Lge (H)
Won 2-1
(H/T 1-0)
Fresh from the season opening win against Oadby Town, Moulton were back in action at Brunting Rd when Easington Sports were the visitors. The Magpies were missing 6 players from last Saturday’s squad and fielded three 17 year olds in the back four. The game started at 100 mph with neither side getting any control although the home side did have the first chance when Evan Dye and Adam Dicks combined but from the cross, Will Russell’s header was saved easily by Jamie Adim in the visitor’s goal. Jude Goodacre went on a mazy run beating three players before being halted unfairly by Endri Stathi earning the first yellow card of the game, and from Lewis Isom’s free kick Nat Ansu headed over. Jonny Vallance in the home goal was down sharply to beat away a header but on 18 minutes Moulton took the lead, Dicks and Ansu exchanged passes out on the right and the young full back strode into space before squaring across the box to RUSSELL who applied the finishing touch from 12 yards. Dicks and Russell combined again but Adim saved the header before Easington had a chance but a shot from the edge of the box was just over. Just before the break both Ansu and Russell had half chances but couldn’t convert and the Magpies just about deserved their half time lead.
HALF TIME MOULTON 1 EASINGTON SPORTS 0
Neither side created any worthwhile chances in the first part of the second half but on 56 minutes Easington drew level, a poor clearance from the home defence was seized upon and after an exchange of passes Thomas Smith found himself free inside the box and his shot beat Vallance and nestled in the far corner. Hugo Neve replaced Matty Long and minutes later the visitors nearly took the lead , Vallance was beaten to a long ball and as it bounced towards goal Dye got back and managed to hook it out for a corner. Midway through the second half the game burst into life, firstly Easington’s Krisztian Pal saw red for a crude challenge on Isom and at the same time Nathan Amaning replaced Ansu. The substitute was soon in the action and he combined with Dicks to set up Russell but again Adim foiled him diving to his left to keep out the shot but with a man advantage the Magpies pressed. They were rewarded with 14 minutes left, when a throw in by the visitors was won by Dan White and after Justin Mensah challenged for the ball it ran loose to AMANING on the left hand side of the box, he turned and hit a fierce shot from a difficult angle and it flashed past Adim into the far corner. Neve took one for the team and earned a yellow before the Magpies had a great shout for a penalty. Neve and Dicks combined to set Russell away on the right and as he bore down on goal he was bundled over by a visiting defender, but the referee gave a free kick right on the edge (video evidence would suggest it was just inside ). The last chance of the game fell to Neve when a corner was half cleared his fierce shot was deflected wide with the keeper flat footed.
FINAL SCORE MOULTON 2 EASINGTON SPORTS 1
TEAM Vallance, Dicks, Jarrold, Dye, Goodacre, Mensah, White, Isom, Long (Neve 59), Ansu (Amaning 69), Russell.
SUBS UN –USED Webb, Anghell, Okoye ATTENDANCE 103

Press box Man of the Match EVAN DYE

Editor - Steve Allibone