Langwith were the happier side as they shared the spoils with Alcuin on an icy November morning on 22 acres, giving them the point they needed to get off the bottom of the table.
It was an uninspiring affair, possibly hampered by the conditions, and the lack of chances resulted in both teams getting frustrated and trying to force the play with ambitious long balls and long range strikes.
The first chance of the game felt to Alcuin after about fifteen minutes. Will Taylor broke down the left and played the ball in to Brown, but his shot went wide of the upright with Langwith ‘keeper Banks beaten.
Langwith’s Hutt and Starkey both had long range efforts saved, as did Scholz for Alcuin, but neither ‘keeper was troubled. Alcuin then had the ball in the net but the goal wasn’t to count. The ball was played over the top for striker Alex Brown, and both he and Banks challenged for the ball. Brown put the ball past the Langwith ‘keeper but clattered him in the process, and the foul was rightly given.
Alcuin began to take control of the game as the half went on and started to create a few chances. Taylor chipped a ball in for Brown who volleyed with his left foot but gave Banks an easy save when he had the time and space to do better, but it was a shot from Brown that was to create the first goal of the game not long after.
The Alcuin forward turned and struck powerfully at goal and Banks could only parry. The ball fell into the path of Paul Desousa who tapped into an empty net to make it 1-0.
Langwith pushed hard for an equaliser but struggled to create a chance. A Kieran Hazell ball from the right almost found the sliding Bruce Starkey in the area but was just in front of him, and the sides went in with Alcuin one up at half time.
The second half passed without so much as a chance to speak of, as the game was broken up by frequent loose passes in conditions that suited defenders far more than flowing attacking play.
Langwith’s goal was more of a freak event than a genuine chance. Langwith captain Andy Hutt hit a long range volley which somehow squirmed under the body of Alcuin ‘keeper Damian Pickard and in to make it 1-1.
Brown volleyed over for Alcuin and Danny Mullen struck an ambitious strike high and wide but the half passed without incident despite both sides’ best efforts to snatch the win.
Langwith captain Andy Hutt was the happier captain at the final whistle. ‘We put in a good battling performance, I was pleased to get the point’, he said, ‘I’m pleased we’re off the bottom of the table’.
A more disheartened Brad Wood described the match as a ‘frustrating game’. ‘We played great football at times’, he said, ‘we did enough to win but should’ve finished our shots’.
Vision MOTM: Sam Morley