It finished level between Rec and Appleby Frodingham in the
midst of the rain of Storm Darragh at Brumby Hall, a 2-2 scoreline in the NCEL
Division One fixture.
Luke Micklethwaite and then Harrison Landon steered Rec back level on both occasions on Saturday afternoon after Jack Tierney had opened the scoring before Eugene Ugenio restored Appleby's lead shortly before the break.
Levi Owen made his debut in goal whilst Nicky Lalousis, Bailey
Wright and Micklethwaite returned to the starting line-up from last Friday’s
visit to Worsbrough.
Whilst Rec had the opening chance, Nathan Perks having been found in Appleby's box side-on to goal by Wright to hook a shot straight at Jordan Quibell, the effects of the weather conditions were soon after exemplified inside Rec’s box.
Appleby worked the ball inside from the left leading to a
shot parried by Owen, Ugenio the first to the follow-up but slipping mid-shot, slicing the
ball wide.
The half-way line was in as bad condition, as felt by Josh
Berry who’s mishap allowed Sam Aynsley to make it to the box and cross, a hand
from Owen, diving out of goal, continuing the ball on it’s path across the face
of his goal.
By twenty-one minutes, Durkin had realised he's quicker than
his opposing full-back and repeatedly attacked his outside. On one of the early
occasions he found Perks’ feet central, the forward facing away from goal so
decided to lay off Lalousis attacking the edge of the box to shoot first-time
on target but for a deflection off one of the bodies in Appleby’s area.
Wright was a constant outlet on the opposite side and was
one-on-one with Jordan Quibell on twenty-three minutes, his initial shot rebounding to his feet
before opting to then round the ‘keeper and chip the ball across goal and appearing
to connect with the the bottom of the far post, whether it had been a shot or a
cross.
Micklethwaite’s equaliser stemmed from good wing-play again,
once more targeting the space on the edge of the box with a cut-back.
Micklethwaite aimed for the opposite side to what Lalousis had done minutes
earlier, placed into the right of goal.
Joel Chapman kept his footing and the ball when travelling
the width of Rec’s box, right-to-left and getting a shot away, dealt by Owen.
Appleby’s lead was rather restored from a delivery across the box. Ugenio
removing any doubt of slipping on this occasion by shooting first-time from the
centre of the box, against the inside of the far post.
Perks’s hold-up play on fourty-minutes was complimented by
Durkin on Rec’s right who was facing goal and he skimmed a shot at the near post.
It was pushed wide with five minutes remaining, of which didn’t affect the
scoreline at the break.
Wright was inverted on the edge six minutes after the
restart to again utilise space infront of The hosts’ defence, glancing off a
defending head to force it wide.
He had a clearer view of goal when Perks received and put
through his left winger, the resulting shot blocked by the outrushing Quibell
in goal.
The equaliser did follow three minutes later with Perks
involved again with the initial free-kick, Harrison Landon keeping his balance
to follow-up the rebound. The initial effort from atleast 30-yards out, hit over the wall, was parried and Landon reacted quickest.
Durkin was sent chasing down the right but the ‘keeper
reached it first. On kicking his clearance, the conditions again evident in his fall.
There were three slips at least, all either around or in the
box as Appleby countered. Firstly, Kenneth Effah’s fall led to Ugenio and
Aynsley running at Berry alone to cover Owen’s goal. As Berry closed the man in possession, the
ball was moved onto Aynsley in space wider, let down by a heavy first-touch, redeemed
as the ball squeezed under Owen but Ugenio, infront of an open goal, hit the
ground himself allowing Effah to cover and clear.
With the score still level with fifteen to play, Perks held
off his defender to receive inside the box thanks to quick feet from Pursell
earlier on the right. The ball was lofted to the far post where Green’s waiting,
denied a shooting opportunity from just yards out by an airborne touch from a
toe from his marker to put the ball out of proximity.
Perks chose to shoot first-time from the next ball from
Pursell, coming at the forward quick and high, not diverted to goal with threatening
pace as the game rolled into full-time with the points shared.
Friday night at Sheerien Park sees Armthorpe Welfare visit
in the NCEL Division One, the 13th December the date of Rec’s next
fixture.