Baston visited Harrowby Athletic for this top of the table clash. Baston
were missing several key players with keeper Rob Clarke, defender Liam
Davies and striker Russ Grimes. Aaron Jesson made his debut in defense
with Tom Bedford taking the goalkeeping gloves.
Baston started dominantly but struggled to test the goalkeeper with
Mindy Valys and Simon Ward guilty of missing the target from good
positions. Harrowby have been bolstered by a few quality signings this
season, and it was their new striker who broke the deadlock after half
an hour, cutting inside and slotting home, giving Tom Bedford no chance
in goal. Harrowby sensed further breakthroughs and struck again just
before half time with their winger intercepting a loose throw out,
running at the defense before squeezing his shot in the bottom corner.
Baston trailed at half time 2-0 despite having a lot more possession.
Baston came out much brighter in the second half, with Mindy Valys
growing into the game and having 3 shots, one blocked by a defender, one
missing the target by a couple of feet and the third bringing a
brilliant save out of the goalkeeper to turn it around the post.
Baston finally found a goal before the hour mark, with Ben Hudson
scoring on the swivel from 10 yards out after a goal mouth scramble
following a corner to make it 2-1. The big turning point of the game
came soon after with Harrowby's already booked central midfielder
dismissed for a flying leg breaker on the halfway line.
Baston were now completely dominating, and were unlucky not to level as
Aaron Jesson saw his shot tipped over the bar, before Ross O'Loughlin's
hit the crossbar from 25 yards.
Jon Howard came off the bench with 15 minutes left and was immediately
in the action as he got to the byline, but his pull back found Simon
Ward who couldn't get a shot off. Baston continued to push for an
equaliser, and left huge gaps at the back with central defenders Hudson
and Jesson both pushed forward. The Harrowby substitute cut inside from
the right wing, ran at goal and blasted the ball towards the far corner,
forcing Tom Bedford to pull off a wonder-save to keep it out.
Baston were now firmly camped in the Harrowby half, creating chance
after chance, and with just two minutes left on the clock, Greg
Rawlinson swung in a corner, and after a scramble, the ball looped up to
Jon Howard at the back post who showed fine athleticism with an
acrobatic bicycle kick, which hit a defender and rolled along the goal
line allowing Craig Bullivant the simplest of tap-ins to secure the
point for Baston.
Baston remain unbeaten in the league, and sit in second place with 2
games in hand over Harrowby. Baston now have a 2 week break from the
league, but will play local rivals Baston Athletic in the League Cup on
16th October.
