EASTWOOD CFC 1-5 SLEAFORD TOWN

Eastwood CFC.......1 (Doran OG 1')
Sleaford Town........5 (Smith 7', 18', Fenton 9' pen, Rushen 15', Asplin 63')

New look Red Badgers beaten by a 12 minute blitz.

The new Managerial duo made 7 changes from the Heather St Johns victory 2 weeks ago. Only Koreniewski, Rathbone, Shannon-Lewis and Barrow kept their places. In came Anthony, Folley, Sturgess, Hunter, Smithson, Parton and Henderson. GK Scott, Slater, Messom, Gregory and Eastwood made up the bench

The home side got off to the best possible start within 55 seconds.. In their first attack speedy winger Ben Henderson forced the Sleaford defence into conceding a left wing corner. From the resultant set piece visiting 'keeper Gary Doran punched the ball clear and the ball spun off the wet surface and rebounded backwards beyond his despairing reach for the opening goal.

Sleaford replied after just 7 minutes. George Asplin released Ryan Rushen who fed a square ball to Joe Smithy who calmly finished. Worse was to come 2 minutes later as Mr Donaghy adjudge that Harry Millard had been fouled in a far post scramble. Jacob Fenton made no mistake from the spot. Town had their tails up now and pushed forward with power and purpose. After a Charlie Ward header had rebounded off a post Rushen was first to react with a stooping header for 1-3.

The home defensive line looked shell shocked and after 18 the lead was increased, Smith sliding in at the far post for his double.

The rest of the half saw Eastwood hanging on but becoming more involved in the play prompted by the impressive McKenna Parton, busy as ever in midfield. Henderson also looked lively and ensuring Tyler Wright and Tom Ward were kept on their toes. Jahren Barrow was a tad unlucky on the half hour to see his drive just clear the crossbar after being put in by Henderson. The Greens continued on their counter-attacking play but were unable to add to their goal tally through bad luck and fine 'keeping by Mark Rathbone.

1-4 at the interval and a half time cuppa for some respite. Apart from that 12 minutes of sheer madness at the start of the contest the Red Badgers were still in the contest and the homesters upped their play in the second period and more than matched their opponents possession and work rate wise.

Tyrell Shannon-Lewis began to get some joy out of the Greens defence and Eastwood were now taking the game to their opponents. The fine work, however, was undone after 63 minutes when George Asplin outran his markers from some way out and continued into the box and plant the ball wide of Rathbone. A fine debut goal for Asplin.

The game was over now as a contest but the scoreline was kept down by the young Eastwood team.

A lesson painfully learnt. After the recent uncertainty at team Manager level and a mass player exodus the 14 players, some meeting their team mates for the first time, performed creditably and the aim now must be to consolidate and move onwards and upwards to produce a few positive results.

Attendance ~ 76
Referee ~ Karl Donaghy
Assistants ~ Gary Lord and Robin Bourne

Eastwood CFC ~ Mark Rathbone, Will Folley, Jahren Barrow, Luis Anthony, Jacob Sturgess (C) Bartosz Korzeniewski (Jack Messom 55') McKenna Parton (Brad Gregory 65') Luke Smithson, Finlay Hunter, Tyrrell Shannon-Lewis, Ben Henderson (Luke Slater 55')
Substitutes not used ~ Lewis Scott and Harrison Eastwood.
Caution~ Barrow (52’ foul)

Melton Town FC ~ Garry Doran, Mitchell Griffiths,
Jacob Fenton, Ryan Rushen, Jai Wedgwood, Tyler Wright, Joe Braithwaite (Jai Wedgwood 82’) Charlie Ward, Tom Ward, Joseph Smith, George Asplin, Ryan Rushen, Ben Fenton, Harry Millard.
Substitutes not used ~ Kyle Watkins, Max Ward, Benjamin Fidling,
Caution ~ Rushen (55’ foul)