Glossop North End Community took on promotion hopefuls De La Salle at Glossopdale school on a windy afternoon.
De La Salle were well organised, and both teams played creative football early on with Matty Birkhead breaking on a couple of occasions and Charlie Harris back from injury leading the line. Aaron Potts also made a couple of good stops in goal for the blues with neither team commanding the game.
On 35 minutes with the score 0 v 0 De La Salle did manage to beat Potts, their number 9 striking towards goal which was handled off the line by a Glossop defender, the referee awarding the penalty kick and issuing the appropriate red card. The penalty was converted, 1 nil to the away side.
The blues hung on until half time but still created, goal machine Fergal O’Grady going close just before the break.
In the second half Glossop started the stronger side, reorganised and with Callum Manley appearing from the bench who made an immediate impact, going close himself and assisting Harris at the edge of the box.
Glossop equalised on 60 minutes, an OG after a header from Charlie Morris and O’Grady assisting the ball goal wards. Matty Birkhead was off with an injury, Brodie Sharpe on.
Aaron Potts made several excellent saves and the defensive group of Alex Carnally, Lewis Woolstencroft, Charlie Morris and Callum Cheetham (then Joe Atkinson) kept the blues in the game.
De La Salle finally scored, a good cut back and finish from wide left from their substitute but not before a big penalty shout was waved away for Harris and Glossop very much finished chasing an equaliser as Charlie Goddard went through and Manley went close before the final whistle.
The blues were just short but a sign of how far they have come in their inaugural season.