Harworth 2-2 Armthorpe Welfare
James Handley nets the equaliser for Armthorpe Welfare. Picture: Steve Pennock
James Handley got both goals as depleted Armthorpe Welfare came back from 2-0 down to draw at Harworth Colliery.
With numerous players missing for various reasons this game gave the rest of the squad chance to stake a claim for a regular place come the first game of the season next week. Craig Aspinall made his first appearance of pre-season while manager Mike Carmody took the opportunity to look at Handley and Tomek Zajac
The home side started well with Adam Stevens being called upon to push away a curling cross from under the bar in only the ninth minute whilst two minutes later a misplaced clearance from Stevens resulting in a 30 yard shot which came back off the crossbar with him reacting quickly to block the rebound.
Welfare had their first sight of goal on 20 minutes when Josh Bowkett shot just wide from 25 yards and Aspinall had a 20 yard shot go harmlessly wide before Stevens was called upon to push away a 20 yard shot on the break on 38 minutes. However, Stevens was beaten by a shot from the edge of the box on the stroke of half time to give Harworth the lead.
Handley and Zajec came on at half time but the game continued in the same vein with Harworth being the more threatening of the two sides and it came as no surprise when they extended their lead just before the hour with a shot from just inside the box.
As the game wore on Welfare started to create a few chances with Darren Mansaram finding himself in space on the left of the box before curling a chip wide of the far post on 75 minutes, despite appearing to be pulled back.
On 82 minutes Welfare pulled a goal back when Handley worked some space for himself just outside the box to fire into the bottom left hand corner of the box.
Bowkett saw his side-footed 16 yard shot tipped around the post on 86 minutes after a good Welfare move but almost immediately substitute goalkeeper Liam Copley was called upon to make a smart low save.
As the game entered the last minute Aspinall played in Handley and the striker coolly took the ball past the advancing keeper to slide it into an empty net to earn Welfare a draw they had seemed unlikely to get for much of the game.