Howarth double not enough for all 3 points

James Ashmore, Jed Phillips and Leon Howarth all returned to The Ambers’ starting line up as Steve Istead shuffled his pack for the last home game of the season against Thackley, and the young striker was soon making a nuisance of himself when he unnerved keeper Wilson sufficiently enough to create a half chance for Josh Nodder which was chipped wide.
The visiting keeper then held a low Nodder strike, before Normanton fired a shot from a half cleared corner wide in Thackley’s first foray upfield. Wilson was soon in action again when he held a Howarth header after a long throw from Brad Nicholson reached him, and the striker was then only narrowly off target with a near post flick from a Nodder assist.
Although The Ambers were creating the better opportunities, Thackley were seeing a lot of the ball and looked well capable of creating some angst at the heart of the home defence, and after Jan Budtz was forced to save a smart volley from Matthews, there was a blow for Handsworth when Ollie Yates was forced off after just 20 minutes, with Joe Thornton surprisingly slotting in on the right of the back four.
Thackley started to build the pressure and there was a massive let off for The Ambers when Mathews smashed a shot against the bar, with Thornton heading Sikora’s goal bound follow up off the line. With the strong wind pinning back Handsworth at every opportunity, the defence was being constantly tested, and Sikora again went close from a corner before Matthews spurned a good chance with a back post header that missed the target.
As The Ambers seemed to have just about weathered the storm, they were caught out as they pushed forwards in first half injury time. White broke away on the left and fed Matthews whose clever pass sent Normanton racing away and her finished confidently to send the visitors into the dressing room with a slim advantage.
It always seemed likely that the tables could be turned if the high winds remained, and that was the case as Handsworth came out strongly in the second period. Seven minutes in, a trademark surging run down the left wing by Nicholson engineered a chance for Howarth and he smashed his shot past Wilson to level things up.
The Ambers were now well on top and the Thackley keeper excelled as he saved in quick succession from Nodder, then a point blank header from Harry Mitchell, Nodder again and twice from Howarth as Handsworth laid siege to the Thackley goal.
Despite the keepers heroics, The Ambers took the lead when Ashmore found Howarth in the area, his initial shot being saved by Wilson, but the striker was quick to react and he headed the ball over the line for his second of the game.
With 20 minutes still remaining, it looked like The Ambers would be home and dry to claim the points, but in all fairness to the visitors, they fought their way back into the match and had the majority of possession in that period, culminating in a second from their stand out player Normanton who showed good footwork in the box to create himself some space before converting the equaliser after some excellent play on the right from Matthews.
Both sides would undoubtedly feel that they did enough to win the game, but a draw seemed the right result after a well contested, entertaining ninety minutes.