Brocton 3 Pilkington XXX 4

Both sides clearly had attacking intent but the early exchanges produced only half chances, followed quickly by breaks from defence and half chances at the other end. Pilkington’s best chance of this period came when Steve Brown hit a wayward shot with his left only to be awarded a free kick on the edge of the box after the attempted block of his shot caught him. The free kick, played on in the box, struck the bar before being cleared.

At the other end Brocton’s Ashley Phillips combined with Ben Harrison on the right to produce an overlap and a sweet low cross into the box found Mick Fox. His shot hit his team mate Gary Fife when looking set for the net and eventually the ball was cleared.

Charlie Jones then found Fife on the edge of the area and Fife did well to ride a strong tackle before lifting the ball over an advancing keeper. The entire world stood still to watch the ball float over Ken Sanders in Pilkington’s goal and gently hit the post and roll across the goal where it was collected by a grateful keeper.

It seemed impossible that the ball had not found either net and all spectators would be convinced that there were goals to come when half time arrived with the game still scoreless.

That prediction took only 3 minutes to be proved correct as Lee Scott converted a perfect cross from Gary Fife after Fife had been forced away from goal before turning his defender and firing in.

The lead lasted all of 4 minutes and Pilkington struck back, converting a free kick on the left followed by a sweet half volley from Mark Coyne. Pilkington were rampant and took full advantage of their rush of adrenaline with a second moments later. This time, whilst the ball was worked into the area well, Brocton looked to have survived when Steve Brown completely miss kicked his shot and it dribbled wide. Brocton stood and watched, but their visitors, more alert to the possibilities, recycled the effort and Dan Byford struck it home.

Brocton were stunned and their attempts to put things right at the other end of the pitch led immediately to a swift break from defence and a cross field pass into the path of Ross Kendall on the left. Kendall had acres of space, but needed all of his composure to resists the advance of Brocton’s keeper Mike Shelper. He kept his cool and when Shelper went to ground, slipped the ball into the empty net.

The game suddenly seemed to be beyond the home side and when their visitors made the most of yet another free kick with a ricochet into the net from Adam Blake, it appeared to be all over.

A corner found Gary Fife with fifteen minutes to go and Fife hit the bar, but Lee Scott pounced on the rebound to grab his second of the match Then substitute Andy Brookes forced home when Pilkington’s attempts to clear their lines proved impossible and just a goal behind, anything seemed possible again. Fife agonisingly beat the keeper once again and the ball found the post when an equaliser seemed certain and the game finished amazingly at 3-4 to match an equally entertaining encounter at Pilkington earlier in the year.