A little too late

Saturday 14th April

CML North Division

Thoresby Colliery 3 Easington United 2

Such an apt title, not only for the content of this post but the timing of it!  Our first defeat in five came against a side that both Mack and I regard as the best we've played, certainly since Christmas and quite possibly all season.
Details of the game can be found here (along with Burt's full roster of pics).  If I can think of anything witty to write by way of accompaniment, it'll be up here just this side of Euro 2012...possibly.
In the meantime have a listen to the track that's currently got my hips shaking...

Bang, Bang, Effing Bang!

Saturday 7th April

CML North Division

Easington United 4 Bentley Colliery 1

Monday 9th April

CML North Division

Kiveton Park 2 Easington United 2

You'll by now have gathered that I'm struggling to keep on top of this blogging lark.  Indeed, I'd go as far to say as the season can't end soon enough, if only to ensure I don't fall any further behind.

The basic facts from both games (and Burt's photos) can be found here and here.  Suffice to say I'll try to get my take on a productive Bank Holiday weekend up here as soon as I can.  
In the meantime I'll leave you with a view of Nicho's highly technical pre-match team notes from Kiveton (see above) and a very welcome return to our ears for the still lovely Tracy Tracy and co...

 

Another ‘Easter Egg Chase’

Friday 5th April

Super League

Hull FC 36 Hull KR 6

My first taste of seeing the Robins live this season and suffice to say it wasn’t the occasion I’d have hoped for!

Deprived of the Elder Slushette, who’d opted instead to do the annual Welwick Two-Wheelers sponsored bike ride with her mum, I was accompanied to the KC by my youngest daughter.  It was her KC Stadium debut.  Indeed it was her rugby league debut and given how hard I’ve found it to keep her entertained at Easington games, I knew a big bag of Haribo Mix would be needed for this one.

Despite Radio Humberside and the Hull Daily Mail ‘bigging’ up this annual Good Friday meeting (which had been reversed due to Craven Park’s ongoing facelift) tickets had been relatively easy to come by.  Even the appetite of the Rovers support didn’t seem quite as keen this time round.  Of course the North Stand was solid red and white but where we were in the Upper West, although there was a decent showing, it wasn’t packed to the halfway line as has been the case in the past.

A crowd of approaching 19,000 would suggest the Hull fans were equally luke-warm in their approach to the game.  It certainly wasn’t the “hottest ticket in town” that Humberside’s Sports Talk programme would have us all believe. 

In fact, all the hype achieved was to again provide the ammo to the many RL-hating City fans who like to quote the Derby’s failure to sell-out the KC as proof that Hull is a “football city” and not a “rugby town”.  And on days like this it’s hard to argue with them – especially with City pulling in comparable gates to this on a regular basis in the Championship this season.

I’ve no doubt that had the Dullers known their team, inspired by veteran Lee Radford and the outstanding Jordan Turner, were going to systematically dismember their cross-river rivals so clinically (especially after the break) they’d have ensured the ground would have been packed to capacity!

As it was, with about ten minutes to go, the Younger Slushette – having cleaned up her aforementioned sweets in addition to a cereal bar, packet of cheese snacks and a drink – turned and asked, “We can’t win so can we go now Dad?”  As much as I was desperate to say yes, I had to calmly explain to her that whatever the result, Rovers fans do not leave early…unlike our black & white-supporting brethren who have become mass proponents of the “Wigan Walk” in recent times.  I’m not sure she fully understood but I felt better for having given her such an important early lesson.

That said, as soon as the hooter brought our suffering to an end, we were up and out of our seats quicker than Usain Bolt and on the way back to the car.

As a footnote, a couple of hours later, as I sampled the latest cask offering (“Old Speckled Hen”)  from the new management of The Neptune Inn, I realised I’d taken abuse from half-a-dozen Hull FC fans since returning to the well-populated pubs in the village.  Of those six, none had been to the game.  The lunchtime kick-off, Sky showing the game live and the KC’s pricing structure were all to blame for this, apparently. 

Then again, having paid £14 for a 5-year-old to watch her team get mullered first time out, I began to wish I’d used one of these as a way to cop out myself.   

Those of you wishing to actually read about the game itself can do so here.  As for me, somehow a bit of Gene Chandler would seem appropriate… ;-)

Coming up...

Jimmy Jimmy

Saturday 31st March

CML North Division

Easington United 3 Yorkshire Main 1

It’s safe to say that Yorkshire Main are not the most popular side in the Central Midlands League.

I’m not sure whether this is because of envy at their success – the Edlington side completed a clean sweep of all four trophies last season – or because those associated with the club have a reputation for not endearing themselves to their fellow competitors (although, personally, I’ve always found them easy enough to talk to).

Whatever the reason, any success against Main seems to be celebrated widely throughout the competition and we certainly received plenty of positive feedback following this, a repeat of our previous year’s surprise win.

Making the result more pleasurable was (a) that it was almost as unexpected as that aforementioned 1-0 win; (b) it came on the back of some fairly abysmal home form of late and (c) thanks to the early finish of the Stiffs’ County League game on the pitch across the ditch, the best part of it was watched by a bigger crowd than could otherwise have been hoped for.

The disappointment at Saturday’s rather feeble cup exit had been compounded by the small turnout for the following morning’s Sport Relief Mile.  As we assembeld at the start line, I found myself thinking “why bother?”  It was a feeling that came to me several times along the three-mile route (thank God I hadn’t opted to do the longer option).

My sense of relief at the finish was palpable (that’s how out of shape I am) and the recovery process continued through the afternoon, aided by an enjoyable couple of pints of John Bull Original bitter in The Neptune, news of a cracking win for Hull KR over the current league leaders and Matthew Rudd giving my all-time favourite song an airing on that night’s Q The 80s.  I went to be a happy man - but still had the walking gait of John Wayne the following morning!

Man on a mission

Aside from our win at fellow strugglers Thorne Colliery, March hadn’t been a great month for us.  The same could be said of Hull City.  The home defeat by Southampton had been followed by a hard-to-swallow reverse at former boss Nigel Pearson’s Leicester.  And by Tuesday night the Tigers’ play-off hopes had really hit the buffers.  A two goal reverse at struggling Pompey was described as the low point of the season so far.  How different the mood of the 400 or so hardy souls who populated the away end must have been from the number I’d sat among last season.

Remembering Roger

It’s funny how the start of the cricket season can suddenly help you forget your footballing woes.  Not that England’s Test team had been in inspiring form over the winter.  A series defeat at the hands of Pakistan was to be followed by a crushing reverse against Sri Lanka in Galle.  Closer to home, Yorkshire County Cricket Club’s AGM had recently elected Sir Geoffrey as the new club president and in Monday’s Daily Telegraph, he was in typically bullish form about his expectations this coming summer.  This same no-nonsense approach was also evident on Test Match Special where, according to Michael Vaughan, Boycs’ answer to being asked if he’d ever fancied becoming a judge on Miss World was to say that if he ever was he'd tell 'em he's seen better lookers down Barnsley high street!   The great man is coming to Hull next month; I must get myself a ticket.

Chaz provides his own punchline

Thursday brought the first round of the ER County League’s President’s Trophy, the H. E. Dean Cup.  In recent times this has offered our Reserves a welcome respite from fairly miserable league campaigns.  Indeed, it has actually acted as a spur for them to go on and avoid relegation from the Premier Division.

Winners in 2010, the Stiffs had reached the quarter-finals last season.  A draw that threw up an opening round tie at Division 5 strugglers Bilton Athletic raised hopes of another cup run this spring.  Hmm…

I couldn’t make the game so decided to provide a “live” Twitter feed as and when messages came through from the front.  All seemed to be going well as goals from Jimmy D, Stumo and ‘Jocky’ Everitt put us three goals up.  You can imagine my horror then when I received subsequent updates informing me that Bilton had reduced arrears to 2-3 with five minutes to go.  I was thankful I wasn’t there!

Packing 'em in at the Farm

Lifts can come via strange means and the promotion of three thirty-something’s to the squad Mack named to face Yorkshire Main wouldn’t – at first glance - have appeared an obvious one.

But that’s just what it proved to be.  For some reason those who assembled prior to kick-off against Yorkshire Main had, as Nicho put it, the sort of “fire in their bellies” that hadn’t been witnessed for some time.  It was to show as the lads came from a goal down to claim a richly deserved win.

Making things even more pleasing for the management duo was the contribution of one of the aforementioned new faces – thirty-one year old Jimmy Dawson marking his CML debut with a brace as part of a man of the match display.

 

The Equaliser

A full report of the game, along with more photos, can be found here.

Photos courtesy of Burt Graham.

NOTE: Prior to kick-off, along with all other CML fixtures that afternoon, players, management, officials and spectators observed a minute's silence in memory of referee Roger Evans, who'd collapsed and died at the conclusion of a game at South Normanton the previous week.

Striding out...sort of!

Sunday 25th March

The Easington Sport Relief Mile

I'm sure there are worse ways to spend a grey, damp, murky Sunday morning than pounding the streets for a distance of three miles using muscles that haven't performed such duties for years.  But, over a week after the event, I'm still struggling to think of one.  I think the picture tells its own story.

Anyway, here's the official line as sent to the local Press...

Although disappointed by the small turnout, the organisers of the Easington Sport Relief Mile, held last Sunday (25th March) agreed that staging the first such event to be held in the village was worthwhile.

Despite plenty of local publicity via the Press, radio, leafleting of schools and display of posters, the event failed to pull in anywhere near the numbers hoped for. 

Still, this didn’t detract from the enjoyment of those who did get out and participate in aid of a worthy cause.

About thirty runners (and walkers) of varying ages braved a cold, damp, misty morning to complete either a 1 mile or 3 mile course, according to their capabilities. 

The total raised in entry fees and donations was £150, with more money coming in via those who’d also raised personal sponsorship.

It would be nice to name all those who took part and/or helped in other ways (stewarding / supporting etc) but you know who you are and rest assured your efforts are very much appreciated.

Bowing out

Tuesday 20th March

Football LeagueChampionship

Hull City 0 Southampton 2

Saturday 24th March

CML Challenge Cup Quarter Final

Easington United 0 Dronfield Town 4

Well it was good while it lasted. 

As we exited the KC Stadium having seen City come up short against the Championship leaders, many people were already writing off the season: “Should’ve bought a striker”, “should’ve at least brought one in on loan”, “too much pretty passing but nothing going forrad”, “no Plan B”.

Four days later, I was hearing the same tone of discontent as I helped pack things away at Low Farm.  And they were not only from the Tigers contingent among our followers (City having gone down 2-1 at former boss Nigel Pearson’s Leicester) but also from those making reference to a cup exit for the locals that for many appeared to signal the end of our season.

Personally, I couldn’t get too downhearted about the Tigers’ midweek reverse.  Although frustrated by a second half that was effectively killed by a second Saints goal on 59mins, there were still enough glimpses of the sort of football Barmby’s young side are capable of.  And had Robbie Brady not passed up a glorious chance from Josh King’s pass just before the break we may well have seen a different outcome.

It’s the second City defeat I’ve seen this season but, as with the Derby game, it wasn’t one that left me feeling particularly down.  Unlike, it must be said, our weekend defeat by Dronfield.

I blame it on those amber shorts at home...

 Despite the win at Thorne, which arrested our poor recent league run, we all knew a special effort would be required if we were to progress to a first CML cup semi-final.  Dronfield belied the two close games we’d already had with them to look a class apart in terms of form.  Indeed they arrived at Low Farm having lost just once in 15 games.  In addition, the previous weekend had seen them put four past Thoresby in a comprehensive victory watched by a “Bonanza Ground Hop” crowd of 276.  Impressive stuff.

The backlog of home games at County League level meant we had a double-header on at the Farm.  On the pitch across the ditch, the Stiffs entertained Park Athletic in a game they had to win to maintain their lingering hopes of preserving Premier Division status.

The 2pm kick-off meant many of the Farm Faithful could get to see the first half before trailing back across the bridge for the “main feature”. 

Unfortunately, they were to be somewhat disappointed by what they saw.

A rare piece of action in the Dronfield box...it came to nowt

A first half goal for the visitors still left things nicely poised at the break.  Sadly, a second one just five minutes into the second period prompted something of a stroll in the sun for team from north Derbyshire.

Those of a strong constitution can read the full details of our exit here.  Others may want to move swiftly on to the next post!

Doing our bit for Charidee

The Easington Sport Relief Mile

Press release sent to the Holderness Gazette, HU12 Online, BBC Radio Humberside Sport, Seaside Radio and the Easington Parish site...

Easington United AFC are hosting a Sport Relief Mile on Sunday, 25th March at Low Farm.

Entry is either online at www.sportrelief.com or on the day at the ground and participants can choose to complete 1, 3 or 6 miles knowing that all the money raised will help to change the lives of people. 

Costs to enter are £6 adult, £3 child and £15 family (2 adults & 2 children). The gates open at 10.15am with the run starting at 11am.

Pictured here proving that it's open to all ages and ability are club chairman Doug Clubley, secretary Judy Sugden, squad members Sam McLaughlin, Jamie Cousins and Jordan Hart and supporter Emma Lusmore.