Unibond League Division One: Ossett Town 2 Radcliffe Borough 2

A POINT taken from your nearest league rivals would normally be most welcome but the mood in the Borough camp following Saturday's draw was decidedly down-beat.

Two goals conceded in the closing 15 minutes were the cause of the disappointment for before that it seemed Boro's superior footballing skills would carry the day against Ossett's more direct approach.

With leading scorer Jody Banim suspended, Ian Lunt again deputised, showed some of the old magic and grabbed the side's second goal.

Ossett put Borough under early pressure and the visitors took time to settle as Sykes was presented with a chance at the far post but his shot was blocked at the expense of a corner.

The pattern of the game was soon fixed for Borough's normal passing game was frustrated by some eager Ossett tackling and a bumpy pitch.

The surface of the pitch never troubled the home side for they adopted the aerial route to by-pass the problems.

Borough gradually weathered the initial assault and some neat approach play began to pay dividends as opening appeared in front of the home goal with the breakthrough coming in the 20th minute.

On target was Eamonn Elliott who took great delight in scoring against his former club and the goal was the result of an excellent build-up involving Scott Wilson, Mark Dempsey and Lunt. The last named turned beautifully before releasing Elliott who waltzed calmly round Ossett keeper Lee Bracey.

There was a scare five minutes later when David Bean gave the ball away to Shaw but Danny Hurst saved the day by diving to his left to turn the shot round the post.

Another sweeping Borough move involving Elliott, Lunt and Tony Whealing ended with Dempsey heading wide but the second goal wasn't long in coming. It was something of a bizarre effort as two Town defenders got into a muddle and Richard Landon seized the chance to move forward and unleash a ferocious 20-yarder which left Bracey helpless. The ball struck an upright and rebounded onto the on-rushing to Lunt. It then cannoned onto the other upright before Borough's record goal-getter bundled it over the line.

Ossett continued to look dangerous Jackson, Sykes and Shaw threatening with their aerial power but Bean, Gus Wilson and Jamie Price stuck manfully to their task and Hurst remained alert.

Town forced several corners as they pressed forward, Borough were dangerous on the counter-attack with wing-backs Whealing and Battersby causing problems, the latter firing straight at Bracey after selling an outrageous dummy to two of the opposition.

Hurst had to get down quickly to deny Smithard following a good run but with 15 minute left on the clock the home side pulled one back when Shaw and Sykes combined to set up substitute Craig Boardman who headed home from close range.

The goal acted as an obvious tonic for the home side and only a superb tackle by Price kept Beaumont at bay.

With time running out Borough appeared to have done enough to collect a maximum reward but in the final minute Beresford's cross was met by Jackson at the far post and his header beat Hurst to level up the scores.

Ossett will feel they got out of jail with this result but a point gained at Ingfield against the home side's direct, robust style of play could prove extremely valuable at the end of the season.

RADCLIFFE BOROUGHs: Hurst 7, Battersby 8, Whealing 7, G. Wilson 7, Bean 7, Dempsey 7, Lunt 7, S. Wilson 7, Landon 7, Elliott 8, Price 7. Subs: Kissock (for Lunt 83), Walker, E. Kelly.