself to two of his sides three first half goals.
Deprived of his services in the second half – he had to go to work – Corinthians were nowhere near as potent, and in fact, with a little steadier finishing as they peppered their opponents goal, Kingstown could easily have got right back into the game.
As it was a fourth goal for Corinthians ended Kingstown hopes, and a further goal made it a perfect start for the newcomers.
Pre-season form has suggested that AFC Orchard (formerly The Courts) have improved immensely and are hoping for a successful season, but the first half of their game against Okapi FC was a very even contest with both midfield’s vying for supremacy, and only half chances being created, hence a scoreless 45 minutes.
When the second half got underway, AFC Orchard changed their style of play completely and it paid dividends, and after 55 minutes last season’s leading scorer Chris Jopling battled away to force a mistake in the Okapi defence and opened the scoring with a cool finish.
This success brought Orchard to life and on 69 minutes Jamie Lamplough doubled his sides lead with scored a well worked goal and five minutes later doubled his tally when he rose to head his second of the day.
With Stephen Fowler and Nathan Atkinson dominating in midfield, further goals where bound to come and against a tiring and a little naïve Okapi defence, Lamplough nodded in his third goal, completing the only opening day hat-trick.
With a minute left on the clock Mikey Harrison rose above everyone to score his first ever goal for the club in the league, rounding of a fine team display.
Okapi never gave up chasing and trying to get themselves back into the game and deserve credit for their opening day efforts.
Two new sides faced each other at Sir Henry Cooper School, where community based teams Orchard Park United faced Grassroots Sports for All (BHE) in a contest played in a very good nature, and well controlled by referee Ian Harrison.
Orchard Park took an early lead through Ryan Prescot but Grassroots equalised, and the pattern was set as Orchard regained the lead through Dave Taylor, only for another equaliser to come in, but again Ryan Longhorn restored Orchard’s advantage which remained until the break.
The warm day was taking its toll on the player, and after Grassroots again levelled, the pace lessened and the scores remained tied until late in the proceedings when a late scoring burst saw Grassroots take the lead for the first time before adding two more to put the game beyond Orchard.
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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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