The second half of August turned out to be as miserable as the first, with poor results on the field - and I don't just mean watching Easington! Ironically, though, the most despondent I felt about any scoreline was one of the few successes - City's 2-1 win over Lokeren. And that's because Jordan Remacle's strike for the visitors just after half-time proved enough to send them through.
Saturday, 23rd August
CML North Division
Easington United 0 Clay Cross Town 2
The start of the Bank Holiday weekend and the start of a busy few days of live action. Clay Cross arrived after an indifferent start and with members of their management saying they were in for a bottom half finish this term. Such comments would appear to be slightly off-mark given their recent run!
As for us, this was a battling display and one we all felt deserved more than another home defeat. My official view on it can be read here.
The brief Clay Cross match report is here.
All pictures (which are also available on our Facebook page) are courtesy of Burt Graham, as are all the Eastenders action shots this month.
Monday, 25th August
CML North Division
Easington United 0 Appleby Frodingham 4
If Saturday's performance had offered encouragement, this was like a kick in the knads! This was easiest the poorest display I'd seen so far this season. And the weather was kack. And I got a bollocking in the pub for lack of players going back. Happy bloody Bank Holiday. Not. Read about it here. View the pics here.
Tuesday, 26th August
Pre-Season Friendly
Easington United Reserves 3 AFC Preston 2
Ah, an oasis of optimism amid a sea of despondency! Not that I got to savour it - the Stiffs being already three goals to the good by the time I got there. Gav's header (pictured) and a couple of excellent strikes from t'other 'Kettle, Mark, put the Reserves in command against their First Division opponents. The ex-Amateur League side fought back well after the break - aided by a constant shake-up of resources by Clarkey - and Daniel Collier was one of two scorers for the visitors...looking a stone or two bigger than he did before he left us for the ERCFA Defaulters List :-)
You can see if you think I'm right by viewing the pictures here.
Wednesday, 27th August
Pre-Season Friendly
Sporting Withernsea Wolves U18s 2 Olympic SSC 1
The long-term future of our club could well be dependent on the progress of our official Club-Link partners Sporting Withernsea Wolves. Therefore the launch of an Under-18's side to complement their U16 and U14 teams should - hopefully - be to our benefit. And on this evidence, there are some handy young players about. Goals by Jordan Medcalf (pictured) and Korben Harman clinched a first day win over their open-age opponents.
Thursday, 28th August
UEFA Europa League Play-Off Round, Second Leg
Hull City 2 KSC Lokeren 1
(Agg: 2-2; Lokeren win on away goals)
Two tweets I posted in the immediate aftermath of this gut-wrenching result probably sum up my feelings best. The first read: "Home. Bitterly disappointed and angry that it's een as some sort of blessing. It's not. It's a missed opportunity. #TypicalCity #hcafc". It received 413 views, 8 retweets and 6 favourites. I think I'd made a good point!
I added a second tweet before going to bed: "On purely selfish grounds I'm also gutted that I won't now get the chance to sing #CaravanofLove on a Europe-bound ferry full of #hcafc fans!"
And in the morning I posted this on Facebook:
"Well, it doesn't feel any better this morning but I refuse to blame Bruce for last night. True I'd like to have seen a "stronger" starting XI but even with the team he fielded City should have done better. But we simply weren't good enough. I don't think I'll ever see Aluko have as poor a 90 mins as he did last night; he wasn't the only one. But what really winds me up is people saying we should concentrate on the Premier League. Sums up all that's what wrong with English football - the money of the PL. I grew up watching Sportsnight showing the likes of Leeds & Liverpool involved in big European games. The atmosphere & excitement was tremendous.We could have had a proper taste of that - certainly the aperitif we did experience was promising. Still, if people would rather visit Stoke, Leicester and Burnley than go to the likes of Milan, Brugge, Eindhoven, Monchengladbach etc then they've got their wish - I know which I'd have preferred having the chance to do."
I think I made my point. City going out of Europe had really p____d me off!
An official account of the night's events can be read here if you can bear to do so. I can't. Still.
Friday, 29th August
Super League
Hull FC 28 Hull KR 0
I must have really upset the "big man up top" given this latest setback. As if City's European exit and our current travails at First Team level weren't already seriously testing my faith in sport, Rovers then decided to put on perhaps the most gutless derby performance I have ever witnessed. From the highlight of a nice pint of Leeds Bewery Pale in Pearsons things went downhill quickly. Persistent drizzle ensured we were soaked by the time we'd walked from Prinny Ave to the dry environs of the Upper West at the KC. The walk back, after watching THAT, was even worse. Still, we and most of the Rovers contingent stayed to the end; yes, a small percentage emulated the "Wigan Walk" but compared to the black and white exoduses I've seen at previous derby games, the Rovers fans' loyalty was to be applauded. The only consolation was that a good side would have put 60-70pts on us!
So, no Play-offs for either Hull side this season. About sums things up nicely. Dullers can read about it again here. Picture courtesy of the Hull Daily Mail.
Saturday, 30th August
CML North Division
Welbeck Welfare 2 Easington United 1
Buying a new car in Evans Halshaw meant I avoided seeing the most predictable result of the season - a second successive loss at perennial basement club Welbeck. I think I'd known all along that the day would end in disappointment - whether I made the effort to go or not. And, following the City and Rovers results, well, don't they say things come in three's? Even the prospect of finally getting to see the completed new development at Elkesley Road (pictured) wasn't enough to sway me.
As it was, I caught the result via Facebook in the car showroom, just prior to heading off for a lovely tea at the Home Farm. It was the climax of a "family day" I'd promised Mrs Slush at the end of a sporting week/month.
I think I made the right choice.
A report of sorts can be read here.
So, August 2014 - a month to forget. Roll on September...I think!
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