KETTLE TO BOIL LATE
Joel’s last-gasp brace helps Waders hold Boro in thriller
NUNEATON Borough kept themselves within touching distance of the playoffs this season after they defied the odds to comeback from 2-0 down – with ten-men – to snatch a point at Liberty Way.
A 95th minute equaliser from Joel Kettle, his second of the game for the Boro, saw them complete the comeback, which for Nuneaton boss Ginnelly was a deserved turnaround.
He said: “I am chuffed for everyone in the club and a loss in this one would have been a real kick in the teeth.
“We have so much character in this squad, though, and I never ruled us out of it.
“We showed what we are about and the kind of spirit we have here in the team.
“I am proud of the boys for the effort they put in. They didn’t let their heads drop and they deserved the point.”
It would have been easy for the Boro boys to let their heads drop, especially after what was a terrible opening 70 minutes in which they shipped two goals and lost a man in the process.
That man was Jordan Goddard as he was sent off for a deliberate handball in the box just 18 minutes in. The resulting spot-kick only compounded the misery for the home side as Dylan Williams gave the visitors the lead.
The Boro kept pushing after going behind but they were lucky not to see that lead doubled at the start of the second half as the visitors were once again given a spot-kick – this time the chance was not taken, though, as Jonathan Edwards saw his effort slide wide of the post.
The Boro were not out of the woods despite the miss as just three minutes later Edwards took advantage of some lacking defensive play to make strong amends for his miss.
Nuneaton gave themselves some hope when Joel Kettle cut the deficit with 20 minutes remaining - before the same player turned into a hero with 95 minutes on the clock by grabbing a late leveller from inside the box.
For Biggleswade boss Chris Nunn, it is something he hopes his young team can learn from.
He said: “It is a bit of a sickener as the game was there for us to win. We put ourselves in a great position but in the end the pressure told.
“Nuneaton have built a team that is in the land of the giants and they played to that strength until they got their goals.”
STAR MAN: Joel Kettle (Nuneaton Borough) ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★