Ingles share the spoils in an eight goal thriller
INGLES returned from Harrowby with a 4-4 draw after a pulsating opening day game and a debut hat trick from Billy Clarke with one from Yacine Boutouta.
After an up and down preseason with a new management team, some players moving higher up the pyramid and some deciding they wanted try something new, it has meant a lot of chop and changing and a number of new players coming in. Even with this change the team has kept a local core while adding in some exciting new players.
Harrowby away was always going to be one of the hardest tests looking at last year’s results and a strong pre season and this is what we got.
The game started with both sides feeling each other out but an obvious Harrowby threat soon emerged. Harry Olivant, a recent signing from Lincoln City was outstanding. Harrowby constantly fed him the ball where he attacked with pace and skill causing Salem Otoro a massive headache. The opening goal came from this route where Olivant fed the on rushing left back Rigby who fired past Abel in the Ingles Goal.
To Ingles credit they kept their heads and hit back fairly quickly. Billy Clarke hassled the defender and out muscled him to steal the ball and calmly finish past the keeper.
The goal glut continued as 10 minutes later Ingles took the lead. Matty Brown broke through the midfield and his cross found Yacine Boutouta in the area who somehow brought the ball down, wriggled past the right back and the on-rushing keeper to poke the ball home.
Ingles nearly extended the lead after good work from Clarke he teed up Ryan Hardy, whos effort from the edge of the area had the keeper beat but rattled of the bar.
Unfortunately, Harrowby hit straight back. A corner was won down their dangerous left side and from the resulting corner Abel was unable to stop the header creeping over the line. Disaster followed as within another minute Harrowby took the lead again. Olivant intercepted the ball and drove forward dangerously before firing past Abel.
Ingles knew they needed a reaction in the second half. Things remained even until around 65 minutes when sub Harry Smith made an instant impact.
Smith reacted to a bouncing ball in the Harrowby area and got to it first before the defender who bundled into Smith as he was breathing down on goal and a clear penalty given. Billy Clarke stepped up and made no mistake, sending the keeper the wrong way.
This goal seemed to rattle Harrowby and Ingles were able to begin to dominate territory. McCourt, Callum Hardy and Smith began to get a foothold, stopping attacks and releasing the dangerous front three.
This pressure led to a second penalty after Harry Smith again broke into the area and was met by a clumsy challenge that gave the referee no choice but to point to the sort again. Clarke again stepped up to fire into the net and complete his hat trick.
Ingles knew they had something to defend with 20 minutes left. The back line of captain Boulter, Kone, Rawson and Sykes who had replaced Atoro, were standing firm even finding time for a few trademark runs out from the back and stepovers from Kone!!
Abel and Rawson both came to the rescue after a poor throw out set up Harrowby but was smoothed by Abel at the strikers feet and then cleared by Rawson.
On 80 minutes a soft foul to the right of the penalty area resulted in Harrowbys fourth goal direct from a free kick after a deflection left Abel with no chance. The last 10 minutes was fairly quiet, with no real clear chances for either side and the game ended 4-4.
A great game for the neutral with both sides thinking they could have nicked it at the end. A point is something to build on for this new look side, especially against a Harrowby side who are expected to be challenging at the top end of the table this season.
Special mentioned to 16 year old local lad Callum Hardy who made his senior debut in the game and put in a great performance against some experienced players at this level.
Next up is another tough test against another fancied side, Aylestone Park at The Dovecote on Wednesday evening.