The Eastenders Academy returned to winning ways thanks to a gutsy performance against Hornsea Town 3rds, winning 2-4 to arrest a run of three straight league defeats.

Starting slowly on the 3G at Hornsea School, the EzPats grew into the game and took a 0-2 lead, which they unfortunately squandered before rallying late on to snatch all 3 points.

Despite being possibly the smallest player on the pitch, debutant Billy Symes headed home the first when converting Zach Hunt’s wonderful set-piece delivery on 32 minutes.

Provider then turned scorer five minutes into the second half as Hunt took a pass from another new signing, Dan Brown, before rolling the ball home from the edge of the area.

Asst-boss Sam Outing then came close to making it three when his charge down of an attempted clearance looped onto the bar but Hornsea were back in it courtesy of two goals in four second half minutes.

The first, on 65 minutes came courtesy of a wonderful finish on the half-volley but there was controversy surrounding the equaliser three minutes later, with Easington goalkeeper Dan Clarke having appeared to be fouled in the build-up.

At 2-2, in Outing’s words the EzPats “looked like we’d bottle it”. Instead they came back well.

On 83 minutes Hunt added his second goal with a nicely taken strike from the edge of the box and three minutes later Corey Douglas sealed the points – and capped his first game of the season – with a quite wonderful goal, lifting the ball over an opponent’s head before smashing it home on the volley from twenty yards out.

Outing twice came close to making it 2-5 in the closing moments as the Academy finished on a high. All-in-all, job done, lessons learned and a successful school trip assured!

Full report to follow...

Easington: Dan Clarke, Foxx Blyth (Jake Sowerby, 62), Kai-Taylor Littlewood (Sam Wardill, 62), Ricky Biglin, Dan Brown (Matty Archer, 79), Mike Price, Steve Ward, Corey Douglas, Zach Hunt, Sam Outing, Billy Symes