ANOTHER LATE GOAL COSTS UNITED

Without influential midfielders, Jack McGovern and Liam Bull we were forced into changes.

United started brightly and following a half-cleared corner in the third minute the ball fell to Sean Wright who controlled his shot well given the swirling wind and bobbly pitch and scored in the bottom corner.

We never really built on that lead and Grantham started to make inroads, as much by our careless use of the ball as by their own designs. Damien Magee was causing a few problems and the classy crossing of Lee Potts asked questions of the Whites. Phil McGann was in fine form between the sticks and with Stuart Reddington and Terry Fleming marshalling our back line we stood firm.

There was none of the control that we showed at Leek and Sutton Coldfield and as the half progressed we were very wasteful with our passing. We were gifted a second goal in the 37th minute.
Grant Brindley thought he was heading it back to his keeper, Rob Murray but Murray was rushing off his line and there was Alex Troughton who made sure he got his goal.

Things changed dramatically from the re-start and McGann produced an excellent save following a scramble. This was United’s worse spell of the game. The introduction of Tony Battersby gave the home side an edge they didn’t have in the first period but they were gifted a goal in the 55th minute when Sean Wright, who got a call to let the ball run, allowed Ben Saunders in behind him and the hom skipper chipped McGann to reduce the arrears.

Two minutes later it was all square when Rhys Lewis found the net.
United then found some resolve and whilst we were not creating chances we working hard to keep the league leaders at bay. Then, in 67th minute the game swung again a penalty was awarded when Brendan McDaid’s point blank shot was scrambled away United kept the ball alive and a trip resulted in the spot-kick which Tom Garrick smashed home.

It seemed as though the home side had run out of ideas and Kallum Smith might make them pay on the break when the referee found an inordinate amount of added time.

It always concerns me when eight minutes added time are played when the referee hasn’t made the time public. No one but the ref knows what to add but we are supposed to be informed. One last attack for the Gingerbreads saw Paul Grimes brush past Brendan McDaid and the spot kick was awarded. Grimes made no mistake from the spot.

Sqauds : UNITED Phil McGann, Terry Fleming, David Coyde, Brendan McDaid, Stuart Reddington, Sean Wright, George Zuerner (replaced by Pradeep Bahrey 87 mins), Craig Leverett (replaced Chris Funnell 73 mins), Tom Garrick, Alex Troughton, Kallum Smith subs not used Lee Burns, Michael Cooke, Darren Dye,

GRANTHAM : Rob Murray, Tom Maddison(replaced by Tony Battersby 45), Lee Potts, Grant Brindley, Damien Magee, Phil Watt, Rhys Lewis, Martin Ball, Paul Grimes, Ben Saunders (replaced by Sean Cann 85, subs not ued Chris Glarvey, Jo Briers, Steve Melton