As Yorkshire Amateur and Harrogate Railway connected in an NCEL Division One fixture, the match terminated 0-0 at Station View on Saturday.
[Photo by Sean Chandler]
The Railway hit the post with the closest effort to derailing Ammers’ efforts whilst Pride Chikosha’s chance towards the closing stages of the fixture failed to hit the mark.
Ammers’ central midfield was almost complete with academy graduates, Amari Smith & Eloi Nyom positioned infront of their senior, Jake Boyd.
The fast start from both sides was epitomised by Birama Diallo almost taking the lead in the race between himself and Joel Barker who shielded the ball successfully, winning a free-kick.
A diagonal pass out of Harrogate’s defence, from left-back to right-wing looked to have put Luca Bolino into face Adam Wilson in The Ammers goal.
Chased by Fre Trewolde, Bolino controlled with his chest before hitting high & wide under pressure.
Attacking midfielder Amari Smith’s athleticism was tested as he tracked back to his own box to clear a Harrogate forward pass, out for a throw.
Both wingers Frimpong & Diallo combined, both occupying wide-left positions as Diallo overlapped the former, receiving a pass towards the far touchline, returning the favour to the edge of the box infront of Frimpong’s run but the ball was sliced away from the far post.
Morton’s slip allowed Owen Dunckley to sprint uncontested down the Harrogate left, Craig Maynard close in his tracks, central to clear the low cross on 20 minutes.
Neck & neck still at 0-0, the heat was spared briefly for a drinks break on 24 minutes.
Returning from the break signalled to Harrogate’s wingers to again switch sides. The understanding between Ammers’ wingers saw Frimpong chest down a loose ball, inverted in central midfield and immediately send a volley instructing Diallo to chase down the right channel.
Harrogate’s own attempt at playing behind the defence was hindered by the hosts’ control of possession, Ammers’ deep starting position making the pass almost impossible, the ball running beyond the touchline.
Again those two combined, Diallo rounding a challenge but staying within the pitch markings, entering the box before cutting the ball back into the screaming Frimpong who’s first time effort rose over the bar.
Dunckley had space to shoot from 25 yards, hitting the ball across goal, but running past the wrong side of the right-hand post as the game entered the final five minutes of the half’s normal time.
Kadeem Morton kept up with Dunckley down The Rail’s left as he tried to counter, the full-back blocking the attempted cross to keep the scores level into the break.
Frimpong’s weaving run through the middle translated into his shot also, swerving right then left through the air, too much so, wide of the near post on 60 minutes.
Hakks reached an angled ball to the back of Ammers’ box from a set-piece, under pressure from Nyom to be unable to fully control the aerial ball with the attempt of his toe.
Joel Barker did eventually work a shot at goal, from the edge of the box but with Kongolo facing up the full-back in close reach, Maynard not far away either, the ball’s only target was above the two central defenders, rising over the bar also.
The post was in the way of Harrogate taking the lead as Henry Gardner, right of centre, slightly outside the box, curled a left-footed effort against the far upright.
Immediately Ammers countered, Frimpong on the end, twisting onto his left, inside the box with a tame effort into the arms of Jon Dash.
Smith was needed defensively again, beating his attacker to a ball played into the box, hooking away clear with just over fifteen remaining.
Into added-time and Lucas Umpleby had the best opening of the whole game.
He positioned himself perfectly under the cross from the left, hanging in the air 6-yards out, his head connecting with the ball, followed by his shoulder, lifting the ball up and over Wilson’s goal.
Nyom made sure he made a better connection to clear a corner from Harrogate’s left before Wilson risked the collision with his own near post as he punched clear not once but twice from two consecutive corners.
The second gave Ammers the opportunity to counter through Sam Ali initially, down the left, crossing into Chiposha who’s control gave him the best possible chance at scoring but the finish didn’t match, slicing wide of the near right-hand post.
That was the end of the line for both sides, sharing the points in the league.