An impressive draw for Luffs

Leicestershire Senior League Division Two

LEICESTER ATHLETIC 1 LOUGHBOROUGH FC 1

AFTER a couple of weeks without a fixture The Luffs travelled to second placed Leicester Athletic and put in a fighting performance on their plastic pitch and very nearly took all the points after being a goal up in the first half.

That is four draws on the trot for the Loughborough side who are not the pushovers they were but the elusive victory is a long time coming.

We train on grass and we play on grass is The Luffs philosophy but they quickly adapted to this strange surface and in the early stages play some impressive one touch football. The Leicester side worked their way into the game and began to show why they are up there amongst the leaders. The Luffs forced a couple of corners but nothing came from them, the Loughborough keeper Noel Beniston saved a shot from Jowa Mbome.

It was no surprise when The Luffs took the lead, Alfie Green split the Leicester defence wide open with a through ball for Cyrus Brierley to find the bottom corner leaving the ex-Loughborough keeper Brandon Holgate riveted to the spot. Owen Clarke might have made it two, The Luffs were on top at this stage, but clear through keeper Holgate got his angle right this time and the shot went over the top.

Leicester began their fightback late in the half and winger Mohamed Muse tormented the Loughborough defence but marshalled by Tolu Abbass the home side were restricted to long shots and it remained 1-0 at half time.

The Luffs never quite recovered their first half fluency in the second but they are not easy to beat these days and were like a dog with a bone as the Leicester side tried to turn the screw. Committed to attack left a few gaps at the back for The Luffs to exploit and Cyrus Brierley might have added to his first half goal but his shot was easily saved by keeper Holgate.

With just ten minutes to go The Luffs conceded the equalizer, a corner, a goal mouth scramble a hand went up and the referee pointed to the spot.

Diawara Ouakari made no mistake with the kick and it was 1-1.