Match Report: Quorn FC 1-1 Redcar Athletic

One of the longest away days this season was crossed off the list early, as we travelled to Leicestershire to take on Quorn

Matches are coming thick and fast for the Steelmen, with Tuesday’s match against Lancaster City marking the halfway stage of this month’s fixtures.

So far, though, we are unbeaten, with a win and two draws meaning we are four points clear of the drop.

Our match against Quorn, who had just come off the back of a 5-0 thrashing against Cleethorpes, began promisingly, with Ciaran Banks flashing a shot narrowly past the post in the 7th minute following a long run forwards.

A wide shot in the 11th was spilt by Quorn’s keeper, though he pounced on the rebound shot by Andrei, with the recent Shildon signing then having another attempt, though his effort deflected behind for a corner.

A Danny Rowe challenge halted a Quorn attack, with the counter seeing a Saplding cross be met by Andrei, whose header went over.

Chances kept coming, and going, for both sides as the half progressed, with the highlight of those chances seeing a corner be claimed by Mazfari, before he thumped the ball across the field, finding Louis Johnson on the edge of Quorn’s box. The winger’s touch was accompanied by a slip, though, and it meant the hosts did retrieve the ball.

The final act saw Nathan Guru stop a Quorn attacker in his tracks, meaning our longest-serving player picked up a booking moments before the interval.

The second half saw us keep pushing for a goal, with some early slick passing from Andrei and Luke Spalding ending with the ball falling to Owen Burns, with this shot skimming across the face of goal.

Some good work from Louis Johnson came in the 61st minute, as he received the ball out wide and played a great pass to Spalding, though his attempt went over.

Quorn then had a great chance before the 70th minute, as they broke through one-on-one, and they tried to place a shot over Mazfari, but a strong glove pushed the attempt back, with the rebound then being put wide.

We made three subs a few minutes later, with Fewster, Boyes and Fletcher coming on for Spalding, Ardelean, and Burns.

Those subs, to no fault of their own, were instantly met with a goal at the other end, as a ball played into the box found an unmarked Quorn man, whose header went into the net, marking the first goal we have conceded this season.

We began pushing for an equaliser after that goal, with Curtis Round and Connor Smith brought on for Louis Johnson and Nathan Guru. We did get the equaliser in the 83rd minute, as a ball was played into the box from out wide, and an unmarked and untracked Adam Boyes was on hand to place a shot past the keeper.

We found another gear after that goal, too, with Quorn’s keeper pulling off a stunning stop to push another Bosh attempt behind.

Things got better for the Steelmen (and worse for the hosts) as Quorn were reduced to ten men following a brutal lunge on Danny Rowe, with their man being given a second booking.

We entered the final moments of the game with a winner on our mind, with Bosh unable to reach a ball that would have put him one-on-one, and after nearly ten minutes of added time, the full-time whistle did arrive, albeit under frustrating circumstances.

Another point on our tally will never be turned down, and it means we remain unbeaten, with all focus now turning to Tuesday night, where we take on Lancaster City at home.

See you there!

Lineups:

Redcar Athletic: Mazfari, Guru [Smith, 72′], Banks, Bartliff, Rowe, Lay (C), Spalding [Fewster, 66′], Hawkins, Ardelean [Boyes, 67′], Burns [Fletcher, 67′], Johnson [Round, 78′]

Unused subs: N/A

Quorn FC: Laban, Tunstall, Ceesay [Owen, 63′], Frizelle (C), Reaney, Campbell-Ryce [Marshall, 94′], Beswick, Kee [Meikle, 22′], Lawrence-Lother, Bojang [Cox, 83′], Cisse [Kaninda, 89′]

Unused subs: N/A