Time For Action

I hinted at the back end of last season that the blog may struggle to survive in the form you've become accustomed to.  And such "fears" on my part have been realised this past month or so, with increased commitments at work and play meaning regular updates have been impossible.

So, in a taster of things to come, here's a whistle-stop tour of Slush's Sporting (& Not-so-Sporting) Sorties during September/October...

 

Saturday 22nd September
CML North
Easington United 1 Clay Cross Town 2

Attempts to bounce back from the defeat at Kiveton Park were spiked by a very impressive Clay Cross Town (formerly Parkhouse) at Low Farm.

In what turned out to be Jimmy Neilson's last game for the club (for now?) and Darren Eades' first and last for the club (for now?) two Phil Lowry goals brought the visitors victory.  The margin of the win could have been greater but for a fine goalkeeping display by Charlie in his 100th game for the club.  As it was even he couldn't prevent a fourth defeat in a row.

Match report and pics can be found here.  Colin Brammer's photos can be found here, while the Parkhouse report can be found here. 

Saturday 29th September

ERCL Division 1

Easington United Reserves 3 Hornsea Town 0

One effect of Mrs Slush's new weekend working commitments is my inability to travel to every away game in the CML this season.  Of course, this in turn presents the opportunity to catch more of the County League squads' action at the Farm.

The Reserves have started the season brightly and came into this game unbeaten in their four matches to date.

In fairness, Hornsea provided perhaps the least resistance of any opponents yet and Thommo had the Stiffs ahead after just 14 seconds.  By the break it was 3-0 and the points were assured, manager Gav's sublime finish and Thommo's second completing the scoring.  It could have been more...as this photo of Gav will testify.

A report can be found here, accompanied by plenty of shots from new man with the lens Craig Stephenson.

Tuesday 2nd October

Football League Championship

Hull City 2 Blackpool 3
 

My first trip of the season to the KC Stadium and my first glimpse of Steve Bruce's Tigers.  And, despite the result, it was one that left me very optimistic about the future.

Aside from some glaring individual errors at the back, that contributed directly to all three Blackpool goals, this was a fine City performance.  Going forward the Tigers looked far more potent than when I'd seen them last under Nick Barmby. 

Unfortunately, any sense of positivity taken from the result soon dissipated - first with the usual doom 'n' gloomers on the post-match Radio Humberside phone-in, then thanks to a closed section of the Clive Sullivan Way, which meant gridlock getting away from the ground and an eventual half-past-eleven arrival back in Easington.
The BBC report of the game can be read here. 

Friday 5th October

Geno Washington & Yo Yo Blues 

Payback @ The New Adelphi Club



Had this been a normal blog post, or a review of the type I used to write regularly for Hull, Hell & Happiness and other such 'zines, I'd have no doubt waffled at length about the memories stirred by this first visit to The Adelphi (or "New Adelphi" as it now is) some, ooh, fifteen years or so since my last such trip.  

Still, I was very honoured that after such a gap in attendance, owner Jacko still recognised me.  I was equally pleased that the Adelphi's reputation for selling fine cask ales was also still very deserved...although given that we arrived at 8pm, Geno didn't come on stage until nearly three hours later and that my drinking companion for this period was First Team boss Sumo, well, you can guess the rest.

Tipple of choice this evening was the Hawkshead Lakeland Gold, although I also tried a lovely - and apparently very rare - Great Newsome offering, Frothingam Red and a very unique (to my taste buds anyway) Citra beer from Oakham Ales that smelt like perfume and, if I'm being honest, didn't taste much better (though Jacko swears by it!).

Suffice to say, by time the star of the night arrived on stage, I was well and truly on the way to inebriation.  Still, it didn't prevent me lapping up one of the true stalwarts of the Soul scene in this country.  As Burnsy of local radio fame would later tweet, if you look up "showman" in the dictionary it should say "Geno Washington". Yessirree.
Picture lifted from those very nice people who maintain the New Adelphi Club's Facebook page - I'm sure they won't mind!

Saturday 6th October

CML North

Brodsworth Welfare 3 Easington United 0

Possibly the lowest point of the season to date, defeat at previously winless Brodsworth Welfare was one that left Sumo with a bitter taste in his mouth.  With the marvellous power of hindsight, however, it's perhaps worth pointing out that he hadn't seen anything yet!

Plus points of the day were virtually consigned to the ground - easily the finest played at so far, which perhaps isn't surprising given the level the hosts were at up to a season ago.

As for the lack of real ale in the clubhouse - my excesses the previous night meant this wasn't a problem.

I seem to recall it was a fairly quiet ride home from South Yorkshire...
I feel quite guilty not devoting a full post to my first visit to this famous old club but such is life at the moment.  Perhaps another day.  Still, for those who can bear it, the official report I posted to the club website can be found here.

Saturday 13th October

East Riding CFA Senior Cup R1

Easington United 3 St Andrews 3

(AET; Easington win 2-1 on pens)

A win at last! Admittedly not in the league but given our recent record in the County's prestige cup competition, this victory was not to be sniffed at.  Of course this being us it wasn't straightforward - Saints levelling matters in the final minute of normal time and both teams producing a penalty shoot-out of woeful quality!  Still, we were into round two and it's five years since we could last say that... 
My official report and Burt & Craig's pictures can be found here.

Saturday 20th October

East Riding CFA Senior Country Cup R1

Easington United Reserves 4 Driffield Rangers 6

 The Stiffs did their best to compensate for my having to miss the much-anticipated trip to CML North title faves AFC Mansfield; a battling performance against their Premier Division opponents proving not quite good enough to avenge last season's quarter final defeat by the same opponents.

Still, as the score suggests, this was a game full of end-to-end entertainment and some quality goals, not least Gav's final one for the locals - a shot from the centre-circle immediately after Driffield had gone 6-3 up.
Check out my official club report here, along with Craig's photos.



Tuesday 23rd October

Football League Championship

Middlesbrough 2 Hull City 0



A throwaway idea by a group of lads at work - some hailing from Teesside - culminated in this, my first visit to the Riverside.  And as with most memories of previous City away games against the Boro, at the old Ayresome Park, it won't live long in the memory.

Suffice to say the Tigers were a pale imitation of the team I'd seen, albeit in defeat, against Blackpool a few weeks earlier.

We never really looked like coming away with anything more than a point and once the hosts had taken a second half lead, even that propsect disappeared all too quickly.

The main plus pointd of the trip came with the pre-match meet-up in Dr Brown's, a pub that served decent grub alongside a selection of cask ales.  Northumberland Carnivale and Thwaites Crafty Devil would help numb the pain of the City display to follow.

Oh, and Tom Cairney - sat directly in front of me in the away end - quite liked my Brazil comparison as the Tigers strung umpteen passes together in the first half.  At least I think it was the joke he was laughing at... 
Not that I'll bother reading it again but the BBC report is here.

Saturday 27th October

CML North

Easington United 1 Thoresby Colliery Welfare 0

We said goodbye to Brian Pratt the day the First Team finally brought their eight-match winless run in the CML North to an end. 
Bri - or "Big Wezzie" as he liked to be known - was one of the numerous "Comforts" from the West Riding i.e. someone who'd "come for't week" and never gone back!  During his time in Easington he became a well-respected member of the White Horse pub cricket team, for whom he regularly umpired, and a junior football coach at both the local primary school and the village under-14's team.
Above all he was a staunch supporter of all sport in the village and, despite some personal troubles and health issues in recent times, was always ready to stop and have a chat.  He will be missed.
I'd like to think Big Wezzie would have been smiling from up on high as Wilks stretched to grab this game's only goal.  There's no doubt he'll certainly have had comment to pass on some of the stuff that's gone on those aforementioned eight games!

A report of the game, with pictures, can be found here.

 

Big Wezzie's departure would appear an apt place to close this first "backblog".  November's "highlights" to follow...just not sure when! 

The pain of it all

Saturday 15th September

CML North

Kiveton Park 2 Easington United 0

 

Unable to be in two places at once, I missed my first CML game of the season when the First Team travelled to Hard Lane, Kiveton.  Traditionally (if three previous visits warrants use of such a term) one of our happier hunting grounds, on this occasion it was anything but – as the face of asst-manager Andy G clearly illustrates.

 

A match report of sorts, along with Burt's photographs, can be found here.

Deano's day on the Farm

Saturday 15th September

ERCL Division 1

Easington United Reserves 2 Walkington 2

ERCL Division 4

Easington United Casuals 2 Kings Head Hedon 2

 

This was the day Dean Windass finally made his Low Farm debut.  How he must have longed for this occasion, ever since he was forced to withdraw from an Ex-Tigers game here a couple of years back due to “other commitments”.  Let’s face it, what else is there for you to achieve in football when you’ve scored the winning goal for your hometown club at Wembley, the “Sixty Million Pound Goal” that secures top flight football for the first time in their history?  Why, to play at The Farm Of Dreams of course.  And this he did.  For Walkington.

Yes, Walkington.  Formerly The Barrel Walkington thanks to the sponsorship of a local hostelry, the club from the picturesque village once famous for Ernie Teal and his Hayride now boasts one of Hull City’s favourite sons in its ranks.  And, if rumour is to be believed, Mr Windass will soon be (or already has been) joined therein by a certain Bryan Hughes and Ian Ashbee.  Wow!

The pull this Division 1 club has over such luminaries probably comes down to their manager.  Leigh Palin was one of the first players I can recall interviewing for City fanzine ‘From Hull To Eternity’.  It was conducted in the old Sherlock Holmes pub on Baker Street, which perhaps tells you all you need to know.  Leigh Palin – gifted footballer, amiable chap, ale-cart and a man currently reassembling a midfield good enough to grace the Championship…in Walkington.

Deano’s anticipated appearance had helped swell the Low Farm attendance to 62.  This was almost three times last season’s average for Reserves games and bigger than many CML gates.  It helped give the game a real sense of importance.

Both sides had opened with a win.  The Stiffs had triumphed 3-1 at Hodgsons Reserves despite Gav taking just the bare eleven to Beverley.  Meanwhile, Walkington had begun with an impressive looking 4-1 win over Wawne United Reserves.  It looked a decent game on paper.

One-nil down, two-one up!

And so it proved.  Both sides looked to get the ball down and play, with Deano orchestrating things for the visitors without ever really having to leave the centre-circle.  It must be terrific to be a youngster in the Walkington ranks at the moment.  Coached by one of the few gems of City’s Dolan Era and with another one playing – and encouraging – alongside you, there’s little wonder they appeared a confident bunch.

Still, we had the better early openings and Karl Hodgson passed up one excellent chance before Walkington took a first half lead, which they held to the break.

At half-time I wandered across the Ditch to catch some of the Casuals’ action.  Due to no referee being appointed, this game had kicked off several minutes later than the “main feature” and had almost ten minutes to run to the break.

On arrival, we appeared to be in the ascendancy although I soon learnt we were actually a goal down.  “Their keeper’s made two or three cracking saves”, said new signing Damon Ellis’s granddad – one of this season’s bright young hopes at Third team level…Damon of course, not his granddad!

“He is but ‘e needs to fill out a bit” was the older man’s view when asked if his grandson was enjoying it.  For today’s game he had the physical presence of Shane Keyworth alongside him to help counter a team that could play football but could also resort to other means if required.

I returned to the main pitch during half-time with the Hedon side still ahead.

The second half of the Reserves game began with the locals on the front foot and they deservedly levelled when the player/manager’s free-kick somehow found its way into the Walkington net.

Things got better.  A poor back-header was seized upon by Frosty who proceeded to round the keeper and slot home for 2-1.

Within the next ten minutes the game could have been settled.  Thommo saw one effort saved, Sam Gatti fired wide and Stu saw one cleared off the line.  I think we knew what was coming.

In fairness Walkington had also passed up a couple of decent chances before, with just three minutes left, Mr Windass delivered a corner which wasn’t dealt with and the ball was lashed home for 2-2.

Don't you just hate it when that happens...

Across the ditch, two late Shane Keyworth goals salvaged a point for the Casuals from two down to mirror the Reserves’ result.  I think both Gav and DC would’ve taken that at start of play.

 

A full report and Craig Stephenson's pictures can be found here.

Too Good To Miss…Oh!

No. 2: Chris Frost v Ollerton Town (Saturday 8th September)

 

 

Thanks again go to Burt Graham for capturing a moment to savour for another member of our squad! 

Downed

Saturday 8th September

CML North

Easington United 2 Ollerton Town 3
 

What always looked a tough month when the fixtures were released continued with the visit of Ollerton to the Farm.

The Nottinghamshire side had enjoyed something of a revival under new manager Dave Winter towards the back end of last season and they’d carried this form into the current campaign.

They arrived on the Humber Riviera boasting four wins out of four, albeit this record may well have been punctured had their floodlights not packed up during the home game against AFC Mansfield with the visitors leading 2-0 at the time.

Plenty had been said and written about this incident in its immediate aftermath and some of the accusations levelled by members of the Mansfield club clearly still rankled judging by my pre-match conversations with several of the visiting committee.

 

This was our first game “post-Newton” and The Sumo’s problems were further exacerbated by the continuing absence of Jimmy D and Frosty’s arrival clearly the worse for an extended session the night before.

At this level you always get shown up for such lapses and in addition to some woeful attempts to control the ball first half, Frosty’s comeuppance came midway through the first half.

Having worked hard to cancel out Munson's opener for Ollerton, thanks to Neilo’s header from another delicious Tom Mc set-piece, we looked certain to take the lead when Neilo showed a rare turn of pace to leave the defence trailing in his wake down the left.  Looking up he picked out the arriving Frosty perfectly only for the ball’s recipient to…well, the next blog post “tells” what happened next more accurately than I can!

 

I’ve posted before how hard a side we are to break down when we’ve got our noses in front and who knows how this game may have panned out had we held a 2-1 lead into the interval and beyond.

Instead, it was the visitors who took control with two goals in a five-minute spell midway through the second half.  The first owed plenty to some wonderful skill from Easom; the second to some careless defending on our part.

Had it not been for Charlie we may well have been buried on the back of these two goals.  As it was we rallied and got ourselves back in it when another McLaughlin delivery picked out Eli for 2-3.  Game on…

In the dying moments we were to suffer two major setbacks.  First was the raising of the assistant’s flag that denied Eli the equaliser from another set-piece.  But it was the second that would have the more long-term repercussions – Sam Mc taking an awkward tumble while helping avert a fourth Ollerton goal on the counter and sustaining a broken wrist in the process.  The manager had lost his “talisman”…for up to eight weeks.  Ouch!

An official report of the game, along with a full set of Burt Graham's photographs, can be found here.
Ollerton's own report can be found here. 

 

A fitting finale

Monday 3rd September

Barney Moverley Memorial

Easington United Reserves 6 Roos 2

 

Thankfully, given the controversy of the trip to Harworth, I didn’t have too long to wait for my next football “fix”, with the Stiffs entertaining fellow East Riding County League side Roos in the Barney Moverley Memorial Trophy game.

The “Barney Game” – as it’s commonly called – is an annual fixture played in memory for former Youth Leader, Councillor and well-known local personality Barney Moverley. 
It is now in its seventh year, quite an achievement given the way so many of these “memorial” fixtures seem to disappear off the calendar in a relatively short passage of time.  

It must be said, however, that it was an achievement to get it played this year given that opponents Roos – currently plying their trade in Division 3 - looked to have had the “close season from Hell”.  With just over a week to go to the game (and twelve days before the County League kicked-off) manager Les Sennett was struggling to raise a team.

Thankfully, in time-honoured fashion, he eventually succeeded and for an hour his side continued the fixtures recent trend for competitiveness.

Goals by Danny Uscroft and Matty Dixon pegged us back at 1-1 and 3-2 before the Stiffs netted three times late on to ensure their seventh win in eight years.

 

There was some angle required on the lens for this photo!

 

This was my fourth viewing of Gav’s new-look Reserve string in pre-season and perhaps the most accomplished yet.

Perhaps this wasn't surprising as against Brandesburton in the Holderness Cup Winners Cup the new man had been torn by a need to stay loyal to the South Holderness Cup-winning squad, while the game at home to Patrington had seen several of his players selected to line up for their Sunday side.

With the new league season now just five days away, the Roos result – and overall performance – was just the tonic he and new assistant Dave Gatti needed.

It was also a fine way with which to end another pre-season at the Farm.

A full report of the game can be found here.

A not so funny old game (part 2)

Saturday 1st September
CML North
Harworth Colliery Institute 1 Easington United 1

The men in the middle of it all

 

The Thursday after the Bank Holiday win over Westella, our third in three games thus far.  It’s tea-time and in time-honoured tradition I’m reliving the game through the pages of the Holderness Gazette (even though I write the reports, it’s always reassuring to see them appear in print...as sent).  As soon as this is done, I’ll be strolling down to the Farm to catch the reserves latest friendly.  They’re playing a “Withernsea XI” and any match between teams from our two clubs is usually worth a watch.

The phone rings.  It’s First Team boss ‘Sumo’.  I listen to what he has to say before uttering the only reply that comes into my head: “You’re f______g joking!”

He wasn’t.
By the time I got down to the ground, it quickly became apparent that the subject of the phone call was also the topic of conversation among several people down there.  And my obvious surprise was being mirrored by plenty of others – on both sides of the Easington-Withernsea divide.
Cause of all this debate was 18-year-old Nige Newton, skipper and top scorer of the Seasiders’ first team last season, who had made “the move” down to us in the summer.  For reasons known only unto him – we’ve since had three or four offered our way – the player had decided to return to his former club.  He announced his decision in a tea-time text to his manager.  Hence the phone call I’d received.
The Sumo’s mood was further darkened by news of injuries affecting Jimmy Dawson and the Skipper, ruling both out of Saturday’s trip to leaders Harworth.
A comfortable 7-1 win for the Stiffs brightened the atmosphere a little, as did the Great Newsome Aleympic Gold being served for a pound a pint in The Granby.  I returned home in better form than I’d left.

A touch away

I turned down a place on The Pistol’s Express in favour of accompanying the manager for the trip down to Bircotes two days later.  And despite the loss of three hitherto key players, the Sumo was in positive frame of mind.  His mood on the way back would be in stark contrast.
Scrooby Road looked a much more pleasant venue this time round than it had done on our most recent visit in April.  On that occasion, a local cup final played six days earlier and a week of wet weather in-between had left the pitch looking fairly sorry for itself.  It’s amazing what a touch of September sunshine can do…even if it still wasn’t the greatest underfoot according to most of the lads.
Rob Waite, author of The 66 POW blog, is someone I hold in high regard for his undoubted love of the game at all levels (and the fact he’s a Jambo).  As he has already posted on the aforementioned site, it’s difficult to really write an account of this game without the events of the last five minutes rendering most of it irrelevant.
To summarise, after a bright opening spell we were second-best by some margin up to the break and lucky to come off at nil-nil.  Cue one of The Sumo’s legendary half-time “pep talks”, which this week included the memorable line “You’s all got heads full of mad dog shite”.  Well, it did prompt a better second half display.
We took the lead on 53mins, albeit in somewhat fortuitous fashion – Wilky’s knock-back of a Frosty cross being met by a diving Eli who, he later admitted, headed home via his outstretched arm.  This latter fact was missed by the referee’s assistant and the man in the middle but not by the goalkeeper and several defenders.  The goal was given. 

Getting away with it...

I'm not disputing we got lucky with this.  But where I would take issue with some of the comments I’ve since read is (a) the contact with Eli’s arm can in no way be likened to either Maradona’s “Hand of God” nor Henry’s winner against Ireland and (b) I certainly never saw Eli “gloating” in front of a Harworth Committee member.  And, as has been pointed out several times since, such incidents tend to even themselves out over the course of the season.  Doesn't make it right I know but...anyway.
A goal up, we increasingly took charge of proceedings.  Indeed, one of the most pleasing things about the current squad would appear to be our resilience – especially when we’ve got our noses in front.  As such, I remained quietly confident we’d see the game through.
And we were well on course to with just over five minutes left when Harworth’s Tom Walker was seemingly pole-axed by an attempted clearance from Tom McLaughlin.   I reported what followed on the club website:
 

“As he lay motionless, McLaughlin urged Fitzgerald to find touch.  With the ball launched downfield the referee blew so as to enable Walker to receive attention – which, as it happened, he didn’t require.

Restarting play with a drop ball just inside the Easington half, referee Rees ordered Thurkettle not to contest it and, in fairness, the Harworth management were heard to instruct sub Tom Padgett to “give the ball back”.  But, whether by intent or not, the youngster instead found the net, lobbing the waiting Holden perfectly from 40 yards.
Some of the home party celebrated while the visitors raged.  Everyone looked to the referee who, after consulting his assistant, awarded the goal – wrongly as it later transpired; play should have restarted with a goal kick.
It was now that the visiting management urged their counterparts to allow an unopposed goal to be scored at the other end to make amends for what they saw as a gross injustice.  For whatever reason, the hosts were not inclined to do so and the game ended a few minutes later amid scenes of acrimony.”

At the final whistle some of the players and The Sumo himself took some convincing to retire to the clubhouse for the post-match spread.  Thankfully, all did and Sean joined me in conversation with the aforementioned Mr Waite.
Unfortunately, the manager was in no mood to hang around and so having downed a pint quicker than would otherwise have been preferred (it was only Stones Smoothflow but cheers Rob anyway!) I was in his car heading for the M18 and home.  He wasn’t in the chattiest mood on that particular journey.
On leaving the clubhouse, the Harworth secretary Simon Stones had stopped me to apologise and express his manager’s disappointment at what had gone on.
This was followed in the early hours of Sunday morning (4.22am was the time on the email) by an official letter from Harworth Chairman (& asst-mgr) Jonathon Wilson.  I appreciated this.  It was a small gesture but also I feel a genuine attempt by our opponents to begin building bridges.  Perhaps it came a touch too soon.  Emotions were still raw.
Indeed a month on, some players’ feelings towards the incident have mellowed little.  I suspect the Sumo too still feels very aggrieved; not least in view of the fact that since the Harworth game his team’s form has dipped with successive defeats at the hands of Ollerton and Kiveton.  Rest assured it'll be some time yet before I venture to suggest to him that football’s a funny old game.

A full match report with more of Burt Graham's pictures can be found here.
Rob Waite's account of the game can be found here.
 

Too Good To Miss...Oh!

No.1: Robbie Hunt v Westella Hanson (Monday, 27th August)



 

Thanks to Burt Graham for capturing this (in)glorious moment in the development of young Robbie.

A not so funny old game (part 1)

Monday 27th August

 CML North

Easington United 2 Westella Hanson 0

 

 

On Saturday 19th May 2012, in the final game of the season, Westella & Willerby beat Glapwell 4-1 at Dene Park to clinch the Central Midlands League North Division championship.

It was probably the finest moment in this ambitious club’s long history and should have signalled the start of another new era.  It didn’t.

Instead ‘Ella’ were to suffer a triple-whammy: refusal of their application for promotion to the Northern Counties East League; loss of their manager and assistant-manager; and the subsequent departure of the bulk of the title-winning squad who decided to follow their departed boss to his new club.  Talk about winning coming at a cost.

Thankfully, Westella & Willerby AFC is a club built on sound foundations.  A club that operates 22 teams and boasts the coveted FA Charter Standard Community Club status is better prepared than most to take whatever blows come its way.

The club is also blessed with good people within its ranks.  One of these is Ian Gray, previously Director of Football and now – thanks in no small part to his own willingness to stand up and be counted – “caretaker” First Team manager.

Having agreed to “help out” just prior to a fortnight’s holiday, Ian returned to find a decimated squad and with little time to do anything about it.  Pre-season was, in his own words, “a non-event”.  Having seen eight players depart the squad, all but one for NCEL side Hall Road Rangers, the boss then lost striker Matt Fyvie down the same route on the eve of the season’s opener…at red hot title favourites AFC Mansfield.

The pedigree of players available at Hill Top (despite playing their first team games at Bishop Burton, their HQ remains the former De la Pole Hospital complex in Cottingham) showed itself in a battling performance that could have yielded more than the 3-1 defeat it got.

More signs that all is not lost for the season came the following week when Ella made a mockery of Clay Cross Town’s unblemished start to the season with a fine win at the aforementioned Bishop Burton College.

 



That was on the Saturday of Bank Holiday weekend.  We didn’t play that day due to Wilky Woo’s wedding to the lovely Megan, an event attended by several members of the club’s management and players.

The upside of this inactivity was that the lads came in fresh for the Monday meeting; the downside being that given the wedding day was followed by a holiday Sunday there was even greater scope for getting completely bladdered!

My bank holiday weekend had also included watching the Casuals wind up their pre-season schedule on the Saturday afternoon with a 5-3 win over Amateur League side Waterloo FC.  It was played on a cloudy but warm afternoon.  Meanwhile, not thirty miles away, Bransholme North Point shopping centre was reportedly being evacuated due to torrential rain.

Thankfully, such torrents didn’t affect Mr & Mrs Wilkinson’s big day…unless of course you include the tears of laughter at the best man’s speech?!

Sunday brought with it the annual Bogey Race at the Youth Club.  Ten teams lined up at the start, among them our “Easington 2012 Oldympics” quartet of Chairman, Head Groundsman (Rtd), First Team Manager and me.

Last year our “Grumpy Old Men” team had narrowly missed out on a podium finish (or so we like to think) but had come up trumps in the “Best Dressed Bogey” category.  This time we were hoping to score on both boards…

We finished outside the top three.  On both.  I was on the verge of requesting a Stewards’ Inquiry knowing we’d not only answered all the required questions on the sheet but had also collected en route everything required of us (okay, so we may have topped up the “sea water” with some from a tap but you’re not telling me the judges knew that). 
In addition, despite having considerable weight in our party as well as two members of limited mobility (steady!) we hadn’t done too badly time-wise.  Indeed I can only recall one team actually passing us (eventually evading our best attempts to prevent such a manoeuvre, which were straight out of Ben Hur). 
In short, we wuz robbed.

Built for comfort not speed



I didn’t have as bad a head as anticipated come match day morning.  This despite Sunday’s copious amounts of Tetley Cask and Old Speckled Hen in the village hostelries, followed by a fine pint or three of Timothy Taylor Landlord that accompanied tea at The Crown & Anchor in Kilnsea.  Oh, and a bottled Golden Pippin nightcap on our return home.

If Sunday's weather was almost perfect for such fun-filled activity, Bank Holiday Monday’s came as a blessing for the players.  It was cloudier and cooler but without the strong winds that can so often ruin games at the Farm.

Ahead of kick-off I managed a catch-up with David Bond, one-time Hull City reporter for the Hull Daily Mail and secretary of the Ex-Tigers Association.  He also has close links with today's opponents and was here in the capacity of "Asst-Mgr" - a role that would now appear to be filled on a week-to-week basis by whoever the caretaker boss can drag in!

Despite all that has gone on, one thing you can guarantee from a game against any Westella side is that they will be well-drilled and have a decent amount of footballing ability.  And in spite of the summer exodus, their team sheet still looked pretty useful.

It was perhaps a good thing then that we began like a train and during the first 45 minutes played some of our best football to date.

Our reward came via Fitzy's third goal of the season, a 20-yard effort that keeper Watson might perhaps have done better with (or am I being harsh?).

 

1-0. Well, should he have saved it?

 

If the first half showed off the "fluid" side of Sumo's new system, then the display after the break was full of the traditional backs-to-the wall Easington spirit that has accompanied the club's rise in recent times.

Ella enjoyed plenty of possession and plenty of territory but were unable to really make inroads into a stubborn home rearguard - save for one moment at a corner when Joe Clement cleverly made room for himself but lifted the ball over from six yards out.

As the visitors grew more desperate, we began to sense success on the counter. 

With two minutes to go Robbie should have killed the game but instead produced a miss of the season contender that is going to be hard to beat!

Thankfully it wasn't to matter.  some patient build-up culminated in Willo's excellent ball and Fitzy's fine finish to complete a 2-0 win.

Afterwards I sympathised with Ian's view that a second half equaliser was perhaps something they were deserving of; and that had it come they may well have gone on to win the game.  I didn't add that the consensus among our players was that Ella were easily the best team we've played this season.  Somehow, I get the feeling that sympathy and empty platitudes are not what the reigning champions require right now.  Try telling them "it's a funny old game".

 

2-0. Nowt he could have done about that one!

A full match report (with pictures) can be found here.

Thanks to Burt Graham for the majority of pics used with this piece.  Credit for the Bogey Race shot must go to The Ryvita Man - Voice of the NWRS Supporters Club.
For those wondering, the name Westella Hanson has come about following a sponsorship deal with a well known electrical firm.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it...