Gutsy Denbigh hit back for draw!
Denbigh Town travelled to Pwllheli and drew 2-2 despite playing 70 minutes with 10 men. Kristian Pierce was harshly sent off for a professional foul even though he clearly played the ball first and there was a man covering as well.
Until that point Denbigh had dominated possession and threatened several times without Pwllheli having a shot on goal. Mike Lundstram crashed a header against the bar early on from a Pierce free kick and Mark Roberts should have done better on a few occasions. Craig Garside was just off target with a couple of 30-yard piledrivers as Town turned the screw.
The game was completely turned on its head in the 20th minute after the dismissal. To the disbelief of most of the crowd the card was red after the referee consulted the linesman. The sending off seemed to spur the hosts on and they took the lead soon after as a quick counter attack resulted in Mark Bridge prodding the ball past Jamie Hulse.
Denbigh responded well and even with 10 men they pressed for an equaliser with Simon Smith and Lundstram looking particularly dangerous. The score at half time was 1-1 and manager Williams-Cooke reshuffled his team at the break. Denbigh still looked the better side in the second period despite their numerical disadvantage.
They grabbed the equaliser around the hour mark when Smith produced a moment of magic. The ball was cleared to him and he took a touch before bending a beauty in to the top corner from 20 yards. Pwllheli regained the lead shortly after as a suspiciously offside player turned the ball in.
Tommy Mutton and Stuart Vernon came off the bench and both made big impacts on the game. Mutton was denied by a fantastic save from point blank range and then tricked his way into the box past 2 defenders but picked the wrong pass.
Vernon produced the pass of the match 5 minutes from the end to create a much deserved equaliser for the impressive Lundstram. He tricked his way past a defender before curling a 40 yard pass which Lundstram took in his stride before sliding the ball past the advancing keeper. Denbigh searched for the winner but Mutton was just wide with a left foot effort.
It was a fantastic effort from their 10 men in the face of some very strange decisions from the officials.
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