Eccleshill United captain Andy Cooper scored a dramatic late equaliser at Hull United
Captain Andy Cooper scored his sixth goal in three games to rescue an impressive 1-1 draw for Eccleshill United at promotion-chasing Hull United.
Cooper struck in the 87th minute to cancel out Brett Agnew’s second half strike and secure a superb result for Mark Greaves and his men.
Despite the late disappointment, Hull are now unbeaten in nine games.
The first effort though came from Martin Foster, who via the lively debutant Matty Bloor’s assist scuffed his shot wide of the right hand post after cutting in from the right flank.
Eccleshill threatened briefly and came into the game on ten minutes when Phil Dobson showed no signs of a lack of game time with a fine diving save.
Luke Harrop worked his way goal wards from a tight angle on the right and a finger tip save from Dobson pushed the ball to safety.
The first clear chance for the hosts then came a minute later. After Tom Bennett nicked the ball from poor defending his centre was met by Brett Agnew who’s low driven effort was saved by the legs of visiting goalkeeper Joe Stead.
The opening quarter of an hour was a see-saw affair and Luke Kitson blazed a free kick over from a free kick.
Although playing with four predominantly central midfielders, surprisingly United’s main threat appeared to be coming from crosses into the penalty area.
Matty Start’s almost perfect cross asked just too much of Agnew, before Jack Walters centre from the left found James Piercy on the near post and his deft volley on the near post diverted just over Stead’s crossbar.
It was Matt Bloor though who almost rewarded Curtis Woodhouse’s decision to hand him his debut with the opener on 29 minutes, however his overhead kick cannoned back off the upright in the best chance of the first half.
Eccleshill very nearly caught Hull out though, just before the interval. A high ball forward saw Jamie Taylor slip and with Harrop lurking to run in on goal, the Supporters player of the Year, Taylor had to tackle on all fours to keep the Eccleshill danger man out.
The afternoon had a frustrating air to it, and after Bloor twice missed the target at the start of the second half, the hour mark saw the introduction of Jamie Richardson and Josh Tennant, replace debutant Bloor, and Tom Bennett. Richardson was booked within moments of his introduction before Taylor again had to sweep up a dangerous looking move, as he intercepted a through ball with a sliding block.
Hull United should of scored the goal, the Breathe for Cameron Stadium so badly craved on 66 minutes.
After a period of pinball in the visitors penalty area Tennant had the goal at his mercy but had to wait for what seemed an age to pass for the ball to drop and this allowed the Eccleshill defence to regroup and clear.
Hull did break the deadlock with 17 minutes remaining though when Agnew finished off a fine sweeping move that also involved Jamie Richardson and Matty Start. Agnew was on hand to poke home from inside the penalty area to score in his fifth consecutive match.
Agnew was unfortunate to have a second goal taken off his toes, as a dangerous cross from the right was directed towards the Glaswegian, before the slightest of touches by keeper Stead parried the ball to safety. Agnew was four yards from goal in a central position and had the ball reached him, the game would have been over as a contest at 2-0.
After missing a catalogue of chances though Hull were made to pay the price when visiting captain Cooper danced through the middle and curled his shot past the rooted Dobson into the corner three minutes from time, to spark off a wild celebration which saw Cooper disappear under a mountain of Eccleshill team-mates.
Hull tried to respond frantically in the closing moments. James Piercy’s backward flicked header from Start’s cross drew a top corner save from Stead, and adamant claims for a penalty were waved away after Piercy’s defensive partner Matt Plummer had a shot charged down. United convinced the ball had struck the hand of the Eccleshill defender inside the penalty area however referee Thomas Cadman stood firm, waved away the protests.
Hull United: Dobson, Taylor, Walters, McNamara, Plummer, Piercy, Foster, Bloor (Tennant 62), Agnew, Start, Bennett (Richardson 62).
Eccleshill United: Stead, Craven, Kitson, Peltier, Springer, Slater, Hardy, Cooper, Harrop, Firth, Charles.
Referee: Thomas Cadman
Attendance: 227
Thanks to Neil Winsor from Hull United for this report.
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