Squires Gate 1 Maine Road 2: Match report

Manager Danny Penswick made two changes to the team which had beaten Cammell Laird in their last match a fortnight earlier, with Paul Alexander and new signing Matt Mahoney coming into the side.

Gate made a lively start and striker Brett Dawson almost opened the scoring after a weaving run through the defence on seven minutes. His shot looked destined for the bottom corner but was tipped around the post by keeper Ryan Livesey.

The Manchester side got a toe to the ball before Ben Seear could shoot at the front post but Gate would take the lead from the resulting corner.

Andrew Richards was brought down as he charged into the box and Dawson found the top corner from the penalty spot on 21 minutes.

The visitors didn’t threaten and were arguing among themselves until the game turned in the 38th minute.

A weak back-pass sold keeper Gate keeper Joe Griffiths short and Connor Hughes nipped in to equalise.

Buoyed by this, Maine Road stepped up a gear and scored again four minutes later, when Jamie Roe capitalised on another mistake in defence.

Gate couldn’t made the breakthrough in a frustrating second half and had a penalty shout for handball waved away.

They couldn’t capitalise on a series of corners, Paul Carroll volleying wide from one of them.

The visiting keeper was alert to clear as Gate almost released Dawson through the middle, but the best chance fell to player boss Penswick, who glanced his header over from a corner by fellow substitute Joe Noblet.

The win lifts Maine Road five points above 15th-placed Gate in the Hallmark Security League premier division.

MARK ASHMORE

Gate: Griffiths, Carroll, Higham, Hall, Rossall, Alexander, Richards, Mahoney, Dawson, Bamba, B.Seear. Subs: Noblet, Moxon, Penswick.

AFC Blackpool’s first division game at St Helens Town was postponed due to a frozen pitch.