The great and the good of the NCEL Management Board were treated to a stirringly competitive game between The Ambers and league leaders, and first time opponents, Campion who emerged victorious after an exhilarating eight goal thriller.
With two changes made to the side that eked out a point at Emley in midweek, The Ambers got off to the worst possible start when they conceded the game’s opening goal after just three minutes, full back Rhodes glancing home a header from Graham’s free kick, and it soon became evident that set pieces were a vital cog in Campion’s armoury.
Despite the early setback, Handsworth responded well, with Mitch Carlton firing just wide, but things got better minutes later, when the equalising goal was scored. Skipper Mitch Dunne started things off with a good crossfield run that released Shaun Tuton on the right wing, and from his cross to the back post, Mason Barlow steered his header into the six yard box where Aaron Moxam was first to react as he volleyed the ball past Emmerson into the roof of the net.
It was certainly a match up of two different styles of play but both were proving equally effective as the two sides went toe to toe. Moxam almost grabbed a second from the overlapping Michael Trench’s cross, whilst Dunne showed quick feet to carve out a chance for himself but the shot was straight at Emmerson who gathered.
The visitors countered when Ferguson got beyond Trench but Dylan Parkin stood tall and blocked the shot, whilst at the other end, Tuton picked up a half-cleared corner but curled his shot just wide of the far post. A tight offside decision then rescued Campion after Barlow fed Moxam who in turn lobbed Emmerson stylishly, but the Assistant’s flag went up immediately.
Graham, who seemed to be the architect of the set-pieces for Campion, then fired an effort wide before a superb move should have put Handsworth in front. Moxam, who was causing real problems for the visiting defenders, held up the ball well before feeding Dunne on the left and his cross to the front post was met by Tuton who just couldn’t apply the finishing touch as Harper did enough to thwart him.
On the stroke of half time, the visitors went close, and again it was a Graham free kick at the heart of it, this time Sykes put his back post header into the side netting, and they were made to pay in stoppage time when a Trench cross wasn’t dealt with by the away defence and a good lay back set up Barlow who fired unerringly into the top corner to ensure The Ambers went into the break 2-1 ahead.
Whatever words of wisdom were said in the away dressing room at half time, they worked wonders, as a supercharged Campion started the second half in blistering fashion. They thought they had an early equaliser but Ferguson’s excellent effort crashed against the bar with Parkin beaten, but two minutes later, yet another free kick into the box paid dividends, as Crawford fired home after the ball wasn’t cleared to safety and ended up at the midfielder’s feet on the edge of the box.
The League’s top scorer Day, who had been relatively quiet thus far, then took centre stage, as he firstly curled an effort just over the bar, before rattling the woodwork as the visitors threatened to take the game away from The Ambers.
Henry Carne then eased the pressure as he almost scored the unlikeliest of goals when his volleyed clearance from his own half was caught high on his line by a quickly retreating Emmerson, and Moxam then created a moment of panic in the Campion ranks as he chased a long ball from Sam Fewkes and got in between Emmerson and Bradley, but the keeper managed to cling on to the ball.
Cox then picked up a yellow card for a robust challenge on Carne, and he paid the ultimate price as Parkin’s free kick into the box wasn’t dealt with, and Moxam was on hand to smash home his second of the game to ease The Ambers back into the lead, but after Fewkes was harshly adjudged to have committed a foul whilst seeming to cleanly win a header in the centre of the pitch, the inevitable happened and Bradley headed home Graham’s pinpoint delivery to level things up again.
With Tom Bishop and Leon Howarth both introduced from the bench, it was clear that neither side was going to settle for a point, but the visitors stepped up another gear and a quick break down the left opened up the Ambers back line, and when Harper fired his cross into the box, a retreating Trench could only divert it into his own goal to gift the advantage to the visitors.
Two minutes later, The Ambers almost levelled things up again as some great perseverance by Bishop, chasing what looked like a lost cause, created an opportunity for Howarth but his effort from just outside the area glanced off the top of the bar with Emmerson beaten, and with Handsworth throwing everyone forward in search of an equaliser, they were undone in stoppage time when a long ball down the right found substitute Colley whose first time lob over Parkin was exceptional in it's execution, and the points were heading back to Bradford.
The score line was undoubtedly harsh on The Ambers who put up a great fight against a strong side who will, no doubt, be in the title race come the end of the season, but they may not face many tests tougher than this one on the way.