United had made the trip to Hall Road having conceded only three goals in their previous five NCEL games but from the outset there was an alarming level of hesitancy from both teams, ensuring it was a defensive horror show.

There are times when seven goal matches are described as ‘thrillers’. Unfortunately, this afternoon’s game at Dene Park was about as exciting as a death in the family and of the seven goals that were scored, there wasn’t the slightest element of quality in any one of them. That said, the most assured contact of the whole afternoon came with Craig Suddaby’s last-kick strike that gave the points to Rangers.

After the euphoria of Saturday’s great display against Scarborough two days earlier, it was truly a case of being brought down to Earth with a bump and the game at least emphasised how difficult it is to retain a level of consistency that will ensure the team progress.

Martin Joseph (pictured) made his full debut for United in place of the injured Dom Jones and Michael Armstrong was able to take a place on the bench after missing the last two games.

United began comfortably enough, without creating any clear opportunities, but were caught out after fifteen minutes when Hall Road’s Paul Wilson was gifted the opening goal of the game and ten minutes before the interval the same player was on hand to take advantage of another gift-wrapped opportunity after Miles had made a point blank save to keep out his first effort.

Moments before the interval Jimmy Hunter’s cross-cum-shot drifted into the top corner of the Hall Road net from wide on the right and hope was lifted that United could raise their game in the second half.

Within ten minutes, Armstrong and Danny Gordon were introduced but the game continued to be endured rather than enjoyed.

The home side increased their advantage after seventy minutes when defender Andy Coverdale struck home Rangers third after the ball was given away cheaply and it seemed there was no way back for United.

However, United did rally and exerted enough pressure to level the scores in the final ten minutes with goals from Jimmy Hunter and Elliot King.

In the closing minutes United forced a series of four corners in quick succession but were unable to add the vital touch and as Rangers broke out in numbers, they again profited from a moment of hesitancy and Suddaby was on hand to rifle home the winning goal in the ninetieth minute.

Long Eaton United Team: Scott Miles, Jordan Hunter, Mark Littlewood, Martin Joseph, Jimmy Hunter, Jacob Webster, Elliot King, Kelvin Mushambi, Matt Savage, Shaun Rickford, Cameron Martin.
Subs: Danny Gordon (Cameron Martin 56), Michael Armstrong (Savage 56)

United clearly had a bad day at the office and it is always hard to take a defeat that comes after conceding in the final minute, which has been the way of both of their league defeats, but it is unlikely that that the team will play as poorly as they did against Hall Road, who certainly deserved their success as they appeared to make marginally less errors than United.

Rarely can there have been two such contrasting performances in such a short time between matches.

The return to defensive action of Kial Thurman will certainly be a bonus and Michael Armstrong and Blaine Hancock are both now available to add to Mick Galloway’s options. It also has to be hoped that Danny Chambers too will signal his availability.

The fitness of Dom Jones is not yet fully known but his pace and assuredness was certainly missed against Hall Road Rangers.

Fortunately, it doesn’t take the obligatory match report to highlight the performance to the players as it was patently obvious after the game that they knew it themselves.