Harborough Town Reserves manager Tony Sansome on their 3-3 draw with Cogenhoe United Reserves:
“Harborough Town Res 3 Cogenhoe Res
We knew we were in for a difficult afternoon playing against the leaders with eight missing and no recognised strikers. We managed to put a full bench out but 4 of the 5 subs were defenders. So tactical substitutions were tricky. We also had to draft in Gary Owen from our vets which ended up being inspirational as he had a stormer.
They took an early lead through a coolly taken penalty, we felt it was a really soft decision especially given that far worse decisions were left unpunished. Cogenhoe doubled their lead a few minutes later, a very well worked goal from their side poorly defended from ours. At this stage they looked like they would score every time they attached. We were given a lifeline when Timmy Gorman Powell was fouled in the area and a penalty was awarded. Up stepped captain Jordie Burke but the visitors keeper dived to his right and made a good save to keep the score at 2-0. Soon after it was 3-0 when we left one of their tall centre half’s free at a corner and he powered an unchallenged header home. 35 minutes gone and we were 3 down, it was clear we needed a reaction before half time, and we got two. Tom Millington making his first start and thrown up top as a makeshift striker had just been shifted to right midfield when he turned and shot in one movement, finding the top corner and it was 3-1. Within a minute it was 3-2, right back Paul Lewis pushed forward and unleashed an unstoppable volley that went into the opposite top corner to the first goal.
We used the half time team talk to refocus the players and we were better (but not at our best) second half. We juggled resources and tried our third different makeshift striker when Gorman Powell gave it a go. We threw the kitchen sink at Cogenhoe (although they had an excellent chance with a one on one that keeper Tom Cockings blocked) their wily centre backs seemed to absorb everything we threw at them, with ten minutes remaining we changed shape and threw a cb sub (Ollie Gilbert) into centre midfield, and eventually the gamble paid off when Gilbert played the ball into the path of Harry May who toe poked the ball past the visiting keeper for a 96th minute equaliser.
I felt we deserved it for our perseverance, and May especially who had a good game. Cogenhoe will no doubt feel unhappy given how late it was. Good luck to Cogenhoe, they have good managers and a good mixture between young and experienced players.
We now look forward to another extremely tough encounter against Rothwell Corinthians on Wednesday, I cannot even remember the last time we won there.”
