A very quick turn around from the boys with 20 minutes from the previous match to this one.

Some Ice spray and stretches were needed to get the boys ready for the kick off.

Nigel made a few changes to the 11 to start with a different approach to see if we can get something from this one. Oliver in net again, Ethan continued at Rb, Toby, Cam and Dean finished the back line. Sam, Stan and Lewis G were our midfield while there was a shuffle up top with Lewis B coming in at RW, Freddie Up top and Stephen over at LW.

Both teams were raring to go and Willingdon came flying out of the blocks. A long ball from Oliver was picked off by the Willingdon defender and sent the header out to their LW who flicked a ball around the corner to their No11 and with a bounce off our 2 players back into his path and he went through and lashed it past Oliver with under 2 minutes on the clock. A mountain to climb for the boys but they didn't drop their heads. 0-1.

We went up the other end and Lewis G again playing smart, with a few give and go's on the edge of the box before hitting the ball on the volley forcing the keeper into a save.

Corners were causing Willingdon issues and Stephen and Stan were whipping them in with intent. Stephen sent the first one in that Sam met and the defender had to throw his body in the way to block it for another corner. Stan hit this in and again defender throwing a block in and clearing before Lewis G bravely stopped the counter attack and pushed us back forward.

Dean and Stephen were linking up well down the Left, utilising the space while Ethan was doing well down the right with Lewis B. Stan and Sam were working hard in the middle and Toby and Cam were clearing up any danger at this point.

Oliver pulled off a fantastic 1 on 1 save from some good work down the right on the counter and kept us in the game.

Just before 20 we got another corner and Stan stepped up and sent it in with a perfect delivery which landed right on the head of Stephen, who met it plum and sent it goal bound. Willingdon had a man on the post and he cleared it off the line with the keeper rooted to the spot. The very next corner, Stan swapped it up and went deep and met the head of Sam who again sent it goal bound but the other defender on the post cleared it away for another corner. Stephen sent another delivery deep and this one was also met by Sam and Willingdon's defender again pulled off a great block, this time sending the ball out for a throw.

HT - TD - 0 - Willingdon - 1

A frustrating half and one that needed to be a stepping stone for the boys to get the upper hand in the second half. Changes were made by Nige at the Half with Kieron coming on for Freddie, moving Stephen into the ST role, Harley for Lewis B, Jack for Lewis G and Charlie for Ethan. Sam moved forward into the 10 role and Jack back into the DM role with Stan.

The boys knew they needed to start fast in the second half and boy did they. Winning the ball back from Willingdon's kick off, Cam sent it towards Toby, who played it up to Charlie and we worked the line from here. Stephen pressed the CB into playing it back to the keeper before pressing the keeper into playing a rushed pass into their RCB. Kieron was pressing with Stephen and won the ball back on the edge of the 18 yard box. He looked up and brilliantly played a pass across into Harley who beat his man on the edge of the area and hit a wicked shot goalwards. The keeper tipped it onto the bar and the ball bounced out towards Stephen who reacted quickest and headed it past the keeper into the net. 1-1

We were doing really well going forward and creating a few opportunities before a mix up in midfield sent their main man through but Oliver came out on top however we never properly cleared it and we were slow to get out. We gave away the ball in the middle again with a lack of urgency and one pass from the LCB sent their no 11 through again, our boys were looking for the flag but looking at the replay he was played onside and finished into the far corner. 1-2.

The game slowed a bit with both teams tiring and a few challenges going in, balls going over fences and time being stopped and a head injury to Cam added to this with him going down twice in a few minutes and needing to come off as a precaution. Speedy recovery Cam!

Both teams were not wanting to give an inch and we were looking at a real stop start game going into the final 5 minutes. We were looking at least 4 minutes added time with all the stops and the TD boys were pushing for the equaliser.

Sam won the ball in the middle before playing it out to Harley who flicked the ball over two defenders before leaving them both in his rear view mirror. He got towards the right hand side of the box before looking up and whipping in a fantastic cross. The ball flew into the middle and with a step into space, Stephen met the ball superbly and powered it home into the top right hand corner with the boys all sprinting to Stephen and Harley to celebrate. 2-2

In the celebrations, this seemed to cause both Dean and Stan an issue meaning they both went down and Nige having to make 2 subs with 20 seconds left. Willingdon got a corner and sent it in however our boys stood strong and held out for the well deserved draw.

FT - TD - 2 - Willingdon - 2

A better reaction from the boys, especially in the second half looking like they wanted it more. Every single boy battled today against a top Willingdon side and worked so hard to get a result. Proud of them all! Onto Next week where we have another double header against Buxted.

MOTM- Stephen MF - Two fantastic goals from Stephen today, brave putting his head in, working hard across the front line by leading from the front.

TD Shipley FC

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