Matthew completes smash and grab act for Town

Town started the match looking the better side and had Hillsborough on the back foot for the first 10 minutes of the game creating two great chances to take the lead. Their opponents began to get a grip on the game and they to created numerous openings to take the lead, but like Town saw those chances wasted and both teams looked as if they had ran out of ideas as half-time approached.

Town began the second half with the belief they could get the all important first goal and set about that task right from the start and it looked as if they were about to get that opening only for a block from Hillsborough defender to send the ball behind for a corner.

Hillsborough defended the corner and got the ball away to safety and began to settle again and within four minutes it was Hillsborough who broke the deadlock when a shot from roughly 30 yards looked to be sailing over the crossbar only to dip at the last minute and went over advancing Town keeper Jake Kerr and into the net. Town looked totally stunned at what had just happened and Hillsborough now had the upper hand and within three minutes of going 1-0 ahead it was 2-0 this time Town failed to put a tackle in on an advancing striker and he beat three players and put the ball into the net.

Town began to dig in and with two minutes to go from a corner a Town player was pushed in the box and Town were awarded a lifeline with a penalty which Ryan Lewsley converted to make it 2-1 in injury time.

Hillsborough thought they had still done enough to win the game and were waiting on the referee to blow the final whistle as they tried to keep the ball but Town won it just outside the box and saw one of their players fouled in the process and were awarded a free kick. Up stepped captain Matthew Russell to convert the free kick and make it 2-2.

This was a remarkable comeback from Town who looked a beaten side midway through the second half but Town’s never give up attitude once again helped them through when they were up against it.