Yorkshire Amateur sealed another point in the league with a 0-0 draw against visitors Selby Town at a damp Southerns Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Ammers’ defence maintained water-tight despite constant direct approaches raining in from above onto Ammers’ back line, into Selby’s front three.
Selby’s Callum Petch went closest for either side, connecting ball with post as his head reached a delivery from a free-kick from the left.
New signing Danilo Mussulo offered new threat for Ammers, combining strength with technique to create opportunity to shoot from distance.
Seven changes were made from the FA Vase starting line-up from Saturday, including three debutants; Suruwa Bojan, Ellis Halligan & Mussulo. Craig Maynard, Liam White, Jose Mboma & Bruce Fernando the other inductees.
Five minutes in, a third cross into The Ammers’ box was dealt with, this one more comfortably rolling across the floor, straight into Bojan’s arms rather than headed clear like the previous two.
Maynard was alive to the danger centrally tracking Edward Dry but under enough pressure to force a sliding interception, poking the ball back to the Ammers’ ‘keeper. Dry’s next involvement further clarified Selby’s plan, the centre-forward’s starting point in deeper territory, blindly sending an aerial ball into the path ahead of his right-winger Thomas Palmer and almost succeeding with the space at disposal.
Again receiving deep, Dry mapped out his best route to goal by chipping the advanced Bojan and looked to have done, under the floodlights, until the patches of red on the ball dropped behind the clear white of the bar.
Dry was the target for the next direct ball, winning the race down the left channel, marginally inside the box. The decision was to use the outside of the right boot, but sliced his right footed attempt across goal.
As Ammers too went direct, Missolo’s strength maintained possession, allowing him to turn and shoot from the edge of the box, an effort straight at Adam Hewitson,
From a throw in an advanced left position, Selby showed ‘plan b’, lining up two shots from the edge of the box, the first parried by Bojan, the rebound hit first time across goal, wide of the left-hand post.
The hardest free-kick you’ll ever see collided with Charlie Petch’s head then audibly pinged off the far right-hand post on its way out.
Harry Clapham was the latest to connect his head with a cross from the right, diverting the ball back across goal but the ball was unable to dip enough to fly the correct side of the bar, the match moving three minutes past the half hour mark.
As Kyle Fish retained possession nearing the left touchline in Ammers’ half, on the half-turn he found Palmer one-on-one with Trewolde on the opposite side. The winger was able to hold the damp ball, twisting to create a right-footed shot, blocked by the Ammers full-back, entering the final five minutes of the half.
Missolo remained sharp at the other end, despite spectating much of the play in the opening 45, intelligently flicking the ball over a centre-half but his shot travelled through the box rather than at goal as the sides entered the break level.
Bojan failed to get hold of an aerial ball in the early stages after the restart, the ball eventually cleared, but Diallo had more control in the other box. He rewon possession inside Selby’s box and laid the ball back to a teammate to shoot inches wide of the near post.
It appeared as if the sides never swapped sides as Diallo faced up McGrath one-one-one in a high, wide left position for Ammers, cutting inside and shooting just wide of the near post.
Short passing was instead key to success for Trewolde playing in Diallo on the inside left channel. Missolo provided the target further upfield and manoeuevered clear of his marker, first going right and then moving back central. Possession is held a little too long as it’s intercepted by the crowd of Selby defenders on the edge of their own box.
Again, maintaining possession worked for Ammers, Hannigan free in the centre following partnerships forming on the left, denied the shot with his right, the effort with the left then tipped over on the hour.
Jake Boyd’s through pass was grounded but reached the same destination, Diallo advancing on the left. As he’s stopped, Selby countered. ‘Keeper Bojan’s indecisiveness whether to come or stay almost resulted in a penalty, definitely knocking the forward off stride as he rounded the stopper. Hannigan was on the cover to fill space in the empty goal, blocking on the slide the following shot.
As Selby countered down the left, Daniel Davison kept up with play centrally to receive a drilled cross. Bojan was too up-to-speed, side-stepping across his goal line to close the angle of shot and parry the ball wide.
The resulting corner found Davison again, to his feet, diverting goalward but again Bojan was positioned correctly, holding this attempt, inside the final ten minutes.
Clapham wanted to go alone, head down as he raced through the centre but was held up on the edge of Ammers’ box. McGrath had space out wide right, instead taking the shot across goal, narrowly wide of the top corner.
The play was then too fast even for Selby’s standard, a drilled cross from the right travelling all the way through the box and ahead of the sliding Palmer, desperate for the slightest of touches just inches out.
Neither side could get closer to finding the goal as the referee called the game whilst goalless.
Ammers’ next opportunity comes on their trip to Clay Cross Town on Saturday, 30th September, in the NCEL Division One.