August 2014 (Part 1)

What price loyalty?

"I don't mind seeing any player depart the club to better himself...But this triggered something of an exodus and I really struggle to see the thinking behind the decision of other players to leave. Throw in rumours of a couple of lads who are "not feeling football" at the moment and I start to despair about not only our fortunes but the future of local football in general."

The above is an extract of my programme notes for the opening league game of the season against Thoresby Colliery Welfare. they were written in a week that had seen it confirmed that Sam Huteson, Lewis Andrew and Jordan Hart were not intending on committing to the club for the new season. They followed Paul Morrill, Danny Blount (both Hall Road Rangers), Charlie Dixon (Beverley Town via Selby Town) and James Robinson out of the club. Thankfully Jordy would reconsider a few weeks later but his return would be offset by the loss of Stef Radley. With Tom McLaughlin injured and Jamie Cousins absent, it meant only six members of the South Holderness Cup Final squad from three months earlier would be in the squad that began the following season. Making this all the more unacceptable to me was that we'd based our decision to stay in the CML largely on the pledges those same lads had made to remain at the club. Ah well...

Saturday 2nd August

Pre-Season Friendly

Easington United 0 Sculcoates Amateurs 5

Due to a well-earned, pre-planned weekend break, AG wasn't at Low Farm to watch his side's final warm-up game. It was probably as well. This was embarrassing. A young Sculcoates side showed how a team should perform after several weeks' training and playing together. We on the other hand looked a rabble, which perhaps wasn't surprising given the fact that (a) attendances at training at had been p!ss-poor therefore fitness levels were way below expectation; (b) the squad again included a number of new or guest faces; and (c) any pre-season optimism among the regulars had already been tested to the full by news of the summer departures. It promised to be a long, hard season.

Thursday, 7th August

UEFA Europa League 

Third Qualifying Round, Second Leg

Hull City 2 FK AS Trencin 1

(Agg: 2-1)

What would turn out to be a fine weekend on the sporting front began in exciting fashion courtesy of City's first ever home competitive European tie. Helped by a superb ticket price (£10/£5 concessions, which included a free match programme) and glorious weather, a 21,000 crowd (the capacity affected by extra segregation required for unreserved seating games) provided a superb atmosphere.

However, within minutes of the start it was the 100 or so Slovakian supporters making all the noise after they'd taken a shock lead. I wasn't worried at that point. Even less so when Elmo headed City level. But as the second half wore on and it started to dawn on many that the away goal was now looking good to end City's first foray into Europe ridiculously early, that awful feeling in the pit of the stomach began to be experienced. Then up stepped Sone and all was right with the world again.

Aside from the result, the biggest plus of the night was the atmosphere, which has undoubtedly been helped by the movement of City fans to the North Stand. The singing joust between this new vocal area and their former partners in the East Stand was excellent, while even elements of the Upper West (where Brim and I sat) got caught up in the "Come On City" chants that reverberated round the stadium in an increasingly tense second half.

Reaching new heights? #CityinEurope

As mentioned in July's blog, hopes of seeing either part of City's first tie in the Europa League had been threatened by a pre-planned family trip to the Corrie studios and Liverpool (a birthday treat for the Younger Slushette).

Thus I'd begun the day of the home leg on a coach that took us from the Ramada hotel in Haydock to Liverpool where the delights of Albert Dock awaited. My pre-match preparation began outside The Pumphouse with a lovely pint of Liverpool Organic Brewery Best Bitter (though not quite as impressive as the previous night's Moorhouse's Blond Witch), while the night ended with me dreaming of drinking several more continental beers al fresco in far-off places over the coming months...

Picture courtesy of the BBC whose report can be found here.   

Friday, 8th August

Barney Moverley Memorial Trophy

Easington United Reserves 1 Roos AFC 1

(Easington won 3-2 on pens)

This was perhaps the first sign that once again I had failed to take into account this club's willingness to thrive in adversity. Despite Roos manager (Gazette sports editor) Les Sennett's attempts to pin this result on the the inclusion of "first teamers", it was instead a cracking performance by a predominantly inexperienced Stiffs side against opponents who would appear to be signing everyone and anyone locally (including one of our departing dirty dozen ;-) ).

True the likes of AG, Smalls and Wilks (via the bench) all figured but this was because none could play in the league opener and therefore they had to plug gaps left by those called up to take their place the following day. And anyway, Graham in centre-mid and Smalley as a flying winger? It was hardly playing "ringers"!

In the event the Stiffs showed excellent resolve to withstand an early onslaught from Roos before cancelling out Tony Everett's opener via Tom Emerson's close-range finish.

After a second 45 minutes had brought no further goals, the tie went to penalties wherein Stiffs keeper Pagey proved the star. Smalls stroked home the decisive fifth kick to ensure the trophy remained at the Farm.

Saturday 9th August

CML North

Easington United 2 Thoresby Colliery Welfare 0

Lee Tryner, manager of highly-fancied visitors Thoresby, later described this as the "kick up the backside" his players required. He was right - they've gone on to win all their subsequent games!

But for us, this opening day win was almost immeasurable in terms of its effect on morale. As reported by groundhopper 'Cod of the North' on the Tony Kempster forum, one of our players was even heard to mention "We're going to get hammered" as the sides lined up for the 'Respect' handshake. And it's very true that on seeing the list of names selected for this opener, several lads had expressed doubts about an ability to compete. But once again, they didn't allow for that East End ability to defy the odds.

And so after a gritty rearguard action for much of the game, two goals in four second half minutes eventually proved crucial and gave everyone the lift required to take into a difficult first month's fixture list.

Along with the previous evening, this win had to be seen in the wider context of another bloody awful summer.

Oh, and I want it placing on record that I stood by my pre-match prediction: Thoresby will finish this season in the top two.

A detailed match report and pics can be found here. There are also pics on the club's Facebook page. The Thoresby account of events can be found here. 

Wednesday 13th August

CML North 

Easington United 0 Westella VIP 6

The one thing you don't need to do when playing a free-scoring side like title favourites Westella is concede within the first two minutes. Then concede again within the first ten. A third before the break meant this game was as good as done with over 45 minutes still to play. What annoyed Andy even more was that five of the six goals originated from our mistakes. You could say Saturday's opening day lift had been consigned to memory in double-quick time.

For a full match report read here. Pics can also be viewed on the club's Facebook page. Westella's account can be found here.

Saturday 16th August

CML North

Glapwell 3 Easington United 0

Glapwell is one of the tidiest grounds in the Central Midlands League North Division. It's also one where - apart from an opening day win back in 2012 - we haven't done particularly well. And this was to be the case again as another side stretched by absences managed just two shots on target in a gruelling ninety minutes. We didn't help ourselves by again conceding early and it has to be said the effort was there for all to see. But effort will only get you so far in this league.

Our report can be found here, the Facebook pictures here and Glapwell's own report here.

So, one win and two defeats as the Bank Holiday weekend approached. We had two scheduled games, Saturday and Monday. Perhaps crucially, both were at home. However, of more concern was the fact that we were again set to be without a host of players...

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.

H.A.P.P.Y.

Tuesday 6th September
Barney Moverley Memorial Trophy
Easington United Reserves 2 Roos AFC 1

According to a survey published at the beginning of the week, Yorkshire is "the happiest place in the United Kingdom".  Apparently almost six in ten people living in the Broad Acres are happy with their lot, compared to a national average of 50 per cent.
Hmm, those questioned are obviously not big fans of Yorkshire County Cricket Club then!
The Tykes went into their final Championship game of the season with only the slimmest mathematical chance of avoiding relegation to Division 2.  And this only a year after coming into the corresponding fixture with genuine hopes of the title.  Where did it all go wrong? 
None of us discussing the matter at a blustery Low Farm on Tuesday evening had the answer.  But we knew something - had the people at Mintel asked this particular bunch of Yorkshiremen whether we felt "happy" to be inhabitants of God's County at this precise moment they may have struggled to find one never mind six.  There's not many times it feels a burden to be associated with the White Rose but September 2011 is certainly one of them.

It would certainly appear more advantageous to be associated with the new White Shirts of Easington at the moment!  Having been used to good effect by the First Team to earn results against Welbeck and Kinsley, the same uniform would accompany Stiffs' boss Danny Medforth's claim of a first piece of silverware.

The Stumo heads us ahead

Okay, so the annual Barney Moverley Memorial trophy fixture against a side from two divisions below in the league is by no means the Champions League of East Riding or even Holderness football.  But it's a start.  And against this particular Roos side, it was bloody hard-earned.
Now in its seventh year, this pre-season fixture was set up in memory of the former Youth Leader, local politician and all-round larger-than-life figure whose connections with both villages remain strong.

Perhaps not surprisingly given the gap in status, the trophy has previously come our way on five of the six meetings.  However, aside from once, the game has been keenly contested and this was to be the case again on this occasion.   Indeed, Roos could count themselves very unfortunate to be going home empty-handed.

Given that it was his last chance to cast an eye over players beofre the season starts at the weekend, it was perhaps not surprising that Meddy opted to use EIGHTEEN players.  Not only did this involve a near farcical use of substitute options, particularly second half when it became increasingly hard to see who was on and who wasn't, but it also put considerable strain on our kit resources (which was quite embarrassing given my recent criticism of Hall Road Rangers on such matters!).

That'll be one all then

As it was I only arrived some ten minutes before the break but still in time to find a far from happy Reserve team boss chuntering about how poor his side had been.  Having taken an early lead from a Stumo header, not only had the Stiffs gifted their opponents an equaliser ("Stef tried doing a Cruyff turn in his own penalty area" allowing Sam Huteson to set up Matty Dixon for 1-1) but the visitors had then enjoyed much the better of things up to the break.  "Woody's kept us in it" said a clearly unhappy Meddy.  This was going to be the first half-time bollocking he'd yet had to deliver.
The second half proved more even, with Roos finding it as difficult to play with the wind behind them as we had done.  Chances came at either end, with Woody's feats at one end being matched by those of Danny Collinson (Roos keeper and skipper of Patrington CC, newly-crowned East Yorkshire Cricket Alliance Premier Division champions for the second successive season) at the other.

The right Price

With barely two minutes left, young Radley - perpertrator of that costly first half mistake - created the opening from which Josh Price marked his "debut" with the winner.  The trophy was ours; the plaudits were theirs.
Both teams retired to the Granby where England put us through the mill again, limping to victory over Wales just days after suggesting renewed hope via their win in Sofia.  Another set of white shirts earning a rather fortuitous result perhaps?

The first of many?

As for Manager Medforth, he was far better humour than had been the case at half-time.  And despite news of impending absentees for the weekend's opening league game which, coupled with First Team withdrawals and the obvious knock-on effect, were about to bring home the harsh realities of second team management, for the moment he was another of those six in every ten happy Yorkshiremen.

Thanks to Colin Brammer for the pictures