FORM BOOK FLIPPED

Jarrow 0 Easington Colliery 3 – Ebac Northern League Division Two:

The form book was flipped on its head, with the Colliers deservedly taking the points against a lacklustre Jarrow side.

Since the end of November Easington hadn’t registered a win – with three draws and three losses.  Meanwhile, over the same period, Jarrow had won five and lost two.

It was a game that never really hit top gear but the Colliers looked the stronger and more positive team throughout, especially down the left, with Dennis Tapping looking the player most likely to cause the home team problems.  A defender was able to get in the way of an early shot by the winger.  The ball came back to Tapping who tried unsuccessfully to prod it past keeper Graeme Pickering.

Easington keeper Steven Hubery had to make a last second adjustment to a speculative ball into the box by Jarrow right back Nick Little to tip the ball out for a corner.  Shots were at a premium for the opening 30 minutes, with Jonathon Carr striking the ball across the Jarrow goal, with Pickering stopping it with his outstretched foot.

Tapping set up the opening goal in the 28th minute with a quick, controlled run through the Jarrow midfield before passing the ball out to Carr who struck it home.

For the rest of the half, Jarrow – who had problems keeping hold fo the ball – had to do a lot of defending around the edge of their box, with Easington well in control of the play.  Jarrow had a rare shot on target just before the break – Liam Mulvain hitting the ball across Hubery who was able to punch it away.

Jarrow started the second half in better shape with Mulvain hitting a cross that was too close to Hubery, with Channon North close by and then Myules Hubbard finding himself in a bit of space in the box but the No. 6 could only hit the ball wide left.

Tapping topped off a good day’s work by scoring Easington’s second:  latching on to a pass by Carr before taking it across a defender and planting it past Pickering.

And substitute Jay Roper made it 0-3 in the fourth minute of added time, weaving between a couple of defenders and then threading the ball into the net.  Job done and recent form consigned to the bin.

Mike Snowdon