With perfect conditions for a game of football (although on a slightly bobbly pitch) Easton went into the game hoping that their good run of form would continue into the final third of the season. However, With Mattishall 1st team not having a game and Easton forced into a few changes again they knew it would take another good effort to keep up their promotion push.

These changes saw Steve Shaw moved to centre back, Matt Cartledge replacing him at left back which allowed a return to the team for last years top scorer Stu Halton.

Mattishall Reserves started the brighter of the two sides obviously buoyed by the inclusion of two ‘1st Team’ strikers and were keen to get the ball up to them as quickly as possible via a very direct route from the defence.

With Easton getting to grips with the changed line up Mattishall took advantage with their midfield working hard to support the two strikers. This paid early dividends as another long ball caused confusion between S.Shaw and J.Crane both attempting to clear the same ball, which eventually broke free to the on coming left midfield player who calmly side footed home from 12 yards.

Easton remained calm and started to edge into the game as the 1st half went on and with the Mattishall goalkeeper looking like a week link in the side gained confidence that an equaliser would be found. Both N.Moggan and L.Newton went close, before Easton eventually equalised after good skill from S.Halton saw him chip a cross in for T.Wickham to claim a rare headed goal from close range.

C.Brownbridge remained relatively untroubled for the rest of the first half with Mattishalls early enthusiasm for the game starting to wane and any rare spark from the two Mattishall strikers were quickly snuffed out by S.Shaw and J.Crane.

The first half drew to a close with Easton looking the better side but not really in full flight.

So often in the past Easton have under performed in the second half but this has not been the case much of this season and came out a different side. Instantly closed down by the hardworking L.Newton the Mattishall defence were put under pressure, this drove Easton on for a number of attacks and resulted in a corner being driven in by P.Gibbs and headed home by S.Rix.

Mattishall looked shell struck and frustration started to creep into their game, but this did not change their very un-ambitious game plan straight out of a John Smiths ‘hav-it’ advert.

The football started to flow better with P.Gibbs and P.Anderson working hard in midfield to dominate the centre of the pitch. No sooner had Mattishall stopped reeling from conceding, another attack from the right saw a deep cross find S.Halton and a well placed volley left the Mattishall keeper flapping.

There looked no way back at this point for Mattishall despite a couple of good saves being required from C.Brownbridge and not to mention the slightly bizarre lapse of concentration that let the ball bobble out of his hands about 6 times, not sure this has ever been in any goalkeeping manuals! But Mattishall were not able to make the break through until 12 minutes from time, a direct free-kick from 20 yards was well struck and needed a slight deflection of S.Shaw to creep into the far post.

Easton never really looked like conceding another with S.Shaw picking up a man of a match bottle of champagne that may see P.Keogh struggle to regain his place (whilst he was embarrassing himself at another wedding).

Easton host AFC Norwich next week before a vital run of games, playing two of the three sides above them, which will define the success of the season.