Five second-half goals, in Rec’s favour, was one shy of achieving any comeback similar to midweek, beaten 4-3 at South Leeds in the NCEL Division One.
Trailing by two at the break and following a heavy downpour, James Woodhouse, Finn Taylor and Carter Tingle saw Rec win the second-half but ultimately fall short.
With Rec safe after Tuesday’s comeback win, there were places for Alfie Bakes, Finn Taylor and Josh Berry to start whilst Sam Foulds returned to the bench.
There looked to be a lot of space from the off when Aaran Turner could step out of defence. Nathan Perks identified it several moments later, flicking into Woodhouse behind but he couldn’t capitalise.
Jamal Stewart ran through a gap opened up between Rec’s backline, shooting against Owen’s legs. He had no time to let the follow up drop, over compensating and hooking wide of the near post after seven minutes.
Perks as ever fancied himself in the box, shifting the ball onto his left inside the box for a sight at goal, straight at 'keeper Paul Diamond.
Woodhouse led the counters, the latest down the left and he rounded his defender but the angle favoured Diamond who covered his goal, catching above his head.
The opener followed three minutes later. A low cross from the left met a home forward inside the box but the finish couldn’t be deciphered amongst a crowd of host and visiting players, the ball ending in the right place for South Leeds.
The assister on that occasion found success infield off the left again, nudging the ball further adjacent of the edge of the box to work room for a shot, right-footed but unsuccessful in adding to the score.
It would be added-time of first-half when the hosts would double their lead, the winger inside again, playing through a midfielder on a run from deep, struck into the far, bottom corner.
Heavy rain caused some doubts over the playing surface, the ball certainly slower across the turf int the second period.
Rec suggested a comeback as early as two minutes after the break, James Woodhouse’s second in three games. Having been moved out wide in the initial phases of the second-half, he found some space infront of the full-back, shooting across goal.
Three minutes later and the lead was restored to two. A smart touch out of his feet, away from pressure was followed by a low strike through the box.
The next ten minutes would see three further goals.
The first coming four minutes later, Finn Taylor’s first for the club. Tingle collected on the half-way, the ball worked it’s way down the left through Perks. He moved it central to Woodhouse who tried to take it on the spin, the ball skimming away to where Taylor was waiting on the right-hand side, a powerful finish towards the near, beating Diamond.
South Leeds would again retaliate, Jamal Stewart able to head over Owen. An outside-of-the-left boot cross from the right aimed to the penalty spot where Stewart beat everyone to the ball, lifting it over Rec’s ‘keeper, the ball nicking the underside of the bar with the linesman confirming the ball had crossed the line.
A bried period without a goal ij the second-half still teased one, Sam Foulds with his back to goal, hooking over his left-shoulder ahead of Taylor’s run. Perks was better positioned heading to the penalty spot, the pass just behind him.
Rec would succeed once more, however, Tingle with a close-range finish. Perks was the target at the far post from a set-piece, knocking the ball down across the face of goal to Tingle to smash in.
Levi Owen got the better of Stewart once again with his feet with the striker one-on-one again, on sixty-four minutes.
There was almost a repeat of the comeback midweek with an added-time goal to earn Rec some points atleast, Sam Foulds poking all the way across the face of goal with no touch on the end.
South Leeds’ left-winger then managed to get enough force behind his poke from wide-left for the ball to make it’s way across the sodden turf and cross the byline the wrong side of the far post.
Tingle from the edge of the box shifted onto his right to lace a shot round the right-hand upright in added-time and there was still time for Owen to tip wide of his goal with the hosts allowed space in front of goal with Rec pushing for the equaliser.
It wasn’t to come though as Rec were denied a third successive win.
There’s a rare week break for Rec who host Swallownest next Saturday, 29th March in the league.
