Ambers hold on for deserved point at Eccleshill

The last time The Ambers visited Eccleshill United, it was a long night as they were comprehensively outclassed but that was not the case this season as four goals were equally shared in a pulsating clash between two well matched sides in a game that had everything; penalty shouts and awards, quality strikes, injuries, sin bins and just about everything you could ask for.
The Ambers made four changes after the FA Vase victory at the weekend with Ant Mackie, Alfie Smith, Mike Trench and skipper Sam Finlaw all returning to the starting line up as they started with a change in formation including a back three.
The game was quite tentative for the opening twenty minutes with both teams testing each other out but all that changed when, following an Ambers corner, Jon Hill was left on the ground in agony and the hosts broke upfield, eventually forcing a penalty after a shot from outside the area was handled by a defender. United midfielder Cooper slammed the spot kick past Ben Townsend to give the home side an advantage and Hill took no further part in the game as he succumbed to a knee injury caused as he tried to stop himself colliding with the advertising hoarding.
Rob Ludlam made his comeback after injury in Hill’s place but The Eagles came close to doubling their lead when Silva got away down the right but his shot whistled past the far upright. The Ambers responded well and levelled things up within ten minutes when Mitch Dunne held the ball well before playing a perfect pass through to Sam Smith who carefully placed his shot past Wilczynski and into the far corner of the goal, and it was no more than The Ambers deserved.
The home side responded well, with Silva causing problems down the right and he again shot narrowly wide before he passed up a great opportunity when he capitalised on a defensive error but Townsend was equal to the strike, and the keeper then saved a Durkin effort at point blank range after Silva’s cross picked out the unmarked centre back lurking at the far side of the area.
The Ambers weren’t being outplayed though and had bright patches of play with a vociferous penalty appeal waved away after what seemed to be a clear foul on the right of the box.
The Eagles continued to build the pressure after the break, with Townsend called upon twice to keep the scores level before a spectacular overhead kick flew over the bar, but the keeper was caught in possession by Newman-Morton, but when he fed a better placed team mate, the ball was skied and the chance was lost. The keeper then saved a Cooper free kick and an effort from Newman-Morton, but as the hosts pushed on for a second goal, it was the visitors who grabbed the lead when Finlaw fired home a long range effort to open his Ambers account.
The lead wasn’t to last long though as a rolled effort by Newman-Morton came back off the post before Liam McFadyen nearly decapitated Townsend whilst dealing with the rebounding ball. Minutes later, a slick United move down the right ended with the ball at the feet of Cooper and he slotted the ball home stylishly from outside the box to level things up.
Substitute Alex King shot narrowly wide as he tried to repeat Saturday’s party trick but the young strikers night was to end abruptly when he was forced off injured with six minutes left. Cox then found the back of the net for Eccleshill but he was correctly flagged for offside, and as we approached the six minutes of added time, some strange refereeing decisions saw The Ambers reduced to nine men as Sam Smith and McFadyen were both sin binned for dissent, leaving the visitors clinging on for a share in the spoils, which they achieved without too many palpitations.
Next up for The Ambers is a home fixture against Albion Sports.