**FROLESWORTH UNITED 2-2 HORSE**
FROLESWORTH United conceded a last-minute equaliser at the Warren this morning, as they let a precious two points slip through their grasp against a gallant and battling Horse side.
The Rabbits looked to have the game sewn up after Miles Splevings' 57th minute strike, but midfield maestro Jake Pantony carelessly wasted possession from a corner before Joe Swanwick tugged back the opposing striker to gift the visitors a needless free-kick in stoppage time and leave manager Ben Harris seething.
United came into the game off the back of salvaging a late draw against struggling Leicester Academicals at Manor Road and having never dropped points against today's visitors and he also gleefully welcomed back a wealth of attacking experience and quality.
The injured Matt Errington was replaced in goal by long-term target Mark Lill, who made his debut after finally agreeing an emergency loan deal yesterday and Jack Sutherland was preferred at left-back to Jack Rudman, while Harris opted for a four-man midfield as opposed to the typical 4-2-3-1 formation that he has employed throughout the season.
Greg Garner returned on the right-hand side, as did talisman Pantony in the middle of the park alongside Daniel Herring, while Joe Cook was this time partnered up front by Sam Young, who rattled in two in a 5-0 win against Horse in the FA Intermediate Cup earlier in the campaign.
The home side began in confident manner and found themselves a goal to the good after just two minutes. The Rabbits had been stroking the ball around confidently and with his first touches of the game, left-back Sutherland picked the ball up on the halfway line and skipped past two before unleashing a thunderous drive into the far corner from fully 30-yards.
A real glimpse of the former Nottingham Forest and Scunthorpe United youngster's undeniable talent, as he returned to make his third appeareance of the season for the Clarets.
But in a largely uneventful opening period and with the home side seemingly in total control, the visitors hit back with an unlikely leveller with their first foray in to the Frolesworth box in the 28th minute.
And it was in typical fashion too, of course, as this time Sutherland lost possession and allowed a cross into the box, which was converted past the helpless Lill from close range with a suspicion of handball.
United were dealt another blow shortly after as well, when Garner, who had been kicked from pillar to post in the opening half an hour was forced to be withdrawn after feeling unwell. He was replaced by Martin Fennon, with Cook moving wide right and Herring partnering Young as the target man.
But the Country Boys failed to put any real pressure on the visitors before the break and the two teams trudged off at half-time with the away side feeling much more satisfied.
Harris sent his charges out in search of the elusive second goal after the break and he instructed his side not to panic if it wasn't immediately forthcoming. But he only had to wait 12 minutes as his team took his advice on board.
This time it was Fennon with the industrious work in midfield as he fed Herring, whose cross fell to Splevings at the far post after Young had diverted it into his path.
And the pacy youngster did the rest, finding a yard of space before firing the ball low and hard into the corner at the near post with his weaker foot to give his team the lead for the second time in the game.
He was withdrawn shortly after, too, as Finnigan replaced him at left-back and Sutherland moved into the midfield, while Swanwick replaced Mark James in the 70th minute and Fennon moved across to right-back.
But removing the hard-working Fennon from the engine room appeared to have a negative impact, as the visitors began to turn the screw in search of another leveller with ten minutes to play.
Harris switched to the more familiar 4-2-3-1 formation soon after, moving Herring into defensive midfield in an attempt to stifle the visitors.
United then rode their luck as opposing striker Mike Tuxford breached the offside trap, before sending a delightful, looping lob over the stranded Lill but he could only watch with belated breath as it agonisingly bounced back off the crossbar to safety.
It only served to give the Blues renewed vigour and belief, though, as they poured forward again and this time it was Lill to the rescue as he dived low to his left to make a superb, sprawling stop.
It looked as though the hosts had weathered the storm, as they forced a corner deep into stoppage time. But instead of expertly taking a short corner and winding down the clock, Young played it to Pantony who inexplicably squandered possession with a wasteful effort at goal.
And the visitors certainly made them pay, as with their final attack on the Frolesworth goal, Swanwick pulled the shirt of his opposite number to allow Horse a chance to deliver the ball into the box for one final time and in a cruel twist, Tuxford headed in the equaliser in a complete reversal of last week.
The result now leaves Frolesworth without a win in their last four outings and a furious Harris accused his naive players of, 'dropping four points' in their last two games.
The Rabbits have managed to acquire ten points at the halfway stage of the season and the manager will be looking for a lot more steel and consistency if his side are to reach their target of 26 points that they posted in the last campaign.
FROLESWORTH: LILL 7, JAMES 6, BOULTON 6, BAKER 6, SUTHERLAND 7 (MOM), GARNER 6, PANTONY 6, HERRING 6, SPLEVINGS 7, COOK 7, YOUNG 7. SUBS: FENNON 6, FINNIGAN 6, SWANWICK 5.
Official Website - http://www.teamstats.net/frolesworthunitedfc/
Follow us on Twitter - http://twitter.com/FEAR_FUFC
Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=7844683079&ref=ts
For Every Man A Religion.
Probably the most professional amateur football club in the world . . .
F.U.F.C
