EASTWOOD CFC 2-0 GEDLING MINERS WELFARE

Eastwood CFC……....…..2 (Moore 27’, Curtis 74’)
Gedling Miners Welfare...0

Goal in each half secures first league win for the Red Badgers

Eastwood got back to winning ways in a highly competitive game in blustery conditions at the Halbrooke Stadium. The opening few encounters were cagey as both sides tried to gain some kind of momentum and some positive foothold in the contest.

Six minutes gone and a quick throw from visiting Abdou Cole midway inside the Eastwood found his striker Ruben Wiggins-Thomas. Venturing into the area his tempting cross was turned behind for a corner. Greg Tempest’s delivery from the corner was inviting and caused a moment’s hesitation in the Eastwood defence but they were able to clear it from the six yard box with Cole just about to pounce. Minutes later Wiggins-Thomas headed straight into Mark Rathbone’s grateful arms and then Cole had a shot well blocked following an inviting ball from Josh Thornton.

Gedling’s top scorer for the past 2 seasons Courtney Hastings showed good strength to hold off the attentions of two Eastwood defenders to get a shot away. Rathbone was equal to the task and held the ball with some aplomb. The home custodian was tested again soon after as Cole let fly from 25 yards.

The home side responded well and grew into the game with both Kieran Knight and Gaz Curtis prominent. Experienced defenders Felix Hogg and his partner Steven Brett had to be at their sharpest to keep out decent efforts from the home front three. Joe Harrison then tested Keaton Sharpe who pulled off a fine save.

The 27th minute bought the reward. Sam Moore broke into the right-hand side of the penalty area to collect a super ball from Sam Meakin. Striker Moore needed a quick touch to dispatch a super finish into the top left corner that left Sharpe in the Gedling goal clutching air. Eastwood’s tails were now well and truly up and two minutes later Skipper Jared Holmes broke with pace down the right and cut the ball back only to see an effort from Moore graze the crossbar.

Visiting full back Dwayne Brown then ventured swiftly down the right wing and drove forward before whipping a wicked cross into the box. The wind carried the ball which looped over Rathbone’s head and hit the crossbar. Hastings couldn’t benefit from the rebound and his shot was wide of the target.

The Red Badgers took control and began to once again create a quick succession of good quality chances. Hollis fired over from a promising position before Harrison hit a venomous shot straight at Sharpe. A decent Eastwood chance arrived shortly before the break. A low cross found Curtis unmarked in the six-yard box but as he tried to convert his effort to double his sides lead, the custodian made a stupendous save with his feet at point blank range. Some shrewd pundits rate this young Goalkeeper highly in this League and he was living up to these expectations with a superb display of keeping.

Gedling, determined to get something from the game, came out and instantly took the fight to Eastwood. Tempest’s sublime pass picked out Wiggins-Thomas on the left side of the box and his inviting shot went right across the face of the goal and narrowly wide. With less than five minutes of the half played, Gedling conjured another good chance Brett headed a dangerous delivery over the bar.

As the hour mark approached Eastwood asserted pressure and grew more into the game, beginning to make their presence and fitness tell and another free kick from Harrison was smartly saved by Sharpe who then did brilliantly to readjust and keep out the rebound which seemed destined for the back of the net.

Sharpe’s heroics began to give Gedling belief and they should have levelled on 66 minutes. Thornton floated a superb cross to the back post and there, unmarked, was Wiggins-Thomas, who headed beyond Rathbone, but crucially just wide of the post.

With 16 minutes remaining, Eastwood added a second to put the result beyond doubt. A cute free kick from set play specialist Harrison out on the left picked out Curtis, lurking in the six yard box. He gratefully slotted the ball into the corner of the net to ease the anxiety of the home fans and ensure the first three points of the season.

A mature, dogged and workmanlike rather than a spectacular one from the home side who grew in stature as the game wore on to collect their first win of the campaign. A special mention to the back line who dealt with everything that Gedling threw at them with a “they shall not pass “ mentality.

First Goalscorer Sam Moore had this to say post-match:
"Happy with the result and with my own performance, it's always nice to score goals. We had to respond after last week in our first home game of the season. We dug in well and worked hard to limit their chances. Our back line were brilliant and we defended well from the front as well"

Midfielder Joe Harrison offered his own insight:
"Very good game to be honest. We've regrouped and put on a better team performance and grafted more off the ball, the shape was much better and more compact and they couldn't break us down. I think I’ve played well the past couple of weeks, my job is to create for the forwards and keep things ticking over. On a personal point of view I need to improve more off the ball. Our defenders Ross, Meakin and Leaks played when they could but also got rid and cleared their defensive lines looking for Gaz and Knighty over the top. Gedling are a very good side but I felt that they didn't hurt us and after 60 minutes the fitness showed. We were workmanlike but that's what we need to do to get points on the board. We also need to take points away from home and if you don't graft teams are going to take points of us."

ATTENDANCE ~ 176
REFEREE ~ Will Murray
ASSISTANTS ~ Lee Harrison and Brett Hovey

EASTWOOD CFC ~ Mark Rathbone, David Boafo, Ross Parker,
David Leak, Sam Meakin, Joe Harrison, Sam Moore, Jermain Hollis,
Jared Holmes (C) (Jack Upton 79’) Gareth Curtis (Ash Way 86’), Kieran Knight, (Callum McGarry 83’)
SUBS NOT USED ~ Ben Wallis and Blair Anderson,
CAUTIONS ~ Curtis (38’ simulation) Leak (68’ foul) Holmes (69’ foul)

GEDLING MW ~ Keaton Sharpe, Dwayne Brown, Steven Brett,
Ross McGaughey, Kieran Harrison, Felix Hogg, Josh Thornton (C) Greg Tempest, Abdou Cole (Kyme Mason 76’) Courtney Hastings, Ruban Wiggins-Thomas.
SUBS NOT USED ~ Josh Van Etten, Jacob Tebraham and Tony Law.
CAUTIONS ~ Hastings (69’ foul) Hogg (76’ foul)