Points shared in East Durham Derby

Horden Community Welfare and Easington Colliery shared the points in a 2-2 draw in the East Durham Derby on Friday night.

Easington twice led through Tom Hunter’s brace, but Horden twice equalised through Josh Home-Jackson and Liam Wright.

Horden had to play the second half with 10 men after Joe Osborne was sent off for two yellow cards.

With hail before kick-off, and a cold wind mixed rain throughout, it wasn’t the greatest of evenings to watch an East Durham Derby, but a very respectable crowd of 278 still turned out.

Upon kick-off, Horden had the first chance. A corner was whipped into the penalty area and a header was sent towards goal, but Gaz Shaw got the slightest of touches on it to divert it onto the crossbar.

It was a competitive start, but there weren’t too many clear cut chances.

With their first notable chance, Easington took the lead in the 18th minute. Hunter picked up possession on the right before beating his man to cut in. Hunter went for goal from 20 yards, and his low driven effort picked out the far bottom corner.

Eight minutes later, the Green Army almost doubled their lead. Shaun Pickford lifted a ball into the penalty area and the wind took hold of it. It floated towards goal with Horden ‘keeper Craig Foster already committed to coming out. It was going to drop into the net, but a goalline header kept the Marras’ deficit at only one.

In the 32nd minute, Jay Roper took responsibility of a dangerous free-kick for Easington, but his effort hit the wall.

Ten minutes before the break, Horden equalised. A deep ball from the left found a way to Home-Jackson at the back post, and his good first touch gave him an opportunity. Josh dinked the ball over Steven Hubery to pull Horden level against his former side.

With five minutes of the first half to play, Horden were reduced to 10 men. Osborne pushed Roper after being fouled, and the push was enough of a reaction to warrant a second yellow card.

Towards the end of the first half, Easington had a lot of the ball and lifted some dangerous crosses into the penalty area, but Horden dealt with them, and it was level at the break.

Within the opening 15 minutes of the second half, Roper and Hunter both tried their luck for Easington to no avail, while Wright blazed well over for Horden.

Hunter scored his and Easington’s second of the night in the 65th minute. Denny Tapping and Shaw linked up well with the latter whipping a low cross into the penalty area, and Hunter, on his full debut, was there to convert.

However, just six minutes later, Horden once again equalised. A crossfield ball picked out Wright in space, and his good first touch allowed him to charge into the penalty area before finishing well.

Both sides felt they could win it late on, and the most notable chance came when Hunter’s free-kick from the edge of the penalty area was saved by Horden’s Foster, but in the end, the points were shared, and it was probably a fair result.

Full-time: Horden Community Welfare 2-2 Easington Colliery

Next up for me is a game tomorrow.

Horden Community Welfare: Foster, Osborne, Campbell, Hodgson, Simpson, Fowler (Kidson, 88′), Home-Jackson (Rae, 66′), Ellison, Doughty, Dobinson (c), Wright

Unused subs: Bowes, Barnett, Stevens

Easington Colliery: Hubery, Lincoln Barrow, Shaw, Ord (Johnson, 66′), McGuinness (c), Pearson, Hunter, Moan (Pearn, 32′), Roper, Pickford, Tapping

Unused subs: Bowman, Freeman, Eltringham

Admission: £5 adults, £2 concessions

Programme: I don’t get one

Attendance: 278

Referee: Tom Lishman