The new season got underway with Divisions 3,4 and 5 in action on a warm breezy afternoon. Five new teams were playing their first Veterans League games.
DIVISION THREE
AFC NORTH 8 GREAT DRIFFIELD B 0
AFC North opened their Division Three campaign with a visit to the RWB from the newly formed Great Driffield B side. Unfortunately the visitors they found themselves outplayed by a dominant display by the hosts. Scorers for North were Mark Rooney 3, Gaz Wadworth 3, Lee O`Connor and John Musgrave.
AFC WILLERBY A V HULL ATHLETIC MATCH POSTPONED- TO BE RE-ARRANGED
GILBERDYKE PHOENIX V BRIGG TOWN MATCH POSTPONED- TO BE RE-ARRANGED
MALT SHOVEL SELBY 4 HOWDEN 1
Malt Shovel Selby welcomed neighbours Howden to Denison Road in a local derby. The visitors playing their first game since returning to the Veterans League after a ten year absence went down 4-1. They held out until five minutes before half time when a quick fire double from the hosts saw them lead 2-0 at half time. It became 3-0 from a corner and if not for some fine saves from Ben Astin in the Howden goal it would have been many more. Selby did add a fourth before Carl Woodbridge grabbed a late consolation goal for Howden from the penalty spot in the last minute of the game.
DIVISION FOUR
BRANDESBURTON 1 NORTH FERRIBY SPORTING 5
Brandesburton entertained North Ferriby Sporting at Catwick Lane and it was the visitors who went away with the points. Ferriby went into half time leading 2-0 with both goals coming from Oli Burns, one a penalty, Tarbotton scored twice in the second half and Burns completed his hat trick as Ferriby started the season with a good win.
DRUM 2 BLACKBURN LEISURE B 2
Drum after winning Division Five last season started their season with a home game against Blackburn Leisure B at Costello. Drum opened the scoring after twenty minutes after Jamie Willerton finished off a good team move and just before half time Lance Dales made it 2-0. In their first attack of the second half Blackies reduced the arrears when Dan Ewart netted but they looked like going down 2-1 before Chris Lazenby equalised in the last minute to earn them a hard fought point.
HESSLE RANGERS 3 MARKET WEIGHTON MAGPIES 5
There were goals galore at the new 3g pitch at Haltemprice Sports Centre when Hessle Rangers took on the new Market Weighton Magpies team. It took just four minutes for Andy Walker to put Hessle in front after the visitors failed to deal with a long ball. The game was an end to end affair with both sides creating and missing reasonable chances. The home side doubled their lead when Anthony Liptrot made it 2-0 which was the half time score but the Magpies had plenty of chances.
They halved the deficit inside the first couple of minutes through substitute Liam Allott but within five minutes Hessle had restored their two goal advantage when Walker got his second of the game after the Magpies keeper made a great save. Allott got his second after the Hessle keeper was adjuged to let the ball cross the line for 3-2. Both sides went forward at every opportunity and it came as no surprise when the visitors drew level through Nathan Speckley was first to react to an Allott effort was saved. Hessle responded and created a couple of good chances but it was the visitors who scored again through Speckley but not before Hessle had a goal disallowed for offside and then a great save by the Magpies keeper prevented an equaliser. They finally confirmed the win when captain Ben Pearson got a fifth for the visitors to make the final score 3-5.
MOLESCROFT RANGERS A 1 ST PETERS 4
Molescroft Rangers A opened their Division 4 campaign with a visit from former top division side St Peters at Hull University. The visitors led 1-0 at half time before a change of formation by Molescroft in the second half saw them score four unanswered goals to secure the points after goals from Ben Parker, Paul Bryans and a Ben Wingfield double.
DIVISION FIVE
AAK S+S 6 SPARTANS 0
AAK S+S took on a under strength Spartans outfit at Bishop Burton College and they showed them no mercy with three goals in each half. Ben Harrison, David Dunn and Allan Hider got the first half goals whilst second half substitute Chris Hunt helped himself to a hat trick on his AAK debut.
GIPSYVILLE BOSUN 5 MOLESCROFT RANGERS B 4
On a difficult pitch at Costello Playing Fields Gipsyville Bosun and Molescroft Rangers B produced a nine goal thriller. The long grass probably contributed to some of the defensive errors by both sides. Bosun had the better of the first period and went 3-0 ahead before Molescroft staged a remarkable comeback and in the second half they were leading 4-3 and they a missed a penalty along the way. Bosun responded and scored a fourth to make it 4-4 and it looked like ending all square only for Bosun to grab a late winner from a corner which was going to be headed away before a deflection saw it go into the net. Scorers for Bosun were Danny Hughes, John Laws, Steve Hassan, Perry Skelton and Danny Brigham whilst for Molescroft Marsel Velia scored a treble with Matty Wort with the other.
LEVEN 1 TICKTON 3
Leven returned to the Veterans League stage after eleven years away with a home game against Tickton but it was the visitors who went away with the points after a 3-1 win. John Watson gave Tickton a half time lead and they doubled their advantage in the second half after Dteve Wright hit a shot into the top corner. Leven responded well and halved the deficit halfway through the second period before Ben Pollendine converted a penalty after he had been brought down to seal the points for the visitors.
SWANLAND B 2 GOAT FC 6
Swanland B after winning the Division Six double last season started life in the higher division with a home game against Goat FC who were playing their first ever Veterans League game. Swanland took full advantage of a couple of defensive errors by the visitors to lead 2-0. However the fightback from Goat was pretty impressive as they scored six times without reply to open the season with a great win after Nathan Bristow scored five of them along with a Billy Simpson effort.