Football: Wearside League

Last updated 15:56, Wednesday, 16 April 2008

AN understrength Windscale side suffered a heavy defeat at Easington.

Windscale started well enough and Shepherd almost latched on to a massive clearance by James Dolan but, after 10 minutes, Chris Wallace’s cross from the right somehow ended up in the opposite corner of the net for Easington’s opener.

The visitors’ Ron Looney then provided a pinpoint corner for Andrew McDonald, but the ball flew agonisingly over the bar.

A mad 15 minutes then saw Dolan pick the ball out of the Windscale net a further three times with strikes from Huntley, Tarn and Hodgson as the home side went four up by the half hour mark.

Windscale then rallied and pulled one back after some forceful wing play by McDonald saw his cross flicked on by Shepherd for the waiting Craig Conway to pounce with a close range header.

Jack Wallace then saw a powerful shot blocked as Easington were put on the back foot and only some last ditch tackling prevented the visitors from further reducing the deficit before the break.

The second period saw the home side emerge with a sense of purpose and they went on to virtually dominate the half but some resolute defending kept them at bay until late on when a speculative shot from Wallace took a wicked bounce in front of Dolan and flew over the diving keeper.

Dolan, who made several smart blocks in the second half, then parried another shot in the dying minutes only for the ball to fall at the feet of Hodgson who tapped in the final goal of the game.

Windscale travel to Coxhoe Athletic next Saturday (2.30 kick-off), followed by Annfield Plain at home on Monday night (7.30pm kick-off).