FINAL SCORE:

Wheatsheaf................1 Tantamount FC...........1

Report by Michael Pilcher

A momentous day in Tantamount FC's brief history: Sunday January 28th January will go down as the date that, in their eleventh game, the Mount grabbed their first ever point. Wheatsheaf are languishing two places above the Mount having won half of their games but they were matched throughout the first-half. Spencer was rarely tested in goal, yet showed good presence and was sturdy when called upon. Olly Howarth made the right hand side his own, sometimes marking two men at a time, while Pilcher put in some solid blocks. Jacobs and Moody kept things moving on the attacking front, linking up well as they have been doing so well in recent games. It was a tight game, reflected in the 0-0 score line. Chances had been few and far between; much of the play had been around the Mount goal but they hadn't really looked like conceding.

The second half saw the introduction of the Charman brothers and Ben Howarth, meaning the outfield consisted of two sets of brothers (another momentous happening). Wheatsheaf took the lead minutes into the second half. A debatable free-kick was awarded just outside the area on the right, awarded after captain Sam and an opponent went down, which could easily have been awarded either way. It went to Wheatsheaf, and the opponent dusted himself down and fired the ball home from a difficult angle. Their lead didn't last long: within a minute, the ball fell for Ryan Charman and he tucked a neat shot past the stranded Wheatsheaf keeper from just outside the area for 1-1. The Mount could have made it 2-1:  Ryan had a good shot saved, Sam got to the rebound quickly but a decent shot on his weaker left foot produced a great diving save. Olly Howarth put in some goal-saving blocks to keep the scores level, with his brother Ben getting involved with some great tackles and spraying passes down the right. There were some nervy moments late in the game, but the commitment of all eight players helped the Tanta's to their first ever point. Finally, the Mount's recent improvements bore fruit.

Ryan grabbed the equaliser

LINE-UP: Spencer; O.Howarth, Pilcher, Jacobs; Moody SUBS: B.Howarth, S.Charman, R.Charman

SCORERS: R.Charman 11

Manager's Comments:

"We played well; in the first half we were tight, they had a few shots but nothing of note. Their goal came from a debatable free-kick, but we didn't let our heads go down and we kept going, and equalised quickly. We have only conceded one today, which is the first time we've conceded less than three, and that is a real positive. Every player can be proud of their performance today. Olly lasted the whole game and made some great tackles when he moved to the centre. Modders and Sam did well to last half a game, after their heavy weekender on the lash. Ryan came back and got the goal, we know what he's capable of and he showed his pedigree yet again. It was a good point - a very good point considering it's our first - and we'd all have taken that before the game, without a doubt."