The Saints grabbed a well earned draw against top of the table Rothbury as they held off a late surge from the home side to come away from the long trip with a point.
New management duo of Mark Henderson and Gareth Pugh were forced into five changes from last weeks 3-0 win over Spittal Rovers with Darren Walsh coming in for his first Saints start while there were returns to the side for Luke Ord, Dale Johnson, Noel Clynch and Dylan Adamson.
In teeming down rain the Saints started brightly and went close when a Sean Conway cross found Adamson who volleyed the ball narrowly wide of the far post.
Rothbury came into the game on a run of nine consecutive league wins and they were almost gifted an opener as keeper Ord cleared the ball off team mate Stephen King but luckily Callum Ancrum reacted quickest to clear the ball away from danger.
The Quay went ahead on fifteen minutes after some brilliant play from Ross Thirlaway, the little forward dribbling his way down the left hand side before squaring the ball into the box where the waiting Adamson was on hand to side foot the ball home for his fifth goal of the season.
An early substitution was forced on the Saints on twenty minutes as Dan Coleman came on to replace Walsh who was injured after a strong 50/50 challenge with the Rothbury captain Tom Mcpherson.
The home side equalized just before the half hour mark with a blistering counter attack, a Saints corner was cleared to James Jackson who played a brilliant long pass through for Greg Woodburn to run onto and he buried his strike first time past Ord left footed from just inside the area.
Willington responded quickly and in fine style too, just two minutes after Rothbury's goal winger Conway received the ball 25 yards out and let fly with a stunning right footed strike that flew into the top corner leaving the keeper with no chance sparking great celebrations amongst supporters and teammates.
Rothbury made two changes at the break as they looked to get back into the game and they almost did but for a brilliant last ditch tackle from Saints right back Scott Ramsay who hooked the ball away with a Rothbury striker just about to score.
The Quay were on the back foot but looking dangerous on the counter attack first a defensive slip allowed Adamson to pounce and when he layed the ball to Thirlaway his shot was wayward while Coleman almost caught the Rothbury keeper out as he came off his line but his shot didn't get the height required.
Rothbury levelled again with fifteen minutes to go with a great goal of their own, substitute Alex Laviers cutting inside from the left before curling a brilliant strike past Ord into the far corner from 18 yards.
With the home side in the ascendency they forced numerous corners late in the game but the Saints defence held firm with Dale Johnson, Ancrum and Adamson producing vital clearing headers whilst keeper Ord dealt admirably with the late barrage.
A very watchable game with a fair result for both sides another promising result for the Quay after last weeks win. Next up is a huge Minor cup game against Tyneside Amateur League front runner Ponteland United Reserves at the Barking Dog on Saturday (1.30ko)
