Lge (A)
Drew 2-2
(H/T 1-1)
Moulton were cruelly denied a first league win of the season at Elderstubbs by an injury time equaliser by Daventry Town Captain Luke Knight. The Magpies were without Justin Mensah and Terry Falcini both injured and skipper Dan White un-available and went behind after only 5 minutes. Francis Boateng was outmuscled on the touchline by Josh Yeboah who strode on and turned inside before beating visitor’s keeper Adam North low down. Yeboah got away again 10 minutes later but this time North saved comfortably. After the early shock Moulton started to control the game and Luke Stevens and Lewis Isom created an opening, but the latter’s cross was just out of reach of the onrushing Lewis Fisher. The visitors grabbed a deserved equaliser on 24 minutes, Fisher retrieved the ball after his shot from a corner was blocked, and laid it out left for Damian Osoimoiejokhian, Lewis Patching in the home goal could only parry his shot out to STEVENS, 8 yards out who finished clinically. The Magpies were bossing the game at this stage, moving the ball around with ease and Nat Ansu was narrowly over with a decent effort and when Connor Bailey worked an opening, Renato Prifti’s overhead kick just missed the target. Moulton went into the break the dominant side and apart from the first 15 minutes Daventry offered little as an attacking force.

DAVENTRY TOWN 1 MOULTON 1

The Magpies forced an early corner at the start of the second half, but when the home side broke quickly Boateng and Yeboah were again in a footrace, sadly for stand in skipper Boateng he was adjudged to have fouled the striker, and the referee awarded a penalty. Archie May stepped up but North guessed correctly to save with May blasting the rebound miles over the bar. Five minutes later Moulton took a deserved lead, Knight was penalised for handball 30 yards out and ISOM stepped up, curling a delicious free-kick over the wall and into the top corner. A minute later Isom got in again down the left, but this time Patching saved easily. The visitors continued to dominate and the next one to try his luck was Osoimoiejokhian who tested the home keeper low down from 25 yards, and then Patching denied Adam Dicks with Ansu having the rebound nicked off his toe as he was about score. It was all Moulton now and they were desperately unlucky not to increase their lead after 64 minutes, Tyson Aluko found Bailey out on the right-hand side of the box and his first time shot smashed against the inside of the near post with Patching beaten. Prifti and Ansu worked an opening down the left but with only Patching to beat Bailey couldn’t bring the ball under control and the chance was lost. Ansu had the ball in the net after 83 minutes, but it was ruled out for offside and then a quick throw by Osoimoiejokhian set substitute Jaxon Bedford away down the left and his cross was met by fellow sub Lachi Codrington, but he missed the target by a distance. With 3 minutes of normal time left the Magpies were desperately unlucky once again, Prifti intercepted a loose pass before advancing forward and then turning inside, hit a curling right foot shot from 25 yard that smashed against the angle of post and bar and then 2 minutes later Patching palmed away an effort from Dicks that was destined for the top corner. Disaster struck for the visitors 3 minutes into added time Dante Grey was adjudged to have handled (harshly some said) on the Daventry left 25 yards from goal. North came for the free kick and unfortunately collided with a home player and when the loose ball dropped Knight was on hand to finish from 12 yards. This was cruel luck on the Magpies who dominated for 70 % of the game but not for the first time this season lady luck deserted them at both ends of the pitch and Daventry Town’s X account summed the day up by commenting “we stole a point today “never has a truer word been spoken”.

FINAL SCORE DAVENTRY TOWN 2 MOULTON 2

TEAM North, Dicks, Osoimoiejokhian, Aluko, Stevens, Boateng, (Grey 70), Bailey, (Codrington 77) (Andrews 80), Fisher, (Bedford 75), Ansu, Prifti, Isom. SUB unused Amour

Editor - Steve Alibone