Snodland Town and Lordswood served up an enthralling contest in glorious Easter Saturday sunshine that ended all square as the race for the SCEFL Play Offs took another twist.
After the chaos of their previous home game against Tunbridge Wells robbed the home side of four starters, the returning Matt Gething put the visitors in front early on before Jack Nelson’s penalty levelled and Henry Muggeridge put the home side in front before Jacob Stroutts hooked home a second for Lordswood on the stroke of half time.
The second period was cagier as both sides realised what was at stake and when the final whistle blew both sides were left asking – point gained or two lost?
In glorious sunshine, Gething put the visitors in front with a glorious strike, as a long ball was played forward, the former Snodland man hit a wonderful shot that flew over Sam Freeman and into the net to start a free flowing end-to-end first half.
The home sides response was instant as Nelson was denied by the boot of Aaron Lee-Wharton whilst Freeman pulled off a really great save to deny Archie Risdon’s low drive.
The home side were then gifted a way back into the game when former Lordswood man Artem Kuchkov was fouled in the box and Nelson drilled the ball home into the bottom corner.
The end-to-end nature of the first half continued as Lordswood went down the other end and got a spot-kick of their own as Quadri Green went down under the challenge of Jon Pilbeam on the end of the box. Mr Cannon pointed to the spot despite the home protests, but Gething’s spot kick was poor and Freeman despite diving to the right, saved with his knees.
The home responded by taking the lead as Taylor Fisher’s free-kick was headed back across goal for Henry Muggeridge to nod home and give Snodland the lead, though it was one that they didn’t hold for long as Stroutts found himself unmarked at the back post from a deep corner only for Freeman to pull off a terrific save, but as the ball rebounded to the defender, he brilliantly hooked the ball looping over Freeman to level the scores.
The home side did have the opportunity to go back in front on the stroke of half time, but Kuchkov hammered the ball into the side netting from Muggeridge’s ball.
It was as though both sides took a breath after the break as the chances were limited as the midfield battle became increasingly intense.
From Jamie Graham’s long ball, Gething did well down the left and his ball across the Snodland box needed any sort of touch but flew to safety whilst at the other end, Lee-Wharton denied Nobolagi Dawodu with a fine block.
Gething then went close again with an effort that clipped the Snodland bar before Muggeridge did well to battle through only to be denied by arguably the save of the game from Freeman as the keeper pulled off a magnificent stop to his left.
A game that never lost interest to either as the Play Off chasing sides were forced to settle for a point each that probably serves neither much good in the chase for post season.
SNODLAND TOWN – Freeman, Fisher, Bissett, Pilbeam, Prang, Davisson (Linton), Muggeridge, Olawole, Nelson, Kuchkov (Eldridge), Odeniran
Subs – Andrews, Thompson, Head
LORDSWOOD – Lee-Wharton, Graham, Emptage (Cotton), Risson, Keyte (Palmer), Stroutts, Chandler (Willis), Dawodu, Gething (Green (Midson), Peck (Reid)
REFEREE – Mr Cannon