In their second game in three days, Cammell Laird 1907 FC travelled to Cheadle Heath Nomads and upped their performance considerably but still only gained one point due to a frantic finish, in a game they should have won.
As early as the fourth minute Zac Catesby evaded two challenges to unleash a superb effort that beat the diving keeper and entered the net via the goalpost for a great start.
Lairds then controlled the game as Hamm, Summers and Johnston caused the home defence plenty of troubles, but keeper Ryan Forde kept them at bay.
Then on 30 minutes, Ryan Smith was unlucky to see his volley strike the bar and then be cleared to safety and so the score remained 1-0 to Lairds at the break.
A slow start to the second half saw Cheadle level matters within two minutes as Max Pouncy stabbed home during a goalmouth scramble.
The game ebbed and flowed until the 73rd minute when James Eaton put Lairds back in front with a well-taken effort and but for some missed opportunities they could have secured an easy victory.
Lairds were punished again in the 91st minute as Ryan Morton equalised following poor defending and within a minute a second breakaway resulted in Cheadle taking the lead as the unmarked Tom Jones netted their third.
Lairds piled forward in the added time and were rewarded when captain Ryan Smith pounced in the 95th minute in a goalmouth melee to earn Lairds a deserved point, but it still felt like two points lost having played well throughout.
Lairds will now entertain Premier Division opposition Burscough in the Isuzu FA Vase on Saturday with a 3.00pm kick off.
They then play on Bank Holiday Monday at home again versus Market Drayton Town with a 3.00pm kick off.
Reserves
Despite falling behind to an early goal against the visitors Helsby Reserves in their West Cheshire 3rd division fixture, Lairds fought back to secure a great 5-1 victory and also missed a penalty.
Opening exchanges were even but Helsby caught Lairds’ defence flat-footed and took the lead. Once they regained their composure Lairds surged into a 3-1 lead by half time and then dominated the second period to complete a great result as Ben Crossley and Adam Larway both bagged doubles, with Kieron Hughes netting the goal of the game with a neat header.
Next fixture is away on Saturday versus Frodsham Park with a 3pm kick off.
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