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Sunday 5th September 2010
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Matches played Saturday 3rd April 2010
Pinefleet Wolfreton turn on the style.
A mis-communication meant that the referee for game between Kingburn Athletic Reserves versus Amateur Premier League title challengers Pinefleet Wolfreton only became aware of his fixture at around the time the game was scheduled to start, but he sportingly made himself available and raced to Kingburn’s King George V, Hessle pitch poste haste, and thanks to the forbearance of the teams, the game kicked off in pleasant conditions 25 minutes late.
The early stages were an interesting contest with Pinefleet pulling most of the strings, but Kingburn played with their usual enthusiasm, encouraged by captain/keeper Keith Simmonds, and performed well with each player listening to, and responding to, advice offered by team-mates.
There was, perhaps, an inevitability that Pinefleet’s youthful side would take the lead, and when Dave Towers popped up on the left wing, he demonstrated sublime skills to turn away, and through, two markers and keeper Simmonds had no chance to stop his close range shot.
Kingburn kept up their battling performance, but as half time approached, and the pleasant weather gave way to heavy rain, Mark Clark mis-timed a challenge on Graham Waudby and conceded a penalty which Gareth Monkman converted with confidence.
Kingburn were doubtless hoping to battle back in the second half, but a third goal within a minute of the restart by Waudby scuppered all their plans, and when Towers was bundled over in the box minutes later, a second penalty converted by Monkman signalled the opening of the floodgates.
The restrained early poise of Kingburn disappeared, probably through frustration, and yellow cards became prevalent, and deserved, as the referee undeservedly became public enemy No 1, and as the goals continued to flow – Liam Stafford collecting a hat-trick – Kingburn were reduced to 9 players as Lee Mason and Lee Roundhill collected second yellows.
Callum Harrison ran through to record Pinefleet’s penultimate goal, and Stafford increased his tally to four with the last kick of the game.
Although bruised and battered, and feeling hard done by – they even had a goal disallowed for a (blatant) push on Pinefleet keeper Shaun Drury – Kingburn’s effort could not be faulted, but on the day, Pinefleet were simply the better side.
AFC Hull went into the tricky trip to third placed The Lair FC on the back of three successive league defeats and still without the services of key players, not least influentual top scorer Nathan Nuttall, who is recovering from an operation.
Despite the Reds troubles, they started the game brightly and dominated possession and created opportunities. Usual centre half Cory Lee was in the thick of the action up front. On 23 minutes Lee was put through on goal by midfielder Dave West, but his powerful effort flashed just over the bar, but seven minutes later he finished much better, picking up the ball on the edge of the area, and he used good strength to hold off defenders and drill home a low effort into the bottom corner, in off the far post, beyond keeper Karl Penrose.
The game opened up after this with a lightening break by The Lair leaving their frontman one-on-one with Hull keeper David Leese, who made a fantastic reaction save, tipping over the ball over the bar.
Just one minute before the break, The Lair equalised following a corner falling to an unmarked player just 6 yards out, and although Leese did well to get a hand to it, it was in the back of the net.
A full five minutes into first half added time, a contentious penalty was awarded after AFC Hull defender Liam Fairburn was adjudged to have pushed his opponent in the box. Again, keeper Leese did very well to get down to get a hand to a well-struck penalty, but it was The Lair who went into the break in front.
The second half again saw AFC Hull come out strongly and continue to dominate the game, creating the better chances, with Lee and full back Alex Griffin coming close to grabbing the equaliser with couple of well hit efforts.
After pushing more and more for the equaliser, AFC Hull were dealt a sucker punch on 78 minutes when a quick break and ball over the top of the defence to the feet of The Lair striker Paul French provided another one-on-one chance and this time the keeper was beaten with a low effort.
Hull midfielder Sean McFaul nearly pulled one back in the 85th minutes but his high dipping effort was tipped over the bar by keeper Penrose.
After a week’s inactivity – by request – AFC Preston’s finishing against Cavalier Wanderers looked very rusty, and the home sides poor finishing encouraged Cavalier to gain a foothold in the game and they rocked their opponents by taking the lead with some good forward play.
On Preston’s large pitch, there was a lot of space and the football was there to see, but it required an outstanding free kick from Danny Shakesby, who had been a constant thorn in Cavalier’s side, to bring Preston level.
Preston felt very rarely threatened by Cavalier, but their own lack of finishing was a problem, however Preston went ahead in the second half through the persistence of Shakesby, and a neat finish from Catalin Valenceau.
Preston went to sleep straight after this goal, and allowed Cavalier back in to level the scores. However, Preston do not panic nowadays, and quickly converted their pressure into a match winning goal converted by Rich Howard.
Swiss Cottage went into their game with Quaddy Rangers knowing how important the three points were to them, in the quest for Premier Division safety, but Quaddy started the more lively of the two sides despite having to reshuffle their team and play regular, inspirational keeper Mark Foster at full back, to accommodate the injured Ian Robinson in goal to ensure a full side took the field.
Despite their problems, ten minutes into the game, Quaddy’s Mike Thompson, who was left unmarked in the box, guided a finely placed header past the advancing Swiss keeper John Scott.
This setback provided Swiss with the wake up call they required, and they lifted their game and drew level when a fine through ball found Shaun Scotthorne in the area and made no mistake in scoring from 6 yards.
Both sides pressed to try and get the next goal and chances went begging at both ends of the pitch before Swiss eventually took the lead just before half time when Graham McCloud beat the Quaddy keeper with a great low shot.
Into the second half and Quaddy threw everything at the Swiss defence to try and get the equaliser but found themselves 3-1 down when Shaun Scotthorne beat the Quaddy defence and rounded the keeper to slot the ball home from an acute angle.
Quaddy again came at the Swiss defence and were almost rewarded when a fine volley looked goal bound but a brilliant diving save at the bottom of the post by keeper John Scott kept the ball out.
Swiss again caught out the Quaddy defence with a long ball to Jac Longden, and he made the game safe and secured the valuable points Swiss needed for safety.
While Pinefleet were improving their goal difference, closest challengers Eddie Beedle were continuing their punishing end of season schedule, and two days after overcoming the Lair by 3-1, were back in action against SC Electrical.
After a goalless first half, Beedle were stunned to go behind when SC Electrical opened the scoring, and for fifteen minutes Beedle were ‘looking down the barrel’ but two goals from Matty Carr in the 75th and 80th minutes eased their concerns.
Beedle are under pressure not to drop any points if they are to catch Pinefleet, and so when SC Electrical equalised on 88 minutes, their season looked doomed.
Beedle’s never say die attitude had to come to the fore, and remarkably, a 90th minute winner from Paul Jessop, made him the team hero, and the nail-biting contest rolls on!!
Although Bev Road Rangers were without a game last weekend, results elsewhere conspired to enable them to tighten their claim to the Division 1 title, leaders Willerby Holiday Homes crumbling to a 4-3 home reversal at the hands of Pinefleet Wolfreton Reserves for whom Steve Miller scored twice, and Daniel Towle and Dave Watts were also on the mark, and Goodwin FC were similarly stunned by a 4-1 reversal inflicted by Anlaby Park.
Cross Keys Cottingham, at their temporary Anlaby home, were involved in a very tight game against Paull Wanderers, with only a single goal, scored by Liam Peck, dividing the sides at the break.
The second half saw Paull come racing out of the blocks, and on the hour Terry Thompson, who has been no-where as prolific as in recent seasons, scored to bring the scores level.
Shortly after the equaliser, the defining moment of the game occurred, when Keys keeper Mike Hawkes was given a second yellow card for a petulant kick, and his side should have had their backs to the wall.
In terms of game play, they perhaps had, being pegged back for long spells but it’s goals that count, and against the run of play Keys made the score 2-1 when Wayne Kirk scored direct from a corner, and the margin was increased further through an own goal.
Paull were given a life line when substitute Chris Davidson hammered the ball home following a good move, but with five minutes left Keys settled for a 4-2 margin with Trev Edwards sealing the game with a fine left foot volley from 18 yards.
Queens County took another step towards securing the Division 2 title with a 4-0 win over Okapi, while AFC Malt Shovel, who harbour similar lofty ambitions, but will settle for achieving promotion, looked to be dead and buried against the somewhat unpredictable Kingstown AFC, trailing by a 4-1 margin with 20 minutes of their game remaining.
In a bold move, Shovel withdrew both full backs, and replaced them with two forwards, and went on all out attack, and scored three late goals to earn a point, the equaliser coming from substitute John Jackson with virtually the last kick of the game.
GrassrootsSports (BHE) went to Pickering Park to face the Duke of Wellington knowing a win will see them move at least a place above there current position but the game was very pedestrian with a lot of the play was caught up in the middle of the park, and a scoreless half was little surprise.
Grassroots made a change at half time, Ricky Forsyth replacing Mikey Park and the impact of the formation change was immediate, Jody O'Connor beat the last defender and placing the ball past the Duke keeper John Paddison.
Minutes later, Jody O'Connor became supplier, when his corner found the head of Callum Savage who directed the ball into the net.
Grassroots had assumed control of the game after the two goals and matters worsened for the Duke when Forsyth’s cross was headed into his own net by a Duke player.
Five minutes later, Grassroots were awarded a free kick 30 yards out, and Ricky Forsyth stepped up, took one look, and curled the ball up over the wall and into the top right hand corner of the goal.
With 10 minutes remaining, Ricky Forsyth – super-sub? – sent through a killer pass which set Jody O'Connor free and he belted the ball past the Duke keeper to compete a remarkable second half demolition, which no one could have seen coming!!.
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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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