100% RECORD GONE

a season were Almondbury Lions have steamrollered most teams home and away there was always going to be a spanner in the works this duly arrived today in the shape of Wyke Wanderers and the referee.

With our home pitch already had a game played on it before we arrived, it looked heavy and cut up, but it was the same for both sides, the weather was cold but clear. With first team keeper suffering from a virus and Harry Bains ruled out just before kick off, manager Graham McDonald had to shuffle his pack.

Billy Farley

Rico st Hilaire       Briayar Azad Maghdeed    Aidan Wilkinson

Luke Broadbent       Alex Mcdonald             Jacob Costello

Cain Wilkinson                   Harry Smith

Subs Raman Kirkel

It was clear from the kick off that Wyke were up for this and were intent on reversing the first day fixture result where the Lions had beaten them somewhat fortuitous 4-0. They made the early running and had some good corners as they pushed the young Lions back. Almondbury were finding it hard to find space and get their passing game going and at times, it looked like Wyke had ten players on the pitch. As the half wore on the young Lions started to create a few chances themselves, with both Harry Smith and Jacob Costello going close and their keeper pulling off a couple of fine saves. However, the young Lion’s had failed to learn from earlier in the half and on 20 minutes Wkye took the lead from a deflected shot, after we had failed to clear our lines. After that, Almondbury huffed and puffed but failed to put the away team under any pressure.

HT 0-1

Buoyed by Graham`s half-time team talk the second half started with the young Lions camped in their half, the lions even had about 10 corners in a row. But it looked like it was going to be one of those days, as efforts went wide, keeper pulled off two great saves, last ditch blocks, and when Wyke did break they looked more than capable of extending their lead. As the game entered the final ten minutes all the home teams’ pressure paid off, as Jacob Costello (man of the match) broke through and calmly fired the ball home. Like buses, you wait ages for one then another arrives two minutes later. Within two minutes of drawing level the lions were in front as J Costello and Harry Smith seemed to get in each other’s way on the left, the latter ending up with the ball, his cross was fired in and took a wicked deflection 2-1 they all count.

With only minutes remaining, it looked like we had got out of jail, but Owen our referee had other ideas. As Wyke pushed forward our sub Raman Kirkel looked to block the ball fairly, and to everyone’s amazement, he was judged to have handled the ball, the only person who thought it was a penalty was the ref. Wyke made no mistake from the spot.

FT 2-2

Editor’s thoughts well boys it looked like we were never going to get anything from this game so a point on reflection was a fair result against a side who battled for everything, well done.

POS

P

PTS

1

Almondbury Lions

10

28

2

Westend Tigers

10

24

3