HEATHER ST JOHNS 1-3 EASTWOOD CFC

Heather St John’s…...1 (Spruce 30’ pen)
Eastwood CFC……......3 (Barrow 57’, Shannon - Lewis 67’, Evans 82’)

Red Badgers return to winning ways in style.

The visitors made three changes from the Long Eaton defeat last Saturday. Suspended duo Agar & Parton didn’t travel and Romello Nangle was unwell. New signing Bartosz Korzeniewski started in the No 7 shirt and Lambert and Evans also returned to the starting eleven. White and Scott made up a bare looking bench.

Eastwood got off to decent start taking the game to their hosts. Tyrell Shannon - Lewis proving a handful down the right early doors combining well will Cal Jones to create the first real opportunity after 6 minutes. Heather grew into the game and their slick passing games shows why they are so highly rated within this Division with John Mills and Dan Hanson spraying the ball around with gay abandon.

All in all a decent game of football with neither side managing to gain the upper hand. However the contest came to life after half an hour.
The first real excursion into the Eastwood box saw Oliver Jarrett have a shot that was well saved by Mark Rathbone but the rebound fell into a crowd of players in which Hanson seemed to control the ball with his hand colliding with Ryan Ebanks in the process. Mr Murray saw differently and adjudged that Hanson had been fouled. Penalty was his call and James Spruce fired home the spot kick despite Rathbone getting a touch.

Not to be outdone, the Red Badgers powered forward in search of a leveller before the break and Shannon-Lewis and Jones again saw half chances cleared away.

1-0 at HT despite the contest being very even. Although the hosts have played better football, the Red Badgers have pressed well and are unlucky to be behind. The change of system seems to be working but we are still lacking that clinical touch in the final third

Away debutant Korzeniewski was forced off at the break with an impact Quad injury to be replaced by Lavell White. The action continued with the Red Badgers having the best of the play and Aiden Jeyes was certainly the busier of the 2 'keepers. Shots from Ellis Evans and Charlie Marzano keeping him on his toes. After Jeyes had kept out a Dean Freeman header the play switched ends and Eastwood scored the deserved equaliser. A ball into the home box was not cleared with any conviction and the ball fell to Jahren Barrow lurking in a central position at the edge of the area. His low crisp shot found its way pass helpless defenders into the far corner with Jeyes beaten. A fine first goal for the club.

No more than Eastwood deserved and 10 minutes later Shannon - Lewis got his reward and volleyed home the go-ahead goal after some fine approach play from Marzano down the right. Tails now up the visitors showed tremendous character in subduing the Heather attack and dug in to consolidate their position eager to bring the 3 points back to NG16.

Barrow was at it again after 72 shooting home from an acute angle but his and his team mates jubilations were thwarted by Mr Law's flag on the far side.

With 8 minutes remaining the goal of the game which sent the travelling supporters into raptures. A long throw from Freeman caused havoc in the home defence once again and Evans picked up the ball on the edge of the box. With a twist of his body and some twinkling feet he danced through the hosts back line evading at least 3 half hearted tackles before finishing with aplomb. Another debut goal for the talented midfielder and a super one at that. The game ended on a bizarre note well into stoppage time ~ visiting 'skipper Freeman, on his way to take one of his trademark throw ins, stopped to adjust his laces and was booked by Mr Murray. Comical end to the game prompting many a smile to the meagre crowd.

The visitors saw the game out comfortably for the win in which they showed composure, grit and determination and a bucket load of character. These attributes usually result in a winning combination and this was the case here.

I spoke to Eastwood skipper Dean Freeman after the game who said:~
"Great game bit slow to start but all they had to show was a penalty and we went in at half time , re-grouped, scored 3 and it could have been a lot more to be honest. They had a lot of the ball without really troubling us in the last third and only really had 1 or 2 shots the whole game.

Last week we got battered 5-0 but the the week before that we were unlucky and this week we needed to put it right and get back to winning ways. The spirit in the dressing room is great. Hopefully in the next 2 home games we can get a maximum 6 points and start the climb towards the top six"

Attendance ~ 53
Referee ~ William Murray
Assistants ~ Phil Law and Dan Heywood

Heather St Johns ~ Aiden Jeyes, Will Mansfield, Aaron Dickens, Yahiya Todd (C) Jacob Croud, John Mills, Daniel Hanson, Cameron Collins, Sam Ellis (Mitch Oakes 54') James Spruce (Jake McLeary 45') Oliver Jarrett (Djeson Olongo 74')
Substitutes not used ~ Sam Kinson and Chris Hayden.

Eastwood CFC ~ Mark Rathbone, Ryan Ebanks, Jahren Barrow, Rashaan Francis, Dean Freeman (C) Callum Jones, Charlie Marzano, Bartosz Korzeniewski (Lavell White 45’) Ellis Evans, Tyrrell Shannon-Lewis, Kole Lambert.
Substitute not used ~ Lewis Scott.
Cautions ~ Ebanks (65' foul) Barrow (63’ foul) Francis (85' foul) Freeman (96' time wasting)