PINCHBECK UTD 1-2 EASTWOOD CFC
Red Badgers win on the road...
Pinchbeck Utd......1 (Kacirek 79')
Eastwood CFC......2 (Wrenn 41', Czerwak 67')
Eastwood down the Knights.
The Red Badgers chalked up their first win since November in an uninspiring contest but what mattered was the end result and a welcome three points. Lavell White returned in place of the injured Jahren Barrow and Ellis Chambers made his debut at left back. Stovell was joined on the bench by Hunter, Morgan, Kiza and 16 year old goalkeeper Robert Osbourne who made his first squad appearance. Wallis and Scott were missing for work commitments and both Wright and Bejeer out (Covid) and Jones (injured) and Slater were also all unavailable.
Ben Stokes and Ben Henderson were first to test the mettle of Alex Smith in the Knights goal but he was equal to their efforts. Home forward Kyle Joseph Onyon tested Mark Rathbone early doors but, for the first 20 minutes or so, it was a dire affair with no fluidity and neither team seemed able to get a foothold din the match. Both keepers were virtual spectators but on the half hour Smith was called upon to prevent Louis Czerak from opening the scoring when he turned a stinging effort round his post.
Four minutes from the break and the deadlock was broken. A Ben Stokes free kick out on the left was kept alive in the box by Nathan Kelly who flicked the ball goalwards. No intervention from the defenders and Kyle Wrenn squeezed the ball past Smith. No more than the visitors deserved who just about shaded the game on chances created.
Pinchbeck began the second period well and Andre Williams and Valentino Viera began to ask questions of the Eastwood defence, none more so when the latter providing a good chance for Kyle Onyon who blazed well over. At the other end Smith made fine stops from Kelly and Henderson and was the busier of the 2 keepers. Rathbone, when called upon, was up to his task as always.
Midway through the half and the lead was doubled. A Stokes corner on the left was returned inadvertently by Ben Robson. This time his cross was more accurate as he found Czerwak lurking at he far post. In an almost carbon copy of his goal last week the fleet footed winger cut inside and unleashed a shot high and wide past Smith.
A fine reward to be fair for the way the visitors conducted themselves in the overall scheme of things.
The Knights only threatened spasmodically with a flurry of corners which ultimately came to nothing. They gained some consolation however after 79 minutes. Rathbone made a tremendous triple save to prevent his goal being breached but, following a scramble in the six yard box substitute Patrick Kacirek toe-poked the ball home at the far post.
Sensing they may get something from the game Pinchbeck drove forward and were unlucky when a fierce shot from Harry Peasgood came back into play off Rathbone's crossbar. They had a further chance just before the end when Kacirek was caught fractionally offside as he bore down on goal but the visitors held on to gain all three points in a gutsy and well organised performance.
The Gaffers were obviously delighted with the win and deservedly so.
Eastwood Man of Match
Kyle Wrenn
Consistent throughout
Att ~ 34
Referee ~Chris Walters
Assistants ~ Craig Forbes and Ben Ball
Pinchbeck Utd ~ Alex Smith, Jack Fixter, Archie Moyses (Patrick Kacirek 45'), Neal Spafford, Ben Robson, Kyle Joseph Onyon (Will Hollingsworth 67') Andre Williams, Harry Peasgood, Daniel Worthington (C) Avelino Viera, Marcel Chipamaunga (Zane Miller 23')
Eastwood CFC ~ Mark Rathbone, Lavell White (Finn Hunter 86') Kyle Wrenn, Jacob Sturgess (C) Louis Anthony, Ellis Chambers, Ben Henderson Joe Harrison, Jahren Barrow, (Finlay Hunter 51') Ben Stokes (Luke Slater 62') Kyle Stovell, Louis Czerwak.
Substitutes not used ~ George Morgan, Bita Kiza, Rob Osborne (GK) and Kyle Stovell.
Cautions~ Sturgess (44' foul) Wrenn (83' foul)
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