SANDBACH UNITED 1 v 1 VAUXHALL MOTORS

After a string of cup games, Vauxhall’s returned to league action on Tuesday evening but were unable to transfer their clear technical supremacy into a winning position, having to settle for a rather frustrating draw away at Sandbach United, who were defending a five-game unbeaten sequence.

Motors were on the front foot from the first whistle, Danny Cross having an early shot blocked inside the area, while Declan Drysdale tried his luck from distance which brought out a save from the home keeper, palming the effort away to safety.

Sandbach had their first decent chance on 25 minutes, when a smart pull back left Josh Lane in space but he dragged his shot wide of the target before Dave Webb set up Joe Brandon at the other end only for the Vauxhall player to shoot weakly.

After a goalless first half, Motors seem to up the tempo at the start of the second and duly took the lead on 52 minutes when top scorer Ben Holmes curled home a superb 25-yard free kick with his left foot following a foul on Haydn Cooper.  This looked like being a significant strike, especially as the hosts had offered so little but just nine minutes later Sandbach were back on level terms when a smart finish by leading striker James Kirby from the inside left channel got the better of Kristofer Leigh in the Vauxhall goal.

Motors substitute Kevin Exell was a touch unlucky with a far post effort after good work by Brandon down the right and Holmes stung the fingers of the home keeper, again set up by Brandon but chances were few and far between and as time ran out, it was the hosts who came closest with a free kick near the end.  The home side had a player dismissed just as the game entered injury time but this had no effect on the outcome.

Vauxhall:  Leigh, Mason, Schumacker, Carlin, Mitchell, Drysdale, Cross, Webb, Holmes, Cooper (Exell 60), Brandon.  Sub not used: Greenop, Lea, Drummond & Edwards.