Driffield Rangers made the long journey to Easington for their quarter final match looking to perform well to progress to the semi finals of the Senior Country cup.
Manager Shaun Walker named an unchanged side and after a late pitch inspection the referee deemed the game playable with Rangers looking to get off to a good start and play at a high tempo.
They got the start they wanted as they nearly took the lead within the first five minutes as Jimmy Syme found himself clean through on goal but a nasty bobble made him over hit the ball and it rolled through to the keeper. It wasn’t long though before they did score, as a cross from Syme was headed clear only as far as Kev Woodcock whose cross shot was fumbled over the line to give Rangers a dream start.
This clearly shook the home side as Rangers were looking very threatening and enjoying plenty of the ball but gradually Easington got to grips with the game and forced a couple of corners and set pieces which came to nothing with the defence of Mark Woodcock, Les Johnstone and Rich Thompson looking very solid.
Rangers were forced into a change after 25 minutes when Josh MacKenzie was struggling to shake off an ankle injury and had to be replaced by Paul Wilkinson.
Not surprisingly, given the conditions, the game was becoming scrappy with neither side able to keep the ball for long but it was Rangers who were looking more threatening when going forward and with ten minutes to go before half time they increased their lead. A good passing move involving Damon Jenkinson, Josh Hopper and Syme saw the latter cross for Dave Brent to slot home to giving Rangers a deserving two goal lead.
With Rangers dominant skipper Dave Woodcock and Kev Woodcock were covering every blade of grass in the middle of the park not letting their midfielders settle on the ball and this was frustrating the home side who were lacking ideas and creativity to break down a determined Rangers side as half time approached.
Rangers started the second half knowing the next goal in the game was going to be crucial and it was so nearly the home side that got it as theirmidfielder found himself in space in the penalty box but just as he was about to shoot Thompson flung himself in front of the ball to put him off his strike and the chance went begging.
Rangers made them pay for that miss as within minutes they did take their chance when Brent reacted to a loose ball and calmly lobbed the keeper for his 12th goal of the season to put Rangers firmly in the driving seat.
Easington to their credit kept going and they did pull a goal back when a cross found their full back whose first time shot found the corner of the net for a great finish and gave them a glimmer of hope.
Rangers made another change with Alistair Mutch replacing Brent as they went to a 5-4-1 formation and this change disrupted them for a while as they struggled to adjust to it, which allowed Easington to put some pressure on their goal but like all game they were defending brilliantly and were sniffing out any danger.
With 25 minutes to go Rangers regained their three goal cushion as a cross from Mutch was not cleared and Dave Woodcock had time to pick his spot which he duly obliged giving the Easington keeper no chance.
It was nearly five minutes later when Mutch latched on to a great cross from Syme but his powerful shot hit the crossbar and went out for a goal kick.
Rangers made their final change of the game with Kevin Tate replacing the impressive Hopper and it was his free kick which set up Rangers fifth goal as he found Thompson in the box who controlled well and lashed home past a stranded keeper for his first goal of the season to put the gloss on an excellent team performance.
Team: Baker, Jenkinson, M Woodcock, Thompson, Johnstone, MacKenzie (Wilkinson), D Woodcock, Brent (Mutch), K Woodcock, Syme, Hopper (Tate).
Many thanks to Bob and his staff at the Rose and Crown for their after match refreshments.