Great Wakering Rovers hosted Soham Town Rangers at a very blustery Burroughs Park, both teams looking to take the three points to ease their relegation worries.
The conditions were a major factor in the first forty five, and it was Rovers who started brightly attacking at every opportunity, and it only took seven minutes for the hosts to take the lead, Shomari Barnwell effort saved by the Soham keeper but Rovers top scorer Jake Gordon was on hand to blast the rebound into the net.
Rovers were dominant in the first forty five minutes and should of put the game beyond Soham when Matin Tuohy,Gordon and Barnwell all had guilt edge chances to score but Rovers couldn’t make them count and only took a slender 1-0 advantage into half time.
Half time Great Wakering Rovers 1 Soham Town Rangers 0
Butterworth had to change tactics in the second forty five due to the heavy wind not giving in, the visitors looked a little more organized, but the game became a little scrappy and there were some hefty challenges from both sides.
On seventy two minutes the visitors broke down the right hand side, Lewis Endacott cross was helped by the wind and the ball looped over Lewis Hawes into the net bringing the scores level.
The final fifteen minutes were nerve racking for both sides, neither side could afford to leave empty handed, , on ninety minutes Billy Johnson was about to break free and was brought down by Alfie Connor who was given a straight red.
In the end it’s hard to say if a share of the spoils will help either side come the end of the season, however both teams are now nine points clear of the drop zone with seven to play.
By Neil Hope.