Thornton's volley not quite enough

Nostell Miners Welfare extended their unbeaten run in the NCEL Premier League to four games on Saturday when they held promotion-chasing Long Eaton United to a 1-1 draw at Grange Park.

Nostell looked to have done enough when Tom Thornton put them ahead with a superb second-half volley.

But they didn’t bank on David Wilkins snatching a 90th minute equaliser to give the home side a share of the spoils.

However, overall this was a much better team effort by Nostell.

And one that bodes well for the forthcoming President’s Cup Final against Scarborough on April 16th.

With the matches coming thick and fast between now and the end of the season, it was important for Nostell to emerge unscathed.

And they managed it, despite an uncomfortable playing surface.

As if to demonstrate how hard and dry the pitch was, the dusty surface kicked up at every twist and turn.

And as Nostell tried to keep the ball down, it bounced in all directions.

Controlling passes was well-nigh impossible.

Gareth North partnered Matthew Denton in the centre of defence, with Wayne Ball and Toby Rutter at right and left back.

Thornton returned to midfield after his recent head injury alongside Barry Ranking, with Dave Nicholas and Neil Bearsdmore out on the flanks.

Craig Stephens and Fran Johnson were the chosen strike partnership but they had a thankless task trying to latch on to balls bouncing all over the place.

Both sides came close over the first 45 minutes but it was Nostell who should have edged in front when Rankin struck the bar from outside the penalty area.

And there was a similar effort from Long Eaton substitute Kelvin Mushambi, who took advantage of the wind in the second half.

However, it was Thornton who broke the deadlock with a fine opportunist effort from all of 25 yards.

He let fly on 51 minutes, this time against wind, and his shot beat the home side’s keeper with style to find the back of the net.

Miners then held on with Sam Dobbs making a number of fine saves until moments before the final whistle when United equalised much to the delight of the partisan home support.