Below Strength Meads Miss Out

Amateur Football Combination - Old Meadonians 2 Hale End Athletic 2

A below strength Old Meadonians, with five missing from the squad, failed to take advantage of a golden opportunity to close the gap on league leaders UCL as they were held to a draw by lowly Hale End Athletic in a game when the hosts’ lack of punch dictated the outcome.

Although Meads dominated the match it was the visitors who lead them for fully fifty minutes after scoring on ten minutes from a penalty awarded when a free kick hit the defensive wall.

Meads were obviously missing leading scorer Colin Hawkins, out injured, as fellow striker Ed Glover was out of sorts and partner for the day, last week’s hero, Kevin Quinn was unlucky with a strong shot which beat the post and a header which skimmed the bar. With the wind in the second half Meads camped in the visitors’ half but were still unable to cash in until twenty minutes in when Glover for once beat his marker and was pulled down for a penalty which Jack Costello converted.

Five minutes later Quinn cushioned in a cross from Len Wapshott for the lead only for a rare lapse at the back to allow Hale an unmerited equaliser with five minutes to go.

Team: Busby, Wapshott, Hanley, Hugh Jones, Costello, Pointon, Bond, Kearney, Rhone, Glover, Quinn.

If you feel you would like to be a member of this progressive and friendly club why not visit their website www.omfc.co.uk

David Stanners

February 23, 2005