Last updated at 09:23, Friday, 09 January 2009

PRUDHOE picked up a vital point in their fight for survival in the SkillTraining Ltd Northern League Division Two game against high-flying Crook.

Crook Town 2,Prudhoe Town 2.

Prudhoe went into the game with a defensive line up, but took the lead in comical circumstances in the fourth minute.

Crook had had a series of throw-ins, when Prudhoe’s Andrew Brown hit a long clearance, which was chased by Alan Brown.

Crook goalkeeper Connell came racing out, but his attempted clearance struck Davis, who had turned his back, and the ball rebounded off him before slowly rolling into the net.

Crook replied with Berj hitting a shot over the bar, before Foster hit a 22-yard free-kick straight into the arms of Prudhoe keeper Aiden Ames.

Ames then tipped a Olusoga cross over the bar.

Crook were having more of the possession but were not able to get past the defence.

When Connell hit another poor clearance, Chris Baxter tried a speculative long shot, which had the keeper racing back to catch the ball high above his head.

Coad hit a long shot over Ames’s bar, but in the first 20 minutes of the first half neither goalkeeper was seriously tested.

Paul Ballentyne, Christopher Bench, Ben Haddock, Andrew Brown and Ryan Monaghan continued to frustrate the home forwards.

The second half started with a speculative long range overhead kick from Olusoga which cleared the crossbar.

Soon after, the same player found the net with a diving header from a free kick, but the goal was ruled offside.

Crook continued to press and a corner was scrambled clear.

The equaliser came in the 63rd minute when a diagonal free-kick from the left was headed just inside the far post by a diving Olusoga.

One minute later Prudhoe missed a glorious chance when James Armstrong’s free-kick was met by a soaring Haddock, but his header went past the far post.

Crook kept pressing and Ames got across and down to save from Kokes.

Olusoga’s header from a corner hit the outside of the near post, then Berj headed wide.

Having defended so well a double deflection in the 78th minute gave an opening for substitute Quinn to hit a low shot into the net.

Prudhoe got a deserved equaliser in the 84th minute when a free-kick from the right was headed back across goal by Haddock for substitute Graham Wilson to power his header into the net.

Ames saved a free-kick from Foster, and then had to make a tremendous double save when he was exposed with two minutes to go.

First he came out to block a shot,and when the rebound was struck goalbound, he went full length to push past the post.

This was not the most entertaining of games, but a good match nevertheless.

With Prudhoe battling to get themselves off the bottom of the table, every point is precious.

First published at 13:12, Thursday, 08 January 2009
Published by http://www.hexhamcourant.co.uk