Athersley Recreation 2 - 2 Selby Town: Rec perk up for point in late comeback against Selby

Nathan Perks’ equaliser in added-time saw Rec come back from two goals down in the second-half for a justified point, Perks with chance to win the NCEL Division One tie moments later.

Words By Ben Swain

Carter Tingle’s half-volley, in off the point from twenty-five yards out at Sheerien Park, halved the deficit after an hour, making amends for chipping over the bar when one-on-one before the break.

Rec fans saw the first of Sam Foulds who was handed his full debut and several sighters of goal himself.

Meanwhile, Selby took a two-goal lead, beginning with Finley Wade’s low drive through a crowd in the box before Liam Love’s simple finish.

Billy MacDonald joined Foulds as inductees into Rec’s starting line-up from midweek. Nathan Perks and Luke Micklethwaite returned to the bench.

Foulds’ impact was felt inside five minutes, fighting his way round a defender inside Selby’s box but the outside route makes his angle tight and then the square pass is mishit.

Selby succeeded with their second attempt to put the ball behind Rec’s defence, James Byford heading away the first before the next ball spun away from Charlie Auty and to James Danby to square for Harry Clapham. His intentional sliced shot is misjudged and curled too far away from the far post.

Jacob Morton controlled a loose ball in the middle of Selby’s half to then advance down the right with a strong touch. His next is to deliver the ball towards Foulds in the box but instead its caught by Joseph Wilton.

Foulds worked a better position for himself inside fifteen minutes, still beyond the face of the goal on the opposite side of the box, shooting into the side-netting.

Tingle’s first opportunity came on sixteen minutes via a Foulds flick-on, venturing wide-left to cut back inside and look to curl inside the far post, just wide.

Levi Owen seems to enjoy one-on-ones, his latest when he got the better of Clapham after eighteen minutes by closing the angle and blocking with anything he could, backed up by his performance in midweek against Wombwell.

Foulds had similar odds at the other end two minutes later but was on the wrong end of the result.

Tingle’s chance even stronger, well clear of the chasing Selby defence, opting to chip Wilton, lifting it over the bar in the process.

Rec were to rue those chances on thirty-one minutes when Wade drove in across the box and inside the post. Love’s run down the left into a high position gave him optimum chance for a cross to the far post where Wade was waiting.

Both defences were on top until first-half added-time and Caden McGrath ran onto a ball between Rec’s backline. Danby nodded forward a loose ball in the middle into McGrath’s path who couldn’t place his shot either side of Owen, down low to save and keep hold before any chance of a rebound.

Clapham got chance to run at Owen in the box inside ten minutes of the restart, closed down so squaring across the face of goal and Noah Jenkinson intercepted at the back post to deny the shot into empty net.

Clapham was to play a part in Selby’s second though on fifty-five minutes. A deep run beating the flag and he had Liam Love in support for a simple finish.

Tingle returned the deficit to one again four minutes later, a half-volley from twenty-five yards using the post to get past Wilton. Alfie Bakes entered the box via the right-hand side, flicking he ball over a defender but wasn't given the chance to shoot, the ball making it’s way back to Tingle outside the box, hitting a bouncing ball first-time with quality.

Nathan Perks was partnered with Foulds as a second-half substitute and it made it’s first impact with twenty-five minutes remaining, Perks flicking on to Foulds who couldn’t capitilise, still a way out from goal.

Bailey Wright got his body between the ball and defender and escaped the pressure to play in Foulds ahead of him. Foulds was faced up by a defender which halted his progress any further than twenty-five yards out and the placed effort hadn’t enough power behind it.

Wright’s run advanced Rec almost on top of Selby’s byline, winning a throw on the left. The delivery was flicked on by Perks towards Tingle who’s stretch was outdone by the defender.

Clapham at the other end, on the left crossed over everyone in the box for Wade at the opposite side who’s connection wasn’t strong enough to pull the ball inward onto target.

Into added-time came Perks’ equaliser. A ball from the right, into the box was accurately flicked on by Perks, positioned centrally, diverting over his shoulder and inside of the side-netting.

There was still chance for him to win it as another ball dropped to him, this time outside the box and on the volley, slicing the effort meaning Rec finished with just a point.

We head on the road after three home games, Dearne the destination on Tuesday, 11th March in league action.