Last-gasp winner sends ‘Wood to home defeat

Blidworth netted a 95th minute winner to deny Eastwood a point at Coronation Park on Saturday.
Eastwood striker Matt Clowes (in red) challenges for possessionEastwood striker Matt Clowes (in red) challenges for possession
Eastwood striker Matt Clowes (in red) challenges for possession

The hosts, who featured local figure and former Eastwood Town star Gary Breach in their matchday squad, were first to threaten after a slow start as Jake Danby fired in a well-struck free-kick that the Blidworth keeper parried wide.

There was little action of note until some neat build-up play saw Blidworth appealing for a penalty. The referee was unmoved and Blidworth failed to make a chance on goal count moments later.

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It was going to take something spectacular to separate the teams and that was exactly what David Worger was thinking when he tried a bicycle kick but his effort flew over the crossbar.

Eastwood then had another great chance when Matt Clowes played through Jerome O’Connor and gave him an opportunity to net on his debut, but the keeper saw out the danger.

Blidworth grew into the game in the opening third of the second-half with a wasted one-on-one opportunity and a shot that was sliced wide soon after.

Again the game turned rather stale for the following ten minutes, until a quick break turned it on its head. Eastwood were able to utilise the pace of O’Connor and he coolly rounded the keeper to put the hosts a goal up.

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The striker had been in white hot form at his previous club and will hope to continue it at Coronation Park.

It took the visitors just four minutes to reply as Lee Easom chipped a delightful lob into the back of the net to put things all square.

Both teams decided to go all out for the win in an exciting final 20 minutes, but neither could find that bit of quality to match their tidy passing.

With 95 minutes on the clock, Blidworth struck a dagger into Eastwood fans’ hearts, as Brett Watson rose highest in the area and nodded a powerful header home.

‘Wood frantically launched a final attack but time wouldn’t allow and they were instead consigned to their second straight defeat.

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