After a month of cup football in which Richmond Town advanced further in three different competitions and last week’s postponed game due to Wolviston’s waterlogged pitch, it was back to league action on Saturday.
Windscale were the opposition, who made the long trip from Cumbria to the Dave Clark Arena.
Playing in heavy rain throughout the afternoon, it was the visitors who made the better start, enjoying the lion’s share of possession.
With a quarter of an hour played, a cross into the box was headed against the bar and tapped home from close range, however the linesman’s flag came to Town’s rescue.
Having settled and played their way into the game, Richmond had the ball in the net themselves after a good move, but again the flag was raised to deny James Coatsworth.
Chris McNab had a shot which lacked the power to trouble Windscale’s Lee Jolly, diving low to his right, then a penalty claim from Scott Ryan was turned down.
Two goals in quick succession and some good fortune then swung the game in Richmond’s favour.
Sam Pickergill’s determination enabled him to pick out Tafari Nicholas on the edge of the box, who in turn passed to Adam Walker who worked an angle for a shot which took a huge deflection leaving Jolly stranded.
A minute later Ryan added a second from the penalty spot after Nicholas had been upended. With half time approaching, Ryan went close to adding a third but his shot went wide of the target.
As the second half got under way, it was the Cumbrians who again started the stronger, and should have pulled a goal back within minutes of the restart when an unmarked Will Rooke headed wide from a corner.
Richmond’s keeper, Harry Dowding, was to be kept busy throughout the second period, denying the visitors with a reflex one handed save which had taken a deflection on its way.
With 54 minutes played, Windscale were on the scoresheet through Lewis Jolly who headed home at the back post.
Lewis Cocks stopped an equaliser when he blocked a shot heading for the back of the net, before Dowding needed to be quick on his toes when clearing a ball headed back to him from Jimmy Muir, who was playing his first game in over a month having recovered from injury.
With Richmond under pressure, a rare sight at goal came Richmond’s way but Chatsworth’s floated ball into the box was headed wide by Ryan, before at the other end Dowding twice pulled off good saves to maintain Town’s lead.
However, with 81 minutes on the clock, Windscale’s pressure paid off and the scores were levelled through Mathew Metcalf.
It almost got worse for Richmond, who seven minutes into added time had the Turf Hotel man of the match, Dowding to thank once more when he saved with his legs.
It’s county cup action once more this weekend when Richmond host St Mary’s 1947. Kick off is at 2pm.
