This was a very attractive and open game of football with both teams intent on trying to win the game and playing with a great attacking style.
The first 15 minutes of the game were quite even but on 17 minutes Houghton took the lead. Michael Frazer cleared a Houghton corner to the edge of the box but after a bit of battling for possession Kyle Davis the Houghton number 10 did brilliantly on the edge of the box to twist and turn and make him-self enough space to fire a shot into the bottom left hand corner of the net.
Sacriston responded immediately straight from the kick off Graeme Embleton played a great ball over the top of the Houghton defence where Wood ran into the space from midfield and he cleverly lobbed the goalkeeper on the volley into the roof of the net.
This gave Sacriston the confidence needed to go and try and take the lead and after going close from a couple of Gary Draper headers they did so on 40 minutes. Ryan Grayson who had looked lively all match dispossessed the Houghton right back and carried the ball into the box before slotting in yet another cool finish into the bottom left hand corner of the net to make it 2-1 and 4 goals in 4 games for him.
Then 3 minutes into the 2nd half Gary Draper’s excellent midfield run was cut shot 25 yards out from goal by a Houghton foul and from this free kick Graeme Embleton scored with a shot which went underneath the Houghton wall and into the bottom left hand corner to make it 3-1.
Houghton came back with some good attacking play of they own and on 51 minutes a corner came into the edge of the 6 yard box which bounced perfectly into the path of the Houghton number 8 and he guided his header well into the roof of the net to make it 3-2.
On 53 minutes Houghton nearly got level when a free kick was deflected by the wall and was heading towards the corner of the net only for Potts to get down low to his right and make a good save.
Then on 61 minutes Houghton were awarded a very soft free kick when Graeme Embleton was adjudged to have fouled the Houghton player on the edge of the box but the Houghton player ran into Embleton and got the free kick. This was the scrappiest of the 6 goals scored in the match. The free kick was taken from the left hand side left footed and barley reached the near post where Frazer’s attempted clearance hit Wood and rebounded towards his own goal where Potts in the sacristan goal could only parry the ball over the line to make it 3-3.
Houghton by now were the team with momentum and Sacriston made a change bringing off Wood for Thornton in an attempt to try and win more of the ball in midfield and Rudge came on for Quinn at right wing back to give the team a bit more of a physical presence.
James Thornton nearly scored the goal of the season on 76 minutes when he let fly with a left foot volley from 40 yards out which the Houghton keeper did well to move across to his right and parry the ball round the post for a corner.
Both sides had a real go at trying to win the game committing men forward and created several good opportunities in and around the box. Graeme Embleton did well to create some space for him-self to shoot from about the same position from where he had earlier scored the free kick but the keeper did well and made the save.
In the end the game finished 3-3. I feel that this was 2 points dropped for Sacriston because we didn’t consolidate well enough when we were 3-1 up and poor defending twice from set pieces cost us 2 goals which is very disappointing. Fair play to Houghton they never gave up and played with real attacking flair and spirit and all there forward players looked comfortable on the ball but we allowed them back into the game by switching off.
Sacriston also played some great football at times and the link up play between Grayson & Ward up front is developing nicely and they in turn linked up well with Draper, Wood & Embleton from midfield. Going forward we look as good as we ever have and we just need to make sure we kill teams off when we are going well to make sure we gain enough points to stay in the league because our general play is more than good enough to compete with any of the teams in the premier league which wasn’t the last time we were there 3 seasons ago.
Ryan Grayson was awarded the man of the match by me and the opposition’s manager. Ryan improved his all round game today and his hold up play and skill in keeping possession along with his running power allowed the team to attack with pace and regularity.
The club now has 2 big home games against Kelloe WMC coming up one in the league and then the Cup Winners Cup semi-final the week after.
