Oswell salvages
COUNTY salvaged a point late into stoppage time for the second week running, with a 1-1 draw with playoff chasing Chorley at Edgeley Park on Saturday.
Jason Oswell’s sixteenth goal of the season deep into the third minute of stoppage time salvaged a point for Jim Gannon’s side, after Nick Haughton’s opener had threatened to make it three home defeats in four for The Hatters.
Gannon had opted to stick with the same lineup which had performed a similar comeback act in a 2-2 draw at struggling Boston the week prior, with County shifting to a more attacking 3-4-1-2 formation in front of a bumper crowd at Edgeley Park.
In-form Matty Warburton moved up to play alongside Oswell in a strike force which now boasts 27 goals between the pair, just three months into the National League North season.
The Hatters have never beaten The Magpies on home soil, and have won just once against Matt Jansen’s side since dropping into the National League North in 2013 – with County’s solitary victory coming in a 1-0 win away from home last season.
County’s play-off aspirations were dealt a blow during the same campaign as Jansen’s promotion hopefuls held The Hatters to a 0-0 stalemate at Edgeley Park in March, and the tie seemed destined to be heading that same way for much of the affair on Saturday afternoon.
County have made a habit of roaring out of the blocks early on in front of their own fans in recent weeks before eventually tailing off into late defeats, as evidenced in recent home losses to Blyth Spartans and Kidderminster – The Hatters only two home defeats in the past twelve months.
But there was no such flying start here as both sides tentatively jabbed at each other throughout the first half, with clear-cut chances coming at a premium.
The danger man for the visitors was a clear standout, the diminutive Nick Haughton – on loan from League One side Fleetwood – causing no end of problems for a resolute County backline all afternoon with his pace and trickery through the middle of a threatening Chorley strike-force.
But the returning Michael Clarke has been a huge boost for Gannon’s men at the back in recent weeks, and the Chorley attack was marshalled as well as the league’s leading scorer Jason Oswell was at the other end, with the former Newtown striker’s big opportunity coming and going on the half-hour.
Scott Duxbury’s cross was deep, towards the back post where Oswell was lurking having shrugged off the attention of big centre-half Scott Leather. Oswell leapt at the angle, but ‘keeper Urwin was equal to the powerful header – and, after a first half which made up for a lack of entertainment by way of an intriguing tactical battle, the sides went in even.
Haughton came close with a number of cheap free-kicks in the second half which Ben Hinchliffe was happy to punch well away from goal, before the County stopper kept the tie at stalemate on the hour mark with two crucial interventions.
Firstly, target man Jason Walker found himself inexplicably through on goal after a slip from defender Stephen O’Halloran, only for Hinchliffe to superbly palm the one-on-one effort behind for a corner.
The tireless Haughton once again saw a powerful effort tipped behind moments later, before the Magpies’ star man pro-