Huntsman 3, Wheatsheaf 2
Huntsman entertained the Wheatsheaf at Simpasture Park on Sunday knowing only victory would keep alive their title hopes and they came out victorious 3-2 in a tight affair which they probably didn’t deserve to win.
Wheatsheaf started the game brightly and dominated the opening 10 minutes with the Huntsman struggling to get a foothold in the game and the Huntsman keeper had to parry away an early effort to keep the scores 0-0.
After around 15 minutes Huntsman grew into the game and Andrew Richardson had an effort chalked off for handball before a mad 5 minute spell saw 3 goals.
Firstly top scorer Jamie Herd expertly lobbed the keeper to give Huntsman a 1-0 advantage.
But the Wheatsheaf were soon level when a back pass wasn’t dealt with by the Huntsman keeper, who saw his kick bounce off the Wheatsheaf striker and into the empty net.
Michael Sproates starting his first game since March soon restored the Huntsman lead as he ran down the right wing before firing an unstoppable effort into the top corner.
But the goal was soured as he had to come off with a nasty ankle injury which could have put him out of next week’s cup final. Huntsman went in at half time with a 2-1 lead.
The second half was a drab affair with both teams just pumping the ball backwards and forwards with no quality in the game at all.
All the best chances fell to the Huntsman and Jamie Herd finally made one count when he turned home from close range to put Huntsman 3-1 up surely the game was won but no a lapse in concentration allowed Wheatsheaf back in.
That made for a nervy finish and Wheatsheaf must have thought they were snatching an equaliser when the centre forward raced through but Adam McDonald appeared from nowhere to make an excellent tackle which keeps his team in the title race.
Huntsman are in the DSIL Division 2 Cup final on Sunday 27th of April at Darlington RA’s ground on Brinkburn Road with a 2pm kick off against Yates.
“We would like to see as many familiar faces there as possible to cheer us on to our first ever trophy!” appealed a club spokesman.