Match Report: Congleton Town (a)

A controversial red card for defender Adam Hughes on 80 minutes saw Vauxhall Motors hold on for a well earned 1-1 draw, against a partisan crown and some controversial decisions on a hot Tuesday night in Cheshire. 

The home side went into the game with a point to prove after narrowlingly surviving being relegated from the division on the last day of the season, and crashing out dismally in their FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round 3-2 at home match against AFC Wolverhampton City on Saturday. 

The home side's plans were ripped up early, when star striker Dan Needham was through on goal just 90 seconds into the match, but pulled up with a injury and had to depart the field. 

Motor boss Chris Herbert had to do a shake up of his own just 5 minutes later, when defender Ben Dufton-Kelly's 100th appearance for the Motors was cut short after just 7 minutes with an injury concern of his own, new signing Joe Ireland replacing the full back for the evening. 

Motors first chance of the game fell to new striker Kamoy McNair, making his debut in the team tonight, when turned his marker on 16 minutes but could only drag his shot wide. 

Just like in their opening game against Prescot Cables on Saturday, the away side were the ones to take the lead, captain Jacson Coppack opening his account for the season, reacting first to a saved Daniel Kennedy shot, dummying a right foot shot to fool his defender and effortlessly curling an exquisite left foot shot into the top corer of the net. 

With the home bench becoming increasingly animated with descisions in their eyes that weren't going their way, the first moment of controversy arrived on the half hours mark, striker McNair receiving a yellow card for an elbow that on another day could easily have seen red. 

Just 2 minutes later Congleton were themselves on the end of some referring leniency, defender Jack Bates lucky to not get man sent off for push on McNair when he was seemingly the last man in front of goal.  

With tempers flaring and the partisan crown increasingly frustrated, the home side reacted with a sustained period of attacking play that the Motors defence was able to stand up to. Defenders Adam Hughes and Adam Rooney threw everything they had at the efforts, with keeper Jack Atkinson backing them up expertly in goal.   

It would have to be a gift to the home side for them to break an increasingly dogged Motors backline, and they got it on the stroke of halftime, when full back Joe Akpan was slow to react on a knockdown, and was adjudged to have pulled his marker down in the box, the referee pointing to the spot on 45+1 mins to give the home side a soft penalty. 

The resulting spot kick was put away by new signing Rob Stevenson, keeper Atkinson almost getting a hand to it on its way into the bottom corner, and the sides went into the half time break level at 1-1.

With the Motors attacking options being depleting with forwards Dale Jennings and Kevin Ellison unavailable, the second half would have to rely on their well drilled defensive skills to see the game out with a positive result. 

Keeper Jack Atkinson, who could easily feel hard done by to concede from the penalty, was called into action twice in a minute at the start of the send half, firstly tipping a decent offer over the bar on 48 minutes, and a minute later parrying a well hit shot that could easily have troubled with its pace. 

Midfielder Finley Heath had Motors best chances of the second half, his first effort on 62 minutes just drifting agoniinslgy wide of the keepers right hand post, and a few minutes later produced a carbon copy of his first effort, dragging it wide of the post with the keeper being flat footed. 

The games most controversial moment then came on 80 minutes, when Motors defender Hughes was sent off for an infraction that no one saw, the referee deeming what he saw to be worthy of reducing the away side to 10 men for the remainder of the game. 

Motors manager Chris Herbert deployed his captain Jacson Coppack to partner Rooney at centre back, who expertly shepherded his new teammate through the remaining minutes.

The final action of the game saw Atkinson save well down low to his left, and the final whistle blew on an entertaining game in Cheshire, both sides leaving with a point, and the Motors unbeaten in the league following their two tough away fixtures in 4 days. 

Tickets for the first home game of the season on Saturday against league title favourites Stafford Rangers can be bought via our online ticketing partner Fanbase, and we look forward to seeing you all at the Premier Jet Stadium next weekend.