A 93rd minute equaliser from Joel Riley earned Mersey Valley a fully deserved point on Saturday in a hugely controversial game with Newton Athletic.
Looking resplendent in their new kit, manager Jon Hudson made two changes from the side that lost to St Helens Town on Tuesday night. Alex Gorst was back in the sticks and Sam Chaddock replaced Dylan Fraine.
Joel Riley opens the scoring
Valley started well, moving the ball nicely and controlling the pace of the game and took the lead on 10 minutes. Greenwood with a great ball to Joel Riley, he finished brilliantly past the keeper to give Mersey Valley the perfect start.
The home side had good moments but couldn’t sustain any pressure and the visitors continued to dominate, the Howarth brothers combined to set up Riley, his curling shot hit the bar.
Howarth was unlucky on two occasions to be called offside by the over eager official.
When Valley failed to clear a long ball, Newton had their first chance, a clever through ball followed by a smart first touch and excellent finish gave the home side an equaliser.
Mersey Valley thought they’d gone back in front just two minutes later, Mike Woolley darting in at the back post to bundle the ball home before a referee’s whistle stopped the celebrations, Riley judged to have been offside.
At the other end however a much clearer offside was a not given as Newton again broke the line and got in behind, the striker calmly beat Gorst to make it 2-1 at the break.
HT: Newton Athletic 2 Mersey Valley 1
It was a bad start to the second half, Renshaw was a fouled and had to be replaced, Wilson coming on. The free kick was poor and on the break the Newton striker again got through, but this time couldn’t hit the target.
The game then saw a huge moment of controversy on 61 minutes. George Howarth burst in to the box and curled a great shot past the keeper into the back of the net, the ball hit the metal stanchion and bounced out, but Mersey started celebrating and even the Newton players turned away to walk back for the restart.
The only person who didn’t see the ball go in was the referee who carried on with the game. It obviously caused a huge reaction from the visitors. Howarth was sin binned for his reaction and assistant manager Paul Riley shown a straight red card for his protests.
Down to 10 men it was Valley that did all the pushing. Fraine replaced Chaddock and Acton came on for Woolley as the push continued for an equaliser.
Last gasp drama as Riley makes it 2-2
Adams should have scored on 90 when he hit the bar, but the goal did come in the 93rd minute – Greenwood with a long ball, well controlled by Riley who didn’t panic and managed to get a shot away which took a deflection and looped over the Newton keeper for a deserved equaliser.
FT: Newton Athletic 2 Mersey Valley 2
After the game we caught up with captain Joel Riley.
“We were genuinely unlucky today; despite the late goal it still feels like 2 points lost but with everything that went against us today we showed a really good attitude to keep on pushing in a situation when as a team we would have probably given up last season.
We just need to touch up those fine details and stay focused – we go again next week!”
