Report

The Magpies under 15 ‘B’ side wrapped up their League season with a 2-2 draw away to Whitegrove Harriers on Saturday. An unseasonally wet and windy day and a heavy pitch after a month of downpours made for difficult playing conditions which influenced the course of the game, although a draw was probably a fair result at the end of a hard fought contest between two evenly matched teams.
With the gusty wind at their backs Magpies enjoyed the best of the first half, passing the ball well despite the tricky surface, and they took a deserved lead after fifteen minutes when Ben Morris picked up the ball on the left hand side of the Harriers box, skilfully beat a defender and cut inside before firing a right footed shot across the ‘keeper and into the far corner of the net. Shortly afterwards Magpies ‘keeper Ross Moloney made an outstanding save when he stretched to push away a well struck shot that seemed destined for the top right hand corner of his net, but apart from that Whitegrove didn’t threaten too much before the interval, and the lively Adam Garston went close to increasing Magpies lead on a couple of occasions. The boys in black and white did eventually double their lead five minutes before Half Time when Ryan Moore’s wind-assisted cross from the right deceived the Whitegrove ‘keeper and sailed over his head into the net. A slightly fortunate goal perhaps, but no more than the Magpies deserved for their first half dominance.
2-0 up at the interval, the Magpies were always likely to find it harder in the second half with the wind against them and the pitch deteriorating. They started brightly enough, and Beni Grossman was unlucky to see his shot come back off the crossbar after Harriers had struggled to clear a corner kick. However, for the first time in the match Whitegrove began to exert sustained pressure and pin the Magpies back in their own half for long periods. The hosts pulled one goal back fifteen minutes from time, and continued to push forward looking for an equaliser as the Magpies visibly tired. Eventually Whitegrove’s pressure paid off when they levelled the score five minutes from time, as a right wing corner hung in the air before being bundled in at the near post. Neither side could find a winner in the closing minutes, leaving the final score 2-2.
The result left Magpies in a solid mid table position (seventh of twelve teams), after nine victories, two draws and eleven defeats in their League fixtures.