Points, but no prizes for relegation duo

In a relegation six-pointer at Close House, Ar U Shavin A Laugh came from two goals down to earn a well-deserved 2-2 draw with Newhist FC.

Football Division Two (Weds) 

Newhist FC 2-2 Ar U Shavin A Laugh

After Newhist had edged a seven-goal thriller at Cochrane Park back in November there were high expectations ahead of the new season but with both teams knowing that a defeat would all but guarantee relegation the first half proved to be a cautious affair, and barring a Martin Windebank penalty which hit the outside of the post and went wide, very few chances were created.

The introduction of Ray Crisp at half-time for Newhist changed the whole game however as his two fantastic crosses from the left-wing allowed striker Josh Walton to put his side 2-0 up only for Jake Wimshurst to score two of his own for Shavin to earn a point.

Welcoming back Ben Drysdale for his first match since October in midfield, and with commanding centre-back Rowan Northcott also back, Newhist looked more assured defensively than they have done for some time. Nevertheless, with wingers Bryn Iwanyckyj and Windebank making some useful runs from deep, Shavin created the better of the early chances and will feel that they should have taken an early lead after two one-on-one opportunities were blazed over the bar.

At the other end, right-winger Jacob Murphy was causing the Shavin defence all sorts of trouble with his winding runs but clear-cut Newhist chances were at a premium and they were lucky not to go behind when goalkeeper James Thornton was judged to have brought down Shavin’s striker in the penalty area.

It was a decision that could have gone either way, and no matter which way referee Brian Johnson had given it one team would have felt aggrieved. As it was, it was Newhist who were furious at the decision to award the penalty, clearly feeling that after winning the ball first, Thornton should not have been penalised. As it was Windebank, who scored from the spot in the previous fixture between these two sides, put his penalty wide.

Although the more threatening of the two teams, Shavin couldn’t break the deadlock and so went in at half-time level at 0-0.

With Patrick Gallagher suffering after a fierce tackle from behind that had gone unpunished, Newhist chose to replace him with Crisp at the interval and it was the introduction of the pacy winger that brought them their two goals.

First, he received a ball from left-back John Logan and crossed to find Walton unmarked in the area to put Newhist 1-0 up. It soon became two as well when Northcott picked out Crisp who picked out Walton again after a long ball into the box. With the goalkeeper hesitating the big striker nipped in to beat him to the ball and double their lead.

At the back, all four defenders impressed with Logan, Northcott, Will Robinson and Colin Henrys thwarting several attacks and tenacious midfielder Will Broadbent performing well in front of them.

Sitting back on their lead was always going to be a dangerous tactic however, and Shavin soon made them pay when Northcott made a silly foul in the area. This time Wimshurst stepped up and casually placed the ball straight down the middle of the goal.

Just moments later Shavin were level when Wimshurst lobbed Thornton from 25 yards and all of a sudden they were in the ascendency. The striker attempted to secure his hat trick by repeating his lob, but Thornton held his long-range effort, and the keeper was on hand to save Newhist again when Windebank got in behind the defence but couldn’t beat the keeper with his shot across him.

Newhist could have won the game themselves when Crisp broke with the ball but put his cross behind Walton as the striker found space in the middle, but the final whistle arrived shortly afterwards to confirm a 2-2 draw.

In truth, the result suited neither team who are starting to face up to relegation now. However, after some awful results for both sides recently, the point was at least a welcome relief for them and leaves both with an outside chance of defeating the odds and staying up.