An 88th-minute strike completed a turnaround against Rec, to Maltby Main's advantage, 2-1 the final
score at Muglet Lane in the NCEL Division One.
Carter Tingle’s return on Wednesday evening, after appearing
for parent club Sheffield FC, brought with it Rec’s opener, his cross forcing an
own-goal ten minutes before the break.
Josh Stead scored twice from distance in the final fourteen minutes to turn
the result in the hosts’ favour.
Tingle was joined by James Byford, Lewis Field and James
Woodhouse as the changes from Saturday’s starting line-up.
Maltby had the better of the opening twenty minutes, largely
through the hold-up play of a strike partnership of Ashley Flynn & Luke
Walker, despite limited openings for both sides. Immediately in support was Wade
Ripley as Maltby looked to get forward quickly.
It provided the likes of Carter Tingle space to run into on the
counter, a heavy touch down the slope his downfall down the right with the ball
running out of play ahead of him.
Finley Durkin reciprocated on the other side, clear of Steve
Taylor, but was caught in possession before he’d been able to cause a threat.
Tingle had greater control when he received the ball to
feet, rounding the outside of Josh Stead to then enter the box but his chipped
cross was intercepted centrally.
Ripley kept a fast Maltby attack at full pace by running in
possession inside the left-channel of Rec’s box. He created space away from the
defender to drill a cross which was crucially read by the retreating Byford before the ball could reach one of Maltby’s front two.
Whilst the centre of Rec’s midfield was occupied by Maltby’s targets, James Woodhouse and Lewis Field were beginning to take advantage of the space vacated out wide to advance with the ball into the oppositions half.
Ripley too took advantage on the half-hour mark, cutting in
from the left to shoot with his reciprocal foot, skimming the ball across the
turf and goal, so much so it went wide of the post.
It was width that proved pivotal in providing the opener in
Rec’s favour, Tingle successful again down the right. His powerful cross on 35
minutes came too quick for the centre-half to avoid when retreating into his
box, deflecting the ball into his own goal.
Flynn had a one-on-one chance to equalise five minutes
later, placing a right-footed effort beyond the alike post.
Pickard was quick to react to deny off his own line, Flynn
again, this time on the end of a low cross to poke at goal but the Rec ‘keeper
able to get his left-hand to push the ball wide of his box, minutes before the
break.
Flynn continued to be a threat shortly after the restart,
one-on-one via his first-touch round the defender when running onto a pass from
his left, his placed effort aimed too close to Pickard who parried clear.
Walker was positioned directly behind a Maltby flick-on into
the right-hand side of Rec’s box, able to control with his chest and shoot on
the half-turn which Pickard tipped over.
Thompson, Durkin and Bakes were all involved in a fast
counter for Rec, the latter passed through to goal, clear of Main’s defence but
the shot not owning enough distance away from Henry Kendrick’s body in
goal.
Maltby’s push for an equaliser allowed Rec a three versus
three opportunity but Durkin, with a runner on his outside to the left, is
unable to move infield due to an interception by a recovering defender.
Flynn had a dead ball opportunity, from only yards outside
the edge of the box, opting to go low, smothered by Pickard who’s
well-positioned.
He was to be involved in Maltby’s equaliser, in Stead came the finisher. The striker held off pressure behind him, his back to
goal, before finding a pass to his left to Mackenzie Warne who in turn was able to play
forward into Stead, shifting the ball onto his left to power into the near,
bottom corner.
As Bailey Wright tracked well down Rec's left to successfully
regain possession, Field is in support to clear but it’s down the middle to Alex
Washington who had a touch out of his feet and tried to Pickard’s right who
pushed away at full stretch.
With two minutes of normal time remaining, Stead was to find
the net again for the decisive winner. It stemmed from a wider-left position on
this occasion, arrowed into the far top corner.
Converted into a forward on his return, Danny Ravenscroft twice
had chances to equalise into added-time, once from inside the box,
the other, hooking the ball, left-footed on the half-turn, across goal, the
ball dropping against the signs behind goal.
There was to be no even later response from Rec who fell to
defeat in the league.
Our visit to Swallownest on Saturday 9th November
is the second of three consecutive away trips for Rec.
