Campion 2 Garforth 2

With many similarities to the match at the Bannister Prentice Stadium back in September, it was another tense evening, full of endeavour amid worsening conditions and where the outcome teetered on a knife-edge.

There was one change to the starting line-up to that which defeated Pickering in midweek; midfielder Max Tweddle making his first start for the club, replacing Jay Davis who was forced off injured in that game. Charlie Marshall trained with the rest of the team on Tuesday after a brief spell out and was named a substitute.

The two sides cancelled each other for periods of the first half, but still managed to carve out a few chances. Max Tweddle's free kick to the far post three minutes in was punched half-clear by Campion 'keeper Brad Emmerson, but a defender managed to clear. Ten minutes after that a low shot by Nathan Cartman was claimed by Harry Flatters when supplied by Marcus Harper. Dexter Ball was unlucky not to put Garforth ahead when squeezing his way into the box on 34 mins. After teeing-up Sam Barker who was then dispossessed, his low shot came off the near post before the follow-up from Tweddle deflected wide. Ball was inadvertently involved in a Red and Blacks chance shortly after when his attempted clearance ricocheted off a Campion player straight to Cartman, but his 20-yard effort swerved well wide.

Barker was on the end of a bad challenge in the middle of the park five minutes from the break, but the referee's playing of advantage led to Town taking the lead. The ball was played forward to Jordan Emery on the edge of the box who turned and scored with a curling strike into the bottom corner. A fourth goal in three games for the utility man who's importance to the team continues to grow. There could've been a second in injury time when The Miners got down the right and delivered deep into the box, but the referee bizarrely decided to blow up for half time.

The home side came quickest out of the blocks after the break with Flatters denying captain Aidan Day at the near post when supplied by Patrick Sykes. They grabbed the equalizer on 47 mins when Sykes' corner kick was flicked on to Michael O'Brien who headed into the net.

The pendulum soon swung the other way however as the rain which began shortly before the break turned to hailstones. Harry Viggars forced a good save from Emmerson after getting on the end of Antcliff's corner. On 52 mins Garforth regained the lead after causing the hosts more problems from a ball into the box. Joe Smith won it back and played in Emery who's low shot looked to have been gathered by the grounded Emmerson but he couldn't hold on, allowing Barker to poke home. The hosts were furious, claiming Barker had kicked the ball out of his hands, but the referee was unmoved.

The remainder of the half resembled a tennis match at times with much back and forth, in part due to the tremendous kicking abilities of both keepers. Substitute and former Town midfielder Karl Fitzgerald escaped with a yellow card on 73 mins after bringing down substitute Sam Cable who looked set to race clear. An Emery half-volley was inches wide after Ball's free-kick was misjudged by a defender. From a controversial offside decision involving Emery and Cable on 84 mins the Bradfordians were back level. The resulting free-kick was played forward to sub Aidan Kirby who scored with a cracking half-volley beyond the despairing Flatters.

The final few minutes could've seen either team win it, with the pitch conditions playing their part. A Campion free-kick in a dangerous position just outside the box went well wide, before Flatters saved at the near post when a Red and Blacks man got on the end of a long throw-in. An Emery shot was inches over the bar from Barker's deflected cross, then the "Miners Messi" himself fired just over from the edge of the area. Down the other end Day's dipping volley went narrowly over the bar after a long ball was only half-cleared.

Whilst it was a shame Paul Marshall's side couldn't hold on to the win after twice taking the lead, we've taken four points now against a side who've been in the top five (or three?) pretty much all season. Eight days rest for the players now (if not the kit man!) before we head to our "bogey ground" of Bottesford on Easter Saturday 30th March (kick-off 3pm).