A late equaliser from Gary Sucharewycz secured a draw for Grantham Town in a close-run match at Chasetown.
The Scholars had the upper hand throughout and Gary Hay’s strike just before the break left them well placed, but slowly but surely the visitors crept back into the action and a lucky header two minutes from time stole the Lincolnshire side a point.
Grantham had the first real attack of the game in the sixth minute as Ben Saunders played through Nick Langford whose cross was cleared by Ben Jevons, before a fine move down the right by Ramone Stephens saw him place the ball perfectly to Hay who set up Danny Smith but his shot cleared the bar by inches.
Appeals for a penalty after Smith tangled with Matt Millns went unheeded, and the fast-paced start continued with the Gingerbreads displaying some lively defending to keep out the attacks of Smith and Stephens. Hay then fired Vaughan Thomas’s overhead kick over the bar under pressure, before Mark Branch’s free kick from a tight angle was cleared at the near post on the half hour.
Millns then headed an Alistair Asher free kick wide of the post as Grantham looked to move up a gear, but the number of chances decreased until the closing moments of the half when Hay picked up a flicked ball from the midfield and rounded keeper Rob Murray to open the scoring.
The fightback was immediate and Millns headed a free kick against the post in added time, but Chasetown marginally had the better of a lively first half.
The lively atmosphere continued after the break with Langford forcing Ryan Price into a save in the opening seconds, and the forward just failed to get onto the end of Ben Saunders’ cross in the 47th minute.
Stephens was still showing impressive positional play on the right for the Scholars while Duncan Horler’s free kick on 57 minutes went straight into the wall as the hosts pushed for a second. Horler went close again on 65 minutes and Chasetown were looking more dominant all the time.
Murray covered the gap at the near post to stop a Gavin Saunders free kick, before the Gingerbreads fought back briefly with Millns firing substitute Danny Hargreaves’ corner narrowly over the bar.
Grantham’s fightback continued and with two minutes on the clock they were successful, Sucharewycz heading home after Millns’ initial header had bounced back off the crossbar.
The Scholars had plenty of positives to look back on from this performance, and will aim to put them to good use as they visit Shepshed Dynamo on Tuesday, (March 16).
Chasetown: Price, J Branch (c), M Branch, Slater, G Saunders, Thomas, Stephens, Jevons, Hay, Smith, Horler. Subs: Steane, Scandrett, Miller, Egan, Teesdale.
Grantham: Murray, Percicoe, S Saunders, Asher, Sucharewycz, Millns, O’Rafferty, Robinson (c), Langford, B Saunders, Carchedi. Subs: Potts (Langford 83), Davies, Hewitt, Hargreaves (Percicoe 69), Hallcro.