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FC United fight back to draw eight goal thriller at Spennymoor

FC United fight back to draw eight goal thriller at Spennymoor FC United performed a pre-Christmas miracle by coming back from 4-1 down with 35 minutes to go to draw an eight goal thriller at Spennymoor Town on Saturday afternoon.

Goals from Jordan Fagbola, Craig Lindfield and a brace from Connor McCarthy saved the Reds from an abject first half display, giving them an unexpected by deserved share of the spoils.

The game didn’t start well for the visitors when Tom Walker attempted a back pass that fell well short. The impressive Ryan Hall picked up the ball, rounded goalkeeper Lloyd Allinson and tapped the ball into the net.

The lead was doubled on 23 minutes when the ball was chipped into the box to Robert Ramshaw who had beaten the offside trap and found himself all on his own. Ramshaw had all the time to turn and fire home.

Seven minutes later, the lead was halved when Fagbola headed the ball into the net from a long ball into the box. However, Spennymoor restored their two goal cushion a minute before half time when the ball was played to Hall who saw his shot go through Allinson and into the goal.

FC United player-manager Tom Greaves made a change at half time, bringing on Mike Jones but this looked not to have had any effect with the lead being extended further on 52 minutes. A good move saw Glen Taylor played into the box who finished well.

Just six minutes later, FC United halved the lead when a good move saw Zac Corbett cross the ball to the far post where Connor McCarthy headed home.

With Jones pulling the strings in the midfield, FC started to get the initiative in the match and the third goal soon came. With 18 minutes to go, Jones played a good ball to Joel Senior who in turn played a great ball to Craig Lindfield who, in a carbon copy of the third Spennymoor goal, saw his shot go straight through keeper Shane Bland. Game on.

Four minutes later the comeback was complete when McCarthy was played in at the far post and he side-footed home, sparking delirious scenes behind the goal.

The home side finished the game strongly and had a great chance for a winner on 82 minutes when James Curtis headed towards goal, somehow Allinson got his body in the way and tipped the ball over the bar.

It was a remarkable game that certainly lived up to the cliche of a game of two halves. FC United will definitely be the happier of the two teams and have come away with one win and two draws against three sides in the top five. But the toughest task of the season now awaits with a Christmas holiday home and away double header against league leaders Salford City.

Report by Steven Wood

Man of the match - Connor McCarthy. Quiet in the first half but the striker was instrumental in the comeback with two goals and all round performance in the second half.


First Posted ~ 18:54 Sun 24 Dec 2017
News ID ~ 7731
Last Updated ~ 16:00 Fri 19 Feb 2021