FA CUP ~ EASTWOOD CFC 2-5 WORKSOP TOWN

The Red Badgers gave a battling display but exited the FA Cup in front of a bumper crowd

Eastwood................2 (Moore 58' and 83')
Worksop Town........5 (McDonnell 8' and 64', Tomlinson 10', Broadhead 31', Hakeem 77')

Eastwood's ne Gaffer Stephen Kirkham made 2 changes from Saturday's game. Lavelle White and McKenna Parton were both injured and were replaced by Blair Anderson. Captain Jack Andrews also returned. Worksop's Manager Craig Parry made 3 changes from the original tie with Aaron Sennett-Neilson, Atherton and Cromack replacing Turner, Hakeem and Ofoegbu.

The visitors were never going to be as generous as the original fixture and so it proved as the Tigers stormed into Eastwood from the off and were 2 goals up within 10 minutes courtesy of a neat header from Jack Broadhead and a fine goal from Ben Tomlinson. The first may have been avoided and the latter's effort was first denied by a fine save from Mark Rathbone in the home goal only for the rebound to be tucked away.

Eastwood, on the counter attack, sporadically caused skipper Jake Picton, and his defensive partners, some concern but they coped well enough but they had 'keeper Jan Budtz to thank after he saved well from Blair Anderson on a one to one midway through the half.

Nearing the half hour mark Jermain Hollis was called upon to keep the home goal intact with a brilliant block tackle and clearance to deny Tomlinson. The visitors continued to pile forward and Broadhead had another fine effort tipped over before he capitalised on some uncertainty in Eastwood's defence following a Connor Smythe corner, firing home his sides third on 31.

The second half started brightly for Eastwood, none more so with the strong running of Finn Hunter and sheer persistence from Sam Moore beginning to give Picton and company something to ponder. Moore, indeed, had a valid claim for a penalty as he was crudely shoved to the floor by Lewis Gibbens in the box. Mr Eley had other ideas however and waved play on.

The home team became more direct and Worksop were allowing them to come into the last third more often. Moore got his just reward after 58 minutes. A sweeping move down the left involving Hunter and Anderson to venture unopposed into the danger area and Anderson's pinpoint cross was duly swept home by the Halbrooke's leading scorer. A deserved effort for the home teams doggedness and hard work in the second period.

6 minutes later and the fourth for the visitors. After a bout of tit for tat head tennis in the home box the ball wasn't cleared away and Steven McDonnell pounced to volley home. The visitors introduce all 3 substitutes midway through the half and it was one of those, Zayn Nakeem who scored the best goal of the game. Some 12 yards out the former Mansfield Town marksman found the net leaving Rathbone clutching air.

Game set and match to the visitors but not before Moore had the last say. Latching onto a ball driven into the box by Hunter on the right he drove the ball high and wide to the fingertips of Jan Budtz for some merited reward.

A tough night all round for the Red Badgers who will have learnt a lot from their FA Cup experience. They never gave up and the new Gaffer would have pleased by what he witnessed from his young charges in his first game in the dug out. Attention now focuses on the next game this Saturday (28th) against Loughborough Students.

Attendance ~ 372
Referee ~ Richard Eley
Assistants ~ Peter Craggs and John Stevens

Eastwood CFC ~ Mark Rathbone, Callum Jones, Jack Andrews(C) David Boafo, Ben Wallis, Jermain Hollis, Lloyd Patterson (Jay Crumbie 64’) Finnlay Hunter, Luis Parkes, Sam Moore, Blair Anderson.
Unused substitutes ~ Harrison Frearson, Alfie Beeston, Ewan Gibson, Rob Osborne and Jack Messom.

Worksop Town ~ Jan Budtz, Connor Smythe, Deegan Atherton, Jack Broadhead, Jake Picton (C) Lewis Gibbens (Sam Ackroyd 63’) Steven McDonnell (Zayn Hakeem 63’) Aleksandrs Starcenko, Cody Cromack, Ben Tomlinson (James Baxendale 63’) Aaron Sennett-Neilson.
Caution ~ Broadhead (74’ foul)