by Richard Lusmore
If they didn’t know it before last Saturday, they certainly do now – Easington United’s first team management and players are in the thick of a fight to avoid relegation from the Right Car East Riding County League Premiership Division.
Defeat at home by Hedon Rangers Reserves left the locals just one point clear of their Holderness rivals at the foot of the table and in danger of losing touch with the teams currently grouped immediately above them.
Given there are still more than half the scheduled 24 league games to play, such talk could be dismissed as being somewhat premature. However, to do that would be to also ignore a winless run that now stretches to nine league games (since back-to-back victories at the start of the campaign).
Of the eight defeats in that sequence, five have come from seven home games, meaning that in order to secure the points required to steer clear of danger, a lot of the leg work will have to be done on the road.
The first of eight remaining away games comes on Saturday with the long trip to Holme on Spalding Moor, a venue that has traditionally proved far from happy for any Easington team.
At least manager Craig Smalley should be able to field a full complement this weekend. With the scourge that is the “late withdrawal” afflicting all three teams last Saturday (on top of another glut of absentees, particularly at the top end) there were a few wry smiles among the management earlier this week when the availability poll made for healthy viewing for a change.
At the top end both Cal Burden and Shawn Pizer return from suspension, Matt Adamson is back after injury, while Adam Smith and Dan Warcup are also available after missing the Hedon defeat.
Without a game last weekend and a postponed league cup tie prior to that, Holme Rovers haven’t played since November 16 when they recorded a fine 4-1 away win at Filey Town. They’ve had a mixed bag of results thus far this term, winning six and losing five of their 12 league games, with a 2-2 draw at Low Farm constituting their only shared spoils.
All three Easington men’s teams are on the road this week, with a switch of fixture now sending the reserves to AFC North in Division 1.
Manager Adam Jamieson is without last week’s man of the match Alfie Keyworth but will no doubt welcome the anticipated return of players at first team level.
The hosts recently beat second-placed Northfield and currently sit seven points better off than Easington, albeit having played three games more.
The third team travel to Beverley to play the team just above them in Division 3, AFC Tickton. Manager Danny Cothay will also be hoping to offset the absence of several hitherto regulars with some players from above against a team with whom the EzPats shared the points last month at Patrington.
Low Farm gets to host two games this weekend. On Saturday morning the girls host Howden Storm in a rerun of the U15s League game abandoned earlier in the season.
The Ezzie girls will be looking to bounce back from last week’s narrow 3-2 loss at Hessle Rangers, in which two goals from Harriet had seen them come from two down to 2-2 with just five minutes left. In the end Easington were left to rue a host of missed chances earlier in the game.
On Sunday the Awd Ezzies bring the weekend to a close when they entertain Molescroft Rangers B in Division 6 of the Hull Vets League.
Disappointingly, the club has been forced to reschedule the annual Christmas race night, originally set to take place on Saturday. It will now take place on February 8 in the Marquis of Granby, with all race sponsorship and horse ownership remaining in place for the new date. Thanks to all who have so far supported the event.
Thanks also to last week’s home match sponsor Bruce Ryan Homes. Anybody wishing to join them or support and/or sponsor the club in any other way 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 theclubhq.com/easington-united-afc, along with our Facebook, Instagram and Twitter pages (@EasingtonUtd) or on TikTok at @easingtonunitedafc.
