Pain in the rain for Town as unbeaten run brought to a halt with Eas-e - Match Report: Easington Sports 3 Nuneaton TOwn 0

By Matt Jones

Easington Sports 3-0 Nuneaton Town
(Lawrence 72, Godfrey 87, Yeboah 88)
Attendance: 185

Nuneaton Town headed to Banbury to face Easington Sports on Wednesday night looking to increase the lead at the top of the table. Instead the 19th placed side inflicted a late assault on Town to consign them to a first league defeat of the season.

Kyle Jardine and Callum Carsley were back in the starting line up, whilst the returning Cody Mullan was on the bench. Alex Graham continued in goal for the injured Brandon Bache.

Graham was called into action within 3 minutes as Easington broke down the left, but the effort from Wade was comfortably gathered, whilst at the other end James Harrison tested the opposite keeper with a shot across goal that was tipped wide.

On a bobbly pitch both sides struggled to create chances, a good move on the quarter hour lead to an effort from Swann who sliced it wide.

A couple of big chances fell Nuneaton's way on 26 minutes, as a corner was headed away to Alex Lock who blazed over, and Jardine somehow hit both a close range shot and the rebound at the keeper seconds later.

With 6 to go in the half Charlie Jones glanced a Kai Thomas cross wide, whilst another Thomas cross at the end of the half found James Harrison who volleyed over.

Half time: Easington Sports 0-0 Nuneaton Town

During half time the heavens opened, and would continue throughout the remainder of the game, making the pitch slippery. If anything this suited the home side as Nuneaton weren't able to create as much.

It was the final quarter of the game before it really came to life. Nuneaton injected some pace as Dante Hesson and Stuart Hendrie replaced Jones and Harrison, however it was home side who would take the lead, as Easington broke away with Swann, who fed in Lawrence on the right, he cut inside and curled it into the far corner (0-1).

Now chasing the game with 18 to play, Cody Mullan made his return, on for Alex Lock, and Aaron Brown came on for Eesa Sawyers to create a target for crosses, but they failed to come with regularity. Nuneaton dominated possession but Easington were working hard to keep their lead and looked a threat on the break in the tricky conditions.

One of those breaks with 5 to play saw Humphreys test Graham from the edge of the box but the away keeper got down low to get a strong hand to it, but it mattered little, as 2 minutes later Nuneaton tried to play out from the back once again and were punished, as Loyiso Recci slipped on the wet surface, leaving Godfrey to hit the ball first time past the stranded Graham into an empty net (0-2).

Shell-shocked, Nuneaton kicked off and almost immediately gave the ball away, Yeboah beat the offside trap to go one on one with Graham, and rounded him to slot home into the empty net (0-3).

Graham prevented a 4th as the usually organised Nuneaton side showed cracks, saving from Godfrey in stoppage time, as Sports eased to their first home win of the season, which ended Nuneaton's unbeaten league start after 10 wins and 3 draws. It was also the first time in any game this season Nuneaton didn't score.

A chastening night for Town, and after one win in the last six over 90 minutes, one they hope will invoke a reaction after a strong start to the season. The positive is Nuneaton still remain 4 points clear, and will hope to put things right at Daventry on Saturday.

Full time: Easington Sports 3-0 Nuneaton Town

Team: Graham, Thomas, Recci, McGrath, Carsley, Somel, C Jones (Hesson 66), Lock (Mullan 76), Sawyers (Brown 81), Harrison (Hendrie 66), Jardine

Subs: Hendrie, Hesson, Brown, Mullan, Gillies

Next up: Daventry Town (a), United Counties Premier South, Saturday 25th October 3pm