Huntingdon Town 0
Pinchbeck United 0
Player/boss Ian Dunn was left downbeat as Pinchbeck United began life in ChromaSport UCL Division One with a 0-0 draw at Huntingdon Town on Friday night.
Pinchbeck, promoted from the ChromaSport PDFL last season, had much the better of the chances on a wet and wild night at Jubilee Park against a Huntingdon side that were relegated from the UCL Premier Division last time around.
Home keeper Andrew Hewitt made super stops to deny Andrew Tidswell, Corey Kingston and Tyler Wright as the Knights were left frustrated, while Dunn himself saw a last-gasp effort go to waste.
The Knights chief was adamant that his side should have taken all three points and felt they also had a good shout for a penalty when Hewitt collided with Tidswell in the second half.
Dunn reckoned Huntingdon were there for the taking, but admitted that his side lacked the necessary quality in the final third.
The Pinchbeck chief said: “I feel frustrated and disappointed – it’s two points dropped for us.
“They’ve not really had a shot – or even a corner – all game. Their keeper made a few good saves, but in the end we didn’t do enough to win the game.
“We weren’t clinical enough on the night and lacked a little bit of quality in the final third at times.
“I thought we had lots of half-chances, but never that clear-cut chance where somebody was able to pick their spot.
“We didn’t really test them enough or open them up enough.
“If you looked at their players coming off, you could see that they are over the moon with that point.
“It was difficult in the first half with the conditions being tough, but we can take positives.
“We didn’t lose and we didn’t concede – or even look like conceding – a goal. But when think about it, we’ll look back on this as a bad point.
“We maybe could have had a penalty. I saw ‘Tids’ get pulled – but I don’t think the referee saw it. If he did see it, I’m sure he would have given it.
“There was a good chance for me at the end too, if I’d have put it either side of the keeper it was a goal. I should have caught it a bit better and tested the keeper.
“I feel deflated, they are the happier side. We felt they were there for the taking and we go away a little bit gutted not to take the three points.”
With the wind up and rain falling throughout much of the match, the first game of the UCL/PDFL Groundhop weekend felt more like a winter fixture than a July curtain-raiser.
Pinchbeck settled into their first-ever Step Six showdown nicely, with Tidswell working Hewitt from a trademark early free-kick.
Midfield enforcer Herbie Panting then nodded over from a corner, before the same player was involved in something of a goalmouth scramble following another set-play.
Hewitt’s first big save of the night was perhaps his best, with the home keeper somehow turning a close-range Tidswell strike onto the post and out following good work down the right.
At the other end, Huntingdon threatened from a whipped Chris Down free-kick as Richard Baines was just unable to get his head onto the dangerous delivery.
But it was Pinchbeck who kept knocking on the door as half-time approached. The lively Kingston showed great pace on the right flank as he raced clear of his marker, only for Hewitt to keep out his near-post drive.
With more rain falling at the break, conditions were even harder in the second period.
Josh Smith was the first away player to get a sight on goal as he lashed over following a smart move.
But it was Tyler Wright who had the best chance of the second half for Pinchbeck. He rose to meet a Liam Ogden cross at the back post, only to see his downward header somehow blocked one-handed by the inspired Hewitt.
Wright then turned provider with a cracking cross from Chris Shipley, but the defender steered his header just wide of the far post.
Then came a penalty shout when Tidswell looked to go down in the box under a challenge from Hewitt. However, the referee waved away Pinchbeck’s admittedly half-hearted appeals.
There was still time for a last-gasp effort from Dunn, but he couldn’t make significant contact with a Connor Eyes cross and steered a scuffed effort right at Hewitt from six yards out.
It was the final act of a historic game that Pinchbeck should really have won.
But, considering there was two levels between the sides at this point last season, Dunn’s side should take plenty of positives.
If nothing else, they certainly didn’t look out of place in their new surroundings – and will hope to bag that first win against Long Buckby at the Sir Halley next Saturday.
Pinchbeck: Martin, Lawe, Gardner, Tidswell, Shipley, Dunn, Smith (Gordon 73), Panting (Brooks 63), Kingston (Eyes 81), Wright, Ogden. Not used: Ramos, Dawson.
Attendance: 221.
