Steeton 2 Garstang 2: Late leveller pegs back the Riversiders

Shaun Sailor and Tom Graham were recalled to the starting line-up, Josh Westwood made his first start since September following his long-term injury, but the in-form Jake Salisbury was unavailable.

The home side almost took the lead from the kick-off when a Ben Clarkson header cannoned against the bar with Will Kitchen stranded.

Garstang were getting closed down in midfield and had little time on the ball and a number of players received heavy tackles which were subject to yellow cards.

Garstang went ahead when Billy McKenna crossed from the right and Jonny Hothersall calmly slotted home to make it 1-0.

The lead was only held for a brief moment as the home side got onto the score sheet when Westwood had a clearance charged down, which allowed Andrew Briggs to run on and calmly score from eight yards.

The game then ebbed and flowed as both teams looked dangerous.

Steeton had a number of opportunities but their finishing was wasteful.

As the clock ticked down to half-time, the Riversiders retook the lead with a wonder strike from the in-form McKenna.

A free-kick was only half-cleared and the ball sat up nicely for McKenna, who then fired an unstoppable 25-yard volley into the top corner of the Steeton net to give Garstang a 2-1 lead at half-time.

The pattern of play in the second half was similar to the first as both sides looked to score further goals.

Steeton won a corner on the right, and from the resulting dead ball, Briggs headed against the top of Kitchen’s bar, giving Garstang a lucky escape.

Hothersall was looking very dangerous down the right and was being found with regularity by some superb crossfield passing from Tom Entwisle.

Hothersall had a couple of efforts well saved and Ric Coar was inches wide with a great header following a Garstang set piece.

The home side used all their substitutes to get back into the game and, with three minutes of injury time gone, Callum Meade turned in a left-wing cross from close range to bring the scores level.

There was still time for Entwisle to hit a 25-yard effort against the woodwork following another Garstang set piece but time ran out with a draw probably a fair reflection of the game.