Pickering Town enjoy double delight over Easter (From Gazette & Herald)

Pickering Town enjoy double delight over Easter

10:40am Wednesday 11th April 2012 in Sport

TWO games, six points – a very happy Easter for Pickering Town.

The Pikes enjoyed a great weekend, beating FA Vase semi-finalists Staveley MW 1-0 on Saturday before seeing off Long Eaton United 2-0 at the Recreation Ground on Easter Monday to extend their winning run to four matches.

At Staveley, Pickering missed a couple of good chances in the first half with Steve Baxter hitting the crossbar and Simon Sturdy heading over.

After the break, Baxter shot wide from 15 yards, Carl Stewart had a free-kick which the home ’keeper did well to tip round for a corner, while the home side’s best chance fell to Dave Cockerill, who couldn’t hit the target from 16 yards.

The only goal of the game arrived after 73 minutes when a left-wing cross by Baxter found Russell Parker, who scored a fine goal.

Span class="bold">Pickering: Bramley, Reid, Gowan, Hartas, Sturdy, Fenwick, Ramm (Turnbull 89), Connor (Parker 27), Baxter, Stewart, Adams. Subs not used: Dalton, Cass, Wilstrop.

Pickering completed a league double against Derbyshire-based Long Eaton two days later.

The opening period, dominated by the home side, was goalless. Tom Fenwick headed wide after three minutes, as did Joel Ramm on the quarter-hour mark. Tom Adams superbly struck a 25-yard shot on 21 minutes which the visiting ’keeper Scott Webb did well to save, and Baxter headed narrowly wide following a Tom Reid cross.

Carl Stewart hit the crossbar and Long Eaton’s only effort came after 44 minutes when Shaun Rickford turned in the penalty area with his shot superbly saved by Pikes goalkeeper Dave Bramley.

The opening goal arrived after 56 minutes when Reid’s excellent cross found Tom Fenwick running in to score from close range. Stewart’s shot was well saved after 74 minutes and, two minutes later, he headed wide after good work by Baxter.

Long Eaton came back in the last 10 minutes but, deep into stoppage time, the Pikes doubled their lead when Stewart scored from 12 yards after good work by Baxter and Ged Dalton.

Pickering: Bramley, Reid, Gowan, Hartas, Sturdy, Fenwick (Parker 71), Ramm (Dalton 82), Connor, Baxter, Stewart, Adams. Subs not used: McNaughton, Cass, Hillier.

• PICKERING Town Under-19s lost 3-2 to Harrogate Railway last week, with their goals coming from Robbie Seaton and Fenwick.