Mens 1XI rescue a point with a cheeky late charge

This week Barton were without skipper Adam Foster and goal keeper Mike Parr but had Will Rawbon, John Hickman and Nick Tomlinson fortunately returning to the side.

The fixture saw Barton save a point with the last strike of the game after finding themselves 3-0 down. Barton started the game half asleep and were made to pay within the first two minutes as they failed to stop an attack down the right hand side from Warwick and, after an great initial save from Tomlinson, Warwick’s centre forward scrapped the ball over the line. This seem to settle Barton and they dominated the next 10 minutes coming close a few times thanks to some neat play from Ash Parr, John Hickman and Ben Elson all combining well. However, Barton were made to pay for not converting their chances and were caught on the break twice giving Warwick a 3-0 lead at half time.

Coach Nigel Taylor reminded the team that we had come back from a bigger deficit before so to stay calm as the game was still there for the taking. After getting very hard done by in the first half, Barton begin to win some decisions from the officials leading to some immense pressure being put on Warwick. For the second half Jacob Buxton, Roger Craig, Matt Brittain and Mark Latham had free run of the midfield and pushed Warwick further and further back. Warwick did create another chance but this was soon shut down by a fast reacting Tomlinson again.

With five minutes to go, Hickman played a quality aerial ball to Parr who made taking the ball around Warwick’s defence easy to earn a short corner which was finished in the top right corner by Jacob Foster giving the keeper no chance. With two and a half minutes now to play Barton hunted the ball down again and after a burst forward from Foster he managed to force an awful last minute challenge from Warwick earning Barton another short corner. Foster and Parr combined with a one two at the top of the D leaving Foster to slot home his second.

With what must have been seconds left on the clock, Warwick gave the ball away cheaply by hitting it down field. Foster quickly ran the ball up field and beat two players before playing another one two with Parr and receiving the ball on the edge of the D giving him chance to spin and push the ball onto a Warwick foot earning yet another short corner. The full time whistle was blown and Barton knew this was their last chance. After the routine didn’t come off the ball rebounded out from the keeper and with his back to goal, Ben Elson hit an upright reverse shot on the volley into the bottom corner grabbing Barton a point, which for most of the game seemed an impossible task.

This week Barton finish off the first half of the season at home 2.30pm against Bridgnorth.