Following Gornal Athletic should be classed as a health risk and carry a government warning, not for the first time this season we have gone deep into injury time to get the equaliser to earn us point, and we should feel sorry for Lutterworth as this is what we have done to them twice this season.

Fair play to Lutterworth for most of the first half they outplayed, out muscled and outthought us they deservedly took the lead on 7 mins when a totally unmarked Bradley Coleman planted his header from a corner giving Louis Connor no chance, they increased their lead on 24 mins when Kai Cunningham took advantage of a defensive error to bury the ball into the net.

We had been undone yet again.

Can I make excuses, possibly yes.

Four of our first team squad were unavailable due to work commitments and suspensions, and manager Dave King brought in 16yr old Fletcher Marsh for his debut at left back, Harry Higginson as returned to the club as our Number 5, and also Ibrahim Almane has also returned to the club and slotted into a front running role.

Huge Credit to both Marsh and Higginson, both were outstanding, despite his age Marsh did not look out of place, and Higginson was solid at the back, but, and its no ones fault having two new players in the back four was obviously going to take some time to bed down, and this showed in that first half hour. But Gornal did start to make inroads on the Lutterworth goal, and it took Keeper Culley to provide two exceptional saves to keep us out, and we went in 2-0 down at the break.

Gornal did improve in the second half, and Dave King made his first change, when Mark Gore came on to replace Owen Waterfield on 60 minutes, and on 65 mins, Mark got Gornal back in the game with a well taken goal on his debut, and then 5 minutes later he equalised. Not sure if it was excitement, but basically Lutterworth's Jay Clement then ran through our defence unchallenged to put them back in front on 72 minutes.

The minutes ticked by, Gornal lay siege to the Lutterworth goal, and as we entered time added, it looked bleak, but somehow, in a hectic goalmouth scramble, Mark Gore capped a wonderful debut with his hat-trick with nearly the last kick of game to give Gornal a share of the points.

Must also give a shoutout to Mark Gore, to come into the team at the age of 38 and still have that knack of being in the right place at the right time just shows that is the experience that Gornal need in the team.

All in all, over the last three matches Gornal have shown vast improvements and wont be long before we get back on the winning track, but rest assured there are no easy games in this league.

I have to mention the Lutterworth team and their officials, thank you, it has been a pleasure to play against you home and away this season, It is how football should be played, competitive but friendly. They are better than their current league position and we look forward to meeting up again next season.

Next Up: Saturday 1st February - Sutton United – Away - MFL Div 1 – Kick Off 3pm