Squires Gate 2 Avro 3: Late fightback not enough for Gate

For this return to North West Counties League action, manager Luke Evans made four changes to the side knocked out of the FA Cup by Pontefract Collieries, with Max Rogers, Alex Welsh, Saad Mekkaoui-Abouzaid and Kieran Feeney all in the starting line-up.

But they fell behind after only four minutes, when Mekkaoui-Abouzaid conceded a free-kick just outside the area and the set-piece was curled brilliantly into the top corner by Jake Cottrell.

Gate looked for a quick response but Boyd’s headed flick from Ryan Riley’s corner was held by Avro keeper Jordan Latham.

Riley then teed up Dean Ing with a long ball in behind but the frontman headed just wide under pressure.

Feeney did brilliantly to chase down a Riley pass but Latham smothered the ball as he was about to pull the trigger.

Mekkaoui-Abouzaid had a half-chance on 39 minutes, though his low effort from the edge of the box was comfortably held by Latham.

Rogers had Gate’s best chance just before half-time, after Boyd and Ing had linked up well down the right, but the winger skied his mishit shot before heading straight at Latham.

Ollie Burgess replaced Mekkaoui-Abouzaid in midfield for the second half and Gate went close again on 52 minutes, when Riley’s goalbound header from Boyd’s cross was blocked by Ing’s back.

An Avro effort looked destined for the top corner until Hale tipped it wide, then a stretching Ing shot narrowly off-target from another good Riley cross.

But as Gate searched for an equaliser, Avro doubled their lead against the run of play on 69 minutes.

A slick counter-attack ended with a cross from the left being steered into the bottom corner by Louis Potts.

Hale made a great reaction stop but Avro made it three from the penalty spot on 81 minutes.

Burgess tripped Martin Pilkington and Kyle Jacobs confidently dispatched the spot-kick.

A superb volley from substitute Higham found the top corner and gave Gate a glimmer of hope in the 87th minute.

They continued to push and Boyd converted a penalty with ease in the second minute of stoppage time.

There was time for a final half-chance for Higham but his volley from the left was straight at the keeper.

This was a fourth straight defeat in all competitions for Gate, who are a point above the premier division’s bottom two but have three games in hand.

They welcome Ashton Athletic to the Brian Addison Stadium on Saturday.

Gate: Hale, Riley, Rogers, Welsh, Bartram, Westwood (capt), Mekkaoui-Abouzaid, Webster, Feeney, Ing, Boyd; Subs: Abankwah, Higham, Pollard, Ridings, Burgess.

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