Wednesday
4th January 2017
MID-WINTER
FRIENDLY
Eastwood
CFC 6-2 Awsworth Villa (H-T 5-0)
Admission: £0.00
Attendance:
H/C 25 pitchside + many more watching from the clubhouse
This may not have been a league or cup match, but it
was a decent enough game and there wasn’t a lot else on offer. It also saw me chalk up my 150th game of the season. The game was played between
teams plying their trades at the same level (step 7), albeit in different leagues.
At the time of writing, both teams are having a good
time in their respective leagues. Eastwood lie second in the CMFL South
division, with Awsworth in a comfortable second place in the NSL Premier
division.
The game was played on Eastwood’s 3G pitch and was
never in doubt, despite the below zero temperature.
Jack Smith opened the scoring for the home team
after just nine minutes had been played, his shot cum cross from the right wing
flying across the goal and nestling in the far corner. I’m sure Jack will say
he meant it as a shot, but only he will know for sure!
Eastwood pressed forward at every opportunity, and a
slick passing move on 13 minutes lead to their second goal, Rory Smith latching
onto the ball before turning and driving the ball home from 12 yards out.
It was 3-0 after 28, this time Jack Smith firing in
from the edge of the box after he was given too much space to manoeuvre. Chay
Betteridge added the Eastwood fourth on the half hour, drilling the ball across
the Awsworth keeper and into the far corner. Danny Tring headed home from a
free-kick seven minutes later to make it 5-0 at the break.
A different Awsworth team came out for the second
period – not different in personnel, but in attitude. They were totally outplayed in
the first half, but began the second firing on all six, as they say! They took
the game to their hosts and were rewarded within 6 minutes of the restart when
Matt Goodwin ran powerfully through the Eastwood midfield and hammered a shot
home from all of 30 yards.
Villa further reduced their arrears on 66, when
Asher Phythian nodded home from close range. Eastwood were now on the back
foot, but as the half progressed they gradually began to resume control.
The final goal action of the game came with 10 to
play, Jack Smith completing his hat-trick after dribbling through the Awsworth
back line and firing home from the corner of the six-yard box.
F-T 6-2
This game was arranged to give players from both
teams a little match action before their league seasons recommence – Villa on
Saturday at Real Utd, Eastwood on Wednesday at home to Hucknall Town.
Eastwood’s last league game was on the 17th December when they thumped
Blidworth Welfare 6-2. That’s a long break, and based on their overall
performance in this game, the Red Badgers look like they are raring to go!