I must come clean and admit to a bit of free-loading today, Dudsey has been kindly invited to today`s game by Steve Peat...Eastwood`s Vice Chairman. Since Peaty rang me I`d been scratching my head all week as to when it was when I last visited Coronation Park and Tbh I`m still stumped as to when it was..?It`s fair to say 'The Badgers', once a Conference North side have had a fair few problems in recent years both on and off the pitch.and have hopefully found a level where they are able to be competitively strong once again, starting their new season in the Evo-Stik Division 1 South.
Despite the events of recent seasons there seems to be an sense of anticipation that there could be a chance of something to celebrate other than a decent run in the Notts Senior Cup for the first time in a few seasons.
Market Drayton enter the new campaign as established regulars, enjoying their fifth season at Step 4 since gaining promotion as the Midland Football Alliance champions in the 2008-9 season; since joining they have predominantly finished in the lower half of the league.Rumours of Pascal Chimbonda putting in an appearance for the visitors were quickly dismissed as Dudsey peers at today`s team-sheet. Ah well...!!
Looking at the team line-ups there seems to be a lot of activity in the summer transfer market with several new faces added to both squads.
With ten minutes to the kick off Dudsey slopes off to the Tea-bar to try one of these local Meat & Potato pie's Peaty has tipped me off about that are lovingly made by a local Butcher, I can honestly say in all my years of sampling football stadia pie's these babies should carry a royal seal of approval...crammed full of Steak and chunks of New Potato... Devine.!! and a must for any travelling fan.
The game get`s off to a decent start with both sides enjoying several good breaks, Dorryl Proffitt and Jannick Makota seem to be leading the advances up front for Market Drayton with some decent supply work by Kayledon Brown and Rob Stevenson and as the game settles down it`s the visitors who seem to be enjoying a good spell of early pressure.
Forced back into their own half for a while, Anthony Newton and Tyrone Burton find themselves in a bit of a busy spell but Newton looks well up for it and is keeping the Market Drayton strikers at bay. The visitors enjoy a fair amount of corners but Alex Malong in goal looks comfortable with the set piece.
'The Badgers' start to pose a threat as Burton and Tristan Whitman enjoy a couple of decent runs in down the right wing and manage to supply Kieran Wells and Ash Robinson with some decent in-balls for Eastwood.
Both Malong and Damien Stevens look comfortable in each sides No1 Shirt and produce a couple of fine saves apiece to keep the game goalless. The first half remained an end-to-end affair and could easily have gone either way but it`s 'The Badgers' who get the break as Whitman finds himself in enough space to slot home from close range with five minutes of the first half remaining.
Market Drayton get the second half rolling and before the teams had time to settle into any sort of rhythm Carl Slater falls awkwardly, immediately the screams of pain from Eastwood`s No 6 left no-one under any doubt that the lad had suffered a bad injury. For fear of causing him any more discomfort than he`s already in, he is covered and consoled by his team-mates and staff whilst the ambulance arrives.
After a thirty minute break the game is resumed....Dudsey get`s to thinking what effect such unfortunate events have upon the players and how it affects the manner in which the remainder of the game is played, anyway the game does continue but Market Drayton seem to be struggling to getting back into the rhythm of the game as they had in the first half, Eastwood once again seize the chance and double their lead through Ashley Robinson around the seventy minute mark.
Looking slightly beleaguered by Eastwood`s second Market Drayton start to look slightly second best despite some valiant efforts by Proffitt and Makota. Any chance of a of resurrection for the visitors were quashed only ten minutes later as Kieran Wells' strike puts the game beyond their reach..3-0 with fifteen minutes left.
Despite a very unfortunate 30 minute pause in the game, both sides played out a good contest and although the result speaks for itself, the difference between the sides wasn`t really three goals. Malong was in fine form for The Badgers, and the stoppage did seem to take the wind out of Market Drayton`s game but on the day Eastwood were just a little more clinical where it mattered.
My Men of the Match - Eastwood - Alex Malong...a fine goalkeeping performance. Market Drayton - Yannick Makota...Classy Forward.
Click Here for Match Pictures
Teams Eastwood - Malong, Burton, Riley, Hurren (c), Newton, Slater, Whitman, Craven, Wells, Robinson, Munn. Subs - Simmons, Gowring, Shaw, Whyman, Garner.
Market Drayton - Stevens, Jones, Ting, McMullen (c), Hall, Campbell, Stevenson, Blake, Brown, Makota, Proffitt. Subs - Westray, McCalla, Fox, Crawford, Hawcroft.
Atttendance - 145
Admission - Complementary
News on Carl Slater is he suffered a dislocated elbow and is at back home.Wishing him a speedy recovery.
Ps, Cheers Peaty Lad..!!
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