Potton fight back to earn a draw with Oakham

Potton nearly paid the penalty for dominating most of the first half and not taking their chances.

They hosts early pressure but in the 7th minute Will Cook spilled a cross and it fell to Oakham’s Ben Ease who scored with his second attempt.

Cory Cooper chased a long ball but just failed to get his shot on target while from a corner the Oakham goalie saved Shaun Faulkner’s header. Continued Potton pressure ended with Nick Finney shooting wide.

Oakham had a breakaway and Andy Sayers was in the clear but he failed to control the ball when clear on goal.

Finney had two attempts blocked and then Cooper played the ball to Mark Ansell-Carter but his effort was straight at the keeper.

Early play in the second half was fairly even until in the 53rd minute the referee awarded a corner to Oakham, which Potton strongly disputed, and from this Eddie McDonald forced the ball home from close range.

Cooper had a tame effort easily saved by the keeper before Charlie Stafford brought a full length save. At the other end Nicki Young saw his shot held by Cooper and then Gary Ansell-Carter made a good run and saw his low shot saved by the keeper.

Potton made some substitutions and this made a difference, injecting a bit of better energy into the team.

In the 75th minute Potton were awarded a free kick from which Gary Ansell-Carter headed back across the goal for Alex Toye to score from close range.

It was all Potton now and a move between Gary Ansel-Carter and Kenny Smith ended with Smith’s shot being deflected over the cross bar. Mark Ansell-Carter tried a shot from 25 yards that the keeper did well to save and the ball rebounded to Luke Harradine who screwed his shot wide of the post.

In the 86th minute Potton worked the ball down the left hand side and Gary Ansell-Carter’s cross was headed into his own net by Gavin Cooke for the equaliser.

Before the final whistle Bobby Bick tried a long shot that was easily held by Cook.

At least Potton battled to the end and will be looking to take their chances if they are to have a realistic challenge for promotion this season.

Potton United: Will Cook, Calum Forster, Ashley Yeomans, Shaun Faulkner (Alex Toye), Luke Harradine, Mark Ansell-Carter, Charlie Stafford (Kenny Smith), Aiden McClean, Gary Ansell-Carter, Nick Finney, Cory Cooper (Lee Rogers)