Unlucky 13 as run comes to an end

FRECKLETON ............... 1 ROSSENDALE FC ......... 1

ON the thirteenth day of the month Rossendale travelled to Freckleton for their thirteenth match of the season looking for their thirteen consecutive league victory,

But in the end it was 13th unlucky for the stags as they were held to a 1-1 draw.

Throughout the match Rossendale weren’t on their game and Freckleton were up for it to spoil the 100% winning run and Rossendale couldn’t react to their opponents.

From the outset whenever Rossendale were on the attack Freckleton had up to nine men behind the ball but broke well when the Rossendale attacks broke down which was becoming more commonplace as the half wore on. On 19 minutes the first real sight at goal as Scott Wylie found space on the edge of the box and his fierce shot beat the keeper but smashed against the crossbar, bounced on the line and away to safety. Rossendale had a good 10-minute spell and another chance on 26 minutes as Tom Hulme wriggled free in the area his shot across goal beat the keeper but hit the left hand post and away for a goal kick. A twentyminute spell of football followed with neither team creating much and the teams went in at the break with the game goal less.

Freckleton did have the ball in the net early in the second period but the off side flag kept the game scoreless.

An hour into the game and a couple of tactical substitutions lifted Rosendale’s game, and a Wylie effort was tipped round the post for a corner, 2 minutes later and another Wylie effort was saved on the line by the keepers feet, further chances came and went a header at the back post by substitute Tom Walker went just wide of the post when maybe he could have scored, and as the game entered the closing stages Rossendale got stronger with Freckleton happy to clear their lines, but then a hectic few minutes as the game entered injury time a goalmouth scramble ended with the referee awarding Rossendale a penalty for a foul, and after a short delay the reliable Scott Wylie smashed the ball high past the keeper to keep the 100% record intact, but into the 94th minute Freckleton got a corner which Rossendale failed to clear and the ball was forced home for the equalising goal which proved to be the last action of the game, with the home team celebrating like they had just won the cup. The 2 dropped points will give the chasing pack hope, but with the pressure off 100% record it may make Rossendale settle into a bit more normality. Rossendale return to Marl Pits on Saturday against Furness Rovers. The match kicks off at 2pm.