Redrow Lancashire Amateur League Division One

FAIRFIELD...............................................2

MOSTONIANS..........................................2

FAIRFIELD welcomed top of the league Mostonians to Hoyles Park on Saturday knowing that a loss would more than likely end any hope of grabbing the second automatic promotion spot.

The game started slowly and the majority of the play was conducted in the middle of the park but as the half wore on, Fairfield took the initiative.

Scott Horsfield was looking extremely dangerous down the left hand side and he put in a couple of superb crosses.

When Mostonians did break away, they found centre half pairing of Barrie and Gavin Campbell in top form.

After some consistent pressure from Fairfield, they eventually took the lead not long before half time when Dave Cosgrave hit a lovely shot that squirmed underneath the goalkeeper's body and into the net.

The second half started in the same way as the first half ended with Fairfield controlling most of the possession.

Several half chances came and went and Mostonians always looked dangerous on the break, outlining the fact that the one goal lead may not be enough to win the game.

With 25 minutes remaining Fairfield made a double substitution with Rob Willcox and Bryn Edyvean replacing Shaun Cockcroft and Dave Berry.

Fifteen minutes later, Fairfield scored the second as Willcox had all the time in the world to pick his spot and fire past the goalkeeper.

The local side had only ten minutes left to record their best result of the season, however immediately from kick off Mostonians pressed forward and hesitancy at the back allowed them to pull a goal back.

Suddenly the tide of the game changed as Mostonians sensed that they could come away with something when it had seemed so unlikely.

They immediately regained possession and pressed forward. Fairfield were defending well, but with five minutes remaining disaster struck when centre half Gavin Campbell went down injured and was unable to continue.

Fairfield had no substitutes remaining and so had to reshuffle and play with 10 men.

Minutes later, a long hopeful ball caught out the Fairfield defence and the striker calmly lobbed the ball over the onrushing Craig Rhodes and into the net.

The game ended in total disappointment for Fairfield as they had let a two goal lead slip in the last ten minutes of the game and ended up coming away with one point rather than the three points that their performance had warranted.

This week Fairfield's first team face another tough game as they host local rivals Walshaw Sports Club.

TEAM: C.Rhodes, A.Simpson, Z.Galbraith, G.Campbell, B.Campbell, I.Boyle, N.Cunningham, D.Cosgrave, D.Berry, S.Cockcroft, S.Horsfield. Subs: B.Edyvean, R.Willcox

The Flexsys UK Man of the Match was Adam Simpson.

l Goals from Franklin (3) and Matthews (3) gave Fairfield reserves a 6-0 victory over Horwich RMI reserves.