Pinchbeck United 2
Rushden & Higham Utd 2
Frustrated Pinchbeck United were forced to settle for a 2-2 draw after a fiery clash with Rushden and Higham United on Saturday.
The Knights looked in complete command when Corey Kingston fired them ahead on 22 minutes, but the flow of the game changed soon after with Tom Brooks and Aaron Cormack both dismissed – leaving it ten-a-side.
The visitors turned the game on its head when Dylan Wilson netted two goals in five second-half minutes (61 and 66), but a Liam Ogden free-kick (69) restored parity.
Both sides had chances to win the ChromaSport UCL Division One clash, but it was Pinchbeck who were left feeling hard done by at the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field.
They’ve now drawn three of their six league games since being promoted, with assistant boss Allan Ross blaming poor finishing for their spree of stalemates.
Number two Ross said: “I’m disappointed really, they didn’t threaten us at all in the first half.
“I thought we were in full control of the game and at half time we knew the points would be in the bag if we didn’t make any sloppy errors.
“But, we got sucker-punched by two long balls and didn’t learn from our mistakes.
“The sending off didn’t help. I think if the referee had given Tom a yellow, he would probably have given their player a yellow for the foul.
“But he dealt with Tom first and it was handbags from there. We’ve seen pushes in both home games here and both have been yellow cards.
“I wouldn’t say that the referee played particularly well today, if I’m honest.
“Anyway, I just felt the game fizzled out in the second half. We allowed it to develop into a bit of a boring game and had naïve spells mixed with a few good spells.
“We had chances. In the first half we missed three or four – but I can’t keep saying that.
“We’ve not really looked like losing any matches so far this season, but we’ve got to be more dominant in the final third.
“The effort and creativity is there. Are we missing a bit of luck? I don’t know – maybe we need to freshen it up and get a couple of forwards in.
“We’re missing quite easy chances – these aren’t 30-yard efforts we’re talking about. It’s just not clinical enough from us.
“At the end of the game, they (Rushden and Higham) are very happy with a draw and even had chances to pinch it, but our philosophy was to go for nothing less than three points.
“When we’re playing badly or against a better team, we don’t mind sitting in and accepting a draw – like against Lutterworth.
“We pushed on and looked to win the game, but left ourselves open at times.
“Somebody told me that this league wasn’t tough, but that was an understatement. We haven’t played a poor team yet.
“Every team battles, even when they’re well behind. At 2-1, I was left thinking ‘how did that happen?’ It’s a tough league.”
After a quiet first ten minutes at the Sir Halley, Pinchbeck fashioned their first chance when Josh Smith crossed for Kingston – who saw his curling effort well held by Kyle Swailes.
There was no let-off when the Pinchbeck pair combined 12 minutes later, though. Smith, after a great run down the left, crossed low from the byline for a grateful Kingston to tap home at the back post.
Then came the big flashpoint, with both sides having players sent off. A dangerous tackle from Cormack on Nick Bishop drew a reaction from Brooks, with both given straight red cards.
With more space out on the field, the game did open up from then on. A good run and strike from Liam Ogden was smartly saved by Swailes, while Jamie Mastropiero drew a save from Knights debutant Lewis Cox.
Pinchbeck really should have gone in 2-0 up, though, with Smith blazing a golden chance over the bar just before the break following another Swailes save from Kingston.
The second half was much more open. The Knights seemed in control, but couldn’t find goal number two.
Smith wasted a good chance from an Ian Dunn backheel and Jack Withers headed wide from a corner before the hosts were stunned on the hour.
The visitors broke out of nowhere and released Dylan Wilson on the left. He got in one-on-one with Cox and made no mistake as he picked out the corner.
Four minutes later Pinchbeck found themselves behind as another attack down the left resulted in Wilson turning home his second from close range.
To their credit, the Knights knuckled down and equalised almost immediately when Ogden’s excellent free-kick from the left missed everybody and picked out the far corner.
From then on it was end-to-end stuff, with both sides having chances to win. Wilson narrowly missed out on connecting with a cross for his hat-trick, while both Dunn and Chris Shipley had efforts saved.
A late corner from Ogden also caused havoc, but neither Withers or Shipley could convert their headed opportunities.
In the end, Pinchbeck were forced to settle for a point and rue the more ruthless nature of their new league.
Player/boss Dunn added: “We’ve got to be putting these teams away. Last year we’d have got away with these mistakes and won 2-0. But in the UCL it’s 2-2 and we’ve been punished.”
Pinchbeck: Cox, Gordon, Withers, Shipley, Jack Smith, Brooks, Josh Smith (Panting 62), Bishop, Dunn, Kingston (Eyes 78), Ogden. Not used: Gardner.
