Match report: New Milton Town FC held to a 1-1 draw by second-placed Frimley Green FC in Wessex League Division One title race nears its conclusion
New Milton Town kept their eight-point lead at the top of the table after a scintillating 1-1 draw between the division’s top two sides at the KBO Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Brickmakers now have four matches left to hold on and secure the Wessex League Division One title and gain promotion, writes Jamie Tarrant.
Harry McGrath had given Matt Maybury’s side the advantage with his first goal since the end of January, but Frimley Green hit back towards the end through Nicholas Ciardini.
“It’s a point that we have to be satisfied with”, said New Milton Town Maybury. “I thought the team worked their socks off, and I couldn’t have asked for more. We were camped in for large periods, but I can’t remember them having a clear chance apart from the goal, whereas I thought we had two or three really good chances.
“Frimley Green are a really good side, especially at their place, so we take the point, and now full focus moves to the Alresford game next week.
“A special mention to the fans that travelled. That was a long one today, and it was great to see so many of our fans with us.”
Many praised the game on social media afterwards, with the ball mostly played on the floor, though it had its moments. The first half had few chances, but it certainly did not lack quality.
The Brickmakers thought they had the lead when McGrath put the ball in the net following a free kick, but the offside flag was promptly raised. McGrath did not have to wait much longer to celebrate, though, as an intricate one-two with Barney Stone allowed him to slot past the goalkeeper one-on-one after the half-hour mark.
New Milton keeper Ollie Bull was called into action shortly afterwards. The ball ricocheted around the box before a snapshot was well saved by New Milton’s number one.
Elliott Pearce-Eavis was sent to the sin bin before half-time, giving Frimley Green a ten-minute numerical advantage, but the home side failed to pounce on the Brickmaker’s reduced numbers.
Both defences were difficult to break in the second half, and it took until the 75th minute for another goal to arrive. A deep cross from the right wing found Nicholas Ciardini at the back post, who expertly headed the ball back across Bull and into the bottom corner.
The goal sparked the game into life, becoming an end-to-end thriller without the cutting edge from both teams to find a winning goal.
Brad Snelling made a chance of his own by intercepting the ball and curling it onto the foot of the post from outside the area, and Luca Lane thought he may have won it with one of the last kicks of the game. The young forward fired low across goal after being played in one-on-one, but the linesman’s flag – although very late – was raised after the ball trickled wide of the Frimley Green goalkeeper’s far post.
New Milton travel to third-placed Alresford Town next weekend in what is being billed as the season’s biggest game regarding the promotion race. A win for the home side would open the door, while three points for Maybury and his team would take them to within an inch of glory.
New Milton Town: O. Bull, E. Pearce-Eavis, B. Maybury, C. Smith, H. McGrath, N. McCarthy-Gardiner, J. Broad, T. Bailey, B. Stone, D. Bartlett, B. Snelling. Subs: C. McHale, T. Colmer, L. Lane.
