Boro in Christmas cracker

Radcliffe Borough 3, Congleton Town 3

IF this had been a Premiership match, they would have been talking about it all across the country.

Hansen and Lawrenson could have waxed lyrical about two penalties, one of them missed, a ruck involving more than a dozen players and a Boro old boy returning to Stainton to hit two goals in a minute.

As it was, only 160 hardies -including a sizeable number of away fans - could be bothered to turn up for this early Christmas present.

The only downside of such an entertaining encounter was that Boro really should have won it.

The home side were 2-0 up at the break and scored with virtually the last kick of the half, denting Congleton psychologically.

But Darren Washington - so often on the bench for Boro earlier this season - had other ideas and scored twice in 60 seconds of pure footballing drama to give Congleton a lead they very nearly held on to.

Boro started in the best possible fashion and were ahead as early as the third minute. Richard Battersby flew down the right and played Ian Lunt in. He looked to be fouled in the box, but squared to Paul Mullin who slotted into the bottom right-hand corner. Shortly after, Congleton 'keeper Simon Pay, unusually wearing purple and green quarters, was called upon to grab a deflected shot from Simon Carden.

The Stainton men pressed throughout the half and largely adhered to the call from one Boro fan for "no Bury tactics here, keep it on the ground".

Boro produced a sparkling move in the 41st minute when Lunt flicked a beautiful pass out to Steve Morris on the right.

The little man piled down the line and looked up to find Mullin in the middle, only for fashion victim Pay to save brilliantly before the ball was scrambled out for a corner.

At any level, this was play of the highest quality from Morris.

Midfield maestro Carden doubled the Boro lead in first half injury time. The ball came across to him on the edge of the box but he swung wildly at it, sufficiently put off by the close attentions of a Congleton defender.

But the ball simply bounced up in the air and Carden repeated his boot swing, this time to devastating effect, the ball spearing into the 'keepers top right hand corner. Pay might as well have not been there, it was that good.

To their great credit, Congleton really pulled themselves together in the second half.

The fact that they carved out three goals without reply was more due to their improvement than to a demise in Radcliffe's standard of play. The impressive Graham Dodd was fouled by Radcliffe 'keeper Steve Berryman in the 54th minute. Dodd picked himself up to launch an expert penalty into the same top right-hand corner previously visited by Carden.

Tempers flared as the game became more of a contest and the referee had to be at his best to sort out a real barney involving more than a dozen players, sparked by Simon Kelly's hard but fair challenge on an opponent.

Congleton looked menacing and capitalised on the foothold the spot kick had afforded them with Washington's sensational cameo.

He came off the bench in the 66th minute and was in ecstasy when he drew the sides level only three minutes later. The ball was played down the Radcliffe right and pulled across for the hungry striker to tap in.

The goal sparked extrovertly passionate celebrations from players and fans alike, but no-one could have guessed what was just around the corner.

Congleton won possession back from the kick-off and, Groundhog Day. The ball was delivered down the right and across the box. This time a Radcliffe defender managed to get a boot on the ball, but to no effect. Washington ghosted in again, this time a little more towards the back post, but again unmarked, to coolly slot in another! The celebrations this time were nothing short of riotous. Now it was Boro's turn to show character and the home side won a penalty when Lunt went down under pressure from three defenders.

Left back Tony Whealing strode confidently up and lashed a thunderbolt shot...against the bar and out. Yet another missed penalty. Carden and the injured Jason Astley have missed spot kicks for the Boro already this season and the lack of adroitness in this discipline is beginning to take on serious proportions.

A Boro free-kick hit the angle of post and bar soon after and that looked like it for them.

Then Rod Thornley had a shot parried by Berryman as Congleton went for the jugular.

But man-of-the-match Carden swooped in at the back post with a looping header over the 'keeper in the 85th minute to restore parity.

In fact, Boro had their chances to win it late on - notably from a header just wide - as Congleton looked to have thrown everything they had at the home side.

But a draw was a fair result and meant at least that both sides could console themselves with a point and proven effectiveness in front of goal before the Christmas break.

Boro, even without the two points dropped, are still well placed near the top of the table.

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.