New-look Earlswood Town claim point from clash with Kenilworth Sporting
Earlswood Town 1-1 Kenilworth Sporting
Midland League, Division Two
A NEW-LOOK Earlswood Town picked up a valuable point at home to Kenilworth Sporting with an encouraging display.
Top goalscorer Louis Bridges’ eighth of the season was enough for the Earls to stop a recent rot at The Pavilions.
Harry Wilson bagged Sporting’s equaliser but, despite going close to grabbing a winner, Earlswood will be encouraged by this performance against a side who hammered them 5-0 in the Les James Challenge Cup only three weeks ago.
However, the Earls side that lined up against Kenilworth this time around was a far cry from the one dumped out of the cup.
New signings George Curry and Owen Williams came straight into the starting XI, with Chris Hayden ready from the bench.
Fit-again captain Bridges also returned after two games out and was influential as ever.
The Earls looked well-drilled from the off and it didn’t take Curry long to make an impact.
His delivery from the right found Bridges who slid past his man to calmly fire past Finn Osborn from just inside the area in the 11th minute.
With Curry controlling the game in the middle and Williams furrowing away up top, the Earls looked in control but lost their lead before the break.
In the 43rd minute, John Agbo’s effort from distance was tipped onto the post by Ali Lewis, a follow-up effort was blocked but Wilson couldn’t be stopped from six yards.
Bridges could and should have had a second and potentially Earls’ winner in the second-half had it not been for in-form Osborn.
The Kenilworth goalkeeper denied the home skipper twice, with the standout save coming in the final ten minutes by tipping Bridges’ glancing header, from Tom Millard’s delivery, over the bar.
That said, Earlswood’s defensive unit didn’t have a quiet afternoon either with Lewis called into action on several occasions.
This may only be Earlswood’s second point from a potential 18 but they will take encouragement ahead of hosting high-flying Cadbury Athletic on Saturday (3pm kick-off).
