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Sunday 5th September 2010
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Matches played Saturday 20th March 2010
Spring weather - you must be joking - but most games struggle through!!
With Spring just one day away, and after a pleasant, warm week leading up to the staging of Amateur League Senior Cup semi finals, an enjoyable afternoon at Springhead Lane seemed inevitable, even allowing for the intermittent Saturday morning showers……and the same conditions awaited teams going about their league fixtures around the city.
Come 2.00pm, and the games got underway, and in the cups, Eddie Beedle, who were facing SC Electrical, soon made their mark scoring twice early on, whilst on the adjacent pitch, runaway league leaders Pinefleet Wolfreton were starting to dominate against Sutton Fields Rangers, but a glaring first minute miss set the pattern for their game, and the game remained scoreless……. while the weather turned with a vengeance, and torrential rain became the norm – city wide – and players, referees, and pitches, struggled to cope with the deluge.
Despite the thoroughly unpleasant conditions, the cup ties continued, and whilst the pitches were taking a battering, the scoreline for Eddie Beedle encouraged their desire to continue, and a third goal before the interval seemed to have decided the outcome.
SC are not a side to capitulate easily, however, and were boosted by a response from John Riley, but this proved to be no more than a false dawn, and two further late goals gave the tie a one sided slant which did nothing to reflect the efforts of SC Electrical.
The second half of Sutton and Pinefleet, after a scoreless first 45 – including a Pinefleet penalty miss - was delayed when one linesman had to withdraw suffering from hypothermia, and the second half continued eventually but with referee coverage only.
The first attack by Sutton Fields produced a penalty kick, but with the penalty spot fast disappearing under a puddle, the taking of the penalty was far from straight forward, and Pinefleet keeper Dean Brown guessed and dived the right way to save.
Having struggled through the worst of the weather, and with the pitch cutting up, but remaining playable, the game continued, a little frenetic at times, and it took the calmness of Pinefleet’s Dave Fee to take his time and strike a sweet shot from some 22 yards into the bottom of the net, beyond the despairing dive of keeper Steve Smith, midway through the half.
Pinefleet had no intention of relinquishing their lead, and made the game safe when Gary Marsden shot into the net after the ball came across to him from the right wing.
With the final planned for 1st May at Dene Park, more pleasant conditions – for both playing and watching - must surely await everyone!!
All other matches – league matches - got underway, but unfortunately four failed to run their distance – which inevitably leaves some players frustrated, and others relieved, but any matches which are abandoned due to causes over which neither club has control, have, by FA Rule, to be replayed in their entirety.
AFC Hull arrived for their visit to Premier Division basement club Cavalier Wanderers, amid heavy rain which had made the pitch at Oak Road extremely heavy, with standing water in places, but which the referee ruled playable.
These conditions proved to be a great leveller and hampered AFC Hull who found their normal passing game impossible. To add to AFC Hull's woes, several key players were unavailable, including top scorer Nathan Nuttall who is likely to be out for the season after an operation.
The game started badly for AFC Hull with a first minute defensive slip in the wet conditions allowing Cavalier to take the lead, but the visitors rallied and got back onto terms when left back Damon Brooks linked well with Liam Lewis, who grabbed the equaliser on 11 minutes, breaking from halfway before cutting in near the corner of the box to send in a low drive which beat the keeper.
Both sides then carved out good chances, and AFC Hull debutant right back Liam Harrison showed his commitment (or foolhardiness!!) when he very bravely blocking a powerful effort on the line with his groin!
Nathan Nicol was a constant thorn in the Wanderers defence's side, making some great breaks after excellent kicks from keeper Dave Leese
Cavalier who took the lead just before the interval, with a quick break via a long ball, which caused confusion in the makeshift AFC Hull defence, allowing Wanderers to force the ball home from 8 yards out.
The heavy rain continued after the break, making the conditions extremely heavy, and resulting in very little quality football being played, but Cavalier seemed to cope better in the terrible conditions, adding to their lead in the 76th and 90th minutes.
Quaddy Rangers were again without keeper Mark Foster due to his working away, and also went into their game with Kingburn Athletic Reserves with players missing through injury, and the problematical situation was compounded by Mike Newdick pulling out five minutes before kick off.
Rich Wilcox stepped into the breach in goal, and what a good job he did, though the early part of the game went against Quaddy when an error by Jamie Marshall allowed Lee Mason to open the scoring for Kingburn.
Quaddy were confident of levelling matters when awarded a penalty, but with normal taker Newdick not on the pitch, Mike Thompson stepped and promptly shot wide!
Quaddy were now desperate to get back on terms and did so when Lance Palmer, in his first start for his side, hit a thunderous shot to put game back at level pegging.
A second penalty award later in the game gave Quaddy the ideal opportunity to return to winning ways, but it was a bad penalty day for the Thompson family, as Danny took over responsibilities, but though his shot was well struck, the ball hit the cross bar, and bounced down, and was ruled not to have crossed the line by the referee – an unpopular decision among half the players!!
A further disallowed ‘goal’ from Dave Dean brought more frustration for Quaddy, the decision hinging on an offside player blocking the keeper’s view.
Anlaby Park got a dream start in Division 1 against Paull Wanderers, when Steve Embley was able to take advantage of a bad defensive mix up in the third minute by Paull’s Chris Davidson and Mark Rigione.
This set back for Paull was an unexpected blow and things got worse when they were forced to make a substitution after only 15 minutes when Martin Shepherd had to leave the field with a pulled hamstring, being replaced by Danny Wilbor.
The rain was making the pitch very heavy and the referee was considering abandoning the game, but allowed the action to continue, and Paull pegged Anlaby back.
James Sexton and Terry Thompson each had a good chance before Paull did bring the scores level, Chris Davidson running down the right wing and beating his man, before crossing the ball which drifted into the top corner of the net.
Paull had more chances before the break, but Thompson failed again, and a good Danny Wilbor shot hit the bar and came out.
Paull were the more dominant team but Anlaby were still well in the game and did have chances as the half unfolded, but, like Paull, could not finish, or came up short against a good keeper in Paull’s Liam Smith.
In the second half, mercifully, the rain did stop for a while and the game was no longer at risk of been called off, and Anlaby had 3 or 4 good chances but again, Liam Smith was not going to be beaten and continued to pull off good saves.
More chances were missed by Paull, and the game concluded at 1-1, leaving, Paull wondering what could have been this season if they had a 20+ goal scorer in their ranks, but at least they have now played three games without loss in their best run of the season.
There was no doubt Goodwin would have been relieved that the weather intervened against West Hull United, as the division’s pacesetters were trailing by 3-0 after 33 minutes, when a halt was called.
With last week’s cup success still uppermost in the minds of AFC Orchard, it was possible that the follow up might be a less than perfect performance, but this promising group are far from the whipping boys who came into the league two season’s ago, as teams have often found out this time round.
The follow up game brought Queens County to Dane Park in what was sure to be an exciting game, but the conditions let the occasion down, with the weather turning severe and rain beating down and a very strong wind, the game got under way with both teams keen to clinch a victory that could have a big say on who takes the league title in Division 2 as both sides look to be in good positions to lay claim on the prize – and the game showed why, with both teams playing excellent football despite the bad conditions.
Try as they may, neither side could not gain a foothold in the first half, as move after move was cancelled out by some good defensive work by the opposition.
Just after half time, the weather seemed to be easing, and the game stepped up another level as both knew victory could prove vital.
Both sides were pushing harder for the opening goal, and gaps were starting to appear and the Queens County side took advantage to engineer a one on one with keeper Paul Creasey, but the keeper who came out on top. However, five minutes later keeper Creasey was left with no chance as Queen’s Shaun Rispin made up for the earlier miss.
The Orchard team pushed hard for the equaliser and with Dave Harrison going close on several occasions, it looked like a matter of when, rather than if, they would score but with the team pushing forward for the goal, cracks started to appear at the back, and had it not been for the woodwork, Orchard could quite easily have conceded further goals.
Despite enjoying a lions share of possession, Orchard were unable to make the breakthrough, leaving Queen’s to celebrate a hard fought victory.
Hull Corinthians have title designs themselves as have opponents AFC Malt Shovel, and there would have been a mixture of relief and frustration – depending which camp you were in - when the game was abandoned at 3-1 to Malt Shovel in the 75th minute.
Orchard Park United’s game against Banks Harbour went ahead in torrential rain, and Orchard went into a quick lead through Ryan Prescott.
With no let up from the rain, Banks got the goal back causing Orchard’s players started to lose heart as the incessant rain belted down, and Banks sensed the opposion’s lowering enthusiasm and took advantage to race into a 4-1 lead, but just before half time, Prescott reduced the deficit to two goals.
Players ran to the cover of the changing rooms in the break, and discussions went on as to whether the game should continue.
The referee and captains agreed to allow fifteen minutes more to see if conditions improved, but as the teams returned to the pitch, two Orchard players refused to emerge, claiming hypothermia, and Orchard resumed with only nine men, and to worsen the situation, the Orchard keeper Mathew Welham had to be replaced between the sticks, due to injury, by Craig Chappie.
With their backs against the wall, Orchard set about the second half soaked and demoralised, but wanting to play on….and if matters could get worse, they did, at least momentarily.
Banks had a player brought down in the area and the referee pointed to the spot, but Chappie in goal brought off a superb one handed save, lifting spirits in the Orchard side, who were still full of fight and went upfield and scored – Prescott completing his hat-trick.
With the score at 4-3, the rain fell faster, puddles were forming on the pitch, and the referee allowed another five minute, during which time Banks Harbour scored again.
On the hour the referee decided enough was enough and his whistle brought a stampede towards the changing rooms!! And after all the suffering, it all has to be done 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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