Pershore 3,

Berkswell & Balsall 3

IT WAS honours even last Saturday when Pershore grabbed a late but deserved equaliser in this critical fixture.

Whenever these two teams meet a feast of engrossing action is almost guaranteed and this Coaching Sol-utions League fixture was no exception. Pershore opened strongly and got their noses ahead when Toby Whi-ting's short corner was deflected into the net off a defender's stick.

This raised hopes and expectations even further and the already fast-paced game gathered even more momentum.

Anthony Handley's electric pace was well contained by the visiting left back while Andy Wright and Graeme Rushin mopped up whatever was thrown at them inside their own half.

Just when it seemed Pershore were going to extend their lead, they endured a series of setbacks.

Berkswell snatched a goal from a dubious short corner, then Pershore conceded a penalty flick. Goalkeeper Stuart White temporarily saved the day by stopping the resulting flick to keep the scores level but was forced to face another flick minutes later when Neil Gabriel's tackle was similarly, but wrongly, penalised and there was no let-off this time.

Some atrocious passing straight from the restart then gifted the visitors an immediate attack that they expertly took advantage of to lead 3-1 at half-time.

It was left to two of the most prolific scorers to restore the balance and claim a deserved point.

The languid and tricky Richard Lisle converted after excellent midfield play and a messy short corner routine was turned in by Russell Scudamore leaving a share of the points almost certainly meaning that the two teams will be meeting again in the same division next term.

Coaching Solutions

West Midlands Division Two (top)

P W D L F A Pts

Newtown 17 14 1 2 66 17 43

Kingswinford 17 14 0 3 95 25 42

Berks & Balsall 17 12 2 3 78 30 38

Barlaston 17 11 2 4 55 28 35

Pershore 17 10 4 3 69 29 34