Match Report

Mackena Bradshaw came off the bench to snatch an 89th minute equaliser as Trafford showed tremendous character in their battle against relegation.

Tom Baker’s team made the perfect start when, after just two minutes, Cian Donohue swung a corner over from the right and Charlie Frost headed past Ben Garratt from eight yards.

The hosts had the distinct advantage of playing on their artificial surface and fortune was on their side in the 20th minute when a left wing corner was flashed towards the near post, glancing off the head of Trafford centre back Ollie Southern and flying into the opposite top corner.

Trafford’s debutant goalkeeper Harvey Bardsley made a fine reflex save in the 31st minute to thwart Town’s leading goal-scorer Alex Panter and a 30 yard drive by Matt Davies was held by home keeper Garratt.

Panter just failed to connect with a low cross to the back post but disaster struck for the visitors on the stroke of half-time when Ollie Southern was harshly adjudged to have caught Paddy Jarrett when making a clearance, and Byron Harrison struck the resultant penalty past the valiant Bardsley.

Manager Baker introduced substitute Bile Ahmed at half-time in place of Cian Donohue and Ahmed was desperately unlucky in the 53rd minute when his wonderful effort from an acute angle out on the right rebounded back into play off the foot of the near post.

Mackena Bradshaw entered the fray in the 70th minute in place of Danar De Oliveira and this move appeared to inject greater momentum into Trafford’s play.

Recent signing Kyle Worsley twice flashed brilliant crosses across the face of the Town goal that should have been capitalised upon, whilst at the other end Harvey Bardsley peformed heroics when he deflected a shot by Jordan Hodkin onto the crossbar.

A long throw in by Bradshaw was headed straight at Garratt by Prosper Imar as Trafford pushed forward in search of the equaliser and they were rewarded for their enterprise in the 89th minute when Garratt parried Matt Davies’ low drive from 25 yards and Bradshaw pounced to lift the rebound into the empty goal.

The action was still not over as, in the first minute of injury time, Bile Ahmed was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Connolly having earlier received a caution for an innocuous challenge just outside the Trafford penalty area.

Despite this setback, the ten men held firm to earn a thoroughly deserved point although they are still five points adrift at the foot of the table.