Joiners Arms 4 Arroyo 4

Last updated at 12:44, Wednesday, 10 March 2010

Joiners Arms 4 Arroyo 4: Joiners' Ashley Clarkson gave his colleagues an early anxious moment when he did well to intercept Brian Earl’s well flighted cross to Dean Armstrong only to slice his attempted clearance over his own crossbar.

Arroyo’s Aaron Roberts

At the other end Dave McAllum pumped a long ball forward for Craig Thorpe whose finish was well off target and Earl was again in action shooting over the top from Armstrong’s centre.

Joiners nearly snatched the lead when Sam Atkinson hit a screamer from 30 yards which rattled the bar but they survived another scare when their keeper Chris Farrell could only get his finger tips to Aaran Roberts’ high curling centre and the ball was finally scrambled away.

Simon Mathers had a great chance to put Arroyo in front but shot tamely at the keeper after being set up by Armstrong then Martin Hickson’s long throw found Earl who pulled the ball back for Andrew Thompson who screwed his shot off target.

They finally went ahead on the half hour as Mathers punished shaky defending to beat the keeper from close in. Roberts’ corner kicks continually caused problems for Joiners defenders and their keeper could only punch out under pressure to Hickson who volleyed past the wrong side of the post.

Joiners always carried a threat on the break and Craig Thorpe’s pass found its way to the feet of Richard Hurd who brought a fine reflex save from keeper Lee Tedford and from Steve Middleton’s resultant corner Hurd flashed his header narrowly wide while play switched to the other end where Roberts’ free-kick found Earl whose header just missed the target and Farrell pulled off a superb save from Willie Cannon’s piledriver.

Joiners squared matters just before the turn Steve Middleton’s drive from the edge of the box finding the corner of the net and the ever alert Hurd blasted over the bar from Middleton’s corner and they nearly went ahead shortly after the restart as Arroyo’s defenders and keeper Tedford made a meal of dealing with Hurd’s long range lob into the box and Anthony Burns could only place his header a foot too high over the empty goal. Play switched to the other end where Armstrong finished off a flowing move in the 55th minute to restore Arroyo’s lead.

Joiners immediately countered as Hurd showed an electric pair of heels after being sent away by Sam Atkinson only to be foiled by Tedford who sped from goal to just reach the ball in time but Hurd had better luck in the 66th minute when the referee played a great advantage after Andrew Pattinson was sent crashing to the ground being allowed to carry on and lash the ball into the net for his 21st goal of the season and make it 2-2.

They nearly cruised in front when Atkinson’s cross looked like it would be turned in by Carl Short but the ball went just beyond his outstretched foot by inches with Arroyo’s defenders caught flat footed. Joiners were now in the driving seat and Steve Middleton’s long range effort was not far away.

They went 3-2 up in the 72nd minute Sam Atkinson finishing off Hurd’s throughball. Shortly after Farrell’s long clearance found Ewan Miles who could only shoot weakly at the keeper then to rub salt into Arroyo’s wounds they added a fourth in the 80th minute through a brilliant curling shot by Atkinson.

With time running out Arroyo threw players forward in a desperate attempt to get something out of the game and their tenacity was rewarded as Roberts finished off another sweeping move and substitute Steve Holt headed home Roberts’ corner to restore parity.

First published at 11:30, Wednesday, 10 March 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk