by Richard Lusmore
After a hectic few weeks, there is just one game occupying the attention of the Easington United Saturday teams this weekend, with the reserves beginning their 2025-26 Right Car East Riding County League campaign.
John Harrison and Mark Waites take the reins for something of a trip into the unknown in their Division 1 opener, which sees them travel to play former Scarborough League side Newlands Park Hotel.
The hosts finished sixth in the newly formed Championship North Division last season, which was home to most of the clubs that came across following the demise of their local competition. They lost 10 of their 18 league games (including three “away walkover” concessions towards the season’s end) but did manage to reach the Scarborough & District Cup Final wherein they were beaten 6-1 by Edgehill.
For Harrison and Waites, assisted by third (playing) member Pete Stallard, the task will be to try and improve on the stiffs’ eighth-place finish in last season’s 12-team Division 1.
At least the locals travel in good heart on Saturday, buoyed by Friday night’s retention of the Andy Martin Memorial trophy for a second successive year.
Another mishmash of a reserve team, comprising players from across the Saturday ranks, battled to a 3-2 win over AFC Skirlaugh, thanks mainly to a brace from man of the match Connor Gallagher, and a superb winning goal from Liam Anderson-Richardson. The fact that both scorers’ names perhaps wouldn’t have even been included in a reserve team squad chat at the start of pre-season is testament to the work they’ve put in.
They’re not alone. Alfie Keyworth was another whose performance on Friday has given Harrison food for thought, along with fellow youngsters Harry Biglin and Harry Beadle.
At the other end of the spectrum, Harrison may also be asked to give game time to some of those players currently struggling to force their way into the first team squad.
The likes of assistant boss Andy Graham, club captain Dan Smith and Charlie Clark all got at least 45 minutes in Friday’s fixture, and first team boss Karl Atkin may push for the inclusion of others whose game time thus far has been limited.
As for Atkin, he will no doubt use the weekend off – which is a result of North Cave’s pitch not being available due to cricket – as a chance to reset, following what has been a difficult start to the Premiership Division campaign.
The manager was visibly disappointed again last weekend, having watched his team toil against bottom club Haltemprice at home. He said, “First and foremost it’s just not acceptable. We’ve had a bad week, one point from six at home… we just haven’t been at it.”
That said, Atkin will have taken some encouragement from the way his team overcame the dismissal of Shawn Pizer to secure a point thanks to Charlie Clark’s stunning equaliser.
The point lifted the locals up two places to 10th, a position that will no doubt have changed by the time they return to league action against Holme Rovers on September 27.
Before then, there’s league cup action in store for United on Saturday week, when they travel to Beverley to face third place Hodgsons.
As for the third team, they will sit out the first two weeks of the season, having been granted them as two of their permitted three blank date requests.
The reason is quite simple: as things currently stand, the third team – or development team as it was rebranded for 2025-26 – has no management and is currently short of available players (although with 60 registered this latter situation should hopefully change).
The departure of several younger players to rejoin their former junior teammates at Withernsea AFC (a decision the club fully understands), along with the loss of a couple of older heads has prompted last season’s management duo Danny Cothay and Connor Gallagher to step down.
Therefore, the club is actively seeking somebody to come in or step up and run the threes, with any potential new playing recruits also welcome.
Elsewhere, the start of the new Hull & District Veterans League season doesn’t involve the Awd Ezzies. Instead, they begin their campaign in three weeks time at home to local rivals Hedon Rangers B.
Last Sunday, the Awd Ezzies hosted Newland Vets in what has become the traditional curtain-raiser to the new campaign.
Again there was a decent crowd at Low Farm to see Chris Frost take Stu Campbell’s pass in his stride before calmly steering the locals into an early lead. It didn’t last, with the Division 3 side eventually showing their extra quality to run out 5-1 winners.
Still, it was another enjoyable occasion; one that capped off a fine weekend of entertainment at the ground.
That same ground will only host one game this weekend, with the EzGirls hosting newcomers East Hull United their opening fixture in the East Riding Girls League U16 Division.
Our thanks go to Rich Clark and D&SL Fuels & Lubricants for their match sponsorship last Friday and Saturday, respectively. If you’d like to similarly support the club, please email [email protected] or message us via any of our social media pages to find out the various ways of doing so.
Thanks also go to Brim Biglin and Russ Edwards for sorting all things pitch-related out in the absence of Tony Pontone and Doug Clubley, and to Richard and staff at the Granby for looking after the teams superbly on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, in what was the busiest of weekends for the club.
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.