Match report: Maine Road 1 Squires Gate 1

Gary Pett opens the scoring for Squires Gate Picture: Albert Cooper

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Manager Andy Clarkson welcomed back Jake Higham into defence and Alex Pope on the bench in place of the unavailable Dan Gray and Ryan Charnley.

The home side had just one win in their last nine games but started well, forcing Ben Fletcher to punch clear from an early corner.

Gate’s only chance early in the game came when Gary Pett turned quickly and shot, only for his effort to go well wide.

The Manchester side, who went into the game 20th in the league, could have taken the lead after 11 minutes.

Alex Colquhoun lost out on the edge of the box but Ben Fletcher was there to save a low drive across goal.

Gate should have opened the scoring when Isaac Sinclair’s lovely ball to the back post was headed off target by Ryan Riley.

Sinclair had a similar chance from soon afterwards but was unable to test the keeper as he headed over.

Maine Road thought they had taken the lead after half an hour when Jack Coop headed in, but the assistant’s offside flag saved Gate to leave the game goalless at half-time.

Gate eventually opened the scoring on 70 minutes when Pett won the ball in the air and flicked it to Scott Harries.

He burst into the are before returning the ball to Pett, who fired low past the keeper.

The home side, however, would not lose faith and equalised seven minutes later.

A long throw into the box wasn’t cleared and was eventually headed past Fletcher by substitute Ben Davison.

Gate had Fletcher to thank with five minutes of the game left when he did well to save one-on-one with his feet.

They could still have won the game with time running out when a long throw was headed towards Harries but he was unable to meet the ball.

The draw sees Gate remain eighth ahead of Monday’s home game with Burscough.

Gate: Fletcher, Richards, Higham, Rossall, Colquhoun, Riley, Ing, Rothwell, Sinclair, Harries, Pett. Subs: Clarkson, Finlayson, Salthouse, Pope.