Shelley will ‘take point and move on’

SHELLEY manager Ash Berry couldn’t decide whether he was disappointed or relieved after a 1-1 draw with ten-man Atherton Laburnum Rovers left his side third in the North West Counties League First Division North.

It took a 79th-minute equaliser by Craig Billington to rescue a point for the Huddersfield team after Rovers, who had left-back Jack Marshall sent off in the first half, took a 58th-minute lead through Connor Comber at the Stafflex Arena.

Marshall was shown a straight red card six minutes before the break after tangling with

Shelley midfielder Dan Keane.

Having taken the chance to regroup at half-time, Atherton made light of their numerical disadvantage to go in front when Comber shot home from Dylan Jeffs’ ball into the box from wide on the right after home keeper Paul Day sliced a clearance kick.

It was a setback for Shelley, who were chasing a sixth win in their eighth league match of the campaign, and enabled the fifth-placed visitors to get men behind the ball as they attempted to protect their lead.

For a spell it looked as though Berry’s side were heading for a second defeat, but they levelled when skipper Antony Leech’s cross was headed home by Billington.

The striker now has five goals for the season, and Berry said: “Billy showed that when he gets the right kind of service, he will convert the chances.

“It’s disappointing not to win with the extra man, but we could also have lost, so we’ll take the point and move on.”

Next up is Saturday’s trip to Barrow to face eighth-placed Holker Old Boys.