Shaw Lane Aquaforce striker Shane Kelsey has his hands on his head during their 1-1 draw with Nostell
Shaw Lane Aquaforce need one win from their final two games to lift the Toolstation NCEL Premier Division title after stumbling to a 1-1 draw with Nostell Miners Welfare.
Worksop Town and Tadcaster Albion can still take the crown, but it is going to Aquaforce if they beat either Cleethorpes Town or Glasshoughton Welfare.
Because Tadcaster lost at Cleethorpes, Shaw Lane could have moved to within a point of the Evo Stik League.
However, Ste Wales’ first half equaliser cancelled out Lee Morris’ early header to earn the battling visitors a deserved point.
The fact that Nostell played a number of 16-year-olds made the draw even more remarkable.
With talisman Rob Bordman injured, Paul Lines was forced to mix his side up and his players did him proud as they could have easily folded after the opening goal.
Morris headed home from a Aquaforce corner after just five minutes with such ease that few will have thought that Nostell would hit back.
Lee Morris heads home the opening goal
Ben Saynor gets in a tangle in his bid to keep it out
Morris celebrates as Saynor looks on
Joe Thornton shoots for goal, but his effort is blocked by Jack Fisher
Ste Wales marches forward for Nostell
Nostell celebrate Wales’ equaliser.
But they did almost immediately. Shaw Lane goalkeeper Ian Deakin kept the visitors at bay initially with a magnificent double save. Deakin, arguably the best stopper in the Premier Division this season, denied James Kitson with a dive to his bottom corner. The ball came loose and Deakin somehow saved Kitson’s rebound attempt at point blank range.
Nostell were more threatening than Shaw Lane. Joe Thornton wasted Aquaforce’s only other notable chance in the first half and after breaking through on goal.
Wales equalised close to half-time with a superb 25-yard free kick.
Nostell shut up shop in the second half. The Crofton-based side rarely ventured forward, but led by their magnificent centre-half duo Jack Fisher and Max Elliott they defended like trojans.
Although Shaw Lane will be disappointed not to have put Nostell through the wringer.
Nostell goalkeeper Ben Saynor cuts out a Shaw Lane attack
Paul Lines had a smile on his face after his young Nostell team pulled off a superb 1-1 draw at Shaw Lane
Shane Kelsey made Nostell goalkeeper Ben Saynor save his dipping free kick in an early moment of the second half.
That was all Saynor had to do for a while as Aquaforce applied pressure and had all the possession, but did not hurt their visitors.
Morris fired narrowly wide in the closing stages from a good position. A winner though would been harsh on Nostell.
Arguably Shaw Lane’s poorest performance since the beginning of March, but a good point in the circumstances which moves them closer to their dream.
Credit goes to Nostell as Lines’ side have proved they can compete with the best yet again.
Shaw Lane Aquaforce manager Craig Elliott:
“It was a frustrating afternoon. We didn’t play well and I can’t stand up for the players because we didn’t even have a go.
“It is a difficult game to sum up. The pitch was bobbly and I think we scored too early and we thought it was going to be too easy.
“It wasn’t. It was a boring non-event game.
“I don’t even think we had a clear-cut chance to win it. Lee Morris had a chance at the end, but I don’t know what kind of chance it was because it seemed to be a difficult angle.
“I think we were waiting for it to happen and maybe we did look a bit jaded.”
Nostell Miners Welfare manager Paul Lines:
“It was a brilliant performance and to a man, they were all magnificent.
“Obviously because I’m conscious of what’s happening on Friday, there were about four of the under 19s in, but as a performance it was brilliant.
“We could have collapsed after the opening goal, but having said that, Ste Wales could have got a hat-trick in the first half.
“We didn’t offer too much in the second half, but we showed our resilience and our character that is in our side so we have had a good day.”
Shaw Lane Aquaforce: Deakin, Stohrer, O’Brien, Foster (Frost 64), Cotterill, Denton (captain), Fox, Thornhill (Istead 33), Thornton (Eyles 74), Morris, Kelsey. Subs unused: Holt, White.
Nostell Miners Welfare: Saynor, Johnson, Allsop, Davies, Fisher, Elliott, Poole, Thompson (Craig 54), Kitson (Doran 74), Wales (Ball 81), Mole. Subs unused: Bordman, Kelly.
Referee: David Sullivan
Ref Rating: 8/10
Attendance: 184
Man of the match: Jack Fisher (Nostell Miners Welfare)