Back
Thu 09 Mar 2017 · Division 1
St Helens Town
First Team
2
2
DRAMATIC FINALE AT PRESCOT
Ian Woodward12 Mar 2017 - 16:20
Share via
ST HELENS TOWN 2 ALSAGER TOWN 2 Hallmark Security League First Division Thursday 9th March 2017
Alsager Town had to settle for just a point following a dramatic ending to their away game against St Helens Town at Valerie Park, Prescot in the Hallmark Security League first division on Thursday evening.
With the score locked at 1-1 in the 90th minute and both sides guilty of spurning several late opportunities, a flowing Alsager move down the left saw the ball worked to Mark Grice; he then played the ball inside to Dave MacPherson who made no mistake in hitting the back of the St Helens net from 8 yards. The three points looked safely in the bag as the Alsager players wildly mobbed MacPherson and celebrated the goal. However, in the third minute of added time, the hosts regained possession in their own half and played the ball long, finding Liam Dodd in the inside right channel with only defender Paul Taylor for company. Dodd successfully shrugged off Taylor’s challenge and from the edge of the eighteen yard box, lobbed the ball over helpless Bullets keeper Chris Fletcher into the empty net. This time it was the home side’s turn for the celebrations before the referee brought proceedings to a close moments later.
The game had actually started uneventfully, with both sides battling it out for supremacy and with neither keeper being seriously tested, it was St Helens Town who took the lead from the penalty spot in the 37th minute. The home side worked the ball out to right back Dom Whelan who was unmarked inside the penalty area and as he attempted to dribble past Fletcher, the Alsager keeper brought him down. Fletcher was shown a yellow card for his troubles and moments later was picking the ball out of his net after Stephen Rigby had sent him the wrong way when converting the spot kick.
In the 44th minute, the Bullets had a great opportunity to level when Michael Lennon’s flicked header found Grice in space on the right edge of the six yard box but his shot was successfully blocked by keeper Adam Fairchild.
It was all Alsager after the break as they took a grip on the game and launched attack after attack. Taylor Attrell saw an effort well saved, Dave Harry missed the target from eight yards, MacPherson went desperately close and two efforts were scrambled off the line. In the 72nd minute Grice finally got his side level, netting from closed range after Lennon’s corner from the right had been played into the six yard box by Warren Holmes. As Alsager pressed for the winner, the hosts, sparked into a response by their substitutions also threatened, with Rigby firing narrowly over the crossbar then Luke Edwards seeing Fletcher push his pile-driver over the top. The drama then ensued, with a point not enough as the Bullets remain in seventh spot in the league table.
Alsager Town: Fletcher, Bourne, Stubbs, MacPherson, Taylor, Holmes, Harry (Minton), Attrell, Grice, Lennon, Glover (Woodcock). Sub (not used) Bowden.
Attendance: 93.
IW.
With the score locked at 1-1 in the 90th minute and both sides guilty of spurning several late opportunities, a flowing Alsager move down the left saw the ball worked to Mark Grice; he then played the ball inside to Dave MacPherson who made no mistake in hitting the back of the St Helens net from 8 yards. The three points looked safely in the bag as the Alsager players wildly mobbed MacPherson and celebrated the goal. However, in the third minute of added time, the hosts regained possession in their own half and played the ball long, finding Liam Dodd in the inside right channel with only defender Paul Taylor for company. Dodd successfully shrugged off Taylor’s challenge and from the edge of the eighteen yard box, lobbed the ball over helpless Bullets keeper Chris Fletcher into the empty net. This time it was the home side’s turn for the celebrations before the referee brought proceedings to a close moments later.
The game had actually started uneventfully, with both sides battling it out for supremacy and with neither keeper being seriously tested, it was St Helens Town who took the lead from the penalty spot in the 37th minute. The home side worked the ball out to right back Dom Whelan who was unmarked inside the penalty area and as he attempted to dribble past Fletcher, the Alsager keeper brought him down. Fletcher was shown a yellow card for his troubles and moments later was picking the ball out of his net after Stephen Rigby had sent him the wrong way when converting the spot kick.
In the 44th minute, the Bullets had a great opportunity to level when Michael Lennon’s flicked header found Grice in space on the right edge of the six yard box but his shot was successfully blocked by keeper Adam Fairchild.
It was all Alsager after the break as they took a grip on the game and launched attack after attack. Taylor Attrell saw an effort well saved, Dave Harry missed the target from eight yards, MacPherson went desperately close and two efforts were scrambled off the line. In the 72nd minute Grice finally got his side level, netting from closed range after Lennon’s corner from the right had been played into the six yard box by Warren Holmes. As Alsager pressed for the winner, the hosts, sparked into a response by their substitutions also threatened, with Rigby firing narrowly over the crossbar then Luke Edwards seeing Fletcher push his pile-driver over the top. The drama then ensued, with a point not enough as the Bullets remain in seventh spot in the league table.
Alsager Town: Fletcher, Bourne, Stubbs, MacPherson, Taylor, Holmes, Harry (Minton), Attrell, Grice, Lennon, Glover (Woodcock). Sub (not used) Bowden.
Attendance: 93.
IW.
Further reading