Howden AFC v Park Athletic

The MinsterMen opened their 15/16 campaign this past weekend with an away trip to newly promoted Park Athletic FC. The Howden side are aiming to build on a successful year and finish higher than last season's 6th placed finish this time around.
   This time of the season is always difficult, proving the same, with players absent on holiday and not yet fully fit due to the off-season. Record signing Matt Smith was unavailable for the opener, but new signing Craig Holliday did line up in goal and starred with an impressive debut.
  Holt lined the side up in a 352 formation with McMahon captaining the side in the heart of defence. There was also starts for Ben Tunbridge and David McMahon who had impressed in pre-season.
    Park started fast and took the lead early on, punishing Howden for a lapse in their own half. The striker raced through, and slotted home giving Holliday no chance with the one on one scenario. 
  It didn't take long for the MinsterMen to respond. Munday, wound up his stocky frame, throwing in a bullet throw-in to the box. McMahon won the flick to which Webster managed to drive on and cross the ball for John Boardman to tap home at the back post unmarked. 
  The scores didn't remain level too long and on fifteen minutes Howden were trailing again, this time the Park wide man steadied himself 25 yards out and drilled a left footed piledriver right into the top corner of the Howden goal. 
  The pace did slow down and Howden began to decide the tempo of the game. Webster played a deep lying role as Wagstaff and Bell got on the ball more frequently. Howden's most positive threat looked down the right hand side as Tunbridge was having space and freedom.  
  Howden should have perhaps levelled before the break but failed to do so. A goal mouth scramble was clawed away by the Park goalkeeper and Howden couldn't convert one of the numerous corners. Still suspect to the counter attack, Howden carelessly gave the ball away on occasions but the MinsterMen didn't fall further behind. Gorman had a half-chance before the half-time whistle, but after been set free by a limping Tunbridge, the striker fired across goal and wide.
   One change at the interval and Eastwood replaced Tunbridge due to injury, a blister. Holt wanted his team to be better in possession and the game wasn't dead, especially at 2-1. 
  Although Howden started strong again, the next goal came by way of Park in somewhat fortunate circumstances. Hutchinson got caught up in possession by the home winger, who attempted an early cross from distance. However the miss-hit looped in the far corner, over the head of Holliday.  
   Howden still controlled the play but looked downbeat and out of ideas. Gorman found himself dropping deeper and deeper to gain possession. Returning player Ben Rothery entered the action in place of Nathan Munday again for injury as the forward looked to spearhead a revival up front. 
  Doing just that, Rothery latched onto a weak backpass from Park's defender to the goalkeeper and slotted home cooly, all within been on the field five minutes. 
  Still pushing on Howden couldn't conjure up a clear cut opportunity. Trying to push hard for the leveller, the MinsterMen were caught on the counter three times in quick succession. However debutant Holliday in goal raced out off his line and kept the visiting side in with a chance. 
  Bell came close as did Gorman but the chances weren't falling the way of the visitors. Park did grab the game killer five minutes from time as the striker raced through on a counter, this time hitting earlier from distance catching Holliday out. Rolling the ball into the corner for all the points. 
  "We battled and for spells we dominated" said Holt. "The effort was there, but we've not had the depth required today. The team can be proud of their efforts but we just lacked a cutting edge. We have given ourselves a platform to build on for Driffield on Saturday".
  Man of the Match went to goalkeeper Holliday who kept the score respectable for periods through the game.