Match Report:
Long Eaton United lost 1-4 at home against Loughborough Students FC on Saturday afternoon in the Northern Premier League Midlands Division.
The Blues took the lead through Evan Garnett in the 12th minute but Loughborough Students had the lead heading into halftime after late first-half goals from Matt Rennie and Ashden Shortland.
Shortland scored his second in the 65th minute with Marcus Gilpin adding Loughborough’s fourth in the 69th minute.
The Blues will be looking to get back to winning ways next Saturday as Brad Munn’s side travel to face Boldmere St. Michaels.
There was a debutant amongst the Blues starting line-up yesterday afternoon as Nykah Liburd-Hines started between the posts.
Long Eaton United started the game on the front foot and took a deserved lead in the 12th minute.
It was captain, Evan Garnett, who dinked the ball past Leo Webster to find the bottom left corner. This was Garnett’s 20th league goal of the season.
Munn’s side came close to doubling their lead in the 27th minute. Tristan Thompson-Matthews’ shot was controlled tidily by Garnett who on the turn powerfully struck the ball towards goal however it was down the middle at Webster and the Loughborough keeper saved well to keep the margin to one.
The visitors were level in the 41st minute. Matt Rennie was slipped through on goal by Hussein Issa and the Loughborough winger finished well into the bottom right corner to even out the scoreline.
In the final seconds of the first-half, Loughborough Students took the lead. Sam Fielding played through Ashden Shortland who found the bottom left corner with his finish.
The Blues were a goal behind at the break.
There was a change at half-time for Long Eaton as Coden Duncan replaced Jahvan Davidson-Miller.
Like the first-half, Long Eaton started the second period brightly.
Cieron Keane curled a ball into the box from the left wing, a cross that was met in the air by a rising Garnett. The striker’s header went too high however and landed on the roof of the net on the hour mark .
Loughborough Students scored their third in the 64th minute and it was Shortland again. Josh Roddy crossed the ball into the box from the right and Shortland, who made a run to the front post, was there to poke the ball into the top right corner.
They had another in the 68th minute. Marcus Gilpin showed tricky feet in the box and finished well into the bottom right corner to cement Loughborough’s lead.
The Blues continued to push however.
Garnett struck the left post after taking a shot from the edge of the box. The shot came off the post and hit Webster on its way out however failed to roll back into the goal.
The match finished 1-4 in favour of the visitors.
Munn’s side return to league action next Saturday as they travel to face Boldmere St. Michaels.