Scorers
United: Matt Savage (45)
Lions: Josh Raven (79)
Ian Duffield - thanks for the programme!
A bit of a raucous evening in the company of the Heanor faithful! All good banter though - and thoroughly enjoyable. Though it makes me long for a game where there's only me and Kev there, along with a bloke walking his dog!!!
Sorry about the quality - crap phone!
The first half wasn't very good, to be quite honest. Heanor seemed unable to control the ball and were a yard slower than their hosts.
Matt Savage ought to have opened the scoring for United in the 17th minute, but he failed to connect at the far post after Michael Armstrong had fired the ball across the face of the goal.
Savage fired one in from the left wing on 21, and the flight seemingly confused Town keeper Mark Frost who was grateful when the ball flew just wide of the far upright.
Heanor striker Dan Williams turned his defender and fired at goal 5 minutes later - unfortunately for the Town massive, the curling effort cannoned off the post and the loose ball cleared.
Savage saw his header crash off the Heanor bar on the half hour, and as the ball came back into play it fell to a United boot 2 yards from goal. Should have been a tap in, but somehow the ball was scooped high and wide - what a miss!
In the second minute of stoppage time, Long Eaton broke the deadlock, MATT SAVAGE prodding home at the far post after the ball was fired through a ruck of players from the edge of the box.H-T 1-0
Heanor looked a little more determined and composed as the second half progressed, and on 53 it took a cracking save from keeper Tom Gutteridge to keep out Courey Grantham's header.
Town right back Josh Raven was having a great game and almost restored parity in the 56th minute, dribbling his way through the home defence before firing just wide.
United had a decent chance to double their lead on the hour when Savage crossed from the left and picked out Shaun Rickford in front of goal. With only Frost to beat, it looked a certain goal, but the striker's gentle header was easily claimed by the Lions' keeper.
Williams saw his effort cleared off the line on 64, while at the other end Rickford only just failed to reach Savage's neat ball in from the left.
The equaliser when it eventually arrived in the 79th minute was greeted with a huge roar from the travelling fans. Man of the match was already decided before the goal, and JOSH RAVEN cemented that honour when he got to the ball in a crowded box before anyone else, and smashed it gleefully past Gutteridge.
The Referee added four extra minutes at the end of the 90, but by now both teams appeared to have settled for a point apiece - and on reflection, the draw was probably a fair result.F-T 1-1
Admission: £5
Programme: £1.50 (kindly donated by Ian Duffield)
Attendance: TBC
