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Match report: Howden Clough v Old Headingley
There were goals galore in Old Headingley's latest league victory.
Howden Clough 4
Old Headingley 6
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Scoring six goals away from home can be the stuff managerial dreams are made of.
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However, netting six away from home but only securing victory in the last minute of the game is a recipe for a managerial nervous breakdown, or at the very least the sprouting of several grey hairs.
A combination of sublime strikes and comical defending in a match played on neutral ground in Ravensthorpe saw Old Headingley secure their second win on the bounce, threatening in attack and offering their opponents hope when defending before eventually emerging with three valuable points.
As had been the case in each of the team's previous five fixtures, manager Richard Hamilton shuffled the pack when selecting his starting line-up.
This tinkerman approach appeared to pay dividends in the opening exchanges as the in-form Gavin Johnstone and the recalled former top marksman Oli Seed both had half chances after getting in behind the home side's back line.
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Concerns about not taking advantage of such opportunities were short lived as on fifteen minutes Andy Hallam opened the scoring with a very deliberate arcing drive from twenty five yards which flew into the top corner.
However, as would be the case on several occasions, this joy lasted only minutes. Poor defending led to an corner which somehow found its way to an unmarked forward six yards out, and the frontman could not help but net a simple equaliser.
Within minutes the visitors' lead was restored as Liam Taylor's effort was only palmed away to his strike partner Seed and little invitation was required to ram the ball home from close range.
An unnecessarily conceded free kick offered Howden Clough a route back into the match as a cross-come-shot sneaked inside 'keeper Burns' near post, only for Headingley to again restore their lead when a cross from the left was inadvertently turned home for an own goal. Slack defending at the other end again allowed the hosts to level matters up as a penalty was comfortably dispatched to make the score three apiece, yet within moments Liam Taylor had finished smartly from the edge of the penalty area and Headingley went into the break four three ahead.
Within sixty seconds of the second half Hamilton's men seemed to have broken the back of their opponents' resistance as they took a two goal lead for the first time in the game. A move started from the right back position saw the ball travel the full length of the field, and after excellent link-up play from Johnstone, Paul Kempton and Edd Calvert, skipper Steve Beck scored with a stunning left footed drive from the edge of the penalty area. As was always the case with this match though, another goal was only just around the corner, although this time it was a fortuitous one as a block tackle saw the ball ricochet over stranded 'keeper Burns' head and into the net from fully thirty yards.
The closing twenty five minutes were perhaps the nerviest of the contest, as inevitably Howden Clough sought to get the ball forward quickly and threw more bodies into the attack. Burns had to scramble to prevent an equaliser on more than one occasion, aided by his defenders in repelling a series of set pieces.
With two minutes remaining Headingley anxieties were finally put to bed when substitute Tom McDermott ghosted by a leaden-footed defender and delivered a perfect cross to the back post which goal-getter Seed nodded home from point blank range to double his previous season's tally with his second strike of the match.
Perhaps a match more suited to the neutrals than the managers. Still, three good points for Old Headingley as they begin to slowly turn their season around.
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Weather for Leeds
Tuesday 22 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 9 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North east
