Avro 2 Squires Gate 2: Visitors denied in thrilling finale

For this trip to Oldham, Luke Evans made three enforced changes to the side which played out the goalless game against Prestwich Heys, bringing in Mike Hale, Nathan Bartram and Saad Mekkaoui-Abouzaid for Alec McLachlan, James Boyd and Chris Webster.

There was little to note in a scrappy first 20 minutes, other than Gate striker Dean Ing receiving a yellow card.

Visiting keeper Hale was then called into action for the first time, comfortably holding a tame header.

Both defences were proving difficult to break down, though twice in the closing minutes of the half Ing was bundled over when free-kicks by Ryan Riley reached him but both penalty appeals were waved away.

The hosts countered from the second of these incidents and Gate left-back Alex Welsh was forced off with a head injury as he conceded a free-kick. The set-piece was saved by Hale.

High-flying Avro did the take the lead right on half-time, when Gate failed to clear a cross and Louis Potts found the top corner with a brilliant volley from the edge of the area.

Gate introduced Jack Iley for the second half but it was Ing who had their next chance, hitting the side-netting from a tight angle.

Tempers flared after Gate believed an Avro player should have seen red for kicking out at Dan Gray.

It was Gray’s ball in behind which set up the visitors’ next chance but substitute Joshua Okan didn’t connect well and the ball trickled to the keeper.

Nathan Bartram then drilled a dangerous ball across the Avro goalmouth but Riley couldn’t convert.

The equaliser Gate deserved arrived 10 minutes from time, when Okan beat his man brilliantly down the right and fired the ball to the back post for Ing to score his first goal since returning from a loan spell.

Gate had momentum and went in front just three minutes later, when Iley slotted through the keeper’s legs.

The influential Okan again provided the assist, weaving his way down the right and picking out Iley in the middle.

Jacob Ridings almost grabbed a third for Gate on 86 minutes, beating several players down the left before curling his shot just wide.

Avro equalised a moment later with a penalty, which was awarded against Okan for a sliding tackle at a corner.

Gate felt he won the ball clearly but Liam Ellis drove the spot-kick into the bottom corner.

There was still time for a couple more half-chances for Gate, though the threatening Okan shot tamely and a speculative long-range effort by substitute Ollie Burgess was held by the keeper.

Avro remain fourth in the premier division, while the point lifts Gate a spot to 17th.

Gate: Hale, Bartram, Welsh, Gray, Muir, Westwood (c), Riley, Mekkaoui-Abouzaid, Mills, Ing, Ridings; Subs: Webster, Rogers, Burgess, Okan, Iley

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