Fine draw with Milton

Having suffered heart break by conceding late goals in their last two matches, this week it was the turn of Town to score late and salvage a point against second placed Milton Utd and in doing so became the first team in 2011 to take points from the visitors.

Town enjoyed the better of the first half and deservedly when into the break leading although they were guilty of squandering chances to increase the lead.

Good skill and a run from deep in his own half saw Richard Thomas fouled on the right hand edge of Milton’s penalty area midway through the half. The resultant free kick was taken by Adam Jeffrey who saw his shot fly past the unsighted Phil Gregory and into the net.

Milton’s best chances in the half fell to the impressive Chris Hooper but he failed to test Craig Beales in the Woodley goal.

Thomas headed over from a corner shortly after the restart before Milton gradually started to apply pressure which was rewarded on fifty five minutes when Town failed to defend a Beales clearance allowing Hooper to get the goal his efforts deserved.

Town responded immediately with Jamie Connor firing wide under pressure which unfortunately resulted in the midfielder being injured and unlikely to play again this season.

Nick Edwards was penalised for tripping, allowing Ross Butler to convert the penalty kick with fourteen minutes remaining.

The introduction of Henry Durrant in midfield enabled Town to be positive and were rewarded with a minute of normal time remaining when Sam Cripps cross was headed by Jamie Fairchild into the path of Dan Jewell to head the equalising goal from close range. Town could have taken all the points but Thomas’ effort from a tight angle hit the cross bar and rebounded to safety.

Beales, Jewell, Thomas, Edwards, Nightingale, Baxter, Jeffrey, Holloway (Connor) (MacKenzie), Fairchild, Isaiew (Durrant), Cripps (Varndell), Sub not used: Varndell

Attendance: 42