Top of the table clash
A TITANIC battle between the top two teams in the East Midlands Counties League ended with honours even as Newark Flowserve and Selston drew 2-2 in front of a festive Lowfields crowd that nearly trebled the season’s previous best.
A 100-seater stand had been erected alongside the goal at the social club end in anticipation of large crowd to back leaders Newark Flowserve while, at the other end, the supporters of second-placed visitors Selston had hoisted four large flags to stake their claim in the proceedings.
What followed was never dull, through the frenetic action meant that there was little free-flowing football to entertain the remarkable crowd of 673 – almost three times bigger than the record 253 who turned up to see the match against Barrow Town in November.
The eagerly awaited top of the table showdown burst into life in just the fourth minute when the industrious Jack Beckett caught a Selston opponent with his boot after winning a challenge. The vehement reaction of the opposition resulted in an early booking.
There was no reaching into the pocket after Beckett’s shirt was nearly ripped off his back in a retribution assault by visiting skipper Ben Moore a while later, however.
In the meantime, on nine minutes, Selston took the lead when Kenan Layton broke free on the left and crossed for Carl Moore to trigger boisterous celebrations amongst the sizeable visiting support.
As with the league table - both sides level on points and only goal-difference separating them - there was very little between the two for the remainder of the half.
Flowserve’s best opportunity came ten minutes before the break when Jordan Thomas - back in the side while on holiday from his London-based university – released Tyrell Shannon-Lewis but the ball was just too far in front of the marauding striker.
Thomas was replaced at the interval by Darryl Price, and Flowserve were level almost immediately when Jammy Lloyd hit a speculative effort from the edge of the box. Selston keeper Alfie Smith-Eccles misjudged the looping effort and fumbled the ball into his own net. Cue pandemonium on and off the field.
A lovely red sunset produced an ethereal backdrop to the occasion, but temperatures were rising on the field, with every challenge entered with relish by both parties.
Skipper Tom Potts, seemingly fully recovered after a thigh injury, and central defensive partner Rhys Lewis won everything in the air as Selston looked to restore their advantage, but it was The Highwaymen who struck next just before the hour mark.
Sam Agar crossed from the right and super sub Price, the smallest man on the field, was perfectly placed to head in at the far post and give his side the lead for the first time.
Agar rose the highest from a Danny Meadows corner from the right five minutes later, only to be denied by the crossbar with the keeper beaten, and that would have sealed the three points which would have negated Selston’s game in hand.
But the game had one more cruel twist in the 70th minute when home keeper Joe Searson could only parry a cross from the left, and Klarke Greenham gleefully rammed home the loose ball to ensure a share of the spoils.
Newark Flowserve: 1 Joe Searson; 2 Sol Miller; 3 Chris Richards; 4 Tom Potts (captain); 5 Rhys Lewis; 6 Jammy Lloyd; 7 Jack Beckett; 8 Danny Meadows; 9 Sam Agar; 10 Tyrell Shannon-Lewis (Callum Smith 88mins); 11 Jordan Thomas (Darryl Price HT).
