by Richard Lusmore
Easington United take a break from the Right Car East Riding County League on Saturday when they entertain fellow Premiership Division side North Ferriby Development in the first round of the East Riding County FA Senior Country Cup.
Manager Craig Smalley may well welcome the distraction of cup football having seen his team slip to a fourth successive league defeat last Saturday.
The Eastenders let slip a half-time lead to go down 4-2 at Great Driffield Rovers, with assistant manager Mark Richardson pulling no punches afterwards. Describing the result as “hugely disappointing”, he said “that’s the type of game and opponent we really should be taking three points from if we’re wanting to progress as a team in this league.”
He added: “We got in good areas plenty of times but lacked the confidence, quality, composure and/ or desire to make it count. We were then hit again by basic errors and individual brainfarts at the back. Truth be told, not one of their goals yesterday did they have to work for.”
Yet again there was some mitigation to be found in the absences, injuries and late withdrawals that left Smalley and Richardson with a 13-man squad and thankful for the postponement of the reserves. That said, Richardson was quick to stress that “not one person who came into the squad the past two weeks has let themselves or the club down with their effort”. Instead, he bemoaned the lack of options overall as a telling factor in the current poor run of form.
September certainly won’t live long in the memory.
If you include the home reverse at the hands of Goole on the last day of August, United have shipped 21 goals in four straight defeats, that’s 30 overall in the seven games played. It’s the joint-second highest figure among the 14 Premiership teams, although their tally of 23 goals for (sixth highest in the division) goes some way to offsetting it!
As such, October brings a chance to draw a line under the past month and hopefully regain the form that brought a three-match unbeaten start to the season.
Availability looks slightly better this weekend, with Matty Carrick, Charlie Clark, Andy Graham and David Nolan all set to return. There is also a hope that Ciaran Collins might return from injury although Jensen Wilson remains sidelined and Dan Shearer is also a doubt following the shoulder injury he sustained at Driffield.
Ferriby sit two places and a point behind their hosts, while the game brings an intriguing family affair into play, with local youngster Tom Graham set to line up opposite his dad and aiming to put one over the club for which the vice-chairman is also his grandad!
The Eastenders Reserves’ stop-start start to the season continued last week with the late postponement of their league cup tie at home to East Side.
Hopefully, no such scenario will occur this Saturday when Adam Jamieson’s side go to Cottingham to face East Riding Rangers Reserves in Division 1.
The hosts themselves have played only two league games this term. They opened up with a 0-5 home defeat at the hands of Goole side South Park Rangers before drawing 2-2 at Hessle Rangers Juniors.
There’s a local derby in store at Patrington. There the Eastenders thirds host newly formed Withernsea United in Division 3.
The locals came from two down to earn a point at home to Wareham Forest last weekend, while Withernsea gained their first win of the campaign when edging out another Holderness side, Hedon Rangers Academy by the odd goal in three.
The Awd Ezzies are not in action this weekend. Last Sunday they completed a second successive comeback win when rallying from 1-3 down to beat Hedon Rangers B 4-3 and move to the top of Hull Vets League Division 6.
After a weekend off, the newly formed Easington United Girls team are back in action. They go to Kingswood United hoping to make it three out of three in the East Riding Girls Under-15 Division.
Finally, our best wishes go to Reserves skipper Ross Derbyshire on his impending travels. See you again on your return!
Anybody wishing to support the club this season by way of sponsorship – always appreciated – can do so by emailing [email protected] or messaging us on any of our social media pages.
For up-to-date news, check out our club website at easington-united.co.uk, along with our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages (@EasingtonUtd) or on TikTok at @easingtonunitedafc.
