St Mary’s are pegged back three times

WEST LANCS LEAGUE DIVISION ONE MILNTHORPE COR ..... 4 HAS ST MARY’S .......... 4 STEVE BAYES HASLINGDEN St Mary’s last match of the year was a trip to Milnthorpe Corinthians, and a tough match it turned out to be – despite leading three times St Mary’s had to settle for a share of the spoils in an eight-goal thriller against dogged opposition.

There was plenty of Christmas spirit on show with both defences gifting the opposition goals, another strange fact of the match all St Mary’s four goals came from corners.

The match was played in foggy conditions and would probably have been postponed but for Milnthorpe’s Floodlights.

Milnthorpe started the brighter of the two teams, and after missing an open goal after only four minutes they took the lead a minute later through Halliwell, St Mary’s started to get back in the game and equalised on 15 minutes when Milnthorpe failed to clear a Scott Wylie corner and as the ball popped up in the air Alex White nodded in.

On 39 minutes St Mary’s took the lead for the first time when Wylie’s corner was headed in by Tom Hulme.

But right on half time St Mary’s failed to cut out a cross from the right and Bousfield slid in at the back post to equalise.

St Mary’s started the second half brightly and on 50 minutes thought they had a third as Mickey Saunders chased a through ball, he beat the onrushing keeper to the ball, but the ball hit the right hand upright and rolled across the goal line before being cleared, the ball was played back into the area and then Lewis Reeder hit the left hand post.

A superb Milnthorpe volley was brilliantly tipped round the post by St Mary’s ●● Mickey Saunders keeper Danny Bell.

But St Mary’s eventually took the lead for the second time on 72 minutes when the Milnthorpe keeper dropped another Wylie corner and Alex White fired home.

But three minutes later the referee ignored the linesman’s flag and Milnthorpe equalised again through Parkinson.

But the resilient St Mary’s came back once more and regained the lead for a third time through Matt Martindale from yet another Wylie corner that wasn’t dealt with.

The drama didn’t end there as Milnthorpe forced home their third equaliser of the match from Clark on 88 minutes.

From a neutral point of view this must have been a fantastic match, but for the managers some of the defending was far from fantastic.

But with nearest challengers CMB losing, the point from this match sees St Mary’s finish the year in second place in Division 1 four points behind the leaders Poulton with four games in hand.

A year that has seen them play 34 games winning 20, drawing 8, and loosing just 6, scoring 87 goals while conceding 54.

St Mary’s next match is on Saturday 7th January when they are at home to Wyre Villa with a 2pm kick off.

St Mary’s reserves also finish the year in second place in division three after a 4-1 home win over Croston Sports Club Reserves, the goals coming from Johnny Heap, Paul Hooper (2) and James Goodyear